Chapter-0

Prologue~

"*Alright, listen up!" Clarence yelled, watching some men continue to throw up in their boat as they trudgedcloser and closer to shore, the choppy water something that could not be helped. Thelast meals from the launching ships most likely coming up as somewent to their deaths,the back and forth of the water being the majority of the problem. "I know you thought today was a training exercise but this isthe real mission..." Gasps and murmuring started, the Second Lieutenant letting them process stayed quiet as the group whispered. Many strangers to one another were now closer friends, as beingone of the few boats that held men from the regiments of black Canadian soldiers would do that. Clarence always felt awkward, even though there was usually some genuine respect, due to the obvious appearance that the Lieutenant did not seem to conform. Clarence had a white German mother and black Canadian father, something that was not legal in Canada when they were both alive. Clarence's mother had fled Germany as a child after the first war, coming to Canada with her parents, Clarence's now deceased grandparents. Clarence's father had been memorable but died early on, having been shot on his way home from work, having been mistaken as a thief that had run in the general direction. A single mother in Canada, Clarence wondered if the woman who worked to the bone for her loved oneswas doing alright. Clarence had always wondered if it was a benefit to have a white parent or if it would have been better to be more 'obviously'black, feeling shunned out by both sides outside and within the army.

"Remember the basics! Stick to your partner! We're going against a fortified beach, there won't be much natural cover." Some men started throwing up again, the idea of dying scaring them and had no way of stopping the contents from escaping. Clarence sighed, knowing the feeling well. This wasn't the first time Clarence was forced into a battle that was against them. But, this time they had trained well and made it appear they were attacking somewhere else. The secrecy of this mission was beyond anything any one of them had been a part of before or any one could have imagined without many minds as a part of it all. "I know you're scared, some of you aren't going to make it off this beach." Clarence said quietly but truthfully, looking down to the black boots that were failing at keeping everyone's feet dry. After all, there is no point lying to a man who knows he is about to die. "But this is for something bigger than all of us. This is for all those who were killed before. All those innocent people who are losing their homes. If we don't win this, Germany may attempt to hit our homes next. We stop this advance here and push them back." Some men in the boat nodded their heads strongly in agreement, some saying a silent prayer to themselves as they ducked down.

I wonder if these men would listen to me if they knew the truth…She thought, looking ahead towards the smoke covered beach that was awaiting them all. Clarence was the name of the brother Ida never had, having been stillborn along side her 21 years ago. When the army came looking for her father, Ida had taken the conscription paper, expertly taking out her father's name and putting in another. So 'Clarence Brant', a switch of her father's names, was allowed into the army based all on the falsehood that the administrator had made a mistake in the record and was welcomed like every other man that walked through the doors.I wonder what would happen the moment they learned that Ida Clarence was forcing men to their deaths."Rifles armed!" She yelled, locking eyes with a young boy who joined only a few weeks ago, that was looking back to where they had come from instead of where they were going. He was fumbling with his rifle, the rattling of the gun catching the attention of those around him. Ida thought that someone was going to help but they were too focused on themselves. "What's your name kid?"

The boy looked up, his eyes wide. "R-Ray, sir."

"Ray, take a breath. If you can't load your rifle, you're not going to get far." She wasn't going to do it for him. He needed to learn to calm himself, she couldn't baby him because she wasn't going to get that treatment on the beach. Ida looked in the smoke covering their destinationand saw the cliff shapes coming into view. When Ida looked back, the kid was trying. He couldn't have been 17 yet, but, maybe when he signed up, the member at the table didn't care how old he really was. Many that sat at those desks and pushed pencils and paperdidn't care about the black boys they were sending off the die. They didn't look into birthdates as seriously as with the white teens trying to get in.

"30 seconds! Clear the ramp!" The guy steering the boat yelled. The man beside Ida started yelling off reminders for the men of what they were supposed to do. Just like they had trained.

"Do you got parents Ray?"

"Yes, sir. M-My mom and sister are b-back home."

"What about your father?"

"He died during the first year of the war."

I can use that to get him to calm down."Do you want your mother to have to watch the army walk up your porch steps to be told you died?"

"N-No s-sir." Ida just stared into the kid's eyes and it seemed like he relaxed a little and was able to load and ready his rifle.

"Quiet down," Ida said, the voices and noises suddenly disappearing. Ida was waiting for a signal, closing her eyes to focus on the sounds around her. The sounds of waves hitting the metal, the creaking of the packed boat making it sound like they were going under. Then, it came, the high pitched whistle. "See you on the beach!" The men in the front opened up the front of the boat and men started filing out via the ramp. Land mines were exploding all around them, full boats of men were being lost within seconds all because they were late. The lower tide was something they were purposefully trying to was expecting heavy fire, and was concerned as the men were slowly making their way out of the boats. "Move your asses!" Her commanding voice yelled, the men quickly rushing out onto European soil. For most their first, and for most their last.

Then, it seemed like random shots were being aimed at them, they were not consistent and heavy like they were expecting, making it easy for them to zigzag their way up the beach towards the town ahead of them. When they got to the seawall, that was a different story. The thick walls provided cover from the heavy fire that was on the other side, the screams of men asking to be saved. "I don't want to die!"

"Push the wall!" A voice rung out, Ida waiting a moment as someone pushed themselves in front of her and climbed over after him. It seemed like the world was silent around her, her body forcing the sounds to be muted to help her focus. Jumping over the wall after the person in front of her, Ida almost tripped over him as he fell dead in front of her. A grenade went off about 60 feet away from her, but slowed her down as she felt bits of metal lodge into her e on, Ida, move,she told herself, running so she couldgroup upwith some men taking cover behind a building. Some of the men in her boat were there, Ida giving them nods as she walked by them to see if she was the highest officer there. Inwardly, she was happy when she ran into a Captain. "Sir! What are your orders?!" They were yelling over the gun shots and grenades, explosions and screams something the two were used to by now but the newest recruits were trying to cover their ears.

"How many men from your company!?"

"15 with me sir!"

"Take these 5 of mine! Push that house there!" He used a mirror attached to a knife to point out the house that had 4 floors, one street over. "Third floor has a nest where they are taking out our guys!"

"Yes, sir!"

"After that, push further in! Keep trying to push them back!"

"Sir! Royal Rifles with me!" Ida moved back to the rear of the house facing the beach. They moved into the house and Ida lookedoverthe men she had. She knew one well, the rest she had no idea who they were, having been added days before. "We're moving to that house there! We'll move four at a time, like we practiced, you and you," she pointed to two men who weren't shaking as much, "stick with me, we'll provide cover fire!" They nodded their heads and got into position. "Start moving immediately to attack the nest. We need to get the others into town. Any problems?" When everyone stayed quiet, she took it as a no. "You four up first! Then you, and you! Move and shoot at the target when you can!" She separated the men into groups based on how they stood in the line. Ida moved up to the door they would be leaving, looking for any additionalfiring squads.

"Sir, there is one directly to our east!" One of the men she had asked to stay behind for cover first pointed out, Ida only nodding.

"Alright first four!" She waited a moment, "Cover fire!" Ida and the two men pushed out and started firing at the firing squad, making it easy for the first four to make their way across the street. They sprinted through the streetand both groups just avoided the return fire. "Next four!" Ida reloaded her Bren light machine gun, glancing at everyone around her. "Cover fire!" The three came out, finding their targets easily and watching the men run across the street.

"I hit one!" One of the men said.

"Me too!" Ida yelled. There was one or two left, unless Germans kept more men in a building firing squad than the Allies. "Last four, line up!" As they were, a group of soldiers from the beach came running up the eye sight and were being shot down. "Shit," Ida mumbled to herself, watching the men being shot down easily. "Here!" She yelled, not knowing that the others across the street were having them come over. A few men made their way into the home and Ida noticed the sniper rifle in someone's hand.

"You, take out the two left in the squad!" Explosions continued to ring out and the ground shook. "You," she pointed to a young boy, who looked like he wasn't even 16yet. "You're coming across with us! Next four, ready?"

"Sir!"

"Cover fire!" They didn't easily make it across, two being shot and were crawling across the street to get the safety. "Take 'em out!" Suddenly a large bang echoed through the town, everyone freezing, not knowing what it was. Ida looked at the group, it was still. All shooting in their area had stopped, everyone refused to yell but the echoing of fighting in the areas around them were like small whispers. Ida took a knife and slowly put it out the door, shots quickly aiming at her hand and just missed it. A sudden bang sounded and the shooting at her stopped.

"Got 'em!" The British sniper yelled.

"Push forward!" Ida yelled, moving into the town as she was instructed. Her hearing was filled with the cries of injured men. Missing limbs and entrails out for all to see as men crawled for their lives. The route was easy to see, just get to the edge of the town and fortify before moving on. Men of all countries shooting men in German uniforms that were surrendering. She wondered why she felt a little uneasy with the sight but she thought it was best to push it down. After all, Germany was the reason they were all there. They were the reason the world was in chaos and people were dying and families torn apart.

Hours went by and everyone was regrouping, finding ammo and weapons of dead bodies, stocking up on hand grenades, and getting more water. Some, luckily, being prepared to be returned to England because of towards the officers tents, Ida saluted as she stood at the door, as she had been called. "Second Lieutenant Brant, sir."

"Stand down, I have a job for you." The Colonel waved herin, pointing at a map. "I hear you are quite the recon man."

"I have been successful in the past, sir."

"Good, I want you to take a small team, two or three others, and see what is happening outside the town."

"Do you want a recon onto Sword beach as well, sir? We were three hours late."

"Good idea, we can't move well if we aren't all at the same point. Get going, I need you back by sundown."

"Sir," she saluted, moving back to where she had come and went looking for the men that she had run into.

"Private Brodes, Private Crown! Front and centre!" The men popped up, within their separate groups of friends, and jogged up to her. "I need you two for recon. Grab something to write stuff down, light weapons. Meet back here, we leave in 10 minutes." They quickly nodded and ran off.

"Second Lieutenant," A voice said behind her, causing Ida to turn. "Going somewhere."

Ida smirked at the person in front of her. "Damn, you made it out here too." It was the one person Ida would call something close to a friend.

"At least I look better than you, Brant."

"Christ, Tick, you had it nice and cozy in the fourth wave." Ida started walking towards her small pack that she had set down, wanting to switch out the Lanchester she had used at the end of the landing.

"What are you limpin'for?" Ida crouched at her stuff, looking down to her leg, reminding her what happened.

"Shrapnel got me right over the wall."

"You should clean that up before you go into those fields. Never know what might be hiding."

"What about you? Going to cozy it up again while the rest of us haul ***?" Ida kicked off her boot and cleanedher hand and knife with her water before she went to dig out the small pieces of metal.

"Doubt it. British pricks are tryin'to get us to be their shields to move closer in." Tick, who's actual name was Patrick, was a Lieutenant with the black troops and was like every other man who entered the army. He thought they were going to be seen for their rank and service but there were still some that were not as trusting and the higher up those people were, the more obvious it was. He watched the friend he thought he knew taking bits of metal out of their calf. "You're lucky your just being sent off on recon."

"General Dempsey has a good head on his shoulders. I'd go with his decisions in this."

"Your trust is worrying." Tick leaned in and looked around before whispering, "You know these white guys couldn't give two shits about us."

"What I heard from our higher ups is that he actually listens to their side. That's all I can ask for." Ida wrapped up her leg, closing off the end of the pant leg before putting her boot back on. "See you later, Tick." Ida stood and walked towards the Commander tent, collecting the two men she picked and they quietly made their way towards enemy lines.

They sat in a lowland, just on the edge of the next town, synchronizing their watches. "Meet back in three hours." She whispered, "Questions?"

"Yeah, what are we looking for?" Brodes asked, a British man and Ida couldn't help but whack him over the head, causing Crown, a black Canadian, to smirk as he looked away to hide it.

"Were you not listening? Anything that may help. The smallest thing you see, take note of it."

"Three hours, right?" Crown confirmed. It was 5 pm now. Ida nodded and smirked before she turned and starting crawling away to the position she was taking.

Ida listened as explosions and gunfire got louder as she moved towards Oboe beach. Ida looked on in shock over the hill as she watched Sword continue to be put to a halt on the beaches. Ida could only watch and take notes when some rustling caused her to freeze. Slowly, she reached for her pistol at her hip, holding her breath to figure out where it was coming from.

"Idiotic Americans, they think they can break our wall?"Ida froze at the German words, much closer than she would have liked.

"They are weak, we weren't even prepared for this."Another laughed, stopping just on top of her.

"Don't you think it's odd that we haven't heard anything from the rest of the wall? It's unsettling."

"They don't have numbers to beat us."Ida watched as a cigarette butt was flicked beside her and she kept eye on it, watching the embers slowly brighten in the wind."Come on, we should get back before the Lieutenant has our heads."The men chuckled as they walked away, obviously thinking that everything was going to be easy going from this point on. Ida waited for what seemed like hours, wondering if they had seen her and were just waiting for her to show herself. A small smoke puff catching her attention, reminding her of the cigarette that was starting to light the grass she hid in. Taking her time, waiting for a gust a wind, she would spit on the cigarette and back up, trying to get closer to the regroup point. As she did, Ida heard another rustle in the bushes, causing her to freeze as she was partially standing up already. Ida's dark eyes looked around, locking eyes with a small child looking at her, Ida worried about the gash across his forehead. The kid was in a daze, and Ida looked him over and saw that there were gunshots riddling his body. With a sigh, Ida watched as the kid collapsed in front of her, dead.

Clenching her jaw, Ida turned herself around and continued on her way back to the regroup point. She had 10 minutes to return to the regroup and arrived there quickly, at 19:58. "Lieutenant?" A whispered voice asked, causing Ida to smile as she welcomed Crown back. "Anything good?"

"Surprisingly. You?"

"Not much really."

"Happens." She commented, rummaging into her pockets to grab the notebook. "Take this back to camp. I'll wait for Brodes."

"Sir," he took the notebook and started crawling down the hill, as Ida turned around to look for the British man. Glancing at her watch, the 20:00 time on its hands worried her. The wind was playing with her, the darkness starting to hit the French seaside, that for some, would have been comforting. It was causing her to think someone was circling around her, her ears unable to pinpoint what was going on. Five minutes after 8 pm, she started crawling off in the direction Brodes had gone off. Following the flattened grass, Ida found the man looking into the town through binoculars, seemingly unaware of what was going on.

"Having fun, Brodes?" She clapped a hand on his shoulder and pulled him with her towards the beach.

"What are you doing?!"

"Shut the **** up." She screamed in a whisper, flipping him around easily and clasping a hand over his mouth. "You were to be back ten minutes ago, get the **** back to camp." She hissed, pushing him into the ground as she started heading West to the beach. As she stood to walk quicker, something didn't feel right. It was like the earth around her was oddly weak. She paused as she crouched down, pressing into the ground with her fist.

"What is it, sir?"

"I'll look into it. Head back to the beach." Brodes moved quickly through the grass and back towards the seaside town. Taking her knife, Ida expected to struggle to get the knife to the hilt but the blade easily drove into ground. With a strong pullIda started digging, surprised once she had a hole in the ground and felt an odd breeze coming from underground. "What the hell.." Suddenly the ground started shaking and as she got up to run, the ground collapsed underneath her. Ida clawed at the dirt to try and keep herself out of the hole but her attempts and screams were useless as she fell into the darkness.

"Goodness, what do you think she was doing wearing mens clothes?" A female with a British accent asked, Ida's vision blurry as she tried to look at where she was.

"It's odd, isn't it?" Another asked.

"I've never seen a woman with…" The voice now close to her, causing Ida's eyes to fully adjust and flinch when she saw two woman completely over her. "Dear, thank goodness you're awake." A dark haired, blue eyed woman smiled, not seeming to notice Ida's worry. "We thought you would never wake up."

"Where am I?" Ida asked with hesitation, looking at her wrists and ankles and was surprised that she wasn't cuffed to the bed.

"Oh, you're from the colonies." The younger blonde woman with blue eyes said, excitement on her face.

"You're in York, dear." The older woman said, giving a gentle smile.

"Y-York? In England?" Ida couldn't process everything. York had been bombed a few years before D-Day. The two women in front of her didn't seem concerned at all.

"Have you never been?" The younger woman said, her enthusiasm making it very uncomfortable for Ida.

"Catherine, why don't you see if the cook can make our guest a meal?" The older one said, smilingas the girl bounded out of the room. "Sorry, she was quite excited because she thinks you are a new friend."

"H-How did I get here?"

"I think I should be asking you that. But, I want to start with your name."

"My name?"

"Yes, my dear girl, surely you have one."

"I-Ida."

"Well, Ida, my name is Holly. You're at my family's estate."

"Where did you find me?"

"In our garden." Holly took in the confused and worried expression that Ida wore. "Why were you wearing men's clothes? It gave my son quite the shock when he was helping me undress you."

"I…I have my reasons."

"We all have secrets Miss Ida, no need to be embarrassed by that." Ida took a second and looked at what the woman wore as she moved to a wardrobe and couldn't help but comment.

"That is a very old style of dress, if you don't mind me saying."

"Old?" The woman said in surprise. "Well, I guess the colonies are advancing differently than we are in the homeland, but this type of dress is still in style."

"R-Really?"

"Yes. Why don't you change into this and I'll show you to the main dining hall. My husband has many questions for you."

Ida worriedly looked at Holly and could only nod, her survival instincts telling her to listen to the kind woman. She thought she should take in the kindness while she was able to get it. It took some time for Ida to figure out how to put the dress on, Holly having to come in and help her put the pieces in the right position. "It's not going to fit perfectly. We'll just do with what we can." She smiled, Ida wondering why she was being so nice to her.

With close steps behind Holly, Ida was surprised at the expanse of the large home, wondering why there were not army men running around. Many large estates close to the channel were becoming information centres for the army. They walked down a large main staircase, coming to the first floor from the second, and came into a room holding many book shelves, some chairs, and a welcoming fireplace.

"Take a seat." A deep voice said, Ida flinching at the bluntness and strictness of the man that sat in a chair facing the door she had entered.

"Darling, remember what we talked about." Holly said, looking to her husband. Ida looked to her and noticed that a small boy, Catherine, and another woman dressed in a maid uniform hiding behind the main staircase they had just walked down.

"I know. Close the door behind you, Holly." The man held a surprisingly gentle smile as his eyes looked to their new houseguest, who hesitantly walked in. "Please, sit here." The man pointed to a two seater couch, a small plate of food on the table in front of it. Nervously, Ida looked around as she sat down, wondering if this was all fake so the military could get information from her. "Now, you're from one of the colonies correct?"

"Y-Yes."

"Which one?" His voice was somewhat annoyed.

"Canada, sir."

"Upper Canada? You are a long way from home." Ida just sat in her place, unsure of what to say and thought it unwise to correct him. "You don't seem to remember how you got here." He said with interest.

"I don't, sir. Last thing I remember was being in France."

"F-France?" The man said, surprised. Ida looked at the man in confusion, wondering why that was such a shocking statement. He quickly cleared his throat and continued with his investigation. "I am more curious about the things you had with you." He stood and brought over a box,placingit on the table in front of Ida. "I'm surprised a woman was carrying such an array of weapons." Ida swallowed, tightening the muscles in her jaw and neck. The box loomed in front of her like Pandora's box."You colonists are advancing quite well." He commented, narrowing his eyes as he tried to figure out the look on the girl's face.

"Why are you drawing this out?" Ida finally said, pushing down her nervous and showing the confidence she had on the battlefield.

"I'm just trying to understand why a woman fitted with weapons I have never seen before, dressed in mens clothing, hair cut short, was unconscious in my garden."

"You're not going to involve the military?"

"Why would I involve the military in something so small? They are busy fighting France, I can deal with this myself."What the **** is going on?"I understandyour typewant more rights but you are not so important that I can't deal with this myself."

Tensions were always tight when it came to a black person, especially a woman, speaking about her right to speak her mind. However, that wasn't going to stop her. "I won't have you speak to me like that."

"Really?" The man said, seemingly amused.

"You don't know anything about me. For all you know, I could be a cold-hearted killer." Her tone was serious.

"Are you?" The man kept an unwavering tone, as if he wasn't fooled by the comment at all.

Ida paused for a second, thinking of all the things she had seen and done. "I think not." The man hummed, thinking over what she said. There was a silence as the two sat in the room, Ida ignoring the food that was most likelymeant to comfort her, continued to sit in front of her. He reached into the box, pulling out Ida's dog tags that belonged to someone who never existed.

"Clarence Brant, who is that?"

"He's a nobody."

"Fine, if you refuse to say anything, I'll treat you how you seem to want to be treated." Ida had somehow reached the man's last nerve, slamming the dog tags onto the table and stormed out. He returned with a main who escorted Ida to a room in the attic.

For weeks, Ida was awoken at crazy hours and was interrogated in futile attempts. The training she had had once joining the military was much worse than what the man could do. There was nothing threatening, if anything, it was allowing her to continue her training. The man was surprised with her fighting form and ability to learn and time went on, Ida was getting more freedom. Holly had asked her husband, Lord Milton, claiming the girl they found was confused and could not remember her past correctly. Lord Milton knew that was not the case, that Ida was hiding something but as the girl showed she was not intending to hurt anyone in the household, he agreed. It was the first day Ida was given more freedom, coming down for breakfast with Holly, their guest hesitating to walk in when she saw Catherine and the son, Henry, sitting at the table. Ida sat beside Lord Milton, quietly eating until she saw the paper that he tossed into the empty space on the table. She ignored it at first, not thinking much of it but later thought that she would be able to figure out more of what was going on. "Lord Milton, would it be alright if I read that?" Ida asked, glancing at the paper that lied in front of her.

"Do what you like."

"Thank you." She smiled, taking one last bite of food and excusing herself with Holly as they made their way to the patio area of the garden. Taking the paper with her, Holly could only laugh.

"I'm happy that you seem to be welcoming your freedom."

"I want to take advantage of it while I have it." Ida said honestly, thinking it may not last forever.

"You think it will be taken away from you?"

"I don't know." Ida waited for Holly to sit and followed the action. Holly opened the book she carried with her and Ida took that as a chance to start looking at the newspaper. Ida immediately became confused. Drawings of sports teams instead of pictures, no news of the war efforts against Nazi Germany. It confused her. Returning to the front page, she noticed an article about Queen Victoria. "Victoria?" She whispered to herself.

"Apparently India is giving her quite the hard time. Wanting to be independent like the Yanks did." Holly chuckled, turning back to her book. It was then that Ida looked at the date of the paper. September 25th, went silent the entire day as she carried the paper with her, moving to her new room on the second floor and opened the paperfor the hundredth time. She tried to scrap off the date to find 1944 underneath but her sweaty hands only removed the ink. A strong knock came from the door, causing Ida to jump off the bed as the door opened and hide the paper behind her back.

"Ida," Lord Milton came in with an older and overweight man wearing a smart suit. "This is Sir John Rutherford Alcock." Ida curtsied and looked to see the man bowing to her.

"Lord Milton has told me of your talents with weapons and language. I have a proposition for you." Ida looked curiously to the man that had hesitantly took her in and he looked at her with a serious look. It was like he was telling her she had no choice but to take it. She had almost forgotten the moment the Milton hunting dog stopped its advance onto a hare in the yard because she had yelled at it in German. She hadn't known that it was initially trained in the language and learned English after. Ida's family dogs were always trained it German and it just came out when the Milton boy was unable to stop him.

"A proposition?"

"Have you heard of our conquests to take Japan?"

Ida knit her brow, "Y-Yes, I had noticed it in the paper today."

"Good." And that was it, the conversation was over as the men explained what she was to she thought, she wasn't given much of a choice with this propositions*.

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