Taken Over

In the gloom of the afternoon a conversation is held over the telephone.  It is a rather serious talk about movements in the world and leniency.  Millionaire Rick Fernidad listens to the conversation raking a finger against the side of his head.  His mood is dull, he knows what is being said, and he does not like it.  He knows of the Nazi military regime and he does not whole-heartedly approve, not even when speaking German to someone he has great faith in.  The strength of the conversation breaks, and suddenly there is a chip heard in the heart of the conversation - someone is losing patience, and it is not he.

"I will consider it;"  tells Rick after one more moment.  "I am a business man and need to consider the business to be able to give an honest answer;"  he fumbles as he feels a deep dark inside.

"I will call at the end of the week;"  the caller tells him.  "Then I will expect and invitation to your next dinner;"  he adds before he hangs up the phone.

Rick puts down the phone and wipes a hand over his face - sweat has stained his skin, and he feels trembles down his back.  He is being cheated of his strength, he is being told what to do.  Rick shrugs off feeling of dark doom and he moves to see how his children are doing.


Beatrice, Michelle, Ashley, Evan, and Carl are all in the play-room doing many different activities.  Beatrice is sewing, Michelle and Ashley are drawing, and Carl and Evan are playing with plastic swords.  It is a room of flourishing activity, and it makes Rick smile.

"Afternoon children;"  he greets.

All eyes turn to Rick and smiles and cheers are heard.

"Are you having lunch with us father?"  asks Carl as he smiles.

"No;"  tells Rick as he steps away.  "I have other things to do;"  he adds before he leaves.

The children feel a cold gloom - they wish their father could be interested in them a little more, but his mind is absent; so they toil and attend to their duties with dark shadow all around them.  


Rick walks outside and he feels almost peace when a car parks outside the gates of his estate.  A person marches in, and Rick grows agitated at the intrusion -  he should not be having a visitor, not at this hour or day!

"You there!  Please leave at once!"  he orders.

But the person marching in continues on and it takes a gulp for Rick to hold his hot tongue.  He doesn't like intruders, not even if they are police; and one look at the fellows uniform tells Rick he is the police.

"How do you do;"  greets Rick.

"Hello;"  tells the person with blush on his face.  "I am Rodger Grutten;" he says with a stiff bow.  "My uncle sent me here to give you this;"  he adds.

Rick sighs and takes the letter.  As expected the letter is from his business partner Walter Ashbury.  It introduces Rodger as an important informant who will be visiting the estate on a regular basis to ensure that all ties to the business are honest, and the transaction of the new business activities are complete.  Rick looks at Rodger and he smiles.

"Very well then, come in for a drink;"  he offers. 

"Thank-you;"  tells Rodger with a smile before he follows Rick inside.


In the tea-room there is little conversation, mostly stares as the two strangers sit as friends and enemies.  Rick tries to egg Rodger onto some care-free conversation, but Rodger is not all that interested.  His eyes crawl over the furniture and artwork like his stare comes from thieves eyes, and he laughs at Rick who tries to keep his cool.  There is a lot of strain between the two, and after one cup of tea has been drunk Rick politely asks Rodger to leave so that he can attend to his business.

Rodger nods and gives Rick permission to move him to the door.  Only on the way out Rick captures sight of Beatrice who is hanging close to the lobby.  Her passion for sewing has waned, and she has built up an interest for the front door.  She wishes to go for a walk, but is rarely allowed to do so, so she just lingers near the door as an escape to the stuffy play-room.

"Who is this?"  asks Rodger. 

"One of my daughters;"  tells Rick as he smiles.

Rodger raises his brows, and then he looks around the house.  He wishes to know more, but Rick's presence stops him from wandering off.  

"Do you have many?"  asks Rodger as he feels his heart pulse at the impulse to know more.

"I have five;"  tells Rick as he clears his throat.  "Perhaps on another day you should meet them. I may be having a dinner party soon, perhaps then I shall introduce you;"

"That would be delightful;"  tells  Rodger as he bows to Beatrice's shadow.

She is not paying him much attention, but she blushes a little despite her mind vacant from his image.  Rodger turns and leaves, and the house is left cool and comfortable.

"Who was that father?"  asks Beatrice as she raises her brows.

"Business;"  tells Rick before he moves on.


The next few days is trial for Rick as he talks to person after person, all in German, trying to get them to understand his opposition against joining the Nazi's.  He is met with disdain -  the bitterness is more then Rick can stand, and he rubs his hands over again to keep himself warm.  The world is going to grow hate for him if he stays opposed - he knows that; but he can't help but feel joining a military coup would stop him from doing his business the way he chooses. 

Rick picks up his feet and walks out of the house, almost stumbling into Carl on the way.  Carl asks Rick a question -  but Rick puts Carl's voice as unimportant, and he leaves the house with other more important people talking inside of his ears.

"What do you think that is about?"  asks Carl as he rubs his arm.

"I don't know;"  mutters Ashley.  "But father does not look happy;"  she adds as she shakes her head.


The following week Rick meets Walter at the door. Rodger has visited the house with him, and Rick immediately feels bombarded with Nazi presence.  Rodger is wearing full Nazi uniform and Walter just the sign on the arm.  Rick wants to order the two out, but being most important people he lets them in.

Rodger wanders around the house as Rick and Walter have conversation on the balcony.  It is bitter, but welcoming; Rick knows he is being told very loudly what the world of the future will be like, and he wants out while wanting the business in.


Rodger spies the children in the playroom, and he smiles to all.  They give him ice-cold stares, and then they sigh as he leaves.  

"Should we spy on him?"  asks Michelle.  "He looks like he is sneaking around;"

"No;" tells Evan as he rubs his skin.  "They're father's business partners, he wouldn't let  just anyone inside the house;"

"He's wearing a Nazi uniform;"  mutters Beatrice as she raises her brows.  "Are we to become occupied by them?"  she asks.

"I don't know;"  tells Ashley as she bites on a nail.  "I wish they would just all leave!"

"Well I shall go and ask him!"  gasps Beatrice before she puts down her book to follow Rodger who has sneaked upstairs to their bedrooms.


Rodger looks out the twin-glass windows and he whistles at the view.  The house is magnificent, but his eyes for luxury are more impressive.  He picks up a gold pin and then a gold spoon -  he pockets both, and then he fingers the nearby lamp which is covered with silver lace.

"What are you doing in here?"  asks Beatrice.

"I have been assigned to look around;"  tells Rodger with a grin. 

"A spy?"  asks Beatrice.

"Police;"  mutters Rodger as he flicks his eyes over a statue made of ivory.  "What is this here?"  he asks.

"It's an ivory carving that came from France;"  tells Beatrice.  

"How much was it?"  asks Rodger.

"I would say, but I don't know;"  tells Beatrice.  "I would guess two-hundred thousand pounds or the like;"

Rodger nods and then he looks away.  He is disgusted, his body feels disgusted, and he cannot talk save the grit inside of his mouth that has built.

"Are you going to steal all our things?"  asks Beatrice as she looks at the table and sees her pin and spoon missing.  "Or just my golden spoon?"

Rodger rolls his eyes.  He then casually places the items he has pocketed back onto the table.  He feels guilt, like he has done something terrible; so to shake it off he turns to Beatrice who stands with alarm on her shoulders.

"Well..."  he mutters - small words to break the ice that seems to be standing tall.

Rodger can't stand it, so he approaches Beatrice and he slaps her hard in the face.  Beatrice moves to scream but he rushes to push a hand over her mouth and he tells her to be quiet.  There is much tension which is hard to break, and Beatrice finds herself staring into the deadliest of eyes which take minutes to calm down -  she can't help but grow afraid. 

"I'm not really a friend;"  mutters Rodger before he shakes his thoughts as he lets his hold on Beatrice's face go slack.  

"Well then who are you?"  asks Beatrice as she feels herself grow weak in the knees. 

"A Nazi;"  mutters Rodger with a slight grin.

The grin is teasing, Beatrice wonders if that is what he should be saying?  Maybe he means to tell her that he is going to rob them of their belongings?  One day a spoon, then a lamp, then a painting; all her fears roll into a single ball as she realises they could have their life changed for the worse.  Then her thoughts pop as Rodger fingers her lower lip.  Beatrice feels her face pale, and she knows he is thinking dishonest thoughts.

"You don't have to rape me - let me go and I shall leave you to wander around;"  she tells him.

"How did you know what I was thinking?"  asks Rodger before he takes off his hat and throws it onto the floor.  

It takes seconds for his lips to touch hers and when they do it is with lust for power.  He wants to have her, and it is because he wants to show her how powerful he really is.  Beatrice is left speechless with tears in her eyes, and when Rodger leaves it is with the taste of her skin on his tongue.


Walter looks at Rodger and he feels his pride sink.  Rodger looks as red as a tomato, and he knows he has done something.  Walter looks around waiting for the answer to come to him, but he sees nothing out of sorts and so he lets the question inside of his mind go.

"Well I best be on my way;"  tells Walter feeling the heat of wrong-doing on his skin.  "I shall visit again at the end of the week, and I expect a party invitation;"  he tells Rick before he stands and leaves.

Rick leans back in his chair.  He has just been given the final push to give in to the Nazi's, but he still wishes to leave them alone.  He worries as he thinks; then he makes a silent plan to leave the country with his money -  something he may have to do if things turn for the worse.


Days pass and silence becomes the music inside the household.  No-one talks to one another, all just sit leaning on their chairs wishing they knew what to do.  Rick counts his money, his children count the time; all wish for an escape, but get none.  


Then the night of the party arrives and all guests come dressed in bright costumes.  It is uplifting for the children who look from the stair-case waving to some, and ignoring others.  Rick tells them to go to their rooms, but their curiosity gets the better of them, and they often sneak back onto the stair-case to look at everyone.

Walter looks to Beatrice who looks drawn and pale.  He smiles at her, but she does not see him.  He wishes he could approach her, but Rick offers him a drink and soon brandy and cigars are the entertainment being greedily sought for.  The smell is too much for Beatrice, and with a finger on her nose she leaves the house.


Outside the world is quiet.  There is a hoot of an owl in the distance, and it calls to Beatrice and tells her to walk.  So she follows it, moving past the cars, past the gate, down the road.  Beatrice almost feels comfortable except for the wind.  Her skin chills too much, and feeling cold she stops her feet.  Beatrice looks up and she catches sight of the owl who makes one last call before flying away to try and catch something in the distance.

"That was a pretty owl;"  tells Beatrice, before she turns back to the direction from which she has come.

The walk back is just as easy, but when she reaches the garden gate she sees Rodger who is dressed in black formal clothes with military badge on his left pocket. 

"Good afternoon;"  he greets with a bow as stiff as a plank of wood. 

"Hello;"  greets Beatrice with a wavering smile.

"Would you like me to walk you inside?"  asks Rodger.

"If you like;"  tells Beatrice with some hesitation.

There is nothing but silence the whole walk over.  Beatrice wishes she had a coat, the hairs on her arms raise greatly and she wishes to hide them.  Rodger offers her his coat -  Beatrice feels hesitant to putting it over her shoulders, but when she does she feels immediately warm.  

"It was nice of you to walk back with me;"  she tells Rodger.

"I like to walk with you;"  announces Rodger.  "To your room;"  he finishes with a clip of his tongue.

Beatrice feels her old chills again, and she grows a sick feeling inside of her.  She nods, and with cold on her toes she moves towards the house; when inside she moves to her room where she feels coldest of all.

Rodger takes his jacket away from her and he puts it on a chair before he escorts her to the balcony where the stars of the world glitter over their heads.

"Stars;"  mutters Rodger as he looks to them.  "Are the most magnificent of things;"

"They are very pretty;"  tells Bernice as she offers a light smile.  "I've always seen them as something pleasant;" she mutters before a squirming sensation crawls over her spine as Rodger holds her close to his side.

"I like it here;"  mutters Rodger as he leans close so that his cheek is touching hers.

Beatrice smiles.  His skin is so warm it keeps her warm, and her chills ease as they sit on a drifting moment where the world doesn't matter.  Beatrice almost grows comfortable, but then Rodger changes his tone and he urges her inside with a push.

Close to the bed Beatrice grows pale as Rodger takes out from his vest a dagger, a pistol, a set of handcuffs with keys, a short sword -  all the things that are required in a war.  Beatrice steps away from the dangerous items, but Rodger pulls her back.

"I would like you on the bed;"  he mutters as he takes off his shirt.  "Naked;"

Beatrice wrinkles her nose, and she moves to shake her head, but Rodger holds it before he kisses her.  It is a lovely kiss -  but Beatrice still wants to refuse until she realises she can't refuse, and that she is not just being asked she is being told to move onto the bed.


Walter counts the children on the stair-case - all are nibbling on food, all except one.  Walter blinks his eyes, he already knows which one is missing and it hurts him to know that he had spied Rodger walk inside the house with her.  

Walter looks to Rick who is busy talking to another person about flowers and planting seasons.  It is the most dreary conversation, but soon it is over and Walter is hesitant to speak.

"Something on your mind?"  asks Rick.  

"You're Beatrice is missing;"  tells Walter with some sense of shame.

"Oh, she's probably gone to bed;"  tells Rick with a stiff nod.  "Always the sleepy one;"  he adds.

Walter feels shamed that Rick has no idea that Beatrice could be caught in the middle of some very military actions; so he takes a sip of wine to help his words come out as smoothly as possible.

"Perhaps you should check to see she is in sound condition;"  he hints.

Rick rolls his eyes before taking a sip of wine himself.  

"I suppose one peek would be commendable;"  he adds, before he moves to climb the stair-case.

On the stair-case Rick leans over to Carl who is the most awake of all the sleepy-eyed children.

"Keep a look at Walter and tell me if he does anything out of sorts;"  he tells Carl who wakens immediately before leaning over the rail of the staircase to watch Walter as he smokes.

Walter doesn't even notice Carl, his thoughts are on the shrieks that are yet to come, and he feels his nerves on the high wire.   One shriek at he will have no choice but to charge at Rick to make him one of the group and not a stranger in isolation.


Rick opens the door to Beatrice's room.  He immediately yells and blasts over to the bed where he untangles Rodger from Beatrice before offering him a punch that sends him sliding to the floor.  

Beatrice covers herself as Rodger gets to his feet and re-dresses.  It is only a short moment of shame, before he is dressed in full uniform once more.

"I shall leave;" he tells Rodger.  "But I shall be back;"  he adds, before he collects his belongings on the bed and moves away.

Rick looks at Beatrice who gasps as she keeps her eyes glued onto him.  Rick feels heat inside of his mind but he cools it.  He has probably made enemies with Rodger and he feels a fool to have reacted so violently. 

"How dare you;"  tells Rick after a moment.  "With he?"

Beatrice covers herself with more blanket.

"He was hurting me;"  she tells Rick.  "He did it to hurt me;"  she adds.

"I thought in a few more years maybe an arrangement would be necessary; but now... I don't know what to think of you;"  

Beatrice hangs her head in shame.  She wishes the world were simple, she wishes she could explain; but with Rick looking so vacant from his own mind she cannot reach him, so she sits making silence her friend.

"I'm disappointed;"  tells Rick as he moves out of the room.  "You should have seen a sign and told me;"  he adds before he leaves.

Beatrice nibbles at her fingers feeling tears inside of her eyes.  She wishes Rick could be more comforting, but he is not; so she waits for her moment of shame to pass on by, and she cries every second until she can no longer keep her eyes open.


Days turn into times of change.  Rick finds himself making friends with Walter, and together they furnish his house with military flags and emblems; turning his household into a Nazi zone. 

Soon friends of friends are visiting on a regular basis to meet Rick and his family, and stress levels raise high as the family find guests arriving even at breakfast.

Rick finds it more then he can bare, and so he packs his money into suitcases and readies himself to run away.  Walter catches sight of his plan as all of Rick's banks are cleared of all money, and he urges a military coup to guard Ricks house to keep him inside.  

Rick grows very unhappy at sight of the military, and he contacts Walter who grows just as unhappy to explain that he will remain guarded until his money is back inside of his banks.  Rick feels spies on every mirror, and he tells his children to put up with the additional company.  The children grow very unhappy, and they sit as statues in every room they occupy.  Rick sees their unhappiness and orders boat tickets -  he is going to move his family somewhere else.


A gala is held at Ricks estate.  An event for all to enjoy a stage show.  Rick seethes over the use of his theatre, and he seethes more when he is told he and his family are going to sing for the cluster who await a performance. 

Rick hugs his family close as they stand backstage.  They are watched every second, until a noise alerts one of the men nearby.  Soon the whole attention is on a corner of the theatre, and Rick urges his family to creep away while all attentions are one something else.

Outside Rick moves to a car and then he drives away.  He reaches the gate before a whistle is heard.  Soon there are voices and packs of feet running, but Rick drives away and he outruns those feet and the bullet that hits the back window of his car.


Miles away Rick hides his car behind a bush.  His family look scared still, not even a smile can lift their spirits.  

"We walk;"  tells Rick.  "Boats over the hill;"

His family nod -  but there are tears behind their eyes; they are scared.


The march up a hill, but Rick spies a blockade in front of the boat, and he dips to hide.  The military is already on the hunt, and they are waiting for him.

"I shouldn't have left;"  mutters Rick as he feels sweat cover his brow.

"What's the matter father?"  asks Carl.  "Are we in trouble;"

Rick bites on a nail as he wonders what to do.  If they can't catch a boat, then there is nothing they can do to get out of the country.  He will be reprimanded, killed, insulted, he is sure.

"I'm sorry;"  he mutters.  "Maybe we should return home;"  he adds.  "We can't outrun the changes here;"  

All his children huddle together -  they are all scared.


Slowly the group move back to the car, but when they do return they find the military surrounding the car, stripping it down to the frame.  Rick wants to run once more, but he takes a gulp and moves up to the militants with his family under his arms.

"Hello;"  tells Rick. 

One word and a whistle is blown making all the military raise their guns.

"You are under arrest;"  one yells.  "For treason!"

Rick nods and he steps one step closer before he gets a shot in the head.  His children scream, and then they all get shot down to the ground as a group of enraged militants rush at them to strip them like they had stripped the car.

More cars comes, more feet, there are screams and cries.  No-one knows what to do, so they pack the bodies of the gunned down family into a car and race away leaving only emptiness where there had been murder.


Walter rubs his brow as news of the attack reaches him.  He then tells the men close to him to strip down the house, the family that lived there have been taken down. 

Guilt sits on Walter's brow.  He looks at the photo of Rick and his family and he swears under his breath.  

"You shouldn't have run away;"  he tells Rick.  "You shouldn't have run away;"