The blasting of rockets grenades and gunfire feel the air like fourth of July fireworks. The Germans soldiers were getting nearer to the cave where Maria's and her comrades were hiding. Maria Szabo knew how crucial she needed to transmit important messages to the Allied forces. The Nazis had detected her radio transmitter; the lookout person had spotted several trucks of them. Maria earlier had found important information from a German Colonial about a new rocket launcher aimed at London, England. She knew the secret location of the rocket, the day and hour the Nazis planned to launched a rocket against England.
Maria Szabo, a spy for the American OSS or the Office of Strategic Services since the beginning of the war over two years ago. She has monitored the enemy's activities in occupied France, Belgium, as well as Germany since Hitler declared war on the United States. Maria Szabo was her code named, during the time she spied behind enemy lines in France. Her real name was Mary Francis Cornwell of New York City, New York. The daughter of General John Francis Cornwell Chief of Staff of the American Air Corp. She decided to become a spy after the Nazis in Vichy, France executed her British fiance as a spy in 1940.
Her fiance, Thomas Wilder III, had joined the British Special Operations when Germany bombed England. They both were students at Princeton, University before the war. He was pursuing a degree in International Foreign Affairs. He wanted to become an English Diplomat in the United States. Maria was studying Political Science; she wanted to become a lawyer. They fell in love three years before the war had begun in England. Thomas family died during a night bombing in the city of Bath Wick, England. A German bomb hit their mansion, killing his Father, Mother and two sisters. The death of his family overwhelmed him; he decided to fight the Germans by becoming a British spy. He went undercover as a German Journalist; he was a cryptanalyst and a code breaker. His work helped detect the enemy's plans and destinations of future attacks on the Allies. He befriended a Vichy french girl who was unknown to him, a double agent for the Nazis. she later betrayed him by telling the Gestapo police of his secret location. The Nazis arrested him and he was later executed in front of a firing squad as an enemy spy.
Three weeks after his execution, Maria learned about his death. The devastation of the news put her in a mental hospital for several months. Their dreams of marriage, having a large family were scattered. She would not rest until she finished what Thomas had started.
When her doctor finally released her from Saint Patrick Hospital for the Mentally Insane, she wanted to enlist in the OSS (Office of Strategic Services). Her father the General, was furious with her for wanting to join such a dangerous field. Despite of his reluctants, she was determined to fulfill her patriotic duties and to get revenge against the Nazis for the death of her fiance. Besides, the Japanese had just bombed Pearl Harbor two days ago... the President had declared war on Japan, and Hitler declared war on the United States. She had to convinced her father how important joining the OSS was to her. General Cornwell was not a man who was easy to convince, especially when she's his only child. "Honey, you just gotten out of the hospital", "Are you mentally stable to take on the intense training of the OSS?" questioned General Cornwell. "Father, Dr. Nelson, my Psychiatrist have given me a clear bill of health" replied Francis (Maria) to her father. Without the recommendation of her Psychiatrist, it would be hard to convince her father in allowing her to take the intensity of the OSS training. Her father had a lot influence with government officials, she needed his approval to get in the OSS.
The OSS training was harder than she had expected. She had to learn how to fight like an army soldier in boot camp. She took a lot strategic maneuvers, learn how to operated radio transmitters, decoded cryptic messages, and how to take poison in case her cover had been detected. She graduated the OSS school with honors; her parents were pride of her. Her first mission was in enemy territory in Hamburg, Germany. She knew how to speak seven languages, three of them were German, French, and Dutch, Her first mission was to get secret documents from some of Hitler's top commanders, and she went undercover as a German nightclub singer dating several top Nazi Generals, Colonials, and Gestapo officials. Maria had to sleep with them; she was able to find out top-secret information to transfer through her radio transmitter. She also had learned the name of the Gestapo policeman who ordered her Thomas's execution. She founded out where he was, she tricked him in to sleeping with her and killed him with cyanide by poisoning his alcoholic drank. Her mission in Germany, Belgium, and now France had been successful until now.
Maria finally finished transmitting her message to the Allies. She got confirmation from the Americans it had been received. She also found out through their reply that several units of American army men were 3 miles from her location. The message was" Hold your position, help is on the way". She told the fifteen men and women freedom fighters of the message. They were determined to continue to fight until the Americans could rescue them. Maria knew that two days ago the invasion of France had begun. She did not have any idea the Americans were so close to her location. Suddenly, she heard airplanes above them and bombs were dropping all around them. One of the freedom fighters ran inside of the cave screaming" We saved! We saved! American soldiers have killed the Germans". Maria let out a sound of relief; she knew the war was over for her. She had her revenged on Thomas's death and did her duty for God and her country. It delighted her to see the happiness on those freedom fighters faces. She was so proud of her American soldiers and her country. She thought aloud, "It is good to be an American".