> “I know there are things going on in the world that I don’t understand and there are people who are not happy in our country.” Fritz sounded serious. “I just hope that…. Wow! Who are the two girls walking back there? I saw the one in blue at the church earlier, I think I would like to meet her.”
> “They go to our church and live on the road that goes to the right ahead of them a little further.
> “I’ve thought about our country and our jobs too but I’m not sure I want to drive a stone delivery truck for the rest of my li….” Val stopped talking when three men in brown shirts, riding in an open top car that was not from around here, passed in the same direction as the girls. As Val and Fritz looked at each other they knew they had to turn around and watch the car until it was past the girls and out of sight.
> "What are we doing, this could be dangerous. I’m sure Fritz has thought of that too."
> Without saying another word they rode slowly back around the curve and stopped on the side of the road as soon as they could see the car and the girls. The car was slowing down, and when it came to the girls it began driving along beside them slowly enough so they could talk. The two men who are passengers were leaning over their rolled down windows trying to talk to the girls.
> “Maybe they know the men,” Val said, hoping for the best.
> Fritz and Val could see that the girls seemed to be getting more uneasy with each step they took because they kept getting closer together to feel some comfort and security until their shoulders were touching as they walked. Suddenly, after a quick look at each other, they ran into the woods as fast as they could. The men jumped out of the car and ran after them.
> “Go! Go! Let’s go now!” Fritz shouted “Put your mask up, come on, now!” as his motorcycle blasted off toward the car.
> Val had known something was going to happen but not sure what. Now that it was happening, and Fritz was shouting, and his tailpipe roaring right in Val’s face, Val had a little trouble getting his bike under him and his mask up at the same time, but soon he was off like a two wheeled rocket also.
> Val watched as his friend up ahead came near the place where the girls and men had gone into the woods. He could see smoke from Fritz’s back tire as it skidded off the edge of the highway pavement when Fritz put on his brakes, then the dirt it stirred up until he jumped off in a run with the bike still rolling. It came to a stop at the edge of the woods and dropped on its side at about the same time Fritz disappeared after the girls and the men. Just as Fritz was disappearing Val stopped his bike near the car. The adrenaline he could feel pumping through his body made his fingers tingle and his ears ring. As he ran by the car he saw a pistol and a rifle on the backseat. He stopped only long enough to grab the pistol and throw the rifle into the woods. By now Val was talking to himself through clenched teeth from the stress and moving his head up and down to emphasize the earnestness as he tried to convince himself to control the effect of the adrenaline. While he ran into the woods after Fritz, he checked to make sure the pistol was loaded and ready to fire.
> The first two men had caught the girls and were roughly taking them along the path which led deeper into the woods while the third followed. All of the men had a menacing laugh and used rough talk as they walked.
> When Fritz came running into view in the small clearing the men were not worried about one man. He didn’t slow down when he saw them, but picking up speed and yelling as loud as he could and growling like a bear on the attack he ran right at them. They were so surprised by this noisy wild man with a mask, which must be hiding a wide toothy mouth where the fierce noise was coming from, that their only reaction was to stand and watch. Their mouths and eyes continued to widen for the few seconds it took Fritz to get to them. He did not have a plan of attack but was acting on instinct. Running at nearly full speed he hit the third man in the middle of his chest with all the power he could put into his large working man’s right hand. This knocked the man back about four feet and out cold, barely missing the second man and caused the girls to scream.
> When the second man raised his hands to defend himself the girl he was holding quickly moved away from him and looked at the first girl who intensified her struggle to get free also. The impact with the third man caused Fritz to start to spin and become slightly off balance. To help himself recover and with only one step to plan, he decided the best thing to do as his left leg came around was to kick the second man in the ribs. The kick sent the man to the ground with broken ribs, and caused the second girl to give a small scream and cover her mouth.
> By this time the attitude of the first man had changed from arrogance to disbelief and then fear as he watched what was happening. He was so surprised that he couldn’t move – that is until Fritz, having regained his balance and momentum, put all his strength into his left hand against the man’s face next to his nose. This blow knocked him out before he hit the ground, leaving the first girl free. All of this took about five seconds and left everybody in a state of shock when Val appeared.