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“Make no mistake. I ask no one to take up arms against this evil man. I ask only for a show of hope. A visible sign that the citizens of Paris still cherish the rule of law. Our prayers tonight are that a liberated France soon regains her rightful place among the fraternity of free and lawful nations.

“If you cherish freedom and democracy, show it. The eyes of the world are riveted upon you. I urge you now, every man, woman, and child, to go and make a light to shine in every window. Go out into the streets, climb up to your rooftops, not with guns, but with candles. Set your city aglow with candlelight. Light up the sky with your hope.

“You will see, the whole world will see, that tyrants cannot abide your light of freedom. Tyranny cannot survive the will of a free people seen so clearly set against it.

“So, tonight, I urge everyone, men, women, and children, go now, show the world that Paris is still what it has always been—a shining beacon of democracy and hope—still that beautiful City of Light you call home.

“Thank you. Bon soir et bonne chance.”

A few moments later, Jet reached over and squeezed Hawke’s hand on the throttle.

“Alex, look. Just down there. And over there beyond the river. It’s amazing….”

Hawke rolled his plane left. Below, he saw it beginning. It started with a few scattered pinpoints of light here and there, then small patches of brilliance were shining in the blackness. It began in the center of town and rapidly spread out to the farthest perimeter. Whole streets were lit up one at at a time, becoming grids of light. Soon, a rolling wave of light swept across Montparnasse and the Latin Quarter to the Jardin des Plantes and the Champs de Mars, and swept over the river to the Marais.

What had started with a single lit window spread, as whole sections of the city were illuminated, until the city was a dazzling spectacle.

He buzzed the crowded rooftops, saw the people of Paris cheer and hold their burning candles aloft. He saw streams of people in the streets below, their candles and torches held high, snaking through darkened sections of the city, creating living rivers of fire. Within no more than a few minutes, the entire city was blazing with light. He dove and flew low over the treetops, headed for the lone blinking red light atop the great tower that remained unlit, looming dark in the distance, a finger pointed at heaven.

Hawke flew in great, swooping circles around the Eiffel Tower. The lights, when they came on, started at the bottom and rushed upward to the very top. The tower was soon glittering, blinking, putting on a dazzling show for the city, its brilliant lights now dancing across every surface, and racing each other all the way to the top and down again.

“I think it worked,” Hawke said, as he raced across the sparkling city and steered a course northwest for the English Channel and home.

Behind him, Paris began a slow and painful return to normalcy. Neither Hawke nor his passenger ever saw the orange licks of flame climbing into the sky above the Elysée Palace. But he knew that somehow the group of brave men led by Stokely Jones, FitzHugh McCoy, and the Frogman would carry the day.

After all, the City of Light was on their side.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-two

Chapter Twenty-three

Chapter Twenty-four

Chapter Twenty-five

Chapter Twenty-six

Chapter Twenty-seven

Chapter Twenty-eight

Chapter Twenty-nine

Chapter Thirty

Chapter Thirty-one

Chapter Thirty-two

Chapter Thirty-three

Chapter Thirty-four

Chapter Thirty-five

Chapter Thirty-six

Chapter Thirty-seven

Chapter Thirty-eight

Chapter Thirty-nine

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty-one

Chapter Forty-two

Chapter Forty-three

Chapter Forty-four

Chapter Forty-five

Chapter Forty-six

Chapter Forty-seven

Chapter Forty-eight

Chapter Forty-nine

Chapter Fifty

Chapter Fifty-one

Chapter Fifty-two

Chapter Fifty-three

Chapter Fifty-four

Chapter Fifty-five

Chapter Fifty-six

Chapter Fifty-seven

Chapter Fifty-eight

Chapter Fifty-nine

Chapter Sixty

Chapter Sixty-one

Chapter Sixty-two

Chapter Sixty-three

Chapter Sixty-four

Chapter Sixty-five