Drinking with the Enemy (short story)

Drinking with the Enemy was the nineteenth story in the Bernice Summerfield anthology Life During Wartime. It was written by Jonathan Blum.

Summary
Benny and Jason are back together. They have a dinner date with Ms Jones and Bernard Moskof. After dinner, much alcohol is consumed.

Moskof tries to convince Benny of the Fifth Axis' goals, and at first Jason, in his role as collaborator, enthusiastically agrees.

After more alcohol, however, Jason starts accusing the Axis of torturing a girl. Benny, though drunk, starts to get worried. Moskof confronts them with their possible secrets. He mentions the Gemayal brothers, and Benny starts to consider killing him. Aware that Moskof wants a secret revealed, Jason tells him about Benny's secret stash of wine.

Later, Jason is slumped in a corner. Moskof admits to Benny that he needed to know where they stand. As Benny starts to defend Jason, Moskof passes out. Ms Jones is asleep too.

Benny notices Moskof's key card sticking out of his pocket. She takes it and copies it, and carefully puts it back. Just as she does so, Ms Jones wakes. She takes Moskof to bed. Benny slumps down on the floor next to Jason, who is not as bad off as he pretended. He tells Benny that he knows Peter is alive and safe with the Gemayals. They sleep off the rest of the night in each other's arms.

Next morning, as they leave, Jason heads to the Gemayals' place to take Peter to hide with the other half-alien children.

Characters

 * Bernice Summerfield
 * Jason Kane
 * Clarissa Jones
 * Bernard Moskof

Continuity

 * The Gemayals took Peter to safety when the Axis invaded the Collection. (PROSE: The Fall)
 * Jason has hidden the half-alien children from the Axis. (PROSE: Suffer the Children)