sun itself will be unleashed upon the Soviet Red Army. If the Tristan weapon is utilized, there will be no survivors. This is your final warning.”
Otto laughed. “When the
Führer
unleashes his secret weapon, the Russians won’t know what hit them. We’ll stack their bodies like cordwood.” He had been a proud member of the Nazi party since 1937 and he never stopped believing in Germany’s eventual victory in the war, regardless of how desperate the situation appeared.
“The Americans will soon turn their guns on the communists,” Pig Face added. He believed the rumors that had swept through Berlin in the final weeks of the war; that General Patton was secretly planning to help Germany fight the Soviet Union.
Varik had listened to the men’s indoctrinated ramblings for months, but he finally had enough. Believing in the Fatherland was one thing, but Otto and Pig Face wouldn’t face reality if it hit them in the head. The war was over. Ka-fucking-put. The Nazi generals were jumping off the ship like rats and it was every rat for himself.
“If the
Führer
had a secret weapon, he would have used it before our capital got turned into a burned out cesspool,” Varik said. “Now, we’re defending the rubble with old men and little kids. It’s over. Turn that shit off.”
Otto turned the radio off and took another mouthful of cognac. His commanding officer lacked fighting spirit, but his defeatist attitude would change when the
Führer
unleashed his Tristan weapon on the Russians.
You’ll see,
he thought.
You’ll see.
17
Walk Unafraid
Wolf was on point. He pressed forward through the darkness and shined the flashlight on the strange blood red markings that covered the walls. The tunnel had obviously been there for a long time; it wasn’t just a simple passageway created to help people escape the air raids.
When the tunnel split, he stopped. He wasn’t sure which way to go, but they had to choose carefully—they could pay for a mistake with their lives.
“Should we toss a coin?” Sebastian asked.
“No.” Wolf pulled out a compass. “We’re going west, away from the Russians. If we head east, we’re as good as dead. Follow me.”
When Sebastian took Eva’s hand, she screamed and pulled him backwards.
Wolf spun around. “Let her go, soldier—that’s an order! We’ll be lucky enough to survive this night without dragging around a refugee who is having some sort of psychotic episode.”
Order or not, Sebastian wasn’t inclined to give up on someone who just saved him from certain death. He pulled her close and whispered into her ear.
“You helped me. Now I want to help you. But you need to come with us. Do you understand?”
Eva just stared at him. No reaction at all.
Sebastian didn’t give up. “Listen to me. The Red Army did not come to Berlin to play games. They will kill you. Or worse.” He took her hand again, but Eva planted her feet into the ground like a stubborn mule.
A muffled explosion rang out above. The walls shook and dirt fell from the ceiling. “We’re out of time,” Wolf shouted. “Come on—we have to get out of here. Let’s go!”
Sebastian shouldered his rifle. He didn’t know what put her into such a catatonic and belligerent state, but he wasn’t going to leave her there. He grabbed Eva and threw her over his shoulder. She struggled briefly and then went limp.
Wolf didn’t say anything as he carried the girl past him; it would be impossible to get him to leave her behind now. He just hoped they wouldn’t pay for Sebastian’s misguided kindness with their lives.
Seventy meters later, the tunnel ended at another small wooden door. Sebastian put Eva down and the men readied their weapons. Wolf put his ear to the door and smiled when he heard the music. It was the
Horst-Wessel-Lied
. The anthem of the Nazi Party.
18
The Neptune
Otto the Jackal and Pig Face slept on the couch as Varik kept watch out the window. A whistle from within the building sent
Otto laughed. “When the
Führer
unleashes his secret weapon, the Russians won’t know what hit them. We’ll stack their bodies like cordwood.” He had been a proud member of the Nazi party since 1937 and he never stopped believing in Germany’s eventual victory in the war, regardless of how desperate the situation appeared.
“The Americans will soon turn their guns on the communists,” Pig Face added. He believed the rumors that had swept through Berlin in the final weeks of the war; that General Patton was secretly planning to help Germany fight the Soviet Union.
Varik had listened to the men’s indoctrinated ramblings for months, but he finally had enough. Believing in the Fatherland was one thing, but Otto and Pig Face wouldn’t face reality if it hit them in the head. The war was over. Ka-fucking-put. The Nazi generals were jumping off the ship like rats and it was every rat for himself.
“If the
Führer
had a secret weapon, he would have used it before our capital got turned into a burned out cesspool,” Varik said. “Now, we’re defending the rubble with old men and little kids. It’s over. Turn that shit off.”
Otto turned the radio off and took another mouthful of cognac. His commanding officer lacked fighting spirit, but his defeatist attitude would change when the
Führer
unleashed his Tristan weapon on the Russians.
You’ll see,
he thought.
You’ll see.
17
Walk Unafraid
Wolf was on point. He pressed forward through the darkness and shined the flashlight on the strange blood red markings that covered the walls. The tunnel had obviously been there for a long time; it wasn’t just a simple passageway created to help people escape the air raids.
When the tunnel split, he stopped. He wasn’t sure which way to go, but they had to choose carefully—they could pay for a mistake with their lives.
“Should we toss a coin?” Sebastian asked.
“No.” Wolf pulled out a compass. “We’re going west, away from the Russians. If we head east, we’re as good as dead. Follow me.”
When Sebastian took Eva’s hand, she screamed and pulled him backwards.
Wolf spun around. “Let her go, soldier—that’s an order! We’ll be lucky enough to survive this night without dragging around a refugee who is having some sort of psychotic episode.”
Order or not, Sebastian wasn’t inclined to give up on someone who just saved him from certain death. He pulled her close and whispered into her ear.
“You helped me. Now I want to help you. But you need to come with us. Do you understand?”
Eva just stared at him. No reaction at all.
Sebastian didn’t give up. “Listen to me. The Red Army did not come to Berlin to play games. They will kill you. Or worse.” He took her hand again, but Eva planted her feet into the ground like a stubborn mule.
A muffled explosion rang out above. The walls shook and dirt fell from the ceiling. “We’re out of time,” Wolf shouted. “Come on—we have to get out of here. Let’s go!”
Sebastian shouldered his rifle. He didn’t know what put her into such a catatonic and belligerent state, but he wasn’t going to leave her there. He grabbed Eva and threw her over his shoulder. She struggled briefly and then went limp.
Wolf didn’t say anything as he carried the girl past him; it would be impossible to get him to leave her behind now. He just hoped they wouldn’t pay for Sebastian’s misguided kindness with their lives.
Seventy meters later, the tunnel ended at another small wooden door. Sebastian put Eva down and the men readied their weapons. Wolf put his ear to the door and smiled when he heard the music. It was the
Horst-Wessel-Lied
. The anthem of the Nazi Party.
18
The Neptune
Otto the Jackal and Pig Face slept on the couch as Varik kept watch out the window. A whistle from within the building sent
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