Following Orders

Chapter 11 Actions

The funeral was held the next day and was attended by over 500 people from their church, neighbors, the community, company and business associates. Anna and Eric had to endure all the hugs, tears and short conversations expressing sympathy or providing some comfort. Anna knew none of the people while Eric seemed to know them all. She wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to remember names like that.

With the funeral over and the parents laid to rest, Anna hoped there would be time for the two of them. Eric had some plans of his own. After making arrangements for two first class tickets back to Innsbruck, Eric drove Anna to a special place just a few miles down the road.

Monticello was Eric’s favorite place when he wanted to be alone. Jefferson’s home was located on the crest of a hill surrounded by gardens and trees. Although tourists seemed to be everywhere this was a place where Eric could think. He would often spend hours looking at Jefferson’s inventions, his writings, and in general, every aspect of the statesman-farmer.

Anna had heard of Thomas Jefferson, but to actually see his things and walk through his home brought the second President closer to her. Like Eric, she marveled at the things he had devised for his everyday life, from his writing table to the automatically opening doors.

After walking in the gardens, Eric had sat her down under a large oak tree. It was the spot he had chosen long ago where he would sit and simply watch people go back and forth around the old house. It was here that Eric found the most peace. And it was here that he produced a beautiful diamond engagement ring and placed it on Anna’s finger. The words he used hadn’t been eloquent, but they had come directly from his heart. Of course she said yes. Then the two sat back, hand-in-hand, and watched the tourists go back and forth.

As the plane’s wheels touched the tarmac at Innsbruck, Anna looked once more at the ring on her finger. Soon she would be Frau Anna Anderson. Although there was much to do for the wedding, she couldn’t wait to start their life together.

After retrieving their luggage Eric decided to hire a taxi to take them home. There was no use in disturbing Helga. Besides, it would be a nice surprise for her. Maybe he would drive Anna home in the Rolls. A classy fiancé in a very fancy car — it fit so well.

The BMW pulled up to the front of the police station. Wagner and Dresner got out and went inside. The duty sergeant told Dresner that Betz wanted to see him immediately when they arrived. When the men entered Betz’s office he was on the phone but quickly ended the conversation.

“Herr Major, gather your things. I know where it is.”

“Where, Michael? Tell me!”

“The old man I interviewed from the concrete plant didn’t know exactly where because they blindfolded him. But he described the place. In his description he mentioned a tunnel, a mist from a waterfall nearby and some sort of large castle like building almost on top of it,” Betz said hurriedly.

Dresner liked as if he had been hit by a truck. He steadied himself on the chair. “The Anderson house. It’s the only answer,” he said in astonishment. “All this time and we had no clue!”

“There is more. One of the men on the list drives a large fuel truck. He works at the fuel storage facility. With two identified, I decided to see if I could contact any of the local people in the list. None of them are home, Herr Major. None of them! For those who are married, their wives said they were going on a business trip for several days. But when I called their employers, I was told the men were on vacation. Something is happening and happening now Herr Major!”

“Where are the men?” Dresner asked.

“I had them go to the Katzung. They should all be there,” Betz said.

“Let me get my weapon,” Dresner said as he rushed out the door. Going to his office, he unlocked his desk and pulled out a Walther PPK pistol, then digging deeper, his old Luger from the war. He placed these in his briefcase along with several magazines of ammunition. He also grabbed a cap and placed it into the briefcase as well. Just before leaving, he grabbed the phone and placed a call. In just two rings Eric Anderson answered the phone.

“Eric! What are you doing home?” Dresner asked, very alarmed.

“We decided to come home early. Anna and I just got in. We are sitting here talking to Helga,” Eric said.

Dresner interrupted him. “Eric, listen to me. Take Anna and Helga and get away from there. Get in a car and drive to Innsbruck. Go to Anna’s house or get a room for all of you. But you must leave at once!”

“Why, Herr Dresner? We just….”

“Eric, do not ask questions. Get the hell out of that house!” Dresner nearly screamed. “I will call Herr Dietz later on and explain. You are in danger. Get out now!”

“We’ll leave now. I’ll find Hans…” he heard Eric say on the line.

“Never mind about Hans. Don’t mention anything to him. If you see him just say you are going into town on an errand. It is very important, Eric!”

“Okay, Herr Dresner. We’ll leave right now.”

“Good. I’ll get back to you soon,” Dresner said as he quickly hung up the phone. At least that would not be a problem, Dresner thought as he left his office.

Rejoining Betz and Mahler, the three men rushed down to Dresner’s Mercedes, started the engine, and pulled away rapidly from the station. It only took six minutes before the car came to a halt in front of the Katzung, a local coffee house. The men went in and headed straight for the back room where Dresner knew the men would be waiting.

As the door opened, a group of twenty two men came rapidly to attention and clicked their heels as they had been taught long ago. Despite the urgency, Dresner had to admire these men. Despite years of leading separate lives when duty called, they came. Each man stood straight and tall. Even though the hair on their heads may have grayed, each man still showed the youthful enthusiasm he remembered in the war. They were ready. The pride Dresner felt in his men was unbridled. He proceeded to the front of the group.

“Setzen Sie sich,” he said. The men sat in their chairs as Dresner continued. “My friends, it seems we still have a duty to perform. Despite all our efforts at the end of the war, we missed one — a very dangerous one. Sergeant Betz and I have discovered what we believe to be an SS plot from the end of the war. We don’t know the extent of it, but it seems it involves launching rockets at the United States and the Soviet Union.”

That got gasps from the men in the room. The men began looking in wonder at each other. Either the Major had lost his mind or there was real trouble.

“I have just come from a face-to-face meeting with Reichminister Albert Speer. The man leading this plot is a General Kammler who was placed in charge of Germany’s rocket and atomic weapons production and research by Hitler at the end of the war. His second in command is Colonel Heinrich Müller. I am sure you all remember him,” he said. Several of the men blanched at the mention of Müller’s name. Known as “Gestapo Müller,” he was Chief of the Gestapo and had led the purge of Army officers and others after the attempted assassination of Hitler in 1944. His goon squads went through every unit in the army, including theirs. Almost everyone in the room had hoped that Müller had died a painful death.

“Recently there have been major thefts in the area. These include thousands of gallons of kerosene and nitric acid. This combination of liquids is the basis of rocket fuel. Along the way they have killed several people, including Major Al Anderson, our American friend from the end of the war.”

There were more gasps from the group as men recalled only recently sitting with Anderson at the Theresienbrau just a few months earlier.

“Sergeant Betz has found where the bunker for these rockets is. So tonight I am asking you to help me finish the job we started so long ago. I am asking because it is important we do so. You know what is happening now between the US and the Soviets. If they were to launch rockets, it could mean the end of the world as we know it. Germany does not need to step back in time. Germany does not need to be blamed for what these men might do. If I go in with the Army or with the police force, it will get all the wrong attention. We must do this quickly, without anyone knowing. If we are successful, we shall go home without thanks and without recognition. But you will have made a lasting mark on the history of our world,” said Dresner finishing his short speech. “Of course, I cannot order you to come. If anyone feels he cannot, I will think no less of you. I am asking your help,” he said solemnly.

Dresner reached into his briefcase and pulled out the cap from his desk. It was his old army field cap from the war. The outline of the German eagle with the swastika still showed where he had removed it long ago, but the cap still fit well as he pulled it tight over his head.

Across the room, the men stood and pulled out their own caps to put them on. No one spoke. They were beyond that. Their Major had called and they would follow his orders. Despite the years, the order and discipline were still there. Each man had a look of determination on his face. This was a noble and just cause — something worthy of their service. Each man came to attention once again.

Sergeant Betz faced Dresner and saluted. “The men are ready, Herr Major.”

Dresner smiled at his men. “Then get in your vehicles and follow me,” he said. Without a word the men filed out of the room and out of the pub. The hunt was on.

Eric hung up the phone and turned to the others. “Something is wrong. Herr Dresner says we must leave this house now. He is very insistent. Gather your things,” he said firmly. Dresner had that edge to his voice which got Eric’s attention. He sounded slightly frightened. If that was the case, something must be very wrong indeed.

“But we just got here,” said Anna, not knowing what was going on.

Helga was already on her feet. She knew Rolf Dresner and if he said go they must go. “Never mind that,” she said. “Let me get my coat and we can go in my car.”

“I don’t think anyone is going anywhere,” came a voice from across the hall. Hans Kemper was standing there with two other men. All had on black pants, a white shirt with a black tie and a red arm band with the symbol of Nazi Germany. Each man held a pistol pointed at Eric and the others. Eric and Anna stood awestruck. Helga began to back away. All of the horrible memories of those times came flooding back and fear gripped her tightly. Yet something within her wanted to lash out. Helga suddenly stood tall and glared at Hans.

“How dare you wear something like that in this house! I had enough of you and your kind. You dragged all of Europe into the dirt and now you want to show your face again? Get out. Never let me see that face of yours again. Get out!” she screamed.

Hans calmly walked to Helga and struck her across the face, sending her reeling onto the floor. “Gag and bind her,” he hissed. “Make sure she cannot get away. I will deal with her later,” he said.

After watching his two assistants tie Helga securely to a chair and force a gag in her mouth, Kemper turned back to Eric and Anna, who were still in shock. “It seems you picked a poor time to come home,” said Hans. “But it is good that you are here to see the start of a new world. Both of you, come with me,” he said, gesturing with his pistol for the two to move toward the hallway. The other two in uniformed moved to either side of the couple and urged them on. Reaching a side door to the basement, the group entered and descended the steps to the wine cellar. Although several of the racks now held bottles of wine the rest remained empty. Kemper led the group to the left large cask. Reaching along the back edge of the cask against the wall, he tripped a lever and the cask pulled away revealing an open door.

“That way,” said Kemper, again motioning with his pistol. The group was escorted down a passageway with smooth white walls and a stone floor. After thirty feet the passage turned left and descended a set of stairs to another level. Along this passage were several metal doors on either side. There were numbers by each door. One of the doors on the right side was open revealing a bunkroom with clothing draped along the beds. A little farther down the passage they passed through a large, thick metal door which was recessed into the wall. It looked almost alike a bank vault door and appeared to be able to seal off the entire corridor.

The passageway ended in a “T.” They turned right to another stairway which doubled back to a third level. The passage nearly doubled in size. One of the first doors on the left had a window with bars. Eric caught a glimpse of weapons and other gear. Next to it was a wooden door which Hans opened. The group went inside.

Seated behind a desk was SS General Kammler. He had been on the phone and placed the handset into the cradle. After a brief moment a smile crossed his face. “Ahh, Herr Anderson, it is good to finally meet you at long last. We have been keeping a close eye on you and your family.” He motioned to two chairs and Eric and Ann were pushed into them. Hans and the two men stood behind them. “Quite a place I have here is it not?” he asked.

Eric stared at the man a moment before answering. “Yes, general, it is impressive. My family and I had no idea there were Nazi’s burrowed into our mountain. Since you obviously plan to kill us, I’d like to know what you are doing here,” he said.

Kammler sat back and laughed. “Kill you? I have no such plans. After tonight you may leave and be on your way.”

Eric took on a questioning look. “I don’t understand. We may leave?”

“Of course. By this time tomorrow morning the world will have changed and you will be free to live in Innsbruck or you may go back to the United States, although there may be a few changes by then,” Kammler said calmly.

“What kind of changes?”

Kammler shrugged. “Well, it probably will no longer exist,” he said.

The flippancy of the remark stunned Eric. This man had something diabolical in mind and it did not look favorable. In his current situation he could not fight and it would not pay to upset his captors. Eric figured it was easier to humor the man and find out as much as possible. “My I know how you plan on doing this? After all, we are in Austria, a long way from my home.”

“And since I have a little time, I plan on showing you just that, Herr Anderson. Come, we shall talk as we walk,” Kammler said as he rose from his chair. He came around the desk and motioned for the men to bring Eric and Anna along.

“First we shall stop just two doors down from this one,” he said as he left the room. The group walked down the hallway until they came to a finely carved wooden door surrounded by a red marble. In the marble beside the door, the words were etched: ‘Adolf Hitler — 1889–1947.’ The large polished wooden door was opened and everyone went inside.

Anna gasped as she entered the room. In the center of the room was a single spotlighted glass sarcophagus, slightly tilted so that the body inside could be viewed easily. Adolf Hitler was illuminated by the spotlight. He was lying in his brown formal uniform with the garrison belt. His left hand was crooked so that it was gripping the front of the belt, much like he hid in public appearances. The red arm band shown brightly in the light and his Iron Cross still adorned the uniform coat. His hat was wedged under his arm. Although his eyes were closed, it appeared as if he would open them at any minute. Almost together, the General and his men came to attention and gave the Nazi salute. The effect was stunning and most disturbing. Anna grasped Eric’s arm. Words tried to come out of her mouth, but were stifled even before she could mouth them.

“Is this really him?” she asked in a whisper.

Kammler spoke in a low, almost reverent tone. “Yes, this is our beloved Führer. As the war ended a group of us were able to rescue him from the bunker. A double took his place. We brought him here to safety. He died in February, 1947, in the house your father unfortunately discovered. But before he died, he and I made plans for a new Germany — one built on superior German thought, skill and duty. We took our time and planned until no questions could be asked and no chances taken. It was our Führer who gave us the dream and our Führer who got us started. I felt you needed to see him so you would know what is about to happen is reality and not some dream,” he said. Breaking his eyes away from Hitler, he stared into Eric’s face. “Now you shall see the brilliance of this man,” he said forcefully.

The men took Eric and Anna out the door again and through a checkpoint and another set of doors. They entered a huge cavernous space brightly lighted. To one side was a set of thick glass windows in equally thick concrete. Men were moving around inside and sitting at a number of consoles. On the other side were four very large steel doors. The doors were nearly 50 feet high and twenty feet wide and had large hydraulic pistons on each side to open and close them.

Eric and Anna were astounded that all this was under the very house they were living in. The questions flew through Eric’s mind. What is going on here? How did all this go undiscovered? Why had these men waited since 1945 to do this? Kammler had stopped talking but led the group to one set of doors.

“I can almost ready your mind, Herr Anderson. You want to know what we are getting ready to do and how we could go unnoticed. It is very simple. We went unnoticed because we did not want anyone to find us. Our numbers are few but particularly loyal. We learned that patience would work in our favor. And this is the result,” he said as he pressed a button on the concrete wall.

The hum of hydraulics pierced the cavern as slowly the doors opened inward. Inside was a huge rocket. It was painted a mottled light gray and had the swastika emblazoned on the side. The rocket was sitting in a 25 foot wide circular silo lined with concrete. The rocket sat in the silo which was already 45 feet deep. The tip of the rocket rose another 40 feet, some 10 feet below a concrete cap. There were two stages. The second stage appeared to sit inside the end of the larger first stage. It was more slender and had what appeared to be a cockpit near the tip.

“This is our nation’s greatest creation,” Kammler gloated, “the A-10 rocket with the A-9 second stage.” He pointed toward the cockpit canopy. “You see, we are still very far above what you have been able to achieve in all your American technology,” he said. “We sent a man into space in 1945!” he nearly shouted with glee.

Eric stared in wonder at the machine in front of him. This was far above his understanding of history and technology. None of this was supposed to have happened, yet there it was, poised for flight. He shook his head and asked, “I knew you had what we called the V-2 rockets, but this is so much bigger. How could you be so far ahead of both the US and the Soviets?”

Kammler was beaming with pride. For so long he had wanted to show others the work he had now spent nearly eighteen years doing. True, it had been taken step by agonizingly slow step, but in the end it had all been exactly as he and his Führer had planned. Within moments the dream would become a reality. There was time to allow the young people to understand. He placed his hands behind his back, much like a teacher, and looked at both Eric and Anna.

“The answer is quite simple,” said Kammler. “You are exactly where we want you to be.”

“What do you mean?”

“Come now, Herr Anderson. Look at your history. At the end of the war, what did your government do? Here were all these brilliant German scientists still working in their shops developing extraordinary things. Like any conqueror you took all the scientists you could find and shipped them back to the United States. The Russians did the same thing. But what you didn’t know was that we planned and orchestrated who would go where. In that way we could firmly control what was being done and just how far your rockets could go,” said Kammler.

“Are you telling me Von Braun is working for you?” Eric asked incredulously.

“Von Braun?” Kammler exclaimed. “Von Braun only does what Von Braun wants to do. We had a great deal of difficulty keeping that man focused on the priorities. All he wanted to do was put a man in space. There was a war on and the priority in Germany was weapons. He was always forgetting that,” he said. “No, we were glad to make sure he went to the Americans. I hope he is giving them as many headaches as he gave me. But there were several others still loyal to the Führer working with him. We made sure the Russians got a number of our people too. Very democratic is it not?”

Eric could not believe what he was hearing. If true, it meant both the United States and the Soviet Union were being manipulated by the very Nazis they supposedly defeated in 1945. If so, where would it ultimately lead? But the rocket in front of them was much larger than the Redstone, Atlas or Titan rockets currently used in America. How could it have been developed and not known about?

“Herr General, I’m amazed at what you have here. But with you sending off your own scientists, how was this developed? Such things cost billions of American dollars,” Eric said.

“Very true, young man. But this missile was developed late in the war. I was able to save two of the very best of our scientists to perfect it and make it ready. Our small band of loyal Nazis has worked very hard to have the missiles ready. As far as costs, let’s just say we have what you would call an offshore account,” Kammler said.

“You keep calling these missiles. It looks to me as if these rockets are designed to carry men into space,” said Anna jumping into the conversation.

Kammler looked at her and smiled. “Originally, they were designed to carry pilots to guide the warheads to their target; however because of some assistance from the American Army, we were able to obtain a much better guidance system.”

“The stolen army truck! Herr Dresner said it held electronic parts and that the Americans were very secretive about it,” Eric blurted out.

“Exactly. We found out through our contacts that the truck was carrying updated guidance systems for the Jupiter missiles in Turkey. I was able to obtain systems for each of our missiles.” Kammler looked back at Anna. “And you are right young lady. These are missiles, not simply some of Von Braun’s man carrying rockets. Each of these missiles can fly over 5,000 miles and strike their target with their atomic warhead.”

“Atomic!” Eric exclaimed.

Kammler was enjoying himself. Slowly he was giving out the information to astound and frighten his two guests. Now they would see the brilliance of the entire scheme. “But of course they are atomic. Did you not know that Germany had its own atomic weapons program? Did you not know we were very close to having our own weapons at the end of the war? Unfortunately many of the underground units were able to inhibit our obtaining all the necessary ingredients, but once the war was over those impediments went away. Like the rocket programs, our scientists were snatched up by the victors, but I placed our people in the right places so that the Americans had the best. And look at all you have been able to do!”

“Why just the Americans? Why not the Soviets as well?” Eric asked.

“Very simple. The Americans had the money to make things work within the timeframe needed. I actually had one of my people within your Manhattan Project from the very beginning. We let the Americans spend the vast sums for the hard work and then it was delivered to us. Do you know of a man named Fuchs?” Kammler asked.

Both shook their head.

“He was on the British and American team. Then in the late 1940s he gave the information about the bomb to the Russians; after he had shared it with us as well. That way we were able to make sure both sides had the same types of weapons. Your people eventually caught him, but he is presently in East Germany still providing information to the Soviets, and now the Chinese,” Kammler said. “But this too we had planned. Now they have been able to get us the materials we needed for our own weapons.”

“But how? The security around nuclear weapons is so tight,” said Eric in disbelief.

“Yours, maybe, but not the Russians. Although it was difficult, it was not insurmountable. You see, the Russians love counting things, not taking the steps to insure perfection, as we do. To my knowledge, they are still counting the bomb casings we removed the warheads from five years ago,” Kammler said.

“But surely, even if you have these terrible weapons, you have only four of them. What could that do to a country like the United States or the Soviet Union?” asked Anna.

“Ahh, now we come to our reason for being. You see, Fräulein, it is not where you use them, but how you use them. Just look at what is happening in the world right now,” Kammler said. “Right now the two largest and most powerful nations in the world are staring at each other across a small, 90 mile strip of water south of your state of Florida. Each has a finger pointed at the launch button of their respective atomic arsenals, just waiting for the slightest provocation to begin a whole new war.”

“So that’s it,” said Anna who suddenly grasped what Kammler was doing. “You plan on launching your missiles against each of the powers. They won’t really know where the missiles came from, but will immediately assume it was the other side!” she exclaimed.

“I am glad you can understand so clearly,” Kammler said smugly.

Eric nodded. “I must say general, it is a brilliant plan. You have strung our nations along all this time so that everything would fit together at just the right moment. I must give you credit.”

“Why thank you Herr Anderson.”

“However there are a few flaws you have not yet considered,” Eric said flatly.

“And what might those be?”

“Well, for example, just how many warheads do you expect the United States and the Soviet Union to use? I can tell you there are well over 1,000 such weapons in our missiles and bombers. There are even more in our submarines. Assuming the Soviets will launch the same number we will, that would make over 2,000 nuclear explosions between the US and the Soviet Union. Of course we cannot leave out the British and the French. They, along with Germany and other European nations, are our NATO allies and have vowed to wage war if any of the other NATO nations are attacked. They have their own arsenals so they would probably launch as well. The Soviets will anticipate this and target some of their weapons in France and England too. Then there are the tactical nuclear weapons. They are much smaller, but those could be all over Europe, including Germany. I doubt the Soviets would bother to care where they might be. They will simply explode some more of their own all over the European continent. So, if we say roughly 2,500 nuclear weapons are launched and explode on target, with each yielding between 500,000 kilotons to 1 megaton each, that would generate over 1.5 billion tons worth of explosions happening at almost the same instant. Say each weapon raises a minimum of 1,000 tons of dirt and dust. That will put the equivalent of 2.5 million tons of radioactive dirt, dust and debris up to 60 miles into the atmosphere. That will completely obliterate the sun for the entire northern hemisphere. The radiation will kill animal life and will eventually drift southward and contaminate the southern hemisphere as well. Germany will be sitting at the heart of all this. So even if you get underground, it will probably take over 100 years for the radiation levels to go down enough to come outside again. By then, there will be nothing much to eat and nowhere to go. So don’t you think you should reconsider your position Herr General?”

Kammler appeared to be getting angry. He obviously didn’t like anyone disagreeing with him. “And who has told you about such things? Your own government? All they want is to frighten the population into letting them build more. I saw some of the results from the tests. Very little was destroyed and the weapons they make now are much more sophisticated than the early ones.”

“For us maybe, but the Soviets?” Eric pressed. “They could care less if a weapon is dirty. All they want is to beat their chests and tell people they have the damned things. They want to be the big guy on the block. I doubt they even know what their own weapons might do when they go off.”

Kammler considered that a moment. The young man was right about the Russians. Of course Kammler didn’t think very highly of any of the Slavic nations. But this young man simply wanted to scare him into not carrying out the plan. Nothing could do that. He and the Führer had worked years to make it happen. The smile returned to his face. “And I could care less as well. I seriously doubt the superpowers would use all the weapons in their arsenals. I also doubt the results you seemed so proud to recite. The results will be the destruction of all the infrastructure of both the US and the Soviet Union. Germany will be in a unique position to become the leader of the world, and I fully intend to see that it happens,” he said firmly.

“You intend to see? Just who the hell do you think you are?” growled Anna. She stood there with her hands on her hips and her chin thrust out. Her eyes focused straight into General Kammler. If they had been guns, they would have gone off. “Eric is right about what will happen. We all know it. You have been down here in your hole so long you have no idea what is really going on in the outside world. You are still living in 1945! Well, the world has changed and we have all changed with it. Now you want to take us back — not to the 1930s but back to the Stone Age! You had your chance and as the Americans say, you blew it. Europe suffered for eight years under your rule. Millions died, economies crumbled, people lost everything and Germany almost ceased to exist. Now all you want to do is kill off another generation, if not the rest of the world just so you can beat your drum again. Well, take a look. Eric and I are a part of the new generation and we don’t want you or your kind around. No one from Austria wants anything to do with you or your great plans. Most of Europe would hunt you down and shoot you like they would a rabid animal. Even Germans are ashamed of what happened while you and your kind were in power. You made Germany the brunt of every joke and every jeer. So if you think people like me will support you, you can think again. Do yourself a favor and give up now. No one wants you. Everyone I know will fight you to the last breath,” she said defiantly.

Eric looked at his fiancé with growing pride. She was much stronger than he had imagined, and he liked it. He looked back at Kammler. “Colonel, you would be better off going through the war crimes trial I am sure they have ready for you.”

Kammler turned beet red. His temper, usually controlled, was about to break. His hand began inching toward his service revolver. Eric saw it and moved between Kammler and Anna. There was the slamming of a door and Colonel Müller walked across the facility and up to the general.

“The countdown has started Herr General. The doctor is asking for your presence,” he said.

Kammler suddenly calmed. His hand returned to his side. What she said or thought didn’t matter. This was his sworn duty and he would fulfill it to his last breath. “We shall see,” he said dismissively. “I think you will find people are more the same than you realize. Most people will rally around the most powerful, the strongest, or the best leaders. The masses rarely strike out on their own. In any case, tomorrow will begin a whole new world and your kind will simply have to follow along.” Kammler motioned to two young men standing near a tunnel entrance carrying rifles. The two men came up quickly and came to attention.

“Take these two to my office and hold them there until I send for them. If they try anything, you are to shoot them both,” he said firmly. He looked at Eric, “And thank you for remodeling my home. It’s a shame you will have to leave it.”

Kammler watched as a very angry, but dejected couple was prodded away at gunpoint by the two men. They would probably be shot anyway, he thought. At least I will have my house back. He turned and followed the Colonel back to the control room.

Fredrich couldn’t believe his luck. Since arriving that evening and seeing the whole complex for the first time, he had been in a panic. Somehow he needed the chance to contact the authorities and shut the place down, but he was almost constantly watched. Now he and Otto were leading these two people back into the tunnel system, out of sight of the rest. Halfway down the hall he motioned to Otto, “I’ll stop at the armory and get us two pistols and plenty of ammunition. I will meet you in the General’s office,” he said in a whisper as they walked along.

As they passed the armory, Fredrich paused and went in. He was gathering the ammunition when he saw Johann pass by the door, following the others. He knew something bad was about to happen and quickly gathered the remaining equipment and eased out the door and down the corridor.

Otto had the two stop at the door and go in. The general’s office was sparse. There were two chairs, a desk under a lamp and a work table to one side. A photo of Hitler was behind the table, but there were two other very nice paintings on another wall. Eric and Anna entered the room and turned to face the young man who had escorted them in. They watched as he looked outside the room and then closed the door. Otto lowered the rifle and moved toward them.

“We need to get you two out of here. The general isn’t bluffing. We found out tonight he is really going to launch those things,” Otto said.

Eric and Anna seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Their jailer had just turned into a savior. Eric was the first to react.

“If I can get back to the house we can phone.”

Otto shrugged. “The telephones are sometimes listened to. But if we can get back up there they may be too busy to notice. My friend is getting us a couple of pistols. When he gets back we should be better off.”

Eric nodded. “There may be some men on the way. Inspector Dresner of the police said he was coming.”

“Good, then we need to get back to the house as quickly as possible,” said Otto as the door banged open.

Johann stood in the door with a pistol in his hand. “I knew you were a traitor to our cause. The General will be very pleased when he finds I stopped you from betraying his plans.”

“Johann, you need to back away,” said Otto.

“Not this time,” said Johann. “You have done a lot to discredit me with the Colonel and the General. Now they will see who the most loyal Party member is. They say blood strengthens the heart. Maybe I should start with yours,” Johann said as he aimed the pistol at Otto’s chest.

There was a crack from in the hall as a rifle butt slammed into the back of Johann’s skull and crushed it inward. Johann’s eyes drifted upward as his body slumped downward. His pistol clattered out of his hands and onto the stone floor. The others watched in amazement as Fredrich stepped around the corner of the door sill and looked at Johann’s body as it bled onto the stone. “You will not be hurting anyone,” he said with contempt. He turned to the others. “We need to get moving,” he said.

The four quickly ran along the deserted hallway and up the flights of stairs. As they passed through the cellar, Fredrich took the time to close the door and the cask covering, then prop a chair on it so it would not open.

Entering the main part of the house, they found Helga tied tightly to a chair. A dishrag was tied around her face and a cloth gag was in her mouth. The four quickly began untying her. Once the cloth was removed she let out a whimper. “Eric! Anna! I thought I would not see you again,” she cried out.

“It was close Frau Hufham. These two rescued us and brought us back. We need to call Rolf,” Anna said.

At that time Dresner and his men came crashing through the front door and into the house. Almost immediately they were pointing their weapons at Fredrich and Otto, who threw their weapons down and held up their hands.

“Hold on!” cried Eric. “These two are helping us escape! Herr Dresner, there is a vast complex under this house and they are planning to launch missiles!”

“I know,” Dresner said as they lowered their weapons. He turned to Fredrich. “Is it a General Kammler and a Colonel Müller?”

Fredrich nodded. “I do not know it all, but this is something planned for a long time. My father says it was since the end of the war. I didn’t know what it was until tonight. Neither did Otto,” he said pointing to his friend.

“Never mind that now. We have to find a way to stop them. What if we turned off their power?” Dresner asked.

“My father has the duty of running a diesel generator. They probably have that running,” Otto said.

Dresner thought a moment. “That means they have backup electricity so we can’t go that route. I guess that means we must weed them out the hard way.”

“There’s another way. There is an armory down there. If they have more of those anti-tank weapons I can fix it so those missiles won’t be going anywhere,” said Eric.

“What? By blowing them up? You would kill everyone down there including yourself,” said Betz, standing nearby.

“No, I don’t plan on getting myself fried. But if we can find those weapons I can guarantee they won’t go anywhere,” Eric said confidently.

“Where is this armory? Can you take us back there?” Dresner asked Fredrich.

“Ja, I can do this,” said Fredrich.

Dresner turned to his men. “It looks like we will be going underground like we did in some of the mines. Everyone be on alert. For those who don’t have weapons, it looks like we can get you some.” He turned to Fredrich. “What is your name, young man?”

“Fredrich Stadt.”

“Well Fredrich, you know the danger?”

Fredrich straightened confidently. This was something he wanted to do. “Jawohl, Herr Dresner.”

Dresner smiled and patted the boy on the arm. “Then let’s be at it then. Welcome to our unit,” he said.

Dresner’s group, led by Fredrich Stadt, made their way back down the stairs into the cellar. Fredrich opened the cask and then the door beyond. Surprisingly, no one was met as the group quickly, but quietly made their way down the corridors. They stopped at each intersection and looked carefully before continuing. Within minutes they were at the armory door.

Dresner turned to Betz. “Sergeant, post some men down the corridor to warn us if someone comes. No shooting unless necessary. I suggest we turn off some of the lights in the corridor so it is a bit darker,” he said as they went inside.

The armory held more weapons that Dresner had seen since the war. There was a little something of every type of hand held weapon, boxes of ammunition, several cases of explosives and the equipment to detonate them. The men spread out and rearmed themselves, discarding their rifles and each gathering a new pistol and an MP 40 submachine gun. Commonly called the “Schmeisser” by the Americans, it was one of the best submachine guns produced by either side. Nearly every man got one along with a pistol and holster. Some even found silencers for the pistols and handed them out. They also loaded up with plenty of ammunition.

There was a muffled exclamation from the back of the armory. Dresner turned to see Corporal Wagner come around the corner carrying a Panzerschreck. Also called the Ofenrohr or “stovepipe” by the men who used it, it was the German equivalent of the American Bazooka. Eric followed him carrying two wooden cases of projectiles.

“This ought to do the trick,” Eric said.

“It isn’t going to be very subtle,” said Dresner.

“Yes, but it will punch through six inches of concrete,” said Eric.

Wagner was nodding and grinning behind him. “He has a good idea, Herr Major. I can help him do it.”

“Alright, what is your plan, young Eric?” asked Dresner.

“Corporal Wagner and I go up to the gazebo on the lake and punch holes in the concrete under what we thought was a patio. It is actually the tops of the four silos down there. If we can hit them just at the waterline…”

“The whole place would be under water in a matter of minutes! I like that much better than shooting at the missiles themselves. But there are some things we must do as well. I must try and get those men out of there. They have broken laws and if I can bring them out alive I will do so. But if not…” Dresner let the meaning hang in the air.

Otto tapped him on the shoulder. “Pardon me, Herr Inspector. You need to know there are several young men our age there. They are like us. Our fathers have made us attend these meetings for the last year or so. I doubt they have really broken any laws and if they are like us, we didn’t know the whole story until tonight. If I go with you, we might be able to get them out without a fight,” he said quietly.

Dresner hadn’t thought about young people being there. He saw the sense in what the young man was saying. “Very well, come along. But if we start shooting, you make it back up to the house as fast as you can. You’re not trained for this and you have already done your share,” Dresner said. “Now tell me your name.”

“Otto Haldebeck.”

“Very good, Herr Haldebeck. You stay with me. Now tell me, is there another way into this place?”

Fredrick stepped up. “Yes, Herr Inspector. There is another tunnel which opens from the road just below the one for the house. My father told me and we came in by it. I can take you there.”

“Good. Wagner, you and Eric take one man and make your way to the lake. Betz!” he called out. Betz came around the door. “You take eight men and young Fredrick here and go in the other entrance.” He turned to face Fredrick again. “This other entrance, does it lead to the rocket chamber or to the house?”

“To the main chamber. It comes out just below the control room. There may be some people guarding it.”

Dresner turned back to Betz. “You heard him. Go back to the house and get a car. Drive it down and see if you can get in. As best you can, make your way to the main chamber and be ready.” He looked at the group. “I’ll give you ten minutes. I know that’s not much time, but we can’t wait until they launch those things. When ten minutes are up, Wagner, you start making holes in concrete. Betz should be making his way up the entrance tunnel and I will take the rest of the men and go in from this side. Try and take people alive and get them out of this facility. If you can’t just make sure we get all our people back out of this place. Once the water starts coming in, we need to get out fast. Our primary goal is to get Müller and Kammler. I want those two most of all. Any questions?”

The men looked at each other and then back shook their heads. Eric was surprised at the men. They each had a very determined look. There was even a sort of professionalism in the way they handled themselves which was different from the time he had met them before. He had to remind himself that these same men had survived a much larger conflict together and were thinking like the old days — as one unit.

Dresner nodded and glanced at his watch. “Very good. We all start the assault ten minutes from now. Good luck,” he said.

The men snapped to attention and began rushing to their assigned place. Wagner, Eric and a man named Stephen made their way as fast as they could back to the house. The going was difficult with the heavy load of the Panzerschreck and its ammunition. By the time they reached the front door all three men were sweating profusely.

Eric saw Anna and Helga sitting at the table. “Get in a car and get out of here. I’ll call your place when we’re done,” he said.

He saw Anna put her hands on her hips defiantly and yelling out, “No!”

Eric smiled at her and yelled back, “Wait for me then!”

Crossing the courtyard and exiting through the gate, Eric led the men down the side of the lake and onto the short pier out to the gazebo. Glancing at his watch he told the men, “There’s no time to lose.”

Wagner gave instructions on how to load the weapon as Stephen broke open the wooden cases with the ammunition. After only a minute a round was in the end of the tube and Wagner kneeled beside the wooden rail. Using the rail to steady the tube, he took aim at the exact point where the water met the concrete. Looking at his watch again, there was only one minute left to wait.

Fredrich, Betz and the other men were quicker getting up to the house because they didn’t have as much to carry. They grabbed two of the cars and tore out the gate and down to the tunnel. It only took two minutes to be out the other side and down the 100 meters to where Fredrick said the door was. Fredrick stepped out of the car and walked to the edge of the concrete sill. Reaching behind the sill he pulled something and then pushed the door inward.

There were two students in the underground garage. As the door opened, they turned to see who was coming in and saw the two cars enter followed by Fredrich who was pushing the door closed. With Fredrich there, they did not expect trouble and sat their rifles down and leaned them against the wall. Suddenly the cars raced up and screeched to a halt. A group of eight men with guns jumped out, pointing them at the students. The two immediately threw their hands into the air. One of them even wet himself as the others rushed towards them.

“Take them and tie them up beside the cars. Karl, you stay with them until we return. If there is trouble, get them to safety,” Betz said. He turned to look at the garage. Sitting in it were about twenty cars of different makes and sizes. But two things caught his eye. The first was a row of four Tiger tanks and other armored vehicles sitting against the far wall. The second was a large truck marked “US Army.” A smile crept across his face. “One case solved,” he said to himself.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Betz grabbed Fredrich. “Which way do we go?”

Fredrich pointed to a large steel door at the far end of the garage which was open only just enough to allow entry. “That leads to the main complex. The tunnel is about 200 meters long,” he said.

Gathering his men, Betz pointed to the tunnel entrance. “Guerilla tactics,” he said. “You three lead the way,” he said pointing to three of the men. The men swung around and made their way to the large door. It was a thick steel door, obviously made to withstand a lot of pressure. Cautiously, the men made their way round the door and into the main tunnel.

The tunnel was fifteen feet wide and twelve feet tall with a curved ceiling. The tunnel curved slightly to the left and had supports every twenty feet with just enough room to hide a person or to take some cover. The lighting was dim compared to the other places they had been. Betz looked at his watch. They were still 50 meters from the far end with only 30 seconds to go.

Dresner felt exposed inside the smaller corridors nears the armory. He turned to Otto. “Is there a room or some place we can wait where we won’t be seen?” he asked.

Otto nodded. “There is a place, but you may not like it,” he said.

“At this point I would even hide in a toilet,” Dresner said.

Otto nodded and quickly led the men to the next passageway where there was a “T” crossing. Passing through and down the dimmer passage, he came upon the doors with the marble framing. “No one will come in here,” he said.

Dresner saw why. He and his men were frozen in their tracks at the sight of Adolf Hitler in his glass sarcophagus. “It can’t be so,” Dresner heard one of his men say. “It must be wax,” said another.

“It’s really him,” said Otto, recounting the story he was told.

The men almost reverently walked to the glass to stare at the body inside. For years they had looked up to the man inside and had lived through the highs and lows of his leadership. The looks on each man’s face told its own story. Some had a look of wonder, others had a mask of hatred, while others a sort of despair. Each had his own feelings upon seeing the man inside.

“All the time we were down here and never knew,” said one of the men. The others nodded, but none took their eyes off the man.

“We missed them the first time, but not the second,” said Dresner breaking the spell.

“I feel dirty. Let’s go clean house,” said another man as he lifted his weapon.

Dresner looked at his watch. It was nearly time. “Okay, let’s fan out. Make our way back to the armory. I have a plan. Let’s see if we can get all of these men,” he said with an evil grin.

The men began to smile again. Dresner opened the door, looked outside to make sure it was clear, and then led the way down the corridor.

The control room was hot from the tubes in the cabinets and the heat of the eleven occupants. Along the front of the room was a set of very thick glass windows looking into the main chamber and the four silos. There were two consoles for each missile with an occupant sitting at each one. Three men stood at the front of the room; General Kammler, Dr. Ingles and another technician. There was a clock on the wall above the windows counting down. Dr. Ingles was smoking a cigarette and checking his watch as the countdown continued.

“Oxidizer tanks filled on four. Starting pumps for main propellant tanks,” said one technician. Within a few seconds all four had finished reporting the same thing. This was one of the last steps before launch.

“Open launch doors,” ordered the doctor.

“Launch door opening,” repeated each technician.

The switches were thrown and slowly the large concrete domes over the missile silos began to open.

On the gazebo outside, the men watched in fascination as what they had originally thought was a large patio began to lift in several places. As the pads tilted higher the patio furniture began sliding down the concrete and into the lake with a loud set of screeches. In the middle of the procedure Corporal Wagner looked at his watch. It was the time the Major had set to begin.

“Get out from behind me,” he warned the others, who stood nearby holding another round of ammunition.

Taking careful aim, Wagner ducked his head slightly and pulled the trigger.

The 88mm high energy anti-tank Panzerschreck round exploded from the tube and quickly transited the hundred yards to the silo wall. Striking just at the waterline, the round pierced the concrete and was entering the silo itself when the main charge went off. The old man had been correct. The poor quality concrete along with the ersatz rebar was no match for such force. The explosion made a huge bang. When the smoke cleared it had made a hole in the concrete silo wall five feet across and nearly as deep under the water. The lake began pouring into the silo directly onto the missile inside.

In the control room, the sound of the explosion was muffled by the large doors and concrete. A quick check of the room indicated no problem, so it was ignored. Within a moment a red light appeared on one of the consoles.

“I have a red light in the guidance package of missile four,” said one of the technicians. “I will try to restart it.”

Dr. Ingles nodded. This was not unexpected. There had been other instances when the guidance package needed to restart. “Proceed,” he said.

There was a second dull bang.

“Launch doors fully open,” said a technician.

The men in front of the group thought that must have been it. No one noticed water seeping around the corners of the fourth set of steel doors and running across the concrete floor.

“I have a red light on the guidance package of missile number three,” said a technician. Kammler looked at Ingles questioningly.

There was a third muffled bang.

It had been easy. Betz and his men had been able to sneak up on two more young men standing with their rifles leaning against the wall. Looking around the corner, he could now see the entire main complex including the four large silo doors and the windows to the control room on the right. His men were deploying around the walls and positioning themselves behind anything with some cover. So far, he hadn’t heard anything else from the others.

Betz turned to Fredrich standing beside him. “Not bad young Stadt. Is there a way into that control room?” he asked.

“I’m not sure about things now. We only saw this part for the first time tonight. The only entrance I saw was from a corridor on the other side,” Fredrich said.

The shot sounded loud and Fredrich spun around in an instant. Several men turned toward the shot and saw Colonel Müller standing in a doorway with a smoking pistol in his hand. The men opened fire on him, but he ducked into the passageway. A warning klaxon began sounding in the complex.

Betz grabbed Fredrich as he started going down. Blood was pouring from a wound in his left shoulder. Betz and two men laid the boy down and grabbed the shirt off one of their prisoners to stem the flow. Fredrich was already turning pale.

“Take care of him and see if you can get him back to the tunnel entrance,” he told two men. Turning to the others he ordered a flanking movement through the chamber toward the door. More shots were fired from another location and one of the men began firing at a figure hiding behind a small support. The man suddenly spun around and fell to the ground.

“Spread out and watch for snipers,” he shouted. The men began rapidly making their way toward the opposite end of the complex.

“I have red lights on the igniter panel of number four. Now another on servo control,” said the technician nervously. The technician for missile number three was seeing the same thing. Then the technician for number two began reporting red lights. The sound of the warning klaxon broke them all out of their concerns. Looking out the windows, they saw Betz and his men making their way across the floor.

“We have intruders!” screamed Kammler. He reached for the general announcing system. “There are intruders coming from the garage tunnel. Gather and repel them,” he ordered. From several doors in the complex, men in lab coats began running toward another corridor near the control room.

Dresner had waited for this moment. A large group of men descended on the corridor and rushed to the armory to draw their weapons. When they arrived, they found the door locked. When everyone seemed to have gathered by the armory entrance Dresner’s men sprang from doorways on either side of the armory and trapped the men between them. Only one man resisted. Brandishing a pistol, Captain Strasser took aim at Dresner, only to drop it when there was a bang and a hole appeared in the back of Strasser’s head. The rest of the men suddenly realized that it was no game and threw their hands up. Dresner looked around to see Otto with a smoking pistol. The boy looked like he could not believe what he had done. He looked at Dresner and smiled. Dresner winked at the boy.

“Kuntz! You, Lentz and Frobisher take these men and hold them somewhere until we get back. The rest of you, follow me,” Dresner ordered. The men began quickly running toward the main chamber.

“The only missile still working is number one. It is three quarters full of fuel,” said Dr. Ingles.

Kammler was furious. They had waited and planned seventeen years for this moment. It could not end now. “One will be enough. Is there any way to speed up the fueling?”

“It is going as fast as the pumps will allow, Herr General,” said the seated technician.

Kammler turned to look out the windows. No one seemed to be coming to repel these men except for three men he recognized as his own. He looked at the men moving through the complex. They were the same age as his men, but were wearing old garrison caps. Who could they be, he wondered. In a hail of gunfire he saw one of his men break from his hiding place and move toward the control room in an effort to outflank the others and get a better shot. He was passing the main cable junction when six of the others with sub-machineguns opened up, flaying the man. Their bullets also peppered the main junction of cables.

Suddenly the consoles in the control room went dead and the lights began to flicker.

“They have cut the control cables!” shouted Ingles.

Kammler watched the last of his men being hunted down. He turned to Ingles. “Do the missiles still have power?”

“As far as I know. But we can’t launch them from here.”

Kammler grabbed him by the arm. “We can still launch from the cockpit! Come!” he said as he dragged Ingles out the side door and into a short corridor. He turned to the others in the room. “All of you go out through the other door and raise your hands to surrender,” he ordered before dashing with Ingles down the hall.

The men needed no coaxing. They rushed to the door and stepped into the light with their hands raised.

All of Dresner’s men had now joined up and saw the men coming out. Distracted, they didn’t see two men skirt out a far door and across the floor now with nearly an inch of water on it. Another, in a black uniform dashed across the floor and into the corridor to the house. It was the sound of a door being opened that got Betz’s attention and he saw the first two quickly move inside. He couldn’t get off a shot.

Rushing across the room, the men tried the door, but it would not budge. They even tried firing into the metal door, but it was too thick to be damaged. Turning to the technicians, Dresner asked, “What is he trying to do?”

The men looked at each other a moment before Dresner, in a rage, placed his pistol against one of the men’s head. “I am in no mood to wait!”

“He can launch the missile from the cockpit,” the technician said.

Dresner stared up at the last set of doors. There was no water running from them. “Is there another way up there?”

The technician shook his head. “The main doors were locked in the sequence. This is the emergency access,” he said nervously.

There was a loud groan which came from the set of doors nearest them. A gap appeared from the bottom of the doors and water began gushing out of them and into the chamber.

“Get everyone out of here. Betz, take your group back out the one tunnel and we will go out the other. Did you see any way to contain this water?” he asked Betz.

“Ja, Herr Major. There is what looks like a large set of blast doors at the end of the tunnel.”

“Then close them. There is a similar door in the corridor to the house. We will let the entire place fill with water.” He looked back at the still dry missile doors. “Let’s hope Wagner can get a shot at the missile when it leaves the silo,” he said.

Wagner was having a hard time. The last silo was curved away from the gazebo and there was no way to get a shot at it. The three watched as the last door opened to its fullest. The light from inside shined against it. “Now what do we do?” he asked.

Eric stood and looked around the area. It only took a second. “Bring the gear,” he said as he grabbed a box of ammunition and darted back along the short causeway to the shore. The other two men shrugged their shoulders and followed. Within a minute they were standing beside a paddle boat.

“Dad got this thing to move around the lake. Can we all three get on?” he asked.

Wagner jumped in the right front seat with the Panzerschreck over his shoulder. Stephen jumped on the back and held on between the two molded seats. At first Wagner tried to pedal as fast as he could, but Eric slowed him down. “It actually goes quicker when you paddle slower,” he said.

By now the men were hearing the klaxon and gunfire from the silos. It was agonizingly slow moving from the muddy shore around next to the gazebo and out around the lake. They didn’t dare go closer to the silos they had already hit. Water was pouring through the holes and threatened to pull anyone else in as well. In five minutes, they were in a position to get at least a partial shot at the last silo. Stephen loaded a round into the rear of the tube.

Dresner reached the second level and saw one of the men he left behind. “Where are the others?” he asked.

“In here, Herr Major. We thought they should spend time with their mentor,” he said with a grin.

Dresner grinned. “Get them out and get them up to the house. Quickly!” he ordered.

The soldiers opened the door to Hitler’s mausoleum one last time. There was a shout behind them in the tunnel and they heard someone being tackled in the outer corridor. Dresner turned to see Corporal Goetz holding tightly to a man in a black SS uniform. The man broke one of his arms free from Goetz and was desperately trying to put something in his mouth. Dresner raced to he man and kicked the hand away. A small vial rolled across the floor.

“You won’t be taking that way out,” said Dresner.

They turned the man over. It was Colonel Müller. Dresner smiled. “Colonel, I have wanted to get you in this position for a long time.” He turned to the others. “Secure Gestapo Müller and make sure he has no opportunity to escape the punishments he so justly deserves,” he ordered. The men quickly tied the man’s arms behind his back and placed a gag in his mouth.

“Let’s go, quickly!” said Dresner.

The men were herded out of Hitler’s tomb with their hands on their heads and back up the corridor. As they passed the heavy blast door, Dresner pulled it shut and spun the locking handle till it would go no further. He had given it one last turn when he heard a deep rumble from the direction of the main chamber.

Kammler and Ingles were sweating heavily when they finally reached the top of the silo. There was a retractable bridge to the cockpit. Kammler was pushing it down into position when he saw Ingles approaching with a reinforced hose.

“You are going to need lots of oxygen where you are going,” Ingles said.

Kammler smiled at the man as he attached the hose and then opened the valve to fill the onboard oxygen tank. Kammler grasped the cockpit canopy latch and gave a tug. It opened immediately and he crawled inside. The parachute was still in the seat and he strapped himself in. He could hear the oxygen tank gurgling as it filled. Once strapped in, Kammler began turning on the various systems. Within a minute, the oxygen tank was filled and the Doctor removed the hose and sealed it. All the gages indicated the rocket was ready.

“It is time Herr Doctor,” Kammler said as he offered his hand.

The doctor took it. “For a new world order,” the doctor said firmly.

Kammler grabbed the canopy latch and pulled it shut. He then sealed it and began pressurizing the cockpit.

The doctor retracted the bridge and stood against the wall. This would be the last step for him. He would not be captured. In a final gesture, he raised his right arm in a Nazi salute.

Kammler glanced at the instruments one last time and pressed the ignition switch. Deep below him the peroxide pumps engaged and the nitric acid and RP1 were pumped under pressure to the main combustion chamber where the igniters were activated. At first the flames were haphazard, but as the temperature rose the reaction increased. Suddenly there was a huge gout of rocket exhaust and the escaping flames focused and intensified. The gasses shot downward and were directed into two exhaust ducts which channeled the flames and smoke up through openings on either side of the silo. Once the required thrust was achieved, the locking latches disengaged and the missile began to lift into the air.

Wagner had taken aim but was not so sure he would hit his target. The boat made precision almost impossible. He took another breath when there was a rush of smoke and noise from the other side of the huge silo cover. Wagner steadied himself and pulled the trigger one last time.

The round didn’t go anywhere near where he was aiming. The boat rocked suddenly and sent it in a different direction. It was still a lucky shot. The Panzerschreck round flew to one side of the giant door, striking the hydraulic piston keeping it in place blasting it to shreds. The remaining piston on the opposite side could not maintain the weight of the door and it immediately began closing.

The explosion near the door stunned Kammler and he watched in horror as the huge concrete door began closing on top of him. The missile rose out of the silo only four feet before the concrete door hit it and began pressing it against the far wall. The rough concrete began tearing at the thin metal on its side and ultimately began bending the rocket against the concrete. It only took a second for the acid and RP1 tanks of the A-9 second stage to rupture. Both emptied quickly into the rocket exhaust.

The explosion blew the cockpit and the front of the rocket out of the silo and straight into the rocks in the side of the mountain. Then the fuel and oxidizer in the A-10 first stage erupted. The concrete silo blasted apart inside the facility. The steel doors flew across the cavernous interior slamming against the control room. The concrete walls crumbled and opened up two more silos, already filled with water. The result was catastrophic. Almost immediately the flames were replaced by tons of cascading water both from the lake and the already filled silos. The water washed into the open corridors and tunnels and did not stop until they slammed against the already closed blast doors. The tunnels were immediately filled.

The water ran through the corridors leading toward the house like it was a garden hose. The ventilation systems in the underground facility allowed the air to escape and the corridors were completely filled up to the second set of blast doors on the second level. Within ten minutes the water in the facility had reached the level of the lake outside.

Dresner and his men were quickly making their way along the corridor when the lights flickered out. Looking ahead, there was still light coming from the wine cellar of the house. Urging his men forward, they entered the cellar and Dresner closed the door. He motioned for the men to proceed into the house.

The smells from the kitchen suddenly made the men ravenously hungry. Moving into the living area, they could smell sausages being prepared along with potatoes and other delicacies. Having his prisoners secured in the living room, Dresner made his way to the kitchen where it appeared Helga was preparing a feast. Even more surprising was what he saw on the floor. Laying there, trussed up like a rodeo steer, was Hans Kemper. He was obviously out cold and a heavy cast iron frying pan sat on a table nearby.

“What happened here?” Dresner asked as a smile spread over his face.

Helga grunted and waived a wooden spoon at Dresner. “No one tells me what to do in my kitchen,” she said with a grin. “I hope your men are hungry.”

Fredrich was laid on a bed in one of the wings of the house. A doctor was summoned and dressed his wounds. Luckily no bones were broken and the bullet had passed cleanly through his shoulder. A few sutures and Fredrich was good as new. Otto had stationed himself beside the bed and giving all the assistance anyone needed. Twenty minutes after he arrived, Fredrich woke up to see his friend.

“What happened?” Fredrich murmured.

Rolf Dresner moved into view. “You got in the way of a bullet,” he said smiling. “But we were able get you back here and in one piece,” he said.

“Did we stop them?”

Dresner nodded. “We were able to stop them.”

Fredrich seemed to relax into his sheets. “I was afraid,” he said.

“So was I. But between you and Otto, I think I can say you saved our world,” Dresner said.

The two boys smiled at each other, displaying the youthful exuberance Dresner remembered from many of the young men who had done a good job the first time out.

“Where are we?” Fredrich asked.

“In the big house. Herr Anderson said you could stay here until you are well enough to go home,” Dresner said.

“You missed the feast,” Otto said excitedly. “Frau Hufham made all of us the most wonderful dinner. Everyone ate, except our prisoners,” he stated proudly. “All they got was some soup.”

“What will happen to them?” asked Fredrich. You could tell by the look on his face he was concerned for his father.

Dresner sat on the side of the bed and Otto got silent. “Let’s not worry too much about them. But you do need to know something,” he said very seriously. He placed his hand on Fredrich’s arm. “Neither of your fathers made it out of the facility.”

Otto stared down at the side of the bed and didn’t say a word. Fredrich looked a little more stricken at the news, but didn’t cry. It was Otto who spoke first.

“Herr Dresner, told me about an hour ago. I’m sorry Fredrich,” he said. “We talked a while about it. I know our fathers were never really our fathers. They were dedicated to this cause all our lives. For the most part you and I grew up in a lie, never really knowing them closely. We’ve both known for a long time they were wrong. They did things to us a father should never do. We shall miss them but in my case I know I will never mourn.”

Fredrich nodded sadly. “Father was a Nazi. Not a former Nazi, but a real one. I am ashamed of him and what he believed. Neither of us wants the kind of world he wanted. Mother and I will be better off without him,” Fredrich said. Yet there were tears in his eyes for the loss.

Dresner looked proudly at the two young men. He reached out and gently patted each on the shoulder. Both boys smiled back at the man. Dresner knew the biggest fear for them now was how they would survive.

“Well, you have both served well. Germany owes you both a great deal, and so does Austria. For now, do not worry about anything. Leave everything to me,” he said as he stood. “Just get well, young Fredrich,” he said as he left the room.

Sergeant Betz sat against the far wall. Once again, he had seen the Major like this before. The thought made him feel warm all over.

“I agree. You should not worry. The last time I heard the Major say he would take care of something, it turned out very well indeed,” he said grinning.