Heroes, David Hagberg [me reader .txt] 📗

lowered his head. “Still, it is too late for us. The war will soon be over, will it not?”

Schey nodded. “It is only a matter of days, perhaps weeks.”

“Who will be first in Berlin, the Americans or the Russians?”

“The Americans probably, but we have some intelligence that Eisenhower may hold Patton back and allow the Russians to come first.”

The scientist did not seem overly upset. He glanced at his machine. “It is called a cyclotron, Herr Colonel, but I suppose that means little or nothing to you.”

“It is a particle accelerator,” Schey said. “High frequency oscillations drive a charged particle in increasing circles as it gathers energy.”

The scientist’s mouth dropped open. “You … amaze me, Herr Colonel. You do understand something of this business.”

“Only the smallest amount. I know that the Americans are very close. And I also know …” Schey let it trail off.

“Yes … yes?”

“I know that Germany would never have developed the weapon.”

“I know that. We all do. The war has ruined our chances.”

“No, sir. I mean ever. Even if the war had not come here to Germany, we would never have managed to come up with the bomb.”

“What makes you say that?”

“We don’t have the industrial capacity. We never did have.

You have seen my reports.”

The scientist smiled indulgently. “You could not have been everywhere at once, Colonel. One man in your position could never have properly evaluated something so technical.”

“Sir?”

“You were mistaken.”

“About what?”

“About everything,” the scientist said in irritation. “Vast warehouses to store war materials we can understand. Machines that take up buildings nearby two kilometers on a side? …“He shook his head. “I think not even in America.”

It didn’t matter after all, Schey thought. He had been dreading these appointments with the scientists. He wasn’t any longer.

“Perhaps you are right, sir.”

The scientist nodded. “Of course, Colonel, of course.”

Schey took a step closer to the big machine. “The cyclotron works well, sir? You have sufficient equipment on hand? You have no need of further supplies?”

The scientist almost laughed out loud. “My dear Colonel, you don’t seem to understand something here.” Schey said nothing.

“This machine is months, perhaps even a year away from actual operation.”

“I don’t see then …”

“It is a research tool, not a production device. This is a laboratory, not a factory.”

“Then why have I been called here today? What do you want of me? I thought you desired information on the American project?”

“You thought wrong, Herr Colonel. We are proud of our work here, of course. But I called you here to show you at what stage we had come to. We need permission to begin dismantling this equipment before the Americans or the Russians show up. It would not do for such toys to fall into wrong hands.”

“And that is all?”

“Yes,” the scientist said resentfully.

“Then tear it down!”

“No, it is not that easy. We will need permission from the .

highest authority.” I “I’m on the Reich Chancellery staff, I can …” i

“The highest authority, Herr Colonel,” the scientist insisted.

“The Fuhrer?” . <

“Yes.”

Schey turned away. He was puzzled. “Why me, sir? Why don’t you speak with the Fuhrer yourself? He would have to listen to you.”

“It is you, Colonel Schey, who must speak with the Fuhrer on our behalf.”

“But why me?”

“Come, do not be so modest.”

Still Schey did not see.

“You are a hero of the Reich, Herr Colonel. You have the ‘ Fiihrer’s ear. You have his confidence. You have his favor.”

Schey backed away a couple of steps. The scientist came after him.

“You must do this for us, Colonel Schey. For Germany. We are depending upon it.”

Several of the other scientists had stopped their work and were ‘ watching Schey.

He was a hero of the Reich, verdammtl He had the Iron Cross to prove it. His fingers touched the medal close around his neck.

And this is what it had come to. They wanted him to be a favor broker. Marlene was using him for protection. The scientists wanted him to plead their case. And the Fuhrer … the Fuhrer looked to him as the ultimate salvation of Germany..

He thought about Oak Ridge and about Los Alamos. He i thought about the years he had lost going into deep cover in the United States. And he thought about his more personal losses, Katy and then Eva. But instead of becoming angry, a great sadness came over him. He was a hero of the Reich. Not just for his work in Oak Ridge and Los Alamos, but for what he could do here as well.

Schey nodded. “I will speak with the Fuhrer.” “This evening, perhaps?” the scientist asked hopefully.

“Yes,” Schey said. He took one last look at the machine they wanted to tear apart and hide, and then with the scientist he went back upstairs where he retrieved his Luger from the one-armed lieutenant and signed out. I

Outside on the street he took a deep breath, then turned and walked up the rubble-strewn street to the ruins of the once-proud Reich Chancellery and around back where he was stopped by the SS guards. He showed his pass and was allowed into the rear courtyard and gardens, where he was again stopped and his pass again checked, even though the guards recognized him.

They saluted, then allowed him down into the Fiihrer Bunker.

The stairs angled back fifty feet beneath the Chancellery, and just at the bottom he checked his Luger with the desk sergeant and took off his gloves and overcoat as he went through the door into the main corridor that ran all the way back to the dayroom.

The place smelled of sweat and cooking and slightly of urine.

Apparently, one of the toilets had backed up again. They had been having trouble with them lately.

He could hear music playing softly from the dayroom, and when he came in Propaganda Minister Goebbels was deep in discussion with Luftwaffe Chief of Staff General Karl Roller and an SS general he did not recognize.

“Ah, Colonel Schey,” Goebbels said, looking around. He was smiling broadly. “Go right in; he is expecting