‘When we go, we go hard, no stopping, remember ‘that,’ he said.
‘We’re with you all the way, Colonel,’ Kramer told him.
He slowed at the outer gate and the SS sergeant came forward. ‘What’s all this?’
Steiner raised the Schmeisser, lifted him back with a quick burst, was on his feet and swinging to cut down the other guard as Kramer took the Kubelwa-gen forward with a surge of power.
As they reached the bottom of the steps leading to the front door, more SS appeared from the guardhouse on the right. Steiner pulled the stick grenade from his boot and tossed it into the centre of them, then he leapt from the Kubelwagen and started up the steps. Behind him the paratroopers jumped from the troop carriers and stormed after him, firing across the courtyard at the SS.
‘You dare to approach me like this, a gun in your hand?’ Hitler said to Berger, his eyes blazing.
‘I regret to have to say it, my Fuhrer, but your moment has come, you, Field Marshal Rommel here, the Admiral.’ Berger shook his head. ‘We can no longer afford any of you.’
Hitler said, ‘You can’t kill me, you young fool, it’s an impossibility.’
‘Really?’ Berger said. ‘And why would that be?’
‘Because it is not my destiny to die here,’ Hitler told him calmly. ‘Because God is on my side,’
Somewhere in the distance was the sound of shooting. Berger half turned to glance at the door and Major Ritter leapt to his feet, threw his briefcase at him and ran for the door. ‘Guards!’ he shouted.
One of the SS men fired his Schmeisser, shooting him in the back several times.
Schellenberg said, ‘Mr Devlin.’
Devlin’s hand found the butt of the silenced Wal-ther in his waistband against the small of his back. His first bullet caught the man who had just machine-gunned Ritter in the temple, the second took the other SS man in the heart. Berger swung to face him, his mouth open in a terrible cry of rage and Devlin’s third bullet hit him between the eyes.
Devlin walked across and looked down at him, the Walther slack in his hand. ‘You wouldn’t be told, son, would you? I said you needed a different class of work.’
Behind him the doors burst open and Kurt Steiner rushed in at the head of his men.
When Schellenberg knocked and entered Himmler’s room he found the ReichsFuhrer standing at the window. It was instantly evident that he intended to brazen it out.
‘Ah, there you are, General. A most unfortunate business. It reflects so terribly on all of us of the SS. Thank goodness the Fuhrer sees Berger’s abominable treachery as an individual lapse.’
‘Fortunate for all of us, ReichsFuhrer.’
Himmler sat down. ‘The anonymous phone call you mentioned? You’ve absolutely no idea who it was?’
Tm afraid not.’
‘A pity. Still…’ Himmler looked at his watch. ‘The Fuhrer intends to leave at noon and I shall fly back to Berlin with him. Canaris goes with us. Rommel has already left.’
‘I see,’ Schellenberg said.
‘Before he leaves, the Fuhrer wants to see you and the other three. I believe he thinks decorations are in order.’
‘Decorations?’ Schellenberg said.
‘The Fuhrer is never without them, General, carries a supply in his personal case wherever he goes. He believes in rewarding loyal service and so do I.’
‘ReichsFuhrer.’
Schellenberg turned to the door and Himmler said, ‘Better for all of us if this shocking affair never happened. You follow me, General? Rommel and Canaris will keep their mouths shut, and easy enough to handle those paratroopers. A posting back to the Russian front will take care of them.’
‘I see, ReichsFuhrer,’ Schellenberg said carefully.
‘Which, of course, leaves us with Steiner, Haupt-sturmfuhrer Vaughan and the man Devlin. I feel they could all prove a serious embarrassment as I’m sure you will agree.’
‘Is the ReichsFuhrer suggesting…’ Schellenberg began.
‘Nothing,’ Himmler told him. ‘I’m suggesting nothing. I simply leave it to your own good sense.’
It was just before noon, as Schellenberg, Steiner, Asa and Devlin waited in the library, that the door opened and the Fuhrer entered followed by Canaris and Himmler who carried a small leather briefcase.