Like an evil angel on his shoulder, Vassily Prokopiev’s voice came again. “On the count of three. One — ” Michael Rourke suddenly asked himself why he was listening to this man at all. After all, Prokopiev had engineered the miserably failed ambush which had trapped him and the others here but achieved no military purpose. What was to imply that Prokopiev could do better now. “Two — ” If it could be avoided, if they survived this, he would be just as content to leave Prokopiev to fight another day, and he would do all that was possible to ensure that. The duplicity he intended rankled him, but there was no other way for it. Where was Han? Where was Otto?
“Three—-now!”
Michael Rourke touched his finger to the M-16’s trigger a micro-second after the first shot of the first burst began, and as the Maoist officer rocked back and tumbled from the back of his rat-like horse, others falling around him, bloodcurdling screams issuing from the Mongrol mercenaries, Michael Rourke almost said aloud, “So much for diplomacy.”
142
CHAPTER TWENTY
The struggle down the mountainside had been difficult, but most difficult on the women. Annie, of course, was in excellent physical condition, but Elaine Halversen’s stamina could best be described as better than average, Paul thought, realizing that at times his thinking was becoming as clinical as that of a Rourke. He charted it off to propinquity and good fortune.
But, as the pilot of the J-7V had recounted and landing at the German installation outside Eden Base had confirmed, good fortune was something they all shared. Fresh from New Germany in Argentina, come to personally investigate the situation involving Kurinami and Halversen, was Colonel Wolfgang Mann, supreme military commander of New Germany, a man whom Paul Rubenstein at once trusted and deeply respected.
They were shown to quarters, Kurinami and Halversen asked if they would prefer to share quarters (they had preferred) and then a breakfast meeting was announced with Colonel Mann.
Paul showered with Annie, letting her massage the tenseness from his neck and back and upper arms, and, despite the precious little sleep they had been allowed, after they dried each other, they made slow, comfortable love, after which Annie had fallen asleep in his arms and he in hers.
143
A quick shower and breakfast awaited them, Annie dressed in long skirt and lace trimmed blouse of Icelandic fashion. He had asked, when they had packed their gear for the expedition to the Retreat, why she had elected to waste precious ounces on things so seemingly patently unnecessary as a skirt and petticoat and a fancy blouse and she had told him simply, “If you were a woman, you’d understand. But I’m considering that you don’t.”
And he was convinced now, as he tasted the ground beef patties served so obviously instead of pork-based sausage (a German favorite, he had learned) in deference to his religion, that Annie could read his mind. Because his thoughts were consumed with her, he saw her watching him, smiling, almost blushing as he had recollected what they had done with each other’s bodies early in the morning hours before they had slept.
He forced his attention to his food and the conversation around him, and just in time because Colonel Mann began to address him. “So, Herr Rubenstein. It is satisfactory? The food?”
“Yes —and thank you for your consideration, Colonel,”
“It is nothing, Herr Rubenstein. But you are gracious to notice it. And, I assure you, all is, to the best of our abilities here, how do you say it?”
“Kosher?” Paul smiled.
“Indeed,” Mann smiled back.
Paul Rubenstein doubted the beef was exactly Kosher, but it would serve. “And Frau Rubenstein,” Mann continued. “You are lovelier than ever. Marriage indeed must agree with you.”
144
“Thank you, Colonel Mann. And how is your lovely wife?”
“She is in excellent health and I am certain will be furious that an opportunity to meet with so many members of the Rourke family at once has been missed. But — ” And he raised his hands, palms upward, in a gesture of resignation.
Mann looked at Elaine Halversen, who sat across the table from him. “Doctor Halversen. Although I know little beyond official reports of the nature of the difficulties which seem to beset you and Lieutenant Kurinami, I assure you that I will do all that is within my power that they be alleviated.”
John Rourke spoke. “This is sensitive, Colonel. Do you wish the attendants to leave? I’m sure we can pour our own coffee and the ladies might be prevailed upon to help us if we get in trouble passing the eggs or the toast.”
Paul Rubenstein watched as John’s and Colonel Mann’s eyes met. “Yes. A fine suggestion, Herr Doctor.” And without looking at the enlisted personnel who had served the breakfast, he spoke a few words in German, dismissing them. He looked at John, saying, “More orange juice, Herr Doctor? Frozen from concentrate, the oranges grown in our own groves, as you know.”
“Yes-”
“Here —let me,” and Annie was already up before Paul could reach for her chair, taking the orange juice pitcher. “Elaine —help me with the coffee? Hmm?”
Elaine Halversen nodded, stood, Kurinami getting her chair, and she took one of the coffee pots off the
145
table and began filling cups. The coffee was freshly ground and Paul Rubenstein had decided that he would drink it until he felt he would float.
“This sensitive matter, Herr Doctor?”
“Yes.”
“Ladies —may I smoke?” Mann interjected.
Elaine merely nodded, Annie saying, “Certainly,” and as Colonel Mann took out a cigarette, he offered them to John, John taking one. Annie snatched her father’s lighter off the table from beside him and lit the cigarette for him. Times like this, Paul Rubenstein wished he had never quit,
“Thanks, sweetheart,” John told Annie, then as he exhaled, he addressed Wolfgang Mann. “Colonel, I have reason to believe that there is a conspiracy, of which you are already aware, among supporters of the deposed Nazi leadership, to forcibly overthrow your current government under Deiter Bern. I have evidence to support that some such persons as were involved in this conspiracy were acting in complicity with Commander Christopher Dodd, the de facto leader of Eden Base. Their overall purpose is unclear, but I assume it has to do with utilizing Eden as a legitimate front for their revolutionary activities. Eight men —whom Paul and I dispatched with some assistance — were in the process of attacking the Retreat, my mountain home, in order to presumably kill Lieutenant Kurinami and his fiance, Doctor Halversen, who were my guests. They were, by all appearances, German, and they utilized a mixture of German and U.S. small arms, along with a German manufactured disposable rocket launcher which, though delivering an extremely powerful explosive
146
device, I would assume is not currently inventoried.” “The R-19 MK II?”
“Why? Are you missing some?” John Rourke smiled.
“As a matter of fact, I am.”
“Well, consider sixteen of the missing articles accounted for, then”
“That leaves approximately four hundred and eighty remaining.”
Paul Rubenstein began to cough, a piece of ground beef sticking in his throat. He washed it down with a quickly gulped swallow of orange juice. Wolfgang Mann laughed as he turned to look at him. “Indeed, Herr Rubenstein, it is a serious matter.” Mann looked back to John Rourke. “Did you get any names?”
“The men involved, as I indicated, are no longer available for questioning. But Paul and I heard one of the men call another of them by the name ‘Weil’ and another called ‘Horst'”
“The one was Hans Weil, the other I would need to consult intelligence files for. Hans Weil was once a German officer. He was also a Nazi. He was never found after the victory against the leader and Deiter Bern’s taking charge of the government. At least, it appears, he is accounted for. He was SS.”
“How many more are there like him?” Annie asked suddenly.
Wolfgang Mann looked at her as he tapped ashes from his cigarette, “Regrettably, Frau Rubenstein, several hundred that we know of. There may be hundreds of others who openly profess distaste for the old regime yet would support it were it to return. Na-
147
tional Socialism dies hard. There are some who think it never dies.” He looked at John Rourke. “And these men were attempting to penetrate your mountain Retreat in order to kill Doctor Halversen and Lieutenant Kurinami?”
“Yes, Colonel, At the order of Commander Dodd, most likely, with his complicity almost certainly. I am asking that Akiro and Elaine be given sanctuary here, regardless of Dodd’s wishes or demands. Arrest them, if you like, on some charge or another so you can hold them in custody if diplomacy will best be served. But don’t return them to Dodd. Otherwise, they’ll be killed through some contrivance or another. I think we both know that.”