‘Another round,’ I request to the landlord.
‘You guys are keeping me in business,’ he replies.
I turn back to my section to see the men are talking and bonding already. Good. A division between old hands and the new recruits had been a worry of mine, but by their laughter I can see I needn’t have worried. They’ve taken well to my command too. Initially, I felt the nerves and uncertainty in leading them, but that quickly disappeared amongst the life of military drills, inspections, and endless training.
That didn’t mean the lads hadn’t tried to push their luck with me, especially Wilson and Jenkinson, but I quickly set them right when I administered my first punishment; an extra night on guard shift. They had been testing me, and they respected me for coming down hard. They need to know I’ll lead them when the time comes. They still try to get away with a few things but they know where the line is now.
‘Need a hand, boss? Lathbury asks.
‘I was hoping to talk with you, Bob,’ I tell him. ‘I’ve yet to name a Lance Corporal and was thinking of naming you.’
‘Me?’ he laughs. ‘I’ve never even fired a shot at an enemy. Surely Wilson or Jenkinson are a better choice? They’ve at least faced Jerry.’
‘True, they were with me in France,’ I reply, ‘but to be honest, they don’t have the same influence over the new lads like you. They listen to you and you’re already a bloody good soldier. That, and if anyone disagrees with anything I or you say, you’re big enough and strong enough to snap them like a twig.’ I chuckle.
‘You’re just saying that so I’ll agree,’ he says.
‘Sure am,’ I reply. ‘I’ll need all the help I can get, especially when we go into combat. You’ll be my second in command and lead the section when I’m not able to.’
‘I don’t have much of a choice, do I?’ he says with a loud booming laugh.
‘Not at all.’
‘Well, then I guess I’m your man,’ he says.
‘Good,’ I say. ‘Well, Lance Corporal Lathbury, your first job is to pay for this round.’
‘Thanks, boss,’ he says as his ever-present grin grows bigger.
I return to the lads, carrying a few of the beers with me. As I take my seat, they are deep in conversion about what the section endured in France.
‘So tell us what it was like over there,’ Smithy asks.
‘Yeah, Cooper…I mean Corporal Cooper has been short on the details,’ Thompson adds.
‘We were glad to get back to England,’ Wilson replies.
‘You’ve got to say more than that,’ Thompson says.
‘Yeah, c’mon,’ Myhill chirps up. ‘What was it like to fight Jerry?’
‘They kicked us out of France well enough,’ Jenkinson says, eager to change the subject. ‘Anybody got any smokes?’
‘I’ve always got a supply,’ Thompson says proudly. ‘Maybe we can sort a deal?’
‘Don’t,’ I warn them. ‘You’ll end up owing him money for months.’
‘Spoilsport,’ Thompson mutters, the rest of us laughing.
‘And if you did have any smokes or money, don’t let Wilson know,’ I add.
‘We shouldn’t lend to him?’ Myhill guesses.
‘Yes, but he’s more likely to steal it from you first,’ I state. ‘It was his former employment.’
‘Burglar?’ Smithy says.
‘More a gentleman thief,’ Wilson replies. ‘Besides, I haven’t stolen a thing since joining up with this sorry army.’
‘I don’t believe that for a second,’ Jenkinson says. Funnily enough, Wilson can’t keep a straight face and the others continue to mock him and each other.
‘McClair, Woods, we haven’t had a chance to really talk,’ I say to the two man Bren light machine gun crew. ‘How long you been with the section?’
‘Arrived a few weeks before you, Corporal,’ Woods replies.
‘Transferred over straight from the barracks,’ McClair says.
‘What did you do before enlisting?’ I ask. ‘What was your employment?’
‘I was a bus driver,’ Woods says, ‘and McClair was a schoolteacher.’
‘Driver and teacher,’ I repeat, surprised.
‘Teaching English and Mathematics to upper years,’ McClair adds.
I am seventeen-years-old now, still under age to enlist in the army. If there wasn’t a war on, I’d still be in school and McClair would be teaching pupils no older than me. Though some of the lads are roughly my age, McClair and Woods are older and I will be leading them into combat. I will be ordering them to face death.
‘It’s good to have you with us,’ I say, trying to snap myself out of those daunting thoughts. ‘I look forward to seeing your gunnery skills. In the right hands, the Bren gun can make a real difference on the battlefield.’
‘You can rely on us, Corporal,’ Woods says reassuringly.
‘I’m sure I can,’ I tell them. ‘Now make way lads for Lance Corporal Lathbury.’
‘You named him lance corporal?’ Wilson blusters, spitting out his drink.
‘Yes, and if you have a problem with that you can take it up with him,’ I reply.
Wilson falls quiet as Lathbury looms over the table. He does not threaten but just shows the former-thief a wide grin.
‘Good luck with that, Wilson.’ Jenkinson laughs.
‘He’ll squash you like a bug,’ Smithy mocks.
The rest of the section laugh and crash glasses together in cheers for the new lance corporal. They are a good bunch, eight men united under my command. It is now up to me to keep them out of trouble and prove our worth to F Company and the rest of the regiment.
1st November 1941
My Dearest Maggie,
I hope this letter finds you well.
We are in Weymouth now and life on the coast is hectic. Word around the camp is we’ll be heading out soon. Some are saying we’ll be heading to Africa but others, Captain Grayburn included, suspect we’ll be bound for somewhere more local in Britain. One of the lads mentioned Scotland, up in the highlands for further training. Oh, and the captain asked me to express his gratitude to you and the staff at the hospital again.
My section continues to impress me, but that’s mainly down to the lads rather than their leader. Lathbury has been a big help in maintaining order, proving within a matter of weeks that I made the right choice in appointing him as lance corporal.
Wherever we end up, I hope to see you before we relocate. With all this going on, I don’t know if I’ll get a chance. Know that if I get even a single day pass, I will use it to visit you. I think about you every day.
I hope things are going well for you at the hospital. From what I’ve heard on the radio, it sounds like the raids on London have lessened. I hope so. I barely sleep for fear that your hospital has been hit. But you’re strong and a survivor, and it’s what I admire about you. After what happened to you at Balham Tube Station, I trust fate has a greater path for us both.
You are ever in my thoughts.
All my love,
Andy
P.S. Thanks for the photograph you sent me. The lads haven’t stopped teasing me about, saying you are far too beautiful for an ugly lad like me – they’re not wrong!
19th March 1942
Dear Andy,
I am well and hope you are too. I miss you terribly. I’m hoping for a few days leave from the hospital so I can come and visit you in Scotland.
How is it? I imagine it is pretty cold and wet. I visited a few times with my family when I was younger; it rained very single day. I hope the weather is kinder to you.
I hope it is still going well with your section. Despite your reservations, I knew you would make a good leader. You have a way with people. You can be quite charming, and persuasive. You’re a caring man, and they’re lucky to have you. They know you’ll do right by them, just as I do.
My elder sister, Pearl visited last week, though I wish it was under better circumstances. Timothy’s plane went down
over the Channel two weeks ago. She was in London to find out more. She wanted to know if his body has been found, or if he has been reported captured by the Germans. She left heartbroken as there’s no word on Timothy. I felt so sorry for her and could do nothing to console her.
War is a wicked thing. It takes away the ones you love, but it also makes you realise how precious life is, and how we must hold on tight to the ones we hold dear in our hearts.
Please take care of yourself, Andy. There will be a life for us after all this.
I love you.
Maggie x
17
ADAM—Taking it easy, hotel Adlon Kempinski, Berlin, Germany
‘Five-star hotel suite with its own hot tub and private balcony with a view of all of Berlin,’ Emma surmises as she looks out from the balcony. ‘A bit much, don’t you think?’
‘It was Adam’s idea,’ Matt replies.
A knock sounds at the hotel room door, announcing room service.
‘You ordered food?’ Matt asks in annoyance as I guide in the plates of chips and gourmet burgers and place them on the tables. ‘I’m guessing you’ve put that on the museum’s bill?’
‘Yep,’ I reply cheerily.
‘Jackpot, I am starving!’ Emma says as she scoops up handfuls and devours them.
‘You’re welcome,’ I reply with a smirk at Matt, before jumping onto the sofa. ‘I can’t even remember the last time I was on holiday.’
‘This isn’t a holiday, kid,’ Dave replies.
‘You’re just about to open a beer,’ I reply, seeing the bottle in his hand.
‘This is badly needed, trust me,’ he says before taking a swig. ‘Besides, what you’re planning could result in us all facing serious jail time. The never-getting-out kind of jail time.’
‘It won’t come to that,’ Matt says as he opens three laptops and connects them to a central drive and receiver. ‘As long as we stick to the plan, they won’t even know we were there.’
‘Heard anything about how Charles is getting on at the UN?’ I ask before sinking my teeth into a burger.
‘It’s not going well,’ Matt replies. ‘The Security Council have been grilling him for days now about what happened in Egypt. He’s not alone either; Eva Strindberg and Renee Marquette are there too, representing the Swedish and French teams. They’re not fairing much better.’
‘Any idea what this will mean for us?’ Dave asks.
‘Nothing good,’ is all Matt can say.
‘And any news on Gabriel?’ Emma asks.
‘Abbey said he’s going to be fine,’ I reply. ‘His operation to close up the damage was a complete success. Now he’s hitting on the nurses and begging to be let out. Abbey bet he won’t last two more days there.’
‘And what did you think?’ Emma replies.
‘Oh, I thought he’d already be gone.’
‘To be fair, you’ve got a point,’ Matt says as he makes the final preparations. ‘Abbey, are you there?’
‘Ready and waiting,’ she says through the speakers of the laptops. ‘How is everyone?’
‘Bored, inpatient, annoyed with Adam,’ Emma replies, sticking her tongue out at me.
‘Business as usual then.’ Abbey laughs.
‘Speaking of impatient, let’s hear what you’ve got to say, Abbey,’ Dave says, drinking deep from his beer. It’s clear to see there’s something playing on his mind by the way he downed the bottle and reached for another.
‘Abbey, do you want to talk us through?’ Matt asks.
‘Gladly,’ she replies. The screens begin to display information, maps and 3-D images of our targets in Museum Island.
‘Museum Island gets its name from the five museums in the district; the Old Museum known as Altes Museum, the New Museum known as Neues Museum, the Old National Gallery known as Alte Nationalgalerie, the Bode Museum, and then lastly, the Pergamon Museum. Each has a specialised collection, be it Byzantine arts, Ancient Greece, the Middle East, and Ancient Egyptian.’
‘Let’s try to avoid that one shall we,’ I joke. Everyone ignores me.
‘Though the five museums are independent, they are joined at a single point,’ Abbey explains. ‘I was able to dig up the original designs for the museums, all of which show tunnels beneath them that converge at a series of chambers underground at the heart of the district.’
‘You think those chambers are the vaults,’ Matt says.
‘Using Adam’s headset, I was able to conduct a survey scan of the Altes Museum,’ Abbey says. ‘It showed all the rooms and levels inside the museum and tunnels leading down to the chambers. Something is down there, and if a half-built Nazi Gold Train does exist, my bet is, it’s hidden there.’
‘So how are we going to steal a train?’ Emma asks.
‘We’re not stealing it,’ Matt replies, ‘although I would like to see you try. No, all we need to do is get down to it and find the map engraved inside the engineer’s compartment.’
‘Is there any proof the map is on the train?’ Dave asks. ‘Or even that the train is down there?’
‘Since when did we need proof?’ I laugh.
‘The captured schematics for all the Riese trains show engraved maps in the engineer’s cabin,’ Matt says as Abbey brings up an image of the schematics on the laptop screens. ‘If we’re going to find out where the gold bar and the U-boat came from, this is our best bet.’
‘You have to get down there without being seen by the museum’s security cameras or running into their guards,’ Abbey says.
‘So how do we get down to the vaults without being seen?’ Matt asks.
‘Not easily,’ Abbey replies. ‘They have cameras everywhere and a security detail that covers all five museums from all five buildings. As well as that, they have a direct warning line to the Berlin Landespolizei Police Force. If the alarm is triggered, you will have less than five minutes to evacuate the area.’
‘We can go in at night,’ Matt suggests, ‘when the security is off-guard.’
‘Not an option,’ replies Abbey. ‘When I scanned the Altes Museum, the feedback showed lockdown protocols operate throughout the night. No one goes in or out of those tunnels or the vaults until morning. Even the curators cannot get down there.’
‘By day then,’ Matt says. ‘We can use the crowds of visitors and tourists at the museums for cover.’
‘That may be more difficult than first thought,’ Abbey says, preparing more bad news. ‘I managed to pick up the frequency of their security communications. Following their meeting with the curator, Matt and Adam’s faces are now known by all the security staff of the five museums. They will be looking for you and watching your every move.’
‘Well done, boys,’ Emma claps sarcastically.
‘We might be able to use that to our advantage,’ I say, an idea coming to mind.
‘What about ventilation systems?’ Matt asks. ‘Any access to the museums or those vaults through them?’
‘Nothing we can use,’ Abbey replies.
‘Sewers beneath the streets?’ I suggest.
‘Gross,’ Emma replies.
‘Nope, no sewer or waste systems we can use either,’ Abbey says.
‘So the plan is to sneak into the vaults via breaking into museums we can’t set foot in,’ Dave says. ‘Anybody else see the madness in this? We don’t know for certain if the map is down there and they have all their security on alert for Adam and Matt.’
‘And the security details are armed as well as any military,’ Abbey adds. ‘Just thought you ought to know.’
‘Thanks.’ I chuckle in dismay.
‘Okay, so this operation is impossible and likely to get us captured or killed,’ Emma says with the typical excitement of a challenge in her voice.
‘Where do we sign up?’ I joke.
‘You’re all mad!’ Dave says, rolling his eyes and giving up his argument as he tries not to laugh.
‘What’s this building, Abbey?’ Matt asks, pointing to a close by structure with a la
rge dome roof and four towers.
‘I knew you would ask,’ Abbey explains. ‘That, Hunter Senior, is the Berlin Cathedral, otherwise known as, The Evangelical Supreme Parish and Collegiate Church.’
I see that look in Matt’s eye and know exactly what he has in mind.
‘We’re going to need an escape route,’ I say. ‘You know, just in case things go a tad awry.’
‘And when does that ever happen?’ Matt chuckles with the others.
‘Abbey, how quick can you put in a special order?’ I ask.
‘The same as your last one?’ she replies.
‘Bigger,’ I say with a broad smile that is shared by Emma.
‘There’s a few different local suppliers,’ Abbey replies. ‘I’ll get right on it.’
We talk for a few more hours, making plans and running through the scenarios time and again until Matt calls a stop. We have more than a few hours until we need to make our final preparations and head out so Matt advises us to eat and sleep if we can. Sleep sounds good to me but Dave collars me first.
‘C’mon, kid,’ he tells me. ‘They’ve got a gym here and I need a sparring partner.’
‘Not Emma or Matt?’ I ask, trying to worm my way out of it. I don’t want to be on the end of one of Dave’s beatings, especially since he has been in such a strange mood.
‘That’s a solid pass from me,’ Emma says.
‘Likewise,’ adds my brother.
‘It will keep us sharp,’ Dave says. ’Besides, you have skipped our last two combat tutorials.’
‘That’s because I end up black and blue,’ I reply.
‘Don’t get hit so much then.’ Emma sniggers.
War of the Damned (Relic Hunters) Page 10