Axel nodded. He already realized that. How else would the Valkyrie have known where they were going to be? “So, what do we do about that?” Axel asked.
“Well, maybe we can use it to our advantage,” Tom replied.
Chapter 9
Ian strummed his fingers on the large conference table as he stared at Tom who sat directly across from him. Tom was flanked by Axel on his left and Dawn on his right. Rolf had gone back to the Home to get some rest. He was tired after a long night, but more so, he was an emotional wreck. As hard as losing Professor Hayes was to Axel, it was even harder for Rolf.
Ian suddenly stopped and leaned forward placing his elbows on the table. “Let me get this straight,” Ian said. “You want to use the highly valuable Hans Kammler as bait to capture the Valkyrie?”
“That is correct,” Tom replied.
Ian shook his head. “No,” he replied before leaning back in his chair.
Axel slammed his palms down on the table in frustration. “She killed Professor Hayes, Ian!” he shouted.
Ian shot him a cold glance. “You think I don’t realize that, Axel?” Ian shouted back. “I was there too, remember? I’ve known Julian since before you and your brother were born.” Ian took a deep breath and then released it slowly, calming himself. When he spoke again his voice was softer. “Look, I know Julian was like a father to you and Rolf,” he said and then his eyes cut to Tom. “And I know he was your mentor. But this is madness. I mean I want this Valkyrie, whoever she is, as bad as the rest of you, but I can’t risk losing Kammler on a quest for revenge. Even if I were willing to, Mr. X would never permit it.”
Axel stood quickly, shoving his chair back. “Screw Mr. X!” he spat. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m about over taking orders from some asshole whose name I don’t even know.” With that, Axel stormed out of the room, bursting through the door.
Dawn stood quickly as her eyes jumped from Ian to Tom and back to Ian. “He’s just upset,” she said. “I’ll talk to him.” She rushed quickly out of the room and after Axel.
Tom watched her go as he pulled a cigarette from his pack, placed it to his lips, pulled out his lighter and then lit it. He inhaled and then blew out a stream of smoke before looking Ian in the eyes. “We’ve got to catch this woman, Ian, you know that,” Tom said before taking another drag off of his cigarette.
“I’m not disputing that, Tom,” Ian said, “but I’m not risking Kammler. Hell, you want to talk about a quick way to end my career…. If he got killed, or worse, snatched by the Soviets…,” Ian shook his head. “That would be it for me.”
“Fine, Ian, but we’ve got to do something, before this broad just comes and picks us off one by one. I mean, she’s already killed the Professor and Hamil. She had a wall of pictures of Axel and Rolf. You should have seen it Ian. It scared me, it really did. We have to stop her before someone else we care about dies.”
“I’m not arguing that point Tom, but I’m not using Kammler for bait,” Ian replied. “And nothing short of a direct order from above to do so is going to change my mind on the matter.”
Tom narrowed his eyes as he took a drag off of his cigarette. Ian had put his foot down and if Tom pushed the issue any further it would just make the director angry. Suddenly, Tom had another idea. One Ian might be more willing to try. He smiled as he blew the smoke from his nose. “Okay, Ian, we won’t use Kammler as bait, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make people think that we are,” he said as he stubbed out his cigarette.
***
Brygida sat in a wooden rocking chair near the fire crocheting a large red cap for Alexi. She had begun crocheting years ago and found it extremely relaxing. Plus she knew how difficult it was for Alexi to find clothes that fit his massive size. Almost everything had to be specially made and thus he normally received only the bare necessities.
Alexi was also in the cabin, sitting cross-legged on the floor, his back to the fire as he built a tower from some wooden blocks. The blocks were actually just small pieces of the boards that had been left behind when the cabin was built, but they worked nicely for Alexi’s purposes, keeping him occupied while they waited for Alena to return.
The tower of blocks began to wobble and Brygida heard Alexi gasp before it tumbled over with blocks crashing onto the wooden floor. “Oh no!” Alexi exclaimed as if a major catastrophe had just occurred.
Brygida smiled at him. “It is alright, my darling,” she said in Russian, “Build a new one.” Alexi went back to work building another tower when the door to the cabin opened and Alena stepped inside. She closed the door behind her, removed her scarf and hung it on a coat hook near the door. She then placed her coat on the hook as well and removed her gloves, slipping them into her coat pockets.
“Did you find out anything?” Brygida asked as she returned to her crocheting.
Alena walked across the room to stand before the fire rubbing her hands together. The cold of Washington was nothing compared to Moscow, but it wasn’t exactly warm this time of year either. “The Centre has learned that the Valkyrie attempted to kill Kammler again,” Alena said, causing Brygida to stop crocheting and glance up at her. “They are not happy.”
“What do you mean ‘again’?” Brygida asked with confusion. “I have only tried to kill that man once this decade,” she said.
“Well, apparently CSOS thinks you made another attempt on his life. A woman took shots at him last night. The Centre has discovered that a couple of CSOS agents were even killed.”
“I was here last night, Alena,” Brygida said with a slight laugh. “With you, remember?”
Alena nodded. “That is exactly what I told the Centre,” she assured her. “I am not sure if they believed me or not.” Alena stared at Brygida intently. “Swear to me that you did not sneak out and attempt to kill Kammler last night, Brygida.”
Brygida set her yarn and crotchet needles down in her lap as she smiled. “I swear Alena.”
Alena watched her for a long moment, but then accepted it. “Very well,” she said. “Anyway the assassination attempt has the Americans spooked and they are moving Kammler to a safe house. Some farm in Virginia.”
Brygida frowned. “A farm in Virginia?” she asked. “Well, that is rather stupid isn’t it? He’d be safer at CSOS head quarters or better yet on a military installation. If they really wanted to keep him safe, they certainly wouldn’t move him out of the way to some farm. That’s what you do when you expect a fight and don’t want civilian casualties.”
“Well, no one has ever accused the Americans of being overly bright,” Alena smiled.
“But they are not complete idiots,” Brygida said. “It’s clearly a trap.”
“Obviously,” Alena smiled. “But if they are stupid enough to use Kammler for bait then we are going to use the opportunity to snatch him.
“They’ll be waiting for us, Lena,” Brygida said.
Alena shook her head. “No, Brygida, they will be waiting for the Valkyrie. They don’t even know Lexi and I are here.”
Chapter 10
The night air was very cool and dark as Brygida crept slowly and carefully across the barren fields where fresh crops would be planted in the Spring. Her long, dark curls were secured into a ball that was tight against the back of her head. She wore a British Army styled tiger-striped camouflage jacket over a black turtle neck, well fitted black pants and ankle-high military styled boots.
The lights burned brightly in the old farmhouse as if the occupants were inviting trouble, which of course Brygida knew that they were. This set-up was so clearly a trap that she could not believe even the inexperienced American spy class would think it a good idea. She had circled the entire house and knew that there was only one man outside. He stood fully illuminated on the porch near the front door casually pacing back and forth with a shotgun in his hand, scanning the darkness around him.
Brygida moved up on his side, her silenced pistol aiming at him. She preferred not to kill him if she didn’t hav
e to, but if he saw her before she reached him, she’d have to prevent him from shouting an alarm. As she moved toward him, she watched the lone sentry closely. He set his shotgun against the wall of the house as he reached into his coat pocket to remove a pack of cigarettes. He opened the pack and pulled out a cigarette, placing it between his lips. He then returned the pack to his coat pocket and pulled out a book of matches. He tore a match from the book, but just as he was about to strike it, Brygida’s arms reached around his neck from behind, holding him in a tight hold. He could not breathe or shout for help and slowly the blackness crept in until he drifted into unconsciousness.
Brygida laid the agent gently upon the wooden floor of the porch and then drew her pistol aiming it at the red-painted door of the house. She stepped forward, reached out and turned the doorknob. The door slowly swung inward as Brygida kept her pistol trained on the doorway. There was no one in the hall so she stepped carefully inside. As she did so, she passed stairs on her left going up to the second story. A quick glance showed Brygida that no one was on the stairs or second floor watching her.
Brygida moved along the hall, slowly and carefully. As she reached the end, she glanced left to see empty kitchen and right to see the living room. There in the living room she saw a man she realized she was meant to presume was Kammler, sitting in a chair facing her. His hands appeared to be bound behind him and she could not see his face, because his head was bowed as though he were unconscious. She couldn’t help but think the Americans constructed their plans from those used in Hollywood spy movies.
Brygida stepped into the room and kept her pistol aimed at the man in the chair. She crept closer and closer and when she was only a couple of feet away she reached out and placed a finger beneath his chin and lifted his head to face her. When she did so, she recognized the face of Tom grinning at her.
“Good evening, doll,” he smirked. “Nice of you to stop by.”
Suddenly, Tom’s hands flashed forward, knocking the pistol from Brygida’s grip as he leapt to his feet, landing a right hook across her jaw. Brygida stumbled back a few paces before turning back to Tom. He moved in for another punch, but she blocked it then punched him in the gut causing him to fall to his knees. Brygida reached down and gripped Tom by the throat and began to squeeze.
“I have no fight with you, Agent Flemming,” she said in an excellent British accent. “After all we were on the same side in the last war, but I cannot allow you to protect Nazis.” Tom’s face was already red as he gasped for air. “Where is Hans Kammler?” she asked.
“Right here,” she heard and glanced up to see Axel, striding from another room. Before she had a chance to say anything, blue lighting flashed from his hands and slammed Brygida back against the wall in a slump. Rolf and Dawn followed Axel in.
Dawn moved quickly to check Tom, helping him to his feet. “Are you alright?” she asked.
“I’ll live,” Tom mumbled in a scratchy voice. They all turned to look at Brygida. “Watch her,” Tom said. Suddenly, he was slammed into from behind and knocked to the floor as a blur flashed by. Axel felt a punch across his face, knocking him to the floor as well.
Rolf stepped toward Axel when suddenly the rear door of the house, which opened into the living room, burst inward as Alexi plowed through, grabbing hold of Rolf. Rolf punched him and Axel regained his feet and shot a blast of lightening into Alexi’s chest sending the big man stumbling backward and falling down.
“No!” Axel heard from behind and saw the Valkyrie on her feet. “Don’t hurt him, Axel!” she shouted as she tried to rush past Axel to check Alexi, but Axel snatched her by the arms. Brygida’s body began to vibrate as Axel shot currents of electricity through her. She opened her mouth, but could not speak.
“Let her go!” Alena shouted and Axel turned to see his old friend holding the blade of a sword to Dawn’s throat. Axel was about to comply when, without warning, Alena was jolted to the ceiling and pinned there by some invisible force.
Dawn sneered at her. “Who do you think you’re dealing with?” she asked angrily.
Axel then turned his attention back to Brygida. “So you are the famous Valkyrie?” he spat at her. “Killer of Nazis and American agents.”
“Axel, stop!” Alena shouted. “You are going to kill her.”
“Good!” Axel shouted at Alena. “Because the man she killed last night was like a father to me!”
Brygida could feel the life fading from her as she stared into the angry eyes of her son while he cooked her with electricity.
“No, Axel, stop!” Alena was crying now. “She is your mother!”
Axel glanced at Alena, still pinned to the ceiling and then back at Brygida. He released her. Brygida tried to speak, but everything went black and she collapsed on the floor.
Chapter 11
Germany
1940
The door opened and a nurse dressed in a perfect, crisp, white uniform stepped inside of the room. It was very late, but the smell of smoke from Colonel Arnulf’s cigarette still hung in the air. The nurse stepped beside the bed and looked down at Brygida as she slept soundly. The nurse reached down and took hold of Brygida’s wrist, timing her pulse. It was strong.
Suddenly, Brygida’s hand shot upward and she grabbed the nurse around the throat, cutting off her air supply which prevented her from screaming. The nurse fell backward, however, and Brygida went with her, tumbling out of the bed to land on the floor atop the nurse.
“Where are my babies?” Brygida whispered as she stared into the nurse’s eyes. The nurse only made a gurgling sound and Brygida suddenly remembered the nurse could not speak. She loosened her grip on the nurse’s throat just enough to allow a little air to trickle in. Then she repeated her question. “Where are my babies?”
“In the nursery,” the nurse said.
“Where is the nursery?” Brygida snarled.
“Down the hall and to the right,” the nurse said and then Brygida began to squeeze again. She did so until the nurse blacked out.
Once she was convinced that the nurse was no longer conscious, Brygida stood and glanced over her shoulder at the door. She breathed a sigh, relieved that no one had heard her struggle with the nurse. She then reached down and lifted the nurse up into the bed. She was amazed at how easy it was to pick up this full grown woman.
She did not know how long it would be before someone else would come into her room or realize the nurse was missing, but she knew she had to move fast. She quickly stripped the uniform off of the nurse and stripped her own gown from her body. She got dressed quickly, pulling on the nurse’s uniform before covering the unconscious nurse with the bed sheet. Brygida spun on her heel and stepped to the door. She paused briefly and drew a deep breath to calm her nerves before opening the door and stepping out into the hallway.
Brygida strolled down the empty hallway as calmly as possible, her shoes echoing on the sterile white tiles. She took a right as the nurse had instructed and noticed a soldier standing guard several yards down the hall. Assuming that he guarded the nursery she made her way down the hall toward him as if she were going to walk right past him. She suddenly stopped directly in front of him and met his eyes with a coy smile.
“Hi,” she said. “I love your uniform.” He smiled. “What time does a handsome soldier like you get off tonight?” she asked. He was opening his mouth to answer her when her fist leapt out, slamming into his jaw and knocking him unconscious. The guard slumped into a pile against the wall.
Brygida quickly moved past him and into the nursery. There were four children inside. Three boys and a girl. Brygida had to muffle a sob when she realized that two of them were Chessa’s babies. She wanted so badly to take all four of them, but she knew she could not carry four. She checked the tags on the side of the cribs to ensure she had the correct children and then scooped up Rolf and then Axel into her arms. As she turned back toward the door she gasped when she saw Colonel Arnulf and a contingent of SS soldiers aiming rifles at her.
“Oh my dear,” Arnulf said as he shook his head from side to side. “I knew that you were too strong and too resilient to simply let me take your children without a fight. I love that about you and it is what makes you the perfect vessel to birth the Reich’s super soldiers.”
Brygida took a step back.
“Please put the children down, Brygida,” Arnulf said. “Otherwise, I’ll have to order my men to open fire, killing you and your babies. That would be such a shame.”
Brygida released a slight sob. She knew the monster was telling the truth. She had no choice. She couldn’t risk her sons. Brygida nodded before gently lowering Axel and Rolf back into their respective beds. The small one began to cry first, then the larger one. It took everything she had not to burst into tears.
“Arrest her!” Arnulf snapped to his men. Two stepped forward and took her by each arm before leading her out of the nursery. “I shall visit you later, my dear,” Arnulf smiled as she was pulled past him.
The two soldiers led her down the hall, away from the nursery. Once Brygida realized they were far enough that her babies would not get caught in the cross-fire she slammed her elbow up and into the nose of the soldier on her right shattering bone and splattering blood. Then she brought her right hand around and slammed it into the throat of the guard on her left. She snatched his pistol from him as he fell to the ground gasping for air.
Brygida took off at a sprint, running as fast as she could through the hospital. “After her!” she heard Arnulf shout. She turned the corner and saw a window at the far end of the long corridor. The SS troops turned the corner soon after and just as she reached the window they opened fire. Brygida leapt through the window, shattering the glass just as she felt a slug strike her in her left arm.
She fell, fell, fell, until finally landing on the soft grass, two stories down and rolling into a ball. She gripped her left arm as she glanced back up, shocked that she had leapt from so high up without more pain in her legs. She stood and dashed away as fast as she could.
Flight of the Valkyrie Page 9