The International

by Christopher Vale

  “Rolf!” Dawn shouted excitedly.

  “Use my codename Psion!” Rolf insisted, his voice firm and serious.

  “Of course, Krieg,” Dawn corrected herself.

  Mr. X had his pistol in hand by this point. Bang! Bang! Bang! Three shots fired and three shots bounced harmlessly off of Rolf’s armor.

  “Stop!” Dawn shouted and with a wave of her hand sent Mr. X flying backward and slamming against the wall where he collapsed into a clump.

  “We need to go!” Tom said. He took Dawn by the hand and led her around the table toward Rolf.

  “Good work Krieg,” Tom said.

  “Thanks Canary,” Rolf replied. Tom shook his head. It really was time for a new code name.

  Rolf led the two back in the direction from which he had come. Tom and Dawn saw several unconscious agents along the way. At least, Tom hoped they were unconscious. But then again, if they had died, it wasn’t Rolf’s fault, but their own.

  Dawn peeked around Rolf’s giant shield as she heard automatic rifle fire in front of them. She saw three agents with M16s firing at Rolf, in an attempt to stop him. With a twitch of her mind Dawn ripped the rifles from the men’s hands and then lifted the men themselves up to the ceiling. Rolf, Tom, and Dawn hurried along. After they passed underneath the guards, the men fell back down to the floor.

  Rolf led them up the stairs to a lobby which appeared to be a war zone. Rolf had clearly come in through the front door. There was debris and shattered glass everywhere. The three of them hurried out of the building and into the streets.

  “There!” Rolf shouted as he pointed to a large black government car. They sprinted toward it. Rolf squeezed into the back seat as Tom opened the passenger door for Dawn. She sat down and slid over.

  “Well hey there chief,” Dawn smiled at Ian, who sat behind the wheel. Tom climbed in beside Dawn and slammed the door. Tires squealed as Ian hit the gas and the five of them sped away.

  “Thanks for the lift,” Tom smiled.

  Ian chuckled. “It’s going to be the most expensive taxi ride in history. Costing me my career, and possibly my freedom,” he said.

  “I know,” Tom said. “Thank you.”

  Ian turned to look at him. “There aren’t that many guys left that I trust Tom,” he said. “You’re one of them.”

  Tom smiled. “Thanks,” he replied. “Now let’s go see one I trust.”

  Chapter 14

  The light hurt her eyes. It was a throbbing pain. Her body still ached, but was feeling better. She was clearly in a hospital room, but she was not sure where. She lifted her left arm and noticed the IV stuck into it. Her mouth was dry. She wanted some water.

  She glanced around, but saw no one. Then the door opened and a nurse in white stepped inside. “Guten morgen, fraulein” the nurse said.

  “Good morning,” she replied, also in German. Her voice was hoarse and frail. “Water,” she managed.

  The nurse smiled. “Of course,” the nurse said in German. “I’ll be right back.”

  A few seconds later the nurse returned with a paper cup and handed it to the woman who quickly drank it down. That felt better. Much better.

  “Where am I?” she asked in German.

  “A hospital,” the nurse replied.

  She tried to push herself up in the bed with her right arm, but could not. Her arm did not posses the strength. Nor did her legs. She turned her head to look at her arm, but saw nothing, but a small stub sticking out from where the shoulder should have been.

  Shock shot through her. Her eyes popped wide and she began to scream.

  “Fraulein!” the nurse said as she quickly moved to her patient. But the woman was too strong and knocked the nurse away with her left arm, causing the nurse to fall into a clump on the floor.

  The patient screamed and screamed! She bent her head up to look at the rest of her, and realized her legs were also missing. “No!” she shouted as tears streamed down her cheeks! She wanted to die. All she wanted was to die. The sharks took her legs and her right arm. Why had they not taken her life?

  “Freyja!” the voice shot through her ears like a bullet. She stopped screaming immediately and turned her head to see a man standing in the doorway. The familiar man who had been there before. The one with a scar across his cheek. “Freyja, calm down,” he said softly.

  The name was familiar. It was hers. She knew it now. Her memories came flooding back and she began to weep. The man stepped closer to her. “Everything is going to be alright,” he said softly as he pulled up a chair close to her hospital bed. He began to pet her hair gently. “It’s alright. I’m here.”

  ***

  Dawn couldn’t help but notice how much warmer North Carolina was than Virginia. They had driven through the night, taking turns behind the wheel, down lonely southern roads, careful to avoid urban centers. Finally, they were here.

  The car was waved through the gate by a white helmeted sentry with an MP armband. The Army base looked like any other, because it was like any other. This was not some top secret base like Area 51. In fact Fort Bragg was a gigantic military installation. Dawn felt nervous about coming here. She wanted to avoid places with armed guards who might be looking for them. Ian and Tom, however, assured her they would be alright.

  “You’ve got to understand, that the military and the intelligence communities do not always see eye-to-eye,” Ian had explained. “Even if Mr. X found out we were here, he would not have the authority to remove us. He’d need the consent of the Army just to enter the base.”

  “And we have an ace in the hole by the name of Colonel Allan Smith,” Tom had said.

  Rolf had smiled excitedly when he learned they were going to see Colonel Smith. He liked to think he and the Colonel were related since they had the same name. Though Rolf’s last name had just been assigned to him by the government because he didn’t have one when he was rescued from the Nazis.

  Colonel Smith had been Captain Smith when his platoon had discovered Rolf and Axel at the Nazi lab several miles west of Berlin. The Army officer had kept in touch with Tom and Professor Hayes, before his murder, checking in on Axel and Rolf, and watching them grow up—kind of like a proud uncle. Now the colonel was a big-whig within Special Forces, a high ranking officer working on the new style of warfare. Low intensity conflicts, they called it.

  Tom drove the car through the base, following the directions that had been given to him when he’d stopped and telephoned Smith’s office earlier that morning. Tom found the building and pulled the car into the parking lot. He slipped into a space and shut off the ignition. Everyone climbed out.

  “Oh it’s nice to stretch my legs,” Dawn remarked as she stood and walked around the car.

  Rolf squeezed himself out of the back seat. He wasn’t wearing his armor anymore, but even without it, Dawn knew he must have been a lot more cramped than she was.

  “I’ve got to go to the bathroom,” Rolf announced as he began to bounce up and down indicating the urge could not wait too long.

  “We’ll find one,” Tom replied. As he did so a sharp looking junior officer with a gold bar on his collar stepped smartly across the parking lot toward them.

  “Agent Flemming?” the lieutenant asked.

  “Yes,” Tom replied.

  The young man stepped up and extended his hand. Tom shook it. “Lieutenant Harvey, sir,” he said. “Colonel Smith has asked that I take care of you folks while he finishes up some things.”

  “Well thank you Lieutenant,” Tom said.

  “I’ve really gotta go, Tom,” Rolf said, the expression on his face showing he meant it.

  Tom frowned and turned to the young officer. “It’s been a long trip,” he said. “Could you please show us to the facilities?”

  “Certainly, sir,” the lieutenant replied.

  Ten minutes later they were sitting on cloth couches in a small waiting area overlooking the parking lot. Tom and Ian were sipping coffee. Dawn had a glass of water, and Rolf was thrilled tha
t Lieutenant Harvey had found him a bottle of soda.

  “What are we doing Tom,” Dawn asked.

  “Hiding out from the law,” Tom chuckled.

  “That’s not funny,” Dawn said.

  “Sorry, love,” Tom replied.

  “What’s the status of CSOS?” Tom asked Ian.

  Ian shrugged. “Code blue,” he said.

  Code blue was a secret designation Ian had come up with months before. It meant the organization was compromised. Ian had only a handful of people that he trusted completely at the agency. They would rendezvous at a secret location. The rest—those Ian did not trust completely—were to carry on as usual. Keep the things going as best they could. Ian had to assume that all of those in the latter category worked for Mr. X and the International until he could determine otherwise.

  “Alright,” Tom said. “What are the priorities?”

  Ian sipped his coffee. “Number one is to find out what Mr. X’s plans are and to stop them. Number two is to rescue Axel,” Ian said.

  “Wait a minute,” Dawn said. “We gotta rescue Axel first.”

  Ian sighed. “I didn’t say they could not be performed simultaneously,” he said.

  “We’re going to rescue Axel?” Rolf asked excitedly. “I hope we get to see Alexi and Alena again.” He thought for a moment. “And Mom.”

  “Maybe we will big guy, but this is a rescue mission, not a play date,” Tom informed Rolf. “We’ve got to rescue your brother, and mother—assuming she is there too—and get all of us back to safety.”

  “And remember, Rolf,” Ian said, “We’re not sure whose side Hammer and Sickle are going to be on. They are still Soviet agents.”

  Rolf frowned.

  “It’s okay,” Dawn said as she placed a hand gently on his arm. “I’m sure they are on our side.” This caused Rolf to brighten.

  The conversation was suddenly interrupted by a voice from behind them.

  “Well look who came all the way to North Carolina, just to see me.”

  “Captain…er…Colonel Smith!” Rolf said excitedly as he stood and rushed over to the man in green fatigues with silver eagles on his collar. Rolf scooped the colonel up in a huge bear hug.

  “Easy, Rolf,” Tom said. “You’ll break the old man.”

  “Sorry,” Rolf said as he let Colonel Smith go.

  “It’s okay Rolf. I’m tougher than Tom gives me credit for.” He then turned to Tom. “And who you calling old?”

  Tom laughed as he stepped up and shook the Colonel’s hand. Tom then turned to make introductions. “You remember my boss, Ian Johnson?”

  “Of course I do,” Smith said as he shook hands with Ian. “Good to see you again, sir.”

  “You too, Colonel,” Ian replied. “You men are doing great things for America down here.”

  “Well, we hope so, sir,” Smith replied.

  “And this is Dawn Williams,” Tom said.

  Smith turned and held out his hand to Dawn. “It is certainly a pleasure, ma’am,” he said as Dawn accepted his hand.

  The colonel then turned to Tom and slapped him on the back. “We must be in real trouble if you’ve driven all the way down from Washington to see me,” he said.

  Tom nodded. “We are Allan. We are in real trouble. The entire country, if not the world is in real trouble.”

  The smile disappeared from Smith’s face. “Let’s step into my office,” he said to nods. He spun on his heel and led the way, past rows of soldiers working at desks. “I am not to be disturbed for anyone who doesn’t have at least a star on their collar,” he told his secretary as he opened the door to his office allowing Dawn to lead the others inside.

  “Yes, sir,” the secretary replied as the colonel stepped inside and closed the door.

  “Have a seat,” Smith said as he weaved through them to his desk. Tom and Ian sat in the chairs in front of the desk, while Rolf joined Dawn on a small couch set against the wall. Smith pulled the chair out from his desk and lowered himself into it. He folded his hands together on top of the desk as he stared across at them, his eyes jumping from person to person. “Okay, what’s going on?” he asked.

  Tom glanced at Ian who nodded for him to tell it.

  “Axel has been captured, and we intend to break him out,” Tom said.

  Smith’s eyes popped wide. “Dear God,” he said. “By who, the Ruskies?”

  “At this point we’re not really certain,” Tom explained. “He was performing an unauthorized rescue mission.”

  “Unauthorized?” Smith asked.

  “Yes,” Tom said. “Look we need your help rescuing Axel.”

  “I take it your mission to rescue Axel will also be unauthorized?” Smith asked.

  “Possibly,” Tom said before turning to Ian.

  “I am going to work on that,” Ian remarked, but his tone did not sound overly confident.

  Smith stared at the two men for a long moment but then shook his head. “Work on that?” he asked. “Look Tom, I think Axel’s a great kid and we go back a long way,” he said, “but that would be the end of my career.” He was frustrated that his friends would put him in a position like this. “I thought you said the entire country was in trouble?”

  Ian spoke up. “This isn’t just about Axel,” he said, then turned to Tom. “Tell him the whole story Tom. From the beginning.”

  Tom nodded and stared at Smith. “Have you ever heard of the International?”

  Chapter 15

  Germany

  Eastern Front

  1945

  Brygida stood at the entrance to the tunnel. The Germans had dug an intricate network all across the countryside through which they could move men and supplies without being shot and killed. Most of the tunnels had been cleared by the Red Army, but this one particular tunnel was causing a problem. Entire platoons had been sent in, but those that made it out alive, were pale with terror.

  “I would not go in there if I were you,” a voice said in Russian and Brygida turned to see a soldier sitting on the ground, his rifle on his lap, placing a cigarette nervously between his lips.

  “Why not?” Brygida asked the soldier as she tilted her head toward him.

  “There is a monster in there,” the man replied, his hand trembling as he lit a match and brought the flame to the tip of the cigarette.

  Brygida watched him for a long moment. This was not some scared boy, newly arrived to the front. This was a weary, yet battle-hardened soldier who had likely seen more horrors in the last few years than most people would see in a lifetime.

  “What kind of monster?” Brygida asked him with genuine interest.

  The soldier blew streams of smoke from his nostrils. “I don’t know what it is,” he explained. “It looks human, but…” his words trailed off.

  “But what?” Brygida prodded.

  The man shook his head. “It was dark in the tunnel,” the soldier said as his eyes cut to the ground.

  “What did you see?” Brygida asked.

  “I don’t know what it is, but I know it can’t be killed.”

  Brygida cocked her head to the side. “Everything can be killed,” she said.

  The man chuckled nervously and then his eyes rose to meet Brygida’s. “Twenty of us went into that tunnel to kill it. We shot it over a hundred times. Only three of us made it out alive.” His eyes dropped back down to the ground as he took another drag from his cigarette.

  Brygida swallowed hard. She turned around to see the handful of men that still remained of the Red Patriots, the elite Russian fighting force that was now under her command. They were wide-eyed and terrified. She wished Sergeant Volkov was still alive. He knew how to motivate the men. Sadly he had fallen while pursuing Hans Kammler and the Nazi’s wonder weapon.

  “We’re traveling light,” she told them. “Get your gear.”

  “Why don’t we just blow the tunnel?” one of the Red Patriots suggested. “Let’s see how well it survives that.” He wasn’t a coward. None of the Red Patriots cou
ld be called cowards, but they were clearly frightened. More frightened than she had ever seen them She was frightened too, but did not want to show it. Brygida was the Valkyrie, after all, the living legend that had inspired the hope of so many in the occupied territories and across the Soviet Union.

  Brygida frowned. “If it were up to me, that’s what we would do,” she assured them. “But it’s not up to me. The command wants to know what this so-called ‘monster’ is, and—if possible—wants us to capture it alive.”

  “Alive?” the men asked with moans.

  “Yes, alive,” came a voice from behind them and everyone turned to see a young officer in camouflaged fatigues, standing beside Brygida’s commanding officer, Polkovnik Utkin. “My name is Mikhail Petrov,” the young officer announced with a supreme arrogance in his voice. “I will be in command of this mission.”

  Brygida’s eyes cut to Utkin. The polkovnik nodded, demonstrating that the young officer was indeed in charge of this mission. Brygida could see in his eyes that Utkin was reluctant. He would have rather let his most competent soldier take command, but the orders were coming from above. High above. Mikhail Petrov would be in charge.

  “It is an honor to meet the famous Valkyrie,” Mikhail said with a smile. “I have already had the pleasure of meeting the extraordinary children you rescued from the Germans,” he said, referring to Alena and Alexi. “I greatly look forward to seeing you in action.”

  “The children?” Brygida asked. “Why…?”

  Mikhail interrupted her. “A new day is dawning for humanity, comrade,” he said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. Something inside of her made her want to jerk away, but she resisted the urge. “We are tasked with recovering all of the secrets the Nazis had, so that we might use them to benefit the worker.”

  Brygida nodded. “Very well comrade,” she said. “Lead the way.”

  Mikhail smiled. “I think I will let one of your men walk point,” he said as he turned, his gaze encompassing the remaining Patriots. None would meet his eyes, as none of them were eager for the assignment. It would be terrifying enough knowing armed German soldiers were waiting for them, but a monster…