by Ian Andrew
“You never got in touch with me from then till now?”
“No.”
“Why Heinrich?”
“Because you would never have accepted me.”
“So if that was your thinking, if you knew I would never believe you, why are you telling me now?”
“Because now I’m here and I know the project that you’re working on.”
She looked at him and the realisation of what he had just said dawned on her. “What do you know?” she asked cautiously.
“Leigh, I’ve been posted in as head of security for a reason. Lohse was going to be replaced anyway, his son’s antics in Munich just pre-empted what was coming. The Reich staff insisted the new head of security should be a Standartenführer and had to have special access clearances. Now that Project Thule is a proven concept the Gestapo have been tasked to use it. They want to resolve some matters. The decision was taken at the highest level and the Führer decided that the man who would head up the security should be briefed on what the project is. Reichsführer Friedrichand made the appointment himself and for some reason I’m not exactly sure of, chose me. Unlike Lohse, who was always kept in the dark about the details of the project, I know what’s going on here. I don’t for one moment profess to understand the science and I admit to not believing it was possible at first. But I’m here now. I didn’t ask for the post, I played the game as your mother and father taught me. But when I was selected and briefed on what the project can do, when I knew I would finally meet you, I thought...” Heinrich paused.
“You thought what Heinrich?”
“That you could use it to resolve this.”
“What?!”
“Leigh, use Project Thule to answer your question. Use it to find out if your father trusted me.”
Chapter 11
“Are you insane? You think I just walk in there and say, ‘Oh I need to use the lab’ and that’s it? You think it’s like a screwdriver?”
“No, I’m not insane although when they first told me what the project could do, I thought everyone else was. To be honest I have no idea how it works but there must be a way. You’re the deputy head of the whole experiment. Are you telling me you can’t do it?” Heinrich said it not as a challenge, but Leigh took it that way.
“What, are you daring me? This isn’t some game to be played Heinrich, it isn’t quite as easy as you might think.”
“I don’t know what to think, I don’t know how it works. I was briefed on what it can do, not how.” His voice had raised a little and he took a deep breath. “Look, Leigh, I didn’t mean to sound trite and I haven’t the first clue what would be required. But I thought if it was possible then a Sunday night would be the best time for it. Is it possible?”
“No Heinrich it isn’t. Well, it is, but not without Berlin knowing that the system is being used and seeing what it’s being used for. Which in effect means no it isn’t without massive repercussions that have to be thought through. I can’t just walk in there, set a switch and hope no one is looking.” She was angry at his naivety and angry at being angry. It wasn’t his fault he didn’t understand the science.
Heinrich ran both of his hands through his hair and exhaled deeply. “Well what now?” he said flatly.
“Heinrich, it’s late. I need to go back home. I’ve got to get up and come into work tomorrow. Can I get a car to take me?” She stood up and began to clear the table of the coffee cups, the sachets, stirrers and her improvised ashtray.
“I’ll take you. I have my own car here.”
“I thought you said dropping in to see me was not an option.”
“Dropping you back home after you have cooperated on my fictitious problems earlier is not suspicious. In fact it would be expected. I live out past you.” Heinrich stood and cleared his own cups.
As she went to walk away from the table he said, “Will you at least consider what I suggested?”
“Heinrich, I’d imagine all I’ll do over the next few days is think of what you said. If you don’t surprise me and take me into custody as we’re about to leave here.”
“Leigh I wouldn’t...”
“It’s a joke, relax. And yes of course I’ll think about things. By the sound of it I’ll also need to brief you on the actual project. I have no idea what they told you in Berlin, but I’m guessing they made it all sound so bloody easy.”
“In truth, yes they did.”
“Well, I’m not doing it tonight, I need to take you into the Jewel to show you how it works.”
“The Jewel?”
“The Deep Underground Engineering Laboratories, D. U. E. L., it’s what we’re standing on top of Heinrich. Gee you haven’t been here long have you?”
“Not really. It was the inexperience that I used to get you here tonight.”
They stopped next to the bins and dumped their rubbish in. Leigh could feel his physical presence next to her. She was awkwardly aware of the reaction her own body was having as he stood close. She turned to face him, “Yeah, what problem did you come up with to warrant ringing me on a Sunday, if we’re asked?”
“There was an alarm that went off at nineteen hundred hours. It just flashed up to say that a digital lock on an isolation room in the Optical Systems Lab had released. I was paged as routine and knew it was because one of Professor Faber’s experiments had ended and the door was released from a timelock, but I made a fuss about it.” Heinrich put a gruff tone to his voice as he re-enacted his earlier performance, “Why are doors being locked down and none of the security personnel, not even me, have override authority? It won’t do.”
“But the Wehrmacht guards have access to everywhere,” Leigh said slightly puzzled.
“Yes they do but, I’m SS. You know how it goes. I’m only the project’s security director. I don’t actually have override access to any of the real estate. They have to inform me about any matters in the labs, but they have control of all the physical security and they’re not about to share it.”
“But that’s daft.”
“No that’s inter-service rivalry and it’s always been the same. They knew I’d end up looking like a twit.”
“That’s just ridiculous. I thought you were all meant to be a band of brothers?”
“Not so much. More like they are the strange cousins no one talks about.”
“So what happened?”
“Well, you can see it from their point of view, a new SS commandant, all very strong-minded and stamping his authority. I pretended to be angry and ended my little tirade by saying something along the lines of ‘I’ll show the bloody scientists this is not their personal chemistry set.’ They could have easily said, ‘Oh we have access Sir’ but I was banking on them not doing that. It wasn’t much of a gamble. In fact it was a sure thing. When I was a junior soldier in the Waffen-SS I would have taken the opportunity to embarrass a senior Wehrmacht Officer.”
“So you rang me?”
“Yes. At first I went through the motions of not being able to find Faber’s number and so I called you. Allegedly I was getting you in to explain why it was locked down.” Heinrich smiled at her.
“So don’t we need to show our faces underground?”
“No, I’ll just tell them you talked me around.”
“Wouldn’t it be better if, when I’m asked, I say you’re a dickhead with too much of a power-trip for your own good?” Leigh held her face perfectly straight and looked at him. She watched his eyes falter just a little as he was deciding if she was being serious or not.
He frowned.
She relaxed and smiled. “Only kidding. I’ll just say that I talked you round and now you understand why the safety factors are so important. Blah, blah, blah.”
She turned away and walked out of the cafeteria and back down the stairs. Heinrich followed. As they got to the main doors they could see the rain falling in sheets across the compound.
“You wait here Leigh; I’ll go get the car.”
She just nodded.
; He pushed the after-hours lock release and the doors slid open. There was no wind, the evening was calm and the rain deadened the noise of the city traffic in the distance. Heinrich jogged down the steps and then ran over to the staff car park. Leigh watched him as he faded into the grey and silver light.
She continued to stare into the middle distance toward the rain sodden car park, but her thoughts were focussed on Heinrich’s story. The phrases he had used, the way he spoke of her parents. The regard he held them in, the sadness and joy she had seen in his eyes. She was convinced he was genuine, yet still there was hesitancy. She had already said things that would have implicated her. Did that mean it was too late already? If he wasn’t genuine, wouldn’t he have just arrested her? And what of his suggestion to use the project? She had thought about it before but dismissed it. Even if it had been possible to get permission from Berlin it wasn’t like she could change things. She could go back and gaze on her parents but that would just make her loss all the more painful. It was six years and the pain was bearable. Still there, as it always would be, but bearable. To revisit it would just make it keen again.
Chapter 12
A car horn shook her out of her thoughts. Heinrich was parked at the foot of the steps. She hurried down and after getting in, laughed out loud. He was soaked from head to foot. His jeans looked almost black, his hair was dripping and his tee-shirt was wet through and clung to his torso. Leigh couldn’t help but linger on his torso. She apologised for laughing at him.
“Bloody English weather!” he scowled back in mock anger.
Heinrich put his BMW into drive and pulled away, less smoothly than the young trooper had done with the Horch earlier. He headed for the gates and they were opened in time for him not to have to slow before he went through. He accelerated onto Eastferry Road and then swung onto Westferry Road that looped the Isle of Dogs. Leigh sat quietly but she was conscious that she found his ability to handle the car at speed in the dark and wet rather comforting. She normally detested being a passenger but somehow felt safe here. Heinrich gunned the car up towards Limehouse Link before turning left and heading back into the West End. Not being in an officially marked vehicle he had to stay in the normal right hand lane and knew the journey would take twice as long as his previous run bringing Leigh from the Mall. He tried to rub his hair dry with his right hand. All he succeeded in doing was make himself look even more bedraggled.
Leigh looked over and suppressed a giggle. “Listen, I’m sorry for getting angry, it’s just that the equipment is delicate...” she stopped when Heinrich put his hand on her leg. Her whole body tensed and she looked at him.
He moved his hand and placed his finger on his lips before saying, “I understand Leigh and I must genuinely thank you for coming in on a Sunday evening to help me. Especially on what was officially a leave day for you.” He then circled his finger in the air and tapped his ear.
Leigh nodded and silently mouthed an ‘Oh, sorry,’ to him. She was genuinely surprised that even a senior rank like Heinrich assumed his car was bugged. She was also conscious of how her body had reacted when he touched her.
“My pleasure Heinrich. I’m just happy it’s all resolved. I’m also pleased to have had the opportunity to meet you. I always had my worries about Lohse. It’s good to have a professional looking after our security now.” And with that Leigh was back to her normal controlled, concealed and calculating persona. The loyal Party member, zealously developing technologies for the good of the Reich.
Heinrich looked over at her and gave her a thumbs up.
They spent the rest of the journey in small talk about the city and the weather. She asked Heinrich where he was staying and he said he had rented a small apartment up on Gloucester Place. As the rain began to ease, he aimed the car down the Strand. Without hesitation he swung the powerful coupe into the Haymarket, around Piccadilly Circus, then into Piccadilly itself before turning right up the one-way Albemarle Street.
“I’m impressed, you do know your way around,” she said.
“Told you, wasted youth whilst studying.”
“Don’t worry about going round the block, Heinrich, just drop me here. I can cut through Stafford and it saves you the hassle.” Leigh had checked that it had actually stopped raining before making the offer.
“You sure?”
“Yes. My place is just across the other side of the junction.”
Heinrich pulled the car into the right and turned to look at her. In the dark interior of the car he circled his heart with his right index finger and she responded by touching her forehead, heart and abdomen. The historic signs of the Turners.
“Well Leigh, thank you again and I shall see you in the morning.” He sounded professional, aloof, the archetypal SS Officer. The look he gave her was not.
Chapter 13
She got out, shut the door and watched as he drove off, before turning and heading across the quiet road into Old Bond Street. Her apartment was on the fourth floor of what had been an impressive townhouse for a wealthy family in the Victorian age. It was now home to an exclusive watch showroom on the ground floor that also used the first floor for their offices and strong rooms. The second, third and fourth floors had been converted into luxury apartments. With just a single two-bedroom residence on each floor they were spacious for the city and being central to almost everything, they weren’t cheap. Her father had bought theirs about fifteen years ago and it had been used as a handy family stopover in London when required. She now lived in it permanently having sold her parent’s large country house in Cambridgeshire after the accident. It had taken her the better part of two years to finally sell it, not for lack of buyers, but more that it marked a final goodbye. When she went to the village graveyard on the anniversary of their death she stayed in the local hotel, always assured of a friendly welcome.
She let herself in through the door set to the side of the watch showroom. Her only complaint about the apartment at first had been the stairs up to the top floor. She didn’t mind them now. It was always a good check on her aerobic fitness. They also exercised her right leg, which still gave her problems six years after Paderborn and probably always would.
When she entered the apartment she dumped her bag on the table, went to the loo and then to the kitchen. From the small metal wine rack built into one of the cupboards she retrieved a bottle of red, unscrewed the top and poured a fairly large glass. She hadn’t even read the label, she just knew she needed a drink. Grabbing a tea-towel, she went through the living room and up the spiral staircase to the roof garden. She wiped down the metal outdoor setting, drying the seats from the earlier rain. Looking out almost due south she could see the Palace, the official residence of the Führer when he came to visit his second Capital. To the south-east she could look over the city towards the river.
Leigh lit a cigarette and breathed the smoke in deeply. Feeling the bite of the smoke in her throat she exhaled and sighed. Her thoughts were not profound, just ‘What now?’ She drank her wine and smoked her cigarette. She knew she should take a lot of time to think about what Heinrich had said. The truth was she didn’t need to. She was convinced he was what he said he was. Having analysed the conversation over and over in her head she couldn’t find a flaw. The alarm bells that had gone off in her head when he rang her on the Mall had been silenced. In the course of their conversation, albeit such a brief amount of time, she had recognised that the things he had told her could only have been gained from long exposure to her parents. That alone told her enough.
The Reich security apparatus did not play the long game. They rounded up anyone suspected of being a Turner and summarily executed them and their families. As scientific research into genetics had advanced a Turner being arrested would lead to a DNA sweep of the local area. Anyone found to share even a tenuous family link went to their deaths. Whole villages were depopulated overnight. As the years passed the efficiency of the mechanisms increased. In the eighty years of the regime an estimated one hundred and
fifty million Turners had been exterminated. First the prominent leaders, then the mid-level functionaries, then anybody that had shown even a tenuous link. A systematic, wholesale slaughter on an industrial scale. Added to the Turners were the Romany and the other Gypsy nations of mid-Europe, the poorest of the people of the Steppes, the richest and most powerful Arabian families, the leaders and elders of the African nations and the Royal Families of old Europe. The Japanese exterminated the Aboriginal peoples of Asia and large numbers of the other ethnic groups who had eventually resisted in Australia and New Zealand. All in all the world had lost more than three hundred million souls. Those that weren’t slaughtered were subdued and cowed. With the laws banning interracial marriage and the sterilisation of indigenous populations the world was still being reshaped to match the insane, perverted utopian ideals of Fascist madmen. It wasn’t how it should be. She stubbed the cigarette out and reached for another one.
Her thoughts returned to Heinrich. Not only was she trying to process what he had said but she tried to understand the reactions she had experienced in his company. She couldn’t help smiling when she thought of him. The physical attraction she had felt was surprisingly intense. His appearance was pleasant, but there was more to it than that. The reactions she had felt had been more than could be expected from seeing a handsome man. Something much deeper and rawer had been exposed and she felt emotions that she had long buried and denied to herself. Finishing the wine, she returned inside and went to bed, but couldn’t sleep.
As her mind continued to rush with the images of the evening she made a decision. The promise her father had her make had been wholly designed to protect her. It didn’t stop her from exercising her own judgement if the time ever came. Opportunities had been revealed previously with close friends and she had always kept her promise. But no one had ever had such deep and personal knowledge of her family. In the end the decision was simple.