They Used Dark Forces gs-8

by Dennis Wheatley

  After lunch he returned to the cafe and scraped acquaintance with another convalescent officer, but again drew a blank. As he could think of no other avenues of covert enquiry, he remained there until three o'clock, when Willi returned from his thirty-four-mile trip to Wolgast and back, and picked him up.

  For the next two days he kicked his heels at Sassen, puzzling his wits in vain for a way to establish himself nearer Peenemьnde. Then on the Thursday Herman Hauff paid another visit to the Manor. On seeing Gregory, he expressed his surprise a finding him still there and asked why he had not yet made arrangements for his fishing.

  Gregory shrugged. `I had hoped to find suitable quarters at Wolgast, but am told that it lies in the prohibited area.'

  `That is true. It applies to the whole of the coast north-east if here; also to the islands of Usedom and Rьgen. But why Wolgast? If you went up to Stralsund, along the coast west of Stralsund there are plenty of places where you could find what you want.'

  `Perhaps.' Gregory looked despondent. `But the coast there” faces on the open sea, and even in summer sudden storms are Liable to blow up in the Baltic. Alone, out in a motor boat, it would be no joke to be caught in one. Besides, before I came 'here an old friend of mine told me that the best fishing he had ever enjoyed was in those creeks between the mainland and the. islands. So I had set my heart on it.'

  Hauff fingered his knobbly chin thoughtfully for a moment, then he said: `I could get you a permit to go into Wolgast. But whether you would be allowed to fish from there I don't know.'

  `That's very good of you,' said Gregory gratefully. `If you would get me a pass, at any rate I could go there and find out.' On Saturday one of Hauff's land girls brought the pass over to the Manor. That evening Gregory went over with Khurrem to the ruin and cheerfully told Malacou of the progress he had made. Then he asked to be allowed to borrow Khurrem's truck to drive himself into Wolgast next day. But the doctor would not hear of it. He pointed out that although it was a Sunday it was also the 13th, so like the 4th, 22nd and 31st a date under the influence of Uranus, which it was undesirable for Gregory to increase. Neither would he agree to Gregory's going into Wolgast with Willi von Altern on the Monday, but insisted that for this first venture into dangerous territory he must wait for a day upon which astral influences would give him maximum protection. That would not be until the following weekend of the 19th/20th, the latter as a Sunday being the better day for him; so, with considerable reluctance, Gregory agreed to wait until then.

  Made irritable by the delay in getting to grips with his mission, he continued to lounge about the farm, spending most of his time reading or playing records. Then on the Thursday Hauff again put in an appearance. Greeting Gregory cheerfully, he asked, `Well, what luck did you have in Wolgast?

  'I've not been there yet,' Gregory replied.

  `Why not?' Hauff enquired abruptly.

  `Well,' Gregory prevaricated, `I thought I'd wait until the weekend. After all, my leave is indefinite and I'm having quite a pleasant time here. Besides, it has occurred to me that to explore all the possibilities will take more than a few hours and the pass you sent me is good only for the day. I really need to spend at least one night there. But perhaps you could fix that?'

  Hauff frowned. `I see. Yes, as you are an Army officer I don't doubt I could. And if you can get permission to fish there you'd need a permit as a temporary resident. Look, I have to attend a Partei Committee meeting there on Saturday. I'll run you in myself, then unless the authorities turn down your application we can get the whole thing settled.!

  'That's fine,' Gregory smiled, `and very good of you. I'll take my bags with me on the assumption that anyway I'll be able to stay the weekend, if not permanently. I suppose it will be all right for me to take my servant?'

  `,Jawohl. Being with me they will give him a pass at the barrier; and if you get your permit to stay on that will cover him, too.'

  That night Gregory held another conference with the doctor and Khurrem, during which the latter raised a new aspect of the situation. She said:

  `I think you will get your permit to stay, all right. Hauff will do his utmost to see that you do. He spoke to me about it after he talked to you. He was in a far from good temper and it wasn't difficult to guess the reason. He doesn't like your staying on here at Sassen.'

  `Why should he be concerned about that?' Gregory asked.

  `On account of me,' she replied, lowering her grey eyes. `You may not remember it, but the first time you met him you mentioned the Fьhrer having called on all German men to beget as many children as possible. You implied that your heart would not stand up to a series of young mistresses, but that you had been thinking of marrying if you met a quiet woman of a certain age.'

  She gave a sudden bitter little laugh. `Well, I suppose I could be described as that. And financially, as the owner of the Sassen property, I'm quite a catch. Then today he found that you hadn't gone to Wolgast to try to arrange about your fishing, and seemed in no hurry to do so. In consequence he has jumped to the conclusion that I'm the attraction that keeps you lingering here.'

  Wild horses could not have dragged Gregory into making love to the scrawny, taciturn dipsomaniac that Khurrem had become, but he said tactfully, `I see. Yes; that's very understandable.'

  Malacou put in quickly, `This is good. Khurrem is right. Hauff will now pull every string he can to secure you a permit to reside in Wolgast.'

  Gregory remained silent for a moment, then he said, `As he is so anxious to get me away from Sassen for good, I think we might make even better use of him. For me to be allowed to live in Wolgast is only half the battle. I've still got to get across the creek to Usedom. They'll never let me over the ferry, so I'll need a boat. For that it's certain that I'll require a special

  permit. If I play my cards properly perhaps Hauff can be manoeuvred into getting one for me.'

  By the Saturday morning Gregory had decided how best to play his cards. Haus' arrived in his old but powerful car, now dressed in the smart black uniform of a Sturmbahnfьhrer of the Waffen S.S. Gregory got in beside him and Kuporovitch got into the back with their suitcases; then they set off.

  Hauff drove at a near-dangerous speed for the narrow lanes, but he was a good driver, as he demonstrated in no uncertain manner on their entering Greifswald. With his klaxon blaring almost continuously he streaked through the town, forcing other vehicles to give way to him and making civilians jump for the pavement. A quarter of an hour later they reached the barrier, three miles beyond which lay the coast. To either side of it there stretched away across the flat country an eight-foot high barbed-wire fence, behind which at intervals sentries were patrolling. Hauff spoke to a Feldwebel on the gate, then signed a paper making himself responsible for Kuporovitch and the Russian was given a pass to accompany Gregory.

  Wolgast, as Gregory had known, was a smaller town than Greifswald. There were no wounded soldiers strolling about the streets but the place was a hive of activity, and the reason was not far to seek. Pre-war maps did not show any railway serving the little town, but one to it had been constructed and a railway bridge over the creek. On the Wolgast side there was now a big marshalling yard with at least a score of goods trains in it. As Gregory glimpsed them at the ends of several side turnings that the car shot past, the sight gave him new hope for his venture. If he were unable to get a permit to take out a boat they, offered the chance that he might manage to conceal himself in one of the trucks and so get himself smuggled across to the island.

  When they reached the creek side Hauff pulled up in front of a pleasant little hotel that had a broad verandah and said, `You had better see if they can give you rooms here. I am going on to my meeting, but I'll return about one o'clock and we'll have lunch together.'

  Owing to the crowded state of the town Gregory feared that all accommodation there might already be taken, but he need not have worried. A stout woman behind the desk gave a glance of surprise at his fishing tackle and said:

 
`We don't get many gentlemen here for the fishing these days, and all the better-off ones who are here on war work live in their own hutments on the south side of the marshalling yard; so half our rooms are always empty. We've no cause for complaint, though, and I wish our dining room were three times its size. We're always packed out with them for lunch and dinner.'

  Gregory booked rooms for two nights and a table for lunch; then, while Kuporovitch carried up their bags, he set off for a walk round the town. It must have been, he thought, a pleasant little place in pre-war days, but there was nothing to interest a sight-seer and in some mysterious way the neighbouring marshalling yard seemed to have made it drab and depressing. Deliberately he refrained from going near the railway tracks, as he did not want to be suspected of snooping, and felt that there would be plenty of time for that later.

  Well before one o'clock he was back at the hotel and secured a table on the verandah, which was now rapidly filling up. Twenty minutes later Hauff joined him, a broad smile on his chunky, rubicund face. Plumping himself down on a chair, he said:

  `Well, that's all fixed. I've got you a permit to stay here for a month, with permission to fish in the creek. It can be renewed for longer if you wish. To get that done you'll only have to make an application at the Town Hall.'

  Taking the papers he handed over, Gregory thanked him profusely, then insisted on standing him as good a lunch as the place could provide.

  Hauff grinned at him. `It will be pretty good, then, as I'm with you. These innkeepers always have something up their sleeve worth eating and they know when to fetch it out. I'm a big shot in these parts and they'd soon hear about it if they didn't treat me properly.'

  His boast proved amply justified and soon afterwards they were tucking into an excellent meal. On the previous occasions when Gregory has seen the Nazi it had been only for a few minutes, so this was the first time he had had the chance to talk to him at any length. In due course he took the opportunity to mention Goering's name, then spoke of having dined with him at his palatial country home, Karinhall.

  At this Hauff was greatly impressed and still more so when Gregory casually referred to having also supped with Ribbentrop at a night-club in Budapest. After lunch the Sturmbahnfьhrer had to dash off to another meeting, but they parted the best of friends, Hauff wishing Gregory good sport with his fishing and adding that, although they might not meet again, should he run 'up against any difficulties he had only to let him know.

  When he had driven off, Gregory walked round to the Town Hall, produced his permit to reside in Wolgast and fish in the creek and asked for the name of someone from whom he could hire a motor boat. As he had felt certain would prove the case, he was told that only by special permission were boats now allowed to put out from Wolgast.

  That evening he and Kuporovitch both went to the local cinema, but occupied- seats in different parts of the house. The newsreel reported a German victory on the Russian front, but nobody clapped; and when Goebbels was shown for several minutes giving a pep-talk the audience remained ominously silent.

  Sunday the two friends spent in taking long walks along the bank of the creek, one to the south and the other to the north of the town. When they met in the evening and compared notes they found that in both directions the lie of the land was much the same. The country was low-lying, marshy and even at some distance from the landward side of the broad creek there were few clumps of trees. Across on the island bank, however, the prospect was very different. There, for a belt some two hundred yards deep, the land had been stripped of every bush and in a few places the foundations of cottages that had been pulled down could be made out. Beyond this field of fire stood a ten-foot barbed-wire fence, and along it at intervals tall posts carrying arc lights. It was evident that at night the whole area was brightly lit, and every few hundred yards sentries were patrolling. Behind the fence there was a deep screen of conifers. They were quite tall trees, so must have been planted several years ago when it had first been decided to establish an experimental station at Peenemunde. Owing to the flatness of the land they completely hid the interior of the island.

  This reconnaissance depressed them both, as it now looked as though even if Gregory could get a permit for a boat he would stand little chance of landing on Usedom without being spotted. His thoughts reverted to the possibility of getting himself smuggled through in a railway truck but, as it seemed probable that the seaward side of the island would be considerably easier to penetrate, he decided for the time being to adhere to his original plan.

  On Monday, after an early lunch, he paid his bill and, with Kuporovitch behind him humping the baggage, walked to the post office. There, as he had arranged without Hauff's knowledge, Willi von Altern, having delivered his load of produce, picked them up and carried them back to Sassen.

  The next step in the plan was to adopt a masterly policy of inactivity until Hauff paid another visit to the Manor. His usual day for doing so was Thursday, so Gregory resigned himself to waiting with such patience as he could muster; but Hauff happened to be passing in his car on Tuesday, so looked in to speak to Khurrem about some matter connected with the farm.

  Gregory recognized the powerful note of the car as it roared up, so strolled out into the yard. The second Hauff saw him his face darkened with a scowl; but now, believing that Gregory moved in high Nazi circles, he quickly controlled his features and said with forced joviality:

  `Hello! I thought you were fishing at Wolgast. Why have you come back to Sassen?'

  With a shrug, Gregory replied, `I couldn't get any fishing after all. With that big marshalling yard and trains running over the bridge, for a mile or more either side of the town the water is filthy with oil and all sorts of muck. No fish could live in it, so I had to chuck my hand in and I got Willi von Altern to give mea lift back here yesterday.'

  Hauff frowned. `You had only to walk along the bank for a few miles either way and you would have got plenty of fish.'

  `No doubt you're right,' Gregory agreed, `but unfortunately my wretched heart doesn't permit me to walk far. I had expected to be able to hire a motor boat, but they told me at the Town Hall that even people with permits to fish are not allowed to take a boat out along the creek.'

  `I see. Yes, of course, that is so. But why didn't you telephone me from Wolgast on Sunday? I told you I'd do my best to help you if you met with any difficulties.'

  `I know; and I did think of that. But knowing how busy you must be with your official duties as well as your farm, and this place to look after into the bargain, I didn't like to bother you. The quiet life here suits me admirably and Frau von Altern makes a charming hostess. She very kindly said that I could stay as long as I liked, so I'm not really very disappointed about not getting my fishing.'

  `But you would still like to go fishing if it could be arranged, wouldn't you?' Hauff could not keep the anxiety out of his voice.

  `Yes,' Gregory replied, not very eagerly. `Yes, of course, as that's what I came here for. But I'm afraid it's asking a lot of you to approach your Committee again.'

  'Nein, vein! It’s a pleasure to be of help, Herr Major. I can't guarantee anything. But the security officers and the top men who are working on… working over there, are allowed to take out boats; so I don't see why you shouldn't be. The best thing would be for you to go back to Wolgast, then after my weekly Committee meeting there on Saturday I'll let you know if everything's all right.'

  Gregory shook his head. `There's no point in my returning to Wolgast until I know if I may hire a boat, and I find it very pleasant here; so I'll stay on at Sassen until I hear from you.'

  Against that Hauff found himself at a loss for any argument, so they shook hands and he went off to find Khurrem…

  Until the end of the week Gregory had again to possess his soul in patience. By then he would have been exactly a month in Pomerania; he was still a very long way from getting into Peenemunde and he had not yet even been able to let his friends in London know that he and Kuporov
itch had landed safely. But there was nothing he could do to hurry matters.

  and he knew that they had really been very lucky in finding safe harbourage at Sassen and in being able to make use of one of the most influential Nazis in the district.

  All the same, he found time hung heavily on his hands. Except for a few minutes now and then, when no-one was about, he could not talk to Kuporovitch as a friend; while Malacou, apart from going to his clinic twice a week, never emerged from his ruin. After the evening meal Gregory had Khurrem for company, but he could not succeed in drawing her out. In vain he tried to get her to talk about Turkey,, her life in Berlin and Sassen before the war, books, pictures, politics; it was no use. Even to remarks about music, which she appeared to like, she replied only in monosyllables or with little display of interest, then put on another record or helped herself to another Branntwein.

  Her heavy drinking did not noticeably affect her until about ten o'clock in the evening, when her speech tended to slur slightly and her fine grey eyes became dull. One night at about that hour, when she stood up to get herself a fifth brandy, Gregory said to her:

  `Khurrem, it is not for me to question your habits. But I'd like to speak to you as a friend about your drinking so much. Only a few years ago you must have been a lovely woman, and you're still quite young. This constant soaking must be ruining your health and is destroying your looks. If only you'd stop it you could soon get them back. I know the loss of your husband was a great blow to you, but it's all wrong that you should go on grieving for him for the rest of your life.'

  She pulled heavily on her cigarette and looked at him with lackluster eyes. `It is not only that. My life is a far from happy one and I am constantly tormented by my thoughts. Drinking enables me to forget them.'