WILHELM SLUMPED TO THE FLOOR, his back to the door. Scattered around the room, all of his agents who’d survived were crouched low. They won a race to the market and all circled back to their temporary headquarters while operating out of Jaipur. The Fort Jaigahr guards and several other constables aroused to look for the German troops had called off their search for the night as evidenced by the hush that had fallen over the city several hours ago.
But Wilhelm had remained wide-eyed in the darkness, unable to sleep for more than a few minutes at a time as he pondered how they would escape not only the situation but also the country. Possessing official papers to move about the country was free of trouble as long as they abided by the rules. However, a rule had been broken when Wilhelm’s obsession over the treasure superseded his own wisdom when it came to working on foreign soil. Now, the Reichswehr agents needed to figure a way out.
A rooster crowed as daylight broke, arousing several of the men, including Reinhard. Wilhelm wasn’t sure what to do with his top lieutenant who, despite being irate over the letter incident, was still with the troops.
“We’re going to get out of this,” Wilhelm said.
“We have to,” Reinhard said. “My children need a father.”
“I’m sorry about Annemarie. She was a good woman. And I’m sorry that I kept that news from you. It was selfish of me. The truth is as much as I believe in this group of warriors, I don’t trust anyone as much as I trust you.”
“I’m a soldier, sir. We’re trained to handle despairing news in the midst of battle. I wouldn’t have lost my focus.”
Wilhelm sighed, pausing before he spoke. “Being trained for something like that and actually experiencing it are entirely different matters. It’s your loved ones who you think might have to handle dealing with a message about your death. But the other way around? Never. And that’s why it’s so difficult on us while we’re out here trying to make the world safe for those back home.”
“My situation is far more difficult,” Reinhard said. “I lost my wife and my children lost their mother, a woman my youngest will never know. I can’t stay out here without knowing that they’re going to be taken care of.”
“They are,” Wilhelm said. “I asked for Annemarie’s father, General Hindenburg, to make sure they’re properly looked after. Your eldest daughter will be in the finest school in Berlin, and your new daughter will be have the opportunity to be watched by the nanny who helped raise your wife.”
Reinhard shook his head. “I take it this means you’re keeping me here.”
Wilhelm sighed. “I wanted to send you back home to accompany the treasure, but that chance ended at the castle. If only you’d let that woman retrieve all the gold from that chest.”
“Are you blaming me now?” Reinhard asked, clenching his fists. “I’ve done nothing but be loyal to you as you’ve led us to foreign countries, and this is the way you repay me, by making me stay and keeping me from grieving my wife’s death?”
“We have one more opportunity before our entire unit returns home,” Wilhelm said. “I promise.”
“Where?” Reinhard asked.
“China. It’s an artifact so rare that if we find it, we might be able to raise more than enough to rebuild our military from scratch.”
“That’s farther from home.”
Wilhelm nodded. “It’s our only way home. General Seeckt expects us to return with the raja’s lost treasure.”
“Then what will you do?”
“I’ll stall,” Wilhelm said. “I’ll lie and tell him we have it but we must first go to China before we miss out on our chance there. It’ll give us the opportunity to return to Germany as heroes. Seeckt will forget about our failure here if he can rebuild the military.”
Reinhard nodded. “And if we fail in China?”
“We’ll all be orphaning our children.”
“There’s just one problem,” Reinhard said.
“What’s that?”
“We still have to get out of Jaipur.”
Wilhelm smiled. “I have a plan.”
As sunlight started to stream through the windows, voices in the distance echoed in the streets. Wilhelm scrambled to his feet and told the soldiers awake to get everyone up.
“It’s time to move,” Wilhelm said. “Everybody out.”
The Reichswehr unit went outside where Wilhelm gave Reinhard a new set of orders.
“Take everyone just past the train station,” Wilhelm said. “I know they’ll be looking for us there, but I’m going to divert the authorities so that they all look in a different place.”
“How are you going to do that?”
“Leave that up to me. Hurry before they get here.”
Wilhelm watched his men scatter into the streets until they were gone. Then he hustled to the market and found Manish brewing up an early morning batch of curry. He was dumping spices into a large pot when he looked up and recognized Wilhelm.
“You finally came for my curry,” Manish said.
“Not exactly,” Wilhelm said. “I wanted to see if you wanted to make five hundred pounds.”
Manish was tasting his concoction when he slowly pulled the spoon away from his lips. “Did you say five hundred pounds?”
Wilhelm nodded. “I need you to divert the British soldiers who are looking for me and my men.”
Manish sighed. “The hunter has become the hunted.”
“Unfortunately, that’s the case. So, will you help me?”
Manish shrugged. “For five hundred pounds, I’ll do that and make you curry every day for an entire year.”
“Good. Here’s what I need you to do. Go to the police station and report that you saw the German men heading toward Fort Jaigahr and overhead us saying something about the treasure. And then go buy every seat in the final carriage of this morning’s train. There should be enough to cover the cost and pay you your handsome fee.”
“That’s it?”
Wilhelm nodded as he handed Manish a small envelope stuffed with cash. “Don’t let me down.”
Manish stuffed the envelope into the back of his pants and darted from behind his kiosk in the direction of the nearest police station.
* * *
AN HOUR LATER, Wilhelm reunited with the rest of the Reichswehr troops a mile on the outskirts of Jaipur along the railroad tracks. In the distance, the brakes hissed followed by the slow chugging of the wheels as the 8:00 a.m. train departed the station.
“Did it work?” Reinhard asked.
“We’ll soon find out.” Wilhelm paused as he maintained his gaze toward the oncoming locomotive. “I’m sorry about Annemarie, and I’m sorry I kept that information from you. I thought I was doing the right thing.”
Reinhard stared off in the distance. “It doesn’t matter now. Being angry at you won’t bring her back. I need to move on and trust that General Hindenburg is providing my children with the care they need. But you know what the worst part is?”
“What?”
“We didn’t even have names picked out yet for a girl.”
“I would suggest you name her Annemarie after her mother. She was a good woman.”
A couple minutes later, the train came into view and was still building up steam.
“Get ready,” Wilhelm said.
As the train approached their position, the Reichswehr agents darted out of the tree line one by one and filed into the final car, which was completely empty.
“It worked,” Wilhelm said as he sat down next to Reinhard, who cracked a faint smile.
Wilhelm stood and paced up and down the aisle, contemplating what to say as they left Jaipur behind. He finally turned around and addressed his wolfsrudel.
“We leave this place today with great disappointment that we were unable to fulfill our objectives, but our mission is still very much alive,” Wilhelm said. “We will find what we’re looking for in China. And we will restore our country’s military to be the greatest the world has ever seen.”
The
men broke into applause as Wilhelm sat down. He wasn’t happy about what had happened, but he certainly wasn’t about to accept defeat.
Chapter 38
RICHARD SPENT THE night in a jail cell at the Jaipur police station. His arrest wasn’t one he entirely objected to since Wilhelm’s men were still on the loose. While the Reichswehr unit had acted brazenly in the past, Richard couldn’t imagine a scenario where they would attempt to kill him while in police custody.
Just as the sun beamed through the windows, Richard was awakened by the jangling of keys and the creak of his cell door swinging open.
“You have a visitor, Mr. Halliburton,” a constable said.
Richard sprang to his feet once he saw David. “You made it. Thank God. And Sarita?”
“She’s safe along with her daughter.”
“I knew you would figure out the right time to create a diversion.”
David rubbed his forehead. “You almost got us both killed last night.”
“But I didn’t, ” Richard said before leaning in close and continuing in a whisper, “and the Germans don’t have the treasure.”
“So who has the chest?” David asked in a hushed tone.
“It’s still in the retention pond. Think you can get back there tonight to get it?”
“Are you kidding me?”
Richard shook his head. “No, I’m dead serious. I have no idea how long I’m going to be in here, and I need your help.”
“Fine. Tell me where it is, and I’ll go back tonight.”
Richard smiled. “Just don’t get caught, okay?”
After Richard explained where the treasure was, he promised to meet up at Sarita’s house later that night.
“Good luck,” Richard said before David left, who turned and gave a dismissive wave as he exited the cell.
A half an hour passed, and Richard was called upon again.
“Mr. Richard Halliburton?” asked a uniformed man lumbering across the floor.
“Yes,” Richard said as he rose to his feet.
“I’m Arthur Pellman, the chief constable here. I understand you had quite an evening.”
“Yes, sir.”
Pellman gestured for Richard to exit the cell. “Why don’t you come tell me about it?”
Richard settled into a chair across from Pellman’s desk and recounted all of the evening’s events, including his race through the fort to elude capture by the Germans.
“I was under the impression that they were here legally,” Pellman said.
“That’s what Alex Fullerton wanted you to believe. Is he still in Jaipur?”
“I believe so. He levied some serious accusations against you on a recent excursion to Maredumilli.”
Richard shook his head resolutely. “Those are all lies, sir. He had someone plant evidence on us. There’s no way we could’ve taken anything from his office without him seeing it since we were in his presence the entire time, not to mention the fact that we left our bags inside while we walked around the village with him. He’s the reason the Germans were able to move so freely around the country when they should’ve never obtained the proper documents to do so in the first place.”
Pellman stroked his chin and nodded. “I see.”
Richard strained to see the notes written on a sheet of paper in front of Pellman. When he noticed Richard’s wandering eyes, the chief constable repositioned the folder, holding it upright and closer to his vest.
“So, what exactly were you doing here in Jaipur?” Pellman asked.
“Preventing that group of elite German soldiers from getting their hands on those ancient artifacts.”
“And that serves the U.S. interests in what way?”
Richard sighed and shook his head. “Sometimes, we don’t just do things for our own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
“So you spent your time reading the book of Philippians, did you?”
Richard chuckled. “I see you have a keen grasp of scripture. The Apostle Paul’s words are as true for us individually as they are for us as a nation.”
Pellman grunted. “That’s rich coming from an American.”
“Let’s not be petty about this, sir. I can assure you that I’m neither a treasure hunter nor a thief.”
“If you’re a treasure hunter, you’re a lousy one, that’s for sure. But I’m not so sure that you aren’t a thief. I’m willing to render a judgment on you right now that will get you out of Jaipur after spending three days in jail.”
Richard moaned. “Sir, with all due respect, I’ve spent more days in prison already to last me a lifetime. How about you do the right thing and drop all charges before I contact the U.S. Embassy to get involved in a case that will expose British government corruption in one of the queen’s beloved colonies?”
Pellman stared at the ceiling for a moment. “Fine—on one condition.”
“Name it.”
“That you leave Jaipur on the first train in the morning and never return.”
“I’ll accept those terms,” Richard said. “Just draw up the official documents so I can sign them, and I’ll be on my way.”
Once Richard received his official release, it was sometime after noon. He headed to Sandeep’s house to thank him for his help. Sandeep, in turn, served Richard a lavish lunch filled with all of India’s finest delicatessens, including gajar ka halwa and brijal bharta. After gorging himself, Richard spent a few minutes playing with Smita while Sandeep showed off his snake charming prowess.
“You’re getting better,” Richard said, “both your musical skills and your ability to keep the snakes following you. Perhaps you have a future as a street performer.”
Sandeep smiled. “I am glad we crossed paths, Mr. Halliburton. Jaipur will never be the same without you. Maybe you will write about us in one of your books?”
Richard shrugged. “It’s possible, yet this might be a tale I omit.”
* * *
AFTER SENDING HANK FOSTER a telegraph explaining the outcome of the mission, Richard sauntered over to Sarita’s house. He entertained her daughter for an hour before bedtime, telling her stories of adventure at sea, some of them true, some of them creatively re-imagined. Once she had fallen asleep, he tucked her in and joined Sarita outside on the front porch steps, illuminated only by candlelight.
“You have a beautiful daughter,” Richard said.
Sarita smiled and patted Richard’s hand. “And thanks to you and David, she still has a mother.”
He thanked her for her assistance in scaring off the Germans with her potion that caused seizures.
“You wouldn’t have died if you’d touched the liquid,” she said.
“I know,” he said, “but the Germans weren’t sure of anything. It’s why they shot two of their own before they came after us. They wanted to make sure there were no soldiers left behind to confess the truth about what they were doing in India, even though it’s obvious now.”
“Do you think anyone will try to stop them?” she asked.
“I’m not sure anyone else would believe the Germans have the bravado to do something so brash after living under the burden of a crushing post-war treaty. But there are a few officers in the U.S. Army Intelligence who believe the worst about the Reichswehr’s capabilities. And that’s why I’m here.”
The sound of footsteps in the dark startled Richard. He eased in front of Sarita, shielding her from any potential danger.
“It’s just me,” David said as he lugged the chest on his shoulder.
“You found it,” she said.
Richard nodded. “And it’s all yours.”
She looked at him wide-eyed. “You can’t be serious?”
“A promise is a promise,” Richard.
“Oh, thank you,” she said, grabbing Richard and hugging him.
David sighed. “Yeah, don’t mind me. I’m just shivering from walking back from the fort while sopping wet. Forget that I was the one who went back and got the chest for you.”
&
nbsp; Sarita lunged at David and hugged him too. She laughed once she backed away from him, looking down at her clothes to realize she was also wet now.
“I warned you,” David said.
“I don’t care,” Sarita said, her toothy smile nearly overpowering the faint light.
“A deal is a deal,” Richard said. “And all that we ask now is that you make a better life for you and your daughter. Think you can do that for us?”
Sarita nodded. “I think I can.”
* * *
RICHARD AND DAVID took the first train out of Jaipur the next morning, riding it straight through the night to Calcutta. When they arrived at the station, Harvey Carrington greeted them and led them to his car.
“Where are we going?” Richard asked.
“Someone wants to meet with you.”
Twenty minutes later, they were walking across the balcony of a hotel overlooking the water. Hank Foster leaned against the railing with his arms crossed and a wide grin across his face.
“I sure am glad I was right about you,” Hank said.
“I’m only alive because of your friend Dr. Knapp. He taught me a thing or two in the jungle.”
“Well, I wanted to thank you for your service on these past two missions,” Hank said. “From what I’ve gathered based on your report, this wasn’t an easy assignment.”
David chuckled. “This is Captain Make It More Difficult right here. If there’s an easy way to do something, Richard will ignore it and find a more challenging approach.”
“We’re alive, aren’t we?” Richard asked with a wry smile.
“And the Germans don’t have possession of the treasure,” Hank said. “That was the original mission, too. By the way, where is it?”
“Where’s what?” Richard asked.
“Where’s the treasure?”
Richard shrugged. “It was the strangest thing because it suddenly went missing.”
Hank threw his hands in the air. “Whatever, I don’t care. As long as the Reichswehr didn’t get its grimy little hands on it, it doesn’t matter to me. The mission was a success, and I’ll make sure you both receive commendations for your work in India.”
“Thank you, sir,” Richard said. “It was our pleasure to serve.”
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