Shaking his head, he blinked his suspicions away. He lifted his vision to the dawn-cracked heavens and whispered to the only person he felt he had to answer to. "We beat them, Father, we did it. We kept to the code and we beat them.”
Chapter 67
Lübeck
March, 1945
Heinrich Himmler sat at his desk, broken by the weight of the events of the last four years. All their plans and dreams for the Reich had crashed on the rocks of the Allied resistance.
They had faced the world alone, fighting for an Aryan utopia fit for every Germanic man to be proud of. Did Europe not realise that only together could they face the Bolshevik menace from the east? Only a Reich made up of the combined powers of Western Europe would be powerful enough to oppose the powers of World Jewry?
However, all was lost. Destiny had turned her back on the German people and thrown her naked to the wolves. If only Britain and America had listened to him last year, perhaps all would have been different. "If only, if only," he mused to himself.
He looked down at the pile of mail the secretary had laid on his desk. The majority was internal memos and situation updates on the Allied advance. He placed them to one side, not wanting to think about what was actually happening on the front. He’d lost all interest in military matters when he resigned his command of Army Group Vistula. He’d look at them later he decided.
One of the letters caught his eye. It was marked private and the envelope was handwritten. He picked it up and read the name of the sender, 'von der Heyde'. He breathed. He’d almost forgotten about his mission to Romania.
He paused momentarily before opening it, aware that perhaps this could bring the news he had hoped for. Did this letter hold the key to the Aryan counter attack? Would the Count side with him to destroy the Bolsheviks in the east and the Capitalists from the west?
He feverishly ripped at the envelope and looked inside. There was no letter, so he frantically upended the sachet and shook it to make sure.
A single photo fluttered down onto his desk and landed face down in front of him. He snatched at it but his moist fingertips could get no grip on the card, and he was forced to slow down to hook it over with his fingernails.
The scene portrayed on the shiny black and white surface told him everything he needed to know.
Heinrich Himmler looked impassively down at the carnage of burnt carcasses and broken souls and closed his eyes in a silent curse. His hopes of an alliance with the Dracyl were now as dead as his dreams for the Third Reich.
All was lost. He knew now that his only chance lay in turning his back on the Führer to make last ditch negotiations with the Allies.
Epilogue
The Harz Mountains, Germany
Present Day
The priest looked down at the dead man one last time before moving to close the lid of the coffin. The mourning widow standing behind him saw that he was about to do.
"Wait please, Father, I have something I need to do.”
"Of course. Please, I’ll leave you to say goodbye.” He solemnly left the room. He had performed countless burials in his life but this was the first time he had buried a fellow priest. It brought the whole weight of his own mortality down on him and he realised that one day he too would be put in the last resting place by another member of his vocation.
Alone at last she looked down at her deceased husband. She traced a finger along the fine scars on his face and a last tear squeezed out of one of her eyes.
"Oh Michael" she fondly whispered.
She rummaged quickly in her handbag and pulled out the leathery scrap they had looked after all these years. He had used it as a bookmark for the Bible on the lectern since he took over the small congregation all those years ago. At first she’d thought it blasphemous to even consider having it in the church. However, gradually she realised that such an abomination could only safely be kept confined within the pages of the Bible and that’s where it stayed until his passing. Now Stephanie thought it would be better if it went with him.
"God bless you, Michael Rohleder. Wait for me. It won’t be long until I’m with you,” she said and she bent down to kiss him on the lips.
Just as she closed the coffin lid, a small voice broke the silence. "Grandma, are you ready yet? Can I say goodbye to Grandpa too?”
She turned to see a little girl standing by the door.
"Grandpa is already gone, baby, but he told me to tell you he loves you very much and he’s waiting for us all in heaven."
The End
Dedications
No man is an island and this book has shown me that I'm as landlocked as Lichtenstein.
So I'd like to dedicate it firstly to my family who didn't bat an eyelid when I told them I was going to write a book; and instead boasted to their friends of all my minor achievements. Steph, Dan, Chels, and both sides of the family in Wales and Germany, I love you all.
Also to all who helped me along the way: Tee, Richard, George, Adam, Vanessa, Dixie, Bob, Chris, Andy, Joey, Gar, Ange and last but not least Tim of Night Publishing. When I needed you, you were there for me and I thank you for it.
Also to all my new found friends at Night.
And finally to the brave lads and lasses of 1st the Queen's Dragoon Guards, both serving and veterans. Pro rege et patria.
The Division of the Damned Page 36