Alpha Threat

by Ron Smoak

  Alpha

  Threat

  By Ron Smoak

  For my wife, Lee

  And my Granddaughter Elise

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. Certain real locations are included but the names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Ron Smoak

  Canton, Georgia

  www.ron-smoak-books.com

  Copyright ©2012 by Ronald A. Smoak

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, transmitted or distributed in any printed or electronic form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  ISBN-10: 0985888202 (ebook)

  ISBN-13: 978-0-9858882-0-6 (ebook)

  ISBN-10: 0985888210 (Paperback)

  ISBN-13: 978-0-9858882-1-3 (Paperback)

  Cover Design by AMDesign Studios

  Ebook Design by AMDesign Studios – 15 Aug 2012

  The author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet addresses at the time of publication. Neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors or for changes that occur after publication. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for the author or third-party websites or their content.

  Acknowledgements

  When one writes their first book, the number of acknowledgments may span many years. In my case it goes back to Northwood Junior High School in Greenville, SC.

  Thanks to Mrs. Miriam O’Dell, my 7th grade American History teacher who required us to write term papers in class without notes; she taught me so much about retaining knowledge and writing even though she was not an English teacher. I will never forget her.

  Thanks to all of the people throughout my life that told me I should write a book; it only took forty or more years to follow their suggestions.

  Thanks to my family and neighbors; who were sick and tired of hearing about my characters and plots.

  Thanks to Sherry Ruschell; she kept me writing by always providing the needed editing and support.

  Thanks to Guido Broder; he helped me with the German phrases.

  And last but not least, a huge thank you to my wonderful wife, Lee. She pushed me when I needed pushing and added immeasurable support for my crazy idea of becoming an author.

  Contents

  Copyright

  Acknowledgments

  Preface

  Part 1

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Part 2

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Chapter 51

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Connect with Ron Smoak

  A single twig breaks, but the bundle of twigs is strong.

  - Tecumseh

  Preface

  When World War I ended on November 11, 1918, Germany was in shambles. The economy was wrecked and inflation soared. The German people suffered immensely during the years between 1919 and the early 1920’s. The common German yearned for relief. This feeling of despair led to the rise of a nationalistic spirit nurtured by the far-right racist nationalist movement led by Anton Drexler and later by Adolph Hitler.

  NDAP – Nazi Party

  The movement was first devised to move workers away from communist groups to a nationalist workers party. It later became the major political party in Germany. Thus the NDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, commonly known as the German Nazi Party came into existence. When President Paul Von Hindenburg appointed Adolph Hitler Chancellor of Germany in 1933, the Nazi party enabled Hitler to form the Third Reich. This totalitarian regime became known simply as the Nazis. They believed in a pure Aryan race, superior to all others. A sub group to the Nazis, the Sturmabteilung (SA) carried out attacks on all those opposing the Nazis, wreaking havoc across Germany with physical attacks on Jews, communists and inferior races. Nazis became the ugly face of Germany during their move to conquer Europe during World War II.

  The SS

  As the Nazi Party took control in Germany, a security organization was created to keep order both within the party and at meetings. The Schutzstaffel or the SS was formed as a quasi-military organization reporting directly to Adolph Hitler. Originally a volunteer group made up of NDAP/Nazi Party members, this group served the party throughout Germany in late 1929 under Heinrich Himmler, the leader or Reichsführer of the SS. The SS implemented the extermination of the Jews; the “Final Solution” becoming one of the most feared groups in World War II. Their ruthlessness and cruelty became infamous as they tortured and killed approximately twelve million people throughout Europe. As the Second World War worsened, the SS was also pressed into regular military service and became the German Army’s most elite fighting force.

  The Gestapo

  When Nazi Germany was formed, Hitler felt the need for a police-like organization to ferret out anyone or group that opposed the Nazis. In late 1934, Hitler appointed SS Leader Heinrich Himmler the Chief of German Police. Himmler created the Geheime Staatspolizei, the Gestapo - the Secret State Police. The Gestapo became the shadowy, ruthless secret police group that at its pinnacle had over 100,000 spies and informants throughout Europe and the world. Their actions were unquestioned for the most part as they assassinated anti-Nazi supporters and political opponents. Their authority spanned nearly all agencies with particular actions against espionage, sabotage and treason against Germany. They operated above and beyond the judicial system. Famous for literally kidnapping citizens for mere rumor of discontent, the Gestapo became the most feared secret organization in the world.

  ODE
SSA

  Close to the war’s end, the SS command saw Germany’s coming defeat and began to organize their escape to South America. They formed ODESSA, an acronym of Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen, or the Organization of Former Members of the SS. It is unknown how many Nazis used this group to make their way to South America. Many were captured and prosecuted after the war but hundreds simply disappeared.

  These political and military groups were key players in Germany prior to and during World War II. They were directly responsible for some of the most heinous crimes against humanity known to man. This book tells a fictional story that is based on actual historical facts from the war.

  Part One

  1945

  CHAPTER ONE

  March 30, 1945

  Outside a Bunker Entrance 300 Kilometers Southwest of Berlin, Germany; 2:40 a.m.

  The gray Citroen 11CV staff car rolled to a stop in a small clearing near the top of the mountain. The forest surrounding the small dirt and gravel road gave the appearance of a long, dark cave. The road ended here, miles from the main road. Two German officers got out of the car, their boots crunching as they stepped on the icy gravel. Both turned to see the six trucks following them, engines growling up the short rise and coming to a halt behind their car. Each of the trucks’ headlights, covered in blackout louvers, cast an eerie light on the ground ahead. A light snow was falling; the tiny flakes twinkling in the weak light from the headlights.

  “Turn off those lights!” barked one of the officers. He was ill at ease with so much light. The drivers complied, and the two German officers were left standing in total darkness. It was dark as pitch and freezing.

  “Where in the hell are we?” the other officer asked, clearly not happy with their destination. They were in the middle of nowhere.

  “One moment, sir,” answered Oberleutnant Maximillian Schneider.

  The cold wind blew, swirling around the two men like an icy claw trying to snatch them off of this earth. SS Sturmbahnführer Reinhardt Rauch shuffled his feet, pulling the collar of his heavy leather overcoat up over his ears to avoid the cold wind. He looked around trying to make out anything familiar in the near total darkness. Even though his eyes were adjusting, he was unable to see anything beyond a few feet. He grimaced at the cold.

  “Damn this cold. What the hell are we doing here?” Rauch asked the question but expected no answer. His impatience showed. This secret trek was getting more bizarre every moment. He was on a remote mountain road and a dead end at that! A major in the SS should not have to put up with this; especially out in the middle of nowhere. He would have someone’s ass for this impertinence. There was no excuse for this, secret orders or not. A strong gust of wind blew across his face. The silence of the forest was eerie.

  Oberleutnant Schneider, standing just to Major Rauch’s left, looked into the darkness, trying to find an answer for his major. Schneider’s orders were clear; bring Major Rauch and these trucks to this location. Beyond that, nothing was revealed. All they found here was darkness. His eyes squinted to protect them from the hundreds of tiny, blowing snowflakes that he felt hitting his face. With the moon obscured by the heavy clouds, he could barely make out the tree limbs several feet above his head, but he could hear them. As the wind slithered through the branches, it caused odd creaking and cracking sounds. Winter was in its waning days throughout most of Germany but not here, not this night.

  The darkness hid the snow as it fell but Schneider could see that the light snowfall had sprinkled the ground with a dusting that blew around in little swirls when the wind kicked up. The leaves on the ground moved around as if large hands were brushing them here and there. Nature was the only one speaking this night. It was cold, dark and unnaturally quiet. One could almost hear the snow hitting the ground.

  As Schneider’s eyes readjusted to the dark, he found what he was looking for. He strode over to what looked like a cave-like opening in the hillside across from the clearing at the end of the road. Set back in the darkness of the opening was a barely visible large steel door. The door was reset into a concrete wall about eight to ten feet from the opening. He could see the structure was fairly new. The concrete was fresh and the door did not have the tell-tale signs of rust that would surely occur facing the elements.

  This entrance was plain. There were no lights, signs or warnings. The structure looked like a natural cave. In front of the “cave” there was a clearing; no pavement of any kind. It was simply the forest’s dirt floor. Looking closer, a formidable guard force was hidden from view. The guards could see anyone approaching. And if not expected, death would follow swiftly.

  “Please, sir, over here,” Schneider summoned as he stopped just inside the cave. Rauch walked over, clearly not happy with the situation. But at least it got him out of the wind. “We must check in.”

  A puzzled Rauch strained his eyes trying very hard to see and understand what the hell this fool was saying.

  “Check in? What the hell are you talking about, Oberleutnant?” queried Rauch stepping closer to Schneider. Was this guy crazy? Then his eyes adjusted and he saw the steel door and concrete. A bunker!

  Within seconds a small slit opened on the concrete wall’s left side. Schneider presented his orders and identification along with Rauch’s to the pair of guard eyes peering from the gun slit in the wall. Rauch turned his head to the right and saw three guards manning an identical setup on the opposite wall. Just a few inches of the barrel of a Maschinengewehr-34 light machine gun poked from another concealed port aimed directly at them. Schneider passed the credentials through a small steel port into a safe-like box. The port closed. It was quiet as death as the two men waited in the cold darkness. After a full five minutes, Rauch was incensed.

  “This is ridiculous. I’m freezing standing out here. I’ll be in the car,” huffed Rauch as he turned away, hunching over trying to make a smaller target for the cold wind. “Let me know when they answer or if they answer. I’ll give them three more minutes.”

  “Yes, sir,” answered the oberleutnant, shivering as much from fear as from the cold.

  Rauch trudged back to the staff car parked in a clearing just off the gravel road, about ten meters from the bunker door. As he walked back he looked around, noticing several slight indentions in the grass and dirt. They were tire tracks, some large ones at that. It looked like other vehicles had been here. He was amazed that the oberleutnant had even found this needle-in-a-haystack. After driving for hours, turning up at this God-forsaken place was even more puzzling. It was downright baffling! He reached the car, opened the rear door and climbed into the back seat. It was cold inside, but at least he was out of that damned wind. The back leather seat was frozen, creaking as he struggled to get comfortable. What heat the car had generated had withered away with the motor not running. How in the hell did I get into this mess, Rauch thought to himself.

  He peered through the fogged-up side window, straining to see if Schneider was still there. He wiped the cold glass with his glove leaving a blurry opening. He peered out trying to make out the figure of Schneider in the darkness. Yeah, the good little oberleutnant was still there, probably afraid to move.

  What happened to the German Army, wondered Rauch. We have nothing but shave-tailed kids playing soldier. They are so young, so intent on serving the Fatherland. Dumbasses! They had no concept of what was really going on. He looked at Schneider. He was the perfect tin soldier.

  Rauch turned away from the window. He closed his eyes trying to clear his mind from distractions. He could hear the rumbling of the trucks’ engines parked behind them. The truckers seemed to have more sense to keep their vehicles running even though the meager heating units sucked. But any warmth out here was better than none. Goddamned army...

  Suddenly a voice growled from a small speaker imbedded in the ceiling of the concrete structure.

  “When the door opens, enter quickly and stand in the center of the room.”

  Schneider turned and called to
the major to join him. They were going in…

  CHAPTER TWO

  March 28, 1945

  Regimental Headquarters East of Weimar, Germany; 5:30 p.m.

  This endeavor started two days ago when Major Rauch received “secret” orders sealed in an official Schutzstaffel message pouch. The messenger, accompanied by a guard, burst into the headquarters building demanding to see Rauch. When the orderly in charge offered to take the pouch, the messenger leered at him with such devilish eyes that the orderly simply stopped in mid-sentence and turned away like a beaten dog.

  “This pouch is to be delivered to Sturmbannführer Rauch personally,” snapped the messenger. The guard stood at attention two steps behind the messenger. Both were immaculately dressed; so perfect they looked like statues. Everyone in the room fell silent. All work ceased. It was as if time froze for a moment as Rauch slowly stood up from his desk across the room.

  “I am Sturmbannführer Rauch,” trying to relish the importance of the moment being afforded him, although internally his mind was racing… what the hell have I done? All eyes turned upon him as he strolled over to the messenger, making damned sure he showed no emotion even though he was definitely worried. He was present when other officers had been arrested on the spot for various infractions. He even witnessed a fellow officer dragged outside, placed against a wall and summarily shot. Anything was possible in this German army. But this affair seemed different.

  “SS Sturmbannführer Reinhardt Rauch?” the messenger repeated.

  Rauch nodded, still perplexed. He realized that it had to be something important, but what?