The Morgenstern Project

by David Khara

  “You are aware that such comments border on treason?”

  “Of course, but we’re speaking in private, and I know you well enough to understand that you share my point of view. We both respect efficiency. Bootlicking, however, is one of the rare sports in which I do not excel.”

  “The generals the führer has dispatched to Russia are incompetent,” Heydrich said. “Sadly, I am not steering this war. Well, not yet, in any case. But that is not why I’m here. There is another problem that requires your talents.”

  Heydrich picked up the black leather briefcase at his feet. He placed it on the coffee table and searched its contents.

  “Reichsführer Himmler has authorized large-scale medical experiments on Jewish children.”

  “Sounds like an utter bore. You’ll have to do better than that if you want to arouse my interest.”

  “Read this,” Heydrich insisted as he handed him a file. “You’ll be begging me for command of this mission, I assure you.”

  “Let’s see,” Karl-Heinz said as he began going through the file. He still wasn’t interested. “Research center at Camp Stutthof. Jewish... Polish... Subject of experimentation... I see our scientists are having a field day with this one. A ten-year-old child? Come on, Reinhard, you can’t be serious.”

  “Keep reading,” Heydrich ordered in a tone that would not permit any further delay.

  “I’m only doing this to humor you.”

  He scanned several pages, skeptical of their content, and then closed the document before handing it back to the general.

  “Simply stunning. And it’s all true?”

  “Every word of it. I was indifferent when the reichsführer recruited me for Project Übermensch. But the experiment’s success has persuaded me to take action.”

  “What kind of action?”

  “The reichsführer wants to see how this guinea pig develops. I do not.”

  “Oh my, a difference of opinion? That’ll cause a stir in the upper ranks,” Karl-Heinz mocked.

  “Spare me your little quips. The experiment wouldn’t have upset me if the first genetically superior human were Aryan. But this is a Jewish child. The symbolic implication is morally unbearable and politically disastrous. And so I’m charging you with the task of eliminating him. Of course I am counting on your discretion. Otherwise...”

  “No need for threats. You have provided me with a unique challenge. That is more than enough to guarantee my full cooperation. When shall I act?”

  “You will wait for my signal. The subject is still undergoing tests. It would be unwise to intervene in the middle of the research. The scientists predict their creature will be ready for combat in a few months. Perhaps his death could take place during a training session.”

  “I hope the boy is as dangerous as you think he is. Killing a ten-year-old child isn’t something I’d brag about.”

  “According to what I’ve read in this file, he will give you a run for your money.”

  Karl-Heinz stroked his lips and smiled, giving his assent.

  “Very well,” the general concluded, slapping his thighs. “I am returning to Prague with the assurance that this matter will be taken care of.”

  With his briefcase in hand, Reinhard Heydrich stood up. Karl-Heinz followed him to the door, where the butler helped him with his long leather coat. Finally, the general put on his cap with the Panzer insignia. He had reclaimed the proud bearing that had been wounded in the midday face-off.

  “When the time comes for you to go to Poland, you will have complete command over the local authorities. Do your best not to make a mockery of this mission.”

  “You know that’s not my style,” Karl-Heinz said.

  As soon as Heydrich’s car arrived to take him to his Messerschmitt aircraft, the colonel returned to the sitting room to go over the file left by his guest. He felt an uncustomary excitement. Was he holding the very thing he had been waiting for all these years: a mission worthy of his abilities?

  “Maria, come in here!”

  The servant presented herself in the doorway.

  “Shall I clean up, sir?” she asked. She had always seemed a little frightened of him. There was nothing bad about that, Karl-Heinz thought.

  “Yes, you shall,” he confirmed without taking his eyes off the precious file.

  The young woman passed by him, picking up the wine glasses and placing them on her tray. She then walked to the sideboard and put the record back in its sleeve. In her haste to get the job done, she knocked over a lamp but caught it before it crashed to the floor.

  “Nice reflexes,” Karl-Heinz remarked, amused.

  He now saw the young woman in a new light. A pretty little face, small waist, and generous bosom. She certainly had her strengths.

  “Pardon me, sir,” she said, sounding anxious.

  “No harm done. While you’re at it, get rid of that cheap wine,” he ordered, pointing to the carafe. “Find a nice bottle of Bordeaux in my personal reserve, and bring a glass to my bedroom.”

  Maria complied and slipped away, head lowered. He grabbed the file and followed her, playing with the key hanging from the gold chain attached to one of his belt loops. His eyes rested on the young woman’s lower back.

  Such a natural beauty would deserve his full attention one day soon. But for the moment, his excitement over the mission trumped his desire to conquer his housemaid. As the latter veered off toward the kitchen, Karl-Heinz headed down a narrow corridor beside the staircase. He reached a door, which he opened with the key that he kept with him at all times.

  He entered a room darker than night and searched for the switch.

  A simple click, and light flooded his cave of wonders. He closed the door just as quickly and gazed at the walls, his hands on his hips. He was overcome with the pride he felt every time he visited this holy haven.

  A dozen mummified heads displayed on heavy wooden plaques bore stupefied and grotesque expressions. On each forehead the letter “J” had been carved with a knife. Below each trophy was a metal plate with the vanquished person’s name.

  What a collection! Only exceptional prey deserved a place in this hall of honor. Every one of them had given him a run for his money. All nationalities and religions were represented. In the colonel’s eyes, every man was created equal. At least that was the case when faced with death at the hands of the Jäger.

  He searched the walls for just the right place. He stopped at a spot between a recently vanquished member of the Romanian resistance and an Iranian soldier. Both formidable opponents.

  “If that fool Heydrich is telling the truth—if the new target lives up to the general’s promises—he’ll be a fine addition to this prized collection,” he told the mute heads.

  He opened the file and skimmed the pages for the target’s name. Finding it, he patted the empty space on the wall.

  “You shall be up here quite soon, Eytan Morgenstern.”

  CHAPTER 7

  New Jersey, present day

  Jeremy didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t contain his excitement or his bewilderment. He had a thousand questions to ask the grinning bald bloke in front of him. But the questions were all tangled together, so he didn’t do anything. He just stared at his friend in combat pants, matching jacket, khaki crew-neck T-shirt, and lumberjack boots. The Jolly Green Giant was back, all right.

  “Looks like you’re in pretty good shape,” Eytan said, helping Greg to his feet. “In the future, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t try to kill my agents.”

  Agent? Greg? The information didn’t compute.

  “Jeremy?” He could see Eytan’s hand moving back and forth in front of his face, but he was still feeling entirely out of it.

  “He’s in a state of shock,” Greg said with a half smile.

  Yes, I need to reboot, Jeremy said to himself. He blinked, shook his head, and drew a deep breath.

  “Uh, yeah, sorry. I’m here,” he managed to get out.

  “Wonderful,” Eytan respo
nded. “Load up the little one. We’re leaving, pronto.”

  Jeremy started to protest. He wanted to enjoy their long-awaited reunion.

  The giant put a friendly yet firm hand on his shoulder. “I realize you have a million questions. But for now, you need to stay quiet and get your little girl ready to leave. Greg, you and I are expected.”

  “By whom?” Jeremy asked.

  “You clearly missed the part about waiting till later to get your questions answered. What you need to know now is that we’re going to meet up with your wife. Get a move on. And grab that bag by the front door. I’ve packed it with clothes for you and your family, diapers and all. I even have Annie’s car seat.”

  Upon hearing mention of Jackie, Jeremy swept Annie into his arms and raced up the stairs on the heels of the unlikely duo.

  ~ ~ ~

  The smell of gas attacked her nostrils, filled her lungs, and made her stomach queasy. She could barely hold back the urge to vomit. She felt dizzy, as though she were waking up with the world’s worst hangover. She tried to open her eyes but reconsidered after being blinded by the lights in the room. She couldn’t pull herself off the floor either. She couldn’t even string two coherent thoughts together.

  “Stay on the floor. Your attacker shot you with sedatives, and you won’t regain your strength for another thirty minutes or so. I didn’t have the right drugs to get you back on your feet, so I made do with fuel oil. Do you need to inhale some more?”

  Jackie managed to sit upright. She massaged her temples and blinked several times in hopes of regaining her sight as quickly as possible. The man addressing her didn’t sound like the same individual she had spoken with on the phone. This voice was younger, softer, not as deep.

  “Where am I?” she mumbled.

  “With friends in a safe place.”

  “I apologize. I didn’t have time to give you the lowdown over the phone,” said another man whose presence Jackie hadn’t detected. “So I had to rely on your memory.”

  This man was definitely her mysterious caller. She was dealing with not one, but two strangers. Jackie opened her eyes and found she could see now. She looked at the round face of a man who appeared to be in his sixties, maybe older. His cheeks and forehead were lined with deep wrinkles. He was wearing black tweed pants, a wool turtleneck, and a thick dark jacket. Despite his portliness, he looked strong.

  “The defective handcuff that allowed us to escape from the Consortium’s facility in Belgium two years ago.”

  “Exactly. And we both know that the only person other than you and your husband who was aware of this glitch was Eytan.”

  A ding indicated a new text message.

  “I’ll leave you with the doc. We’ll see each other later.”

  Rattled by the mention of Belgium and the Consortium, Jackie regained full use of her cognitive abilities. She jumped to her feet but wasn’t able to balance herself and started to topple forward. She felt two strong arms wrap around her and lower her gently to the floor. The stranger and her surroundings were coming into sharp focus. At first Jackie thought she was in a jail cell because the room was so narrow—a nightmare for someone who was claustrophobic. A small cot with a thin mattress was pushed against the steel wall. A single light bulb surrounded by a metal cage gave off a harsh light. Large bolts ran along the walls and all around the door. The pieces of the puzzle were coming together. She knew for sure that she was at sea, probably on a fishing boat.

  She brought her attention back to the man who was still holding her. He was tall with fairly broad shoulders. And she was blown away by his good looks: the symmetrical face, the strong jaw, and a smile that belonged in a toothpaste commercial. His eyes, moreover, twinkled with a hint of mischievousness. He could easily have played the leading role in a romantic comedy. He was the kind of doctor—if that was his profession—who could make a girl bang her head against the wall just so she’d have an excuse to make an appointment. Actually, she saw several of the very same features in this stranger that made her fall for Jeremy.

  The man gave her a wink.

  “I’ve got you,” he assured her with a soothing voice. “Let’s get better acquainted.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Jeremy surveyed the street, which was getting darker by the minute, while Eytan and Greg inspected their attacker’s van behind the house. Nestled in her father’s arms, Annie was sleeping peacefully.

  He took in a chestful of fresh air and let his eyes wander over his neighbors’ homes. Jackie and he had settled in this suburb for a variety of reasons. It gave them a real taste of small town life but was a reasonable distance from Manhattan. They hardly ever went into the city, though. For the most part, they were satisfied with the county fairs, the summer band concerts, the opportunities to fish, the numerous bicycle trails in the area’s parks, the high school football games, and the holiday light festivals.

  Too bad there was no Big Trouble Festival. Jeremy figured he could organize the whole thing himself. “In one night, I’ve been held hostage by a geek,” he muttered. “My house has been invaded by ninjas, and a Mossad assassin has shown up to take me to only God knows where.”

  He sighed and held his daughter a little tighter.

  Mr. Adams, his old British neighbor, was walking down the street. The tall man looked like Prince Philip, the duke of Edinburgh. His Welsh corgi was with him. Jeremy pledged to invite the retiree over for tea once his issues were sorted out. But with his luck, the man was probably an MI6 agent ready to pounce on him with a pair of sugar tongs.

  The bookseller was wondering whether he’d ever be able to lead a normal life again when he felt Eytan’s hand on his shoulder. Startled, he turned to face his friend.

  “You ready? We’re leaving,” the Kidon agent whispered.

  He took one last look at his white house, which still needed some touch-ups, and noticed the green plastic garden table he hadn’t had time to put away.

  “Lead the way,” he replied, surprised to hear a touch of excitement in his voice.

  Fifteen minutes later, Greg was behind the wheel of their van, repeatedly glancing in the rearview mirror as he drove. Eytan was in the passenger seat, and Jeremy was in the back, with Annie sleeping peacefully in her car seat.

  Their reunion was nothing like the hundreds of scenarios Jeremy had envisioned. He had seen them sipping beers in his backyard on a hot summer night. He’d listen to the stories told by the eighty-year-old man in a thirty-year-old body. They’d amuse themselves with witty banter and then confide their plans for the future. They’d talk well into the wee hours of the night, like blood brothers. Because over the course of the time they had spent together, that’s exactly how Jeremy had come to see Eytan—as family.

  But this stupid secret-agent business had messed up his fantasies, and Jeremy knew he had to face facts. Eytan’s life didn’t allow him to make any courtesy visits, and emotional heart-to-hearts were never—and would never be—his thing. If Eytan was there, it was because of a crisis. While Jeremy didn’t understand what was going on yet, he knew for sure that it was a big deal. He judged it wise to save his questions for later.

  Eytan spent the first minutes of the trip glued to his phone, shooting off one text after another. Once he had put the device away, he turned to Jeremy and shelled out a few veiled explanations.

  “So Greg is a Kidon agent? An operative who specializes in kidnaps and assassination?” Jeremy was aghast.

  Greg nodded.

  “I didn’t know how the Consortium would react after our European road trip,” Eytan said. “So I had to keep an eye on you and Jackie.”

  “Damn Greg, I didn’t see that one coming.”

  Judging by the driver’s smile, Jeremy had paid him a compliment.

  “You know we don’t go around wearing badges,” Eytan said. “The more unlikely we look, the better.”

  “Yeah, that makes sense. And you took care of the men charged with killing me and Annie?”

  “Yep. Four commandos
and one driver. Their bodies are stockpiled behind you.”

  “Gross! You know I have a baby back here,” Jeremy exclaimed as he turned around and saw the huge mound covered with blankets. “Did these guys have anything to do with Bleiberg? Did you really have to kill them?”

  “I don’t know who they were taking orders from,” Eytan said. “I only know that they were military guys, and they were no angels. I had to eliminate them. By the way, you’ll have to redo the wallpaper in Annie’s bedroom.”

  “Great,” Jeremy grumbled. He turned his attention to the road.“Hey, is it just me, or are we heading to the beach?”

  “Very observant,” Greg teased as he parked on the side of the road.

  “Screw you,” Jeremy replied.

  “Save your lover’s spat for later.” Eytan intervened with an authority that immediately ended the interaction. “Our new ride awaits us.”

  Jeremy unbuckled Annie and got out of the van with her. He glanced around, taking in the lighthouse and the sound of the waves.

  Greg shot off in the direction of a pontoon and disappeared in the darkness. Eytan leaned against the hood of the van. He took a cigar out of his jacket and stuck it between his teeth.

  “I’m glad we have this chance to catch up,” he told Jeremy as he lit a match.

  He took a long drag of his cigar and gave his signature smile, which Jeremy had thought he might never see again. The bastard loved to put on a good show.

  “Me too. But listen, buddy, I’ve got about a million questions for you.”

  Eytan snorted and let out one of his his goofy laughs.

  “I promise to answer each and every one of them when the time comes. But we have to act fast, so just go with the flow and button up. Got it?”

  “Got it.”