The Edge unit was followed by ninety Israeli frogmen with full underwater tactical gear. They were organized at the jump-off point into three lines, and briefed by Rachel Bronot regarding their specific objectives. The first two lines entered the waters of the river which passed just one hundred yards from the drilling hole entrance in East Clover. They were to swim the length of the river to West Clover, where the concentration camp and power plant were located, then wait submerged until the official mission execution time, 10:40 a.m.
The third line was led by Ronald Fletcher and Mike Barnes. After they donned underwater gear and selected weapons, they swam to the center of the river near where it passed the Reich Temple. As they remained submerged, Fletcher’s team could hear the loud, rhythmic chanting of the thousands of Aryans that packed the Temple, causing the water to vibrate.
During this time, a battalion of 450 marines from the USS Inchon descended the shaft and organized into three companies. The first company’s objective was to secure the Reich Temple. The second company was break through SS defenses in South Clover and capture the elevator control room. The third company was to march to North Clover and demolish its defenses, however, they were not to enter the laboratory or destroy any of its infrastructure.
Accompanying the third company were the forty Navy Black Berets carrying the nuclear device. They were under strict orders that in the case of mission failure, or if they were unable to properly place the bomb before the 12:00 noon deadline, they would detonate it. The nuclear bomb would eradicate any stores of the agent as well as the transmitter believed to be located in the Reich Temple.
At 10:39, the Israeli frogmen prepared to emerge from their position in the river in West Clover. They were primed for action. Some looked at the mission as their opportunity for revenge against the accursed Nazis. Others thought about the Jewish prisoners of Valhalla, some of whom might even be their relatives. Every one took a short time to whisper a personal prayer to the One Above for success.
Only one minute remained before the official launch. The President of the United States and the Prime Minister of Israel had just finished their fifth telephone conversation. Both were on the edge of their seats. The next hour would decide the success or failure of Operation Nemesis and the future of mankind. In the Pentagon, HaKirya, the Sixth Fleet, and the Sahara Desert, tension had risen to a fever’s pitch. They had reached the point of no return. There was no going back now.
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As the minute hand on his diver’s watch reached 10:40, Lieutenant Commander Yitzhak Sofer ordered both units of Israeli frogmen under his command to emerge from the water and remove their wetsuits. It took them less than sixty seconds to don black fatigues, the official uniform of both Americans and Israelis taking part in the operation. Along with the uniforms, the water-tight polyurethane bags they had brought contained Israeli-made Uzi submachine guns and a variety of weapons and explosive equipment.
The area along the river’s edge was deserted. The commandos stood among towering mounds of freshly mined coal. Usually this section of the river was bustling with activity, with Jewish prisoners unloading barges of coal pulled by teams of fellow slaves from the mine. But as per Hitler’s decree, all Jews in Valhalla were confined to the concentration camp during today’s special service in the Reich Temple.
A team of Sofer’s frogmen carrying a modern automatic version of the medieval crossbow positioned themselves behind a mound of coal near the main gate of the electric power station. At 10:50 am, a loud collective thump was heard as the archers pulled the triggers on their crossbows and released their lethal arrows, causing the Gestapo guards at the gate to fall to the cavern floor. Four commandos who were trained demolitions experts ran at full speed toward the generators. When a spotter alerted them that a patrol of SS soldiers was approaching, they immediately dropped to a prone position. A hail of crossbow arrows rained out from behind the coal piles. When the four looked up, an additional ten Nazis were lying dead.
The demolition team arrived at the generators at 10:58 a.m. Each commando emptied his heavy backpack laden with C-4 plastic explosives and leaned the charges against a generator. They set their timers for 11:02 a.m. and then ran at full sprint back to the coal mounds. As the demolition experts dove for cover, a tremendous explosion ripped through the entire clover. Instantly all of Project Valhalla was thrown into total darkness.
The commandos in the first unit emerged from behind the coal mounds wearing a helmet with a special visor made of light amplifying glass. Small amounts of light, barely detectable by the naked eye, were being produced by devices placed by specialists in every unit participating in Operation Nemesis. This miniscule amount of light, amplified by the visor, allowed the frogmen as well as other participants in the operation to see clearly.
In West Clover, the elite Israeli frogmen split up into small groups and engaged the Nazis in several skirmishes. The minimal amount of light created by ineffectual Nazi automatic rifle fire was inadequate to remove the distinct advantage held by the Israeli forces due to superior vision, preparation, and guerilla tactics. In less than fifteen minutes, over two hundred Aryan supermen stationed in West Clover were dead without a single casualty among the Israeli frogmen.
When the Israeli commandos opened the doors to the barracks of Hell Camp, the Jewish prisoners were initially petrified. Lieutenant Commander Sofer, himself the son of concentration camp survivors, had tears in his eyes as he spoke in German over a portable megaphone.
“Do not be afraid. We are fellow Jews from the Jewish nation, Israel. We have come to free you.”
These words had an immediate calming effect on the prisoners. Although they were in total darkness, their eyes strained to see the source of the words of someone claiming to be a talking Jew. The frogmen fanned out and placed light-enhancing goggles over every inmate’s eyes. Then small group of frogmen organized the Jews into groups of fifty. The rest left to tackle their next objective, a siege on the SS Base in South Clover.
When the lights went out in the cavern complex, Rachel Bronot, Joshua, a company of marines, and the Black Berets carrying the nuclear device headed through North Clover toward the Broder Laboratory. When they reached the walkway that led toward the Reich Zoo, Joshua broke off from the group and ran toward the Human House. Rachel had expected this and told Major Carl Brenner to take over temporary command as she and a contingent of Marines accompanied Joshua.
Bronot followed Joshua to the Human House. She was in shock as she pointed her flashlight at the many cells, which featured life-size photographs of each of the former inhabitants. Yesterday they had all been shot save for Rabbi Cohen, who had been taken to the Reich Temple for today’s service. Joshua stood before the empty cell of his teacher and cried. Bronot did her best to comfort him. Then she led him and her unit towards the Broder Laboratory.
At the same time, a company of Marines joined the frogmen in their attack on the SS base in South Clover. During the battle, SS engineers were successful in initiating backup generators, flooding Valhalla with red emergency lights. During the battle, a unit of US Army engineers above ground set off explosives at the surface entrance of the elevator, blowing off its hinges. Cables were then attached to the mangled door, allowing a Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion cargo helicopter to drag it off the elevator shaft. Giant chain ladders were then unrolled into the shaft, and a battalion of Marines descended to assist in the battle. A short time later the entire SS base was captured, with all defending SS soldiers eliminated.
With the elevator shaft captured, the Israeli frogmen led their fellow Jews through the SS Base’s main gate and to the elevator shaft. The commandos wished them luck as the Jewish prisoners were lifted to the surface. Dozens of helicopters above ground were waiting to transport them to the abandoned airfield, where C-130 Hercules transport aircraft would fly them directly to Israel.
When the lights went out in the cavern complex, Ronald Fletcher and his group of frogmen emerged for their assault on the R
eich Temple. Though they initially found themselves in total darkness as expected, disaster soon struck. Unknown to the planners of Operation Nemesis, the attendees of the special service at the Reich Temple had been given prayer candles that were to be lit as Hitler broadcasted the code to release the Strain from its cylinders in Israel.
Soon after the Reich Temple was engulfed in darkness, a few congregants began to light their candles to see what was happening. The orange glow of the candles quickly exposed Fletcher and the frogmen, who had stealthily made their way into the Temple and were approaching the central podium. Gestapo honor guards alerted to the threat entered the Temple and opened fire with their StG 44 assault rifles. Eight frogmen were immediately hit before they were able to react. Fletcher and the frogmen were in an area without cover about fifty yards from the main stage.
High Priest Heinrich Mueller had just finished sealing Rabbi Gershon Cohen into the glass booth next to the sacrificial altar when the cavern was plunged into darkness. The booth had been specially constructed for this ceremony. Mueller had planned to press a large white button releasing the Strain into the booth at the same time the codes were transmitted as a demonstration of the Reich Gott’s power. When the cavern was plunged into darkness and gunfire erupted throughout the complex, Mueller took cover behind the sacrificial altar. He crawled over to Das Maschine and asked Hitler what should be done. Hitler responded by saying, “We will see who will get the last laugh! I will now release the Strain all over the world. Bring me my codes!”
Hitler, thanks to Schreiber, was able to hear the transpiring events. Already in a state of euphoria due to the current setting on Das Maschine, Hitler now took the greatest of pleasure in taking charge as the leader in charge of defending Valhalla. Free of his ailments that hampered him during his command of German Forces during the Defense of Berlin in April 1945, he would make sure this time the results would be in his favor.
Hitler barked out directions by way of a direct patch into the radio system of all SS and Gestapo units. He ordered them to make their way immediately to the Reich Temple. The attendees hearing the Reich Gott’s orders were inspired. With the Reich Gott in command, victory was assured. And they appeared justified in their beliefs, as the candles had created a major setback for Operation Nemesis.
Mueller scrambled down the steps and under the stage where the Reich Temple office was located. The code book for the Strain program, containing the precise location and the individual release code for every cylinder on Earth, was located in a safe in the office.
Reinforcements streamed into the Reich Temple as a result of Hitler’s orders. Fletcher, seeing the hopelessness of his unit’s present position, shouted out to the Israeli commandos in Hebrew. “Hold your fire! I repeat, do not fire! I’m calling in support.”
The disciplined commandos obeyed their American commander, despite the seemingly nonsensical command. Incoming fire was getting more intense.
He then picked up the walkie-talkie. “Unit One to Command Center One, over.”
“Command Center reads you, over.”
“We are pinned down by enemy fire, Send Edge! Repeat, send Edge! Over.”
“Message received. Edge squadron to be dispatched immediately. Over and out.”
In less than forty seconds, the twenty rocket-enhanced members of the elite Edge unit cruised over the walls of open-air Reich Temple. They adjusted their computer-controlled target finders to small arms fire. As the Gestapo honor guards, along with reinforcements of Gestapo and SS soldiers, continued to press their attack, edge helmet-based sensors detected their firing rifles and unleashed laser pulsations from the shoulder-mounted automated firing systems, melting the German weapons. Many of the magazines on the StG 44 rifles exploded as the intense heat of the lasers reached the gunpowder in the cartridges. Within minutes, the entire force of Gestapo security and SS reserves were either dead or disarmed. The shocked and unarmed attendees in the Temple fled to the exits of the stadium.
Fletcher spotted Mueller out of the corner of his eye as he emerged from beneath the stage with the code book. He looked exactly as Joshua had described. Seeing the book in Mueller’s hands, Fletcher immediately realized he was carrying the release codes for the transmitter. He ordered the frogmen to secure the stage area as he headed in Mueller’s direction.
When Mueller passed the Rabbi in the glass booth, he couldn’t resist the urge to see for himself the destructive power of the Strain. He reached for the white button that would release the deadly agent. The Rabbi stared at Mueller coldly. In a clear voice, he began to recite the most sacred of Jewish prayers, which as per tradition is declared before one’s death: “Hear O’ Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.”
Mueller watched the rabbi praying with some amusement. It brought back pleasant memories of the countless occasions in Nazi Germany when he had witnessed Jews uttering similar supplications before their death. He was about to press the white button when he felt a crash come down on his hand. The attacker grabbed Mueller’s arm and spun him one hundred and eighty degrees and on to the ground on his back. Mueller looked up and saw the face of Ronald Fletcher. He felt the steel needle of the Death Pin thrust into his nose and entering his brain. Fletcher released the microhooks and twisted with all his strength, decimating Mueller’s frontal lobe. He then removed the needle and wiped it clean on Mueller’s white satin robe. Fletcher then opened the door to the booth and released the Rabbi.
Fletcher asked, “Are you Rabbi Gershon Cohen?”
“I am Rabbi Cohen. How did you know?”
“From your friend, Joshua. He brought soldiers from the State of Israel and the United States of America to save you.”
The Rabbi burst out in tears, saying, “Thank God!”
Suddenly from behind the far side of the stage, Dr. Josef Schreiber jumped out of his hiding place wielding a MP40, better known as a Schmeisser. He aimed the gun at the Rabbi and Fletcher. But before he was able to fire, Barnes came out of nowhere and slapped him on the side of his face so hard that Dr. Schreiber slumped to the floor, dropping the gun.
Fletcher turned to Barnes. “How many times are you going to save me?”
Barnes chuckled. “As long as you’re my boss, you can be sure I’ll be there to protect your behind!”
Barnes then turned to the Rabbi. “Are you O.K.?”
Rabbi Cohen responded, “Yes, thanks to you. May God bless both of you all the days of your lives.”
Rabbi Cohen then turned towards Das Maschine. Looking at Fletcher and Barnes, he said, “You must destroy this evil apparatus. I know it is hard to believe, but I assure you that inside is the madman Adolf Hitler. May his name be erased forever.”
The three approached the undefended Das Maschine. Fletcher signaled to a pair of Israeli frogmen to drag Dr. Schreiber to them.
The Rabbi said, “This is Dr. Josef Schreiber. He is the man who made the machine that keeps Hitler alive. He is a wicked man who murdered thousands of Jews in his nefarious experiments.”
Fletcher turned towards Schreiber and hit him in the stomach with all of his strength. The Nazi immediately fell to the floor, clutching his abdomen. As he gasped for air, Fletcher ordered the two frogmen to pick him up. Fletcher motioned with hands that he was going to repeat the blow.
The terrified German gasped out, “Please, no!”
“Fine, I’ll give you a chance. How do you speak with this thing? Tell him it’s over, he’s been totally defeated.”
Before Schreiber could answer, Hitler, who had been listening, spoke up in his mechanical voice.
“How dare you defy the will of the Reich Gott?”
Fletcher, Barnes, and the two frogmen were amazed that the apparatus was actually talking to them through a speaker at the side of Das Maschine.
Fletcher responded. “Look, Mr. Reich Gott, or whatever you want to call yourself. It’s over. You’re finished.”
Hitler responded. “Insolent fool. You have no idea who you are speaking to. I am
the all-powerful Reich Gott. You should know that I have already won. My true vengeance is complete. I have already sent the code to release the Strain in Israel. The Jewish State is no more.”
The three gasped. Rabbi Gershon approached Das Maschine. It looked like he was about to smash it to the ground. Fletcher felt destroyed that he was helpless to stop this new Holocaust.
Suddenly Fletcher shouted, “Wait!”
The Rabbi stopped in his tracks. Fletcher grabbed Schreiber by the collar. “How is it that this device hears and speaks?”
“By way of these two boxes.”
Fletcher then looked at the panel at the front of the box. There was a dial conspicuously marked “Himmel.” “What does this do?” he asked Schreiber.
Schreiber said, “This dial maintains the Fuhrer in a state of euphoria.”
“You mean Hitler can experience feelings?”
“That’s correct. It’s set right now to the highest level of pleasure. He is currently at a level of perfect bliss not achievable by mortal man.”
Fletcher turned the dial counterclockwise to lower the level but found it wouldn’t turn more than 30 degrees. “I think it’s stuck,” he said. He pried the metal panel surrounding the dial off Das Maschine. “Look, I see the problem, there’s this metal tab here.” Bending the tab, Fletcher was now able to turn the dial to the lowest setting. A burst of mechanical cursing in German erupted through the speaker of Das Maschine.
“What are you doing?” yelled Dr. Schreiber. He lunged for the machine and turned the dial back up.
Turning to Fletcher, Dr. Schreiber shouted, “You don’t understand! That’s the level of ultimate pain! No living being should experience such pain!”
Agent of Vengeance Page 21