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Prologue: April 17th, 1959
With a short creak and the slam of a lock bolt clicking out of place, Former General of the 7th Army Fredrich Dollmann stepped out of his mansion into the bright Munich morning. The day was beautiful, so beautiful that it almost hid the terrible truth that was plastered on every respectable newspaper in the German world and in the minds of the citizens living in it:
FUHRER CONTRACTS NEAR-FATAL STROKE
The government had tried to hide it, of course. For weeks, multiple press corporations had been raided and their journalists vanished, with mountains of burnt paper and machines left behind. However, the Fuhrer, for some unknown reason, decided to release the truth. A censored, half-truth, but truth, nonetheless.
Dollmann had known almost hours after the event had occurred through his correspondents in Germania, but they had only heard rumors of what was happening in the German capital thus far. Today, everything had changed. He headed back inside and turned on his television, and blurry pictures of hospital beds and news reporters reassuring the public that Hitler was in perfect health appeared on the screen.
He sighed. He knew this day had been coming for weeks and had been making the necessary arrangements beforehand. This morning would mark the first day of his new plan, a plan which had been brewing in his mind for years ever since he had retired from his military command. He reached for his phone, which was connected to a landline he himself had funded and overseen the construction of, as a charity to the people of Munich. However, now he was using it for a far different task. He entered the number that they had arranged, and with a brief bit of static, a gruff voice came on the phone.
“Yes, Commander? I have seen the news. Is it time?”
Dollmann caught his breath. He knew that from this moment forward, his family would never be completely safe in the Reich again, hunted by the military he had helped to create. His wife and children were sleeping upstairs, and he had already arranged safe travel to Bulgaria for them. Their lives were now secondary to the plan and were no longer his concern.
With a slight huff, Commander of the New Army for Germany Fredrich Dollmann spoke into the receiver. “Yes. Tell the agents to begin preparations for Operation Neues Deutschland.”
Part 1: May 4th, 1964 – A Short Walk to Hell
Emil risked a glance at the wall clock. 18:53, it read. Only a few minutes till break, he thought. And then he could travel back to the small shack he called home in the rear of the property. Sure, it didn’t have power or water, and it sure as hell didn’t have air conditioning like the property master’s room, but it still beat his old home, if you could even call it one. But he caught himself from thinking anymore about that time and refocused on his job in front of him. And the large person in front of it, blocking his view.
“EMIL HORTZ! Finish your work THIS INSTANT! Or I swear I’ll send you RIGHT BACK TO THE STREETS WHERE YOU BELONG!” He looked up. In front of him, fuming, was Mrs. Dollmann, the lady of the house. She was pointing to the unfolded stack of laundry behind her which had only grown while he was reminiscing. “Almost every other worker here has finished their work already and they get to leave early! But YOU have something against me, because apparently the security of this house and your PRESTIGIOUS job are not your concern! The nerve of it-”
He tuned her out. He was used to the ranting and screaming, and he knew he’d be getting chewed at by her for the next half hour or so. He looked around, and a teasing face caught his eye, the only other one still working in the room. Erwin was sitting in front of Mrs. Dollmann with a fully finished stack of laundry. Emil rolled his eyes. Erwin was always finishing first, doing the most, being his best, like he had
something to prove. It’s not like he would get better pay for his work. Most likely he’d just have more chores piled on.
In fact, rumor had it that the master of the house had been mismanaging the money and that the Dollmanns were in a bit of financial trouble recently. It certainly didn’t help that most of their servants intentionally worked as little as possible to get out of the mansion quicker. Speaking of which.
“THAT’S IT! You are hereby DISMISSED from this estate!” she screamed. He recoiled in shock. Even Erwin looked stunned. There was practically no one searching for servant jobs right now, ever since the Factories had opened in full swing in all major German cities. But yes, she was indeed saying what he thought she was. “You have exactly ONE hour to pack up your belongings, and then I hope to the Lord I never have to see your fac-”
At that moment another one of the servants, an elder one, appeared from the hallway. From his clothes, Emil could see he was one of the master’s personal servants. He looked down at the unfolding scene and grimaced at Emil in pity. “Hello Missus, I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I am here to inform you that your husband requests the presence of Mr. Hortz and Goudier immediately.” Emil and Erwin stared at each other in disbelief. Why would Mr. Dollmann want them? Mrs. Dollmann looked equally confused. She muttered, “Of course Friedrich wants you at the one time I have you two here! Fine, escort them to his quarters.”
Emil’s stomach turned for a bit as they entered the stairwell up to the fourth floor, where Mr. Dollmann’s office was. Was he finally going to be punished for his laziness at work? What about his job? He caught himself thinking. This was stupid, he’d already been fired, and Mrs. Dollmann would just wait until after the summons was over to officially kick him out of the mansion and the only job he’d ever had.
As they reached the top of the stairwell, they passed Mr. Dollmann’s collection of memorabilia from the War. Bloody helmets and guns with the names of unfamiliar countries and armies lined the walls of the hallway. He was born only months after the War ended, but nobody had bothered to teach him what happened, not like most of it would have been true anyway. Everyone knew the Government’s version of events shied away from the blood, the savagery, and the millions of deaths which even he had heard rumors of from the older servants when he was working. Even then, that story was rarely told, because in practice no one really talked about the War at all if they could help it.
His train of thought was broken when he caught Erwin eyeing an old radio with what looked like a small notebook next to it. To his alarm, when their escort looked into a room to find the key to the study, Erwin shoved them into the pockets of his old jacket. Emil grabbed his arm. “What are you thinking, you idiot? Do you want to get us whipped and thrown out the house?” he angrily whispered. Erwin glanced back at the servant before replying. “I don’t know, I just wanted to, you know, have a look at it, and- ...yeah.” was all he could muster. Before Emil could demand the souvenirs back, the servant came out of the room and opened the door for them.
“Have fun, I hope you make it back in one piece,” he sniggered as Erwin and Emil walked into whatever lay next.
***
Mr. Dollmann looked at them expectantly from across the large wooden desk. He was a large and built man, but his age was showing in the roots of his hair and the many wrinkles between him and his once youthful self. His uniform, adorned with dozens of pieces of regalia and medals from his time as Commander, was showing the age of clothing hung out to dry one too many times. Nonetheless, an air of authority radiated out from him into the old study around them.
“Come, boys, sit down. I have some news for you.” he called from his seat. With a cautious glance toward each other, Erwin and Emil sat down on the small seats that had been prepared for them. “Now, I know you are wondering why you are here, and why you are not home, preparing for your nightly activities, and do not worry, I will get to that. However, if you would like to indulge me for a moment, I would like to tell you both a story.” Erwin looked entranced. “What story, sir?” he asked with curiosity. Emil was equally curious but didn’t want to look like a suck-up in front of his superior. “I will tell you both my story of the War. And no, before you die of boredom, this version will not be the highly sanitized and frankly insulting version Mr. Hitler would have you believe.”
Now Emil was really interested. Wasn’t he a former commander? Why was he insulting his former employer like this? And not just any employer, the Fuhrer of the Reich, whose word was law? He sat up straighter in his chair and re-tucked his shirt around the edges. Erwin looked like he might just die of excitement. Funny, considering he’d just nicked some of Mr. Dollmann’s property.
He began, with a bit of over-pompous energy, “When the War began, we were told it was one of honor, of throwing of the chains that were bound on us by the foreign powers! I believed this too, and it was with my orders that we swept across France and any who opposed us. We believed we were invincible! However, it was not long after my army was redeployed into Russia that we learned the true horrors of the War.” Mr. Dollmann paused for a moment before continuing. “I saw my own men run head-first into Soviet gunfire. I saw many who never even battled the Soviets fall face first into the snow, never to be seen again. It was my troops who were forced to chase the remnants of the cowardly Russians across the Urals, and it was my men who had to deal with the mess that was left behind in that hellhole of a country.”
“When I finally was relieved of my command, I could finally clear my thoughts on the matter. And I realized whose fault this disaster we are left with is. The person responsible for the deaths of millions of good Germans. That power-hungry, incompetent, cowardly, son-of-a-bitch HITLER!” Dollmann yelled, and then as though instinctively, he turned away from the dumbstruck boys to close the curtains a little tighter and check for policemen down below. Emil sat in his chair, feeling a little dazed. Was he really in this room with the same Friedrich Dollmann who supposedly commanded troops across Europe under the Fuhrer’s watchful eye? Clearly age had changed his opinions on the man. And why was he so angry? It’s not like there was much he could do, anyways. Beside him, Erwin was nodding along, almost like he was agreeing with Dollmann. Like he’d ever held opinions on the War before. As far as Emil knew, he was just a good little Nazi boy, working in the system. Dollmann continued his speech.
“Anyways, boys, I’m sorry for that outburst, but I hope you know understand what I am getting at.” Emil didn’t understand at all, but he let Dollmann continue anyways. “No doubt you have heard the rumors that I have been recklessly and illegitimately spending the money which has been entrusted to me. I assure you; this purpose is anything but illegitimate. The point of this lecture was to prepare you for what I have been spending the estate’s money on. As you know, a few years back, the Fuhrer was hit with a severe stroke which left him running the country from his deathbed. Clearly this is no way for the Reich to continue. So, in the interests of the people of Germany, I have decided to depose Hitler from his self-proclaimed throne and restore order to this empire.” He let the point sink in as what the words he was saying clicked into meaning in Emil’s head.
Was he really saying what Emil thought he was? You couldn’t just depose the leader of the largest Empire on the planet. It was a miracle he hadn’t been discovered and taken away years ago. And what did he want to do, lead his mansion in rebellion against Hitler? That was a good way to get stabbed in the back. Clearly, he is a madman, Emil thought.
“So, in line with that thinking, for the past few years I have been preparing an army to take back control of the Empire. Most of the military is in on the plan, and I believe now is the best time to strike.”
It was here that Erwin finally decided to speak up. “So, sir, you want to coup the government? And why is now the best time to do so? And-” As he was talking, Mr. Dollmann quickly shook his head and interrupted him. “No, you misunderstand. A coup is when a rowdy bunch of overconfident fools bust down the doors of the palace and declare themselves king. This plan is made to restore others and myself back to our former positions. As for why, I think it is better that you do not have all the details, just for security reasons. I’m sure you understand.”
This sounded more and more suspicious to Emil, but he decided to join in the conversation. “So, what’s the point of telling us all this, sir? Can’t you just call the ringleader and tell him to begin the plan?” At this, Dollmann reached into his desk and brought out an old Hagenuk rotary phone from one of his cabinets. “Indeed, I used to have a direct connection with them. Alas, one day some whistleblower at the intelligence agency noticed my cable was suspiciously missing the required government tapping devices, and that was the end of that. Neither of us are stupid enough to send letters or radio broadcasts, and I obviously cannot waltz into the capital myself, so there is only one possibility left at my disposal.”
Erwin’s eyes bulged in their sockets. Apparently, he had already figured out where this long-winded speech was going. He asked with incredulity, “Are you sure this is best idea, sir?” Emil stared at him. “What idea are you on about? I have no idea what's happening right now.” Dollmann laughed. “You see, Emil, to save Germany and finish Hitler’s reign of terror, I require a physical person to accompany the order. Two people, in fact. Two, relatively young people, who can simply walk into Germania and deliver the orders right to them, without the old guard even noticing!” Dollmann clapped his hands in delight.
That’s it, this plan is a fool’s errand, and I need to get back to my home, Emil thought. “Sir, with all due respect, I can’t believe you’d think we’d do this for you just because we work for you. This is ridiculous! What’s even in it for us?” Dollmann sat back in his chair and appeared to be in deep thought.
As Emil found himself beginning to lose focus, he finally responded, “Now, now, I get where you’re coming from. And I know you youngsters don’t like all the strict rules and such.” Erwin chimed in, “And the torturing and starvation, too,” Emil stared at him. “-sir,” he finished. Dollmann waved his hands. “Yes, yes, that too. You see, all those horrendous systems were really put in place to keep Hitler in power, no matter what his overzealous group of cultists would have you believe. So, once we take Hitler out of power, we will begin reforming the government for the betterment of the people of Germany. We could even have some elections if it gets stable enough! There really are endless possibilities once we remove the Fuhrer from the equation. So!” he clapped his hands on his knees and stood up. “I believe we are in agreement! I’ll have my servants prepare the necessary documentation and such and then we’ll see you off tomorrow!”
As Emil was about to begin asking more questions, he ushered the boys out the door and locked it behind them. With nowhere else to go, Emil and Erwin began heading downstairs again to return to their quarters. Emil finally decided to ask the questions burning in his mind since the meeting started. He turned to Erwin and began, “Hey, what were you talking about with the starving and torturing and all that stuff? I’ve never heard you be such a political guy before.”
Erwin looked a bit startled for a moment before looking down at the floor. “Oh, you know, my parents hated the government when they were still getting started, so they were able to protest back in the 30’s. Well, after they took over, one day the Gestapo came in and shot them right in front of my eyes. I’ve lived on the streets and then here ever since. So, I don’t really like the government, but the only jobs for me are either slaving in the Factories or working here, for a former general. So, unless I want to get myself killed, I’m not very inclined to sharing my opinion here.”
Emil felt a little bad for Emil’s story, but something was off. “You saw your parents getting killed? How did you survive yourself? Don’t they leave no witnesses?” Erwin looked straight in his eyes. “You’d think they would, but maybe they preferred to give the dissidents’ kid a horrible life than no life at all.”
With a lurch in his stomach, Emil decided to change the subject. “So, do you think we should take up Mr. Dollmann’s task? I think he overestimates how fast two teenagers can travel across the country, find a highly secretive organization, and deliver orders to them without getting caught.” They both stared at the sky for a moment, and Erwin finally replied, “Well, I don’t think we have much of a choice either way, do we?”
***
After a rushed morning of preparation, orders, and getting their documentation in order, Emil, Erwin, and a servant who could drive were finally getting settled into the automobile Mr. Dollmann had prepared for them. Mr. Dollmann peered into the window to send them off. “Remember, the future of the Reich is in your hands. Handle it responsibly.” If he had not been in front of Dollmann, he would have rolled his eyes. He really was trusting some teenagers to complete his oh-so-important plan! After some last-minute preparations, the car finally started, and they set off on the streets of Munich.
The first few hours of the drive were all in all, very quiet. No one recognized them and luckily the servant was a well enough driver to avoid accidents. Not too long after, they entered the Bavarian countryside and were traveling down old run-down roads that had not been revamped by the new industrialization program. Emil stared out his window at the small farms and factories that passed by. He was amazed at how much land they had out here. A small barn passed by that had what looked like dozens of hectares of farmland behind it. In the city, you could be lucky to get a few hundred square meters for a reasonable price.
With nothing to talk about and nothing to look at, after a few hours Emil dozed off. When he woke up, it was evening and Erwin was shaking his shoulder. They were near the outskirts in the city, still in the countryside. “Wake up, we’re approaching the checkpoint to enter the capital. Act natural.”
As they approached the gate, an SS officer came out of the guardhouse and stopped them, pistol in hand. “Travel papers?” he inquired. The servant, who Emil remembered as Harman, quickly brought out the papers that Dollmann had forged for them. “Work or travel?” The servant quickly replied, “Work, sir.” The officer took the papers and returned to the guardhouse. Why was he taking so long? If Emil had been paying attention to Dollmann’s briefing, that was all that was needed to enter the capital. After a few minutes of waiting, he came back out again. “Sorry to waste your time, but I require one last document. It’s a new measure implemented by the government for the security of the population in Germania, but every land-owning German citizen should have received it in the mail by now. Do you have your papers with biometric proof of Aryan descent?”
Emil’s face blanched. Was he serious? Dollmann had never mentioned anything like this before. The idiot hadn’t even bothered to check if anything had changed in the process since he was last in the capital. While everyone in the car stalled, the soldier grew more and more suspicious until he cocked his gun and asked, “If you do not have your papers, you can either leave or be detained here until we have them in order. Your choice.”
This was horrible, but if it were Emil’s choice, he would have backed off, went back to Dollmann, and figured something else out. Or better yet just forget the plan entirely and leave this mess behind. However, Harman had other plans, and in an act of, in Emil’s opinion, pure stupidity, hit the accelerator.
The guard screamed, “STOP THIS INSTANT!” and began firing his gun into the driver’s window. Glass shattered and fell onto Emil as the car shot forward, straight into the gate. The cheap metal bars crumpled under the wheels as more shots were fired. The car began to swerve without control, as Harman crumpled in his seat, blood spurting from his head and neck. “Get control of the car! We’re going to crash!” he yelled.
Emil jumped over him and took control of the wheel as the car steadied and they shot down the highway. Luckily, there were almost no cars on the road, and he was able to at least partially control the car’s path. He tried not to look at Harman, who was sounding worse and worse as time went on. Eventually, he found a forested area and crashed the car into one of its trees. “Hey! What was that for?” Erwin groaned. Emil shot back, “We must leave the car behind. The guard saw the license plate, and I don’t feel like getting chased by the Gestapo. We’ll have to go on foot. Help me get Harman out.”
After a minute of carrying and supporting him, they were able to lay him on the forest floor and examine him further. It was a miracle that he was still alive, because from what Emil could see, he had two bullet holes in his head and one near his chin. He was losing blood, fast, and his breaths came in long, laborious groans. Somehow, he was still conscious, and Emil could barely keep himself from hitting him. “What were you thinking! You almost killed us all!” he screamed.
Harman looked at him with half-seeing eyes, and slowly muttered, “I’m sorry… Dollmann gave me special orders… keep moving, no matter what…I did ask him why…he said something about trouble in the capital…and he said the plan would take many months before fruition...couldn’t get much more out of him…” With this, he gave a bloody cough and groaned loudly. Emil began, “So you decided to ram through a security gate? Why-” Erwin shot his hand up to Emil’s mouth.
In his rage, he had not seen that Harman’s breaths had gotten slower and slower, and his eyes had gotten dimmer and dimmer, until finally they froze, locked onto some unseen sight in the distance, and his hands dropped onto the ground. Emil and Erwin both sat there silently for a moment, until wordlessly they both began hauling his body into a patch in the brush and covered it with leaves. As the moon began to rise in the sky, they finally finished, and both stood up.
Emil said, “Well, let’s get going. If we hurry, we can make it to Germania in the morning.” They could already hear the faint shrill of police sirens in the distance, and they were only getting louder by the minute. With one fewer member than before, they both gathered their supplies and set off near the highway, struggling not to think about how better their lives had been only a day before.
***
As the sun began to rise on the streets of Germania, Emil and Erwin sat huddled in an alleyway, forging their next plans. Emil muttered, “Do you remember where this blasted movement is? I don’t remember anything from Dollmann’s speeches. You know what, maybe we should just leave here and find another job. What’s the point, we’re all going to end up like Harman anyways.” Erwin stared at him for a long time, with dark eyes.
“Leave to where, idiot? We have no transportation and no supplies. Might as well get the plans to them so they can send us home.” Emil had to admit he was right, and his stomach was already rumbling after the meagre meal they had had a few hours before. Erwin continued, “I remember where they are. Follow me.”
Although they were new to the city, it was not very hard to get their bearings. After only a few minutes of wandering, they found themselves on wider and wider roads, eventually ending in the largest pavilion Emil had ever seen. His stomach dropped at the sight.
The pavilion was lined with tanks and artillery on both sides, which were draped with silk flags bearing the Nazi swastika. The main road from it continued a long way, and Emil could see the remnants of rubble and construction work on the sides of the road. It eventually ended in a huge building, reaching up to the sky, which mainly consisted of a huge marble sphere which dominated the skyline around it.
Emil started, “Well, I guess we found the main road. The headquarters aren’t a long way from he-” Erwin clapped his hand to his mouth. “Quiet! Look!” Now, looking out, he could see hundreds of soldiers practicing drills in front of the building, and small figures beginning in and out of it, as well as around the city. Any louder and they would be heard by everyone in Germania. Erwin muttered, “Let’s hurry and get out of here, or else we’ll practically be handing ourselves in.”
After what seemed like an eternity of walking down winding roads and looping in circles, they finally found themselves on what seemed like a dead avenue, in front of a small dingy apartment building that had an EVICTION notice on its door. “Is this it? It looks abandoned.” Emil asked. “That’s the point,” Erwin replied, and he walked up to the door and knocked on it.
With a bit of what sounded like shuffling on the inside, the door opened a crack, and a gruff voice shot out, “Who’s there? I’m telling you; we just need a few days to gather our bags and-” A small eye appeared in the crack, and he finally saw the boys. “What do you want you ruffians? We have no time for this foolery at this hour.” Emil replied, “We are with Mr. Dollmann, sir.” The eye at the door bulged, grabbed the boys inside, and locked the door behind them.
“What are you, stupid? Mr. Dollmann is not very well liked here now, and you’re just yelling his name to the first person at the door? What does he even need anyways, we’ve already told him that preparations are going fine.” Erwin pulled out a folder of papers from his satchel and handed it to the man. “Mr. Dollmann says it's time for the plan to go through.”
His face blanched. “Now? I see the logic, but we are a bit undermanned right now… I’ll have to call Wagner; he’ll know what to do…” He then spontaneously ran to a small door in the back of the apartment and yelled, “TERESA! GET THE DIRECTOR!” Emil sniggered, “Not very quiet, is he?” After a few moments, a tall man walked out the door, followed by a woman carrying several stacks of paper and folders. The man who had greeted them went into the room and closed the door.
He came up to Emil and Erwin and shook their hands. “Well, I see Mr. Dollmann has finally decided to send his orders? About time. Come, we have much to see.” Reluctantly, they followed him into the room from which he came and down a long stairwell, finally arriving at a huge basement.
It was stocked full of guns, guns for as far as the eye could see, as well as mines, barricades, and other equipment that Emil didn’t even know the names of. The man continued, “My name is Mr. Wagner, and this is our base of operations. Impressive, isn’t it?” Erwin looked amazed, and replied, “How? So much weaponry, how did you get all of it?” Wagner laughed and took the hand of the woman. “That would be the work of my beautiful wife Teresa, who happens to have several connections to army suppliers within the Factories, and she is very persuasive, if you know what I mean.” Teresa blushed and checked her papers again.
Emil looked back at the stockpile. “But don’t you need men to use all this equipment? It seems almost too much to use.” Wagner stared at him for a little while. “Yes, that would be a very good assessment. Luckily, Hitler has many enemies in the government, many of which would more than gladly take up arms against him. Now, with Dollmann’s orders, we can finally topple him.” He turned back from the stockpile, and they followed him.
As they ascended the stairs again, Emil began, “Well, this has been a very interesting visit, but now that we’ve delivered the orders, can you provide us with transportation back to Munich? Ours was-” But Wagner interrupted him, “No, no, no, we cannot let you out of our sight! Do you know how easy it would be for the Gestapo to notice two suspicious boys travelling home alone? Or, even worse, you could betray us! I’m sorry, but for the safety of the movement, you’ll have to stay with us.
Emil was shocked. This was not what he had agreed to, and he replied, “But-” However, for the third time in as many days, Erwin hit him in the mouth, and he stayed quiet. Wagner saw his face and replied, “Oh, do not be worried, we have ample supplies and room for you two to stay a few months. You can just sit back and enjoy the show.”
And with that, Emil and Erwin were left alone in the hallway, as Wagner and his entourage went into the room by themselves. Emil plopped, frustrated, on the couch. “Why do we have no control? I just want to leave this mess of a world.” Erwin grimaced and Emil could see he felt the same.
***
Months passed as Emil and Erwin stayed in the cramped building, waiting for the day when Wagner would finally announce the coup's start. They rarely saw any members other than the director, Teresa, and the owner of the building. Teresa was the one who took care of them the most, feeding them and providing news from the outside. Soon, it was almost July, and finally Wagner called all of them to the operations room for a special announcement.
He stood in the center of the room, with a small stack of papers in hand. “Welcome, everyone. Next week, we will march down the streets of Germania! This week, however, we must arm the other members of the plot. So, you will all be getting sent out to their house and giving them some complementary ‘aid’ packages. I trust you all will be faithful to the plot, since none of you have tried to leave. Here are your assignments.”
Emil was handed a list of about a hundred names and addresses and a map of Germania with the houses of the members marked. They headed downstairs where Wagner explained how to disassemble the guns and mines and hide them in secret pockets of the backpacks Teresa had made.
When all the initial preparations were made, the backpacks were packed on top with loaves of bread, water, and soap, and the boys, Teresa, and the owner were sent out into the street. Emil started to walk next to Erwin, but he stopped him. “No, together we will attract too much attention. You’ll have to go alone.” Decidedly more nervous, Emil set off on his journey.
For the first few apartments, everything went to plan. He would walk up to the door, and the owner would act surprised for a moment before Emil uttered the phrase that Wagner had told him. “The eagle flies at midnight.” Erwin had laughed when he heard it, before a short whack to the nose by Teresa.
He would then enter their room or apartment, and he would distribute the guns and equipment to everybody there. It was almost funny the mixed looks of desperation and joy that would light up on their faces almost every time. After that he could quickly leave to avoid arousing suspicion from the many policemen on the street below.
Emil was on his last distribution trip when he spotted the shining uniform of a Gestapo officer in the crowd. This was normal, and Emil had gotten used to walking past them without so much as a cold sweat in the back. This time was different, however, as the officer headed straight toward him, forming a part in the bustling crowd. With not even a glance at Emil, he grabbed his neck and ripped off the backpack from his back.
“Do not resist, we are preforming a routine inspection of your personnel.” From the looks on the passerby’s face, this was anything but routine. Emil was thrown, face to the ground, before he could even speak. He could feel blood pooling in his mouth through his numb tongue. From what he could see, the officer was throwing out loaves of bread and boxes of soap, and Emil could tell he was nearing the fake bottom. He didn’t have much time before he would be found out.
With as much strength as he could muster, he rolled out from under the officer and punched him in the gut. Startled, he fell on his back and Emil ran away as fast as he could. The few people that were left on the street scrambled out of his way as the officer regained his footing and fired wild shots from his pistol, shouting obscenities.
Emil could hear the whistle of bullets in his ear, but as far as he could tell he made it out unscathed. He ducked into a nearby alleyway and hid in the trash until dark.
When he finally made it back to the apartment building in the morning, he was ambushed by Erwin, who slapped him on the face. “We thought you were arrested! Where were you?” Emil grimaced. “I sort of was, but I’m fine now!” Erwin sniggered, “Fine except for your ear, that is.” Emil felt his earlobe, or rather the warm and wet hole where it used to be. “Well, I did make it out unscathed. Except they took the backpack. Sorry about that,” he said to Wagner who had run into the room.
Wagner stared at him with cold eyes before sighing a deep, long sigh. “The plan has been compromised,” he finally said. “We cannot delay any longer. Teresa, prepare my supplies and the radio hijacker.” He swept past them, into the operations room, and he didn’t even bother to close the door behind him. He pulled out a stack of deep red papers from underneath his cabinet and pulled on his glasses, and he began to read through them.
“Tonight, Germania will fall.”
***
Emil woke up from his nap in a cold sweat. He found Erwin in front of him, examining a piece of paper with big, bold letters on the back. TO EMIL AND ERWIN, it read. He sat up and began reading through it with Erwin.
The boys are to accompany me and the Alpha unit up the steps of Victory Arch to the Dome in the north while the Beta and Gamma units control the other government buildings and the Reichstag. There we will announce the restoration of Germany’s honor, as well as the abolishment of Hitler’s regime. Must be ready by 19:00 for final briefing and preparation.
With this, Emil looked at the clock on the nearby wall. It read 18:53, and he remembered with a laugh how much better his life had been just a few months before. He then finally realized what that time meant and shot up from the couch.
“Oh no! We must prepare! What do I-” Erwin stopped him. “Don’t worry, I’ve already gotten everything ready. Let’s just wait for Wagner.”
After a few minutes, Teresa came into the room from upstairs and began setting up what looked like radio equipment. “Can you help me get this standing, boys?” After a few minutes of wrestling with the old equipment it was ready. At that moment, Wagner came into the room, followed by the owner of the building, holding a long piece of paper.
“Well, everyone, its finally time, isn’t it? And no better time, too. My informants in the Gestapo have informed me that tonight was planned to be a raid on the apartment building. Apparently, someone had fought with police and left contraband with our IDs on it.”
He stared pointedly at Emil, who cringed slightly. He continued, “No matter now, it’s time to save Germany!” Everyone in the room applauded, and Emil followed suit. Wagner sat down in the chair and turned on the equipment. “Luckily, the main emergency frequency of Germania is coincidentally offline right now, meaning it will be trivial to get connected to the main broadcasting infrastructure.” He winked, and after a few moments the light on the microphone went yellow and the button below it lit up.
With only a moment’s hesitation, he hit the button and all at once, alarms outside the apartment blared a low tone before reverting to static. Wagner breathed a deep sigh before starting. “Guten Abend, my fellow citizens, and I know this is not the usual voice on this frequency, who tells you stories of new attacks from the inferiors of society, or who sings praise to the imbeciles currently residing in the government.”
As he spoke, his words were reverberated by alarms and speakers outside, and Emil could hear general confusion outside before Wagner continued.
“No, today, I come to bring you news of a new start for Germany, and a new start for us all. This may be a shock for some of you, but all we ask is that you stay indoors and remain calm. While we wish not to harm our fellow Germans, our plans cannot be interrupted while we liberate this city.” He breathed deeply again, before reaching the magnum opus of his speech. “So, with that, I have one final word for those who know the truth. The eagle flies at midnight.”
After those words, all hell broke loose outside the apartment. Wagner quickly gathered his belongings, and they all followed him outside. His supporters were rushing down the street towards him as the usual evening crowds dispersed and ran back to their families. Gestapo policemen were already firing on them, but Wagner’s men formed a shield around them and began returning fire.
One by one, the bullets stopped raining down on them, and the unit began travelling down the street. As they went, the boys were handed mines and barricades, and they began forming a blockade ahead. Emil could already see fires starting in the distance.
After some time, the party made it through small firefights in the streets before reaching the main plaza in front of the Dome. There, the Gestapo had formed an impenetrable barricade in front of the door, and Wagner’s men were trying and failing to get their way through. Emil knew that there was only one reason they would guard it so heavily.
Hitler was inside.
Emil turned to Wagner. “How are we going to get inside? There’s no way that we could make it through without losing half our men.” He coughed from the heavy soot in the air. Wagner somehow smiled through the smoke. “I thought you knew the military was on our side?”
Soon, Emil could hear the grumbling under his feet as he saw a parade of tanks and artillery pieces arrive on the main square. Behind them was a trail of destruction and dead bodies who had tried to resist. There were dead bodies everywhere, in fact, so many that the ground beneath him was beginning to run red with blood. The tanks rolled out onto the plaza, and Wagner took his radio out once again. “Defenders of the Fuhrer, we give you one chance to surrender before we blast you to smithereens. We wish not to spill German blood, but you should not test your fate.”
At this, some of the men in the doorway fled into the crowd, but the majority stayed put. Emil guessed that this was probably most of the police force in one place, as the rest of the city was in almost complete chaos. Wagner stood for a second before grimacing and saying, “You have chosen your fate. So be it.” He raised his hand into the air and pointed at the wall of defenders. “FIRE!” he shouted. All at once, a deafening orchestra of shells, artillery, and bullets shot at the defenders at once. Time almost seemed to slow down as the wall of ammunition soared 100 meters across the courtyard to the Dome.
A fireball almost as large as the building itself mushroomed where the men once were. Its cloud of smoke billowed into the sky, joining the smog above. Wagner began to shout in triumph; however, the cry was very short-lived. As the seconds passed, the structure began to creak and tilt, and for a split second as the smoke cleared, Emil could see a huge hole in the side before the whole structure came crashing, crashing down onto the people below.
Emil’s face blanched. “Oh, no,” he muttered, as the sound of screaming intensified by a few dozen fold. Emil could see hundreds of people trapped in their own blood and the blood of many others under the rubble. Wagner shouted into the radio, “ALL MEN WHO CAN WALK, HELP YOUR BROTHERS!” Small bands of people began to form, picking through the rubble. Wagner yelled at him and Emil, “GO JOIN THEM!”
The next few hours were horrid. Emil saw and dug out the trapped arms of people, only to find that the bodies they were attached to no longer existed. The whole plaza was red with blood and grey with dust, as Wagner brought excavators and men with shovels to dig out more men. After what seemed like eternity, almost everyone (or everyone’s remaining parts) was recovered.
Emil was resting in the one place still dry in the plaza, when a man ran up to him. “Hey, you, come help me! I think you’ll be very interested with who I’ve found.” Emil followed him, bleary eyed, to a patch of rubble further than all the others. It had a strange shape, almost rectangular, and he realized that it was because there was a steel box of some kind underneath.
There was a hole in the steel, and as Emil scrambled ahead to get a better look, he had a sinking feeling of what would be in there.
Inside, draped on a small table with a dead radio, barely alive and with bullet holes in his stomach, was Adolf Hitler, Fuhrer of the Third Reich.
More men followed him into the bunker, along with Wagner himself. He stared at Hitler with dead eyes. “Get the medical team, we are not letting him die on his terms.” A few minutes later, a small team of men and women dressed in white came in and brought him out.
“Where are they taking him?” Emil asked Wagner, who replied, “He’s being sent to the Reichstag, which is where we’ll be heading in a few hours. I have a very special event planned for him there.” With that ominous tone, Wagner left the building, and Emil returned to help the wounded leave the rest of the rubble.
Later in the evening, another announcement came over the emergency system. “Ladies and gentlemen of Germany, please make your way over to the Reichstag. Attendance is of urgent importance.” Emil found Erwin nearby and together they headed over to where everyone else was going.
When they arrived, a huge crowd had already formed in front of the building, where Wagner’s men formed a small barricade around the front courtyard. Emil turned to Erwin. “Should we look for the director?” He shook his head. “I think he’ll be coming out on his own.”
Soon, a silence came over the crowd, as a short procession of military generals, parliament members, and Wagner’s men came out of the building. Behind them was Wagner and his wife, and behind them was Hitler, being escorted by guards.
The man himself looked old, at least into his 70’s. His moustache and hair were already faded white, and he could barely keep himself standing with all the scars in his side. Emil almost felt bad for him.
As they approached the front of the courtyard, the guards forced Hitler to his knees, and Wagner took out a large piece of paper and announced to the crowd, “Finally, after 30 years, we have apprehended the fiend which has been haunting Germany for decades. For his crimes against the German nation, the German people, and German honor, this court hereby finds Adolf Hitler, former Fuhrer of the Third Reich, guilty of treason against Germany and crimes against humanity. His sentence is immediate execution.”
Emil now noticed a man who walked up to the front of the courtyard, behind Wagner. With a start he realized it was none other than Friedreich Dollmann. He nudged Erwin who also gasped, eyes wide. Wagner smiled and shook Dollmann’s hand. He passed him a pistol. “Would you like to do the honors?” Dollmann accepted it and gestured to the crowd. “My pleasure!”
As he walked up behind Hitler, a canvas bag was placed over his head. That’s the last light he’ll ever see, Emil thought. Dollmann placed the barrel of the gun on his skull and proclaimed, “FOR GERMANY!!” Almost right after, the court, and soon the whole crowd, echoed his cry of, “FOR GERMANY!!” And with that, Dollmann cocked the pistol and fired straight through the bag into Hitler’s sickness-wrought brain.
He died before his body hit the ground, and in Emil’s opinion, the illusion of Germany’s greatness died with him that night.
Part 2: August 27th, 1964 – Deceit within the Ranks
Emil waited nervously outside of the Reichstag. Today would be the first formal session of the new military junta, and Dollmann had agreed to let him come and speak his mind in exchange for supporting the commander at the meeting. He hoped to get promises for more freedoms in Germany, as currently his life up to that point had been severely lacking those, and he wanted to help Erwin because Dollmann had denied him entry to the meeting for some unknown reason.
A glimmer of light in the crowd announced his presence, as the medallions on his uniform shone in the summer light. He was followed by a small entourage of bodyguards, reporters, and servants up the steps to the building. He saw Emil and smiled, and said, “This is all your work, Emil! Look what we have accomplished!” He pointed to the girders on the higher floors, where the Nazi flag was being ripped down and replaced by the red-white-black banner that Dollmann had chosen. Apparently, it had once been the flag of Germany, but Emil had not seen one trace of it until it was reintroduced.
He returned the smile and followed him into the building, where after ascending endless flights of stairs, they reached the grand room where the junta intended to meet. Wagner and the rest of the generals were already there, and once everyone had been seated, the door was shut, and the guards took their places in all the corners of the room.
Dollmann was the first to stand up and address the room. “Good morning, men, and what a good morning it is for us today. No point in formalities though, so let’s begin. Give me your reports on the current situation on the ground.”
With that, each general around the table stood up and gave what they knew so far. Wagner informed the group that all organized resistance within the capital limits had been dealt with, although major pockets of SS groups as well as the Gestapo still existed in most other major cities. The chief admiral told them that most of the Kriegsmarine was still loyal, and all ships had been accounted for. The air force had been most hardly hit, and bands of air wings had been spotted heading east out of Germany.
The most anticipated report was from the head of the Wehrmacht, an old man who sat near Dollmann and took his time standing up. In an old gravelly tone, he recounted that most army units had remained within the ranks, as well as most administrators. However, many had deserted and there were rumors of a counter-revolt to take back the capital. Dollmann sat back in his chair with an apprehensive face. “And what of our protectorates and allies? I don’t think they’ll be most enthusiastic about our changes in government.”
The head of army responded, “I’ve sent out units to ensure the loyalty of our territories. We have information that the Ostlanders have remained loyal, and their administration has contacted us already. However, I’ve received no word on the state of the Kaukasus and the Rus’ out east. As for our allies, we have had little to no contact with most of Eastern Europe due to infrastructure sabotage, and the Vichy regime seems stable from what I’ve heard. I really believe we should recall our troops abroad until the homeland has been secured.”
Small murmurs of dissidence rose up around the table, but Dollmann cut them off with the raise of his hand. “Silence, men, we’ll sort these issues later. However, we must discuss the issue of the future. I believe you all agree with mee that this junta is not the most practical form of governance, and I’m willing to hear out your thoughts.”
The army commander snorted. “Surely, we’ll just continue the old regime, right? I mean, it's worked out well enough. We just need to elect a new Fuhrer and then we can continue from there.” Others around the table began to nod, but Wagner shot back, “Oh please, look how that system ended up? Being subjected to a Fuhrer is no worse than being under a king, and if Hitler is anything to go by, I’m not very ecstatic about dealing with another dictator.”
The whole room went silent, and at this point Emil decided to speak up. “Perhaps we could let the people decide? I mean, it sounds like the best compro...” His voice died off as the whole room stared at him. The commander snorted and then started laughing. “Oh, you poor, stupid boy. The people in the streets are weak and incompetent. They know nothing of the intricacies of government. All ‘the people’ need is a big, strong man who whispers sweet nothings in their ears to get them excited. You want to know how asking the people turns out? Look no further than the last 30 years. Why did Dollmann let you into this meeting, I wonder...” He sat back in his chair and silence filled the room once more.
Dollmann looked nervously from the commander to Emil. “Perhaps we shall adjourn this meeting. We have accomplished much today, and it is better if we rest now and meet again tomorrow.” The rest of the generals began to file out of the room, murmuring and snickering with each other, and Emil began to follow them until Dollmann called out, “Emil, stay with me.” Emil turned around and looked back at Dollmann, who sighed.
“Look, I understand where you’re coming from, and I’m sympathetic to you. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if half of the men in this room are still Nazis, and even then, they have bad memories of the old Republic. So, if you still want to come to these meetings, I advise you to keep your mouth shut until I can work something out with them. Got it?”
Emil nervously shook his head and left the room. As he walked out the door, he could hear the voice of Dollmann saying, “Danger comes to those who seek it, Emil. I would be careful.”
***
Emil decided to take a small detour around the heart of the city back home. The main streets were still in ruin from the revolt, and he would rather not get back to the apartment building covered in dust and blood. Most of the cleaning crews hadn’t reached his side of the city yet, and if he got any diseases from the rubble, the hospitals were filled to the brim.
After a short trek through small side streets, he finally arrived back at the apartment where the whole plot had begun. Wagner hadn’t been back at the apartment in days and was spending most of his time in the government, however Teresa had stayed behind to take care of the boys.
Emil walked through the door, where Erwin was waiting eagerly for him on the couch. He jumped up and began barraging Emil with questions. “How long was the meeting? What did they discuss? Was Wagner there? I bet-” Emil's grave look shut him up quickly. “Give me a second, I’ve barely begun processing what happened.” Erwin’s expression changed quickly. “Was it that bad?” He nodded.
After a quick bite of bread from the new refrigerator that the owner had just installed, Emil recounted the meeting’s events to Erwin, who sat eyes wide. “Wow, they really need to get a handle on the situation, or we’ll be right back where we started, huh?” Emil nodded back feebly. He responded, “You know, I don’t think that should be our main concern right now.” Erwin tilted his head curiously.
Emil continued, “Look, I thought our main concern was getting back to our old lives and leaving this mess behind? It seems every day we keep getting further and further away from that.” Erwin snorted and retorted, “Please, do you still think we can just go back to that time? Dollmann no longer lives in the mansion and his family has disappeared off the face of the planet! The mansion is in total ruin and all the servants have deserted it. There’s nothing to go back to.” Emil’s face paled. “So, what are we going to do now?” Erwin looked down at the floor. “I don’t know. I say we stay here in Germania and try to start off a new leaf. We’re both almost adults already, we might as well find a job at this point.” Emil almost laughed at the absurdity of finding a job after what they had dealt with the past few months.
Erwin stood back up and began walking to the door. “Well, from what you told me, it seems like Dollmann is heading towards assuming total control of the government.” Emil stood up, confused. “What do you mean? He said he was sympathetic.” Erwin looked at him dubiously. “Sure. Believe what you want. I’m going to head to the Reichstag to try to convince the generals of our plan.” With that, he swept open the door and walked out, leaving Emil alone with his thoughts.
Emil’s thoughts were rushing through his head now, as Erwin’s advice was giving him an idea. Maybe there was a way to fix the government and get a job as well. He was sure not everyone in the city was happy with the new government, and they would be eager to fix it as well. All they needed was some firepower...
Emil gazed onto the street through the window as a plan began to brew in his head.
***
Emil stood outside the doors of one of the Factories he had seen on of the maps he had seen of Germania in Dollmann’s mansion. It stood near the outskirts of the city, although the huge amounts of infrastructure that surrounded it would make you believe otherwise. The complex stood like a monolith above the surrounding apartments and suburbs, and the shadows cast by the plumes of smoke it produced extended for miles around the city.
Decidedly nervous, he walked into the steel doors along with the bustle of factory workers and businessmen who inhabited the facility. Once through the doors, he was taken aback by the enormous sight of the building within. Behind a curtain stretching through the whole building, Emil could see the shadows of hundreds of rows of machinery and production lines that used the space within the building.
Above the bustle of the crowd, he could barely make out a small cubicle in the corner of the building entitled “APPLICATIONS HERE,” and Emil made his way over to the partition. To his surprise, there was no line, and instead when he walked inside, he was greeted immediately by the face of the Factory manager. A face which he was almost certain he had seen before.
“Emil, is that you? Why in the world are you trying to get a job here?” Teresa said, astonished. Emil stammered for a moment, “Umm, I just wanted to contribute to the workforce, and I’m almost old enough to get a job. So, I decided to come here.” Teresa stared at him suspiciously. Emil hurriedly changed the subject. “Why are you here? I thought you were helping your husband with the new government.” Teresa laughed. “Oh, poor Klemens has no use for me anymore. His new position ensures that he is pampered by all the lovely maids in the Reichstag. I decided to use my connections to get a managing role here in the Factories.”
Emil contemplated this for a second. “Wait, you’re the Factory manager? Wouldn’t that position be more suited for, er, a businessman?” he finished quickly, as Teresa raised her eyebrows. She retorted, “Well, as my husband said, I can be very persuasive, especially to big government men. Come now, if you really want this job, you need to sign some contracts, and I need to show you around.”
As the day wore on, Teresa shuffled Emil from room to room, as she made him sign his worker’s contracts and introduce him to the various portions of the Factory complex. What he was most interested in was the arms portion of the facility, where he could see the barrels and mechanisms of various rifles and machine guns being assembled. It seemed way too many to just be for peacetime productions.
He turned to Teresa, “Do they really need this much production? I thought the War ended decades ago.” She laughed sadly and said, “Well, some say the War never really ended at all. You don’t realize this, but the powers of the West and East have never really accepted their rightful defeat by our forces. The old Soviet forces continually probe the lines of our Eastern integration zones. There are still occasional bombing raids from whatever old planes they still have left. In fact, when your generation was very young, Berlin was bombed nearly every day for about a decade after we repelled the British and American invasions.” Emil interrupted her, “Berlin? I’ve never heard of that city before.”
She laughed and continued, “Ah, I mean Germania. I’ve never really understood why people insist on using that name. The city that I grew up in was always known as Berlin.” Let’s hurry on, I’ve got more business to attend to.”
In the end, he was assigned as a weapons shipper, where he carried the huge boxes of guns from the conveyors to the various train carts where they would be shipped around the country. Although the labor was tough on his young body, the job was perfect for his plan, and he knew it would be worth it. The only mildly terrifying thing was the faces of the other workers.
They looked almost dead inside, and nobody wished to talk to him when he tried to start conversations. From what Emil could guess, they were from the slums of the city, and from the grey pallor of their skin he could tell they had been working there for years. Luckily the work hours hadn’t dawned on him yet, and to him they were beneficial as it gave him more time to figure out the next phase of the plan.
When he got back home one day, he was surprised to see Wagner waiting for him at the door, looking very upset. He rushed up to Emil, demanding, “So, Teresa tells me you’ve sought work in the Factories?” Emil timidly nodded. “Why? Dollmann and I were getting ready to give you and Erwin desk jobs at the government. There’s no reason for you to waste your body slaving over there!”
Emil slowly responded, “Well, sir, I just wanted to see what it was like over there. Also, your wife is also working there and she’s nice to us.” Emil immediately knew this was the wrong thing to bring up as Wagner’s expression went from angry to furious. “TERESA? Is that why she’s been home so late? I thought she was out partying! This is a serious matter, boy, and you’re going to tell me all about it.”
Erwin emerged from the apartment door as Wagner dragged Emil inside. He looked at him pitifully. “Good luck!” he called. Emil guessed that he had heard everything. Good for him.
***
After half an hour of interrogation, Wagner finally released Emil from his study just in time for Teresa to come home from work. As he collapsed on the couch, he could hear the couple arguing within the small room. Although he wanted to support her, he guessed that would probably make the situation even worse for her and decided to get some shut eye.
He woke up to Teresa staring down at him. Emil smiled weakly. “How did it go?” She groaned and went back to work on the laundry in front of her. “Better than I expected. I was able to convince Klemens to let me keep my job, in exchange for keeping an eye on you.” Emil sat up, and asked, “So he did let you stay? That’s great news!” She stared back at him. “Yes, no thanks to you. Get up and eat something or you’ll be late to work again.”
He blushed slightly in embarrassment and got ready for work. Today he would attempt the next phase of his plan, although having Teresa breathing down his neck would be annoying, he assumed that just meant she would make sure he got home every day.
At the factory, Emil handled a new shipment of rifles that had just come off the production line. He made sure no one was looking, and when the outside lot he quickly ran the package over to a small outside corner of the facility he had scouted out beforehand. He found the hatch he was looking for and opened it up to find the abandoned basement area which he had made sure was empty last week. He opened the box from the bottom and dumped about half a dozen packaged rifles into the room, a small enough amount for anyone who was carrying the box to not notice.
Seeing other shippers heading out the facility, he quickly closed the box and resealed it with some tape he had stolen from the apartment building. After dropping it off at the loading area, he quietly congratulated himself on a job well done. Emil guessed that it would probably take him a couple of years to stockpile enough guns for his plan without arousing suspicion.
However, when he got back to the shipping station, he found one of the production assistants waiting for him. “Emil Hortz!” he called furiously. “Where have you been? It has been at least half an hour since your last check-in. What have you been doing?” Emil felt a cold sweat creep down his spine. He had thought it had only been around 10 minutes or so, but obviously he had lost track of time. The assistant continued, “Look at the lines! They’re backed up for days thanks to you.” He gestured to the shipping area, where an excess of boxes had piled up in his zone. “What do you have to say for yourself?
Nervously, Emil replied, “Er, well, the box broke, and I had to look for tape to fix it, sir.” The assistant's expression softened, and he said, “Look, kid. I don’t care if the box is broken. Just give it to the loaders, they’ll fix it. We have quotas to meet, and I’m going to miss my annual bonus if we have kids running around the facility doing who knows what. I’ll keep my eye on you, understand?” Emil nodded vigorously and went back to pick up more boxes.
This is going to be harder than I expected, he thought as he made his rounds once more. Perhaps I just need a faster approach. After a few more trips to the loading area, worktime was nearing a close and Emil decided to test a new strategy. This time, he had acquired a small knife from one of the packing stations. He quickly made a hole in the box’s side and dumped what he thought were grenades this time into the basement. After he was done, he merely closed the flap he had made and brought it to the loading area.
One of the loaders noticed him as he approached and raised his eyebrow at the damaged box. Emil quickly made up an excuse. “One of the packers was clumsy with the knife. Idiot, huh?” The man shrugged his shoulders and took the box. Next time, he would make sure to have the damaged side facing him.
When his shift ended, and half of the factory workers started heading home, Emil dropped off his last box and silently made his way over to the hatch. Seeing no one around, he climbed down the small ladder and found himself in the empty basement.
Although abandoned, it extended on for quite a while, so far that Emil couldn’t make out the other side unless he squinted. Old, dilapidated machines and used tools and barrels filled up one side of the room. The rest of the space was filled with empty rows of racks and shelves extending to the other side. Below him, the rifles and grenade packages he had dumped inside were strewn across the dusty floor of the basement.
Not knowing how to organize them, he arbitrarily put the guns in one row and the explosives in another. Satisfied, he climbed back out of the basement to find himself in almost pitch-black darkness, save for the upper floors of the warehouse where the night-shift workers were. As he made his way to the exit, his stomach dropped as he had forgotten the one thing kept track of him.
Teresa was at the exit gate, calling out his name. When she saw him coming out, she ran up to him. “EMIL! My ONE job is to make sure you get home safely! It’s been almost an hour since the end of the shift, where have you been?” she panted. Emil stood, frozen. “Oh, you don’t understand. I was trying to get out of the factory, but I found myself in an abandoned area and got lost.” He thought this was a good answer, but Teresa stood in front of him unwaveringly.
She sighed, “Oh, please, Emil. I’ve heard about your escapades within the factory from my assistant. I know you want to work here, but if you’re going to play around then I can’t let you near my workers.” Emil swallowed hard and said, “Yes ma’am.” She began walking to the gate. “Follow me. Now I’m going to have to explain to Klemens why we’re so late.”
Emil followed behind, careful not to say anything. Perhaps he hadn’t thought out this plan as much as he could.
***
Emil picked up his last shipment of the day. It had been weeks since any incidents with Teresa or her assistants, and his underground stockpile had grown significantly. He guessed that there were probably a couple hundred guns and explosives down there, and he used his breaks to organize them without arousing suspicion.
There had been a couple close calls when janitors had been around to clean up the facility, but he was able to distract them and lead them around the hatch, and as far as he knew nobody remembered the basement’s existence.
He rounded the corner, ready to slash open the box and go down to organize his stockpile one last time. Instead, he was stopped dead in his tracks. Standing in his way, waiting for him, was Teresa’s assistant. He stepped forward towards Emil, his face full of frustration.
Before Emil could even say anything in his defense, the assistant yelled, “THAT’S IT! I’m tired of your antics, kid. I’ve been following you for days, watching you round this corner every time you pick up a shipment. Every. Single. Time. Without fail! You’re up to something, and we can either find out the easy way, or the hard way.”
Emil gulped and squirmed in his spot, but he stayed silent. The assistant put a smug smile on his face. “Well then, since you’re going to be a pain, we’ll have to take this up to the manager. Won’t that be fun?” Emil’s face blanched as the assistant grabbed his shoulders and led him out of the pavilion, into the facility and up a flight of stairs, mumbling under his breath the whole time.
“Ooh, you were carrying a shipment of rifles, weren’t you? Misuse of arms, that might even be a crime... You’ve really done it this time, Hortz...” His voice trailed off as he sat Emil down in front of the manager’s office and went inside to inform Teresa. Emil looked down at the factory below him, weighing his options. He could try to run away, but even if he were successful, he would be stranded and homeless on the streets of Germania. Besides, the security guards outside probably wouldn’t take too kindly to his escape plans.
After a few minutes, the assistant walked out of the room. He called to Emil, “Go inside. I’m sure it’ll be a fun time for you.” Emil shyly walked inside as the assistant watched.
Inside, Teresa sat at her desk, waiting for him. She had an exasperated look on her face, and she began, “Look, Emil. I’m not even going to say anything. Just tell me what you’ve been doing. And don’t worry, there’s no recorders in this room.”
With nowhere else to go and no excuses coming to mind, he sighed and explained his whole plan. He began slowly, “Alright, but let me explain my reasoning first. I have a lot of respect for your husband, but from what I’ve seen and heard he’s not being of much use in helping the government. Is that correct?”
Teresa nodded, saying, “Yes. He’s always being shot down at those infernal meetings by the strongmen in the room. Hell, I think he’s even being convinced by them. But what does this have to do with you?” Emil was startled a bit by this response. It almost sounded like she hated the government as well. He continued, “Well, I reasoned that since trying to reform through the government wasn’t working, maybe I could convince others to help me get around them. So, I’ve been stockpiling weaponry for others to use once I’ve found willing people.”
Teresa’s face visibly paled. “So... have you found any volunteers yet?” He shook his head. “No, but I was planning to recruit some of my coworkers, since they seem like they’re in hell here.” Teresa stared at him for a moment, and slowly said, “Did anyone give you this plan?” Again, he shook his head. “Of course not, I don’t know anyone in the city other than the people in our apartment.”
She stood up and began pacing around the room, muttering, “No, there’s no way, perhaps we got ahold of him... I’m going to kill Lukas if he’s been talking to random teenagers...” Emil was extremely intrigued by her rambling. Did she say we? And who was Lukas? He wanted to let her continue, but at that moment the facility’s announcement system came on, bringing the end of the day shift. Before Emil could slip out of the room, Teresa grabbed ahold of him and ordered, “Bring me to your stockpile. Now.”
As the daylight began to fade, Emil led her through the crowds of exiting workers until they reached the loading pavilion. He showed her the corner that concealed his stockpile and the hatch that led down to the basement. After climbing down the ladder, Emil could see Teresa’s eyes admiring the mass of weaponry in front of them. After a pause, she said, “How long have you been doing this? Emil winced and replied, “Er, as soon as I got my job.” At this, Teresa turned to face him.
“Listen, Emil. You’re probably expecting me to turn you in. Honestly, as the Factory’s manager, I think I should, seeing how much revenue you’ve costed the facility.” Emil stood silently, sweat dripping down his back. Teresa gave a small smirk and continued, “However, as the President of the German Revolutionary Front, I think your actions have been honorable and are worthy of membership. Care to join?”
Emil was at a loss for words. “But the factory... and your husband... Revolutionary Front... you??” he finally spurted out. Teresa laughed and said, “Yes, me. This isn’t a safe place, so meet me behind the facility after tomorrow’s shift. Tomorrow is the weekly junta meeting, so all the politicians and generals will be at the Reichstag instead of their posts. At the meeting place I’ll introduce you to everyone.” Emil nodded, and Teresa gestured back to the ladder. She stopped for a moment before saying, “And please, don’t steal more guns. We’ll take it from here.” Emil nodded. As they walked home, Emil stayed silent, struck dumbfounded at the immense luck he had just received. Perhaps there was hope after all.
***
When Emil returned to the factory the next day, he found the assistant manager dumbstruck by his return. Multiple times he came up to him as if to say something, before turning the opposite way, muttering. For Emil’s part, he stayed true to Teresa’s orders, and the whole day he didn’t check on the stockpile once.
As the dayshift ended, Emil snuck off to the rear of the facility. There, Teresa was waiting for him, and as she saw him, she began walking towards the street at an abnormal pace. “Hurry up, Emil!” she called. “If we hurry, I’ll make it to the meeting place with time to spare.” Emil was about to head off with her, but he froze in his tracks as he heard something behind him. He whipped his head around, searching for the noise, but with Teresa’s impatience in mind he ran off with her.
After a few minutes of almost-running, Teresa gestured to Emil to stop. They were near the outskirts of the city at this point, even further than the Factories. Looking up, he saw an old, abandoned workshop, presumably from before the War. Teresa unlocked the door with a key around her neck, and she led him into the small building. Inside, rows of old electric sewing machines and hand presses lined the walls of the factory, while the center had been reorganized into a makeshift headquarters. Radios and codebreaking notebooks sat in one corner, while a map of Germania and the surrounding areas was set up in another. In the center of the room stood around fifty or so seats, arranged in a semicircle around a small wooden podium.
Emil looked around in astonishment. “How long have you been meeting?” Teresa turned back to him. “Oh, since long before the coup. We’re the last remnants of the old political parties before Hitler took power. We have about forty, maybe fifty members, although I only expect half of them to show up today. Here, we still have a few minutes before everyone shows up. Let me show you around.”
She led him around the room, showing the various stations and workplaces they had set up around the building, as well as the various curtains and devices they used to prevent detection from the police. As she was finishing her tour, people began emerging from various entrances, greeting Teresa like they were family.
Emil moved to the corner, where he could watch everyone come in. Most people were either relatively young or very old. Emil could even see an old man in a wheelchair who was being led inside by a young woman. To his surprise, about a third of the members were women, who all looked like they were younger than thirty.
As the last people trickled in and began filling the seats, Teresa stood up on the podium and began to speak. “Now, everyone, before we call this meeting to order, I’d like to introduce our newest member, Emil Hortz.” She gestured to him, and the entire meeting turned to face him. Emil stood there, frozen in place. He hadn’t expected this much scrutiny. Teresa laughed, “Emil, don’t just stand there. Come over and sit down. The seats work like a real parliament, so you can sit with the left or the right, whatever your choice.”
Looking now, he could tell the difference between the two sides, with mostly young people on the left and the old veterans on the right. For a moment, he stood there, deciding which side to sit on. He had never really thought about it before, but what was his ideology?
Deciding not to worry about that then, he pulled up a seat, and having made his choice, sat directly in the middle of the semicircle, between the two sides. Laughter erupted from both sides, with even Teresa struggling to smother a laugh. With a wink, she continued, “Bold choice, Emil. Keep it down, people, and let’s continue the meeting.”
As she began talking, an old man sitting on his right leaned near him and said in a loud, fake whispering voice, “So, a centrist, huh? We could use some of those in this playground- oh, sorry, I meant ‘parliament.’” More laughter arose as Teresa gave him a simmering look. “Mr. Bluhm, if you wish to introduce yourself, you can do so after official business.”
He sat back in his seat as a young man on his left, presumably only a little older than Emil, leaned over and replied in the same voice, “It’s okay, kid, everyone knows old Lukas here wants to be President one day before he kicks the bucket.” This time, before the laughter could begin, Teresa shouted, “If you would all like to mock each other in front of the junta, you’re welcome to leave!” Almost instantly, the voices simmered down, and after a short glare at the two men, Teresa continued speaking.
“Alright everyone, first order of business. Secretary and Treasurer, reports?” Two women on the left and right stood up and began speaking. “All assets are in order, ma’am, and all members are accounted for. We estimate about half of our accounts are still unreported and uninvestigated by the government, and they won’t be for a while.” They sat down, and Teresa continued, “Seargeant, report?”
The veteran in the wheelchair rolled over to Teresa, and after a cough, began, “Well, I’ve sent my agents out to investigate some suppliers that’ll be willing to work with us, but as you already know, most of us are still on the national blacklist, except for him, of course. We’ve got enough weaponry for maybe ten of us to use.” He gestured to Emil, and Teresa smiled.
“Well, about that weaponry. Some of you may be wondering why I’ve enlisted the help of such a young member. As he’s not on the blacklist, he was able to find work at my Factory, which I was happy to oblige with. It turns out that, on his own accord, Emil used his position to stockpile enough weaponry to fund an entire army if we wanted to.” The whole room turned to look at him again, with expressions ranging from admiration to shock, to pure disbelief. The best Emil could muster was a smile and a small wave.
Lukas began laughing, and said, “Please, Teresa, do you really expect us to believe that your ‘prodigy’ member did this all by himself? You helped him for sure.” Teresa shot back, “Mr. Bluhm, you know as well as I do that my position as manager is not a blessing, but a curse. How am I supposed to have helped him when I cannot even leave my post for a second?”
Lukas looked like he was going to argue back, but the Seargeant rolled his wheelchair between them, shouting, “You imbeciles! We’ve just received a miracle in supplies, and your reaction is to fight over who gets the credit? I think we should rather be talking about what to do with this stockpile.” Both shut up, and after a pause Teresa asked, “Okay, any suggestions on what we should do with the armaments?”
Emil raised his hand and said, “We should probably focus on getting them out of the facility. I don’t know how long it’ll be until someone discovers the basement.” Teresa nodded along, and said, “Good. I can get some ‘workers’ to clear out the basement and send the weapons over to us. All in favor?” Most of the room raised their hands, and Teresa continued, “Well, then, I think the matter is settled. Any other suggestions or motions?” No one raised their hand, and Teresa got down from the podium, and brought out a basket full of folded pieces of paper.
She began walking around the room, saying, “Before we go, everyone takes a piece of paper. Don’t lose them and wait to open them, because they’re the keys to our future.” Emil stared at the piece he was given, wondering what kind of key this was supposed to be. After everyone was given one, Teresa got back on the podium and said, “Meeting dismissed. Good night, everyone.”
As people began sneaking back out, Emil walked over to Teresa and said, “Why was the meeting so short? Isn’t there more to talk about?” Teresa snorted and said, “Well, we can’t do much when three-quarters of the members are either retired, blacklisted, or wanted, don’t you think?” Emil nodded, and Teresa continued, “Of course, with your weapons, I think that’ll be changing fairly soon.”
As they walked out through their door, several members went by and gave Emil thanks, and all he could do was timidly reply, “Oh, it's no problem.” Walking back to the apartment, he wondered what he had done to reward so much praise. His mind thought, I only gave them a few guns. There’s no way what I did will affect anything, right?
***
At the apartment, Emil was so tired from the meeting that he collapsed on the couch almost instantly. When he woke up, he found Erwin beside him, preparing his briefcase for work. Teresa had already left hours before to monitor the end of the night shift. In a moment, he remembered that Erwin was working for the government now, and there was no way he could talk about the meeting with him. However, he did want to know how the junta meeting went, and so he prompted Erwin with the question.
Erwin laughed and replied, “It might as well be called the Mr. Dollmann fan club meeting now. Last night they voted to give him Emergency Powers over the entire government, effective in a month.” Emil was shocked. “Did you protest? Or do anything?” Erwin looked at him, frustrated. “Of course we did. However, I guess majority rules when it’s me and Wagner versus every general and admiral in Germany.”
Emil stared at the floor. “Do you think Dollmann has anything to do with it?” Emil snorted and said, “I don’t doubt for a second that Dollmann had given them some ‘advice’ for their voting. I don’t know what to do anymore, and Wagner sure isn’t helping.”
Emil wanted to reassure him, to help in any way, but he hesitated. What could he offer him? Before he could say anything, Erwin finished preparing his things and began walking out the door. Before he left, he said to Emil, “I’m trying my best to fix everything. Next meeting is the final vote to either dissolve the junta and give Dollmann power or continue deliberating. I think I can get everyone to reconsider their vote if I offer them something better than Dollmann does.”
He walked out, but Emil called out, “But wait! What if you fail? You have another plan, right?” Erwin looked back at him, and Emil could see tears in his eyes. “Emil, if I fail, then there’s nothing we can do.” With that, he hurried down the street towards the Reichstag.
As Emil began walking down the desolate street toward the factory, he felt in his pockets the piece of paper he had been given by Teresa. Instinctively, he opened it up and began reading it. His eyes darted across the page, and his mind read behind them, trying to comprehend everything he was reading.
Once he finished, he stuffed the paper in his pocket once more and began running down the road to make it to the factory on time. As he ran, he began thinking about what Erwin had said. Erwin’s dead wrong, and I know it.
There’s everything we can do.
Part 3: October 6th, 1964 – Up in Blazes
When Emil arrived at the Factory to begin work for the day, he found the entrance to his area blocked by the production assistant. Emil started, “Hey, I’m going to be late-,” however before he could finish the assistant shoved a piece of paper in his face. He watched smugly as Emil read it from front to back disbelievingly. It read:
Effective October 6th, 1964, at 08:00 hours, employee Emil Hortz of the East Factory Division is hereby relieved of his position as Arms Hauler and shall be let go from the facility without severance or final paycheck. He shall be given one hour to collect his belongings or renegotiate his exit with the local Productions Manager, and after the allotted time shall be considered trespassing and evicted from the facility accordingly.
Signed, Matz Radnitzer,
Head of Germania Factory Management
Emil looked up at the assistant, who sneered, “Oh, I was just doing my civic duty and reported your antics to your boss’s boss. She can’t help you, so I suggest you pack your stuff and leave before I call security.” Emil stared at him for a moment before hanging his head and heading over to his station to pack what few belongings he had brought over from the apartment.
Walking up the stairs to Teresa’s office, a dozen scenarios ran through his head. Who was Radnitzer? How did the assistant know how to contact him? Why bother with him, of all people. And deeper down, he felt a moment of despair, like now he was just dead weight in the water again, doing nothing, helping nobody, ready to be swept by the next big wave. He was so deep in his thoughts that he almost missed Teresa’s office door as he trudged by it.
He looped back around and knocked on the door, praying she was in her office. Luckily, the door opened, and she let him in. Once sat down, he started, “Did you know about this-” She stopped him, and slowly said, “Yes. Someone must have sent Radnitzer a formal complaint. Sorry, Emil, but I can’t do anything about this. He's the one who hired me, you know.”
Emil looked down and said, “Oh, that’s fine. I felt I was actually doing something on my own for once, not getting told to do it.” Teresa smiled and replied, “Honestly Emil, this is probably a good thing. Any idea who would lodge a complaint against you?” Emil didn’t even think for a second before almost shouting, “It was that damn assistant! He hates me ever since he caught me with the boxes, and I didn’t get fired!”
Teresa stared at him worryingly and quickly said, “Hush, Emil! Anyone could be walking by right now. But yes, you’re probably right. He’s been here since before I started working here and he’s suspicious of anyone working with me. Sorry, Emil, but this is probably my fault. However, it’s not all bad news, you know.”
She lowered her voice and continued, “The final preparations for the operation are in the works right now, and it's better that you don’t arouse suspicion by missing work. We’re sorting out the final kinks and then I’ll announce the date to everyone at the meeting next week. You’ve read your paper, right?”
Emil, his spirits up again, smiled back and laughed, “Yeah, but I’m not sure you chose the right people for me to group up with. You want me to overthrow the government with Lukas at my side?” Teresa looked back at the door and said, “Very funny, but keep it down. You know that we spent ages working on the right contacts and partners for everyone. You and Lukas will counterbalance each other and support the rest of your unit.”
At that moment, someone knocked at the door, and Emil saw that there were only a couple minutes left before his allotted time was up. He stood up and gave Teresa a hug, before heading to the door.
As he walked back to the apartment, he decided to look at the paper that gave him so much hope earlier in the morning. Obviously, it wasn’t as much help now, but Emil still felt almost a sense of pride seeing all the names and specialties in his unit.
Unit CFB – Codename Ocean
Lukas Bluhm – Unit Lead
Emil Hortz – Assistant
Frank Haring – Radio Tapper
Sarah Herrlein – Demolition Expert
Rosi Herrlein – Arms Specialist
Of course, it was also contrasted by the uselessness he felt seeing how little he could do in comparison. What did an assistant even do in a high stakes operation? Keep notes? As Emil finally entered the apartment, he could feel his resolve draining bit by bit.
This might be harder than he thought.
***
Emil stared at the ceiling fan of the apartment room he had become so accustomed to. Having nowhere to go and nowhere to be, he had spent the last few days pacing around and around the small living room of the apartment. He lay down on the old couch, contemplating how he had managed to get into this situation.
Looking out the window, he could see that the sun was just beginning to touch the tips of the Germanian skyline. With a grunt, he got up and began scrummaging through the cabinets to find something to make dinner with. Today was the evening before the next junta meeting, and Erwin was going to be home soon to rest beforehand.
As Emil tried to remember how to make the stew recipe Teresa had given him, he wished she was with them – but she wasn’t, and she couldn’t be. She had been pulling all-nighters to prepare for the operation, as she called it, and he could tell. Tonight was going to be even worse for her, as she oversaw the preparations for the (hopefully) final front meeting.
Sometime later, as the food was finishing up, Emil heard the door open and finished pouring the stew to run to the living room to greet Erwin. However, he stopped dead in his tracks when his saw more than one person in the room.
Sure, Erwin was there, and he ran forward to greet Emil. But behind him, standing at the doorway, were none other than Dollmann and Wagner. Looking at Dollmann, Emil could tell he had aged visibly in the months since he saw him, and the bald spot on his head shone much brighter once he took off his cap and coat.
With a warm smile on his face, he walked up to Emil, jovially saying, “Well, well, if it isn’t my old partner in crime! It’s been a while since I’ve seen you! How are you doing?” Emil muttered, “Oh, fine,” and shook his hand. Wagner walked up to greet Emil as Dollmann explored the rest of the apartment. “Say, Emil, where is Teresa? I wanted to introduce her to my new boss!”
Emil shot a what do you mean, boss? look at Erwin, who shrugged. Emil stammered, “Oh, she- she's pulling an extra-shift at the factory, sir, and she wanted me to make dinner tonight.” Wagner grunted and said, “Well, dammit. I knew that job wasn’t good for her, always missing dinnertime. What food did you make, Emil, and is it edible?” Dollmann laughed from the next room, and shouted, “Oh, some kind of stew! Come look at this!” Wagner shot a look at Emil, and he left for the kitchen.
With them both gone, Emil shook Erwin, whispering, “Why is the future dictator of Germany and his sidekick in our apartment!” Erwin looked down at the floor, murmuring, “Well, I mentioned to Wagner that we were having dinner at his place, and since he’s Dollmann’s new Director of Security, he mentioned it to Dollmann, and now... Listen, this could be good for us! Maybe I could convince Dollmann to reconsider his policies...”
Emil groaned, and guessing the worst, said, “Look, there’s no time for reconsidering! Did you or did you not convince the junta to continue the meetings?” Erwin slowly said, “I’m sorry Emil, but I’ve tried everything.” Emil felt his knees buckle under him. There’s nothing more I can do. Erwin continued, “Hey, if you quit that job you got, and come work with me, I know Dollmann will give us cushy positions on the inside. Come on! ...Emil, are you okay?
He was decidedly not okay, and he considered making a run for it, however before he could, Wagner called, “BOYS! Join us for dinner this instant!” With no way to argue, they both reluctantly headed for the kitchen area. As they walked in, Dollmann remarked, “Now, Emil, you’re looking a bit pale, aren’t you? Perhaps it's from cooking that ‘meal’ you made us, ha! Now, sit down, I have something to discuss with you.”
Emil and Erwin wearily sat down at the table as Wagner brought in the soup. “Well,” he said, “you’ve definitely made an interesting meal, Emil.” As they served themselves, Dollmann began talking. “So, Emil, I’ve heard all about your recent escapades in the Factories. Why are you even working there? I know you’re more experienced in busy work, but it’s really a waste of your talent, you know that?”
FINISH THIS
Big fight pretty much. Dollmann gets annoyed and leaves, Wagner is suspicious (is that a magus reference?)
***
Emil stared in awe and the huge number of people that had shown up for the front meeting. There were at least twice the number of people here than last time, and some members of the meeting had to bring their own seating to fit in. Looking towards the front of the warehouse, he could see Teresa directing some members with an exasperated look. The number of people was both exciting and terrifying, and Teresa had told him before the meeting that she would need to have double the people on the lookout than usual.
Looking at all the new recruits that hadn’t been at the last meeting, Emil could tell most of them worked at warehouses or the Factories, as their uniforms were covered in oil, grease, and other stains that Emil decided not to speculate about.
Finally, everyone got in their seats, and Emil could see that there were at least two dozen people on both sides of his seat. Teresa stood up in front of the podium, the lookouts took their places next to the windows, and Emil settled in for the meeting of a lifetime.
After a short pause, Teresa began, “Good evening, everyone, and welcome to what will hopefully be the very last session of this building!” Applause erupted, and soon she continued, “Today, we will be preparing you all to split into the units that will lead our people to victory. Everyone, please take out the sheets that contain your orders.
Emil rummaged through his pockets and found the small scrap of paper that dictated his future. Teresa continued, “Alright, everyone please stand up and we’ll split into our units.” She began calling unit names and assigning them seats in the warehouse, and when she got to Unit Ocean, she directed Emil to one of the back corners of the building.
Soon after getting there, he was joined by Lukas, a middle-aged man, and two young women who Emil presumed to be Frank, Sarah, and Rosi. Frank, who looked almost 60, was wearing an old grey uniform that had been stitched up so many times it was more thread than fabric. Looking closer, Emil could see the insignia of a double-headed eagle on his belt and an iron cross on his coat pocket, symbols he had seen before but never in this way.
Sarah and Rosi, on the other hand, were both evidently working in the Factories, and Emil guessed this is where they learned their respective skills. Sarah was obviously the older sister, and she almost immediately walked over to Lukas. Rosi went over to Frank, and Emil realized he was the only person wo didn’t know anyone in the group.
Sarah, who had been greeting Lukas, noticed him and raised her eyebrows. “Hey, kid, what are you doing here. Lukas, why do we have a teenager in our unit?” Lukas glanced toward him and quick mumbled, “Well, uh, the revolution needs every person it can get, you know. Besides, he’s almost nineteen already, that’s old enough for us.” Sarah looked down at her paper before sniggering, “Oh, wait, I remember now, he’s the ‘assistant’ we got for our team. Well, hopefully he can assist us well enough before he dies. Come on, Lukas, we need to talk.”
They walked away, leaving Emil and Rosi by themselves. Frank slowly mumbled “Hello, Rosi dear,” and sat down on a chair next to the wall, waiting for their commander to return. Emil sat down on another chair nearby to stew at the ceiling. Why does everyone treat me like an idiot? If only Erwin was here. He would know what to do. At that moment, he heard Rosi walk over to him, and he lowered his head. She smiled and apologized, “Hey, sorry about my sister. It’s just that she’s dating Lukas right now, and she pretty much hates any man that isn’t him.” Emil looked over at Sarah and Lukas again, who were whispering to each other. He said in disbelief, “Lukas, and... her? Well, they make a perfect couple.”
Rosi laughed and continued, “Hey, I know who you are. Weren’t you that box packager that got fired for hoarding guns? I always wondered what you did with them.” He turned and said, “Wait, you work at my Factory?” “Uh, yeah, obviously, or at least I used to,” she retorted. “How else would I have learned to build weapons in this stupid country, dummy! You still haven’t told me what you did with those guns that I made.” Emil grinned, “Oh, you missed my big reveal a couple meetings ago? I was hoarding it all for the cause. Well, I mean now it is. Before then, it was just a dumb idea I had.” She gasped, “Oh my god! I had the same idea, but the security during the night shift is way tighter.” Emil was about to reply when she looked over and said, “Oh wait, here comes the couple again.”
They both turned to Sarah and Lukas walking back to their corner. Lukas pulled out a sheet of paper and began reading from it, “All right, Unit CFB... ooh, we’re part of Group A, so we’re going to be storming the Reichstag during the next junta meeting and hold the old government hostage. Units CFA and CFC will storm and hold the lower offices, Unit CFD will provide shell support, and we’ll storm the upper house and secure the major rooms.”
While everyone else was nodding along (except for Frank, who seemed to be dosing off), Emil felt a shiver down his spine. I’m going to have to hold Erwin hostage. I hope he forgives me. He raised his hand to ask Lukas a question, but before he could speak Lukas shot him down. “Yes Emil, I know what you’re going to ask. No, we’re not going to kill any of your friends in the building unless they put up resistance. We know it would break your heart.”
Emil nervously laughed and looked the other way, failing to notice the long glance between Sarah and Lukas that followed his response. Looking back at Lukas, all he could see was him going back to reading the paper that detailed their operations. As he rattled off lists and lists of orders, Emil found himself dozing off and began to close his eyes as he fell asleep to the monotony of Luka’s rambling. As he slipped into unconsciousness, he found his brain surprisingly kept coming back to the image of Rosi. That’s weird.
“Emil? Emil! Wake up you idiot, we must leave! Now!” Emil woke up to Lukas’ hand flying towards his face. He quickly dodged it and got out of the chair. All around him, members were ripping down maps and posters, turning off lights, and opening the hidden holes in the warehouse’s floor. Emil turned to Lukas, who had turned back to lead their unit into one of the hiding places. “Have we been discovered? What’s happening?”
Lukas rolled his eyes and quickly whispered, “Listen, either some idiot, probably you, alerted the police to our presence, or some nighttime officer just got really lucky. We’ve received word on the radio that there’s a police force heading this way to check on ‘vandalism’ in the area. Now get inside the hiding place or I'll throw you in there myself.”
Deciding not to argue, Emil clambered inside the small cabinet that the rest of the unit had crawled into. Instead of the tiny, cramped space he was expecting, he found a false floor being held up by Rosi. He took it from her and began climbing down the small ladder that slowly came into view as his eyes adjusted to the darkness.
As he reached the bottom, he heard a scraping sound from the top of the ladder. Looking up, he could see Lukas coming down the ladder after locking the false floor from the inside. In an effort not to get squished, he quickly made his way into the center of the prepared hideout.
With a quick look around, he could see that the hiding place was much more polished than he expected. It must have been dug directly into the foundation of the old warehouse, as his elbows scraped on the rough concrete walls. Frank must have injured his back on the way down, as he sat down on a nearby stool with a strained expression while Rosi comforted him. Sarah waited by the ladder for Lukas to come down, and when he did, she brought out a small radio.
She flicked it on and set it down on the floor, before sighing, “Well, now I suppose we just have to wait for clearance from Teresa.” Lukas sat down next to her and snickered, “Well, I suppose we’ll be down here all night since she’s probably napping right now.” They both started laughing, and Emil strangely felt defensive. “What the hell is your deal, man? Are you jealous or what?” he snapped, and everyone fell silent.
Lukas stared at him intently for a second or two, and Emil tried to discern the emotion on his face, to no avail. To Emil’s surprise, his face softened, and he chastised him, “Now, now, we’re all on the same side here, Emil. You just don’t understand the problems we’ve faced with Teresa as our leader. You see, she’s just not realistic. She thinks she can just walk up to the Reichstag, and everyone inside will just roll over. Even worse, she thinks she can trust those snakes. You know this yourself Emil, she’s even married to one, is she not?”
Emil had enough of this and launched himself mindlessly at Lukas, snarling “You son of a bitch-” They crashed into each other, and Emil wrestled with him as he could feel Sarah and Rosi trying to pull him off. Emil started to realize that maybe attacking the leader of the group that was a decade older than him was not the best idea. Within a couple seconds Lukas had him on the ground of the bunker and swung his arm back to beat the living out of Emil.
However, they were stopped by a loud banging coming from the top of the ladder. At the same time, the radio came to life, and Teresa’s furious voice came on, “All units cease activity immediately! Police units are inspecting the entry point of Unit Ocean, and we ourselves are hearing whatever is going on in their bunker. In the case of a discovery, remember, hide, fight, and if you’re caught, reveal nothing. Over.”
Lukas popped off Emil and brushed off the dust from his uniform, muttering curses directed at him, presumably. He rushed over to a small crate in the corner of the room, all while the banging above continued. Emil slowly brought himself off the ground and sat next to Frank, where he wouldn’t have to see Sarah’s glaring gaze. He himself stared at the ceiling, where the banging inly continued to get louder.
He heard Rosi walk around Frank and sit next to him, and she began murmuring, “Why? Why, Emil, that was very stupid of you.” Emil refused to meet her eyes, and continued staring at the ceiling, whispering, “I- I don’t know.” Evidently seeing she was not going to get more of a reaction, she stood up and walked over to the crate, and instead of leaving Emil alone, she came back with something in her hands.
Emil couldn’t resist looking at it, and he saw it was a first aid kit. She opened it and muttered, “If you won’t talk, at least let me bandage your wounds. You took quite a beating.” Emil had to admit she was right, as taking a second look at his body, he could see his blood all over his old shirt and the floor of the bunker.
Gets fired from job
One more talk with Erwin
Something from Wagner/Dollmann?
Last front meeting before revolution
Revolution:
Reveal the papers are contacts of everyone involved and & who they team up with
Two of Emil’s contacts don’t show up
Right as operations begin, they learn that one operative was captured by police working with assistant and they tortured him for info
***
Mad dash to the Reichstag as Wehrmacht guards closes in
A lot of people (Lukas?) die in attempt
Storming of the Reichstag
THEY SHOOT EVERYONE AND BREAK EMILS TRUST.
Shitty romantic subplot? YES.
Emil has to find Dollmann and Erwin before the other revolutionaries get to them and Rosi distracts everyone else
***
Confrontation with Dollmann & Erwin in the Reichstag
Erwin’s reveal as Douglas and death of Dollmann
Emil and Douglas confrontation with rest of the revolution; they decide to leave Germany behind
Complete capture of Reichstag; rest of Germany begins to collapse
Douglas and Emil’s race to the coast as Douglas’s return vessel is arriving to pick him up; assisted by Teresa before she must turn back
Must deal with banditry, paramilitary forces and remnants of the Gestapo(?) along the way
In Schwerin, right as they make it to the boat, they’re caught in a gang fight and Emil is greatly injured
Emil wakes up in the UK under care
Epilogue: October 16th, 1964
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson is informed of situation
Arranges to make a meeting with Emil and Douglas in London as a PR move ahead of troubling voter polling right before the November elections
FINAL TOUCHES
Add more descriptive elements (e.g. when introduced to Dollmann’s office, the apartment, the warehouse, the Factory, etc.)
Make sure Emil, Erwin, and Teresa’s characters make sense
Check document for Emil’s thoughts as they were probably set back to normal by Word
Erwin (Douglas) doesn’t have much of an arc, but he does learn to trust his friend enough to share his secret
Emil’s character arc is learning to form his own opinion and not accepting whatever other people want him to do. Starts with the Dollmann arc and continues with him disagreeing with some members of the Revolutionary Front. Ends with him choosing his own path for him and his friend and fleeing to the U.K.
Add some other meetings where we can develop Emil and Rosi before WRENCHING them apart in the climax.