Bedworth-Jones returned the bulky file to the cabinet. ‘So, who is this Onyx Cross outfit anyway, when they’re at home?’
Swan explained about the unknown events at Highdown.
The researcher shrugged. ‘Probably another upstart, who thinks he’s the new Fuhrer, no doubt; there’s been plenty of crackpots like that since the war, dreaming of a fourth Reich and all that. As if we don’t have enough on our plate with the bloody Russians.’
Swan and Gable looked at one another. ‘Yes, Charles quite so,’ agreed Swan. ‘Okay Charles, we must be off now. Thank you so much for your time. It’s been a pleasure to see you again, and as interesting, as always.’ They shook the researcher’s hand. ‘Likewise, Alex, Arthur, anytime you would like me to show you around, feel free to give me a call, and I’ll be more than glad to.’
Outside the museum, Gable suddenly brought up his concern again. ‘Alex? Sorry, but I did notice some rather odd behaviour from you back in there, and it’s not the first time I’ve seen it, either. There was a time last week, in the office. We were talking about Von Braun, and you went all quiet. And when you were looking at the last page of that list of V2 strikes; there was something in your eyes, which was enough to tell me something was seriously wrong.’
Gable stepped out in front, stopping Swan in his tracks, placing his hand on his colleague’s right shoulder. ‘So, as a friend as well as a colleague, and to maybe finally settle my curious instinct, please can you tell me, what the hell it is?’
Although he was directly in front of him, Swan still saw Gable as a blur, an opaque cloud between him and the V2 record, he had read in Bedworth-Jones’s office. But, his friend was concerned, and he also knew he would not let it go. It was time to relent. He gave him an admiring smile. ‘Okay, my friend. Shall we go into that pub over there? And, over a few pints of bitter, which you can pay for, I will gladly settle your curiosity.’
Chapter 26
Later that evening, Swan took the short walk from the SID office to Northumberland Avenue, and through the polished double doors of The Brigand Club.
In a room named the Waterloo Room, after the famous battle, he stood surveying the atmosphere of cigar smoke, the clink of coffee cups, and the banter from the members, reclined in big green leather armchairs, some of which, were silently immersed in the early edition of today’s Evening Standard, while others were deep in conversation, in subjects ranging from golf, to the increasing price of oil.
Over in the far corner, almost secluded from view, sat John Stratton, the Head of A Section of the Security Service. Dressed in a charcoal grey, pinstriped three-piece suit, the broad shouldered balding man, stared out of the window, as he sipped a tumbler of scotch, then turned his head to see Swan approaching him. ‘Alex, long time and all that,’ he greeted.
A middle-aged waiter in a green tunic and black trousers approached the table. ‘May I get your usual Mr Swan?’ Swan acknowledged the waiter, who promptly turned on his heel and walked towards the bar.
Stratton leant forward in his chair. ‘So, what happened at Highdown? I heard that Kevin Powell’s killer threw himself off the rocket gantry.’
Swan nodded. ‘That’s just about the gist of it, John. Jean Lempiere was working for a man named, Gunther Fleischer, a German industrialist, living near Hamburg. This Fleischer chap seems bent on sabotaging the Black Arrow. My suspicions are, he could be following an old Nazi directive, called Operation Falling Star.’
The waiter returned and handed Swan his drink. ‘Thank you, George.’
Stratton put down his newspaper. ‘Good grief, Alex! This Falling Star. What is it all about?’
Swan explained how it dated back to the end of the war, when the Allies were closing in. ‘The Nazis did not want any of their technological secrets falling into the hands of the Allies, so the German High Command set up Falling Star, to prevent this. The first thing, was to destroy as many documents and existing projects, as they could, then — and this is the most sinister part, to execute any of the important engineers and scientists, preventing them from being captured.’
‘And, we know a lot of them were eventually captured, Von Braun’s team for instance,’ Stratton added.
Swan nodded. ‘That’s right, John. The Russians acquired a load of them too, but it looks like among them, were men still worthy to this directive, and they have just been biding their time, waiting for their orders. Who knows, it just may be, all the recent disasters with the rocket programmes, could all be down to these saboteurs, in place amongst the rocket teams of the superpowers, and those few, still working for us, at Highdown. The thing is, everyone appears to be completely oblivious to this.’
‘So, what do you suggest, we do about it?’
‘We need to check out Fleischer. He may also have a couple of hitmen, based right here in London, who were responsible for the murders of Ruger and Kappelman. I was wondering, what’s the chance of contacting our German friends in the BND, to look into things, there?’
Stratton took another sip of scotch, then still holding the glass in his hands, made a suggestion. ‘I can have a word with my opposite number, maybe have this Fleischer arrested, and questioned. Not much to go on though. Would be difficult even for the BND, to hold him for long, or get a warrant to search his premises.’
‘Swan raised a hand. ‘I have a letter, sent to me from Kappelman, just before he died, informing Ruger had visited him and told him about the plot to sabotage Black Arrow. Could we perhaps, use this as leverage?’
Stratton shook his head. ‘It’s better than nothing, I suppose. So, these two goons that killed Ruger and Kappelman, I see a nationwide search has been carried out for them, but so far, no leads. If they are still here in London, they could be after someone else.’
Swan agreed. ‘Indeed, they could, John, but who is left in Britain, that could be a threat to Fleischer, I wonder?’
Stratton stared at Swan in such an alarming way, it was all that was needed, to give the hint.
‘You think, I could possibly be a target?’
‘Well you did apprehend his operative at Highdown, and foil the Black Arrow plot to boot, did you not?’
Swan suddenly saw it for what it was. ‘Yes, I suppose you’re right. I could well be in his soup for that. Best be on my guard then.’
Stratton leant forward, to give Swan some advice. ‘I would lay low for a bit, if I were you. Just in case, at least, until this Fleischer chap, has been apprehended.’
Swan suddenly had a thought. ‘What about our friends across the pond? Do you think we should inform them of our discovery?’
Stratton shook his head. ‘It’s a bit difficult these days, Alex. The CIA seem to want hard evidence, before they act on anything. I could talk with the American Security Attaché, here in London, and then leave the ball in his court, so to speak.’
‘I think they should at least know, there could be a potential threat to their Apollo programme. There could even be members of this faction in Von Braun’s team right now, waiting to strike.’