“So, are we capable, militarily speaking?”
“If matters go as we foresee, then yes, we are capable, Herr Kanzler. However, matters rarely go as foreseen. We will deal with eventualities, provided our Allies remain steadfast.”
“And from what we learn today, they have every reason to remain steadfast. Do we have any ideas about these weapons?”
Guderian took a sip and answered with a snort that came too close to dismissive for Speer’s liking.
“Ha! Not that I know, Herr Kanzler. A question better put to your new master of the dark arts, I think.”
It was well known that Guderian and Diels were not friends, and on the few occasions that professional requirements had placed them together, it was clear that the Feldmarschal had nothing but disdain for the Abwehr chief.
“A fair point, Feldmarschal. I’ll speak to him shortly. We can use this increase in alert to mask some of our own activities, can we not?”
“Most certainly, Herr Kanzler. I’ll move some units openly, rather than hide their redeployment as exercises. The Luftwaffe will step up their work of course.”
“Excellent, excellent. We have an opportunity here, Feldmarschal. Stand ready to act immediately if it develops into what we need.”
“Zu befehl, Herr Kanzler.”
1847 hrs, Tuesday, 18th February 1947, 733 15th St NW, Washington DC, USA.
The sound of their lovemaking penetrated through the walls, carrying to the ears of fellow residents above, below, and to the side of her bedroom.
Normally, their liaisons took place somewhere clandestine, secrecy being vital for maintaining his political position, and her rank in local society.
However, today it was different.
Her call had driven him from his office into her arms, the sheer desperate need for his attention made totally clear by the explicit note that had been delivered to his office that afternoon.
Now, here he was, driving himself into the vitals of the woman who was his lover, confidante, and friend.
They had been lovemaking for nearly an hour and he had enjoyed every part of her body with equal vigour, but now he was nearing the moment of climax.
As he drove into her from behind she rose up, pushing herself onto him, appearing to hasten her own orgasm.
He came.
She came.
It was noisy and intense.
The two fell back onto the sheets panting with exhaustion, sweaty, sticky, and worn out from their intense physical acts.
“Damn but that was something, darling. Unbelievable, really unbelievable.”
Olivia von Sandow rolled over and clutched the sweaty old body by her side, kissing her lover on the shoulder.
“Darling Humphrey… what a lion you are. I’ve never been so well fucked in my life, darling.”
While her lips said one thing, her mind was working out how to end the evening quickly and pass on the information she had teased out of him during their marathon sex session.
As she had fellated him, he unburdened himself about his day… and the latest stupid panic by the boys in Europe… and the Jap chemical stuff… and their subs.
When she rode him like a rodeo bull, she taunted him about the matter, and he revealed the Soviet missile test and what it probably meant.
As he had sodomized her, he had clearly felt empowered, dominating her, taking her like a Viking rapist, and had been easily enticed into more indiscretions.
The revelation that atomic weapons were being released to the European theatre almost caught her out, but she continued to moan in time with his violent thrusts.
Her orgasm had been as fake as her love.
‘Emergency… what could be more of an emergency than this?’
She kissed Senator Humphrey Forbes another time, before slipping out of bed and heading into the bathroom.
Outside, a watching German Intelligence agent noted the opening of the bathroom curtains to a certain position and understood the message immediately.
‘She wants me to recall her.’
It was not until both windows were cracked open as well that he realised the emergency code accompanied the first signal.
He moved quickly, leaving his car door unlocked, and was quickly in the phone booth, spilling coins into the slot and dialling her number.
In the apartment, Olivia deliberately stayed in the bathroom, shouting at her love to take a message, which meant that Humphrey Forbes answered the phone
“Deputy cultural attaché von Sandow please.”
“I’m afraid she’s otherwise engaged at the moment. May I take a message?”
“Certainly. She is to report to the Embassy immediately. Thank you. Who am I speaking to, please?”
“I’m a friend… Randall…”
Caught on the hop, he used his middle name.
“Thank you, Randall. Immediately though please. It’s a serious matter. I cannot say of course… state business.”
“Of course. I’ll see she gets the message immediately.”
He replaced the receiver as the stunningly attractive woman, now partially dressed, exited the bathroom.
“Who was it, darling?”
“The embassy. They need you back there right now. Some sort of emergency. He couldn’t say what it was… hush hush stuff, darling.”
“Damn. I was looking forward to dinner and another round of fucking, darling Humphrey.”
“Another time, Olivia. Duty calls eh?”
They both dressed and left the apartment, after Olivia von Sandow had declined his offer of a lift and called a cab.
In truth, Humphrey Forbes was slightly relieved, for he doubted he had the stamina for another sex session with the insatiable brunette.
His car took him home to his family.
In the taxi on the way to the German Embassy, von Sandow relayed all she had learned to her NKVD contact.
1353 hrs, Thursday, 20th February 1947, the Kremlin, Moscow, USSR.
Replacing the phone, having verbally trounced his secretary for interrupting the briefing, Stalin replied to Beria’s summary of the European situation.
“Excellent. We may have an opportunity here. Slow down any further withdrawals until we can assess the situation.”
‘Brrring… Brrring…’
Stalin answered the phone again, not attempting to hide his irritation at the interruption, the second in as many minutes.
“What is it now?”
Beria took the moment to stretch his legs.
“Yes. Very well. Put her through.”
Stalin spoke softly, almost hiding the receiver in his collar.
“It’s the woman, Nazarbayeva. Maybe she can add to what you are saying, eh?”
Beria shrugged a shrug that managed to convey both his doubts and his dislike of the woman.
“Comrade Nazarbayeva, what is it that disturbs my undisturbable meeting?”
Stalin’s face remained the same as he heard nothing that Beria hadn’t already imparted.
He closed his eyes and listened, appearing to almost daydream as the woman told her story.
“Yes, I’m aware of that. Comrade Marshal Beria was just briefing me in on these new developments.”
The dictator’s face changed, something Beria picked up on instantly.
“When?”
The thunderclap of Stalin’s hand slapping the desk made his crony jump.
“Tell me this is a fucking joke, Comrade General!”
By his expression, it clearly wasn’t.
“Confirm all this information immediately. Take the first flight available to Moscow and present the full information to the GKO at once. Contact my secretary. I’ll ensure you have priority. Good day to you, Comrade Nazarbayeva.”
Stalin held onto the handset and stared at it with unforced malevolence.