There was a hard punch in the face and a hard kick to the stomach. The man in the trench cried in pain but refuse to say any other things other than what he had said earlier.
It had started to rain, so the men moved to one of the barns in the plantation for further interrogation. One of the guards has been posted at the entrance of the mansion with a loaded machine gun. More guards have been called in to provide more security around Captain Franz’s mansion. He had feared that there would be more of the Gestapo agents loitering around.
The captain, Ernst, the driver and the body guard remained in the barn with the caught Gestapo agent. By the now, it was raining very heavily.
“What’s your name?” the captain demanded as he and the men surrounded the Gestapo agent.
The man refused to answer. Clearly he did not want give any information off now that he has been caught. His superiors going to be very furious with him if they know that he has been caught. Clearly he is going through a streak of bad lucks. He just hoped that his partner managed to slip away in the dark. The Gestapo agent continued to be punched and kicked but still refused to answer.
Then from far, the guards spotted a light of car, moving towards the mansion.
“Captain, a car is approaching the mansion”
The Gestapo agent was tied up and the driver kept an eye on him as the rest went out to wait for the car.
The car stopped in front of the captain and two men in trench coat and one in a military uniform got out from the car.
“Captain, we believe that you have caught one of our men. We demand that you release him immediately” said of them.
“Well, your man trespassed my property, had a gun and was trying to fled when my men spotted him. Therefore why should I release him?” the Captain said firmly
“Captain, he has his orders and here’s yours to release him” the man handed over an order signed by the regional Gestapo Head and a General from the German Army.
The captain pondered about the order that was handed to him and contemplated on his next move.
“Ernst, ask our men to release the Gestapo Agent” ordered the Captain feeling a bit dejected. His orders were clear.
The caught Gestapo agent was badly beaten up but managed to walk on his own. Two of the men in trench coat quickly grabbed the man and walked him towards the car. As he passed the Captain, he stopped.
“Captain, I am sorry on what had happened. Just be careful” said the man as he entered the car. The car sped off as soon as they got their man.
“What you think about this, Captain?”
“I am not sure Ernst but we better be careful. Ask the guards to double their patrol around the mansion. I am going to have a word with the local SS garrison, perhaps we can get some extra help and after that I need to make a phone to Berlin. Perhaps they will know what is happening here. Why the Gestapo is so interested in me?”
The captain looked at his body guard who caught the Gestapo agent.
“Good work, Major”
An hour later, a truck load of SS soldiers from the local regiment disembarked and formed a security perimeter around the mansion. The local SS commander was happy to assist as he is well aware of Captain Franz’s reputation and his links with the German High Command.
“What?” the Admiral in Berlin sounded as the Captain told him about the events leading to the release of the Gestapo agent. He is scheduled to have his German High Command meeting and he assures that the Fuhrer will know about this as well. Certainly the Head of Gestapo is not going to like the latest development, if he was aware of the activities of his agents. The captain informed him of the security measures that he has taken and the Admiral sounded relieve. He informed that three more body guards will be sent to help on the security. He needs to make sure that nothing harm is done on the captain until the mission starts.
It was late when the captain put the phone after talking to the Admiral in Berlin. He still has his two weeks break and he intends to enjoy it to the fullest before his mission to Malaya starts. With the security beefed up and his men on full alert, the captain went to sleep.
Next day, he woke up early and had a good breakfast. Ernst was still asleep for he slept late after spending time with the guards. The three bodyguards that the Admiral promised to despatch arrived before the morning and took up their places. They were briefed by the Major. The SS troops were still manning the security posts since last night and the Captain sent them breakfast which lifted their spirits.
No news was received from Berlin on what had happened last night and there some chores to be done in town, so the captain decided to go to town and drop by the Gestapo office. Perhaps he may get some information from the agents there.
They left in two cars – two of the body guards riding in each of the car. The captain rode in the second car together with the Major. After his chores in town and doing some shopping, he went to the local pub where he had arranged a meeting with his old friend who now works with the Gestapo. He had originally planned to drop by the Gestapo office to meet his friend but his friend proposed to have a drink instead.
The pub was not so crowded when the captain entered with his four body guards. He saw his friend at the end of the pub, waving at him. His friend whom he knows from young always wanted to join Kriegsmarine but due to his poor health, he was not selected. In the end, he got work in the Gestapo and raise to handle the local office.
The captain body guards took up their place on two separate tables. One was facing the table where the captain was sitting down with his friend. Another was at the back, hidden from view but was strategic enough to see who was entering and leaving the pub.
“Hello, my old friend! It has been a while since we met. Since you called, I thought it will be better if we chatted whilst having a drink. How’s life as a U Boat captain?” laughed his friend as he poured whiskey to the captain.
“Life has been better. What about you? It looks like Gestapo has been busy lately” joked the captain as he drank his drink.
His Gestapo friend stopped drinking and looked at the captain.
“If you are talking about the fiasco last night, I assure captain that it has nothing to do with us. In fact, we had never executed such action before, more over on my good friend’s mansion”
“What really happened then?” asked the captain curiously
The captain friends looked around, as if he was afraid to say anything more. He noticed the four men that had followed the captain in. He looked at the captain again.
“Oh you can trust them” the captain replied.
“The man that was caught at your mansion last night was not one of my men, nor those who drove to the mansion to pick the man up. From what I understand, the man has been driven back to Berlin. There are no records of the man anywhere with us”
“So, I checked further. The Gestapo is divided into two factions now. It started at the same time when some rumours of a mission to some Far East place started. One faction is determined to fail the mission – the success of the mission will put the military at a better confidence of the Fuhrer than the Gestapo has now. It afraid that it will lose all powers that it may have now”
“Another faction on the other hand is determined to ensure that the mission passes without any failures. They know that the Third Reich cannot last for long without having an upper hand against the ever improving Allies”
“The one that was caught at your mansion, was believed from the faction that is determined to sabotage the mission”
The captain looks very concerned now. He realised that he is just a small player in the cat and mouse game that is being played out in Berlin. But he is concerned whether he will last the game. He also concerned about the safety of his family.
“Me and my agents will provide protection to you and your family as long it takes. We are not concerned about the factions in the Berlin for now. I suggest that you called up your superiors in the Kriegsmarine and get assistance. It is quite impossible for you to last long against the Gestapo without help from an equal superiority powers” said his friend as he poured more drinks for the captain.
“There is nothing much else I can say for now. I have told you all that I know. Good bye and good luck, my friend” the Gestapo agent as he drank the last glass and left the pub.
The captain ordered another bottle of wine and was drinking it as he contemplated on what to do, now that the circumstances of the last night event is more clearer.
Then he knew what to do next. He got up and went to the telegraph office – he had to send the urgent message to South Africa. Then he went to the local SS garrison commander and made arrangements.
Then he and his body guards left for the mansion. There was little time left to prepare. When he got home, he called his wife and informed her of the meeting that he had with his Gestapo agent friend.
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