Once the ATV and trailer were safely on its way, Jones hustled down the slope and tossed the rifle into the bunker where it would burn with everything else. Next to the entrance, Jones found the two items that he would use to set the blaze. Payne had stacked them neatly by the ladder, as if he were leaving gifts underneath a Christmas tree.
One was the emergency fuel can for the ATV.
The other was a box of waterproof matches.
Let the pig roast begin.
Even though Krueger was smart, it didn’t take a genius to figure out what had happened to Zimmermann. He had stopped talking at roughly the same time as the rifle blast. After that, no additional shots were fired. Repeated attempts to get him on the radio were fruitless. Obviously, they had taken him out. Much like the other goon before him.
No longer in such a hurry to investigate the bunker, Krueger replayed the conversation with Zimmermann in his head. What did he say before he was shot? Something about a pilot meeting Kaiser at the gorge? Considering the density of the forest and the slope of the mountain, Krueger knew the far end of the ravine was the closet spot a helicopter could land.
All things considered, it was a good place for a rendezvous. But a better place for an ambush.
35
Partnach Gorge
Bavaria, Germany
Located on the Zugspitze, the highest peak in the Bavarian Alps, the Schneeferner is a glacier that formed during the Little Ice Age, an extended period of cooling that ended in the mid-nineteenth century. Since that time, the glacier has been gradually melting. Slowly at first, but now at an alarming rate. To protect the ice in the summer months, local workers lay down more than 60,000 square metres of reflective tarps, hoping to shield the glacier from the sun.
Unfortunately, the tarps can’t stop global warming.
As the ice continues to melt, the water trickles down the mountain in tranquil streams that eventually run together to form the Partnach River. For most of its voyage, the Partnach is a peaceful waterway. It meanders at a casual pace, as if it is trying to see all the sights in the Bavarian countryside before it flows through the middle of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where it divides the city into two separate villages: Garmisch to the west and Partenkirchen to the east. However, during one particular stretch of its journey, the waterway changes drastically, morphing from a gentle, rolling brook into a nasty, roaring river.
The Partnach Gorge, or Partnachklamm, is a natural channel that was created over time by the force of rushing water. For a span of 2,305 feet, the Partnach River surges through a narrow limestone canyon, its walls soaring to the height of 262 feet. Along the way, dozens of waterfalls fill the air with spray, moistening the moss-covered cliffs and cooling the thousands of tourists who explore the gorge every year. Since being declared a natural monument in 1912, a series of tunnels have been carved into the limestone on one side of the river. Originally used by hunters and lumberjacks to reach the mountains above, the sloping path allows hikers to duck behind waterfalls and stroll next to raging rapids with minimal risk.
Of course, the danger would be much higher today when bullets filled the air like mist.
As Collins drove the ATV towards the gorge, Payne jogged behind the trailer. Occasionally, he dashed into the woods whenever he spotted something that bothered him – whether that was a flash of colour that didn’t belong or a glimpse of movement in the nearby trees – but he always came back to the rugged trail where he could watch over his injured friend. In Payne’s mind, Kaiser was the number-one priority.
Forced to move at a sluggish pace because of the terrain, they had been travelling for nearly fifteen minutes when Collins slowed the ATV to a gradual halt. Not a quick, jolting stop that screamed of panic, but a calm, leisurely stop that whispered confusion. Hoping to get a better view of the situation, Payne hopped on the back of the trailer and quickly spotted the problem. Fifty feet ahead, there was a rustic intersection, a place where two hiking paths came together. Payne’s trail was going east and west; the other was going north and south. Unfamiliar with the territory, Payne told Collins to stay put as he ran ahead to investigate a large display case that had been posted at the junction for confused hikers.
Thirty seconds later, Payne was cursing loudly.
Inside the glass case was a detailed map of the area, written in German and English. It showed everything – ski slopes, mountain peaks, major roads, museums, theatres, hotels, restaurants and the best places to park. Of course, none of that mattered to Payne since he was desperately trying to get out of town, not looking to enjoy his stay. The only thing he cared about was getting through the gorge as quickly as possible. But everything changed when he studied the map.
Using the butt of his gun, Payne smashed the case open and ripped the map off the corkboard inside. Then he stomped back towards Collins, anger punctuating his every step.
‘What’s wrong?’ Collins asked.
Payne shoved the map against Collins’s chest. ‘Where’s the chopper going to land?’
‘What?’
‘Where’s the chopper going to land?’ he asked again.
‘By the entrance to the gorge,’ Collins said.
‘Really?’ Payne growled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. ‘And how are we going to get there? I’d love for you to show me!’
Collins knew something was wrong, but he didn’t know how dreadful the situation was until he glanced at the map. There were several photos of area attractions, including a picture of the narrow trail that ran through the gorge. It was barely wide enough for two people; there was no way it could handle an ATV and a trailer. ‘Shit. We won’t fit.’
‘Exactly! So why in the hell did you choose the gorge as the rendezvous point?’
‘I didn’t,’ Collins argued. ‘It was Kaiser’s plan, not mine. And in his defence, he thought we’d be escaping on foot, not on an ATV.’
Payne took a deep breath and nodded. It was a valid point. As an apology, he patted Collins on the shoulder and grunted. He knew it wasn’t Collins’s fault. He was simply frustrated by an oversight that could have led to their demise. And since Kaiser was currently unconscious, Payne had lashed out at the first person he encountered. That just happened to be Collins.
‘What’d I miss?’ someone said from behind.
Payne whirled and raised his gun in one fluid motion, like a gunfighter from the Wild West. Thankfully, he didn’t squeeze his trigger or else he would have killed his best friend.
‘What the fuck?’ Jones shouted, not the least bit amused. ‘If you want to get rid of me, just say the word. I’ll go to Oktoberfest alone.’
‘Sorry,’ Payne said. ‘I’m having a bad day.’
‘Not as bad as mine, if you had shot my ass.’
‘I wasn’t aiming for your ass. I was aiming for your heart.’
‘Oh,’ Jones mocked, ‘now I feel much better.’
Payne turned and pointed at the map. ‘We have a problem.’
‘Yeah, I thought I detected a disturbance in the Force.’
Payne ignored the Star Wars reference. ‘You know that expression, “You can’t get there from here?” Well, we’re facing it right now.’
‘Wonderful,’ said Jones as he snatched the map from Collins’s grasp. ‘It looks like I arrived at the perfect time. I love rescuing damsels.’
When it came to planning missions, Jones was a brilliant strategist. He had received the highest score in the history of the Air Force Academy’s MSAE (Military Strategy Acumen Examination) and had organized hundreds of operations with the MANIACs. He had a way of seeing things several steps ahead, like a chess master.
‘Out of curiosity, who chose the gorge?’ Jones asked.
Payne moaned. ‘Kaiser.’
‘Before or after he was knocked out?’
Payne wasn’t in the mood for games. ‘Do you see something or not?’
‘Relax! Would I be messing with you if I didn’t have a solution?’
‘Yes.’
&nbs
p; Jones smiled. ‘You’re probably right. However, as luck should have it, I actually know how we’re going to get this stuff to the rendezvous point.’
‘The trailer won’t fit through the gorge,’ Collins volunteered.
Jones stared at him. ‘Did I say you could speak?’
Collins dropped his chin to his chest, embarrassed.
Jones winked at Payne, who tried not to laugh. No matter the gravity of the situation, they liked busting balls. ‘Anyway, what was I talking about?’
‘Reaching the rendezvous point.’
Jones nodded and pointed at their location on the map. ‘Here’s the problem. We’re just east of the Partnach River. According to this, there’s no way to cross the water until we get near the gorge. That means we can’t escape to the west. Unfortunately, the east is out, too, because of the fire I just set. It’s only a matter of time before Johnny Law comes running.’
‘That leaves north and south,’ Payne said.
‘Obviously the south is out because of the mountains. I mean, this is a sweet-ass ATV, but it’s not climbing the Alps.’
‘Agreed.’
‘So we have to go north.’
Payne nodded. ‘I figured as much, but how?’
Jones moved his finger on the map. ‘We take this into town.’
Payne leaned closer and studied the yellow icon, which looked like a tiny train. ‘What the hell is that?’
‘The Eckbauerbahn.’
‘Which is?’
‘A cableway. It runs from the peak of Eckbauer to the Olympic stadium. Which, from the looks of things, is right next to the rendezvous point.’
Payne rolled his eyes. ‘You want to take a ski lift into town?’
‘It’s not a ski lift. It’s a cableway. Big difference.’
‘Really? How so?’
Jones smiled. ‘We don’t have to wear skis.’
36
Krueger realized this was the opportunity he had been waiting for since he had joined Mueller’s organization three years earlier. It was his chance to prove that he was a major player, not a two-bit thug who couldn’t be trusted with big-money deals or serious projects.
This was his chance to make an impression.
Realizing the importance of the situation, Krueger decided to cash in a favour he had been holding onto since he had left the 10th Armoured Division of the German Army. One of his best friends in the division, a violent man named Krause, had been accused of a brutal armed robbery, a crime he had committed. However, due to Krueger’s sworn testimony that the two of them had been together at the time of the crime (and because of a lack of physical evidence), charges against Krause were eventually dropped. As a show of appreciation, Krause told Krueger that he owed him a gigantic favour – no matter what it was or when he needed it.
Well, that time was now.
From his hiding place near the southern end of the gorge, Krueger called Krause, who lived in the small town of Griesen, which was approximately ten miles to the west of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The two areas were connected by the Bundesstraße 23, a scenic German highway that was known as the B 23.
Krause answered the phone. ‘How are you, my friend?’
Krueger didn’t have time for small talk. ‘Where are you?’
‘I’m at home. Why?’
‘It’s time.’
‘For what?’
‘The favour.’
Krause nodded. He had known this day would eventually come, and he was fully prepared to pay his debt. After all, his friend had kept him from spending the majority of his life in jail. ‘What do you need me to do?’
Krueger explained the situation, colouring the facts to suit his needs. ‘A group of armed men just attacked my crew in the woods above Garmisch. Two of my friends are dead, and the others are missing. I overheard some of the gunmen. They said a chopper will be meeting them on the northern side of the Partnach Gorge, somewhere close to the ski stadium. I’m heading there now, but they have a head start. I need someone to run interference until I arrive.’
‘What kind of interference?’
‘The kind you’re good at.’
‘Let me see if I’ve got this straight. If I drive to Garmisch and stop that chopper, my debt is completely forgiven? No more holding it over my head?’
Krueger promised. ‘If you stop the chopper, we’re finally square.’
Krause smiled. ‘In that case, I’ll be there in ten minutes.’
Prior to reaching a fork in the path, Payne and Jones reconnected with three of Kaiser’s men, who were waiting near the southern end of the gorge. For the past thirty minutes they had been running through the woods, hunting for the gunmen who had killed Schneider. Unfortunately, their effort had been unsuccessful, which left two goons (or more) unaccounted for.
With so much at stake, Payne took a few minutes to address their situation, using the map to highlight a few trouble spots and to pinpoint where the chopper would be landing. Now that they were talking face-to-face, he could discuss every aspect of their mission without risk.
Payne said, ‘The instant we hit the main path, we’re going to start encountering tourists, and it’s only going to get worse as we get closer to town. With that in mind, we need something to quell potential panic. Personally, I like the cover story that you guys have been using – we’re German soldiers who have been conducting military drills in the mountains. That would explain our weapons, equipment and Kaiser’s condition. He simply got hurt during a training exercise. Out of curiosity, how many of you guys speak German?’
All four of Kaiser’s men – Collins, Huber, Lange and Richter – raised their hands. Unbeknown to Payne, it was a requirement for Kaiser’s security detail.
‘Really?’ Payne said. ‘Well, I guess that makes me the class idiot because I can’t.’
‘You’ll get no argument from me,’ Jones cracked.
Payne ignored him. ‘To make our cover story believable, one of you will have to take charge if we’re stopped along the way – whether that’s by a tourist, a tour guide or a cop. Simply tell them there was a training accident, and we’re rushing our man to a medevac chopper that is waiting for us. That should prevent them from summoning the authorities.’
Jones continued from there, ‘It will also help us at the Eckbauerbahn. In order to load these crates into the gondolas, we’ll need the operators to stop the cableway for a few minutes. If they want to know why we can’t leave the crates behind, tell them they’re filled with explosives. That should spook them enough to get their full cooperation.’
Payne smiled. ‘We’ll also need them to stop the cableway at the bottom so we can unload the payload before it gets whisked back up the mountain. To make sure that doesn’t happen, we’ll put someone in the first gondola who can hop out and explain the situation. Obviously, it would be great if there’s a cart or truck for us to borrow, but we can’t count on that, which means there’s a chance we’ll have to carry everything to the choppers ourselves.’
Jones pointed at the trailer. ‘I’ve labelled the crates two through five, based on priority. If we’re forced to carry our payload, that’s the order of importance. Two goes first; five goes last. Understand?’
Huber shook his head. ‘Why two through five? Why not one through four?’
‘Why?’ Jones asked. ‘Because Kaiser is priority number one. Not the crates, not your guns, not even yourselves. If Kaiser dies, this mission is a failure. Is that clear?’
They grunted and nodded tentatively.
But that wasn’t good enough for Payne. Hoping to drive home the point, he used the same motivational technique he had used when he had recruited Collins. ‘Guys, it’s pretty simple: if Kaiser dies, none of you will get paid. That means a week of hauling, guarding and sleeping in the woods for nothing. On the other hand, if you help him survive, I see a shitload of money headed your way. I’m talking about a one followed by a bunch of zeroes, just for doing your job. Is there some risk involved? Of course there is.
But you knew that going in.’
Payne took a moment to meet the gaze of every man, making each of them feel they were the most important part of the team. ‘Before we proceed any further, I want you to answer a simple question for me. Your response will help me decide if you want to continue with this mission or if you want to quit here and now.’ He paused for effect. ‘Which sounds better to you: a huge pile of cash or unemployment? I know that sounds cold, but let’s be honest, that’s the choice you have to make.’
Not surprisingly, everyone voted for the money.
‘Good!’ Payne applauded. ‘Now that everyone’s on board, let’s hand out some duties. Collins, you’re in charge of the ATV. Your job is to get to the cableway as quickly as possible. That doesn’t mean I want you to run over tourists. It simply means I want you to keep moving if you have the opportunity. If you’re forced to stop, do not abandon the vehicle. You’re the driver, not a foot soldier. We’ll clear the path for you. Understand?’
Collins nodded. ‘Yes, sir.’
Payne studied the other three men. Based on body language alone, he could tell Huber was higher on the totem pole than Lange or Richter. He pointed at him. ‘How’s your German?’
‘Flawless,’ Huber answered.
‘Then you’re our lead dog. You’re setting the pace. If we come across a situation – tourists, guides, whatever – I want you to handle it peacefully. Is that clear?’
‘Yes, sir.’
Payne looked at Lange. ‘You’re his understudy. If he gets delayed, you become the lead dog until he’s able to resume his post. Our goal is to keep moving. Our excuse is Kaiser’s health. If anyone questions our urgency, that’s what you need to stress. He’s our ticket to freedom.’
The Secret Crown Page 17
