The Berkut Read Online Free PDF Page A

besinnen, dann beginnen-first think, then begin, he thought. Brumm lunged at the nearest woman, driving a fist into her solar plexus. As she doubled up, he grasped the short barrel of her machine pistol, twisted it from her grip and spun behind his victim, holding the leader of the women in his sights. It happened so fast that none of the women reacted.
    "I have no more time for this," the colonel said angrily, his chest heaving. "I have my duty and you are interfering. In other circumstances, perhaps, I might play with you and see this game to its end, but not now." He aimed the weapon at the leader's face. "Make your decision now, Fraulein. We both die here or you can get out of my way. Either way, there's no more talk. What's it to be?"
    S he stepped aside and lowered her weapon. "Are you hell-bent on killing Russians and finding traitors?" he asked. S he nodded. "Do you want to serve your Fuhrer and the Reich?" All the women nodded. "Good," he pronounced. "Gather your weapons and gear and come with me. If you want to serve the Reich, then God has sent me to you; you will see, my Walkure. Gretchen, is it?" he said to the leader.
    "Yes."
    "Gretchen, have one of the others get that steel rod from the other building and let's go. We're running out of time." He stalked out of the room and up the stairs.
    The women looked at one another for a moment until their leader finally lowered her head. "Move," she said.
    He was waiting for them upstairs. "You," he said, pointing t o Gretchen. "You are now Oberstu rm fü hrer; you are my second in command."
    "Me?"
    "You," he repeated. "Is it too much for you?"
    "Waller," she said crisply, "Obersturmf ü hrer Waller," and snapped a crisp salute.
    "Very good, Waller. Wait here." He went back down the stairs.
    There was a single shot from below. Then he was back. "That one will feel no more pain," he said. "No more executions; you fight when I tell you to fight. You are now 55."
    "There are no women in the SS ," Waller said.
    "But there have been plenty of the SS in women," one of the others said. They all laughed.
    "For the moment," Brumm said, "1 am the SS , and I say there will be women. I expect total obedience, complete discipline, no different from what I expect from my men. You will swear to it." All six women gathered around him. For the first time he noticed how young they were-late teens, early twenties at the most-and so healthy-looking. He called them to attention and lifted his right arm in the Nazi salute. They followed his lead.
    "I swear to thee, Adolf Hitler, as Fuhrer and chancellor of the German Reich, loyalty and bravery. I vow to thee, and to the superiors whom thou shalt appoint, obedience unto death, so help me God."
    He shook each woman's hand, then kissed each gently on the cheek. "Waller, are we ready to go?"
    "Yes, Herr Standartenfü hrer."
    "Then move."
    Ten minutes later they were inside the tube. With the lever the wheel had worked easily. He sent the women down first, then followed, jamming the iron rod into the door's mechanism so that no one would be able to follow them. When he reached the tunnel floor, the girls were huddled together, squatting near a wall. The air was heavy and stale. He flashed his light ahead o f them . There were damp spots, but mostly the way ahead was dry. It would be easy going.
    "Is there a way out?" Waller asked.
    "There is always a way out, Waller, if you keep your wits. Move out."
    Phase One of the mission was nearing completion. He'd added some elements not planned on, but the operation hadn't taken into account the possibility of Berlin being awash in lunatics. He needed help; for the time being these girls could provide it.
    "Waller," the colonel said softly as they walked, "who taught you to fight?"
    "We taught ourselves," she said proudly.
    Wer sein eigener Lehrmeister sein will, hat einen Narr zum Schüler , he thought. He that teaches himself has a fool for a master. It had been his grandfather's favorite saying.
     
    6 -