The Shadowboxer Read Online Free PDF Page A

“Have I ordered you to stand?”
    â€œNo, Obergruppenfuehrer.”
    â€œThen you will sit.”
    â€œCertainly, Obergruppenfuehrer,” Platt agreed, taking his seat.
    â€œState your objection—briefly.”
    â€œObergruppenfuehrer, Gestapo officially protests the discussion of the Webber Proposition until the revised Spangler Dossier can be authenticated. Herr Webber’s plan to capture Spangler appears to be entirely predicated on the dossier’s—the SD-Ausland dossier’s—contention that not only is Spangler alive, but he is the Rag Man and three other persons as well. What proof is there? On what is this assumption based?”
    â€œThe initial assumption,” Webber replied, strolling toward the conference table, “is based upon the most elementary deduction, dear Platt. SD-Ausland simply took every recorded incident of assisted escape from concentration camps and compared them all for similarities—something no other organization apparently bothered to do. We immediately isolated twenty men who had never been identified. A comparison of murder techniques and other operandi soon brought the list down to what we have now. It really wasn’t that difficult.”
    â€œDeduction is theory,” Platt shot back. “Where is the proof? Where is tangible evidence?”
    Webber slid a notebook across the table to Platt. “This was found in a raid made on a Frankfurt apartment two days after the Vetter escape at Gusen. In it you will see a complete list of all prisoners appearing on the Chronology of Events in the Spangler Dossier—the revised Spangler Dossier.
    â€œAlso found in the same apartment were chemical equipment and traces of the experimental explosive TDL—the same TDL that was used in the lanterns at Gusen the night of Vetter’s escape.”
    Platt blanched, then turned red as he studied the list of names. “Obergruppenfuehrer,” he finally stammered, “why wasn’t Gestapo advised of this discovery?”
    â€œThere wasn’t time to advise anyone except Obergruppenfuehrer von Schleiben,” Webber answered before the General could reply. “We had to prepare our capture plan as well as revise the dossier. But a full report of the event will be sent to you as soon as it is ready.”
    An aide whispered into Platt’s ear. “Obergruppenfuehrer,” the Gestapo representative said, “I suggest this meeting be postponed until this notebook and the raid which produced it can be verified. Where did SD-Ausland get the information about this so-called apartment? How do we know that this notebook and its list are authentic? What if they are a plant? Obergruppenfuehrer, this Council cannot consider such a reckless and costly adventure as the Webber Proposition on the evidence of one notebook.”
    â€œI quite agree,” Webber interjected. “We came across that list a week after we had compiled the revised Spangler Dossier. It only confirmed what we already had deduced —that the Gestapo and several other agencies here had been looking for one man under five different names.”
    â€œThen prove it!” Platt shouted. “Prove it before we go a step further.”
    â€œIf you let me present my findings I’m sure everything will fall into place.”
    â€œThat is not acceptable,” Platt yelled, holding up the dossier. “Before anything is considered you must firmly establish that these eight-hundred-odd pages pertain to one man and one man alone.”
    Webber paused and then smiled at Platt. “SD-Ausland is certainly able and willing to do just that. But since it is our contention that Erik Spangler will attempt his next escape on January 26, seven days from now, we ask only one thing: that the Gestapo accept full responsibility if adequate preparations are not made because of delay at this Council.”
    â€œThe twenty-sixth?” Platt questioned,