bitterly. 'How can they have forgotten, Rudi? From the beginning you
fought beside me, took wounds meant for me. And now, you will be the
man who receives my most sacred charge, the responsibility of the most
sensitive mission in 'the history of the Reich. Together we shall prove
yet again what fools they all are!'
Hitler's eyes went cold. 'In such times as these, Rudi, we learn who
our real friends are. I'm afraid that some of our oldest and most
trusted comrades may have decided that the time has come to explore
alternatives to the road I have chosen for Germany. They seem to think
my decision to invade at Russia is a symptom Of madness. Imbeciles!
To imagine that thirst neutral I-Adolf Hitler-would invade Russia wi out
f izing England!' th th Hess looked guiltily at e floor. For the past
mon he had subscribed to the very same heresy. Yet the Fuhrer had
obviously had his own peace plan in the works all along. Of course! It
was only natural that the Fuhrer should inspire powerful allies in
England! So many questions thundered in Hess's brain that he could not
decide which to ask first.
Before he could say anything, however, Hitler transfixed him with a
zealot's stare and began to speak with quiet conviction.
'Every man has his hour, Rudi, his time upon the world's stage.
Your hour has come. Some men-men like myself-play their part in public,
like stars flashing across the sky.
Others must play their part in shadow. It is to such a role I call you
now. Take heed, old friend. There are traitors all around us. From
the moment you leave this room you will be in mortal danger.
But you are a soldier, Rudi, the embodiment of the true Nazi. I do not
exaggerate when I say that the very future of the Reich rests upon your
success!'
Hess felt his chest swell with burning pride. He did not yet understand
his role in Operation Mordred, but if the Fuhrer was ready to gamble the
future of the Reich on him, he was ready to lay down his life without
question. What German could do less?
Hess started when, after a perfunctory knock, Reichleiter Martin
Bortnann marched loudly into the salon.
'General Halder has arrived, my Fuhrer,' he announced.
As a courtesy, Hitler waited for Hess to dismiss Bormann.
The thickset, unctuous Bonnann was Hess's deputy, after all.
'Dismissed!' Hess barked.
Bonnann saluted and backed reluctantly out of the salon.
Hess felt better immediately. Lately he spent most of his time in his
Munich office, and he had reluctantly come to depend more and more on
Bormann for satisfying the daily whims of the Fuhrer. Bonnann was an
able assistant, but he possessed many traits Hess detested. He was
cruel and merciless to his subordinates, yet fawning and obsequious to
his superiors. No one liked him much@xcept Hitler-but everyone
respected his proximity to the epicenter of power.
'A good man,' Hitler said with some embarrassment.
'But it's not like having you around, Rudi. Not like the old days.
Remember Landsberg?'
For a moment Hess thought back to the months in Landsberg Prison, where
he had edited the manuscript of Mein Kampf while Hitler dictated it.
He_s had done his best to force the fevered ideas into intelligible
progressions of words. In those days he had been the apple of the
Fuhrer's eye. it seemed a thousand years ago now. Or it had until five
minutes ago.
'I remember,' he said softly.
Hitler crossed to the fireplace, reached up to the mantel, and took down
a long manila envelope. He tapped it against the palm of his left hand.
'On this envelope, Rudi, is written the name of the man I have chosen to
help you carry your mission.'
Hitler extended the envelope. Hess accepted it, and held it at belt
level while he read the large blocked letters: REINHARD HEYDRICH:
OBERGRUPPENFOHRER SD.
Hitler had written the words himself; Hess recognized the hand from the
endless nights in Landsberg.. He also recognized the name.
Heydrich was commander of the feared SD-the counter intelligence arm of
the SS-and second-incommand toSS Reichsfiihrer Himmler. Hess
half-recalled an unpleasant story he had once heard about Heydrich-a man
so ruthless that even the brutal SS had christened him the 'blond
beast'-but the Fuhrer's voice broke his train of thought.
'Himmler is to know nothing of this,' he said. 'Heydrich keeps an
office in the Prinz-Albrechtstrasse, but you're not to deliver it
there.'
'Deliver it?' Hess said incredulously.
Hitler was pacing again, faster now. He spoke as if dictating to one of
his secretaries. 'As soon as you get back to Munich, wire Heydrich that
you must see him on a matter of Reich security. Include the word
MordredThis will prevent him from informing Himmler.
Heydrich spends a good deal of time at the SD offices in the
Wilheimstrasse. Deliver it there-not Prinz-Albrechtstrasse. You can
log the trip as another training flight. Make some small talk for a
half hour, then return to Munich.' Hitler pursed his lips. 'You will
have no further contact with Heydrich, Rudi. But rest assured, he will
be working with you. Besides myself, he will be your only ally.'
Hitler paused by the door, his fingers on the handle. 'Any questions?'
Hess cleared his throat. 'Only one, my Fuhrer.'
One question was more than Hitler liked, but he forced himself to smile.
'What is it?'
'When do I leave for England?'
Hitler let his hand drop and walked back to Hess. He reached up, laid a
hand on the powerful shoulder, and gazed into Hess's earnest eyes. 'From
the filthy trenches of France,' he said softly, 'we have risen up and
conquered all Europe. We have avenged the outrage of Versailles- Now we
stand poised to invade Russia itself. Russia itself!' Hitler paused,
his eyes burning. 'Such a step is not to be taken without an awareness
of destiny, Rudi- On what day did we begin our glorious westward march
to the Channel?'
Mystified, Hess groped for the date. 'The tenth of May, 1940?'
'Yes! And what day is our eastward invasionBarbarossa-to begin?'
