A New Kind of War

Japan –at a place called Hiroshima

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2

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Audley looked round again, and he consulted his watch for the umpteenth time.

‘What are you looking for, David?’ Except for the People’s Car and the jeep containing Sergeant Devenish and Driver Hewitt, the courtyard of Schwartzenburg Castle was quite empty. ‘We’re late already.’

‘Only two minutes. And I know the way to the Exernsteine.’

‘Yes, so the adjutant said.’ Fred watched the boy curiously. ‘But we’re still late, according to his schedule. So what are you waiting for?’

‘I just thought our prisoner might turn up – “Corporal Keys” ... I haven’t laid eyes on him since we handed him over. But he must still be on the premises, damn it!’ Audley frowned up at the blank rows of windows above him. ‘Isn’t he the object of our peregrinations today?’

Peregrinations? And the boy was still fishing, too. But in his heart Fred couldn’t blame him. ‘The instrument, but not the object. Get in the car, David – that’s an order.’ He stretched his own orders slightly. ‘You’ll see him soon enough, now that he’s been promoted.’

‘What – ?’ Audley’s mouth opened comically.

‘Get in the car.’ Poor boy! How many lives have you got left, then? ‘Get in the car, and all shall be revealed, dummy4

David – ’ He had to stop there because Audley had closed his mouth quickly and was already folding himself up into the little car.

‘You don’t mind me driving – ?’ The engine whirred behind them reliably. ‘I’m actually not a very good driver – I think driving’s boring . . . But on this occasion ... I do know the car – and the way.’ Audley looked at him with eager expectation as the People’s Car shot through the castle gateway with half an inch to spare on its passenger’s side.

‘Yes – no!’ Fred shuddered as they barely missed the line of larger transport, which included Major Kenworthy’s monster, parked under the castle walls – a line complete with an armed sentry now, he noted.

‘You were saying – ?’ Audley couldn’t contain his curiosity. ‘Where’s the prisoner, then?’

‘Watch the road, David.’

‘Yes – damn it, I am watching it – ’ Audley peered into his mirror ‘ – it’s all right: our escort is right behind us.

You were saying – about Field-Marshal Keys?’

‘He’s done better for himself than that.’ Fred began to tire of the riddle-game. ‘As of last night he became a free man.’

‘ Ah . . .’ Audley swung the little car on to the main road. ‘Now ... I thought there weren’t many extra precautions last night, when I took my evening dummy4

constitutional and had a look round. Because I only got challenged on the horse-lines, by the transport – not anywhere in the castle at all!’ He nodded sagely at the road. ‘And that did strike me as ... rather odd, after our earlier failures.’

Clinton was right. ‘Did you meet anybody ... on your peregrinations?’

‘Meet anybody? They were all pissed, more or less, if you ask me – celebrating the end of the jolly old war!

And so was I, a bit ... No. Only Amos and Busy-Izzy doing their accustomed rounds, checking up on the wine- cellar, and such, of course – and the state of the duty officer’s liver, I shouldn’t wonder . . . But, he’s gone, you say? Our first real and undoubted success –

No 21 – “The-Key-of-the-Door” – ?’ He stopped suddenly, and then thumped the wheel, causing the little car to shake and swerve slightly. ‘But of course he’s gone! How stupid of me!’

‘Why?’ If the boy wanted to talk, who was he to stop him?

‘No 21! What does the key do?’ Audley accelerated.

‘Why – he opens the door to reveal No 16 – “Sweet-Sixteen-and-Never-Been-Kissed”!’ Then he looked at Fred quickly. ‘And Clinton trusted him – ? But obviously he did, the foxy old swine! And, of course, No 21 had a bloody convincing tale to tell, too: not just

“Come home, and all is forgiven”, but “Come home ...

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or someone will put a bullet through you, like they did to my ersatz self last night”!’ He thumped the wheel again, with the same disconcerting effect. ‘And, by God, that would certainly convince me! Because . . .

letting him go — after all the trouble we had taking him . . . Oh! He’s a lusty old blackbird is Our Freddie!’

Clinton was right – the boy was sharp.

‘God! I wish he’d let me go!’ Audley sighed. ‘Only then you wouldn’t see my tail for dust, though!’

‘Maybe he will, if you’re good, David.’

‘Some hope! It’s nineteen-bloody-forty-seven for me –

if I’m lucky – ’ Suddenly the car slowed, and so abruptly that Fred was instantly afraid that the jeep behind would collide with them. But when he looked over his shoulder he saw that Driver Hewitt was prudently keeping his distance.