The driver was halfway around the front of the car and was frantically looking around. I took him down with another center mass shot.
There were no other sounds and apparently no one else present. I thought about retrieving my arrows but decided I wanted them to see what could be done. Also, why take a chance of someone coming up on me.
Instead, I returned to camp, tried to leave no sign of my presence, picked up my pack, and headed west.
I took a slightly different route on the way back to West Germany. I thought about Stendal and a train ride but why push my luck. Three days later I crossed the border back into West Germany.
I had kept an eye out for the family I had met on the way but never saw them. I walked into some little town. I caught a cab back to Wolfsburg and met my charter pilot. Before we left I called The Meadows and told Mr. Hamilton that the mission was a success.
My charter pilot dropped me off at Heathrow where I collected my plane after passing through customs. He never asked the first question. I wondered who he really worked for.
At customs, they were a little puzzled by the fact I had no new stamps on my passport but didn’t hold me up.
After that, I flew back to Oxford to where my family was waiting. There were hugs all about. Mary told me she worried the whole time I was gone. I asked her why she should be worried, I only went to London.
“Pull the other one, Ricky, I hope they are dead.”
What do you say to that?
“They are.”
“Thank you, now quit getting in trouble with those guys so they will stop kidnapping me, it is getting tiresome.”
“I hear you.”
At that Mum, Dad and I retreated to the library where I was debriefed by them. I was given high marks on my execution of the mission. Was that a double entendre?
Mum took my film so that MI6 could look at it, the cigarette smugglers were interesting but the interaction between the fat guy and the late Herr Konig could give some insight upon the leadership of the Stasi.
With that, I took a long shower and thought about what work I had to catch up on for school.
Chapter 33
While I was on my mission in East Germany I missed several events. The first was the US Presidential election on Tuesday, November 8th. John F. Kennedy beat out Richard Nixon, 303 electoral votes to 219.
There was speculation that late vote counts in Mayor Richard Daley’s Chicago sealed the deal. I had a hard time believing that a US Election could be that dishonest, but a lot of my beliefs had been challenged in the last several years.
The other event I missed was Remembrance day. This was on November 11th, the 11th day of the 11th month, the 11th hour, and 11th minute. This was the time of the cease-fire to end World War I.
It was recognized but not celebrated in the US as it was in England. This was due to the loss of life in the respective countries.
The US with twice the population of Great Britain lost 53,000 men, Great Britain lost 774,000 men. The impact on Great Britain is still felt to this day as they lost their greatest and brightest to the slaughter.
That is why the whole country comes to a stop at the appointed minute. Big Ben would chime, BBC would play the Ode of Remembrance, followed by Flowers of the Forest, O Valiant Hearts, I Vow to Thee My Country, and Jerusalem. They would end with both the Last Post and The Rouse.
The United States shows its patriotism on the Fourth of July, but it is nothing like the heartfelt sadness that sweeps Great Britain for the human loss. It was effectively the end of the British Empire.
The loss of the Empire pales to the loss of the people. One other time I was in England on that day. I wanted to see if the shivers I felt then would repeat.
Mum had taken the film I had given her to MI6. They were most interested in them. It completed a circle.
It seems from a spy present at the late Herr Konig’s party he was congratulated on my capture. It appears Herr Konig hadn’t told of my escape during the exchange.
He was surprised at his own party by the congratulations he received. He had to tell the truth at that point. That must have been when the fat guy went ballistic.
I bet fat guy wet his pants on Monday when he heard about Konig’s fate. What I wasn’t certain about was the plan started with Konig, fat guy, or higher up.
If it was the fat guy or above I still had some work to do. I just didn’t know how I would figure it out.
It turned out that I didn’t have to figure it out. I received a written invitation to a reception at the Soviet Embassy in London. After checking with my superiors, Mum and Dad, Mr. Norman, and General Heartly of Coldstream, all agreed I should attend to see what was up.
It was on Wednesday night in London so I flew up there after class. The dress was suit and tie or first-class military. Since I didn’t have my Coldstream uniforms yet I went with the suit and tie.
Mr. Hamilton had placed an order with my tailor for a full set. Since they had my measurements I didn’t have to go in. At the rate I was collecting uniforms I could start my own museum.
Dang, I should have worn my 6th Ohio Volunteer Infantry uniform. It was too late to have it shipped from the US.
