As Francois spoke the word ‘blueprints’ he and Kalakia immediately locked eyes. Francois lowered his head and dialled League Intel.
“The Neutralaser blueprints,” he said into the speaker. “Has anybody had access to them recently?” There was a pause. “Yes, I need to know if anyone has requested access in the last months.” Another pause. “Good. Call me back.”
Francois hung up and lowered the phone onto his lap.
“They’re checking.”
Kalakia went over to the window and his thoughts drifted. The prototype had been destroyed, and Inselheim’s Neutralaser team was almost certainly dead. If Stirner had access to the blueprints, The League would lose monopoly over the technology. There would be a global crisis. The age of mutually assured destruction would be over. Panic would break out among the superpowers. War would follow.
Francois’ phone rang and he quickly answered and raised it to his ear.
“Yes.”
Francois listened for a short time then hung up.
“Nobody accessed the blueprints.”
“You seem sure of that,” said Kalakia.
“We have multiple checkpoints in place. It’s air-tight.”
Kalakia had complete faith in Francois and the intelligence team, but that knot in his stomach continued to bother him.
“Do we still not have a fix on the attackers?” asked Kalakia.
“About that. Scheffler’s training facility was also hit. They were ambushed from the trees.”
“What?” said Kalakia. “Scheffler?”
“He’s alive. Otto Litger was killed in the crossfire, along with twenty-one others. Dozens are injured. Some critically. A backup team is assisting and medics are looking after the wounded.”
Kalakia considered the terrain around the training facility.
“How did the attackers escape?”
“Well, here’s the good news. The boy. Frederich. He saw the enemy approaching and attacked them from behind. He killed two snipers then picked off six other shooters. He was almost killed but another recruit managed to intervene. He..”
Francois stalled in his speech.
“He saved them,” said Kalakia impatiently.
“Well, yes, from what I understood his intervention helped avoid a massacre. Scheffler and the others were sitting ducks. It’s just… the way he killed the ninth shooter sounded rather strange.”
“Strange? How?”
“According to Scheffler, he mutilated the man. Beat him repeatedly with his fists and the butt of a gun. Nobody could contain him. He beat the shooter to a pulp before Scheffler and the rest could come and pull him off. Scheffler said he was totally deranged, like an animal, that he’s never seen anything like it.”
“I can only imagine what he means,” said Kalakia. “Let us not forget about Khartoum and Vivar. We learned early what we were dealing with. We cannot act surprised when he becomes unhinged.”
“Maybe you’re right,” said Francois.
“Is he still posing problems?”
“No. According to Scheffler, it was a temporary episode. He’s back to normal now.”
“Good,” said Kalakia. “Let us focus on the fact that he slaughtered nine of our enemies. I want the bodies identified.”
“Ok,” said Francois. “I have more good news. The last surviving shooter was spotted by our helicopters while fleeing over the mountain. They have him at Scheffler’s facility.”
Kalakia felt a rare shot of relief pass through him. His shoulders relaxed. Finally.
“Fly him here for interrogation,” said Kalakia.
“Of course,” said Francois.
“Have Frederich brought also. I would like to speak with our vicious young brute.”
27
Standing beneath the bright, moonlit sky, Frederich drew comfort from the glow while holding his rifle against his chest with both hands. Finally, some space to clear his head. They had been ordered over and again not to pass the fence. For their own safety, Scheffler insisted. Frederich had no intention of listening. As soon as he took over guard duty, he crossed the opening and entered the forest while ignoring Ralph’s shouts of protest. He had already been ousted. He was no longer under Scheffler’s command, so nobody could tell him what to do.
The cold felt good against his skin. With the situation inside somewhat under control, he began to think again about that trip to Sicily. The open road. Solitude. Maybe not a good idea after what he had experienced, but he was craving it nonetheless. There were no flashbacks this time. He felt nothing. Too much had happened in a short time. Nobody had spoken a word to him about it. Those final, frenzied minutes were blacked out from his memory, and Scheffler had already disposed of the body. Meanwhile, the look on each person’s face told him all he needed to know. The truth was out. They had seen Frederich The Lunatic. Their responses had been typical; shock followed by a cautious distance. Except for Piotr. He had not flinched.
There was a loud thud against a tree behind him. Speak of the devil. He half turned his head toward the approaching footsteps.
“You’re a lousy aim,” he said.
“If I were aiming, you would have a sore head by now,” Piotr replied.
A hand rubbed Frederich’s back from behind as Piotr came to his side.
“How is it inside?” asked Frederich.
“As good as it can be. No one else has died. Thank God.”
Frederich nodded.
“That’s a damn relief,” he said. “I heard a helicopter before?”
“They flew Lewis out. He’s not doing good.”
Frederich gave a sombre nod and looked back at the sky, and they remained for a moment in silence.
“Scheffler’s looking for you,” said Piotr, breaking the quiet.
“Is he? What does he want?”
“No idea.”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s probably best if I leave soon,” said Frederich.
“What? Where did that come from?” said Piotr, pulling his head back in surprise.
“Scheffler already wanted me out. Plus everyone knows now.”
“Knows what?”
Frederich went quiet and looked at the ground.
“Knows what?” repeated Piotr.
“Don’t play stupid.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Come on!” yelled Frederich with an unexpected burst of emotion. “Enough! I know. You know. Everyone knows.”
Piotr squinted and trapped Frederich with his stare, then stepped forward and grasped him hard by his shoulders.
“Listen here, you bastard! You’re a hero, remember that,” he said with a scowl.
Frederich bowed his head and let his shoulders drop.
“What are you doing here, Piotr? The rest of the guys had the brains to stay away. Why are you still talking to me?”
“Because you’re my friend, and you
