One sister, Inge, would fly on a Douglas DC-3 aircraft to Reykjavik, Iceland. Then she would fly into Canada and eventually land in New York to emigrate into the U.S. as a Norwegian citizen through Ellis Island.
The other sister, Brit, would leave for Rome, where she would catch a Pan American flight to Mallard Field in Dakar, Senegal, before being sent across the South Atlantic to Buenos Aries, Argentina. Both women would be accompanied by female SS offices who were old enough to be their mothers. These matronly women, flying under false credentials, would assist the women in getting settled into their new homes.
Inge understood this might be the last time she’d see Himmler unless he was able to successfully send for her later. Brit was assured he would follow her to South America when the time was right. Both women understood one thing. They were to raise their children in the ideology adopted by the Reich, and the four young men would be taught the greatness of their father. As would their children and their children’s children.
Awaiting them was access to vast amounts of wealth stolen by the Nazis as they ravaged Europe and Northern Africa. Using numbered accounts at Swiss banks, UBS, and to a lesser extent Credit Suisse, the Nazis successfully transferred Jewish capital out of Germany and the nations it had occupied. In essence, Switzerland had laundered hundreds of millions of dollars in stolen assets, including gold taken from the central banks of occupied Europe.
Even after the end of the war, Switzerland successfully resisted Allied calls to return the funds, allowing the Nazis, and their families, continuous access. The Jorgensen sisters, the daughters of a Norwegian banker and accountants by trade, were fully versed in the financial holdings of Himmler. They were also fiercely loyal to the father of their children and the Nazi ideology he’d instilled in them.
That drab, gray afternoon in Oslo was a sad one for Himmler. He loved both women equally and longed to be with them from the moment their flights took off in separate directions. He vowed to join them through the Odessa network he’d established, but first, there was important work to be done.
Chapter Twenty
Aboard the Victory Casino Cruise Ship
One Hundred Miles East of Carvajal, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
“It’s go-time,” whispered Gunner into the comms as he moved quickly down the hallway and into the main casino. The slot machines and elaborate video gaming machines stood waiting for gamblers, but nobody was there to play. The gaming tables appeared to be in the exact same condition as when the passengers left. Two blackjack dealers lay dead on the emerald green carpet.
“I wanna see this Abduwali asshole for myself,” added Cam.
Gunner led the way up a wide spiral staircase leading to the fourth deck. He arrived in the center of the VIP lounge and dedicated casino. He searched for a target, and one of the pirates gladly obliged. The man was startled by Gunner’s sudden presence and hesitated for just a second. It was a second too long. Gunner fired two rounds into the man’s chest and one through the underside of his jaw as he was falling backwards.
“Four,” he calmly reported.
“Clear,” said Cam, who’d peeled off toward the bow. She exhaled out of frustration. “Where is everybody?”
“Clear, aft.” Gunner had checked every hiding spot toward the rear of the casino and then responded. “My guess is down below guarding the passengers and crew. I can’t imagine this Abduwali has any hostages with him unless—”
“What?” asked Cam.
Gunner ignored her question. “Ghost, has Abduwali provided proof of life?”
Jackal responded, “Yes. Jenna Larkin, the daughter, as well as her aunt Donna and cousin Sofia.”
“When?”
“Ten minutes ago, when he threatened to start killing hostages,” she replied.
He turned to Cam. “He’s got his high-value hostages nearby. Probably in the captain’s quarters, which are down the hall from the bridge.”
“I’m thinking two guards on the women plus two on the bridge, plus our Somalian.”
“Probably leaving two per deck on the first and second levels,” surmised Gunner. “Let’s take out the head of the snake and then mop up the rest.”
“Lead the way,” said Cam, nodding toward another spiral staircase leading to the top of the ship.
The top deck was far more complicated to clear than the other levels. Unlike the casino levels, which were wide open and easy to view from one end to the other, the top deck was broken up into an outdoor lounging area, several tiki-style bars, and the ship’s administration center, consisting of the captain’s quarters, offices, communications, and the bridge. The foredeck also provided places to hide between the satellite dishes, utility storage boxes, and bench seating surrounding fixed tables attached to the deck.
Gunner checked his watch. “We’ve gotta split up. I’ll take the bow.”
“Roger that,” said Cam, who was off in a flash. She was the first to fire. One of the pirates was patrolling the rear sundeck while trying to cover his face from the wind-driven rain pelting him. She killed him with two shots to the back of his head.
“Five.”
Gunner took a deep breath and moved toward the bow in a low crouch as he crossed past the bridge. He wanted desperately to take a look inside. Based upon the shattered glass covering the promenade deck and the bullet holes stitching the bridge, he expected to find several dead bodies. But first, he needed to clear the foredeck.
He rose from his crouch and moved quickly toward a solitary target standing under the canopy of the bridge. The pirate was inches away from the lone glass panel that hadn’t been obliterated by bullets. Gunner took a chance and rose to look inside the bridge.
It was empty.
Without hesitation, he drilled three rounds into the pirate’s chest and head. The sound of his body hitting the deck was obscured by the clap of thunder in the distance.
“Six, KIA.”
“Moving into the superstructure,” Cam whispered into the comms.
“I’m headed into the bridge. It appears deserted.”
“Two minutes, guys,” interrupted Jackal.
Gunner checked
