Bariloche as well. It was expected, and the boys’ wives fully understood this when they were chosen for marriage. Their coupling, together with the children they bore, as well as future generations, was designed to continue the dream of the Reich’s rebirth.

The three-foot-thick walls created a noticeable chill and darkness within the hallways that circumvented the structure. The windows, later retrofitted with bulletproof glass, provided natural light and an incredible view of the surrounding mountain range.

Once inside the inner rooms, the walls built of block and stone were brightly lit, and the spaces were decorated with all the modern conveniences except for air conditioning. The cool climate, in which high temperatures averaged sixty degrees Fahrenheit in January and February, avoided the need for a central HVAC system. Individual rooms were warmed with fireplaces, typically burning oak and maple from trees found on the surrounding ridges.

Over the years, advanced technology was incorporated into Castle Bariloche that relied heavily upon satellites for access. Remoteness had its drawbacks, but with the financial resources of Odessa, they had the ability to launch a private communications satellite into space via CNES, the French space program. The secure private satellite enabled the leaders of Odessa to communicate without fear of prying eyes and ears from the world’s intelligence agencies.

For all of its modern conveniences, accoutrements, and technologies, Castle Bariloche did maintain two areas in their originally constructed appearance—the Grand Hall and the rotund North Tower, both exact replicas of those spaces Himmler had built at Wewelsburg.

After Brit’s passing, her son Henry Jorgensen, the undisputed leader of die Zwölf, advised the other eleven members of her death. A private service was arranged at the Catholic cathedral, and her body was placed in the crypt underneath the North Tower of Castle Bariloche next to her sister, who’d died years ago.

Henry also gathered die Zwölf and their immediate family at Castle Bariloche for a celebration of his mother’s life. All attended, without hesitation, because they knew there would be more to discuss than Brit’s legacy. It was a momentous time for them all.

Chapter Four

Castle Bariloche

Bariloche, Argentina

“Everyone, if you please,” began Henry Jorgensen. He motioned for his younger brother, Derek, to join his side. “Thank you again for joining us this weekend to celebrate the life of our mother. She was an inspiration to us all, and more importantly, the steps she took as a young woman in the face of adversity have enabled us to do great things over the past half century. Now, it’s time to make a great leap in our objectives. Die Zwölf, please join me in the North Tower.”

Henry and Derek stood to the side of the hand-carved wooden doors that mirrored the appearance of the arched ceiling above them. On each door was an intricate carving of the Nazi Eagle, a symbol originally developed by the Party apparatus in the 1920s and loosely based on the traditional German coat of arms. It became the symbol of the German government after the Nazis took power.

Once they entered the North Tower, the attendees’ eyes were immediately drawn upward to the hackenkreuz, the swastika symbol of the Nazi party. The marble and tile inlay in the center of the ceiling was directly underneath the symbol of the Black Sun on the floor above them.

They followed Henry up the wide spiral staircase that led them from the main level onto the next floor of the North Tower. The red-carpeted stairs brought out the colors of the Nazi banners that hung around the room.

It was the Obergruppenführersaal, translated as the Hall of Generals. The large room was encircled by twelve stone pillars, one for each of them, and twelve windowed alcoves. On the floor, crafted in an almost identical material as the original in Wewelsburg, was the Black Sun.

A hand-constructed wooden table was placed over it, and twelve chairs were perfectly positioned, awaiting their occupants. They were generals of a different ilk. Only one was a military commander, but he couldn’t control his nation’s army on the battlefield as his great-grandfather had so many years ago.

General Lukas Holzcraft was the commanding officer for U.S. Command, Control, Communications, and Networks at Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford, Massachusetts. He was deeply rooted in the new field of war—cyber space. He was also privy to the highest security clearance granted any military personnel except the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Henry opened his arms and managed a smile. The usually stoic elder statesman of the die Zwölf maintained his solemn demeanor while containing his excitement concerning the days ahead.

“Please, everyone, take a seat.”

The chairs shuffled across the floor, and each of them scooted in to the table. At each seat awaited a small silver serving tray containing a crystal glass and matching bucket filled with ice, as well as a bottle of Gerolsteiner mineral water. Alcohol was never served in this place of great reverence.

Henry motioned to his brother, Derek, to take the floor. Derek was only a few years younger than his brother but was in significantly better physical condition. Like his mother, Derek was a master of logistics and game-planning. Many operations undertaken by die Zwölf, designed to undermine societies and markets, required coordination across multiple levels of their hierarchy. Much like master military strategists who managed their weapons and personnel during battle, Derek coordinated his assets when he sent teams to operate in the shadows.

Derek stood as he spoke, a custom established from the time of the first meeting of the group. All of the members were fluent in both English and German, while most also spoke conversational Spanish or French. Over the years, to prevent being detected by Nazi hunters and intelligence officials, English was adopted.

“We’ve known since the end of the war that U-1226 was carrying the sarin canisters. Mengele advised us to find the submarine, as it would provide the basis for our rebirth. This is why we’ve invested so heavily in organizations like Woods Hole and others who routinely explore the

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