threatened the bunker, Jones would take him out.
‘What’s the plan?’ Jones asked as he continued to search for targets.
Collins explained. ‘If the cops showed up, we were supposed to meet at the southern end of the gorge.’
‘What gorge?’
‘The Partnach Gorge. It’s halfway between the bunker and the city. There’s a clearing on the far end where the chopper can pick us up.’
‘Then what?’
‘We fly to Austria. It’s just over the mountains.’
Jones liked its simplicity. ‘Sounds good to me. Can I speak to him?’
‘Who?’
‘The pilot.’
‘Why do you want to talk to him?’
‘Because the plan
Collins nodded in agreement. ‘He’s on a different channel.’
‘And what about your girlfriends? Will they know what to do?’
‘Just say the word, and they’ll meet us there.’
Ten minutes later, Payne and Collins were in the cul-de-sac attaching a metal cable to the back of Kaiser’s ATV. The goal was to lift four crates – the van Goghs, the gold, Conrad Ulster’s books and papers, and the family heirlooms stored during the war – with the pulley system and load them into the off-road trailer before Payne carried Kaiser up the ladder. Then they would strap him to the top of the crates and haul everything to the rendezvous site.
Because of the extra payload – and Payne’s desire to evacuate all the men at once – two choppers would be needed. To accommodate them, Jones ordered the pilot to fly up the mountain to the King’s House on Schachen and tell Baptiste to meet them at the far end of the gorge. If things went smoothly, the choppers would swoop in, pick them up, and then fly them across the border where they could get Kaiser the medical care he needed at a private facility. Meanwhile, Ulster’s chopper would continue on to Switzerland where he would protect the cargo at the Archives until Kaiser was healthy enough to travel.
‘Can you drive this thing?’ Payne asked as he double-checked the cable.
Collins nodded. ‘I drove it up the slope on day one.’
‘Carrying what?’
‘Most of our gear and some of the men.’
‘You any good?’
‘At what?’
‘Driving ATVs.’
‘Yes, sir. I take them hunting all the time.’
Payne stood. ‘In that case, you’re hired. You drive, and I’ll feed the crates through the hole. Do you think you can handle that?’
‘Yes, sir. Piece of cake.’
‘Don’t get cocky, Collins. If you fuck up, my partner will shoot you.’
Collins gulped hard, then started the engine as Payne hustled to the bunker. Per military tradition, he loved busting the balls of his subordinates. It used to be one of his biggest joys in life, but he had been forced to curtail this habit when he took control of his grandfather’s business. During his first week on the job, he had teased one of his assistants – a mild rebuke without profanity – and made her cry. Obviously she had overreacted, but he had felt so bad about the episode that he had censored his comments in the workplace ever since. It was one of the reasons he teased Jones about everything. He knew his best friend wouldn’t cry.
‘Are we clear?’ Payne asked from the bunker entrance.
‘Clear,’ Jones said, still searching for targets.
‘Then let’s roll.’
As Collins inched the ATV forward, Payne steadied the van Gogh crate from his position on the bunker floor. More cumbersome than heavy, the crate was slowly hauled to the surface as Payne supported it from underneath, just in case the cable snapped or the bottom of the crate broke. Step by step, he climbed the ladder until the cargo reached the top. A few minutes later, all four crates were in the trailer, ready to be towed down the mountain.
Following the GPS coordinates he had received from his goon, Krueger ordered his men to converge on the site. He didn’t know what type of bunker Kaiser had discovered in the middle of the woods, but if the Ulster Archives were involved, it had to be significant.
The first man to get there was Zimmermann. From 200 feet away, he could hear the roar of the ATV. He didn’t know what was making the noise, but he knew it was close. Unsure of what to do, he called Krueger on his radio. ‘I can hear an engine, sir.’
‘What kind of engine?’ Krueger demanded.
‘It sounds like a jeep or some kind of off-road vehicle.’
‘Can you see it?’
‘Not from where I’m hiding.’
‘What about Braun? Do you see Braun?’
‘No, sir. No sign of him.’
Krueger grimaced. ‘I haven’t heard from him since he found the site.’
‘Me, neither. Do you want me to search for him?’
‘Negative. He can fend for himself.’
‘Then what should I do?’
Krueger stared at his GPS. He was still a few minutes away. ‘Investigate the site, then report back to me. I want to know what we’re dealing with.’
Made with a heavy-duty, all-steel frame the trailer had a durable mesh floor for drainage and four flotation tyres for the extra-rough terrain. Collins watched as Payne carried Kaiser out of the bunker and placed him on top of the crates. Working as quickly as they could, they used stretch cords with hooks to strap Kaiser to the crates and guard rails so he wouldn’t slide off during his journey down the mountain.
As they strapped down his injured leg, Kaiser started to groan. It was his first sign of consciousness since Payne had found him on the bunker floor. ‘Where am I?’
Payne rushed to his side. ‘Hey, man, how are you feeling?’
‘Horrible,’ he moaned, barely able to speak. Gauze and tape from a first-aid kit had been wrapped round his head, holding his injured eye in its socket.
‘I was kind of hoping you wouldn’t wake up.’
‘Thanks.’ He lisped because of his broken teeth. ‘I love you, too.’
Payne laughed and patted him on his shoulder. ‘Obviously, I wanted you to wake up
Kaiser opened his good eye. ‘Why?’
‘We need to haul you off the mountain. I’m afraid it’s going to be bumpy.’
He tried to swallow. ‘Where are you taking me?’
‘To the gorge. Your pilot is going to meet us on the far end. Is that okay with you?’
He nodded slightly. ‘Where’s the … stuff?’
Payne smiled. Even in his current condition, Kaiser was protective of his discovery. As always, his main concern was the bottom line. ‘Don’t worry, I strapped you to the crate. I figured, you wouldn’t want to leave it behind.’
Satisfied with the answer, Kaiser closed his eye and drifted away.
34
Zimmermann heard bits and pieces of the conversation from his hiding spot near the cul-de-sac. Following orders, he updated Krueger on the information.
‘I saw three men at the site,’ he whispered into his radio. ‘One of them is badly hurt. They just strapped him to four crates in the back of a trailer.’
Krueger responded. ‘What kind of crates?’
‘Wooden. Medium-sized. Rope handles.’
