sworn testimony that the two of them had been together at the time of the crime (and because of a lack of physical evidence), charges against Krause were eventually dropped. As a show of appreciation, Krause told Krueger that he owed him a gigantic favour – no matter what it was or when he needed it.
Well, that time was now.
From his hiding place near the southern end of the gorge, Krueger called Krause, who lived in the small town of Griesen, which was approximately ten miles to the west of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The two areas were connected by the Bundesstrasse 23, a scenic German highway that was known as the B 23.
Krause answered the phone. ‘How are you, my friend?’
Krueger didn’t have time for small talk. ‘Where are you?’
‘I’m at home. Why?’
‘It’s time.’
‘For what?’
‘The favour.’
Krause nodded. He had known this day would eventually come, and he was fully prepared to pay his debt. After all, his friend had kept him from spending the majority of his life in jail. ‘What do you need me to do?’
Krueger explained the situation, colouring the facts to suit his needs. ‘A group of armed men just attacked my crew in the woods above Garmisch. Two of my friends are dead, and the others are missing. I overheard some of the gunmen. They said a chopper will be meeting them on the northern side of the Partnach Gorge, somewhere close to the ski stadium. I’m heading there now, but they have a head start. I need someone to run interference until I arrive.’
‘What kind of interference?’
‘The kind you’re good at.’
‘Let me see if I’ve got this straight. If I drive to Garmisch and stop that chopper, my debt is
Krueger promised. ‘If you stop the chopper, we’re finally square.’
Krause smiled. ‘In that case, I’ll be there in ten minutes.’
Prior to reaching a fork in the path, Payne and Jones reconnected with three of Kaiser’s men, who were waiting near the southern end of the gorge. For the past thirty minutes they had been running through the woods, hunting for the gunmen who had killed Schneider. Unfortunately, their effort had been unsuccessful, which left two goons (or more) unaccounted for.
With so much at stake, Payne took a few minutes to address their situation, using the map to highlight a few trouble spots and to pinpoint where the chopper would be landing. Now that they were talking face-to-face, he could discuss every aspect of their mission without risk.
Payne said, ‘The instant we hit the main path, we’re going to start encountering tourists, and it’s only going to get worse as we get closer to town. With that in mind, we need something to quell potential panic. Personally, I like the cover story that you guys have been using – we’re German soldiers who have been conducting military drills in the mountains. That would explain our weapons, equipment and Kaiser’s condition. He simply got hurt during a training exercise. Out of curiosity, how many of you guys speak German?’
All four of Kaiser’s men – Collins, Huber, Lange and Richter – raised their hands. Unbeknown to Payne, it was a requirement for Kaiser’s security detail.
‘Really?’ Payne said. ‘Well, I guess that makes me the class idiot because I can’t.’
‘You’ll get no argument from me,’ Jones cracked.
Payne ignored him. ‘To make our cover story believable, one of you will have to take charge if we’re stopped along the way – whether that’s by a tourist, a tour guide or a cop. Simply tell them there was a training accident, and we’re rushing our man to a medevac chopper that is waiting for us. That should prevent them from summoning the authorities.’
Jones continued from there, ‘It will also help us at the Eckbauerbahn. In order to load these crates into the gondolas, we’ll need the operators to stop the cableway for a few minutes. If they want to know why we can’t leave the crates behind, tell them they’re filled with explosives. That should spook them enough to get their full cooperation.’
Payne smiled. ‘We’ll also need them to stop the cableway at the bottom so we can unload the payload before it gets whisked back up the mountain. To make sure that doesn’t happen, we’ll put someone in the first gondola who can hop out and explain the situation. Obviously, it would be great if there’s a cart or truck for us to borrow, but we can’t count on that, which means there’s a chance we’ll have to carry everything to the choppers ourselves.’
Jones pointed at the trailer. ‘I’ve labelled the crates two through five, based on priority. If we’re forced to carry our payload, that’s the order of importance. Two goes first; five goes last. Understand?’
Huber shook his head. ‘Why two through five? Why not one through four?’
‘Why?’ Jones asked. ‘Because
They grunted and nodded tentatively.
But that wasn’t good enough for Payne. Hoping to drive home the point, he used the same motivational technique he had used when he had recruited Collins. ‘Guys, it’s pretty simple: if Kaiser dies, none of you will get paid. That means a week of hauling, guarding and sleeping in the woods for nothing. On the other hand, if you help him survive, I see a shitload of money headed your way. I’m talking about a one followed by a bunch of zeroes, just for doing your job. Is there some risk involved? Of course there is. But you knew that going in.’
Payne took a moment to meet the gaze of every man, making each of them feel they were the most important part of the team. ‘Before we proceed any further, I want you to answer a simple question for me. Your response will help me decide if you want to continue with this mission or if you want to quit here and now.’ He paused for effect. ‘Which sounds better to you: a huge pile of cash or unemployment? I know that sounds cold, but let’s be honest, that’s the choice you have to make.’
Not surprisingly, everyone voted for the money.
‘Good!’ Payne applauded. ‘Now that everyone’s on board, let’s hand out some duties. Collins, you’re in charge of the ATV. Your job is to get to the cableway as quickly as possible. That doesn’t mean I want you to run over tourists. It simply means I want you to keep moving if you have the opportunity. If you’re forced to stop, do not abandon the vehicle. You’re the driver, not a foot soldier. We’ll clear the path for you. Understand?’
Collins nodded. ‘Yes, sir.’
Payne studied the other three men. Based on body language alone, he could tell Huber was higher on the totem pole than Lange or Richter. He pointed at him. ‘How’s your German?’
‘Flawless,’ Huber answered.
‘Then you’re our lead dog. You’re setting the pace. If we come across a situation – tourists, guides, whatever – I want you to handle it peacefully. Is that clear?’
‘Yes, sir.’
Payne looked at Lange. ‘You’re his understudy. If he gets delayed, you become the lead dog until he’s able to resume his post. Our goal is to keep moving. Our excuse is Kaiser’s health. If anyone questions our urgency, that’s what you need to stress. He’s our ticket to freedom.’
‘What about me?’ Richter demanded. He was the largest of Kaiser’s men, but looked the dumbest. For some reason, he perpetually had a look of puzzlement on his face.
‘Don’t worry,’ Payne assured him. ‘I have a special job for you. Probably the most important job of all. You’re in charge of the trailer. If it gets stuck, I want you to free it. If the crates start to slide off, I want you to fix the straps. And if someone tries to examine the cargo, I want you to growl at them like a junkyard dog. Do you think you can handle that?’
Richter started barking. ‘I can do that like a champ!’
Payne fought the urge to smile. ‘Glad to hear it. Any questions?’
Huber raised his hand again. ‘What’s your job?’
‘I’m in charge of security. I’ll keep an eye on the woods from the back. If I see any problems, I’ll let you know asap.’
Huber pointed at Jones. ‘And what about you?’
Jones wiped his nose with his sleeve. ‘I’m the token black guy. If the cops show up, I’ll make sure they chase
