"You are wrong," the German replied evenly. "I still have my fortune, and I'm on top of the largest group of neo-Nazis on earth."

"That's a lie. Your group is not--"

"What it was," Richter interrupted. He smiled mysteriously.

Jean-Michel was confused. Confused and still very frightened.

Richter settled back into the thick leather seat. "This afternoon was quite an epiphany, M. Horne. You see, we all get caught up in business and objects and trappings. And we lose sight of our own strengths. Stripped of my livelihood, I was forced to ask myself, 'What are my strengths? What are my goals?' I realized I was losing sight of those. I did not spend the remainder of the afternoon mourning what happened today. I telephoned my supporters and asked them to come to Hanover this evening at eight o'clock. I told them I'll have an announcement to make. One that will change the tenor of politics in Germany-- in all of Europe."

Jean-Michel watched him, waiting.

Richter went on. "Two hours ago, Karin and I agreed to merge Feuer and the 21 st Century National Socialists. We will announce the union in Hanover tonight."

Jean-Michel sat forward abruptly. "The two of you? But this morning you said she wasn't a leader, she--"

"I said she wasn't a visionary," Richter pointed out. "That's why I will lead the new union and she'll be my field commander. Our party will be known as Das National Feuer-- The National Fire. Karin and I will be meeting at her camp. We'll lead her people to Hanover and there, with my followers, as well as the thousand or so believers who are already present, nearly three thousand of us will create an impromptu march the likes of which Germany hasn't seen for years. And the authorities will do nothing to stop us. Even if they suspect Karin of today's attack on the movie set, they won't have the courage to arrest her. Tonight, M. Horne-- tonight you will see the birth of a new force in Germany, led by the man you sought to humble this afternoon."

As Jean-Michel listened, he was struck with the numbing realization of what he had wrought, how he had let M. Dominique down. For a moment, the Frenchman forgot his fear.

Jean-Michel said quietly, "Herr Richter. M. Dominique has plans of his own. Grand plans, better financed and farther along than yours. If he can throw the United States into turmoil-- and he can, and will-- he can certainly fight you."