CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX

Thursday, 11:49 P.M.,

Wunstorf, Germany

The phone beeped in the dark.

The man nearest it, young Rolf Murnau, stopped and listened. When he heard the muffled beep a second time, he turned his flashlight to the left. Then he walked several paces, through closely knit branches. His flashlight beam formed a cone of light on top of a body. From the broad shoulders, he could tell the body was that of Manfred Piper. Beyond it lay Karin Doring's body.

"Come here!" Rolf shouted. "My God, come quickly!"

Several men and women ran over at once, their flashlight beams crisscrossing as they approached. Several gathered around Manfred's body and looked down as the phone rang a third time, then a fourth. Several others ran over to Karin Doring.

Rolf had already bent beside the body. The blood had formed a large, dark blot on the back of Manfred's jacket, with tendrils reaching down the sides. Rolf turned the body over slowly. Manfred's eyes were shut, his mouth open and lopsided.

"She's dead," a man said from Karin's side. "Damn them, dead!"

The phone rang again and then again. Rolf looked up into the beams. "What should I do?" he asked.

Footsteps crunched toward him. "Answer it," Felix Richter said.

"Yes, sir," Rolf said. He was numb from the loss of his leaders, his heroes, as he reached into Manfred's jacket. He removed the phone. After a moment of feeling invasive, then ghoulish, he flipped open the unit and answered.

"Ja?" he said tentatively.

"This is Hauptmann Karl Rosenlocher," said the caller. "I want to speak with whoever is in command of you animals."

Rolf looked up at the light. "Herr Richter? He wants to speak with the commander."

"Who does?" Richter asked.

Rolf said, "Hauptmann Karl Rosenlocher."

Even in the dark Rolf saw Richter stiffen. More and more of the neo-Nazis were gathering as word spread of the deaths. Groups formed around Karin and Manfred as Richter stood there.

Jean-Michel arrived as Richter took the phone. Slowly, the German brought it to his mouth.

"This is Felix Richter."

"You know my voice," said Rosenlocher. "I want you to hear this voice."

A moment later a young woman said in English, "I told you you didn't beat me. You'll never win, any of you."

Richter said, "Child, we will come after you."

Rosenlocher came back on. "No you won't, Herr Richter. She's safe with me, along with the American who got her out. He called for me to collect them. As for you, this is one fire you won't be escaping."

Richter's eyes peered through the dark woods as he motioned several men over. He covered the mouthpiece. "Guns," he said. "Get ready with your guns!"

The men raised their weapons.

Richter said, "I'll meet force with force of my own."

"It won't do you any good," Rosenlocher said slowly, confidently. "This fire is from within."

"What are you talking about?"