Küpper was summoned to meet the illustrious trio inside one of the base’s vast storage structures, especially built to house giant submarines while they were under repair. When he entered the small administrative office inside the bunker, he was astounded to discover the identity of his three passengers. Hitler and Braun were sitting against one of the walls on small metal office chairs while Bormann sat behind an improvised desk, making notes. Küpper had never seen any of them before in the flesh and felt like an extra on a movie set about to meet the lead actors. He immediately stopped and saluted the Führer and held his position just inside the doorway.

Bormann laid down his pen and looked up at the captain. “Küpper, the Führer will require your quarters for the duration of the voyage. Myself and his wife will be berthed close by. I have already arranged for certain food provisions to be stored on the ship and I will give you a breakdown of the meals that should be prepared for the Führer. There is another passenger who will need to requisition the medical cabin as well as a separate one to sleep in. He is a physician and his medical supplies are being brought on board right now. Do you have any questions?”

Küpper was clearly confused and uneasy about the whole operation but wise enough not to question Bormann. “Obergruppenführer, I understand and will action your requests immediately. However, there are some embarrassing problems I need to bring to your attention. Lack of hygiene on board may be an issue. The cabins are damp, poorly ventilated and have no running water or heating. The wooden bunk in my cabin has a makeshift mattress, which is nothing more than a cloth bag stuffed full of straw. There are only two toilets which are shared by the crew of twelve. One of them is situated next to my cabin so, of course, I will requisition it for the Führer but I’m afraid the interior of the boat is in poor condition and in my opinion not fit for purpose.”

Bormann’s eyes fixed firmly on the captain. He cursed under his breath as he reflected on his negotiation with the boat’s owner, who had assured him Santa Cruz III was in pristine condition and a bargain at half a million dollars. He was normally meticulous when it came to detail but, on this occasion, had been forced to take the man at his word. A rare mistake that he had every intention of rectifying once he was safely ensconced in his new base.

“Captain, the boat is perfect for our requirements and you will find charts on board detailing our journey to South America.”

Küpper was completely stunned but didn’t reply. Dozens of questions came to mind but he knew to stay silent, so simply nodded.