The Enigma Consortium

PROLOGUE

“Herr Captain, it is time to commence operation free bird” he said holding the gaze of his most trusted officer, a man, who if anybody asked did not exist. It had become apparent that the German lines would not hold out to the combined onslaught from the Russians and Americans. “We must ensure the book does not fall into enemy hands. It is of the utmost importance that you get through enemy lines and the book into safe keeping, and once there you must safe guard it against all who might seek it.” He paused assessing the man he had entrusted with such an important task for one last time, “only then” he continued “when the time is right and the third reicht has rebuilt itself will we reveal it.” He smiled wickedly, this is sure to continue his dream. “Good luck Herr Captain, our fate is with you.”

“Thank you- mine Fuhrer.” The man with no name spun on his heels and disappeared, he did not look back-he would not falter.








CHAPTER ONE

“Okay ladies and gents” he said turning from the whiteboard. At thirty two he was the youngest professor in the History department and at average height, one would have to look closely at his suit to see that there was more than just a boring history professor, in fact in another life professor Erik Martin was a member of Delta team six- the best of the best. “I want you to pick one of these topics” he said rapping his knuckles on the board, with his salt and pepper hair, dark eyes and easy smile most of the students that turned up to his class were female. He rapped his knuckles on the board again, more to grab his students attention than to outline the point.
He smiled, most of the students were there for an easy grade but there were a couple who seemed to actually enjoy what he was teaching. “And once you have done that I want you to try and prove it to me, now I know that we are studying occult myths but I would still like you to take it seriously.” He smiled at himself, he knew that not many of them would “Alright get out of here you lot are giving me a headache.”
He laughed collecting all of his papers, he was looking forward to his weekend skiing, he hadn’t skied in years but he smiled fondly at the memories of his family’s holidays and the best part he thought I’m going with the girl of my dreams. Opening the door to his office he looked around, probably have to clean this someday he thought but then again it always seemed so comfortable with papers and books everywhere, even a gift from his girlfriend - Caroline was somewhere amongst all this mess.
Sitting down at his desk he reached into his top drawer and removed the bottle of whisky, he had been in trouble once before for drinking on campus, he remembered the Dean berating him like a school kid. Fuck him he thought smiling, setting the bottle on the table he leant over to grab the glass he hid in his waste paper basket. “Excuse me Herr Professor” he heard from underneath his desk. “Yeah” he said as he rummaged through his bin “two seconds”. Still rummaging his fingertip brushed against the glass “ aha” he cried feeling a small sense of triumph “what can I do for you” he asked as he looked up noticing the old man sitting opposite him, he had not heard him come in, in fact he had not heard anything. “ Herr Professor, I understand you are the man to talk to about certain things, things that are not always written in the history books”.
Shifting in his seat Erik felt a tingling sensation down his spine, a feeling he had not felt in a while. “ Might be” he said staring at the old man, “ Indeed I have heard much about you, but” he said pausing to asses the younger man in front of him “ have you heard of something called the Book of the Reicht”. Professor Erik Martin slumped in his chair, he had heard many claims of the book but as yet had been sorely disappointed, “ It’s pure myth” he said “ nothing has ever been remotely proven, even in the broadest sense, I mean I have heard a lot of stuff, but really I honestly think it is a load of shit” reaching for the bottle he poured himself a drink “you want” he said offering the bottle to the older man “Thankyou Herr Professor, but no” he said shaking his head “what exactly have you heard?”.
“Look” he said shaking his head “ the thing is an urban myth - I mean the Nazi treasures, Hitler’s plan for the continuation of the Third Reicht - some form of renewable energy that burns clean, where do you want me to start, the thing is bullshit, if it was real it would have popped up on the radar before now” .
“It seems Herr Professor, that you would be right” the old man said smiling “these things I have heard as well, and apparently as I have also heard Hitler gave it to one of his most trusted captains to spirit away from the grasp of the allied forces”
“Yeah, yeah” said Erik, growing tired of the conversation- he had heard all of this before “ a man with no past and no name, essentially a ghost”
“Correct” the old man conceded “ you seem to know a lot for a man who does not believe the book actually exists”
“ Look” the younger man said growing frustrated “unless I see the book in front of me and I can pick the damn thing up, It does not exist”
The old man smiled “ Herr Professor” the old man said standing “would you consider this as proof” he said placing an old worn leather bound book on the desk “ and finally let me introduce myself, my name is Hans Wietzmann, during the war I was a captain in Hitler’s secret guard, until I was killed”
Erik stopped flicking through the book “killed?”, “yes Herr Professor, killed - but as you can see I am clearly not dead”
“ No joke” he said sarcastically looking at the man trying to understand what the older man was say-- “ Oh no way” his eyes opened wider as the realisation hit him.
“Yes Herr professor”
“ So this is real” he said gazing awestruck at the book
“ Yes Herr Professor
“ and you are”
“ Yes Herr Professor, I am.”
“ You’re the keeper of the book of the third Reicht”
“ Yes Herr Professor, and as you can see I am no ghost.

It was a short drive but she wanted to leave early - she kept telling herself that it was just to beat traffic- literally. She only talked to herself when she was excited. “Gotta get some wine for tonight, oh and can’t forget” she mumbled darting into the bathroom “ no I can pick that up on the way” flicking a strand of hair from her eyes.
She had been seeing Professor Erik Martin for about six months now and what had started out a meeting of two minds became so much more.
She was happy to find him as he was the complete antithesis of herself, where she was petit and small, he was broad shouldered, muscled and easily a head taller.
She knew of his past but not about it, but, she thought maybe I don’t want to know, life was good the way it was and the occasional sleepless night she could deal with - shit she thought, “oh no no no” she said to herself “ please be open still” as she ran back to the bedroom and dialled the number for the jeweller. A month ago Erik had been eyeing off a Rolex submariner, albeit a knock off.
She knew he wanted it but she talked him out of it, painfully convincing him that it would not be as good as the real thing. She remembered what he had said with a sarcastic smile “ oh yeah sure, the real thing - maybe I should sell my Benz, or even better I could sell my mansion”.


Unlike Erik, Caroline had come from money, her father had been a pioneer in the medical industry, in particular panel beating and crash repair as he liked to call it, but most people knew it as plastic surgery.
Caroline knew that Erik didn’t like her making a fuss about him - especially when it came to money, he often said that if he couldn’t afford it it wasn’t made for mere mortals and if that was the case he sure as hell wasn’t going to try to become immortal.
The phone kept ringing “please, please, please somebody be there” she was almost in tears, she wanted the weekend to be special.
“ Excuse me” a voice said behind her, she turned startled “ I’m sorry” he said putting his hands up like a thief being arrested “ the door was open and I thought - well it doesn’t matter, Mr Fielding sent me with your order, I guess he figured you might have forgot”. She smiled, a sense of relief washed over her “ thankyou so much” she said through a broad smile “ I was so busy thinking about everything else and it totally slipped my mind” she wasn‘t sure if she had given her address but then again she had bought a lot from Fielding‘s over the years.
“ No problem, Ma’am happens all the time” he smiled handing her a folder and pen “just need you to sign for it and ill get out of your hair”
“Sure no problems” she said smiling again “ what do I owe you?”
“ All good” he said making to leave “ I’m still on the clock” turning his back and walking away before he paused “ actually” he said turning back to face Caroline “ there is one thing you could do for me - if it’s not too much trouble?”
“ Of course” she smiled “ Anything, you just saved my life”
“Actually Ms West “ he flashed an evil grin “ it’s quite the opposite, I need you to die” he said levelling the pistol at her head and without hesitating he pulled the trigger.

From the reports that came filtering in, there were no eye witnesses, no motive and not one person had heard gunshots, the fact that there was little or no evidence screamed only one thing - Professional hit.




“ Lorenson” he called to the younger detective. Although there was a remarkable age difference between the two of them they worked well together. They fed of each other, bouncing ideas back and forth, anticipating each others moves and applying pressure just when it was needed, the two had become almost inseparable and as such had the highest success rate in the squad.
He looked over his shoulder to see the younger man walking past all of the TV crews, such was the life of a cop in this district - you couldn’t go anywhere without having a camera shoved in your face.
“ What’s up old timer” Lorenson smiled as he dodged one last camera man -“ Ha Ha very funny wise ass, just get over here”.
“ Your not gonna like this one Hart, no witnesses, no nothin’ ”
Hart looked at the younger man“ what do you mean, no nothing”
“ Just as I said no nothing ”
“ Not good”
“ Why, we still got forensic”
“ Nope, just talked to the techs, they said they got squat”
“ What about the bullet, there was no exit wound”
“ as I said the techs have got squat”
Lorenson looked at Hart“ so they dug it out”
“ yep”
“ Christ, you gotta have your balls screwed on tight to do that shit”
“ No shit, and I just got off the phone to the boss - this one is our baby”
“ oh well” the younger man said looking back at the crowd of on lookers “ might put the coffee on, I get the feeling that this one could take a while”.
Making his way back to their car he turned to his partner “Suppose we should tell the next of kin” his shoulders felt heavy, he hated doing this part - I can look at dead bodies all day long he thought and still go home and have a good night sleep but when it came to this he just didn’t have the heart, the first time he had had to do it he almost threw up and in fact left the house with tears in his eyes, he just couldn’t get over how seven words could destroy a whole families life.
“some residence just up the hill from here” his partner was saying “ a high class plastic surgeon apparently, does some of the work for those immortal bunch of pricks” he was referring to movie stars and how most of them thought they were bigger than god himself.
“ Name of West” he continued “ Phillip West”.
“ Hang on” he said pausing as he opened the door “what was the girls name?”
“ uh “ said the older of the two men flipping pages in his notebook “body identified as Caroline West”
“ oh crap” the younger man blanched
“ what, you know her”
“ No I know the boyfriend”
“ really?”
“ yeah, we were in the army together” Lorenson said nodding his head, he looked straight at his partner but something had gone from his eyes, where before there was a warmth to them, now they were cold and determined - deadly.
“ This is going to get ugly”, looking his partner dead in the eye “ very ugly” and he reached for his phone.



This was why he had studied occult myths so much after leaving the army, not just because he had lost the only family he had ever known but because he enjoyed the thrill of chasing down the facts of any so called occult myths and all these new urban legends - so called from the movie that came out a few years back of the same name.
In fact many of these new urban legends were just reproductions of old ones, just like remade movies he thought, make them in colour and add more gore factor and done - one new movie.
Not an original thought left in the world, he shook his head at the reality of it, but this he smiled, this was definitely something new.
“ So Herr Professor” the old man interrupted his thoughts “what do you think?”
Erik glanced up “ to be honest I’m not too sure what to think” it was all happening too fast “ why come to me, there is a bunch of people around that know a hell of a lot more about this stuff, why not them?”
“ The answer to that is rather complicated, my good Professor” the older man said taking a seat and pouring himself a drink into the empty glass that had been sitting on the desk “ but to put it simply, you have certain skills, skills that as an old man I no longer posses.”
“ like sitting behind a desk and grading papers, no wait” he paused lifting the bottle “ it’s drinking- has to be”.
“ No Professor, that is not what I am talking about, and if I may put it bluntly we do not have time for these petty games!”
“ well then Hans, you had better tell me what the hell you mean!”
The discussion was becoming heated and Erik had a bad feeling about where it was going.
“ You are Erik Martin - born in Nebraska at 4 am on the twelfth of February 1971, joined the army first thing out of high school, high marks during basic, fast tracked into ranger training, am I getting warm?” the older man asked
Erik felt his stomach drop, how the hell did the old man know about all that “ I take it you know more than that” he asked not really wanting to know the answer.
“ Yes Herr Professor, I know much more” Hans said lifting his glass in mock salute “ but no more need be said.
“Good” Erik said feeling relieved “ so why exactly do you need my help”
“ First of all I need you to know that the part concerning the continuation of the third Reicht has been destroyed by me personally” the older man said turning to where the pages had been taken out “ I would not wish for anything like that to happen again” Hans said shaking his head at the thought of everything that had been done because of one man.
“ Hang on, weren’t you a Nazi?” asked Erik still trying to get to the bottom of everything he had been told so far.
“ No, I only joined the army to protect my family, you see Herr Professor like so many other German’s my father was Jewish” the old man said soberly.
“ shit, sorry” Erik said and truly meaning it, what this man must have went through to protect his family.
At that moment the phone rang and Erik looked at the clock, he was supposed to have met Caroline at her place more than half an hour ago to get ready for their trip tomorrow.
Picking up the phone he mouthed sorry to the old man who just shrugged “ Hello This is Erik Martin” he answered the phone in his best scholarly voice.
“ Hey Tin man, its Lo we need to talk” the voice at the other end said flatly
“ oh hey Lo” he smiled relieved that it wasn’t his girlfriend “ was just thinking of giving you a call, might need your help with something”
“ no worries, but first we talk” the voice said but this time with more force
“Okay” Erik said feeling more than a little bit sceptical, they had been friends in the Army and he knew well That Lo was more of a - I just thought I would drop by kind of guy “ okay, my office” he stressed.
“Done, see you in fifteen” and the line went dead.









CHAPTER TWO


“ What is it” he glanced up from his computer to see his assistant standing at the door to his office.
“ Sir, I just got word from our man on the ground” he paused reading from the print out he had just been handed “ confirm subject terminated - Weitzmann has made contact just as we expected - permission to proceed as planned”.
The older man smiled and turned in his chair, it had begun.
He looked around his office, technology acquirement was not exactly a new business, only in the last ten to fifteen years had it become profitable but to Marcus Deveraux this business had been good.
He had a legion of employees - everything from his own team of techno geeks to a fully trained army of fifty and an operating budget of 50 million dollars annually.
At 54 Marcus Deveraux was not as fit as he once was and his once black hair was beginning to thin, his suits although expensive looked as though they had been worn for more than just one day and most probably were. Since surviving a horrific car crash eight years ago in which he lost his right ear and left him with a pronounced limp, it seemed he barely ventured out his office and on more than one occasion his assistant had woken him upon arriving at work and finding him sprawled out on the couch in the corner of his office.
It was even rumoured that his wife had left him during his recovery in hospital and subsequently he had her killed.
But it was not his physical prowess that the partners had focused on when considering him for the position but his ability to analyse any situation with an almost uncanny precision and act accordingly, often ruthlessly. He got the job done without hesitation or any sign of remorse.
Turning to his assistant he nodded “Give him the green light but tell him to be careful. The man maybe old but he is still as cunning as a fox.”
“ And the history professor?” asked his assistant hoping he had not overstepped the mark.
“ I thought that would be obvious.” Deveraux snarled “ Kill him, I want no witnesses.”

“ Who was that?” the old man asked hesitantly.
“ Huh, oh just an old friend” he replied slightly confused “ Wants to talk to me and I figured we might need his help to decode this little book of yours.”
“ You trust him?”
“ With my life and I guess now yours” he smiled mischievously “ So old boy what the hell have you gotten me into?”
“Well Erik - if I may call you that?” The younger man nodded and he continued, “Let us just say that a certain group of less than reputable people would dearly love to get their hands on it” he paused “ and I am quiet certain they would do anything to acquire it - and I do mean anything”.
“ well “ he said trying to formulate some sort of plan “ the first thing we do is try to figure out what all the fuss is about, unless of course you have an idea?”
“ I am sad to say Erik that I do not, but I am surprised that you knew it needed to be deciphered”
“ My German isn’t all that crash hot, but even I know that most of the words in that book make absolutely no sense at all.




Hart turned to his partner as the cruiser coasted into the parking lot passing a couple of young coeds making out in the shade of the large oak tree.
“ So how are we going to do this?” he asked hesitantly not sure what to make of his partners abrupt attitude change before.
“ Well, I will be going in to tell him what happened and you will be staying in the car” Lorenson said matter of factly.
“ Thanks” Hart said childishly “ the job I always wanted, baby sitting the car.” he said sarcastically as they got out.
“ look” Lorenson said becoming frustrated “ I’m not real sure how he’s going to take this. If he’s pissed there’s probably no way I can stop him and if that happens, you’re probably going to have to shoot him.”
“you’re a great friend, no need for enemies when your around” he heard his partner yell as he entered the building.

Leaning on the car he pulled a crushed packet of cigarettes out of his pocket. He had told his wife that he had quit a month ago, but god he thought this job can get so boring specially waiting with the car he smirked.
Well, he thought with a smile it’s gotta be better than getting your ass kicked.
Suddenly he clutched at his chest and doubled over as pain ripped through his body. I’m having a heart attack he thought panicking, the wife told me about this, health problems related to smoking the article had said and she took pleasure in reading it to him more than once.
“ are you ok” a voice asked coming closer
“ I think im having a heart attack” he stammered
“no” the voice said becoming menacing “ im pretty sure you’ve been shot!”
Shot he thought as he looked at his hands. His eyes were hard to focus but he could see the crimson colour of his hands
“yes, it’s unfortunate but don’t worry the pain will soon stop” he smirked as he removed the silenced pistol from behind his back.
What would his wife think when she went through his belongings and found his smokes he thought and suddenly everything went black.

It took a bit of muscle but he finally manoeuvred the cops body back into the cruiser and lashed it in with the seatbelt. He grabbed his bag and unlocked the trunk, he pulled a box out of the bag, it was only half the size of a shoebox but he knew first hand what damage it would cause. “goodbye old man” he muttered to himself smiling.

He paused at the door and hearing voices decided to go straight in.
“Hey Lo, glad you’re here, listen we need your help, this thing is insane” Erik said smiling at his friend.
“ we need to talk first” Lorenson said
“ ok then,” talk”
“ what about him” Lo said gesturing to the old man
“He’s cool, he’s the reason you’re here” Erik said trying to fathom the reason his friend was in his office. They often got together but it was usually during football season for a bbq, a few beers and to watch the game.
“ Tin man” he said sadly “she’s dead”
“ who” he asked confused still trying to understand his friend
“Caroline”
“ what” he felt his stomach in his throat
“ Im sorry Erik” he said truly meaning it. Although he had never met Caroline he had always felt that she had a calming effect on Erik, he didn’t drink as much as he used to and he thought, that has to be a good thing.
“When?” Erik asked hollowly
“bout an hour ago, looks like a professional job” he said studying his friend, and then he saw it.
It wasn’t the body language as much as it was the eyes that gave it away, steel - cold hard steel.
“Im gonna kill em Lo” he said reaching into his bottom draw and pulling out a mil-spec Sig sauer P226.
Standing up behind his desk he loaded the weapon “ Im gonna kill em all”.
Abruptly he was yanked from behind his desk and landed sprawling on his friend as the whole room shook.
“Sorry bud” breathed Lo rolling Erik off of him
“ That would have hurt” Erik smiled looking at the car that had embedded itself in his office “ thanks”
“ we have to get out of here” Hans yelled, he had dived aside when he saw the car on a collision course with the building “ now” he said scrambling hurriedly on all fours towards the door, “ hurry” he urged both men.

The ground shook as the explosion ripped through the building. Windows shattered and the front door blew off it‘s hinges, the man stood by his car watching as a whole corner of the old sandstone building began to collapse - slowly at first but gaining momentum as the structure weakened.
As he drove away he looked in the rear view mirror at the cloud of dust forming where the building once stood and smiled.

Turning the corner he did not see the three figures slinking away from the smoking ruins.