Breakthrough (The Red Gambit Series) (81 page)

The man had worked wonders with the venison and rabbit, the gravy being almost worthy of bottling in
its
own right.

Now, filled with the finest cuisine, the
five
finished their discussions with cigars and the very finest Napoleon.

De Walle, stuffed to the brim and feeling extremely amenable, relit his cigar, creating a light smoke screen between
his guests.

The man in the uniform of the Dutch Brigade stretched contentedly,
Michel Wijers
preparing his body for the short walk to the hotel.

“So, gentlemen. We have the basis of a plan, lacking only the most im
portant details. Where and when?
”

That was
about the gist of it.

“We all have assets who could turn up the first piece of information, allowing us to fix the date.”

Lieutenant Colonel Rossiter USMC, the merest hint of a gravy mark declaring
defeat in
his stalwart
effort to
keep
his jacket
clean
, grun
ted his agreement and added to the winding-up.

“Find us the location and I can run
the
operation
,
once I have the assets in place. And I will get them ready on the basis of your present information
,
General.”

The Luftwaffe Oberst, commander of the 40th Transportstaffel
,
had already declared his needs. Parts for his aircraft and experienced technicians to service the specialised craft. Promises to seek out both vital cogs in the plan reassured him, as did the presence of the fifth person.

Rossiter looked at the man, once a sworn enemy and adversary in the dark world of military intelligence, inviting the German’s own closing statement.

“We will find them, rest assured Kameraden.”

The dinner at an end, the five stood as one, exchanged handshakes and left to
go to their billets.

De Walle remained, watching from the first floor window.

Rossiter and Wijers walked together, openly and without concern, their presence in
Baden-Baden
plausible even if their true identities were known to an observer.

Trannel, Luftwaff
e Oberst, his uniform back at his squadron base, walked in an affected and uneasy civ
ilian gait, his fee
t only recently
venturing
in the murky world of espionage.

Last to leave
,
and so slick in his field craft that De Walle almost missed the man
,
was Reinhard Gehlen, ex-GeneralMaior and one-time head of intelligence gathering for the Nazi regime.

De Walle tested a second glass of the Napoleon as he thought through the day.

It had been Uhlmann’s idea,
prompted by
his belief that the USMC Lieutenant-Colonel Rossiter was something more than he presented
. That was
confirmed
by asking a direct question
in
Versailles
, bringing the Marine head of
OSS
an invitation to dine in
Baden-Baden
, along with an opportunity to run an important operation in Soviet-held territory.

Draining the glass
, Georges
De Walle decided enough time had elapsed for him to leave the building.

Speaking to no-one in particular
,
he
nimbly
descended the stairs.

“Much rests on you
,
Herr Gehlen.”

On entering the
s
partan room
,
her Commander in Chief
greeted
her with
a huge
,
unforced
grin.

Having returned her impressive salute
, Zhukov stepped around his desk to pour some tea from a small service on the tatty wooden bureau to one side.

“You are looking well
,
Polkovnik
. The doctors kept me informed
,
of course.”

“Thank you
,
Comrade Marshall, I am feeling much better
.”

“You haven’t met my right-hand
,
have
you?
”

Zhukov knew she hadn’t
,
so it was delivered as a statement.

He indicated his
CoS
with a hand still containing an empty tea cup.

“Comrade Polkovnik-General Mikhail Malinin,” his introduction interrupted by another formal salute from the intelligence Colonel, “This is
Polkovnik
Tatiana Nazarbayeva of the GRU.”

Malinin was not actually in the habit of shaking the hand of any common Colonel
,
but he had heard much about the present company and it seemed appropriate.

Zhukov gave each a cup of tea and returned to his chair.

“Please sit. So what wonderful news do you bring me tonight
,
Polkovnik
?”

“
First, i
f I may, Comrade Marshall.
My husband Yuri and I both wish to thank you for your kindness in granting him leave.”

Zhukov smiled mischievously.

Wiping his lips dry, the smile remained throughout his words.

“The least I could do for a valuable asset of the Motherland
,
Comrade
Polkovnik
,” his mock formality easily seen through by
those
present.

“Besides, I understand that Starshina Nazarbayev had a choice of documents to rely on.”

“Indeed
,
Comrade Marshall, that is true
,
and my husband felt weighed down by them, truly.”

Both men laughed freely, imagining how the man must have felt with such authorisations in his possession.

“In truth
,
Comrades, he surrendered the document from Comrade Stalin into my possession
,
so it can be preserved for our family when the war is over. He retains your document
,
Comrade Marshall, otherwise he would not get back to his unit.”

That prompted Zhukov to speak more sensitively.

“Comrade
Polkovnik
, your husband’s unit will soon be committing to the front.”

If anything, the
Marshall
’s voice took on
even
more of a sympathetic edge.

“I am conscious that you have lost
a son
already in this war, and that you have
three
others still serving.”

Nazarbayeva’s face was set, listening, harbouring her own thoughts without external display.

“If you wish it, I can arrange for your husband to be transferred to a rear-line formation
,
away from the possibility of harm?”

The silence was brief.

“Comrade Marshall. For myself and my husband
,
I thank you
,
but that cannot be. Neither of us would accept such a favour when the Motherland needs all her sons,” and she smiled broadly, overcoming her inner grief with humour, “Even t
he old one’s with bad attitude
.”

Zhukov understood and, in truth, he had expected such a reply
,
but he made the offer none the less, a sign of the esteem he had for the officer in front of him.

“The offer will stand always
,
Comrade.”

As if by common assent, each cup was drained and set aside.

“Now then, what does the GRU have for me this evening?”

“Comrades, the RAF Bomber attack that was repulsed the other night was apparently called Operation Casino.
Your figures on their losses are
inaccurate. Here are the actual
numbers
that we have confirmed so far.”

Zhukov’s figures were supplied under the new regime of factual reporting, the NKVD having spread throughout the Red Banner Army, encouraging commanders to report correctly
, an issue highlighted in early
air war
reporting.

Instead of the two hundred and thirteen confirmed kills, two hundred and seventy-three as reported in the GRU file was significantly higher, and marked an even greater destruction of Bomber Commands capacity to attack.

Handing the file to
Malinin, and waiting for his
CoS
’s startled look
,
he asked the obvious question, for which Nazarbayeva was ready.

“That is confirmed
,
Comrade Marshall, straight from an agent placed to gather such information directly.”

Already the Soviet command had anticipated easier night movement and less attacks on laagers
,
but these figures would mean that such advantages were more likely to be for a longer period.

“The agent should be able to provide us good intelligence, although there is a delay in reporting that will limit the full usefulness of what will come to us.”

“None the less, excellent, Comrade
Polkovnik
.
And
,
unless I am mistaken, the original intelligence and basic plan came from your office?”

“Yes
,
I interviewed the British Intelligence Officer Comrade Marshall. The operational concept came about from that and I played my full part
,
I hope.”

‘No false modesty. I like that.’

Setting the folder aside
,
he saw a name he recognised on the next.

“Next Comrades,
as you are aware, Comrade G
eneral Secretary Stalin instructed the GRU and NKVD to combine their skills in a joint operation involving the extraction of intelligence from this German Officer.”

Nazarbayeva passed over the file bearing Ernst-August Knocke’s name.

“The reports show that
a
GRU officer made contact with Knocke and received information in return for promises regarding the continued well-being of his family.”

Again the file made it over to Malinin.

“There is an issue of information transfer. The product of our arrangement is of a type that would need to be in your hands as quickly as possible. Our departments will work on that
,
and we have already activated some sleeping agents for an alternate route that is higher risk but should be quicker in servicing the information.”

“And will this Knocke play your game
,
Comrade
Polkovnik
?”

Malinin posed the reasonable question
,
knowing that the world of intelligence offered no guarantees.

“He is playing
by the rules
at the moment
,
Comrade General.
My
agent is at large and unhindered, reporting no undue activity since he first made contact.
The NKVD report du
e to arrive tomorrow mirrors that.
Everything points to a smooth operation so far
,
and one which should reap significant benefits for the Red Army
”

Neither senior officer asked
,
but both wondered
,
how Tatiana had come by her information on the NKVD report.

“We have had reports that the NKVD agent provocateur plan has borne some fruit, but is overall disappointing in its results, although I believe that the NKVD report may not say that in so many words.”

Neither senior officer asked but both were now dying to know how Tatiana had come by her information on the NKVD report.

“All the German units identified as forming have now mobilised towards the
Ruhr
.” T
his was not news to either man, and had been the subject of hours of extra problem solving f
or them over the last few days.

“Plus unconfirmed reports from agents in the French and English ports state more Germans arriving by sea every day.”