Tomb of the Lost (65 page)

“
She called herself that because she thought it sounded posh for her father, for his clients.
”

Koenig knew he was dead now. Wurtz a maniac.

“
You never loved her. You were never any good for her.
”

Wurtz advanced on him angrily.

“
Shut up!
”

“
You were never there for her. Always away with your so called friends. Leaving her alone for weeks at a time.
”

“
Shut up! Shut up!
”
Wurtz had his hands over his ears, trying to shut out the Colonel
’
s words. What Koenig was saying was true. He had neglected her.

“
Her alone, vulnerable. That
’
s why she turned to me for
…
.
”

Wurtz was banging his head with the Luger, his eyes tightly closed but at these words he flipped. He smashed his hand against Koenig
’
s face forcing the man
’
s head around.

“
I told you to shut it!
”
Wurtz said through clenched teeth.

Koenig brought his face back round. He licked the corner of his mouth, tasted blood, and spat. Never once taking his eyes off Wurtz.

Johnny looked on impassively.

“
Which of us will he kill first?
”

Koenig was studying the mad man.

“
How could something so fragile, so beautiful, be married to this, this
…
.
”
he couldn
’
t think of the appropriate word.

There were tears in Wurtz
’
eyes now.

“
It
’
s your fault she
’
s dead,
”
he suddenly blurted out.

“
Dead?
…
.Elsa
’
s dead?
”

Wurtz felt the tears rolling down his face now. The burns were agony. He felt no shame for them.

“
You killed her?
”

“
I didn
’
t mean to,
”
Wurtz replied shaking his head, sobbing now. His words difficult to say,
“
She tried to attack me with a pair of scissors. I merely defended myself. She fell and hit her head.
”

Koenig tried to block his voice out. He didn
’
t want to hear another word. He couldn
’
t bear the thought of her death. His Elsa. Koenig had known for a long time that he
’
d loved her.

“
She tried to kill you?
”
Koenig
’
s voice was accusing,
“
She tried to kill you? How could she? Look at her! Look at you! She didn
’
t stand a chance
…
.
”

“
Enough!
”

“
You murdering bastard!
”

Wurtz was shaking his head. His hand holding the gun shaking also.

“
She was my wife. I loved her.
”

“
You never loved her Wurtz. She told me, she told me what you were like
…
.
”

“
What when you were screwing her?
”
he asked in a sarcastic tone.

Now Koenig exploded.

“
Yes, all right! If that
’
s what you want to hear!
”

“
WHEN YOU WERE SCREWING HER?
”
Wurtz screamed.

“
YES WHEN I WAS SCREWING HER! SHE WAS THE BEST DAMN SCREW I
’
VE EVER HAD!
”

Wurtz rushed at him. Koenig realised that he
’
d pushed the man.

‘
Good! At least it will be over quickly now.
’

Wurtz hit him across the temple with the Luger. It broke the skin. A thin trickle of blood ran down his face.

“
How could she possibly have married an oaf like you?
”

“
Enough! Now you die. I was going to kill you first,
”
Wurtz said to Johnny,
“
But now I
’
ll give you the satisfaction of watching this pig die first.
”

Wurtz pointed the Luger at Koenig
’
s forehead and closed one eye for better sighting. Koenig began to laugh.

Wurtz stopped.

“
What
’
s so funny?
”

“
This situation. Me, you, Elsa. It
’
s pathetic Wurtz.
”

Wurtz took aim.

There followed a heavy thud. It had a metallic ring to it. Wurtz opened his eye, a groan escaped his lips. His face took on a blank expression. The Luger fired harmlessly into the air making both Larder and Koenig jump. Wurtz tottered forward a couple of steps, his legs unsteady. Then he pitched forward onto his face. He twitched a few times, then was still. As Koenig and Johnny watched his inert form a pool of blood began spreading. The back of Wurtz
’
head was caved in.

They both looked up.

Alf was standing there. In his hands a long handled shovel. A red patch on its blade.

“
Are you ok boy?
”

Johnny didn
’
t know whether to laugh, cry or do nothing. A small whimper of relief escaped his lips. Alf threw the shovel down and helped him up.

“
That
’
s the second time that bastard
’
s tried to kill me.
”

Alf put his boot on Wurtz
’
body and turned it over. The eyes stared up in death.

“
He won
’
t be trying again lad.
”

Johnny smiled.

“
Good! I
’
m glad the bastard
’
s dead. He was going to kill him too.
”

Alf studied the other man. Johnny held out his hand and Koenig took it. Johnny pulled him up. Koenig gritted his teeth from the pain of his knife wound.

“
And who is this?
”
Alf asked.

Koenig
’
s uniform was filthy. Incredibly, despite what he
’
d been through, his badges of rank were still on his epaulettes. Alf saluted him.

“
Colonel Sir.
”

Painfully Koenig returned the salute.

“
Colonel Hans Koenig 11
^th
Panzer army, sergeant.
”

“
I
’
m acting Lieutenant Sir.
”

“
Your pardon Lieutenant. We have seen each other before.
”

“
Oh.
”

“
Yes. At Matmata. Months ago.
”

The sound of running boots echoed around the square. It was Rushton at the head of his men.

“
What
’
s happening Lieutenant?
”

He took in Alf, Johnny, Koenig and Wurtz.

Alf saluted.

“
Sir the boats are charged. The freighter and the submarine have left.
”

Rushton studied the port. The submarine had disappeared. The freighter was still in sight.

“
Sergeant Larder completed his mission. The fuel depots are destroyed.
”

“
Well done. Yes well done,
”
Rushton turned to a man carrying a field telephone,
“
Get General Tuker
’
s HQ on the phone.
”

The operator instantly set his equipment down and began rapidly turning the handle to charge it.

Rushton looked at Koenig. Despite his injuries the German saluted smartly. Rushton returned it.

“
Major I am Colonel Hans Koenig, 11
^th
Panzer army. On behalf of General Hans Jurgen Von Arnim I surrender the town of Gabes to you Sir.
”

Koenig extended his hand. Rushton shook it.

“
Colonel on behalf of General Francis Tuker I formally accept your surrender.

“
Sir General Tuker
’
s HQ is on the other end,
”
the operator was holding the receiver towards Rushton.

“
Send this message. Long Range Desert Group successfully secured town and port of Gabes for allied advance. Loss of life acceptable. Medical supplies required. Will hold position until General
’
s arrival tomorrow. Out.
”

The operator began relaying the message.

“
Well done men,
”
Rushton said again
“
Thank you Colonel. You are placed into custody until General Tuker arrives tomorrow. Lieutenant Dennis, sergeant Larder, would you be good enough to assist the Colonel.
”

Alf looked into Koenig
’
s eyes.

“
Yes sir.
”

“
Colonel do you need the services of a doctor?
”

“
Yes please Major.
”

“
Very well. Get yourselves along to the doctor for treatment. Don
’
t let the Colonel out of your sight. Tomorrow we
’
ll begin the clean up operation,
”
Rushton turned to his men,
“
Get those fires out.
”

“
Sir,
”
Alf called
“
What about that freighter?
”

Rushton looked up at the sky. It would be sunrise soon. He thought about pursuing it with the torpedo boats. That submarine was out there somewhere also.

“
Who escaped on it?
”

“
Doctor Werner Von Brest, party member and head of archaeological group, German forces, North Africa, and her crew of civilians.
”

“
Anyone else?
”

Koenig shrugged.

“
Possibly some of my men,
”
he nodded at Wurtz
“
Possibly some of his.
”

Captain Mufasa looked back at the port for the umpteenth time. They were two miles out of Gabes now. Relatively safe. The U-boat had dived as soon as they
’
d cleared the port but he was sure it was still there covering them. It was daylight now, no other shipping in view. He looked back again. No pursuing boats. Good. They would be the last to leave Gabes. German flags fluttered from the mast and stern. He hoped this would keep them safe until they reached Malta. A crewman was next to him on the bridge.

“
Where
’
s the mate?
”

“
Down below.
”

“
Take over for a while.
”

“
Aye Captain. Which course?
”

Mufasa showed him on the chart.

“
Steady as she goes.
”

“
Aye Captain.
”

Mufasa took the new pistol from his waistband, checked it and put it back. The crewman was watching him and Mufasa slapped him, not hard, across the back of the head.

“
Just you worry about our heading.
”

“
Yes Captain.
”

Mufasa left and descended the steps to the upper deck, he then descended more steps to the crews quarters. He met the first mate as he was coming up the stairs. The mate
’
Domingo
’
was surprised to see him.

“
Captain?
”

“
Down. Down,
”
Mufasa instructed.

They descended to the next deck.

Mufasa took the mate by the arm, quickly checking that no one was in earshot.

“
Are all of our crew on board?
”

“
Yes Captain.
”

“
How many Germans?
”

“
The one in the white suit, two in grey, one in black.
”