Blue Flame. Robert A. Webster

the large Hans Kruger, Hitler’s Leibstandarte SS, personal bodyguard, and assassin, sitting next to him.

      “No my Füehrer, I will try not to.” stammered Erik.

      “Kruger, make sure no harm befalls Erik. The third Reich’s continuing existence and future 1,000-year reign rest on your shoulders,” said Hitler, glaring at Hans.

      “I will take good care of Herr Jan Hanussen, My Füehrer,” said Hans, smirking at Erik.

      “You have your orders, so carry them out. Failure is not an option and will result in your death Hans,” said Hitler, with a menace in his voice.

      Hans and Erik stood up and saluted Hitler. Hans marched out of the room with Erik stumbling behind him.

      Once they left the room, SS-Oberfüehrer Benno Von Arent, the Nazi specialist agent for art and treasures, removed a small stack of pictures and photographs from his case and placed them on the table. Hitler picked them up one at a time, scrutinised them and separated them into two piles.

      “These will go with us,” he said and tapped at one pile.

      “And these would go along to the other bunker once Hans and Erik had completed their task, and you have built it,” he pointed to the other pile.

      Benno Von Arent nodded and picked up the piles. He clipped the individual papers together and replaced them into his case.

      “We want them at both locations in three days,” Hitler ordered.

      “Yes, Füehrer,” said Von Arent, and as he collected his things together, Hitler gave him a stark warning, “I will check none are missing Von Arent. Now go!” commanded Hitler.

      Benno Von Arent stood and saluted before he left the room.

      Now alone, Hitler leant forward, stared at Műller, and asked, “How are my two Jewish decoys?”

      Műller nodded and said, “They are fine. The surgery went well and they are both enjoying all the trappings of being first-class citizens again… until we need them,” he smirked.

      “And you are certain that their bodies won’t be recognised?”

      “Yes Füehrer, I have given strict instructions on the incendiary to use for maximum effect. I will use two of your staff to make the discovery, which will be more convincing when they are captured,” explained Műller and sounding confident assured him, “There was no way to identify the remains. That technology may be decades away and by that time our beloved third Reich will once again dominate the world.”

      Hitler sighed, smiled, and asked, “Was everything else on schedule Heinrich?”

      Műller nodded and replied, “Once Hans completed his mission, he will then carry out your next order, and then we can start again. Germany and the Third Reich will once again be the world’s superior power under your leadership and guidance my Füehrer.”

      Hitler smirked at the SS officer, and then shouted at the two guards, “Bring Dönitz and Walter.”

      The guard marched away to fetch the two men. Műller packed away the maps and then he and Hitler chatted until Gross Admiral Karl Dönitz and Professor Hellmuth Walter came into the room; followed by Eva Braun, knowing she would be included in this part of the plan.

      They sat around the large coffee table. Professor Hellmuth Walter took pictures, blueprints, and schematics from his bag and placed them on the table.

      Professor Hellmuth Walter, a tall stocky man with slick back grey hair was not a military man but a brilliant and innovative engineer, who felt nervous and overawed by Hitler’s presence. He fidgeted and stammered as he showed the group a schematic of a U-boat and explained about that phase of the operation.

      “The vessel we are using to transport you and the other items was a refitted new *XX series Elektroboote with my revolutionary peroxide battery engines,” said Hellmuth as he tapped on the schematic and continued. “A sound-absorbent rubber coating covered the U-boat, to make it less of an ASDIC/Sonar target. The boat’s system had a chemical bubble-making decoy, known as ‘Bold,’ named after the mythical sprite of German folklore.”

      “I only want simple factsMr Walter. What does that mean?” asked Hitler.

      “Well Füehrer, it means the U-boat would be undetectable by radar or sonar so invisible to all enemy vessels, and the new engine would make it to your destination submerged, using a snorkel to recharge the batteries.” He said, and to avoid Hitler’s gaze pointed again at the schematics.

      Hellmuth showed the group the rear section of the U-boat with the torpedo room and crew compartments removed and replaced by a cargo storage area. He told them, “The storage is now eight separate sections, only accessible from the deck and Cranes could load and unload containers into the separate sections which are part of the structure so as not to compromise the watertight integrity of the U-boat in rough seas.” He pointed to the conning tower and said, “For extra cargo storage and an entryway for you Füehrer, this has been heightened and reinforced. This remodelling still enables the crew access up to the conning tower bridge.” Hellmuth looked up and assured them that he had calculated for the extra weight and doubled the ballast tanks’ volume to compensate for the additional 800 tons.

      “What about armament?” asked Műller “What would happen if the U-boat came under attack?”

      Gross Admiral Karl Dönitz answered that question as Hellmuth Walter appeared flustered and shuffled his papers around looking nervous.

      “We still have six torpedoes in the forward section,” said the Admiral, staring at Műller.

      “Would six be sufficient?” asked Hitler, sounding concerned.

      “Oh yes, my Füehrer. You cannot shoot what you can’t see,” stammered Hellmuth Walter.

      Hitler gave him an icy stare, and in a threatening tone replied, “I hope so Mr Walter.”

      Noticing Hellmuth was about to piss his pants, Dönitz produced a red folder from his case with, STRENG GEHEIM : BUCH MOSE, marked on the front, which he laid on the table.

      They leant forward to study the folder. The front page contained an enlarged photograph of a battle-hardened Naval Officer.

      “This is Korvettenkapitän Karl Viktor,” said Dönitz, as he handed a photo to Hitler. “Viktor was one of my best wolf pack commanders and his submariner crew are loyal. They sank 187 merchant ships in the Atlantic and patrolled the Gulf of Mexico, with 130 kills credited to him. Viktor is a loyal and respected commander, with two iron crosses.”

      Hitler studied the photo. Dönitz turned more pages from the folder. Hitler snatched the files and glanced at it.

      Dönitz, perturbed by this, skipped the details and explained. “The barges will rendezvous with the U-boat at the coordinates in Argentine waters at the scheduled time and offload the cargo. The barges will then sail to a cargo dock in Retiro and unload the items into our disguised vehicles. The U-boat will then sail into international waters and surrender to the American fleet.”

      Hitler then glanced at Műller who nodded and grinned.

      Hitler continued reading the folder and looking at the relevant pictures as Dönitz continued, “A motor launch will take you, Eva, and Hans to the beach at Costa de la Plates en Barazeregui. A Focke-Achgells FA-33 hubschrauber helicopter with the presidential crest will then fly you to Quinta de Olivos palace in Buenos Aires. President Peron will meet you there. He told me that he is looking forward to spending some time with you and Eva.”

      Eva Braun smiled; she remembered how she had enjoyed the previous visits and liked President Juan Peron’s wife, Maria Eva Duarte de Peron, simply known as Eva Peron. However, Hitler never shared her sentiments.

      “I have met President Peron many times. He is not a man that I trust,” sneered Hitler.

      “The Gestapo are ready my Füehrer. Peron will not be any cause for concern. He will be well-compensated,