Chapter VI

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.  Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

-- Roald Dahl (1916-1990), bestselling author

Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico

They all utilized the pool and showered upon their arrival.  A few sizes of spare suits are kept on hand for the rare occasion when a guest came unprepared, as were shorts and assorted tank tops which the ladies had made use of.  Juan had disappeared for an hour to handle a task Matias asked that he do immediately.  After completing his task and a quick shower, he invited Hilda to tour the Hacienda, taking pride in pointing out his security arrangements, hidden throughout, of which she took great interest.  She particularly liked the forethought of adding an escape tunnel during construction.  Matias had Elke, not far behind, on her own tour, not that she required one, but it was a moment of privacy they had been lacking on this unscheduled visit.  

Hilda praised Juan’s measures when they were finished.  “Danke, Juan.  You seem to have everything covered, except for the personnel to make all of the preparations viable.  More here than two can handle?”

Juan gave her a mock look of confusion.  “But, senora, there are now four.  So, it would seem I have the personnel issues covered as well.”  He gave her a sly grin.

She took his hand in a firm grip and giving a curt bow of the head.  “Ja.  Si.  Indeed you do, senor.  A point well made.”  She smiled and Juan beamed at the praise, giving her a slight bow in return.

They eventually all retired to the great room to review the digital slideshow Juan had put together while the others were swimming. Matias made a side trip into the kitchen for another round of Scotch.

Elke made herself comfortable in the center of the couch with the tablet computer on her lap and Hilda took a position close to her so she could see the screen.  Matias entered with a tray of glasses filled with the peaty, amber liquid and ice.  Elke accepted her scotch with a smile, Hilda with a quiet, “Gracias Matias.”

Matias took the other side of Elke and Juan drew a ladder-back chair up to the back of the couch to look over Elke’s shoulder as they slowly examined the digital pictures of the mystery craft, the cryogenic system under the hood, and the mummified remains of the young female pilot.  Occasionally they would pause to enlarge an image at which point hushed conversation would ensue for several minutes before the show would commence again.  Their minds had run the gamut from incredulous to interested, and finally to awe with questions no one in their group could answer.  They finally sat back and took a breather, digesting all they had seen from the file. 

Elke took a sip and broke the silence as she pointed with her tumbler toward the window overlooking the ocean and the dunes.  “You say this craft is the reason for the construction on the dune?  And it actually fit underneath?”

Matias got up and moved to the armchair across from the ladies and Juan.  “Si, the new patio, and the footprint of the patio is larger than it seems from up here.  Juan designed the bottom to mimic a storage area with double doors we can open wide enough to easily remove the sand from atop and around the disc or to, eventually, remove the disc when it becomes necessary.”

Hilda asked, “Necessary for what?”

Matias shrugged his shoulders and smiled.  “I do not know.  Juan and I have not had time to think that far ahead.”

Hilda pressed, “Money, publicity?  Fame and fortune?”

Elke laughed and gently squeezed Hilda’s arm.  “Oh, my dear Hilda! Matias is no Indiana Jones.  And, besides, he turned his back on my fortune and glory, and it was not at all this complicated.”

Matias laughed as well.  “Juan once brought one of those movies for us to watch of this, Indiana Jones. I remember the words, let’s see, um…”  He reached for a straw hat on a wall hook and placed it at a rakish angle on his head then lifted the front of it up on his forehead with one finger reciting, “Fortune and glory, kid, fortune and glory.”  They all laughed at Matias’ attempt to mimic Harrison Ford’s character with a Spanish accent.  They were finding it nice to relax and let off a bit of stress from the day’s adventure.

Elke continued her questions when their laughter subsided; backing the images up until the pilot filled the screen.  “And what arrangements have you made for this mummy?”

“Juan has it stored; safe and dry for now, in the wine cellar, but we will need to make other arrangements, in short order, before this humidity begins to do its work.”

Elke turned off the tablet and leaned forward to place it on the coffee table.  “Ja, I agree.  The cool, humid atmosphere of a wine cellar is not conducive to mummified tissue.  It should be in a controlled environment, I wish we had our staff from the Archives here.  They are very knowledgeable about this preservation stuff.”  She drew her bare feet and legs under her and leaned back into the couch again.  “It is amazing, this Nazi saucer program.  This brings most of our puzzle together, but, you say State Security mentioned ‘foreign intelligence’ and not criminals.  I would consider Werwolf a criminal organization, not government.”

Hilda leaned forward.  “Yes, but I think we can agree, if they can be firmly linked to the National Democratic Party, they will have completed the evolution of their political/criminal nexus in Germany, and have transitioned from a transnational organized crime group into a truly hybrid ‘poli-crime’ organization.  All they lack is governmental control, and if what we know about Werwolf is true, they have more than enough money to purchase this, especially in today’s world of greedy political corruption.”

Elke nodded agreement.  “A mouthful my dear, but very much to the point, and, if we accept what you say, then we could then consider any Werwolf and NPD alliance as ‘foreign government’ intelligence.

Matias shook his head, frustrated.  “This entire issue of intelligence involvement, in any case, confuses me.  You made an inquiry, fine.  An innocent inquiry from the German Archives Society.  Acronym notwithstanding, the worldwide reputation of the GAS is beyond reproach.  So, why go through the effort of chasing you half way around the world?  Why not confront you in Germany and ask a few simple questions?  Why are they willing to die for, well… what?”

Everyone was quiet as they considered his points.

Juan returned to the window during their exchange and was staring down at the dune with a concerned look.  Matias noted his expression and joined him.  They sipped their drinks and looked down at the dune and the almost completed patio camouflage.  The early evening breeze was whipping up the freshly loosened sand and removing all signs of the workers and their labors. 

Matias placed a hand on Juan’s shoulder.  “Much was accomplished today old friend.  You brought together a good team for this task.”

Juan continued to stare at the dune.  “Loyal friends to me, and to the Capitan, senor.”

Matias squeezed the shoulder and reassured him, “Loyalty that is not in question my friend.  If they have your trust, they have mine, as it has always been.”

“Gracias, mi Capitan.  This I know,” and he added in confirmation to Matias, “as it has always been.”  His expression had not changed from one of concern.  His demeanor had now put Matias on edge.  Juan never concerned himself over trivial matters; matters over which he had no control.  He lived his life with an ‘it is what it is’ philosophy.  Matias turned to look at his old companion.

“What concerns you so, Juan?”

Juan gave a slight shrug.  “I’m not sure, Matias.”  He reached up and dragged fingers through his short hair, the burn scars evident on the fleshy part of his upper arm.

Matias noted the first name familiarity which Juan never showed toward him.  Even though Matias had pressed him several times to loosen up, Juan would have no part of it.  Juan’s reasoning was that Matias was a Ship’s Captain, and Juan would always be his trusted man.  Juan would firmly state that, “This is as it should be, a matter of respect,” and it was the end of discussion.

Juan took a sip from his tumbler of Scotch, also something he rarely imbibed in, as he continued, “They found you quickly.”

“They were following the Baroness.”

“Perhaps, but it seems too coincidental that they show up at literally the same time.”  He now turned to look at Matias.  “Scheduling a flight to arrive so close to theirs?  Finding their hotel, and even to finding Maximillian washing cars in front of the tequila bar?  Max was only watching our vehicles, senor, which we had not planned on him doing.  How would they know to look for our vehicles if they were tailing the Baroness?  They know much too much more than we do, not to mention your visitor from State Security which seemed to start all of the dominos falling.” 

Juan turned his gaze back to the dunes and ocean with a final statement, “I do not like sucking at the last nipple on the sow, senor.  It leaves a slow piglet wanting.” 

Matias sighed.  “I know the feeling, my friend.  I would also like full sails, for once.”

The sun was setting over the hills to the west, and a chill finally came in off the ocean to cool down the last of the day’s heat.  Matias and Juan went to prepare sleeping arrangements after they saw the ladies yawn in unison.  Everyone was tired.  Before turning in, Matias addressed the group.

“Manana, we will remove sand from the top portion of the saucer so you can see the cockpit and the cryogenic compartment.  Maybe we can arrive at some idea of what to do.  I feel as though this little adventure of ours has gone beyond me,” he looked at the ladies, “and after today’s excitement, I fear for your safety.”  Elke made to speak and Matias held up a hand to stay her.  “Perhaps bringing State Security on board at this point is not such a bad idea.” 

He looked deflated and tired as he addressed Hilda, “We joked about fortune and glory.  I have no need of it.  I hoped for a mystery to solve; some interest in my life.  Turning it over to my government, eventually, was never really in question.  I simply wanted…first shot at it, if you will.  Tomorrow we will all have a look at ‘fortune and glory’ and then I will make the call, before someone else gets hurt.” 

Silence invaded the room.  He pulled a business card from his shirt pocket and ran his thumb over the embossed emblem of the CISEN as he scratched at his beard, which badly needed attention.  He would make the call, first thing in the morning. 

Elke came over and gave him a hug, her arms around his neck.  She looked into his brown eyes, still smitten with how handsome he continued to get with age.  “Nothing is beyond you my love, nor has it ever been.  Today I have felt younger than in many years, and tonight I am paying the price for living those years in too damned much comfort.”  She gave him a small kiss and whispered, “Let us retire and try not to disturb the children.” 

She could still make him smile, and blush.

********************

Matias checked his watch; eight o’clock.  It took the better part of an hour for the four of them to remove enough sand for Juan to be able to grip the brown poly tarp covering the shattered bubble canopy and cryogenic chamber and carefully pull it to the ground so a minimum of sand fell back into the cockpit area.  Juan asked that they attempt to trample as little as possible around the base of the piled sand around the craft, but it was to no avail.  Even with great care taken he grimaced at the amount of sand that cascaded away from the vehicle.  It would take much longer to cover it back up before the crew returned to finish the top of the patio tomorrow, then he remembered, covering it back up might be a moot point.

The women knelt down at the canopy as Matias reached in to unlatch it, careful not to cut himself on the ragged edges.  He pulled the damaged canopy section to the side as the women leaned further into the cockpit.  Even though there was morning light coming through the unfinished flooring above, Elke flicked on a small LED flashlight Juan had brought from the from the workshop.  She slowly panned the light around the interior.  “Oh mein Gott…what a discovery, Matias.”

Hilda remained speechless as she took it all in.  She then moved to the seam of the panel covering the cryogenic system and felt along it while asking Matias, “Offnen Sie?  How does it open?”

He reached beneath the control panel and pulled a lever popping open the smaller panel nearer the outer ring.  Juan made a face as a salting of sand, not brushed away after the tarp was pulled, fell into the opening.  He admonished the captain, “Aye!”

Matias grimaced at the overthought.  “Lo siento.  Apologies, my error.”

Juan reached into the panel and pulled the hood release with both hands.  The larger panel popped up with a loud clack as the latch released.  Matias reached down and easily hinged it back.  They could all feel the immediate coolness in the air from the tank inside.  Matias took a gloved hand and brushed away the frost still evident from the previous viewing when He and Juan had taken the photos.  He instructed, “Look quickly but do not touch,” he warned, “I think this is a Helium-3 containment tank.  Your flesh would freeze to the metal, see?” He pointed to the hoary frost already reforming over the freshly brushed off metal.  “Well, what do you think?”

“Amazing!” Elke commented as she sat back on her heels. 

Hilda was next to her.  “Ja, sehr amazing!”

“Yes, indeed!  Very amazing!”  They all spun around toward the jovial voice from behind them at the opened double doors of the new storage area.  The large man had silently moved in all the stealthy assistance soft, fine sand could offer.  His overweight frame filled one side of the opening and his outline was all they could make out with the bright morning sun glaring off the dune behind him.  He was like a moon eclipsing the sun.  About all they were certain of was that he held a weapon, and he held it like a pistol. 

He nodded the gun downward.  “Ladies, down off the craft, if you please.  Gentlemen, close everything up and put the tarp back in place.”  Matias and Juan looked at each other a second too long.  “Now, unless the safety of the women is really of little concern.”  He pointed the gun at Elke.  They did as instructed.  He reached down and took Juan’s weapon from where he had left it on the tarp as the women moved to hand the tan poly material up to the men.  He put the Juan’s pistol in his waistband, with some difficulty due to his overhanging spare tire of pudge.

Another fifteen minutes found the tarp back in place and weighted down with sand around the edges, Larkin motioned everyone out and Juan padlocked the doors.  The large man snapped his fingers and held out his hand.  “I’ll take that key, por favor.”  Juan handed it to him.  “Gracias, mi amigo.  Now, let us go up to the hacienda and get out of this morning heat.”  He waved the pistol up the hill.  “Rapidamente!  Move it!”

The man brought up the rear and made them slow down several times so he could keep up.  By the time they reached sidewalk around the house his billowing, short sleeved, pink sport shirt was plastered to his sweaty skin.  He was continuously mopping his brow with a, now soaked, white handkerchief. 

When they gained the upper patio, Elke and Hilda made to sit on the divan under covered portion in the cooler shade but the man stopped them.  “No.  Inside where it is much cooler and we can get some cold refreshment while I watch you.”

They filed inside and took seats on the couch and side chairs.  Larkin moved between them and the kitchen where an oscillating fan was blasting a hurricane of air into the great room.  With his back to the kitchen he looked at the two men and began introductions.  “I know who the Captain and his man are,” he turned to the women, “but, who are these lovely ladies?”

Elke stuck her chin out and took a regal bearing with him.  “I am Baronin Mechtilde, and this is my personal assistant Hilda.  I am Senior Chair of the German Archives Society Board of Governors, and I do not appreciate having guns pointed at me.”

Matias rolled his eyes and let out a low cough which drew her attention to him.  He slowly shook his head, silently pleading she not antagonize the gunman.  She took the hint, crossed her arms and sat back into the couch as if sulking.  He now addressed the stranger, “And you would be?”

Larkin smiled which made his cheeks puff out and his face chubbier.  He reached into his shirt pocket and brought out a business card.  “Name is Larkin.”

Matias looked at the card then back at Larkin, while handing the card to Elke.  “He is an agent.”

Elke looked at the card and laughed at the absurdity.  “He is a travel agent?” 

Juan looked confused and Larkin looked like she’d hurt his pride.  “I perform necessary services.  I transport people and material from here to there.”  He added, as if in explanation, “We all have to keep busy at something.”

Hilda glanced at the card Elke turned toward her.  She shot a knowing smile at Larkin.  “And their idea of keeping you busy was to relegate you to a backwater travel agency?  Just what kind of people and material do you transport from here to there, Herr Larkin?”

She caught movement in the kitchen, behind Larkin, and a voice stated, “People like us, and material like what you have hidden in the dune, fraulein.” 

Larkin did not turn at the sound of the voice, but the look on his face said this person wasn’t with him.  “The gun, if you please, Herr Larkin?  Jetzt! Now, bitte!”  Larkin still did not turn around.  As he raised his hands he held his pistol by the handle between thumb and finger as he handed it over his shoulder to the newcomer.  “Danke.”  The young blonde German took the pistol and passed it over to one of the two men that suddenly emerged from the study, along with the Beretta 12 gauge from the kitchen.  He took off his black soccer cap and the snap on sunglasses that covered his round prescription glasses, handing these to the man as well.  “Herr Larkin, you may move across and stand by der Kapitan.”

Larkin moved forward with the unmistakable look of a man about to do something stupid.  Hilda and Matias recognized it at the same moment they also realized he still had Juan’s pistol tucked in his waist band under his untucked shirt.  Matias tried to slowly shake his head no, while Hilda slowly tapped her cheek with three fingers to remind him he was outnumbered.  Larkin saw the fingers and relaxed, but it wasn’t the finger count that stopped him, it was the look on Hilda’s face.

As Larkin moved forward she could now see each man was carrying an old Heckler & Koch MP5 machine pistol.  The long banana clip evidenced a 30 round magazine that would empty in two seconds given the listed rate of fire.  They would cut him to pieces, not to mention several hostages with the collateral damage of sweeping fire.  Larkin moved behind Matias’ chair, placing his hands in plain sight on the top of the back which easily hid any bulge of Juan’s weapon from their view.

With Larkin in place the young German explained, “My associates and I will not take much of your time, several hours perhaps.  My apologies for not utilizing your services Herr Larkin, but I’m sure you understand why we had to arrange for transportation through another agency capable of handling very large vehicles.”  He nodded to one of his men, “Niklas, make the call.”  The man holding the shotgun pulled out a cell phone.  While he placed the call, the young German continued.

“While you were inspecting our property, we were reviewing some interesting images in your study, Kapitan.  We see there es eine Leiche…ach, my Englisch is worse than my Spanisch, if this is possible.  Eine corpse?  Ja?  The pilot of the vehicle, I believe.  We will need to make arrangements for it, as well.  Who, of you, will be so kind as to show one of my men to this item?”  He leveled his automatic weapon at the couch and Juan stood.

“I will take you.”

The man smiled, “Sehr gut!  Very good!  A volunteer.”  He turned to see the man, Niklas, had connected with his number.  The leader addressed his other associate, “Stefan, bekommen die Mumie.  Sei schnell.”  Stefan moved toward Juan and motioned with his MP5.  Juan started toward the screen door and the young German added to Juan, “Do not be long, ja?”

Juan did not look back as he answered, “Si, this will not take long.”

Elke addressed her captor, “Would you kindly point that thing elsewhere?”  She was eyeing the weapon he still held on the couch.  “We can do little against you while sitting.”

He gave her a polite nod and lowered the muzzle a bit.  Niklas, finished the phone call and spoke quietly to his younger leader. 

The German spent several minutes looking out the window, squinting out at the ocean as if he was trying to see far away through the glaring sunlight.  He faced Matias and the ladies. 

“Our helicopter will be here in a few minutes and it looks as though our ‘ship has come in’ so to speak.  A little humor to lighten the mood, ja?  Our freighter is holding station several miles off shore to accept both cargo and passengers.”  Matias looked at the women and back to the German, who was now smiling.  “Ja, ja, you will be our guests for a short cruise.”  He grinning grew at his own poor humor. 

They could just make out the “whup-whup” of helicopter blades and Matias could tell it was a big one even at the great distance,  He also noted it wasn’t coming off the ocean; it was coming from… the gasification plant?  He considered this group would need to have contacts in the Mexican Army to be able to swing the use of military assets, especially the Russian built Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopter stationed at the plant.  He looked passed the German’s and saw movement at the top of the patio steps.

********************

Sanchez was getting up from kneeling next to the body when the first of two State Security vehicles pulled into the dirt parking area near the canal, the other one following in its dust wake.  The first one was a black van and the second was the same as her own motor pool SUV.  None had markings denoting their agency. 

Earlier, she convinced the fishermen to carry the body from the far end of the breakwater, covering it with a plastic sheet she produced from the back of her vehicle, in order to facilitate the removal before more civilian eyes showed up.  A tall man in a black, special ops outfit got out of the passenger door of the SUV and strapped on his gun belt while the driver retrieved a bag from the back seat.

Sanchez was squatting down by the body, studying a small pistol and the man’s passport.  She looked up as the tall man approached.

“Ola, Ignacio.  Not much to do here but get a few photos before you bag and tag it.”

Ignacio reached down and pulled the plastic sheet up so he could examine the corpse.

“You found him floating?  No crime scene?”

“In a way, found him under the water, weighted down at the very end of the breakwater, there.”  She pointed to at the trail and down to the ocean beyond.  “You might send your man down there to get some photos of the blood at the end of the trail on top, just prior to where the boulders drop to the water where I discovered the body.  He won’t be able to miss it.  Nothing more I could find there.”

“Anything else?”  Ignacio nodded and motioned for the two men at the van to come forward with a stretcher.

“No.  I have called in my report.  Can you handle this?”

He looked down at the wet corpse of the Russian, “Si, no hay problema.  But, I have instructions to also act as the backup you requested.”  Ignacio saw her frown as she looked behind him at the vehicles and saw only the driver and the two personnel bringing the stretcher to remove the body.

“Not to worry, another vehicle is not long behind us - two more agents.

“Let’s go then.  We can wave them down on our way.  We are only going to the large hacienda, on the hill above Compos.”

The man’s tilted his head and had a look of concern.  “Capitan Matias’ place?”

“You know of him?”

“Si, my brother brought me in to consult on a security issue when the capitan began construction.  You think he has involvement in this murder?”

She shook her head.  “I have no idea what is going on here, but there are many foreigners involved, and now a dead body of one of them shows up on our watch.  I think the Capitan is over his head and treading water, but I just don’t know why.”

“I will get my pack and meet you at your vehicle.”  He turned to the driver of his own vehicle.  “Did you catch the instructions for photos?”  The man nodded affirmation.  “Then I will meet you at the hacienda when you are done here, unless you get a call otherwise.”

Ignacio headed for his vehicle just as a large engine was heard from the plant, a short distance through the scrub trees.  The engine noise increased in volume before it became recognizable as the “wup-wup” of rotor blades.  The noise increased in volume as the helicopter banked over the trees low enough for them to feel the wash from the blades.  All on the ground watched as it headed in the direction of the hacienda.  It was not gaining altitude. 

She yelled over the dissipating noise, “Rapido!  I have a bad feeling!”

They ran to her vehicle as Ignacio snatched his black equipment pack from his own and sprinted after her.

********************

The group inside the hacienda could hear the sound of the helicopter grow loader it came down the beach.

Everyone was focused on the helicopter and jumped when the screen door to the patio slammed as the handle slipped from Stefan’s fingers while trying to open it while keeping an eye on Juan.  Stefan forgot the door opened outward, and the group inside the hacienda watched as Stefan finally found the handle, again, stepping aside and opening the screen wide as Juan made a great production of trying to pass through with his light load without damaging it. 

The noise and high RPMs of the helicopter blades lowered as the craft came to rest on the beach, a short distance behind the construction site at the dune, where another of the German group had been waiting with two, small, handheld flags to guide them in.

Juan was placing the blanket wrapped mummy on the floor just inside the door, hoping to separate the Germans and from the around the women and create an opportunity for him and Matias to do something to improve their circumstance.  The leader wasn’t buying into it, however.

“Nein, nein.  No, bring it over here and put in on the beistelltisch.”  He pointed with his pistol, “Here, on what you call the coffee table.”

The sound of a sports car engine grew as it climbed up the drive from the road below and settled back as it breached the rise and the driver announced arrival by honking the horn several times. 

Matias muttered, “Max!” and inadvertently jumped up.  Stefan turned toward the sound of the horn as the younger leader raised his weapon up to Matias and quickly glanced toward the sound as well.  The glance was the small distraction Larkin had been waiting for.

Larkin stepped out from behind the chair with a hand full of Juan’s pistol.  Hilda saw the move and pulled Elke to the floor with her as she reached under the coffee table and tried to pry the sawed off double-barrel 12 gauge from its mountings underneath.  Juan let go of the mummy as he was reaching down to pick it back up and, instead, reached up and grabbed a handful of Stefan’s manhood in a steel grip while lifting him with one shoulder and blasting both of them back through the nylon screen door, ripping it from the hinges.

Matias saw the leader’s weapon swing away from him and took the opportunity to push the German off balance while diving to one side.  Larkin quickly double tapped the leader with one round to the young blonde’s chest and one in his forehead.  He was not going to make it back to Niklas. 

There was an explosion as Niklas’ weapon came to bear on the agent.  Hilda didn’t have time to fight the shotgun free from the mounts so she had fired both barrels while it was still attached. 

Everyone flinched when the end of the coffee table exploded outward toward Niklas.  Both rounds from the 12 gauge picked him up and out of the storm’s path just as his finger depressed the trigger of the machine pistol.  Thirty rounds sprayed the room and the ceiling as he died with his finger still twitching the trigger. 

The blast from the shotgun was loud enough to drown out the scream from Stefan after he got to his feet before Juan allowing the strong Mexican to come up with his shoulder, picking the German from his feet and hurling him over the concrete railing.  Juan managed to snatch Stefan’s weapon from his hands as the man fell away from him to die as his head met the sidewalk below.  Snatching the weapon caused Juan to lose his balance, stumbling backward into the hammock which flipped over and deposited him into the pool, still holding the machine pistol.

Back inside the house, Matias stood up and looked around at the damage.  “Is everyone okay?”

Hilda was kneeling by the prone Elke she had covered with her own body as she fired the shotgun.  She spoke to Elke in German and Matias caught the gist of it.  “It is my fault, Baroness.  If I had paid more attention to shielding you from harm…”

Matias took a step toward them and saw that color had drained from Elke’s already milky complexion.  She looked at Hilda through the glassy gaze of a woman shock and put a finger Hilda’s lips, staying further self-rebuke and tried to sooth Hilda’s concern. 

“Shhh…If you hadn’t taken him out, we may all have suffered.  This is just a scratch.”

Matias knelt beside Hilda and took Elke’s hand, his face a mask of concern for the only woman he ever truly loved.  He asked Hilda, “Is it only a scratch?”  He saw the blood on her hand as she removed it from Elke’s side to apply the cloth compress had torn from her own tank top.

“Hardly a scratch, but it is superficial.  She is in better shape than my nerves.”  Matias could tell by the emotion which had replaced the professionalism in her voice, that there was a bond which went beyond the outward relationship.  He thought of his own relationship with Juan.

Matias held the compress firmly against the wound and placed his other hand on Hilda’s shoulder.  “She is right, you know.  If you had not taken him out more of us would be hurt, or dead.  Now, can she be moved?”

Elke answered with the weak wave of a delicate hand, “I can move myself, Matias.”  They helped her to the couch.

Juan climbed from the pool, very happy that he was wearing shorts and a tee-shirt.  He dripped his way back to the railing and looked over to make sure Stefan was still down for good.  He noted the pool of blood under the head as his own neck and face were suddenly sprayed by chips of stinging concrete.  It took Juan only a split second to realize bullets were picking apart the plaster pillars and concrete railing where he stood.  He dropped to the patio and looked out between the concrete balusters to see landing craft, Rigid Inflatable Boats, on the beach which had deposited more than ten very well armed men which were in the process of charging across the dunes toward the hacienda.  He stayed low and crawled back to the shredded screen door mumbling something about living in paradise and how, at times, it really sucked.

Max reached the top of the drive, honked the horn and parked the sports car in time to hear the cacophony of gunfire coming from the top of the patio. He slowly made his way to the steps with a plan of peeking across the patio to the hacienda to see what was happening before he put himself in harm’s way.  He was just getting ready to raise his head when he heard the sound of more gunfire from the beach, below, and turned to see men charging up from the beach while firing automatic weapons at the patio.  The sound of several large bees flew passed his head and he realized several the men were firing at him as well. 

He quickly backed down the steps and out of their view from below and ran back to the car.  He took the low door with one high step into the front seat, dropped back behind the wheel while turning the keys he’d left in the ignition and ground the gears in his excitement, trying to get the transmission into reverse.  Failing that he slammed it back into first and made a U-turn which put the car parallel to the beach and broadside to the incoming fire.  The unfortunate move was awarded with a solid “thunk” to panels on the driver’s side and a shattered windshield. 

Max yelled his frustration as he finally got the car out of view and sped back toward the drive away from the parking area.  He soundly berated the men who fired upon him as he continued down the hill to find help.  “Pendejos! El capitán estará enojado por el daño que le ha hecho a su bebé!  He will be very pissed when he sees what you have done to his baby!  This is not my fault!”

At that moment, however, Matias had so much more to concern himself with than his precious car.  He and Hilda had managed to get Elke from the couch to her feet with the intent of taking her to the comfort of a bed.  She was looking better and Hilda was securing the compress with another strip of cloth around Elke’s waist when the gunfire erupted outside. 

Juan stepped across the ruined screen back through the ruined doorway into a room chewed up by battle and people scrambling to prepare for the new threat coming up the hill.  Larkin tossed Juan his pistol as he retrieved his own from the dead German.  Matias ran to the study and was able to find his and Hilda’s pistol in the study where Stefan and Niklas had placed them on the desk earlier while they lay in wait.  He tossed the smaller pistol to Hilda who immediately checked the magazine before taking up position beside a window to review the progress of their new threat.  She turned to Matias.

“They are already to the sidewalk.  I cannot tell how many.”

Juan chimed in from the doorway, “More than ten that I could see.  There are two RIBs on the beach that look very much like French Sillinger 1200s.  Very powerful engines; two 300hp motors, each.”

Hilda, raised an eyebrow, impressed by Juan’s accurate assessment.  She nodded her agreement to Matias concerning the inflatable boats on the beach.  “Ja, Sillinger,” then, not to be outdone by Juan’s obvious knowledge, she added, “38 feet long with deep V hulls.  Bad news is they carry up to 25 personnel, each.”  Juan cocked his own eyebrow and smiled at her.

Matias ripped two machetes from their taped hiding place under an end table, tossing one to Juan and offering the other to Larkin who waved it away.  Larkin ejected the magazine from his pistol while asking Matias, “I’m surprised you trust me enough to offer me the blade, senor.”

Matias laid the machete on what was left of the coffee table. “Hilda, for reasons not yet disclosed, has not found a need to kill you… yet.  Besides, you already have a gun and it is not aimed at me.  The enemy of my enemy, I suppose.”

Larkin nodded understanding of the reference.  “Who is this capable young woman who seems to know the working end of a pistol?” Larkin said as he raised his weapon and turn to point it toward Hilda.  He was confronted by her outstretched arm with her pistol already locked on him while she answered and continued to look out the opened window, keeping tabs on their status which was getting worse.  Men were out of sight below an overhang which stretched over a few feet of the wide sidewalk.  The assault force had them surrounded.   

“I am with the Israeli Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations, Agent Larkin.”  She finally turned to look at him.  “But, the CIA should know this, ja?” 

“Ja, we should indeed.”  Larkin responded, lowering his weapon. 

Hilda returned to monitoring their status, a grin forming in the corner of her mouth.  “This is what happens when they keep you out in the cold for too long.”

Larking also smiled, at her comment, and told Matias, “Mossad might serve us well when this all shakes out, if this group is part of what I think they are.”

“Werwolf?”

“What?”  He turned toward Elke who had taken a seat back on the couch as she fiddled with a dead German’s machine pistol.

“Werwolf,” she repeated, “do you not know the name?”  Pushing in a fresh clip of ammo hurt her wounded side making her wince.

Larkin looked slightly stunned at the revelation.  He was assuming the Nazi connection, but… this?  “From years ago, when I was a young field researcher in Germany, there were rumors…bur surely you can’t be serious… after all these years?”

Juan noticed Matias tilt his head as though he caught movement at the steps to patio.  Matias started to open his mouth but his eyes revealed the warning first.  Juan rotated his arm in an underarm pitching movement as he spun to face the patio.

********************

The man was the most physically fit, and the fastest runner of the assault team, to hit the beach.  Seeing no obvious threat, he had taken the initiative to continue up to the hacienda, taking the extreme slope of the hill with little effort.  He saw a man get thrown from the upper patio and assumed their forward recon team was in serious trouble.  This was confirmed now that he gained the patio and could see only strangers moving inside the large front room.  Two windows either side of the door and a shredded screen between them gave him a fairly clear field of fire.  He took a knee and brought up his MP-5 as the first target, just inside the door, turned in his direction.  He squeezed the trigger.

********************

Juan saw the man kneeling with an MP-5, sighting him in. He made a small adjustment to his underarm pitch as the machete reached the bottom of the arc.  He released it and continued to spin his body out of harm’s way.

The shooter pressed his trigger but was late to realize what was in Juan’s hand, registering only that the arm did not hold a gun.  He did not see the thin blade coming at him until it hit.  The machete was thrown with enough force to bury itself up to the hilt in the man’s neck.  Juan saw the man’s eyes wide with surprise as he dropped the machine pistol and he tried grabbing the handle.  He wanted to pull it out, only his hands never moved from his sides.  His spine shattered by the blade as it exited the back of his neck.  He fell to the hard tile of the patio, paralyzed and choking on his own blood.

A few more of the assault team reached the top of the steps and were taking up firing positions through the concrete balusters.  Juan rotated his torso back to Matias who tossed his pistol.  Juan caught it in time to unload the magazine at the new arrivals while he danced backwards toward his own group.  The assault team returned fire with multiple automatic weapons causing Matias to urge his own team, now plus one, into the back hall where Juan had already opened what looked like a closet.  He pushed on the back which hinged out of the way to reveal steps leading down to the cool storage room, and the hatch of the escape tunnel. 

Matias looked longingly at the toilet as he assisted Elke passed it and down the narrow hall.  Elke saw the look and gave him a nudge with her elbow.  The movements made her wince from the pain of her wound.  She gritted her teeth. 

“Not now, Matias.”

They continued down the hall as he responded, “I hate my prostate.”

Larkin sympathized from behind them, “I hate mine too, senor.  It is an annoyance of growing old, eh?  We to have something in common.”

Elke, also trying to lighten the situation, called forward to Juan and Hilda, “Anyone else want to hear about prostates?”

Hilda, in front opening the door, called back a resounding, “No!”

Juan waited for them to pass so he could bring up the rear and keep an eye on Larkin.  He answered Elke with a slight shake of his head, and Matias saw it as they squeezed by, “Oh, shut up.  It was rhetorical.”  Juan forced a smile.

******************************

 

When the return fire from inside the hacienda ceased, the deafening roar of weapons fire from outside on the steps to the pool patio began to lessen as well.  It sounds of gunfire now replaced with the sound of the heavy lift helicopter, down by the dunes, revving the rotors back to liftoff speed. 

The waiting load team had laced sturdy cargo lifting straps through the new patio lid.  Two of the men were already atop the structure waiting to attach the ends of the multiple straps to hook on the main lifting cable being lowered from the Mi-26 as it roared to overhead and hovered into position.  In less than a minute the Mi-26 was slowly climbing and seconds later the entire patio was cleanly lifted in one piece from the dune and placed off to the side. 

The cargo straps were quickly removed as a small army of other men immediately converged on the tarp and the craft it covered, removing enough sand in just minutes to enable positioning two straps under the leading edge disc so it could be raised the mere inches needed to thread two more of the heavy duty straps in a crisscross pattern underneath.  The two men still on top attached the ends of these straps to the lifting hook as well.  With this accomplished the helicopter could securely lift the saucer and ferry it to the waiting freighter.

******************************

Hilda unlocked steel ‘hatch’ of the escape tunnel and spun the small wheel which withdrew locking bolts from the concrete ring which formed the entrance.  She was surprised at how easily it swung open.  The tunnel was as small as the door, about a meter and a half tall and one meter wide.  Matias flipped a light switch beside the hatch and low wattage red bulbs gave the tunnel an eerie glow.  The red light was used to minimize detection from the outside if the tunnel’s exit was opened in the dark of night.

Hilda commented, “Amsterdam Rotlichtviertel,” then she gave a low derisive snort as she entered.

Matias said to Elke as he turned to assist her, “That did not sound very complementary.  What about Amsterdam?”

Elke patted his cheek as he helped her squeeze passed in the crowded space.  “It reminds her of the red light district, dear.”

Larkin came next, grinning.  “She is right you know.  I remember it from my first years with the agency.”

Juan pulled the door closed, spun the locking wheel, and jammed his machete into it so they couldn’t be easily followed if, by some miracle, they were able to find the closet stairway.  Matias turned to follow Elke and called back to him, “Juan, let us make a mental note to find an alternate color for the tunnel lighting.”  He could almost fee Juan’s grin.  “And, yes, you were right once again.” 

Juan’s grin was lost in the dim red glow.