The Evil Long Forgotten
Chapter 5
By Christopher W. Blaine
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DISCLAIMER: All of the characters and situations contained in this story are ©2003 by DC Comics Inc. and are used without permission for non-profit, fan related entertainment purposes only. This original work of fiction is ©2003 by Christopher W. Blaine and may not be reproduced in any manner, in part or as a whole, without the express permission of the author.
The hum of the laboratory was deceptive as it hid the horrors of the war being waged through the western part of Europe. The Allies had invaded and Germany was falling, it was only a matter of time. To the men standing in the laboratory, that truth was not accepted as absolute.
The Baron understood that the lab was filled with fools and the foolish and that by stepping in he secretly feared that their madness would penetrate his armor. He did not want to live in a dream world where the Reich would somehow be able to continue on. He loved his country and did not want to see it destroyed any more than it had been. The Soviets were racing in from the East and the Americans and British were making good time from the other direction.
The Baron knew that both armies would meet in Berlin and that the day was soon approaching. He again looked through the small window in the door leading into the lab proper and saw his uncle gesturing to his cousin, who stood at rigid attention. The Japanese officer next to the Baron made some comment about the cold weather.
The small Asian man could not see the look of contempt on the Baron's face as he turned to regard the "ally". Yes, there was a pact signed between Japan and Germany, but the Baron could not stomach what he saw as an olive-skinned monkey prancing around his beloved Fatherland.
The only reason this officer was here was because it had been his government that had supplied the strange green rocks that were so integral to the experiment. According to the Gestapo, the rocks were part of a strange alien craft that had crashed in Japan in the late 1920's. Investigation by the Japanese determined that the rocks were radioactive, but that the radiation was not harmful. In fact, plants that were exposed to the rocks seemed to become healthier.
The Baron did not understand all of it, but he knew that when German scientists had been given samples for possible use in a new atomic weapon. "If this experiment proves fruitful, it will mean much for both of our empires," the Japanese officer said in English. The Emperor of the Sun had not seen fit to send someone who could speak German.
"Indeed," the Baron commented, now having more incentive to go into the lab. He had hoped to convince his cousin to throw his lot in with him and the small group of German officers that the Baron knew. They saw the end coming and were making plans to preserve the Reich for a future date. "And if it is a failure, I wonder what my government will say about it?"
The other man shrugged. The Baron knew that the Japanese officer had as much contempt for him and the German people as the Germans had for him. "We were led to believe that your scientists were near the creation of an atomic weapon, that you were farther along than the Americans."
The Baron did not reply because it was true. At one time, early in the war, Germany was so very close to developing the weapons needed to bring the Allies to their knees. The Baron himself was an example of that technology. However, the Allies tenacity and perseverance had cost Germany greatly. Perhaps if Hitler had not opened up a second front with the Soviets there would have been enough funds to continue the valuable research.
Now they were reduced to working off the scraps of the Japanese industry, a country that was not in much better shape. They were hoping that the German scientists inside this lab would be able to develop something that could halt the American advance through the Pacific. "You will excuse me," the Baron said. It was a command more than a simple statement of manners.
He entered the lab and passed by the two Gestapo guards. Dr. Melch turned to the Baron. "Willkommen Neffe, Heinrich sagte mir Du seist hier (Welcome nephew, Heinrich told me you were here)." He walked over and extended his hand, which the Baron took. "Heil Hitler," Melch said.
The Baron did not bother to respond and he turned to regard the guards. They did not seem to notice the slight. "Ich nehme an, alles ist in Ordnung (I trust all is well)?" the Baron said as he turned back.
Heinrich was beaming as he started to remove his shirt. "Vetter! Ich bin erfreut, dass Du dich entschieden hast zu bleiben (Cousin! I am so pleased you decided to stay)!" The Baron did not want to say anything to ruin his cousin's mood so he returned his attention to his uncle. The man looked very much like the Baron's mother with the same eyes and smile. However, this was not a man who ran what was left of the family. It was the Baron's father who had been noble, marrying a young girl from a good Austrian family, but not a rich one.
"Es braucht einen einzigartigen Mann, der seinen Sohn fuer das Reich opfert (It takes a unique man to sacrifice his son for the Reich)," the Baron said dryly. He had not let his uncle know of his views, but they certainly could not have been oblivious to him.
"Einige von uns glauben noch immer an das Reich (Some of us still believe in the Reich)," was the response. The scientist knew better than to push his luck. Relation or not, the Baron was superior to him in every way. "Aber wir fuehren sinnlose Debatten! Wir haben Glueck einen unserer Super-Soldaten hier bei uns zu haben, nicht wahr, Dr. Teufel (But, we debate pointless issues! We are fortunate to have one of our super-soldiers here with us, is that not true Dr. Teufel)?"
The other scientist, who was busy checking the temperature of a glowing green liquid did not bother to turn away from his work but instead nodded his head absentmindedly. The Baron wanted to throttle the arrogant scientist for any other person save for Hitler or Himmler would have feared not acknowledging Baron Blitzkrieg. He hated the man so much that it was only the fact that Hitler had personally forbade killing him that stayed the Baron's hand.
The Baron's uncle could sense the German hero's frustration and was inwardly pleased. His elder sister's son had always been such an aristocratic ass! "Mein Sohn, bist Du bereit, Deine Pflicht fuer das Vaterland zu tun (My son, are you ready to perform your duty for the Fatherland)?"
Heinrich nodded and removed his boots and pants. "Fuer Hitler bin ich mit Verstand, Koerper und Seele bereit! Deutschland wird ueberlegen! Du und ich, Vetter, wir werden den Krieg and die Kuesten von Britanien und Amerika bringen.! Du wirst es schon sehen (For Hitler, I volunteer my mind, body and soul! Germany will prevail! You and I, cousin; we will take the war to the shores of Britain and America! You will see)!" It was hard not to be caught up in the youthful man's enthusiasm, but the Baron had seen far too many years of war and strife. He had seen the bodies of young German men and boys littering battlefields that should never have been. Not only was Heinrich his cousin but he was also a legacy to a generation that was being systematically destroyed as the blind followed the foolish.
Dr. Teufel, a dark-haired man with thick glasses and very non-Aryan features stepped over with a syringe full of the green fluid. "Herr Melch, Sie verstehen, das sobald sie mit dieser Fluessigkeit gespritzt wurden, die Wirkung fast sofort einsetzt (Herr Melch, you understand that once you are injected with this fluid, the reaction will be almost immediate)?"
"Selbstverstaendlich (Of course)," Heinrich said, his voice unwavering. The Baron knew that this was the moment of truth where his hopes that this program would produce the weapon Germany needed would become fact or fiction. The Japanese believed that they were creating a kamikaze, a soldier who would be a carrier of a radioactive plague.
Japanese experiments, recently under the direction of the mysterious Dragon King, had ended up with the conclusion that the green rocks were reactive with sunlight. In fact, it was believed that the rocks might have been some sort of super-fertilized soil somehow changed into a more solid form. The plants that were exposed to the rocks grew to great size, but were inedible. They were hard, unable to be pierced even with steel and absolutely useless.
When the Dragon King learned of the human experiments associated with German super-heroes, he offered their green rocks in exchange for access to any super weapon created from them. When Dr. Teufel had come up with the Atoman Project, Himmler had ordered a disinformation campaign to be waged on the unsuspecting Japanese. They were made to believe that young Heinrich was going to be given a dose of the strange green rock radiation and a dose of uranium. Then he would be sent to the United States where his new ultra-hard body would prevent him from being harmed as he spread harmful radiation.
The truth was that Dr. Teufel had discovered a way to isolate certain aspects of the green rocks with the use of electric current. He had theorized that the green rocks were part of an advanced experiment, perhaps aliens were thinking of converting the Earth into a giant farm. When Himmler had asked about any danger of the aliens coming for their materials, Teufel had responded that it had been over twenty years: nobody was coming for anything.
It was hoped that, if successful, Heinrich would be transformed into a German man of steel, a human Panzer tank. If not, then the Baron would have to stand by and watch his cousin, whom he regarded with some measure of fondness, die a horrible death from exposure and radiation poisoning. If that were to happen, then the Baron would cut Heinrich down with his eye beams.
Dr. Teufel stepped over to Heinrich and raised the syringe, ejecting a small amount of fluid. Then he waited as Dr. Melch tied off a rubber cord around the arm of his son, making the vein stick out. It wasn't actually necessary since the muscles bulged on Heinrich even when he was at rest. There was still a smile on his face as Teufel jabbed the needle in and injected the fluid.
Heinrich lurched in the chair, knocking his father and the other scientist aside and the Baron thought that maybe he should restrain his cousin. "Gott steh mir bei! Mir ist kalt, Vetter…so kalt! Es ist als ob Eis durch meine Adern fließt (God help me! I feel cold, cousin…so cold! It is like ice running though me)!"
"Sei tapfer, Sohn (Be brave my son)!" Dr. Melch called out as he stood up.
Heinrich's body was soon glowing and his coloration became as green as the fluid that had been put into him. "Es tut nicht weh, aber ich friere so (It does not hurt, but I am so cold)!"
The Baron stepped up to Heinrich and extended his hand. The younger man took it and squeezed. All heard the bones break with the grip, but the Baron did not cry out. He used his improved mental abilities to cut off the pain. There would always be time to heal.
Heinrich started to say something but instead started to laugh. "Die Kaelte ist fort, aber ich habe eine laecherlich gruene Faerbung bekommen! Ich bin ein menschliches Gemuese (The cold is gone, but I am this ridiculous shade of green! I am human vegetable)!"
"Ich bin sicher, dieser Effekt ist nur voruebergehend (The effect is temporary I am sure)," Teufel said, rubbing his hands together. The Baron, still holding his cousin's hand, could see that the scientist was quite please with himself. This was the pinnacle of Teufel's career; all that the scientist had worked for over the years was on display in the glowing young officer.
In response, the glow started to dissipate, obeying the commands of Heinrich. He released his grip on the Baron's hand and apologized. "Ich bitte um Verzeihung, Vetter, ich fuerchte, ich kenne meine eigene Kraft nicht (I beg your forgiveness, cousin, I am afraid I do not know my own strength)."
The Baron backed up and waited as Heinrich walked around. Now he looked absolutely normal. His father stepped forward with a folded uniform. He unveiled it before his son. It was a mesh suit, chain mail painted in orange and yellow with a long yellow cape attached to the accompanying cowl. Unlike the Baron's armor, there were no markings of the swastika or anything else that would indicate the wearer was from Germany. Instead, there was a circle and lightning bolt emblem. "Mein Sohn, Deine Uniform, die Ruestung des Atoman (My son, your uniform, the armor of the Atoman)!"
"Wird er leben (Will he live)?" the Baron asked of his uncle. They were watching as the body of Heinrich, clad in his costume, was laid into the lead coffin.
"Ja, aber wir muessen seinem Koerper die Moeglichkeit geben, sich an seine Kraefte zu gewoehnen. Er ist trotz allem nur menschlich. Erinnere Dich wie lange es dauerte, bis Du dich an deine eigenen Faehigkeiten gewoehnt hattest, Neffe (Yes, but we need to allow his body to adapt to his powers. He is, after all, only human. Remember how long it took you to adapt to your own abilities, nephew)." Melch did not look happy and the Baron could almost sympathize. The coffin was loaded into the back of special military vehicle that was to leave immediately for Berlin.
Heinrich had suffered a seizure twelve hours after the injection and was now being put inside this special coffin, designed by Dr. Teufel in case of an event such as this, to recuperate. The coffin would be plugged into machinery that would cool Heinrich's body and preserve him as he slowly adapted to the radiation. The Japanese officer had left convinced that the project was a complete failure. Himmler would be pleased.
"Wie lange wird es dauern (How long will he need)?" the Baron asked as the doors were closed. Dr. Teufel was hopping into a private car and its driver honked, indicating that Dr. Melch should hurry.
"Deine Sorge fuer meinen Sohn ist beeindruckend, Baron; sei beruhigt das ich alles noetige tun werde, um ihn zu beschuetzen (Your devotion to my son is admirable, Baron; rest assured I will do whatever is necessary to protect him)." The Baron asked where they were going to exactly. "Der Füherer hat sich selbst in seinen Bunker eingeschlossen, aber hat verlangt, dass wir ihm seine beste Waffe zeigen. Wenn wir Glueck haben, wird Heinrich erwachen, noch bevor die Russen die Stadt betreten (The Fuehrer has locked himself in his bunker, but demands that we let him look upon his best weapon. Hopefully, Heinrich will be able to be awakened before the Russians enter the city)."
They said nothing else, instead Baron Blitzkrieg, his hand in a cast, watched as all of them left the secret bunker. In the distance, he could hear the sounds of battle. The Allies were drawing close and with them came defeat. The Baron had come here to try and rescue the one person whom he considered an equal, a peer. Instead, he had watched as his cousin's coffin was loaded into a truck.
His first instinct was to run, but he could not bring himself to do it. Ra's Al Ghul had actually suggested that he remain and pose as a common infantryman. He would surrender to the enemy and watch firsthand as his country was stripped of all dignity. Then he would be able to remember and that would add fuel to the fire of revenge that was in him.
And never would he forget about his cousin, a brave man who tried to follow a dead dream. One day, the Baron would ensure that Heinrich served a man worthy of such loyalty.