Berlin, SS Intelligence Headquarters
July 20, 1944, 1520 hours
As Major Kurt Wagner walked out of SS Intelligence Headquarters, he tried not to look as if he were in a hurry. He had no doubt that his phone conversation with his "cousin" Jakob was heard, but he doubted that anyone would understand the true meaning. The most important thing now was to find Hans Teppel. Wagner had stopped by his office, but Teppel was not in. He didn't even know if Teppel was in the building – but he had to find him, or find a way to contact him.
He would have waited around Headquarters to find out what was happening, but he also had plans to make. Josef's message indicated that he was also in danger – so he needed to make his own arrangements for leaving. He would make radio contact this evening to find out the details of what went wrong.
But first, he had to let Teppel know that he was in great danger. But how could he do that when he couldn't find him?
"Heidi," he said aloud. "He will visit Heidi as soon as he is done with work."
- - - - -
Wagner entered the Brauhaus and looked around. He was hoping that Teppel would already be there, taking a late lunch or ending his work day early. Their normal table was empty … in fact, the entire room was mostly empty. Heidi was wiping a table on the other side of the room. She looked up when he entered.
"Hallo Kurt," she said with a smile, walking over to him. "How are you today?"
"Have you seen Hans?" he asked seriously.
Her smile quickly faded. "Nein, what is the matter?" she asked. "Is he all right?"
He motioned her over to a table and sat down. "I do not know," Wager replied. "But I must talk with him."
"I will tell him when I see him," she replied.
"If he comes in here, tell him to go," Wagner said.
"Go?" she asked. "Kurt – is Hans in danger?"
Wagner nodded. "Tell him that I need to talk to him immediately and he should not be seen in public."
"Why?" she asked. "What is the matter? Should I tell him to go home and wait for you?"
"I cannot tell you here," he replied. "And he should not go home." Wagner stopped to think. "Tell him to go to your flat and wait for me. I will come by tonight to talk with him."
"My flat?" she asked. "Kurt, I do not like the sound of this."
"It will not sound any better tonight," he replied. "In fact, it is going to get much worse."
Heidi's eyes grew large. "Did Hans do something wrong?" she asked.
Wagner shook his head. "He did nothing that he doesn't do every day," Wagner said truthfully. He neglected to tell her that it was the things he did every day that has put him in danger.
"I do not understand," she said.
"Tonight, Heidi," Wagner said. "Tell him I will talk to him tonight. You will understand everything then." Heidi nodded. "Remember, he is to go directly to your flat. He should not go anywhere near his own place. And he should not go out in public." Heidi nodded again. Wagner looked into her scared eyes. He reached out and took hold of her hands. "Heidi, everything will be fine as long as you do what I say," he said.
"I will tell him, Kurt," she said softly.
Wagner rose and walked out of the Brauhaus, leaving a stunned Heidi sitting at the table.
- - - - -
Wagner hurried back to his flat. He had to get out of his uniform and make his last radio contacts. It was time. Major Kurt Wagner was about to disappear … forever.