CHAPTER 7 History Lesson
First they saw the sinister Earth clutching vulture emblem of KAOS mounted on the southern wall. Then, about 20 ft from the south wall apparently under the watchful eye of the vulture, was a cylindrical device of dark green steel, 5 ft in diameter and 3 ft high. It appeared bolted to the concrete floor via steel extensions radiating out at its base. Smaller control panels featuring blinking indicator lights and constantly jumping needle gauges adorned this cylinder base's circumference. Thick cables led from apertures at the southern side of the cylinder's base straight out to the wall under a work bench and then trailed along the walls to the nearest floor to ceiling control panels that lined the eastern and western walls beginning from the southern walls, for about 40 ft.
Max and 99 were pushed by their captors down the length of the basement which stretched away from them. As they got nearer, both of them stared up at the 6ft high cylinder extending from the center of the base cylinder. This was only 2 ft in diameter and finally, extending from the top of this second cylinder, the long black cylindrical shaft reaching all the way up to the ceiling and radiating numerous black folded dipole antennas for most of its length.
Max's Sunbeam Tiger remained parked at their observation point, next to the modern craftsman-style bungalow out of sight of Mary's house. But a few seconds after Mary had struck Max, the vertical rectangular panel at the center of the vehicles hood, slid open laterally and the silvery robotic arm within the recess underneath unfolds itself, the 4 steel struts comprising its 'humerus', 'radius' and 'ulna' gleaming in the sun light. This time, it straightened its elbow joint assembly such that that its mechanical hand points straight up at the sky and with a fine, low pitched hum, its telescoping steel struts extends, slowly increasing its length, literally reaching for the sky. When it finally reached the limit of its extension, the arm was almost 5 ft long. Then bending backwards at its base rotary assembly serving as its shoulder and its elbow rotary hub, it was able to reach over the windshield of the convertible to the stainless steel briefcase which had been left on the passenger seat. The mechanical hand deftly flips open the latches, its joints and humming smoothly with every movement, and opens the lid revealing the KX-A1 resting in its foam-lined pocket.
Just then, a small yellow and red ball flies into the convertible landing in between the two seats, bouncing slightly before coming to a rest near the gear shift. The arm immediately turns in the direction from which the ball originated, palm of its hand facing out to find a 6 year old boy with a bowl cut hair, fringe sweeping his eyes wearing a mickey mouse t-shirt and jeans, staring curiously at it. The boy giggled as the mechanical hand waved at it before humming back into position to pick up the ball and tossed it back to him. The lad caught hold of the ball happily and the hand waves and makes a shooing motion for him to be on his way just as the vexed mother in white silk blouse and tweed skirt comes trotting up, kitten heels clicking loudly on the road.
"Tommy! If I've told you before, I've told you a thousand times!" the mother declared grabbing the boy by the hand and storming off with him. "DON'T play with strange robot hands attached to cars! You NEVER know where they've been or WHO made them!"
The Anti-Grenade Mechanism's hand opens in shock before clenching into a fist and shakes itself indignantly at the departing back of the mother. It then turns back to its task, lifting the KX-A1 out of its pocket in the briefcase and swiftly contracts back to its original length, pointing the device up into the air and the audio tone begins beeping slowly.
Max and 99 finally pulled their eyes from the very objective of their search to the speaker, barely registering a fourth KAOS agent seated at the controls of the base cylinder hands racing over dials, switches and buttons and jacked in headphones on. 99 made him out to be younger than the rest of the men, in his early to mid 20ties with side parting soft brown hair and wearing round framed glasses, resembling more, any of millions of college students all over the world then a member of an international organization of evil.
99 and Max finally locked eyes on the smiling leader, who certainly had went to great lengths to be noticed and succeeded. Max noted easily that the man standing before him was 6ft 2 inches tall, probably 62-65 years of age with a distinctive widow's peak formed by his slit-back and gelled hair, once blond but now grey and moving towards white. A monocle was held by his squint over his right eye with its string disappearing into the folds of his tunic. The corrective lens, reflected the fluorescent light from the ceiling turning the circle of glass a blazing opaque white but his visible left eye glittered with a penetrating, calculating intelligence.
But what Max had to blink several times to confirm that he wasn't hallucinating from the blow to his neck, was the man's apparel. The leader was encased entirely in black; flared-hip breeches of high quality woolen woven fabric, tucked neatly into knee high jack boots of a glossy patent leather with matching gloves covering his hands. His tailored M43 field tunic was unusual as it appeared to catch the light of the lights in the ceiling along with the leather utility belt complete with belt suspender on his left shoulder which hhe holstered Luger at his right hip. Max took a moment to realize that the tunic was made not from serge but a fine, soft leather. This made the silver twin oak leaves on the gorget patches on his wide collar and the swirling patterns on the shoulder boards stand out even more prominently. If not for his red armband encircling his left sleeve bearing the KAOS emblem instead of the swastika, he would have been a picture, cut right out from the Second World War.
The leader also brandished some kind of black, silver studded baton in his gloved hands and he smiled happily as he pointed it at two straight back, wooden chairs before him within 10 ft from the shortwave equipment.
"Please! Sit! Sit! Hands down! Ve may be killing you both soon but no need to be unzivilized!"
"Well thank you!" Max nodded happily as they lowered their hands and were prodded by their captors into the two chairs, facing the leader with 99 in the left chair and Max on the right.
As the mustached Arnheiter returned to his station at the controls of the shortwave at the western side of the base cylinder opposite Hensel, Max added.
"Whenever I'm killed, I always prefer it being done in a civilized manner." Of course, 86 then frowned again at what he just said.
While Storch stood before Max, covering him with the MP40 and the lean, angular jawed Riehm stood on 99's left, his Walther P38 still aimed at her, the uniformed leader laughed dryly, holding his baton by its ornate silver endcaps as he noted.
"Ja! Yor infamy precedes you! I nevar believed it bevore until now, but everzing owver KAOS files zay about ju ees true!—" Max's egotistical smirk returns as he relaxes in his chair with an air of confidence, only to have it replaced by a wide eyed, angry pout as the leader continued. "—Shtupid! Bumbling. Klumzy. Arrogant. Not to mention over-confident und prone to incessant verbiage."
"Now JUST a minute!" Max exclaimed angrily with a confident nod. "I'll have you know, my ve..ver…ver…what you said—makes PERFECT sense!"
The leader laughed together with his henchmen and henchwoman while Max smiled proudly believing he had made his point, making 99 breathed out silently closing her eyes in pain both physical and emotional.
"Bevore ve proceed." The leader said, nodding at Storch.
The big KAOS agent, stepped forward and his huge booted feet kicked out to strike Max's right shoe heel producing a crunching ring as his shoe phone broke, making 86 jerk forward, eyes popping in agony while 99 gaped in shock and concern.
Grimacing, Max looked up at the cold, iron face of the MP40 brandishing Storch.
"Well THANKS a LOT! That's forty-eight unused message units down the drain!"
"Zhis ees vhat you seek corvect?" the leader continued, pointing at the shortwave equipment over his shoulder with his baton ignoring Max's concern. "Owver latest advanced shortvave. Az ju vould haf guessed vy now, ve are directly underneath zhe fire place een zhe living room. Zhe antenna ees retlactable und extends upwards thlu zhe ceiling und up zhe chimney vhen ve are ready to tensmit."
"Ah yes!" Max declared looking at the towering equipment. "The ol secret-high frequency radio transmitter antenna-in-the-chimney-linked-to-the-hidden-KAOS-broadcasting-outpost-in-the-basement of-the-house-belonging-to-the-KAOS-agent-disguised-as-a-sweet-ol-lady trick! Third time I fell for it this month!"
"Es tut mir leid, Oberführer." This from Mary who stood near the east wall before a control panel. "I oped to zatisvy zheir curiosity vy inviting zhem in und putting zheir zuspicions to vest but das Mädchen vas shmarter zhan I thot."
The leader tilted his head back, his monocle turning into a silvery flash from the lights above as he thought a moment before saying.
"Aaaah!" he leaned forward looking closely at 99. "No doubt, ju discovered zhe chimney vas not totally sealed ja—?" Without waiting for an answer, the man nodded his widow peaked head seemingly with approval as he elaborated, pointing at the ceiling with the end cap of his baton. "—Unavoidable flaw I admit. Ve could not afvord to seal off zhe chimney as it vas crucial to ensure it remained unubstructed vor zhe antenna's deployment. Zherefore, ve had to leave a maintenance door of a sort. Zhere ees another vun on zhe second floor. Ve made zhem as undetectable as possible but—apparently not enough."
"Wait!" 99 exclaimed, her eyes wide. "How did you know who we were?!"
Mary answered, gesturing at Max with her Luger.
"I vecognized zis dummkopf from vun of your shtupid fan magazines! Popular Espionage. Somesing shtupid avout—." Mary gave a low, cackling dry laugh that echoed in the basement sending icy tendrils down the spines of Max and 99 with its absolute lack of mirth. "—Shpy of Zhe Year!"
All the KAOS agents laughed and guffawed at this and as 99 squeezed her eyes shut in dismay, leaning her head back, Max turned to Mary and declared.
"Bet you realize your mistake in outsmarting and capturing us NOW!" Max nodded to punctuate the end of his sentence only to frown at what he just said.
Then, turning back to the leader, Max demanded. "Okay, you seem to know everything about us? Let's get to the part where you tell us who you are."
"Quite right Mister Shmart!" the leader declared pacing slightly before them, his boots clopping sharply on the concrete floor. "Currently, I am simply KAOS' President of Espionage und Communications. But zhat ees a meaningless title compared to who und VHAT I vas und vhat I STILL conzider myself to be."
The leader turned to his captive audience and this time, clicked his heels together with a sharp clack, followed by a curt bow as he declared.
"Oberführer Hendrik Streckenbach von Graf of zhe Reichssicherheitshauptamt, Amt VI—at your service."
99's mesmerizingly beautiful eyes widened, her smooth lips parting slightly at what the leader had declared.
"Ha! Never heard of ya!" Max declared thrusting his face forward.
"Ex-ZACTLY vhat I intended!" von Graf declared but determined not to be out done, Max maintained a look of unbridled smugness and leaned back, crossing his legs and casually placing an elbow on the top of his chair's back as a display of careless confidence as he declared.
"So! The…" he was cut off as he almost fell sideways out of his chair for his elbow slipped off the chair's back but he quickly recovered and decidedly wisely to cross his arms instead. "…So! The notorious Reichssicherheitshauptamt, otherwise known as, the Reich Main Security office."
"Ju are not a complete dummkopf as I suspected Shmart!" von Graf smiled with approval. "A student of histoly I see!"
"No, just a fan." Max shrugged.
"Of histoly?"
"Old movies."
99 frowned, leaning her head towards Max's shoulder, her shoulder length bob falling in a soft cascade over his suit jacket as she addressed the Oberführer.
"Wait. Amt VI. You mean Office seven? The foreign intelligence office?"
Max gave a lopsided smile as he nodded his head at 99 admitting.
"She's the student."
"Correct!" von Graf flicked his baton at 99 and continued his pacing as he spoke. "Long bevore zhe var und thru' it, I sought, collected, analyzed und provided the Reich vith intelligence eet needed to accomplish eet's military victories und objectives. I planted intelligence assets in almost every country in Europe all zhe vay to zhe Pacific und Middle East as vell as every Allied country. I knew every troop, ship and armor deployment in Denmark und Norvay, enabling Operation Weserübung to be completed successfully een just two months! My spies provided detailed veapon, aircraft, tank und troop complements vhich resulted een zhe fall of France und zhe low countries een just over a month! Achievements dat earned me a few of these, presented to me by mein Führer himself." Von Graf pointed with two gloved fingers to the grey Iron Cross held at his throat between his gorget patches by the neck hugging ribbon under the collar.
99 recognized it as the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and though she could not make out the year stamped on it, she could see that the ring which the ribbon looped through bore Oak Leaves with a pair of cross swords soldered to the base of the leaves.
"Zhere vas not a place ve did not infiltrate," the black uniformed leader continued "not a secret ve did not know! Ve even had intelligence azzets vight inside zhe U.S ensuring Reich victory over your forces in numerous engagements all over zhe vorld!"
"You can't expect us to believe that." 99 challenged softly. "Your largest team of spies in the States was routed out and arrested even before the war began. How could they have provided you with ANY intelligence during the war?"
Von Graf's eye behind his monocle was hidden by the glare it reflected from the lights but his other eye glittered with a vibrant intelligence as he addressed 99.
"I take it you are referring to zhe so-called Duquesne Spy ving?"
"That's right."
Von Graf chuckled brightly twirling the black baton in his gloved fingers, the silver on it flashing in the light as he said.
"It vut surprise you zhen zhat I vas zhe vun who proposed und supervised zhe creation of zhe Duquesne Spy ving und orchestrated zheir infiltration und placements eento strategic employment. I pursuaded my superiors und mein Führer to haf the Abwehr run the operation vut it vas veally, Amt VI who vas controllink zhem."
"Well you clearly didn't do a very good job cause they were all caught!" Max scoffed before hesitating and leaning over to 99 whispering. "They were all caught right?"
"Yes Max!" 99 nodded repeatedly as though reasserting a point he had come up with first, before looking back at von Graf. "One of your own men, William Sebold betrayed your entire ring to the FBI! He became a double agent to identify and help entrap and convict the entire group."
"Exactly—as Amt VI planned." Von Graf's smile made his non-monocle eye glittered even more.
"What?!" 99 exclaimed. "You're lying!"
The Oberführer's laughter echoed through the entire basement as he leaned his head back, while Storch, Mary and Riehm grinned and chuckled along at the CONTROL agents' confusion.
Still smiling broadly, von Graf continued.
"Am I? You see, it vas I who selected Sebold. I studied his psychological profile most carefully und I knew zhat given zhe right pressure, he vould capitulate und turn traitor. Vhich vas vhat Amt VI vanted. I even ensured zhat he vas presented zhe perfect opportunity by passing down instructions to zhe Abwehr agents in contact vith him in Mülheim to steal his passport. This necessitated his visit to zhe U.S Consulate in Cologne vhere as I calculated, he broke down und told the consulate personnel of his espionage mission."
99's eyes widened in disbelief as she began to realize what the Oberführer was implying.
"Zhis so called spy ving," von Graf smiled "vas nothing vut a large scale diversionary tactic to lull your government into a false sense of security! To make you THINK zhat you had stluck a crippling blow to zhe Reich's espionage orparations in your country. Even the Abwehr zhemselves had no idea zhey vere being used as a front! Ho! HOOOO!—Zhey vere not happy believe me vhen zhey found out eventually vut ve simply told zhem—talk to zheFührer—vich of course nobody zared to. So Amt VI's scheme verked! Vhile your FBI basked in zheir false victory, our greatest intelligence assets remained UN-detected, vun of zhem vight inside your Department of Var und later zhe Pentagon vhen zhey finally got dat monstrosity built!"
"That's ridiculous!" Max declared "There's no WAY you could have ever infiltrated the Pentagon!"
"On zhat note! Allow me to present, a true icon of zhe Third Reich— veteran espionage operative of first, zhe Nachrichtenstelle für den Orient zhen zhe Sicherheitsdienst des Reichsführers-SS und later Amt VI, my most honored colleague und—" von Graf declared stretching out a black leather clad arm and indicating with his baton while pointing in the same direction open handed with his other gloved hand. "—spying on you since 1932— Maritta Schulz Kleinheisterkamp!"
Max and 99's gaze followed the pointing baton with the latter realizing that in-addition to the ornate silver endcaps that glittered along their circumferences with what must be hundreds of diamonds, the black shaft of the baton itself were studded with silver Iron Crosses, Wehrmacht eagles and Balkenkreuzs which stood out boldly against the ebony shaft. Her gaze finally followed the baton to Mary whose chilling smile at that moment was terrifying enough to make a feral wolf whimper and undertake a long desperate attempt to find its mother.
"No vun zuzpects zhe cleaning lady." she states
"Und incidentally she ees also vun of zhe oldest serving KAOS agents today! Her achievements just keeps on coming!" von Graf pointed added.
"Speaking of—" Max pointed out. "—you're awfully SPRY for an eighty year ol!"
All the KAOS agents sniggered and Mary or Maritta as it turned out, grinned.
"Ah!" she said. "Ju haf ziscovered my secret! I am not veally eighty years old.—"
Max tilted his head back, mouthing the word Ah knowingly at the confirmation of his suspicion only to have his eyes pop again in disbelief as Maritta continued.
"—I am zeventy-nine."
Max and 99 stared at her again in disbelief.
"Vitamine." Maritta replied simply.
As Max and 99 blinked and turned to each other, von Graf elaborated.
"So vhile your FBI vasted all zheir resources, efforts und time on gazherink evidence und bringing zhe Duquesne spies to court, believing zhey had all vut destroyed zhe Reich's espionage oparations in your country—." von Graf bent slightly again towards the CONTROL agents as he pointed at Maritta with the silver end cap of his baton. "—Maritta vas shuffling along the corvidors of your most secure installation, undetected, gaining every vun's trust und acceptance as hard verking, kindly, harmless, sveet old, cookie distributing, vidowed Irish immigrant Mary O'Dowling living by herself here in this quvaint little house, perpetuating the image of zhe perfect, generous, velcoming Amelican neighbor playing bridge, baking apple strudle, chocolate chip cookees and pies, all the vhile siphoning U.S military secrets vight unzer zhe nozes of your military!"
"What sort of secrets?!" Max demanded. "For all ve…WE know, you're just making everything up!"
"Vhere to begin?" von Graf pretentiously leaned back and looked up at the ceiling, holding his baton by the silver endcaps as he made a dramatic show of attempted recollection. "Ah! Remember the Allies' humiliating defeat in Tunisia? Maritta obtained crucial intelligence on troop strengths, deployments and battle plans from zhe Pentagon, facilitating the Reich's easy victory over your forces at the Battle of Kasserine Pass. Did you ever vundered how ten and a half thousand Allied troops failed utterly to retake the port of Dieppe een France vhen confronted vy less zhan two thousand of owver soldiers? Ve knew generally through owver French double agents zhat zhe Allies vere intervested in zhe port but Maritta uncovered zhe Allies' plans for zhe Dieppe Raid just five days before its execution, giving her time to transmit it to Amt VI und I vas able to varn our troops of zhe EXACT date und time of zhe attack, resulting in France remaining in the Reich's control for another two years. Even tovards zhe end of zhe var in 1944, your troops failed completely for three months to breach owver defenses een zhe Hürtgen Forest vecause Maritta managed to transmit almost daily reports passing through zhe Pentagon on troop movements zhere, which enabled us to hold onto zhe area for owver Operation Vatch on zhe Rhine."
99 turned to Maritta who was leaning against the wall control panel, smiling away with her Luger cradled in her left elbow.
"So you were lying when you spoke about Liam? Did you even have a husband? Or was he a spy too?" she asked
"Oh no, zhat vas true." Maritta declared with a tilt of her white haired head. "How do you think I managed to infiltrate your country undetected? Zhe Nachrichtenstelle für den Orienthad infiltrated me eento Ireland in 1913 vhere zhey targetted Liam O'Dowling, a most handsome vut absolute dummkopf. It vas easy to seduce und marry him thus becoming Mary O'Dowling after vhich I convinced him to migrate to zhe U.S. I even convinced him to fight in zhe first var to defend zhe country who gave us owver new life avay from the conflicts of his homeland vith zhe British, leaving me free to carry out zhe Nachrichtenstelle's plans to run guns to India. Zhat did not vork out vell but luckily I vemained undetected. Vut unluckily Liam survived zhe var! Vith the disgraced state that Germany vas left in after zhe virst var, I vasn't about to veturn home. So I had to continue playing zhe loving vife for zhe next two decades or so. Luckily zhe Nachrichtenstelle kept zhe operation so secret no vun ever discovered my location until Oberführer von Graf."
"How did you keep your spying from him during the second war?" 99 wondered
"Oh on zhat I did lie." Maritta admitted. "Liam passed a lot earlier zhan I said. Vhen Oberführer von Graf contacted me een 1932 und brought me eento zhe folds of Amt VI, I knew I could not carry out my duties vith zhat idiot husband of mine around. Und he vas too old vy zhen to fight in another var. So, it vas so fortunate zhat shortly before zhe var began, Liam had an unfortunate fall down zhe stairs und bloke ees neck."
99 and Max stared at Maritta suspiciously until the aged spy shrugged nonchalantly and added.
"Oookay, I might haf given him a little push."
While 99 gasped in shock and dismay, Max sighed, throwing up his hands and addressed their KAOS captors.
"All right! That's it! History lesson over! You are ALL under arrest!"
The entire basement echoed with the raucous laughter of every one of their captors in response to Max's ludicrous declaration and even the static vulture on the KAOS plaque looked slightly bemused.
"Und how do you propose to do zhat?" von Graf laughed. "You are outnumbered, outgunned."
"That's what YOU think!" Max said sitting up straight. "You see, the moment I suspected this house of being your secret radio base, I immediately informed our Chief of where we were. So—right at this VERYMOMENT—this house is being surrounded by FIFTY fully armed CONTROL agents! Would you believe it? FIFTY CONTROL agents!"
"I find zhat hard to believe." Von Graf shook his head, his monocle flashing with light from the ceiling.
Max frowned before trying again.
"Oh. Would you believe—THIRTY CONTROL agents?"
"I don't think so."
"Twenty?"
"No."
"How bout one police officer with four angry girl scouts hell bent on collecting money owed to them for cookie sales?"
As 99 sighed, rolling her eyes to the left, her ribs throbbing, the Oberführer smiled.
"As delightful as it haz been recalling zhe good ol days, zhe time has come to say good bye."
99 took a deep breath, bracing herself as Max said.
"Oh well, that's ok, it's been a great afternoon. We'll show ourselves out."
Taking 99's gloved hand both of them rose from their seats and of course was only met with the barrel of Storch's MP40 being levelled at them along with Riehm's Walther P38 and Maritta's Luger P08, safeties clicking off.
Momentarily freezing, Max and 99 slowly lowered themselves back into their chairs with 86 declaring.
"But this is so much fun I think we can stay a little longer."
Von Graf laughed dryly again before assuring.
"Not to vorry. I von't kill you both yet, until you have vitnessed our latest triumph against your country."
"You DO know that the war has been over for over twenty years and you've lost despite all your spies and so called intel." Max smirked. "The only thing you've succeeded in doing is ensuring I never look at sweet ol ladies the same way again!"
As Max squinted again in retrospect at what he just said, von Graf turned towards the massive shortwave equipment behind him.
"Hensel! Are zhe schematics veady for transmission?"
"Jawohl!" Hensel from his console confirmed.
"Gut!" Von Graf turned back to the CONTROL agents. "And vith regards to vhat you said about zhe var. Ja, you are correct. Intelligence alone cannot vin a var. You need leaders who vould listen to it und plan accorzingly.—" The Oberführer sighed and shrugged, causing the leather of his tunic to creak. "—Undfortunately, both my superiors und mein Führer made mistakes vhen zhey didn't' listen to my counsel on certain crucial issues. Not invading RUSSIA for vun! Und for anozher antagonizing zhe U.S und bringink zhem eento zhe var." With a flick of his baton, von Graf pointed out. "Vut, zhat second vun is not veally my fault. Mein Führer listened to me und convinced zhe Italians to do zhe same. Unfortunately zhe Japanese did NOT get zhe memo! Zhough later, I vealized it vas a British spy who infiltrated zhe Japanese High Command und to divert suspicion from himself, personally orzered zhe attack on Pearl HARBOR!" von Graf growled shaking his baton as he reflected on history. "Ooooh if I ever get my hands on him!"
While Max and 99 exchanged a glance, von Graf regained his composure and focused on them again through monocle and without.
"Vut back to zhe point. Yes Shmart, zhe Reich did loose zhe var. Vut only on zhe battlefields. MY var against zhe U.S for zheir part in ruining Nazi Germany, vill continue from zhe shadows!" Von Graf tilted his grey head as he shook his baton, emphasizing a point, his monocle flashing. "Vhile obviously, a unified Nazi nation is beyond our grasp—VENGEANCE ees not! Vith zhe resources of KAOS, I shall bring zhe U.S to its knees! Once KAOS International receives the plans of your Project Phalanx und sells zhem to your enemies, it vill begin zhe shift in zhe balance of military might een zhe vorld! Just zhe first of many steps I intend to take to slowly PUSH zhat balance to zhe advantage of your enemies till your country of kapitalists und veak villed playboys lay in ashes! Und I vill do it vithout a single Panzer!"
"Sore loser!" Max scoffed
"Arnheiter!" von Graf called, ignoring Max's last remark. "Vaise zhe antenna!"
"Ja Oberführer!" Arnheiter acknowledged and flipped a switch on his console.
Max and 99 watched helplessly as a rectangular section of concrete in the ceiling directly over the antenna slides aside. Another two switches flipped by Arnheiter brought about a mechanical humming as the telescoping antenna extended, rising up into the aperture in the ceiling. Unseen, the antenna continued to extend smoothly up the flue. Outside, the antenna rises out of the chimney till all the dipoles on it were above the chimney line before stopping.
"You're bluffing von Graf!" Max declared "We KNOW all your transmissions are sent at midnight! If you transmit now, no one at KAOS International will be listening! You'll never be able to transmit Project Phalanx before CONTROL finds you! And sooner than later, we WILL find a way to jam your transmissions! It's over!"
"Oh far from it!" von Graf responded unperturbed as Hensel begins turning knobs with both hands, tuning the shortwave. "I have long ago learned of zhat draw back during our campaigns in Africa and zhe Middle East vhere owver spies vith crucial intel had to vait too long to transmit zhem. You'll be pleased to know, KAOS takes espionage even more seriously und vith my new protocols, KAOS International has shifts of agents listening AROUND zhe CLOCK in case of emergencies. Transmitting at midnight ees just a precaution to remain undetected. Something vhich vont matter at zhis time. After owver transmission, ve vill shift our oparation to our alternate location und continue our verk. Hensel! Contact KAOS International und confirm zhey are receiving us."
"Jawohl!" Hensel nodded and flipped a few switches.
Max and 99 could hear the high pitch sounds of the transmission coming from the console. 99's heart beat faster in her chest realizing there was basically nothing they could do to stop the enemy agents.
Out at the Sunbeam Tiger, the KX-A1 in the mechanical hand begins beeping rapidly and with a slight adjustment by the robot hand in its aim, the beeping becomes a continuous tone. The robot hand's index finger pulls the trigger switch to emit the VHF bursts.
"Signal is stable Oberführer." Hensel reported listening through his headphones. "Avaiting confirmation from KAOS International."
"Wait! I don't understand something!" 99 spoke up making von Graf turn to her. "How could a loyal Nazi like you, subscribing to world order ruled by a racial hierarchy dominated by a Nordic master race, opposed to global proliferation of inferior races, free market capitalism and international socialism come to join KAOS? They're just a profit driven international organization of evil, aimed at causing revolt and disorder throughout the world!"
"KAOS International is receiving us, signal-to-noise ration optimum." Hensel confirmed. "Should I…"
Von Graf raised his baton indicating to the KAOS agent to wait and addressed 99.
"An interesting qvestion! It may surprise you to know zhat German intelligence, dating back to zhe first var has alvays known about KAOS. Oh zhey vere vather unknown at first vhen zhey first formed in Bucharest in 1904 vut about a decade later, ve began to take notice of zhem. I vemember as a young intelligence oparative in zhe Sicherheitsdienst, coming across files and detailed reports in our archives by zhe Nachrichtenstelle für den Orient. Even zhen zhe Nachrichtenstelle noted zhat zhey vere a fast growing netwerk vith agents stationed in many parts of zhe vorld vith rapidly evolving espionage capabilities und most importantly—zhe same disdain for zhe vest zhat ve had."
In the Chief's office back at CONTROL, Hodgkins rushes in, piece of paper in hand, his eyes wide and haggard cheeks trembling.
"Chief! Professor Carleton just called! CONTROL Central has detected the KAOS transmission again!"
"What?!" the Chief exclaimed jumping to his feet. "That can't be! It's nowhere near midnight! Something must have happened! They're transmitting early!"
"That's not all Chief!" Hodgkins continued looking on the verge of a panic attack. "The CONTROL Central indicates the signal this time is unscrambled!"
The Chief frowned before realization lights up his face.
"It's Max and 99! They've done it! Get me his shoe phone!"
"I tried Chief," Hodgkins reported handing the Chief a piece of paper. "but it seems to be out of order! But with the signal unscrambled, Professor Carleton was able to pinpoint its source! Here's the address."
The Chief grabbed the paper and his expression was a conflict of joy and concern.
"Something must have gone wrong! Max and 99 could be in danger." The Chief declared. "But most of our men are STILL out searching for evidence from the delis and the delivery service. Hodgkins, whose back?"
"I saw Agent Thirty-Four and maybe three others."
Before the Chief could continue, the door to the office slides open again and this time, Professor Carleton rushes in, even more flustered than Hodgkins, his bald pate glistening with sweat as he declares.
"Chief! We've made some progress on the KAOS transmission!"
"You mean you can jam it from here now?!" the Chief asked hopefully
"Afraid not!" Carleton explained. "But I might be able to do something if we're close enough! We're working on modifying a KX-A1 now with some new configurations. Just another fifteen minutes and we'll have it ready!"
"No time!" the Chief declares "We have to leave now! Max and Ninety-Nine might be in danger and we may be able to seize control of the base and equipment itself! Professor, get whatever you need. You're coming with us!"
As Carleton nods and runs back to the lab, the Chief turns back to his assistant.
"Alright!" The Chief instructed running to the door and pulling Hodgkins with him, threatening to push the assistant's blood pressure to critical even without sodium infused pastrami. "I'm heading over to the address with them now. You get in touch with the rest of our men and tell them to head over the moment any of them finish processing their assigned locations!"
Thanks for making it this far! Hope you're enjoying the story.
Just one translation here:
Maritta (alias Mary) to Von Graf:
"Es tut mir leid, Oberführer."
I am sorry, Oberführer.