The key to a mission's success, as with any mission's, was simplicity. I believed the more complicated a plan became, the greater the odds for its failure.

My basic plan was simple: land on the beach, secure the raft, move into position, capture the boy, retreat to the raft and return to the Athene. If the plan went as planned, the British would be unaware of what had happened until we were far past the horizon.

The entire mission, though, was dependent on the accuracy of the gathered intelligence. If the information was not accurate or had been deliberately falsified for the price of Nazi gold, we would be condemned to failure.

The next twenty-four hours passed quickly.

I extensively reevaluated my plan and made a few minor adjustments after reviewing it with Hahn. I was satisfied the plan was now very tight and I had a high level of confidence in its success.

It was now time to brief my men.

I ordered the men to be gathered in a small instructional room located in our barracks. Their faces showed a mixture of curiosity mixed with eagerness and apprehension. They quickly came to order and were seated.

I stood in front of them and forced myself to remove all emotion and distaste from my mind. As their commanding officer, I could not and would not show them the doubts I possessed regarding the legitimacy of our mission.

"Men." My voice was strong and filled the room. "We were ordered to the Island of Rhodes on a special mission with the utmost confidentiality. I selected each of you without knowing the mission's details, confident that whatever the mission required, all of you would have the skills and experience necessary to ensure its success."

I allowed my words to sink in. Several grinned at the compliment, nodding their heads in agreement.

"I have received our mission and have completed its planning. I am now at liberty to share it with you."

I held all of their attention, but a few of the older, more experienced men shifted in their chairs. They possessed enough experience to understand I was about to detail how they could possibly be killed. The younger ones leaned forward in anticipation.

"Our mission is the following: we are to travel to Libya and capture a British national and return him alive to Rhodes. We are to accomplish the mission within the next sixty hours."

They began to murmur, wondering who the British could possibly be and the reason for taking him hostage.

"Order!" barked the febel and the men immediately silenced.

"Here is the British national we will be detaining." I slipped the boy's picture from the dossier and held it up.

Dead silence filled the room. I tried not to notice a few of the men elbow one another.

"I do not know the boy's name or his importance to the British war effort. It is critical, though, for him to be brought to Rhodes. Until we return, we will use no names, only ranks. We do not want to provide any information to the boy."

The silence continued. Their faces were stony and many had crossed their arms.

"The next sixty hours will be long and there is still much preparation work which must be completed before we depart on a locally hired fishing boat," I continued. "For the security of the mission, everyone will be confined to the immediate compound with no outside contact." I looked at each of them, to emphasize this importance.

"After we complete the mission, we will return to our previous duty in France. After," I paused for effect, "you enjoy a day's furlough on Rhodes to sample what it has to offer."

They continued to sit there with hard faces, obviously unhappy about what the mission entailed. The furlough bonus did not outweighing the bad situation. I inwardly sighed, unable to admit to them that I shared their disgust.

"Then if there are no questions, you are dismissed." The febel dismissed the men in a loud voice and they filed out.

I slowly returned to my own quarters, thankful for the privacy. My mind was racing and I sought to calm it. Despite their unspoken misgivings, the men would follow me and serve well, even given their distaste of the mission.

I sat down heavily in a chair, running my hand through my hair. I would have liked a brandy, but had brought no liquor with me. I took out my cigarettes and lighter, placing them on the desk, but I suddenly had no strength to light one.

I had been in my own quarters for only a few minutes when there was a tentative knock on the door. I frowned. I was not expecting anyone and did not particularly want company at the moment.

"Enter," I firmly called. "The door is open." I frankly expected the caller to be Luther or someone else from von Graff's staff. I was surprised to see Hahn enter shyly.

Hahn had been my Leutnant since I had arrived in France. An experienced officer, I kept expecting to lose him to a promotion or to an active combat unit. He had the happy-go-lucky personality of my best friend, Matthias Walther, and I had instantly liked him.

Hahn had an uncharacteristic look of tightness and seriousness about him. Something was obviously troubling him to seek me out privately. To make him feel more at ease, I decided to make his calling more informal.

"Herr Hauptmann," Hahn said, beginning to salute, but I casually waved him off.

"Leutnant, what do I owe the pleasure of your visit? It's been a total of what? Five minutes since I last saw you?" I lightly joked as I motioned him to a chair. I shook out two cigarettes from my pack, offering him one. He rapidly took one and picked up my lighter, lighting my cigarette before his own. I sat there patiently smoking, waiting for Hahn to speak.

"Febel Schmidt is readying the weapons per our discussion."

I gave Hahn a nod, indicating my approval. I waited in silence for Hahn to continue, finally raising my eyebrows in question.

"Yes? Is there anything else on your mind?" I prompted him.

"Your lighter, Herr Hauptmann. I've always admired it. It is a beautiful piece of workmanship. Was it a gift from a Tommy friend?"

I gave an ironic laugh. "Yes, it was a gift from an Englishman although I'm unsure if I would classify him as a friend." Hahn gave me a puzzled look, but I did not elaborate.

I was amused at Hahn's stalling tactics. He must have seen my lighter a thousand times in the field and had never once commented on it before.

I looked Hahn directly in the eye. "My instinct tells me that you did not come here to discuss the workmanship of my lighter, Leutnant. There is something obviously on your mind you would like to discuss. Do you plan on sharing it with me or are we to continue making small talk as if we were on a first date together?"

Hahn pulled a flask from a pocket inside his tunic. He started to take a drink from it before quickly looking at me. I gave him a slight nod and he took a drink from it. Recapping it, he casually tossed it to me and I followed suit.

"You've had your drink, Leutnant. What is it you wish to say?" I was becoming impatient with him as much as I didn't want to. Hahn's current actions were very different than normal. He had always spoken frankly and honestly to me without any indecision.

I could still see him hesitate. "You may speak freely with me. Anything you choose to confide to me will be off the record."

The floodgates opened now that I had given him the freedom to speak openly.

"Herr Hauptmann, I would never disagree with you in front of the men. But the entire mission is distasteful. It is obvious the men share the same thoughts although they have not spoken directly to me about them."

"We don't have the luxury of choosing our orders, Leutnant," I said, lightly rebuking Hahn as von Kleist had done with me. I was not happy with the conversation's direction. Why did I feel this way? Was it because I also shared Hahn's and my men's disgust and did not have the luxury of expressing my thoughts to anyone?

"Herr Hauptmann, these orders are not why I am fighting, not what I am fighting for. I believe I have been betrayed by the . . ."

I made an immediate cutting motion across my throat to silence him. "Leutnant, there is still a few hours of daylight remaining. Would you care to take a walk with me and enjoy the late afternoon sunshine?"

A puzzled look crossed his face before he understood the reason for my sudden request. "Of course, Herr Hauptmann. It would be most enjoyable."

We stepped outside and began walking down to the beach.

I didn't break the silence for several minutes.

"Leutnant, I silenced you back in my quarters since I recognized the dangerous direction you were heading. While remote, there is the possibility my room has a listening device wired by the local officials. Our mission has a high level of attention and the commanding officers would want to ensure its success. Any detected dissent could be dealt with . . . harshly . . . for anyone even remotely involved in the conversation."

Hahn quickly colored. "I apologize, Herr Hauptmann. I never intended to cause you any difficultly, no matter how remote. You had always encouraged open thoughts from your subordinates and I believed it was important for me to express mine at the moment."

We paused a moment for each of us to take a drink from his flask again.

I walked down to the water's edge. I gazed out over its expanse, my hands clasped behind my back. The sea was a beautiful sight, its peace in contrast to the turmoil we were both experiencing.

"Leutnant, you may now freely continue to express your thoughts. As I previous stated, our conversation is off the record."

"Then I will do so, Herr Hauptmann." The words began to gush from him in a torrent. "I believed the Fuhrer when he said we would be fighting Bolshevism to save Germany from a red menace. I agreed with him so completely that I volunteered for the Heer. I didn't even wait to be called up. But instead, I am here, kidnapping young boys." He shook his head in disgust. "What does this mission have to do with fighting the Bolsheviks?"

"I would say nothing in the slightest, Leutnant, but it is not up to us to second guess the orders given to us by our superiors."

"None of us want to be here, in this God-forsaken war ran by a megalomaniac Austrian corporal who couldn't hit his ass militarily with both hands tied behind his back," Hahn spat.

I raised my eyebrows at the frankness of his words. "Why don't you tell me exactly how you feel, Leutnant, about the Fuhrer?"

I should have been reprehending Hahn, severely, but I could not bring myself to do so since I happened to agree with him. Instead, I picked up a rock and tossed it into the water, watching it quickly disappear.

"Herr Hauptmann, do you honestly think the war can be won, when it has come to the point of involving children?"

"No, I believe the war is lost," I responded frankly, surprised at my open admission to a subordinate. Now I was the one putting myself in extreme risk by admitting my true thoughts. I trusted, Hahn, though. Except for Ernst Hoffmann who had served under me in Africa, I trusted Hahn more than any of the other junior officers who had reported to me during the war.

"However, it is critical for us to continue serving as our oath dictates, Leutnant," I added, believing it was important for Hahn to understand that.

Hahn glanced around quickly to ensure we were alone. "Perhaps we should question our oaths. Herr Hauptmann, maybe there is an alternative."

I turned to him in shock, curious as to what magical solution he could possibly have for Germany. I suddenly was very uneasy about the direction of his conversation.

"And what exactly are you alluding to, Leutnant?" I asked, already knowing the answer. "I highly suggest for you to choose your words wisely."

"There is talk, vague, remote discussion on senior Wehrmacht officers seizing the government by disposing of the Fuhrer."

I forced myself not to look around quickly to see if anyone was within earshot listening to our treasonous conversation. I did not want to call attention to us. I again reached for a stone, and threw it into the water, watching it skip several times before it sank.

"Are you involved?" I asked him in a low, icy voice. I now turned to look at him, my expression very serious. His face immediately flushed and he was suddenly at a loss for words.

"Answer me," I quietly ordered him.

"No," he finally was able to stammer, his normal bravado completely dissipated. "I am not."

I respected him for looking at me and bravely meeting my eyes.

"If you know what is best for you, and not to mention, your family's welfare, you will avoid becoming involved in any of these plans." I indicated for us to leave, returning the way we had walked.

"Your words, earlier," I began, not sure how to tactfully complete my thought to a subordinate. "There are others who might not be so generous and understanding when they hear them as I have been. Be careful who you share them with," I warned him.

I could see Hahn turn a shade paler. "What exactly do you mean, Herr Hauptmann?"

"Exactly what I said. There is discussion and action among the traditional Wehrmacht which could be disastrous if it doesn't succeed. It is the one piece of advice my father provided to me the last time I was on leave that I have taken to heart."

I rarely spoke of my family, even less of my father, to anyone. It was extremely atypical of me to do so, especially to a subordinate.

"I would have thought, Herr Hauptmann that you, more than any officer to which I have reported, would have wanted to become involved in these actions, to return Germany back to its true roots." His voice was level and I could detect, hopeful.

I had turned to leave, but at his challenging words, I whirled to confront him. His face was honest and radiated hope for my involvement. I found myself being brutally honest to him about my beliefs.

"Leutnant Hahn, as much as I despise Germany's leadership and how they have sentenced her to a disastrous future, I willingly swore an oath of loyalty to these men when I accepted my commission. My loyalty condemns me to honor my oath, how misplaced it might be, and even though my loyalty has been betrayed to those I had entrusted it to."

I envied the bravery that those conspirators possessed. I had a few acquaintances who were involved and their courage never ceased to astound me. I had faced death countless times on the battlefield when opposing vastly superior numbers yet my bravery paled in comparison to that of the conspirators.

"And if these plots do succeed in the elimination of their prime objective, I seriously doubt the remaining government officials, let alone the SS, will relinquish power readily or without a devastating fight. It will end badly and be a catastrophe for everyone involved and everyone surrounding them."

Hahn grew suddenly pale and started to ask me more questions when I abruptly cut him off.

"Eventually, the Allies will provide justice to the Third Reich leaders. None of them will escape. The Allies will not allow it," I added for emphasis. Although Germany would be cleansed of the sins committed by the Third Reich, its deeds would always hang over the heads of future German generations.

Hahn pondered my words for several steps before stopping. "Will you face Allied justice, Herr Hauptmann?" Hahn asked frankly.

I turned to look at Hahn, taken back by his question. The only other man who had broached the subject to me was Wilhelm Meyer, when I had assumed his command in the desert. Meyer had done so out of jealousy for my successes. Could it possibly be two years had passed since his accusations?

While I had a clear conscious of my own service record, there were the voices in my head which would always rise to the surface no matter how firmly I tried to quiet them. The death of the Frenchman still reverberated in my mind, a clear war crime as any I had witnessed.

Finally, I shook my head, having weighed and measured myself.

No, I had nothing to hide. I was proud of my service to Germany and the way I had chosen to conduct myself while carrying it out.

"Leutnant, every German soldier will face justice from the Allies, including me. I will do so with a clear conscious. I have served honorably and have committed no acts that would constitute a war crime."

Hahn contemplated my words. "Do you regret serving?" he asked suddenly.

I stopped and looked at him, puzzled for his question.

"You come from a family with a long history of serving and graduated from the prestigious military academy. Did you think it would be this?" Hahn waved his arm indicating the Nazi regime.

"No, not this," I said shaking my head sadly. "And do I regret it? No, it is much more than Hitler. My experience was not all about him, it was about the Wehrmacht. But I didn't recognize this until much later."

I clasped my hands behind my back and began slowly walking along the shore with Hahn joining me. An occasional strong wave lapped against our boots.

"It will be our responsibility afterwards to rebuild Germany again from what remains to what she truly represents." I took a deep breath. "We will need to remove the poison which is destroying her from within."

"And what do you think will remain of Germany, Herr Hauptmann?"

My response to his frank question was equally blunt and honest.

"Unlike the last war, there will be no doubt in Germany as to which country lost."

I paused before continuing. I looked out across the sea, in the direction my beloved Germany lie. There was no doubt in my mind of what would be left of her when the war ceased.

I closed my eyes in despair, wanting to block out the future which was quickly approaching.

"There will be nothing remaining. Absolutely nothing."