Thunder Point.

By Jack Higgins.

PROLOGUE.

BERLIN - THE FuHRER BUNKER 30 April 1945

The city seemed to be on fire, a kind of h.e.l.l on earth, the ground shaking as sh.e.l.ls exploded, and as dawn came, smoke drifted in a black pall. In the eastern half of Berlin, the Russians were already formally in control, and refugees, carrying what they could of their belongings, moved along Wilhelmstra.s.se close to the Reich Chancellery in the desperate hope of somehow reaching the West and the Americans.

Berlin was doomed, everyone knew that, and the panic was dreadful to see. Close by the Chancellery, a group of SS was stopping everyone they saw in uniform. Unless such individuals could account for themselves, they were immediately accused of desertion in the face of the enemy and hung from the nearest lamp post or tree. A sh.e.l.l screamed in, fired at random by Russian artillery. There were cries of alarm and people scattered.

The Chancellery itself was battered and defaced by the bombardment, particularly at the rear, but deep in the earth protected by thirty meters of concrete, the Fuhrer and his staff still worked on in a subterranean world that was totally self-supporting, still in touch by radio and radio-telephone with the outside world.

The rear of the Reich Chancellery was also damaged, pock-marked by sh.e.l.l fire, and the once lovely gardens were a wilderness of uprooted trees and the occasional sh.e.l.l hole. One blessing: there was little air activity, low cloud and driving rain having cleared the sky of aircraft for the moment.

The man who walked in that ruined garden on his own seemed curiously indifferent to what was happening, didn't even flinch when another sh.e.l.l landed on the far side of the Chancellery. As the rain increased in force, he simply turned up his collar, lit a cigarette and held it in cupped hand as he continued to walk.

He was not very tall, with heavy shoulders and a coa.r.s.e face. In a crowd of laborers or dock workers, he would have faded into the background, nothing special, not memorable to the slightest degree. Everything about him was nondescript, from the shabby ankle-length greatcoat to the battered peaked cap.

A n.o.body of any importance, that would have been the conclusion, and yet this man was Reichsleiter Martin Bormann, Head of the n.a.z.i Party Chancellery and Secretary to the Fuhrer, the most powerful man in Germany after Hitler himself. The vast majority of the German people had never even heard of him, and even fewer would have recognized him if they saw him. But then he had organized his life that way, deliberately choosing to be an anonymous figure wielding his power only from the shadows.

But that was all over, everything was finished, and this was the final end of things. The Russians could be here at any moment. He'd tried to persuade Hitler to leave for Bavaria, but the Fuhrer had refused, had insisted, as he had publicly declared for days, that he would commit suicide.

An SS Corporal came out of the Bunker entrance and hurried toward him. He gave the n.a.z.i salute. "Herr Reichsleiter, the Fuhrer is asking for you."

"Where is he?"

"In his study."

"Good, I'll come at once." As they walked toward the entrance several sh.e.l.ls landed on the far side of the Chancellery again, debris lifting into the air. Bormann said, "Tanks?"

"I'm afraid so, Herr Reichsleiter, less than half a mile away now."

The SS Corporal was young and tough, a seasoned veteran. Bormann clapped him on the shoulder. "You know what they say? Everything comes to he who waits."

He started to laugh, and the young corporal laughed with him as they started down the concrete steps.

When Bormann knocked on the study door and went in the Fuhrer was seated behind the desk, examining some maps with a magnifying gla.s.s. He glanced up.

"Ah, Bormann, there you are. Come in. We don't have much time."

"I suppose not, my Fuhrer," Bormann said uncertainly, unsure of what was meant.

"They'll be here soon, Bormann, the d.a.m.ned Russians, but they won't find me waiting. Stalin would like nothing better than to exhibit me in a cage."

"That can never be, my Fuhrer."

"Of course not. I shall commit suicide, and my wife will accompany me on that dark journey."

He was referring to his mistress, Eva Braun, whom he had finally married at midnight on the twenty-eighth.

"I had hoped that even now you would reconsider whether or not to make a break for Bavaria," Bormann told him, but more for something to say than anything else.

"No, my mind is made up, but you, my old friend, you have work to do."

Hitler stood up and shuffled round the table, the man who only three years previously had controlled Europe from the Urals in the east to the English Channel. Now, his cheeks were sunken, his jacket appeared too large, and when he took Bormann's hands, his own shook with palsy. And yet the power was there still and Bormann was moved.

"Anything, my Fuhrer."

"I knew I could depend on you. The Kamaradenwerk, Action for Comrades." Hitler shuffled back to his chair. "That is your task, Bormann, to see that the National Socialism survives. We have hundreds of millions in Switzerland and elsewhere in the world in gold in numbered accounts, but you have details of those."

"Yes, my Fuhrer."

Hitler reached under his desk and produced a rather strange-looking briefcase, dull silver in appearance. Bormann noted the Kriegsmarine insignia etched in the top right-hand corner.

Hitler flicked it open. "The keys are inside along with a number of items which will prove useful to you over the years." He held up a buff envelope. "Details of similar accounts in various South American countries and the United States. We have friends in all those places only waiting to hear from you."

"Anything else, my Fuhrer?"

Hitler held up a large file. "I call this the Blue Book. It contains the names of many members of the British establishment, both in the ranks of the aristocracy and Parliament, who are friendly to our cause. A number of our American friends are there also. And last, but not least," he pa.s.sed another envelope across. "Open it."

The paper was of such quality that it was almost like parchment. It had been written in English in July 1940, in Estoril in Portugal, and was addressed to the Fuhrer. The signature at the bottom was that of his Royal Highness the Duke of Windsor. It was in English and the content was quite simple. He was agreeing to take over the throne of Great Britain in the event of a successful invasion.

"The Windsor Protocol," Hitler said simply.

"Can this be true?" Bormann asked in astonishment.

"Himmler himself vouched for it. He had the Duke approached by his agents in Portugal at the time."

Or said that he had, Bormann told himself. That devious little animal had always been capable of anything. He replaced the doc.u.ment in its envelope and handed it to the Fuhrer, who replaced it and the other items in the briefcase. "This is standard issue to the U-boat captains at the moment. Completely self-sealing, water- and fireproof." The Fuhrer pushed it across to Bormann. "Yours now." He gazed in s.p.a.ce for a moment in reverie. "What a swine Himmler is to try and make a separate peace with the Allies, and now I hear that Mussolini and his girlfriend were murdered by partisans in northern Italy, strung up by their ankles."

"A mad world." Bormann waited for a moment, then said, "One point, my Fuhrer, how do I leave? We are now surrounded here."

Hitler came back to life. "Quite simple. You will fly out using the East-West Avenue. As you know, Field Marshal Ritter von Greim and Hannah Reitsch got away in an Arado just after midnight yesterday. I spoke personally to the Commander of the Luftwaffe Base at Rechlin." He glanced at a paper on his desk. "A young man, a Captain Neumann, volunteered to fly in a Feiseler Storch during the night. He arrived safely and is now waiting your orders."

"But where, my Fuhrer?" Bormann asked.

"In that huge garage at Goebbels' house near the Brandenburg Gate. From there he will fly you to Rechlin and refuel for the onward flight to Bergen in Norway."

"Bergen?" Bormann asked.

"From where you will proceed by submarine to South America, Venezuela to be precise. You'll be expected. One stop on the way. You'll be expected there too, but all the details are in here." He handed him an envelope. "You'll also find my personal signed authorization in there giving you full powers in my name and several false pa.s.sports."

"So, I leave tonight?" Bormann asked.

"No, you leave within the next hour," Hitler said calmly. "Because of the driving rain and low clouds there is no air cover at the moment. Captain Neumann thinks he could achieve total surprise, and I agree. I have every confidence you will succeed."

There could be no arguing with that and Bormann nodded. "Of course, my Fuhrer."

"Then there only remains one more thing," Hitler said. "You'll find someone in the bedroom. Bring him in."

The man Bormann found in there wore the uniform of a Lieutenant General in the SS. There was something familiar about him and Bormann felt acutely uncomfortable for some reason.

"My Fuhrer," the man said and gave Hitler a n.a.z.i salute.

"Note the resemblance, Bormann?" Hitler asked.

It was then that Bormann realized why he'd felt so strange. It was true, the General did have a look of him. Not perfect, but it was undeniably there.

"General Stra.s.ser will stay here in your place," Hitler said. "When the general breakout occurs he will leave with the others. He can stay out of the way until then. In the confusion and darkness of leaving it's hardly likely anyone will notice. They'll be too concerned with saving their own skins." He turned to Stra.s.ser. "You will do this for your Fuhrer?"

"With all my heart," Stra.s.ser said.

"Good, then you will now exchange uniforms. You may use my bedroom." He came round the desk and took both of Bormann's hands in his. "I prefer to say goodbye now, old friend. We will not meet again."

Cynical as he was by nature, Bormann felt incredibly moved. "I will succeed, my Fuhrer, my word on it."

"I know you will."

Hitler shuffled out, the door closed behind him and Bormann turned to Stra.s.ser. "Right, let's get started."

Precisely half an hour later Bormann left the Bunker by the exit into Hermann Goering Stra.s.se. He wore a heavy leather military overcoat over his SS uniform and carried a military holdall, which held the briefcase and a change of civilian clothes. In one pocket he carried a silenced Mauser pistol, and a Schmeisser machine pistol was slung across his chest. He moved along the edge of the Tiergarten, aware of people everywhere, mainly refugees, crossed by the Brandenburg Gate, and arrived at Goebbels' house quite quickly. Like most properties in the area it had suffered damage, but the vast garage building seemed intact. The sliding doors were closed, but there was a small Judas gate, which Bormann opened cautiously.

It was dark in there and a voice called, "Stay where you are, hands high."

Lights were switched on and Bormann found a young man in the uniform of a Captain in the Luftwaffe and a flying jacket standing by the wall, a pistol in his hand. The small Feiseler Storch spotter plane stood in the center of the empty garage.

"Captain Neumann?"

"General Stra.s.ser?" The young man looked relieved and holstered his pistol. "Thank G.o.d, I've been expecting Ivans ever since I got here."

"You have orders?"

"Of course. Rechlin to refuel and then Bergen. A distinct pleasure, actually."

"Do you think we stand a chance of getting away?"

"There's nothing up there to shoot us down at the moment. Filthy weather. Only ground fire to worry about." He grinned. "Is your luck good, General?"

"Always."

"Excellent. I'll start up, you get in and we'll taxi across the road to the Brandenburg Gate. From there I'll take off toward the Victory Column. They won't be expecting that because the wind is in the wrong direction."

"Isn't that dangerous?" Bormann asked.

"Absolutely." Neumann climbed up into the cabin and started the engine.

There was broken gla.s.s and rubble in the street and the Storch b.u.mped its way along, pa.s.sing many astonished refugees, moved across the Brandenburg Gate and turned toward the Victory Column in the distance. The rain was driving down.

Neumann said, "Here we go," and boosted power.

The Storch roared down the center of the road, here and there people fleeing before it, and suddenly they were airborne and turning to starboard to avoid the Victory Column. Bormann was not even aware of any ground fire.

"You must live right, Herr Reichsleiter," the young pilot said.

Bormann turned to him sharply. "What did you call me?"

"I'm sorry if I've said the wrong thing," Neumann said. "But I met you at an award ceremony once in Berlin."

Bormann decided to leave it for the moment. "Don't worry about it." He looked down at the flames and smoke below as Berlin burned, the Russian artillery keeping up a constant bombardment. "Truly a scene from h.e.l.l."

"Twilight of the G.o.ds, Reichsleiter," Neumann said. "All we need is Wagner to provide suitable music," and he took the Storch up into the safety of the dark clouds.

It was the second part of the journey which was particularly arduous, cutting across the east coast of Denmark and then up across the Skagerrak, refueling at a small Luftwaffe base at Kristiansand for the final run. It was pitch-dark when they reached Bergen and cold, very cold, a little sleet mixed with the rain as they landed. Neumann had contacted the base half an hour earlier to notify their arrival. There were lights in the control tower and the buildings, a poor blackout. The German occupying forces in Norway knew that the end was near, that there was no possibility of an Allied invasion. It simply wasn't necessary. An aircraftsman with a torch in each hand guided them to a parking place, then walked away. Bormann could see a Kubelwagen driving toward them. It stopped on the other side of the parked aircraft of which there were several.

Neumann switched off. "So, we made it, Herr Reichsleiter. Rather different from Berlin."

"You did well," Bormann said. "You're a fine pilot."

"Let me get your bag for you."

Bormann got down to the ground and Neumann pa.s.sed him the bag. Bormann said, "Such a pity you recognized me," and he took the silenced Mauser from his greatcoat pocket and shot him through the head.

The man standing beside the Kubelwagen was a naval officer and wore the white-topped cap affected by U-boat Commanders. He was smoking a cigarette and he dropped it to the ground and stamped on it as Bormann approached.

"General Stra.s.ser?"

"That's right," Bormann told him.

"Korvettenkapitan Paul Friemel." Friemel gave him a half-salute. "Commanding U180."

Bormann tossed his bag into the rear of the Kubelwagen and eased himself into the pa.s.senger seat. As the other man got behind the wheel, the Reichsleiter said, "Are you ready for sea?"

"Absolutely, General."

"Good, then we'll leave at once."

"At your orders, General," Friemel said and drove away.

Bormann took a deep breath, he could smell the sea on the wind. Strange, but instead of feeling tired he was full of energy and he lit a cigarette and leaned back, looking up at the stars and remembering Berlin only as a bad dream.