28

Another Piece of the Puzzle

Gustav Noske,” Professor Stein explained. “Founder of the German Freikorps and the guy who led them in a series of bloody attacks against Communist uprisings after the First World War. Lou, the Freikorps is the precursor to the Nazi movement, and Noske here is the one who paved the way for Hitler’s rise later on. This one man is probably the single biggest living turning point anywhere at this point in history.”

The gunfire from behind them ceased, while across the square the police rounded up all other attackers. The inner corridors of city hall had apparently been cleared because the dignitaries on the steps were being hustled inside. This pair’s attention, however, was fixed on the little screen between them.

“Hitler becomes his protégé,” Professor Stein continued, “and the nationalistic Freikorps get a broken nation primed to accept the Nazi viewpoint as a viable way out of the economic ruin their country was left in. As far as the Germans would be concerned, this guy is their TDE.”

“Which changes the entire purpose of what their meeting is about as well as the goal of the German team,” Agent Hessman said. “He wouldn’t be attending a meeting to hear Wilson speaking in support of the League of Nations.”

“With Congressman Lodge out there, he’d more likely be here in a secret meeting of opponents of the league,” Professor Stein said in agreement.

“So then, why would the German team be shooting at this guy? Lodge and Noske?”

At the sound of a throat clearing behind them, they turned to face a man looming over them. The German who had been keeping Agent Hessman pinned down was not looking too happy.

The throat clearing, however, had not come from the German but rather from the one standing behind him: a young black woman who had lost the large hat covering her short-cropped hair. She had a pistol to the man’s back, the one with the scope that she had used before. Claire caught sight of the weapon and her eyes widened in wonder.

“What the heck happened here? I thought this thing was supposed to be covert,” said Agent Harris.

Professor Stein saw the type of gun she was now holding against the man’s back‍—a different model than either the Germans or Japanese had used‍—and shook his head. “Does anyone pay attention to mission rules? We were absolutely not supposed to bring any modern weapons with us.”

“And if I hadn’t,” she countered, “you guys would all be dead and this mission over with.”

“Okay, save the chastising for later,” Agent Hessman told them. “Sue, what’d you find?”

At that moment, Captain Beck and Dr. Weiss arrived from the south edge of the square, unseen under cover of nightfall and the chaos of cops chasing down gunmen. Dr. Weiss carried a body while Captain Beck’s good arm dragged another along the ground, his remaining arm in a quick and dirty sling made from the ends of his own coat. They deposited the bodies to the ground behind the car with evident relief.

“Had to take the long way around,” Captain Beck said as he caught his breath. “Particularly with one wing in a sling.”

Dr. Weiss appeared ready to say something but was so out of breath that he simply waved his hand vaguely.

“He means these guys are heavy and that he’s out of shape,” the captain translated. “I almost had to drag both of them myself with my one good arm. You academics need to exercise more. Anyway, this is the pair that first bought the farm when things exploded. I think the other teams already spirited away their own dead from the fight.”

“About that,” Agent Harris reported. “A sniper was shooting at both the Japanese and the German teams, including these guys we have lying at our feet. I wasn’t able to catch him, but I did get a good look at him.”

“Describe him.” Now Agent Hessman pulled out his own miracle device, punching in the information as Agent Harris dictated it.

“Short blond hair, well built, obviously athletic. About forty-five would be my guess, but in really good shape for that age.”

A couple more taps on his screen and Agent Hessman turned the display in her direction.

“Was it this guy?”

“Definitely,” she said after a glance.

He took back the device and read off the basic information. “Major Günter Gabriel Greber, career German military.”

“And armed with a very modern sniper rifle,” Agent Harris added. “Way beyond what the locals currently have.”

“You hear that, Fritz?” Agent Hessman stood up as he addressed the German, meeting his gaze eye to eye. “One of your own people was taking potshots at the Japanese as well as your own team. So, what’s it going to be?”

For a moment the German looked with disbelief at the image still displayed on Agent Hessman’s small screen, then the body of his dead comrade on the ground behind the Japanese man, and decided to talk.

“My name is Ernst Fischer, combat specialist. Major Greber is our military rep. I have no idea why he would be shooting at his own team, but . . . I will cooperate and answer anything you want to ask.”

“Good, because I have a lot of questions,” Agent Hessman began.

“Not as many as I do.”

Claire had finally found her voice, and on hearing it everyone froze, reacting much like the kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Professor Stein had his pocket computer in hand, Agent Hessman his own similar device, and Agent Harris a pistol that could not be mistaken for anything other than out of this world by the standards of the year 1919. She glared at them all, stepping past Professor Stein and gesturing to both Ben’s device and the weapon in Agent Harris’s hand.

“You guys are way beyond feds, so what in all creation is going on here?”

The team exchanged looks but were silent for a long moment.