The Wings of the Eagle by JJ Toner

Author:JJ Toner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: espionage, ww2, ww2 fiction, spy action thriller, ww2 action, ww2 thriller
Publisher: JJ Toner

Chapter 33

Three days passed, three days of toiling in the mine, sleeping, trying to survive on the miserable food. Kurt’s back became stronger and the spasms eased. On the second day he took a turn with a pick axe, aggravated his damaged shoulder and discovered a whole new level of back pain. As he worked, Kurt watched the guards’ routine for any lapse that would allow him to escape. He had to tell London that the Nazis had completed one successful test detonation and where they test base was located. London’s order to destroy the uranium enrichment plant at Oranienburg made sense, now. The spread of radiation over a small area of the country would have been an acceptable consequence, given the unthinkable alternative. The engineer’s pronouncement that the Nazis would “blow up the world” was a real possibility. In the hands of fanatical and power-hungry Nazis a weapon like that could easily bring about the destruction of the entire planet.

The boots that the engineer had given him had seen better days, and Kurt regretted the exchange. In the hopes of getting his own boots back and maybe learning more about the Nazi’s atomic bomb programme, he searched the camp for the engineer, only to learn that the man had died in his sleep.

He followed Peter, and when they were alone, told him, “I must get out of the camp and resume my work.”

Peter replied as if speaking to a child. “You told me that already. And, as I said, it’s impossible. If you try you’ll be captured and punished – or shot.”

“You don’t understand,” said Kurt. “I have information that could shorten the war. If I can’t get it into the right hands the Nazis will be able to turn the war in their favour and millions more will die.”

“What is this information?”

“I can’t tell you that, but it is imperative that I get out of here to do what I can.”

Peter said. “I wish you luck with that, friend.” He hesitated before adding, “Come with me.”

Peter led Kurt to an area near the rear of the camp where twenty or thirty bodies lay in a jumbled heap on the ground. A foul odour assailed Kurt’s nostrils. The bodies were all clothed, although most lacked footwear. Half a dozen black birds – ravens and carrion crows – were feeding on the corpses, and flies swarmed everywhere. A sole camp inmate was busy competing with the birds among the bodies.

Kurt covered his mouth and nose with the tail of his shirt. He gagged.

“I told you, this place is heaven’s waiting room” said Peter. “You might escape by lying among the bodies when they’re taken outside the camp for disposal.”

Kurt shook his head. “I couldn’t...”

“It’s your only chance.”

Kurt ran his eyes over the nearest corpses and recognized the body of the engineer, now barefoot. The scavenger had a pair of boots hanging around his neck that looked suspiciously like the ones Kurt had given to the engineer. He turned to say something to Peter, but the hut leader had vanished.

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