Kingdom of Darkness by Andy McDermott

Author:Andy McDermott [McDermott, Andy]
Language: ara
Format: epub
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2014-08-27T14:00:00+00:00

20

Nina was speechless. Not at Kroll’s offer in itself, but for what it could mean to her. She had resigned herself to the sickness spreading through her body, accepting that death was drawing ever closer . . . but now someone was offering her hope.

That someone being a murderous war criminal.

‘Think about it, Dr Wilde,’ Kroll went on, seeing her uncertainty. ‘You would not only be cured, but by drinking the water you would extend your own life. You wanted to make one last discovery – but how many more could you make with another century in which to make them? Find the spring, and I shall give you a lifetime supply of its water.’

Rasche objected sharply in German. Kroll responded with a verbal explosion that made his second-in-command flinch. The leader stalked across the room to stand right in front of Rasche and harangued his subordinate at full volume, spittle flying from his mouth. The younger guards seemed genuinely terrified by the outburst.

Kroll finally stopped ranting – but remained in Rasche’s face, nose to nose as if daring him to reply. Tight-lipped, jaw clenched, Rasche eventually drew himself to attention and said, ‘Nein, mein Führer.’ Kroll nodded in angry satisfaction and slowly stepped back, not breaking eye contact until he drew level with Nina.

‘Trouble in the ranks?’ she asked.

The baleful stare turned upon her. ‘Do not test me, Dr Wilde. My offer is genuine – although Obersturmführer Rasche did not approve. But he is now in agreement with me. As is every other man in the Enklave.’ He looked to Schneider, Walther and Gausmann, all of whom bowed their heads in deference. ‘Did you know that your name in German, Wilde, means a maniac, a savage? But that is not the impression I get from you. You are an intelligent and rational woman, so I will make you a proposal that only a fool could turn down. If you help us prolong our lives, I will help you save yours. I will of course let your friends go, unharmed. That is my offer. What do you say?’

Again, Nina found herself unable to answer. She didn’t believe Kroll for a moment. The Nazis had only resurfaced out of desperation; even if they found their life-extending prize, they couldn’t risk anyone revealing the location of their hideout. They were still on the wanted list of every international law enforcement agency – to say nothing of the blood vengeance sought by the Mossad. Letting their prisoners go would ensure their end, either in a prison cell or with a bullet to the head.

But . . .

What if the water really could cure her?

She knew it was unlikely. There was no proof of the water’s restorative properties other than Kroll’s word, which she considered absolutely worthless.

But . . .

His mere existence, decades younger than he should have been, confirmed that part of the legend was true. The Spring of Immortality had been found once – twice, in fact, since Andreas had returned to it after the death of Alexander the Great.

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