Free Time Hunters and the Spear of Fate, The by Carl Ashmore Page B

the bookshelves and pulled out a book. He tapped the cover three times and
the book’s title illuminated red. At once, a bookshelf groaned open to reveal a
wall safe. He walked over to it and typed nine numbers onto a keypad. With a
click, the safe door opened and he pulled out a large envelope. Returning to
the table, he opened the envelope and extracted a sheet of dark cream paper.
‘This is one of the things in this room I’d hate for Maria to discover. It’s
written in German but I think the letterhead says it all.’
    He passed the letter to Becky.
    The moment she took hold of it,
Becky felt dread sweep through her. She couldn’t read German but it didn’t
matter - the emblem on the top left and the name beneath was enough to tell her
all she needed to know. The emblem was a black eagle, its wings outstretched,
its head turned sharply to the right. It was holding an oak wreath with an
instantly recognizable symbol in the middle: a swastika. However, it was the
name embossed in gold and written in uppercase letters that sent shockwaves
through her.
     
    ADOLF HITLER

 
    Chapter 10
    Tibet or not Tibet
     
     
    ‘And here’s the translation,’ Uncle
Percy said, producing a second sheet of paper and passing it over. Joe moved to
Becky’s left and together they began to read.
     
     
                           Berlin. 13 th January 1939
    ADOLF HITLER
     
    Reichsführer-SS
Heinrich Himmler
     
    I have just received your
distressing news and am most upset by the recent theft of the Gadeirus Tablet. How
could this have been allowed to happen? Need I repeat the Reich has committed
substantial sums to finance your SS Ahnenerbe unit, not to mention this latest
expedition to Tibet? As far as I’m concerned, if the Gadeirus Tablet is lost
forever this has been a futile affair, for which I demand accountability. I was
given your assurance that Erik Müller was the man for the Tibetan venture. If
so, how can he have been so fatuous as to be deceived by this traitor, Werner
Von Hammelburg? Or is it your judgment that is in question?
    Either way, I want Von Hammelburg
found and I want him dealt with using the most severe means possible. I cannot
stress how much I wish the Gadeirus Tablet to be recovered. The future of the
Reich could well depend on Müller’s success on this matter.  If he is
unable or too inept to succeed, I shall be compelled to dispatch Otto Kruger to
Tibet. He is certainly a man that will get results.
    ADOLF HITLER
     
    Becky stared wide-eyed at Joe. She found
that her hands were shaking uncontrollably, and quickly put the letter down to
stop Joe noticing.
    ‘Otto Kruger!’ Joe blustered. ‘Don’t
tell me Emerson Drake is working with bloody Hitler?’
    Uncle Percy shook his head. ‘I
wouldn’t put it past him, but I don’t think so. Remember, Kruger was Hitler’s
personal bodyguard for many years before he disappeared in 1940. This letter
was written a year before that. No, I believe Kruger’s presence in all of this
is purely coincidental.’
    Becky’s gaze returned to the letter.
‘What’s the Gadeirus Tablet?’
    ‘I can’t be completely sure,’ Uncle
Percy replied. ‘But Imran Musa did say it was mentioned in the Sonchis Scroll.
He described it as a block of silver marble, about the size of a phone book,
which was inscribed with a coded message.’
    Becky was getting excited now. ‘What
kind of message?’
    ‘A message that, once deciphered,
would lead to the location of the Spear of Fate.’
    Joe gave an excited gasp. ‘Like one
of Israel Hands’ markers?’
    ‘I suppose,’ Uncle Percy replied. ‘Of
course, other than its inclusion in the Scroll I’ve not found any other
evidence that it actually existed.’
    ‘So what’s this about Tibet?’ Joe
asked. ‘What were the Nazis doing there?’
    ‘Well, the Nazis involvement in
Tibet is well documented,’ Uncle Percy said. ‘And the 1938 expedition, led by
respected zoologist Ernst Schäfer