Free Amber by David Wood Page B

from you by the Russians.”
    Maddock and the others agreed, but he pointed out the positive outcome. “I did take a few photographs of it before it was taken. We feel it indicates that the Amber Room was not completely destroyed in the war, Admiral. If this piece survived, other pieces may have, too.”
    “I concur. It tells us more about the Russian angle, too. As it turns out, we have some new intel that points to a possible lead on the whereabouts of the room in an inland location not far from your current position. In addition, we have a contact we’ve been working with who we’d like you to rendezvous with in order to carry out the next phase of the operation.”
    Maddock’s ears perked up. “Who would that be, Admiral?”
    “Her name is Zara Leopov. She been working with—“
    Bones couldn’t suppress an exclamation as he exchanged glances with Maddock. The two flashed on a harrowing situation in Russia, on a submarine locked in ice, strange creatures...It figured that they would tangle with her in Russia again.
    “Is there a problem, gentlemen?” The Admiral’s voice boomed through the speaker. Maddock held up a hand in Bones’ direction. Bones was making lewd gestures at Willis and Professor while presumably describing Leopov.
    “No, sir, it’s just that we already know Leopov from a previous mission, sir.”
    “Problems? Any reason you can’t work well together now? Because we need her, Maddock. We need the information she can get for us. I wish we didn’t, but right now that’s the way it is.”
    “We’re happy to work with her, Admiral.”
    Bones grinned mischievously.
    “Good. Because time is most definitely of the essence here. Now listen up...” The admiral went on to give them details on how to meet up with Leopov, as well as a few more operational fine points as to what they were looking for next. Then he signed off and Maddock got up from the table. He walked to the door and held his hand over the intercom before turning back to his colleagues.
    “Ready for Phase Two?” They all nodded and Maddock hit the button.

Chapter 10
     
    Kaliningrad
     
    Maddock drove down Lenin Avenue in a rented SUV, Professor riding shotgun with Bones and Willis in the back seat. He navigated a lot of roundabouts and curving intersections as opposed to the right angle street patterns prevalent in the U.S. Lots of German vehicles like VWs were mixed in with Russian and other European makes.
    “Where are we going, again?” Bones gazed with a bored-looking expression out the window at an urban park-like environment with squat, concrete buildings separated by grassy, tree-lined spaces.
    Professor answered while Maddock negotiated a busy merge. “The old Königsberg Castle site by way of the Dom Sovietov   building, but first we have to meet up with Zara Leopov at King’s Gate.”
    Bones whipped his head away from the window. “I think I understood ‘castle’. And Leopov. What’s the rest of it?”
    Professor sighed and turned around to project back to Bones. “It goes like this. Near the end of the second World War, in 1945, the Amber Room was here in Kaliningrad, although back then, under German occupation, it was called Königsberg, in what was East Prussia. Still with me, Bones?”
    “I’m still with your mom.”
    Professor shook his head and went on. “The Amber Room was openly displayed in the town’s castle—Königsberg Castle—until Hitler himself ordered all stolen art and stuff like that moved out of Königsberg before the advancing Russian army got there and had the chance to take it back.”
    “Gotta protect that fine art while you’re taking over the world, ain’t that right?” Willis’ face was grim as he made the remark.
    “He was well on the way to falling by this time,” Professor continued. “Königsberg was heavily shelled and bombed by the Russians. Soon afterward the Germans fled and thereafter the city remained under Soviet control.”
    “So we’re going to search