Free the Valhalla Exchange (v5) by Jack Higgins Page B

down this far.'
    'A comforting thought.' Rattenhuber offered them both cigarettes.
    Ritter said, 'Hoffer saw a strange sight some hours ago. General Fegelein being led along the corridor under escort, minus epaulettes and insignia.'
    'Yes, very sad. A disgrace to all of us,' Rattenhuber said. 'He cleared off yesterday. When the Fuhrer found he was missing, he sent a detachment out looking for him. The fool was actually at his own house in Charlottenburg in civilian clothes and with a woman. They took him outside and shot him half an hour ago.'
    Ritter showed no emotion whatsoever. 'If what you say is so, then there could be no other penalty.'
    'No, we can't just leave the war by taking off our uniform and putting on a raincoat, not at this stage,' Rattenhuber said. 'Not any of us.' He lit another cigarette. 'By the way, Major, the Reichsleiter would like to see you a little later on. I'd be obliged if you'd hold yourself in readiness.'
    'Naturally,' Ritter said. 'I'm at the Reichsleiter's orders.' The slight, sardonic smile that touched his mouth had an edge of contempt to it. 'Was there anything else?'
    Rattenhuber felt in some curious way as if he was being dismissed. 'No,' he said hurriedly. 'I'll look for you here.'
    An SS orderly entered the room, gazed around quickly, then bore down on them. He clicked his heels and offered a signal to Rattenhuber. Rattenhuber read it, his face broke into a delighted smile and he waved the orderly away.
    'Excellent news. The Fieseler Storch in which Feldmarschall von Greim and Hannah Reitsch flew into Berlin on the 26th was destroyed this morning by artillery fire.'
    'So, the Feldmarschall is also a permanent guest here?' Ritter said. 'Bad luck.'
    'No, he got away this evening in a replacement plane, an Arado trainer piloted by Hannah Reitsch after she'd made two unsuccessful attempts. They took off near the Brandenburger Tor.' He stood up. 'You must excuse me. The Reichsleiter has been waiting for such news and the Fuhrer also.' He went out.
    Hoffer said, 'But what does he want you for?'
    'I expect I'll find that out when he sees me,' Ritter said. He nodded at the chessboard. 'And now, if you don't mind, it's your move.'
    Just before midnight, Walter Wagner, a city councillor and minor official of the Propaganda Ministry, was hustled into the bunker under armed guard. Totally bewildered and still not quite believing what was happening to him, at approximately one o'clock in the morning he married Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun. The only other two people present were the witnesses, Martin Bormann and Josef Goebbels, Reich Minister for Propaganda.
    A wedding breakfast was served immediately afterwards at which champagne was available in copious quantities. At approximately two o'clock, the Fuhrer went into an adjoining room to dictate his will and final political testament to one of his two secretaries, Frau Junge. Bormann, who had been waiting for an appropriate moment, seized his chance and left also.
    Rattenhuber was waiting for him in the corridor. 'And now we've got that out of the way, I'll see Ritter,' the Reichsleiter said. 'Bring him to me, Willi.'
    When Rattenhuber ushered Ritter into the office, there was a particularly intensive bombardment taking place. The Reichsleiter looked up as smoke and dust drifted from the ventilator. 'If that hadn't been happening for some days now, I'd be alarmed.'
    'Not pleasant,' Ritter said.
    'No place to be at the moment - Berlin - if it can be avoided.'
    Rattenhuber took up his position beside the door. There was a long silence during which Bormann gazed up at the young SS officer calmly. Finally he said, 'You would like to leave Berlin, Sturmbannfuhrer?'
    Ritter actually smiled. 'I think you may say that I would dearly love to, Reichsleiter, but I would not have thought it a possibility now.'
    'Oh, all things are possible to men who are willing to dare anything. I had formed the opinion that you were of that breed. Am I right?'
    'If you say