Free Einstein Must Die! (Fate of Nations Book 1) by Chris Kohout Page B

macabre situation.”
    The colonel stared down at the table. A hint of a scowl appeared on his lips, then disappeared. “My sister was close with that magician, Houdini. Before he died, he was worried all sorts of charlatans would come to his wife, pretending to be in contact with him from beyond the grave. So they arranged a secret phrase. If anyone came to her and used that phrase, she’d know her husband really was there, talking to her.”
    “Clever. I’m sure given his fame, the con men must have come out of the woodwork.”
    “They did. My sister said dozens came to Houdini’s widow, all claiming to speak for her dead husband. But not one of them said the phrase. They were liars, just after free publicity. After a few years, she made the secret public and said she was done looking for ghosts.”
    “What was the phrase?”
    “‘Rosabelle, believe.’ From a play they both enjoyed, I think.”
    The men both grew silent. The talk of death had brought the mood down, and despite the raucous environment around them, they sat brooding on the heavy subject.
    Tesla sensed the spark go out of their evening and felt responsible for it. If this man was to die soon, he shouldn’t have to spend that time poorly.  
    “Your granddaughter is how old?” he asked, hoping to steer the conversation into happier waters.
    “Madelaine?” The colonel’s face lightened, and Tesla knew he’d hit the mark. “She’s twelve. A very precocious twelve. Her mother’s girl, for sure. She’s at the lab pretty often, so I’m sure you’ll meet her.”
    The colonel sat back in his chair. “Assuming you take the job, of course.”  
    Tesla felt the spotlight intensity of the unasked question. “Your confidence in me is extremely gratifying, Colonel. It really is. But the weight of the thing… you are putting your life in my hands, as it were. I am completely unaccustomed to such a thing.” Tesla realized the irony was that his father, as a parish priest, would be better suited to such mortal issues.  
    “Nikola, despite my chosen profession, death scares the hell out of me. But since the reaper isn’t under my chain of command, I figure I better maximize the benefit while I can. And my gut is telling me you’re the man we need.”
    Tesla gulped the last of his whiskey. “I wish we had met under better circumstances, Colonel. I like you.”
    “Me too, son. Me too.”

TAKING SHUNT CONTROL

    ELSTREE, ENGLAND

    “So we’re blowing the whole ship with that?” asked Eliza.
    Lucas indicated the ship around them. “This ship is filled with hydrogen. Once we start it off, those gas cells will do the rest.”
    “And the best place to do that?” asked Morgan.
    “The boys in Washington say we want the lower corridor, room twelve. It’s far aft, directly below the petrol tanks. From there the hydrogen lights up like a match.”
    Morgan checked the time. “We’ve got a little over an hour before this beast flies.”
    Lucas gathered up the box and checked the corridor. “We better get on it then.”
    The three headed aft, each carrying a load of cargo as before. They found the third ladder gangway and carefully made their way down to the lower corridor.  
    Looking about to gain their bearings, Lucas thought back to the blueprints they’d memorized. He pointed. “This way, about two hundred feet.” They nodded agreement and followed him.  
    There were more workers and crew on this level, and they frequently had to turn sideways to pass them in the narrow corridor.  
    Lucas passed an open bulkhead, then stopped and went back to look again. He felt Morgan and Eliza join him, looking over his shoulder. The room inside was large, with black steel racks suspended above a hinged double door in the floor.
    “That’s the bomb bay,” Lucas whispered. They nodded silently, each feeling the determination mount.
    Lucas’s hands grew slick with sweat, and he swore the box felt warm to the touch. He wiped his hands on his pants and