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Pov of Counterintelligence Officer
20-March-1921
The sound of leather straps echoed inside the dark room, where a single light bulb slowly swayed from one side to the other while my men held down my most recent prey.
And it was not just any prey.
It was the most elusive prey in the world, the hardest to capture, the greatest predator to walk the earth.
The human being.
I walked slowly around the nervous man, who breathed in short gasps while watching us move around him.
He had been worthy prey.
Intelligent, reserved, skilled and with enough eloquence to confuse many.
But patience was something I possessed in much greater quantity than he did.
Because it had not taken him too long to begin compromising his own cover by trying to do his work too quickly.
The most amusing part of that hunt was that he had been aware that something was watching him.
He often stopped to search for movement among the shadows of the woods and reacted immediately to any noise. Like a hunted deer, a simple broken branch was enough to put him in a complete state of alert.
But even with all those instincts, that man lacked patience.
After repeating the same suspicious behavior for several days, we had finally caught him red-handed.
''This is a mistake. I am innocent'' he said while watching as more straps surrounded his body and left him firmly tied to the chair.
''Ah, yes… innocent, eh?'' I replied while placing a table in front of him. ''It is curious that you claim the privilege of innocence. But you will understand that I find it rather suspicious that we repeatedly found you near one of the Luftwaffe's research facilities. And this was not exactly the first time.''
I began placing several photographs on the table, taken by me and by some of my subordinates.
''Eh… I liked walking through the woods. That is not illegal'' the Briton replied while watching me carefully.
''Ah… how interesting'' I said in a calm voice.
I took a few steps around him, letting the soles of my boots echo against the floor.
''But you, sir, were carrying a camera. And, according to your own story, you were a poor English farmer with barely any money. So perhaps you can explain to me how you obtained not a simple camera, but a model that, according to our engineers, is quite advanced and surprisingly compact.''
I positioned myself behind him, took out the camera and finally left it on the table.
''I bought it before coming here'' the Briton replied.
He looked at that device as if he had just seen a ghost.
I snapped my fingers and one of my subordinates brought over a chair. I sat in front of the immobilized Briton and remained watching him for a few seconds.
''I find your story far too prepared, to be honest. You like the woods and enjoy walking through them, but curiously you always end up near Luftwaffe research facilities. You also carry a camera and, even more curiously, we have photographs of our aircraft.''
I slowly shook my head.
''Tsh, tsh, tsh… I fear all of that leads me to believe that you are a spy, my good Briton.''
I smiled slightly while studying his reaction upon discovering that we had recovered the images from the camera he had tried to destroy.
The Briton closed his eyes and swallowed.
''I do not want to hurt you. That would only stain our little duel of wits with blood. I would prefer that we simply end all this right now. But I need the truth'' I said while clasping my hands in front of me.
I leaned slightly toward him.
''I need you to say: "Yes, I am a British spy sent by His Majesty's Government." If you do that, I promise no one will touch a hair on your head until you are brought before a court.''
''I cannot say that'' the Briton replied.
''You will understand that I need that confession… willingly or otherwise'' I said while snapping my fingers again.
One of my men then placed a large leather case full of tools on the table.
''You already have everything you need. You can say whatever you want about me. Why do you need me to say it myself?'' the Briton asked as he began to hyperventilate again.
''Because it looks better in the report if you are a confessed spy'' I replied calmly.
I slowly passed one hand over the case.
''And because I need to close the circle. I need to know that I won. That I was better than you. More patient. More disciplined.''
I looked directly into his eyes again.
''You only have to admit it and we will not have to find out how far your resistance goes.''
''I cannot say that because I am not a spy'' the Briton said while trying to shake his head.
''Constipated with words, from what I see. Let us see how constipated you remain when I use this'' I said while operating the pear of anguish to show him how it worked. ''And with its splash guard to keep you from ruining my clothes'' I added while showing him the instrument.
The Briton simply remained there, closing his eyes without saying much else.
''Well, you are not a man of many words. Something lighter, then… What if we begin by tearing out your nails one by one?'' I said while taking some pincers and rising from the chair.
I placed the tip of the pincers around the nail of his little finger.
''Come on… you only have to say those words. Do not stain with blood something that could be so easy. Just say you are a spy and that is all'' I said while watching the Briton, who stared back at me.
''I cannot'' he simply replied.
''You asked for it'' I said while gripping his nail with the pincers.
Before I could continue, someone entered the room.
''They are looking for you'' said a voice behind me.
''What could be more important than this? I have work to finish'' I replied while turning around to look at the man who had just interrupted me.
''Order from the Herzog himself. I suppose that will be important enough for you'' the man replied.
''Ah… well, that changes things'' I said while straightening up and lightly cleaning my leather coat. ''Make sure you finish the job… Shit, I wanted to hear it from his own lips. I wanted him to admit that I won'' I added with obvious annoyance while leaving the pincers on the table.
I followed the man who had come to fetch me.
As soon as we closed the door and began walking down the corridor, I heard an agonized scream coming from the room.
''A pity to have to stain such an honorable combat with blood'' I said while slowly shaking my head.
Without saying anything else, we left the interrogation area of our barracks.
I climbed onto a motorcycle and it did not take us long to head toward Riga. For approximately an hour we traveled along the roads while I carefully observed the fields and every detail that passed before my eyes, searching almost by instinct for anything that might entertain me.
Although, naturally, there was no time to carry out a rigorous investigation that would allow me to discover some new enemy spy.
Finally, we arrived at Riga Palace.
After the long journey, I was quickly led to where the Herzog was.
The boss of bosses.
The man who had given me that wonderful job in which I could face, every day, true hunts against some of the best-trained humans our rivals could gather.
The door to the Herzog's office opened and there I saw a group gathered around a map.
My eyes immediately focused on it and it did not take me long to recognize the United States of America. It was a rather detailed map of its constituent States.
''Is this him?'' I heard the Herzog ask.
He looked at me with that inquisitive gaze that made my heart beat with a certain excitement. It was the gaze of a predator and, of course, the Herzog did not lack the reputation to support it.
''Yes. One of our best counterintelligence operatives inside the Duchy. He has caught sixty-three spies during the last three months'' replied my superior from the intelligence department.
''Excuse me for correcting you, but it is sixty-four. We recently caught a British spy with a camera'' I added lightly.
I did not want that to seem like a direct attack against my superior, but I also had no intention of allowing them to ignore my most recent achievement.
''Sixty-four. The fellow has talent and also has a good team accompanying him, so I believe the whole group should travel'' my superior continued while looking at the Herzog.
He remained silent for a few seconds, studying me carefully.
''Good… Max Müller. We have a mission for you'' he finally said.
My eyes moved away from him for an instant and returned to the map.
''We already have the necessary funds to begin an operation intended to destabilize the Americans and we need an important piece for our plan. We intend to create a network capable of wearing them down from within''.
The Herzog clasped his hands and rested his chin on them.
''At present, there is already a principal officer responsible for the mission. He has orders to establish networks capable of exploiting American Prohibition. The intention is to exploit the problems created by that prohibition and strengthen the criminal organizations that are already appearing. Under exceptional circumstances, those same networks may become part of the criminal structure we intend to use to increase the Americans' internal problems''.
He continued staring at me.
''They will also have authorization to recruit collaborators who provide information and to expand the cells when necessary''.
''Forgive my frankness, mein Herzog, but my skill lies in finding traitors and spies. Not precisely in… convincing people to do things for us'' I replied while placing a hand on my chest, trying to express my objection without seeming as if I were contradicting him.
''Yes, I know. That will not be your main function'' the Herzog replied immediately. ''Your work will be to ensure that the men we send remain loyal and to detect any compromised element within our own structure''.
He made a small pause.
''And, if a network becomes compromised, you will have to make sure it cannot lead back to us. I suppose you understand what I mean: taking care of loose ends, identifying traitors and removing from the operation any source that ceases to be reliable. In extreme situations, you will have to make sure nothing can prove that all of this comes from us''.
A smile slowly began to appear on my face.
''Ah… that I can do, mein Herzog'' I replied with a wide smile.
''Good. In any case, your budget will be low during the first year. You will understand that, since the network is only beginning to form, there will still not be too much to investigate. But I need you on the ground evaluating the decisions of the members of the other intelligence offices, who will divide their respective tasks'' the Herzog said while pointing to different points on the map.
''If possible, we want the United States to end up facing an enormous social problem caused by the illegal consumption of alcohol. We must take advantage of the fact that Prohibition is extremely unpopular among the classes from whom alcohol has been taken and use that discontent to reduce the population's trust in its own institutions''.
The Herzog moved one of his fingers across the map until stopping it on the eastern coast of the United States.
''So you will depart today. A ship will first travel to the British Isles. There you will assume one of the numerous British identities we have obtained and, officially, you will simply be a man who returned home. Afterward, you will embark for the United States and disembark at the port of New York using that false identity. Your men will do exactly the same''.
His finger then moved inland.
''I want you to establish your network in Chicago. A good part of our agents will be concentrated there and your responsibility will be to ensure that there are no failures within the structure''.
''It shall be done, mein Herzog. I will make sure that anyone who betrays us ends up captured or eliminated'' I replied while nodding.
''Good. Do not waste time. To begin with, you will only receive a quarter of a million pounds sterling and another quarter of a million dollars. That money will serve to finance your operations, secure lodging and establish a proper cover''.
The Herzog looked at me for a few seconds.
''I know this is not exactly your field, but try to blend into society. Use your English identity and, when convenient, create some American identity you can use with greater freedom. According to the reports I have received, your English is quite good''.
''Very well, mein Herzog. I will do so. I will gather my men and we will fulfill our task'' I replied while slightly lowering my head.
With the Herzog's permission, I left the office.
It did not take me long to contact my subordinates by telegraph to order them to gather our things and, in passing, I received the good news about our prisoner.
The spy had finally confessed, they had had to tear out seven of his nails and break five of his fingers before achieving it.
A true shame.
I never liked having to resort to pain to achieve victory. It completely ruined the elegance of a good hunt. But what else could be done when a spy was determined to continue lying until the end only to avoid making his State look bad?
In any case, it was evident that the British had agents inside the Duchy.
It would have been almost offensive if they did not.
So I could not blame them too much for trying.
Once my men arrived with our belongings, we began gathering all the equipment necessary to pass ourselves off as British peasants and workers.
Our journey would begin aboard a merchant ship transporting fertilizer to the British Isles.
From there, we would obtain passage on another ship.
Our final destination would be New York
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