Ron Smoak
Alpha Threat
For my wife, Lee
And my Granddaughter Elise
Acknowledgements
When one writes their first book, the number of acknowledgments may span many years. In my case it goes back to Northwood Junior High School in Greenville, SC.
Thanks to Mrs. Miriam O’Dell, my 7th grade American History teacher who required us to write term papers in class without notes; she taught me so much about retaining knowledge and writing even though she was not an English teacher. I will never forget her.
Thanks to all of the people throughout my life that told me I should write a book; it only took forty or more years to follow their suggestions.
Thanks to my family and neighbors; who were sick and tired of hearing about my characters and plots.
Thanks to Sherry Ruschell; she kept me writing by always providing the needed editing and support.
Thanks to Guido Broder; he helped me with the German phrases.
And last but not least, a huge thank you to my wonderful wife, Lee. She pushed me when I needed pushing and added immeasurable support for my crazy idea of becoming an author.
A single twig breaks, but the bundle of twigs is strong.
Preface
When World War I ended on November 11, 1918, Germany was in shambles. The economy was wrecked and inflation soared. The German people suffered immensely during the years between 1919 and the early 1920’s. The common German yearned for relief. This feeling of despair led to the rise of a nationalistic spirit nurtured by the far-right racist nationalist movement led by Anton Drexler and later by Adolph Hitler.
The movement was first devised to move workers away from communist groups to a nationalist workers party. It later became the major political party in Germany. Thus the NDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, commonly known as the German Nazi Party came into existence. When President Paul Von Hindenburg appointed Adolph Hitler Chancellor of Germany in 1933, the Nazi party enabled Hitler to form the Third Reich. This totalitarian regime became known simply as the Nazis. They believed in a pure Aryan race, superior to all others. A sub group to the Nazis, the Sturmabteilung (SA) carried out attacks on all those opposing the Nazis, wreaking havoc across Germany with physical attacks on Jews, communists and inferior races. Nazis became the ugly face of Germany during their move to conquer Europe during World War II.
As the Nazi Party took control in Germany, a security organization was created to keep order both within the party and at meetings. The Schutzstaffel or the SS was formed as a quasi-military organization reporting directly to Adolph Hitler. Originally a volunteer group made up of NDAP/Nazi Party members, this group served the party throughout Germany in late 1929 under Heinrich Himmler, the leader or Reichsführer of the SS. The SS implemented the extermination of the Jews; the “Final Solution” becoming one of the most feared groups in World War II. Their ruthlessness and cruelty became infamous as they tortured and killed approximately twelve million people throughout Europe. As the Second World War worsened, the SS was also pressed into regular military service and became the German Army’s most elite fighting force.
When Nazi Germany was formed, Hitler felt the need for a police-like organization to ferret out anyone or group that opposed the Nazis. In late 1934, Hitler appointed SS Leader Heinrich Himmler the Chief of German Police. Himmler created the Geheime Staatspolizei, the Gestapo — the Secret State Police. The Gestapo became the shadowy, ruthless secret police group that at its pinnacle had over 100,000 spies and informants throughout Europe and the world. Their actions were unquestioned for the most part as they assassinated anti-Nazi supporters and political opponents. Their authority spanned nearly all agencies with particular actions against espionage, sabotage and treason against Germany. They operated above and beyond the judicial system. Famous for literally kidnapping citizens for mere rumor of discontent, the Gestapo became the most feared secret organization in the world.
Close to the war’s end, the SS command saw Germany’s coming defeat and began to organize their escape to South America. They formed ODESSA, an acronym of Organisation der ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen, or the Organization of Former Members of the SS. It is unknown how many Nazis used this group to make their way to South America. Many were captured and prosecuted after the war but hundreds simply disappeared.
These political and military groups were key players in Germany prior to and during World War II. They were directly responsible for some of the most heinous crimes against humanity known to man. This book tells a fictional story that is based on actual historical facts from the war.
Part One
1945
CHAPTER ONE
The gray Citroen 11CV staff car rolled to a stop in a small clearing near the top of the mountain. The forest surrounding the small dirt and gravel road gave the appearance of a long, dark cave. The road ended here, miles from the main road. Two German officers got out of the car, their boots crunching as they stepped on the icy gravel. Both turned to see the six trucks following them, engines growling up the short rise and coming to a halt behind their car. Each of the trucks’ headlights, covered in blackout louvers, cast an eerie light on the ground ahead. A light snow was falling; the tiny flakes twinkling in the weak light from the headlights.
“Turn off those lights!” barked one of the officers. He was ill at ease with so much light. The drivers complied, and the two German officers were left standing in total darkness. It was dark as pitch and freezing.
“Where in the hell are we?” the other officer asked, clearly not happy with their destination. They were in the middle of nowhere.
“One moment, sir,” answered Oberleutnant Maximillian Schneider.
The cold wind blew, swirling around the two men like an icy claw trying to snatch them off of this earth. SS Sturmbahnführer Reinhardt Rauch shuffled his feet, pulling the collar of his heavy leather overcoat up over his ears to avoid the cold wind. He looked around trying to make out anything familiar in the near total darkness. Even though his eyes were adjusting, he was unable to see anything beyond a few feet. He grimaced at the cold.
“Damn this cold. What the hell are we doing here?” Rauch asked the question but expected no answer. His impatience showed. This secret trek was getting more bizarre every moment. He was on a remote mountain road and a dead end at that! A major in the SS should not have to put up with this; especially out in the middle of nowhere. He would have someone’s ass for this impertinence. There was no excuse for this, secret orders or not. A strong gust of wind blew across his face. The silence of the forest was eerie.
Oberleutnant Schneider, standing just to Major Rauch’s left, looked into the darkness, trying to find an answer for his major. Schneider’s orders were clear; bring Major Rauch and these trucks to this location. Beyond that, nothing was revealed. All they found here was darkness. His eyes squinted to protect them from the hundreds of tiny, blowing snowflakes that he felt hitting his face. With the moon obscured by the heavy clouds, he could barely make out the tree limbs several feet above his head, but he could hear them. As the wind slithered through the branches, it caused odd creaking and cracking sounds. Winter was in its waning days throughout most of Germany but not here, not this night.