“How long have you held this position, without advancing?” Wayne turned to look at him pointedly.
“We are searching for a spy, not discussing military matters.” Leutnant Mohr fidgeted uncomfortably.
“Lieutenant.” Wayne used his most authoritative tone of voice and tried to think like one of the German military men. “I want to know if that spy is gaining information of value-how fresh it is, or how old. It bears directly on our purpose. Now answer my question.”
“Well-the front moved slowly during the fall. The camp doesn’t move as often, of course. We advance the camp after the front is secure.”
Wayne looked around again. He could see the German tanks lined up in rows, sitting cold, with looked to him as if it was freezing in place.
“Have you received any orders about advancing?” Ishihara asked.
“We have been told we will spend the winter in Moscow,” Leutnant Mohr said cautiously. His young face looked unsure as he glanced toward the empty horizon again.
Wayne caught Ishihara’s glance and understood the point behind his question. They had come here because Wayne had expected MC 4 to attempt stopping the German advance. Wayne considered it a likely imperative under the First Law. However, if the German offensive had already stalled, then MC 4 had no need to influence them.
MC 4 might not be here at all.
9
Late in the afternoon, Wayne decided to let Leutnant Mohr off the hook for a while and requested that he and Ishihara take a rest. Leutnant Mohr left them in his own tent, with a firm suggestion that they remain there while he tended to his other duties. Wayne saw that he posted a couple of guards outside the tent as he left.
Wayne moved close to Ishihara and spoke quietly.
“We aren’t accomplishing much here.”
“I agree,” said Ishihara.
“Do you have any ideas?”
“I have some information.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I have been monitoring the German radio communications continuously.”
“What did you find out?”
“From the communications among middle-rank and senior officers coordinating their daily routines, I have learned that Panzer Group 3 is in fact blocked on its way to Moscow by the Soviet Red Army.”
“Didn’t we already assume that? Or is it a military secret or something?”
“It is not a secret,” said Ishihara. “The German officers have referred to it repeatedly. However, until now, I surmised that perhaps the German army had stopped from exhaustion.”
Wayne shrugged. “Did you learn anything else?”
“Yes. I overheard a couple of officers in effect saying that General Alfried Jodi has forbidden the collection and disbursement of winter clothing to German soldiers.” Ishihara looked at Wayne carefully. “This information puzzles me. It also disturbs me under the First Law.”
“That sounds weird to me, too. Why would he do that? Do you know?”
“According to the officers whom I overheard, this general fears that providing winter clothing to their soldiers would cast doubt on his guarantee that they will take Moscow before the onset of winter and spend the season safely in the city.”
“You mean he’s leaving them in the cold so they’ll be more confident of taking Moscow soon?”
“That seems to be their belief, yes.”
“That’s why they’re all freezing? Not because the German command can’t get the winter clothes-because they refuse to?”
“Yes. That is a critical reason that the German soldiers are suffering so much from the weather.”
Wayne nodded slowly. “Did you overhear anything else important?”
“No.” Ishihara lowered his voice even more. “I cannot stop thinking about the harm being done to all these men. They should all simply go home. Then no more war would take place on this front.”
“Even if they did, the Russians would chase them, wouldn’t they? And keep fighting.”
“Yes, that is what happened. As I access what limited history I have, I see also that the Nazi government is very cruel and oppressive, and that this mind-set has influenced many soldiers. The leadership is very destructive and survives on terror.”
“Not every soldier can be like that,” said Wayne. “Most of them must be ordinary people.”
“These individuals are emotionally broken past the point of taking their own initiative. The higher ranks keep their lives and positions by cooperating-following orders, no matter what they are. So do their subordinates.”
“What are we going to do?”
“I do not have precise details about this particular site in the war,” said Ishihara. “However, from the condition of the German army, I believe that the military initiative lies with the Soviet army.”
“Then you think we should go to the other side to look for MC 4?”
“Quite possibly. If he reaches the same conclusion, then he might try to stop the battle by interfering with the Soviet side in some way.”
“Okay,” said Wayne thoughtfully. “But how do we get across the front to the other side-without both sides shooting at us?”
“I propose that we continue our charade,” said Ishihara. “As agents in pursuit of an enemy spy.”
“How so?”
“We could offer to infiltrate the enemy. If we suggest, for instance, that MC 4 has already returned to the enemy to brief them on the information he has gathered, then it would be natural for us to follow him.”
“I see. Maybe the Germans would help us get across, at least part of the way.”
“We must be careful in presenting this idea to our hosts,” said Ishihara.
“Yeah, you’re right about that,” said Wayne. “These Nazis are still suspicious of us.”
“We cannot allow them to doubt us any more than they do already.”
“How do you want to handle this?”
“I suggest we drop hints,” said Ishihara. “Our best opportunity may lie in inducing our hosts to make this suggestion.”
“All right,” said Wayne. “Let’s get our story straight before Mohr comes back.”
“We are too late,” said Ishihara. “I hear his footsteps coming now.”
Before Wayne could reply, he heard the footsteps too. Leutnant Mohr threw back the flap of the tent. Cold wind blew inside as he stooped to enter.
“It never gets any warmer,” said Leutnant Mohr.
“That’s true,” said Wayne. “But we’ve been talking about our mission.”
Leutnant Mohr sat down, wrapping his arms around himself. “It is good to get out of the wind.”
Wayne nodded. He felt that Leutnant Mohr seemed uncomfortable with the informality. For a moment, no one spoke.
“Our spy may already have left the area,” said Ishihara, in a calm, unconcerned tone.
“Yes?” Leutnant Mohr fumbled ostentatiously at his shirt pockets for a moment, then sighed. “Do either of you have a cigarette, by any chance?”