The engineers got to work on connecting this new electrical city together, a group of twenty men worked for six hours straight, for three days but the project was still not ready, Kammler’s patience was wearing thin.
The ex-SS member walked up to the men as they were having lunch, “Get back to work you useless fools.” He shouted, arms gesticulating wildly.
The sight of the old man in a fit of rage amused the engineers and they started laughing, which only made Kammler worse.
“Look old man, don’t have a heart attack, we will get it done.”
That was the last straw, Kammler pulled a Luger P08 pistol from behind his back and pointed it squarely at the senior engineer.
“Woah calm down buddy…”
Hans Amtmann had seen what was happening, he walked over to talk Kammler out of it, “Hans what are you doing!?…”
“Shut up, both of you.” Kammlers eyes narrowed as he focused on the engineer, “I’m going to give you two choices, I can blow your brains out and make your wife a widow or…” Kammler slowly took one hand off of his pistol and took out a small tube with red and yellow packaging and held it out in his open hand.
“Or you and your lazy, pathetic excuse for a team can take a couple of these pep pills but I expect you to work until it is finished.”
The engineer did not say a word.
Amtmann recognized the packaging straight away. “Where the hell did you get Perviatin from?”
Kammler smiled, “The men in black gave it to me, they have instructed me to get this project moving and that is exactly what I am going to do.”
The engineer could not take his eyes off of the gun, “Look pal, I am not taking an unknown pill from a crazy old man with a gun.”
“Fine with me.” Kammler grinned.
“Hans NO!” Amtmann shouted but it was too late.
Kammler squeezed the trigger and a single shot rang out. The engineer fell where he stood, his sandwich hit the floor at the same time as his lifeless body, blood trickled from a single bullet wound to the head. His lifeless eyes stared blankly at the wall.
The whole hanger was stunned, the other workmen did not know what to do for a second, they all got to their feet and considered rushing the crazy old man. That thought was quickly wiped from their heads.
Two men in black appeared out of nowhere and stood behind the former SS General, they shook their heads before speaking in unison.
“I see you men have been making life difficult for your project manager. Please can you rectify this straight away by taking the pill, it will help you work without the need to rest.”
The engineers felt dazed, one by one they stumbled forward and took two pills. Pervitin is a methamphetamine and soon the worker’s brains were releasing dopamine and serotonin.
Two of the engineers were instructed to remove their colleague’s body, he was buried in an unmarked grave under the concrete, and the hole was quickly covered.
The engineers kept working for the next three days straight, they did not sleep and they barely ate. They only stopped for some water and a couple more pep pills. At the end of the third day, Die Glocke was wired up and ready to be tested.
Kammler was pleased.
Disturbance in the air
Gerhard Schwesinger stood at the control panel, he watched the readouts intently.
“Ok Amtmann, turn up the power ever so slightly.”
Amtmann nodded and pushed the level up carefully. The power surged through the wires into the large device. Xerum 525 slowly trickled into the clear cylinders.
Kammler’s foot tapped impatiently, “Is this it?”
“Just wait Hans, we need to do this carefully. We don’t want another blowout if we damage the transformers that will set us back even further.”
Kammler growled but he knew Gerhard was right.
Amtmann increased the power another couple of notches, then observed the effect.
“Power holding steady at 45%.”
The transparent cylinders began to rotate slowly.
“Look they’re counter rotating. But why would they be doing that?”
“No idea Hans, just keep making notes. Is the video still working?”
Amtmann nodded.
“Increase the power to 50%,” Schwesinger ordered.
Electricity began to flow all over the object, it began to wash across the metal surfaces and as the cylinders rotated faster it started to form a vortex of energy. The air inside the confined area began to crackle as an electrical storm gathered in the immediate vicinity around the device.
Kammler’s interest was peaked, he could not wait any longer, he pushed Amtmann out of the way and pushed the lever to full power.
“You fool, what are you doing, this needs to be done scientifically so we don’t kill everybody in here!” Schwesinger shouted as he moved towards Kammler.
Kammler pulled out his pistol and aimed it squarely at the scientists head. “Shut up and mind your own business.” He growled.
The counter-rotating tubes quickly filled with a stream of red mercury as they span quicker and quicker. Power surged from the transformers along the wires and across the device. A web of blue, white lightning spread its jagged fingers all across the smooth metallic surface of the bell.
Loud cracks and bangs crashed all over the room, sparks began to fly from several of the transformers.
“Shut it down Kammler, I’m begging you! Otherwise, all of our hard work will be in destroyed.” Amtmann screamed.
Kammler ignored him and watched as the brilliant blue lightning was caught in the powerful vortex created by the device. The power levels started to fluctuate dangerously, smoke rose from multiple failing transformers.
The device rocked slowly from side to side as a luminous purple glow began to emanate from inside the metal clad coating. The lightning turned from a light blue into a dark purple as the device shook more and more violently. The metal coating started to crack and pieces of the ceramic tiles crumbled off and floated skywards.
Suddenly a domino effect of loud explosions rocked the room. The power level dipped and the electrically charged air slowly dissipates. Four transformers in a line had blown and the electrical charge can no longer be sustained.
“Damn it Kammler!” Amtmann said as he pushed him away from the control panel, you have blown the transformers. It will take us days to repair them. God knows what damage you have caused to the device.”
Kammler did not respond but instead, he watched as the electrical storm cleared the device.
Amtmann hit the emergency power cut off switch and the electricity was immediately cut off from the device, the cables were cast clear and flapped aggressively in the weakening vortex.
The power faded away but something was different, the transparent tubes were filled to the brim with red mercury and they were still rotating. The device pulsed purple, slowly at first but it began to pick up intensity.
“What the hell is going on, this isn’t possible!” Schwesinger shouted.
Kammler began to cackle, “Finally, this is it!”
The device flashed a luminous purple then without warning levitated straight up eight feet into the air. It pulsed faster and faster, the metal coating was shredded into pieces and exploded off in every direction. Large pieces embedded in the protective glass screen and were stuck there; impaled in the cracking glass.
A large explosion rocked the room as the roof caved in; the device flew straight up through the metallic roof of hanger 27 and floated in the air for a second. It fired a huge electronic pulse from its core that lite up the sky in a mesmerizing indigo hue, which blocked out the night’s sky for a brief moment.