Ewa left Fesel’s office and went to her tiny office that was 70 percent shelves, 20 percent table, and the rest of the space was to move around in. While her official job under Fesel was listed as research, she and Fesel knew her real job was to manipulate Krafft.
Fesel had told her during their interview he was looking for the right girl to do a psychological profile on a very important person who will be involved in their project.
“I need a woman who has some training in psychology.” Fesel said to Ewa when she entered the room for the interview. She had studied psychology in high school and her first two years of college – but had to quit when her father died, which cut her financial support.
“I have experience in this field, Herr Doctor.”
Fesel could sense the eagerness in her voice was sincere.
“But this is a very unusual assignment and I will need a very unusual girl.”
Not knowing how to response to this comment, Ewa remained silent; but the eagerness remained in her eyes.
“You see, I will have a very famous person working here, one who is brilliant…”
Ewa began to breath in very slowly at the thought.
“…but one who is unstable, and to make matters worse, is having trouble with his wife.” Fesel lied.
Ewa remained silent, but attentive.
“I need someone who can observe him, and keep me informed of his psychological state. I also need to have him feel loved… and I need plenty of warning in case it looks like he is going to snap. Can you handle such an assignment?”
Ewa nodded and gave a powerful, “Yes!” This certainly sounded more interesting than delivering and picking up plates of spaghetti and lasagna – plus it paid three times more.
“You must swear not one word will ever be said on anything we speak of, or that you will do from this time on.”
“Yes, Herr Doctor.”
“I want it clear, by accepting this job you must be willing to do things I tell you immediately… things that might seem strange, or may not make sense to you.”
“Yes, Herr Doctor.”
Ewa wanted this job for many reasons. She could return to finish school. She could better support her mother and three sisters, all who were also hurt by the death of her father.
“Congratulations, Ewa, I think you are the woman I am looking for. Now here is the file on your subject, Karl Ernst Krafft.
Manfred von Hoogerwoerd had taught his son well in the way and use of power, and how to maneuver around governments and bureaucracy. He also taught his son the main advantage their ‘empire’ had over the ones that came and went:
Governments are constantly concerned with controlling their populations to maintain power – the Hoogerwoerd family only has to control a few key decisions within those governments to maintain our control over them. It is far more economical to control decisions of decision makers than what it takes to control people.
“Something serious?”
The Count turned around and saw his wife standing in the doorway.
“We will have to go away before all of this starts.”
“The Nazis?”
“Yes, Hitler had set the plans for their push west into France, which will be soon and from what I’ve seen, should be successful.”
“Oh god…” The Countess looked down. “…and our home in Paris?
“I don’t know.”
The Countess thought about the other places in France they owned and enjoyed; the Normandy farm homes, the wine estates in Bordeaux, and the villa on the Riviera. The Count could see his wife was becoming distressed.
“Were would you like to go, my dear?”
Ellena von Hoogerwoerd had already thought about this question many times and had come up with two possibilities.
“America…” She answered. “…or…”
The Count smiled as he poured a glass of scotch. He had many friends in America, the Rockefellers and Vanderbilt families of course, but her mentioning the land of opportunity reminded him of two new business partners there he had unfinished oil & banking business with one Prescott Bush and a Mr. Herbert Walker. Both Americans would be instrumental in getting Germany’s steel magnate Fritz Thyssen’s billions in gold out of Germany. It was his American shell game. Bush and Walker lent millions of paper dollars to assist the Nazis take power. The Nazis take over Germany. Both Americans get paid back in real gold from the Third Reich’s newly plundered national treasury via Thyssen’s steel interests. The gold appears as steel and oil exports in the UBC Bank books that Prescott Bush and Herbert Walker launder through their Brown Brothers Harriman Company. (This would continue even after America enters the war.)
Even before the war began the Count already had plans on how to move his wealth around when it was over – and it didn’t matter which side won – his money would be in the right time and the right place since he financed both sides.
“…or the Islands.” The “islands” being the Dutch East Indies, where the von Hoogerwoerds held substantial holdings and had their second honeymoon.”
“I’m afraid the islands may not be a safe place in the near future either, my dear.”
Ellena’s mouth dropped in disbelief as she took the glass her husband handed her. Even though she was not interested in her husband’s political intrigue or military matters, it was common knowledge the Germany Navy could not even closely match the English fleet in home waters, let alone in the Pacific.
“What, the war will reach Asia…?”
“The Japanese have been sending agents to every oil production plant in the Dutch East Indies, it will be only a matter of time before their armies follow.” The Count correctly predicted. “Where in America would you like to go?” He said after taking a long sip of his drink.
“Where would you like…?” She returned, while putting her empty glass down on the marble table.
Despite all their troubles, past and present, despite all the things they have spitefully done to one another, there was a spark of true care each one had for the other. Whether this was love, neither of them knew for neither of them believed in love. There had been many other outside affairs between both of them, and each understood there would be more in the future. The fact had been accepted long ago and was not even an issue in their relationship – as long as such flings were done discretely.
Sometimes tragedy forms a bond just as strong as love, and another tragedy was looming in theirs, and the rest of the world’s, future. Adding to some of the tragedies they have already escaped: a food riot in Rumania, personal depression, a world wide economic depression, an airplane crash in France, the first World War, and the communist take-over in Russia (which lost all their holdings in Moscow). In what is now the Soviet Union, they almost lost their lives having such strong connections to the murdered Czar when the Bolsheviks took over.
“How about Chicago…?”
Krafft arrived twenty minutes early to the Dark Fire project building, partly out of his eagerness to go though the material as he was only able to glance at it during his first visit, and partly in the hopes of seeing Ewa Mann without others around. Her note requesting they talk alone and the desire burning inside of him to do so had already changed his behavior. He still had her note with him. He dared not leave it in the hotel room should Elaine find it, yet he could not find it within himself to throw it away. Fesel would be pleased, his plan was indeed working.