“Good morning, Karl Ernst!”
Krafft turned and saw a smiling Dr. Fesel approaching him.
“Good morning, Heinrich.” Krafft remembered to use Fesel’s first name, as requested.
“Would you like some coffee before we start?”
“No, thank-you, I’d rather get started right away. I’m eager to see what other manuscripts you have… I was impressed with the pieces I saw last time.”
“Excellent… excellent!” Fesel was pleased with Krafft’s attitude.
As they walked down the huge rolls of shelves filled with ancient books and scrolls, Fesel asked without turning around: “How was your week-end retreat at Frau Ney’s?”
“Rather… interesting, really.” Actually Krafft had no idea how to describe what he and Elaine had been through.
Halfway down the building Fesel turned into a break in the shelving leading to a small office, which appeared to be a workstation for two people. Krafft followed him in.
“Karl Ernst, here is your office.”
Krafft looked around and seemed pleased. He immediately decided which desk and chair he would use, yet stared at the other one.
“And who will be working with me?”
“Well different people at different times. Lucht will be here today around 11:00 this morning for one or two things, and I believe Frau Mann will have a few things to finish up here later in the afternoon. Fesel noticed Krafft’s reaction at the mention of Ewa Mann – a widening of the eyes and a deeper breath. Good, Fesel thought to himself, Ewa Mann is already producing the desired affect.
On the wall was a large map of western Germany, eastern France and the Low Countries Holland and Belgian. The map was covered with military symbols. Fesel slid a book on the table towards Krafft.
“This will describe the symbols on the map.” Fesel said while pointing on the map. “On the table over there you will find all of the Nostradamus texts we could find that mention these areas in question.”
Fesel was now under the map pointing at a circled area in southeastern France that had seven large red triangles.
“These are French divisions that will be our area of responsibility.”
“Our responsibility?” Krafft questioned, the Swiss astrologer thought he was there to manipulate minds, not actual military units.
“Correct. Your job is to go through all of the texts set aside and find or alter any that will suggest these areas will be the safest place for civilians, farmers and their property when hostilities break out.”
Krafft had a question racing in his mind, but he did not ask it. A gut feeling told him now was not the time to ask anything. He understood what he had to do, but he didn’t understand why – this bothered him. Knowing why had always been an important key in how he would do any of his astrological work.
“Any questions?” Fesel appeared to have read Krafft’s mind.
Karl Ernst Krafft went against his own intuition. “Actually, several questions.”
Fesel’s face turned red and his mood suddenly became hostile.
“You understand we have already found all the passages that fit our needs relating to this area?”
“Yes.”
“You understand your job is to create interpretations showing these areas as being the safest place for the French peasants according to your Nostradamus texts?”
Krafft became angry at the questions being repeated to him in a belittling tone.
“Yes.”
Fesel could see he had pressed Krafft enough. His tone returned more cordial.
“I am in the difficult position. Organizing top-secret information and distributing it to various people and keep it secret is difficult. If you see what my responsibilities are in this project, you would understand.”
There was a silence between both men.
“If you will excuse me then…” Fesel bowed slightly as if to show respect and then walked off.
Krafft began reading the nearest set of text, which he was already familiar with, and then placed it on what two hours later would be a pile that represented the Nostradamus writings already read. Finally he came across one he was not familiar and torn out of the French brochure “Rossier”. As he began reading, Georg Lucht walked in.
“Georg!”
Georg said nothing, only bowed his head.
Karl Ernst recalled the tension with Fesel at their last meeting. He checked the hall outside the doorway. “What is going on here?”
“Our work for the Third Reich,” Lucht said sarcastically, pointing at the brochure Krafft had in his hands. “is not what it seems.”
Chapter 12 – The Number
The coffee shop was filled with laughter and smoke. Von Wohl was sitting with his back against the wall so he could see everyone in the room. His ego swelled when nearly everyone who entered did a double take at him with a table full of beautiful seated around him. Of all his clients, these four were the most beautiful – and all were recently divorced.
“Another joke, Ludwig, please!” The blonde who looked similar to Marlene Dietrich from a profile view shouted, even though she was seated closest to him.
“Yes, another!” Echoed Coco, who had been with von Wohl on many nights.
“Well… how could I, or any man for that matter, refuse the request of such beautiful company?” Von Wohl said proudly. His mind raced for a witz he had not yet told the group.
“Hmmmm… ah yes, here’s one!”
All of the women shifted in their seats, as if to prepare for listening and to better brace themselves for the next round of laughter.
“This one is called Adam and Eve. Have you heard this one before?”
All four heads shook ‘no’. Several people in the tables surrounding von Wohl’s table shook their heads as well, signaling von Wohl others wanted to hear this as well.
“Very well…” Von Wohl cleared his throat. “A Brit, a Frenchman, and a Russian are in a museum viewing a painting of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. ‘Look at their reserve, their calm…’ muses the Brit. ‘They must be British’”.
“‘Nonsense…’ the Frenchman disagrees, ‘They’re naked, and so beautiful, clearly they are French!’ ”
“‘No clothes, no shelter,’ begins the Russian, ‘nothing to eat but an apple and they’re being told their in paradise? No, they are Russian.’”
The joke won the applause and approval of his table and the ones surrounding him who were listening in.
“And now ladies if you will excuse me, I must be going. There is a desperate family waiting for me, and I must look into the stars to save their family business.” Von Wohl lied.
It was custom of von Wohl to make his exit before any of the ladies decided to go for two reasons: (1.) He did not want to be the one making the decision as to which one he would escort home since all four – being his lovers and clients – would expect to be the one, and (2.) Saying he had to ‘work’ made it appear he was successful, and the mention in this setting also worked as a business “calling” card for his business.
If it were socially acceptable to society and each woman there, he would love to take all four home, which was the constant fantasy he held in his mind.