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THE NET.
A short story of a reluctant hero a soldier like many of his kind
Conscripted into the British Army for his two years
National Service he was posted to
Germany the cold war was in full swing
Although fiction the story is based on an actual encounter
A young service man had with East German agents
His fright remains a stark reminder of just two days
In the1950’s
He stood watching through the window of the cabin for any movement that would herald another attempt to silence him not for the first time did he question himself how the hell had he got into this predicament he allowed his thoughts to drift back to the day it had started it seemed like a lifetime not two weeks ago.
The truck bounced along the rutted track he had delivered his load of petrol filled jerry cans to the squadron of Royal Engineers on the three bridge building sites that latest load of fuel for the patrol vehicles should keep them going for a while three bridges had to be built in double quick time plus a barracks to house personnel that would soon be manning the watch towers that where already almost finished hell the Engineers had been busy since his last delivery of stores.
He was looking forward to a break this was his last trip to the Border area for a while he had seven days leave due when he got back to his unit he would be staying just long enough to get cleaned up get his pass and he would be away seven whole days with Gertrude.
A car approaching him coming from ahead took his thoughts away from the pleasures of Gertrude hell this guy had better be careful or he would hit the truck he pulled over to the side of the track giving the car as much room as possible he watched as the large Black Mercedes bounced past his stationery truck.
As the car past by his cab window he saw it had four occupants and he smiled as he saw on the back window shelf a swinging figure of an ostrich these dolls would normally be gently lowering and raising their long necks to the rhythm of the road surface this one was going like a mad thing.
Reaching for his document wallet he flipped the cover of the Green leather wallet open he wrote down the number of the car this was normal daily Orders whenever an army driver encountered a vehicle from East Germany he was to make a record of make model number plate of the vehicle and how many occupants with descriptions and report it at the first opportunity by telephoning a number the soldier had been given this was how the British army tracked visitors from across the border.
He had restarted his journey but twenty minutes later stopped again he studied the fresh tracks of a car that had cut across an open field from the direction of the border were these the marks left by the East German car that had passed him? He left his truck and walked across the field following the marks left by a car they came from a bunch of trees in the centre of the trees he came across clear evidence that the car that had left the tracks and its occupants had been here for some hours.
He had made his way through the trees to where the car had entered looking across the open landscape he saw the staggered tracks of a car that had been driven through the high grasses of the fields from the direction of the border it was obvious that the car that had made these tracks had been driven in the dead of Night probably without lights to this group of trees the occupants had waited here for daylight and for the time to be safe for them to make their way to the track earlier he had heard an army patrol helicopter buzzing around that had probably delayed the man or men that had driven the car that had made those fresh tracks.
He had retraced his steps back to his truck his thoughts on the car that had almost collided with his vehicle that must have been the car that had crossed the field the tracks would not have aroused any suspicion from the Helicopter crew as all over this landscape were tracks made by Army patrol vehicles the sooner he reported his findings to the army the better.
Soon leaving the rutted track for a surfaced road he made better time and soon came to one of the many small farming villages I hope the pub has a phone he was lucky yes it came across the border in the night he was speaking to an officer who had been called to hear the information first hand after making his report he replaced the receiver of the phone.
His orders had now changed he was to make his way to Wolfsburg the home of the Volkswagen factory he was to meet with an officer there and give a full report and description of the men he had been ordered to mark on a map the exact spot of the car tracks and the group of trees
He would have to stop on the way he was dead tired he had planned to get to Hanover but all this excitement had changed all that he was not to arrive at Wolfsburg until first thing tomorrow morning so would have to stop anyway a sign for Klotze came into view ok that’s where I will stay for the night.
He passed a farmhouse with a low walled yard in front he looked over the wall as he passed hell was that the car he had earlier reported a little way down the road he stopped his truck and made his way back to the farm on foot he had brought a pair of binoculars with him through these he studied the car.
Same make and model car but the number plate was wrong this was registered in the West not East Germany hell I will be seeing ghosts next he smiled to himself then his mirth died as he saw the toy figure of the Ostrich on the rear window shelf this was the same car but why the change in the registration number he decided to stay put and watch the farmhouse for any sign of the men he had seen earlier.
He had made his way into the yard intending to look into one of the windows of the house for sight of the men when suddenly the front door opened with a flood of light two men walked into the yard area he flattened himself against the corner of the small shed hell I hope this is not a dog shed he silently preyed that he would not be spotted as the men made their way over to the car.
Karl you will stay inside the car tonight came orders from a slim tall man he recognised both men as being in the car of that morning’s near miss I do not want to take a chance on anything happening to the explosives and the radios we will be leaving at nine in the morning the orders were issued in German thank God I took the trouble to pick up the bloody lingo the hidden soldier murmured to himself due to the driving he did all over Germany the soldier had soon picked up a working knowledge of German this had improved until he was almost faultless.
The man Karl got into the passenger seat of the car and settled down to a long night the other man who had been called Eido by Karl had returned inside the house after placing a small leather folder-case in the cars trunk hell how am I going to get out of here for any movement by him would be seen by the man sitting in the car.
All the lights in the house had been extinguished two hours back the soldier had not made a move worrying on the problem of escape a faint sound was filtering into his thoughts wow Snores the man in the car was asleep and snoring his head off now is my chance to get out of here he had to pass the car to get to the wall he had climbed over on his entry.
At the car he hesitated maybe he might find something that would give army intelligence a clue as to who and what these men where and what they were doing in the West the snores from within the car were loud and long hell I could drop a bomb on him and he would not wake up its worth a chance to get a look at what’s so important for them to leave a man in the car.
He gently tried opening the trunk of the car hell locked that’s that then but he remembered that earlier the man had turned on the cars radio listening to music he eased around to the drivers side of the car looking into the open car window he saw the keys in the ignition he reached in and took the keys back at the rear of the car he opened the trunk.
The large space inside the trunk was filled with boxes and packages with the small leather case on top of the contents of the trunk the briefcase was the type with no locks made to hold folders of paper inside was sheaf’s of papers bound with ribbon he was about to close and return the case when he saw in a small pocket a small red notebook he took the notebook placing it in his tunic breast pocket then he replaced the case locking the trunk he then returned the keys in the ignition.
He was dead beat he had been forced to drive all the way to Wolfsburg in order to find a telephone to pass on his latest information he groaned in disbelief when the officer on the other end of the line ordered him back to the farm to watch and follow the men when they left in the morning.
What the hell had he got himself into he was a soldier not a bloody spy and a National service man to boot conscripted he was not a career soldier he had been ordered by the officer to go to Schillerstrasse where he would be met by a man who would take his truck and give him a car in return the man a German had been waiting for him just before the soldier left the man leaned into the cars window here I suppose you know how to use this he handed over a hand gun and box of ammunition be careful.
He only gave the gun a cursory glance yes he could use it but drivers were only issued with Stirling sub machine guns or Sten guns as the war time soldiers liked to call them but he had also been trained to use the Enfield 303 rifle and a pistol that was while he served as a Sapper in the Royal Engineer’s before he got called up he was in the Territorial Army in the Royal Engineer’s he was also qualified as an Explosive expert all thanks to the Engineer’s he grinned.
He looked at his watch six thirty he had arrived back at the farm and was now settling down to wait for nine o clock when the men would be starting out of the farm he closed his eyes he could drop off to sleep at anytime and wake as if by an alarm clock at any given time a knack he had developed due to the nature of his army duties two hours that should help was his last thoughts before sleep came.
He was awake not exactly wide eyed and bushy tailed but somewhat revived by the two hours sleep the German he had met had left a bag of food in the car while he eat he looked over the pistol it was a foreign make probably Russian 9mm eight shots in the butt magazine one in the chamber there was also a spare magazine full with nine shells hell are they expecting me to use this bloody thing well just in case I had better set about familiarising myself with the workings of this bloody gun.
Nine o clock he watched as the Mercedes drove out of the yard his car was in a side lane he was crouched down in bushes bordering the road the car turned away from him he waited a few minutes then ran to his hidden car he roared off in pursuit of the four East German agents for by now he had guessed at the identity of the men he had stumbled into something he was not trained to do of this he was vary aware.
He had dropped back behind the Mercedes about two hundred yards he did not want to be spotted the drive was a short one two hours brought them to the small village of Hotensleben here the car he was following turned into the short driveway of a farmhouse he waited and watched he saw the men take luggage out of the car ok looks like you are going to stay for a while well at least for tonight anyway.
He drove away from the village once more looking for a phone I had better make for Braunschweig he even thought in German thinking of the German word for Brunswick once there he booked into a Guest house he had seen the sign outside declaring that the rooms had telephones yes yes I am sure hell they were unloading their bloody suitcases ok stay there he was ordered and don’t let on that you are a British Soldier fat lot of hope you have with me wearing army battledress hell why did you not change your bloody clothes come back at him over the line what bloody chance have I had to get civvies get here so that I can get back to my frigging unit Sir he said the Sir with some sarcasm.
The three men sat opposite him in the hotel room you will have to stay with it there is no chance that we can let you go you are the only man who can identify the four men we need you here so forget your unit for now you are attached as of yesterday to us and who the hell are you the soldier asked we are the Special Intelligence Unit S.I.U for short we have overall authority on all matters arising from cross border infiltrations.
Here the younger of the three men gave him the telephone your CO wants a word with you don’t leave the room until I get back they left him and closed the door to the room he listened to his CO order him to comply with all orders from the S.I.U you now belong to them driver so do as you are told hell Sir I am not trained for this I will be like a fish out of bloody water desperation was creeping into his voice get me out of this please Sir the phone went dead as his CO hung up hell I am really in the bloody shit now.
The younger man had brought him civilian clothes to change into get a bath and change into these he was ordered get as much rest as you can for in the morning you will be taking me to see these four men are the other two coming with us he asked no Major Mindor and Captain Howells will not be with us it will just be you and I ok well what do I call you I am Major Bob Hawkins just call me Bob do not mention rank or call me Sir well Bob don’t I get the chance to volunteer for this bloody nonsense you did the moment you spotted that car.
He sat eating a good breakfast he felt like a new man he had slept like a dead man hell these last three days have been hell why the hell did I have to see that bloody car Bob came and sat opposite and ordered breakfast look Bob what the hell use can I be on this op you know I am only a bloody driver this sort of thing is for specially trained men not common soldiers like me I only got a driving licence.
Look soldier you stumbled onto something we had suspicion’s for months that something was going wrong information was leaking across the border like a bloody waterfall this is the break we have been waiting for that man Eido is an East German head of Intelligence for him to chance coming across must mean something big is about to happen we have been after him for years but we could never identify him now with your help we can well once I point him out to you then can I go back to being a bloody soldier that’s all I know about is driving a frigging army truck this spy game frightens the life out of me.
I read your army record before you were called up for your National Service you were in the Territorial Army as a Sapper you were pretty good with a rifle and very good with explosives in fact they rated you pretty high with explosives guncotton and plastic yes well aiming at targets and blowing up old buildings on a weekend did not train me for anything like this you may be surprised soldier yes you may be surprised.
Your a bit of a loner aren’t you soldier you keep yourself pretty much to yourself well being the only Welshman in the company helps they mostly think I lived in a bloody cave and wore animal skins until I was called up I have a select bunch of friends that’s how I like it as soon as my two years are up I will not have to see those stupid squaddies again except my friends it also helps me with the girls they have accepted me as a Walan sie folk a man who is not English I took the trouble to learn to speak German and when I am with the Germans I only speak German that way I do not draw attention to myself.
Yes I noticed your German is perfect better than mine even that is a bonus we will use now describe what you found in the boot of that car well there were boxes and packages I suppose they contained the radios and explosives I told you I had overheard when they were talking how much stuff do you think was in there well it was a pretty big car the trunk space was bigger than normal I think that they had moved the rear seating forwards to enlarge the trunk space.
What do you want me to do he had asked Bob they had arrived at the farm in Hotensleben just wait we will walk past the farm to see what if anything can be seen then double back here I want to make sure the men are still there ok lets go Bob called hell the soldier moaned I am not getting paid enough for this bloody job oh didn’t I tell you for the duration of this duty you will be paid a Lieutenants pay now are you happy with that.
They sat in the car they had arrived back some minutes ago after their look see around the farm well the car is still there so they must be there in the house what will we do now asked the soldier well nothing for the moment just sit tight and wait to see if we can get a photo of Eido and the rest replied Bob who was sitting in the passenger seat he had taken a camera with a telephoto lens out of his bag in readiness to get pictures of the man Eido.
Suddenly without warning the sound of a machine gun firing the bullets hitting the car glass shattering the sting of a bullet galvanised the soldier into action starting the car he drove straight ahead the man firing the machine gun dead ahead Bob heard the soldier snarling with fright that had turned to rage you bastard I am having you Bob ducked below window level as bullets sprayed into the interior of the car through the space that moments ago had been a windscreen he watched a small spray of blood start up from the soldiers shoulder as a bullet struck.
Too late the machine gunner tried to leap out of the path of the car and replace the empty magazine of the gun at the same time the car hit the man hurling him into the air he landed on the roof of the car bounced off to the rear glancing back as the soldier drove away at breakneck speed he saw the figure of the man who had tried to kill them a crumpled figure on the ground he was dead Bob knew from the way the body lay that man would never make it even if by some miracle he was still alive.
Another man leaped into the roadway behind them firing with a pistol at them but they were soon out of range hell how had this all gone wrong they had the simple task of watching the farm there was no chance that they had been spotted as agents that damn leak was still working they had known about the soldier and himself as if reading his mind he heard the soldier snarling with rage as he spoke.
You frigging bastards nearly got me killed snarled the soldier as he drove at speed he was glancing across at Bob every few seconds they were bloody waiting for us that’s it you do what you like about it but I am going back to my unit today I did not sign on for any bloody war I am a bloody National Service man not a bloody regular stuff this you find some other bastard to identify those German Bastards.
They were back at the Guest house hurry up get your gear lets get out of here they had arrived moments ago to collect any messages the soldier ran to his room to grab his kit that had been left there that morning whilst he spoke to the owner of the guest house any messages no ok let me use your telephone he rang his office hell yes they knew we were coming they waited till we were in the car then opened up with machine gun fire caught us completely by surprise if the soldier had not been as fast in reacting as he did we would both be dead that soldier saved my life.
They had booked a room in another Guest house dumped the car ok lets see what damage those bullets made both men stripped hell Bob exclaimed I never felt that one go in he pointed to a hole in his arm it was just below the shoulder joint he had been lucky it was just under the skin it had gone in and exited without causing damage it would be sore for a few days but not disabling but he had taken another bullet this time in the chest this bullet was still in there he had put a pad on it at the time they had made their escape.
The soldier looked at the bullet wound that’s a hospital job you know that don’t you if you do any more running around you will be dead by nightfall he looked at his own wounds in the mirror just grazes really one had clipped him on top of his shoulder bloody but no damage another had grazed the side of his face travelling back to take the tip off his ear again pretty bloody but just a scratch this was the bullet that had started him out of his fear but he was relieved now they would be going back a small price to pay to get back to his unit and back to being a normal soldier.
Bob was talking on the telephone yes I am afraid I am out of it I took a bad one in the chest at the moment I am on my feet but I don’t think I will be much longer no I did not see anyone accept the gunner and he is dead no I did not see Eido to get any pictures of him it all happened too quick they were onto us as soon as we had arrived yea ok two o clock right ok see you in a couple of days he hung up the phone the soldier looked across at him are we going back now no sorry I will be but you will have to stay a bit longer to meet with another agent
You bastard how much more of this do you want me to take I am not a bloody spy the soldier shouted I have had enough you get me out of this bloody mess ok ok Bob held up his good hand palm outermost just a little while longer then you can go back look I will be collected pretty soon I have a friend she will pick me up and take me to get this bloody bullet out but for the time being I am out of it.
You will have to carry on with the job until you can point out Eido to an agent once that happens you can go back to your unit look man you are the only man to have seen Eido you must realise how important that is to our security what about my security shouted the soldier I nearly got killed this morning thanks to your bloody lot you are a soldier and as a soldier you will bloody well take bloody orders now shut up here’s what I want you to do Bob’s patience had at last evaporated with this damn soldier.
He sat on the plinth of the Bronze statue of a magnificent Lion a symbol of a long ago Prince placed here in the Burgplatz he was waiting for his contact he smiled at the thought of Bob shouting at him back at the guest house well he did not care soon he would be finished with this thing he had got mixed up in as soon as he could show someone else who the man Eido was.
He would not be going back to the guest house Bob had given him a bundle of cash told him to collect a car from a garage that was part of their organisation where can I get in touch with you he had asked Bob here take this phone number don’t give it to anyone else use it only in an emergency I will be there from Thursday onwards a woman will answer just ask for me and tell her you were my travelling companion.
A man came across the square towards him riding a cycle he hardly took any notice he was expecting his contact to be walking Bob had told him to pick up the car first so that when he met his contact he could drive the man to the farm at Hotensleben they probably will have gone by now but maybe you can find something at the farm that will give you some clue.
He watched idly as the man on the cycle came closer almost too late he saw the man was riding the cycle holding the handle bars with one hand the other was just coming up holding a gun the soldier flung himself prone to the ground at the same time he drew the gun he had been given from his pocket bullets were hitting the Bronze lion where moments before he had been sitting the soldier fired once twice both bullets hitting the target
The man fell to the ground already dead.
The soldier was already running for his life his breath gasping in and out of his lungs his heart pounding with fright he turned the first corner he came to hesitating for just a moment to check what was happening at the scene of the shooting a crowd had gathered around the man on the ground with a whipping sound and a shower of stone chips and dust a bullet hit the wall inches from his head the dust stinging his face bringing tears into his eyes hell this is bloody dangerous he once again ran he could hear his own heart pounding in his ears hell he had to get away.
He stared out of the windshield of the car he was scared the sweat of fear run down his back he was soaked in it he had never been so scared in all his life no one had chased him he knew if he had stopped before reaching that corner he would now be dead his head made a small target but he was lucky that shot had nearly took his head off another couple of inches he shuddered at the thought.
How the hell had they known he would be there he remembered Bob describing the leak as a waterfall bloody waterfall is right no one outside of the S.I.U had known about the meeting he realised that he had been sent into a trap a deadly trap he was lucky to be alive what the hell was he to do he was tempted to return to his unit but he dismissed that idea that would be the first place they would look they were determined that they would silence him prevent him from identifying Eido.
The only man he knew he could trust was Bob and he was out of it for a while maybe for good a bullet in the chest was not an easy thing to get over so what the hell was he to do one thing he knew he had to sort out the problem of his being the victim all the time he would have to get back at the bastards take them on and take them out before they did for him if he could find out where they were now hiding in readiness for when Bob could get help to him the thought of trying this on his own frightened him shitless but waiting for them to come for him frightened him even more.
He had taken a room in a guesthouse opposite the one Bob and he had last used he was at the window watching every movement in the street he had seen a stationary car in the street and had observed a man sitting in the drivers seat if the man had not been a smoker he would have missed him for it was the lighting of a cigarette within the car that had first brought his attention to the car and its occupant night time came with full darkness but the watching soldier never moved from the window.
There is only one reason you are there you frigging bastard you are waiting for me to turn up well I got here first now we will see how long you intend to wait the wait was long it was well into lunch time before the man gave up his surveillance he started the car and moved off the soldier ran down the stairs and out onto the street he ran for his car hell I hope you have not turned off anywhere he need not have worried for up ahead he saw the car now lets see where you are taking me.
The car up ahead had picked up speed well you are in a hurry it seems the soldier spoke out loud up ahead he could see the Hartz Mountains he had spent some of his time here on the ski slopes but the mountain was mostly forested they had been driving over three hour when the car ahead turned right off the road onto a side road a sign read twelve kilometres to Goslar about ten miles he automatically calculated in his head maybe that’s where we are heading.
Goslar he had been there a few times with various girlfriends on the money he made with his trading with the German farmer mostly oil and petrol but there was a great deal the German farmers were short of. they had lost a lot during the war and were only now beginning to recover but petrol was short he as a fuel supply driver found ways to sidetrack some of that fuel and stores he carried it all made the same journey to the farmers he got paid with money he spent on making the most of his spare time.
They were now entering Goslar passing the half timbered houses that made this place so attractive to visitors it had been the home of many of Germany’s ancient Emperors its prosperity had come from silver and lead mines as he passed the Kaiserworth hotel he looked for the statue that was excreting a coin he always had a smile across his face at sight of this cheeky statue.
The car he was following turned into a house in the village of Steinburg the village on the outskirts of Goslar made an ideal place to use as a base they had easy access to the fast roads an escape route to the Hartz Mountains were they would be hard to find he left his car hidden in a field close to a hedge and taking binoculars with him made his way to the house he scanned the place with the glasses to his eyes yes you bastard so this is were you are hiding he watched as Eido came out of a barn with the driver of the car he had followed obviously their cars were hidden in the barn from prying eyes.
He had come back to Goslar and put up at a small guesthouse with telephones in the rooms he sat on the bed hell now what do I do he had rung the number given him by Bob but there had been no answer a knock on the door and the call from the owner of the guesthouse brought him his evening meal he had ordered he was dog tired he had no sleep the night before driving and his fright had left him exhausted to hell with it he took a bath and thankfully crawled into bed he had asked not to be disturbed in the morning and intended to get as much sleep as possible.
During the night he had woken a number of times bathed in a sweat of fear his dreams were nightmares of the preceding days events he had never killed anyone before and the face of the man he had shot was etched into his nightmare two men dead at his hands in as many days his mind was not trained to disregard the horrors of what was happening to him he awoke finally at mid morning bathed and dressed he was sitting on the bed when a knock on the door and at his invitation to enter a girl came in carrying a tray Herr Grossman thought you might like a snack on the tray was a large mug of coffee and two cheese sandwiches he heard you up and about he hopes you slept well.
After she had departed his room he removed his hand from under the pillow clutching his handgun he did not feel foolish at these actions he was learning the art of self protection fast his dreams still vivid in his mind he enjoyed the meal he had been hungry he felt like a new man now lets try that number again he listened to the dialling tone for some minutes but there was still no answer hell who the bloody hell can I contact I will leave it till later if I still do not get an answer I will telephone my unit for orders they might be able to pass on a message to the S.I.U.
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