Authors: Leon Uris
“He acts rather odd, sometimes,” Dr. Thackery observed. “I wonder if he is getting nervous?”
“We are all nervous,” Mike said.
Dr. Thackery folded the map and stood up. Papa-Panos blew out the candle and plunged the place into darkness. Lisa leaned against Mike and closed her eyes.
“It’s all right, honey, it will be over soon....”
“I still don’t like his choice of getting out of Athens,” Michalis said.
“It is our only chance, Michalis,” Dr. Thackery said. “We must make the move. It will be only a matter of time until someone goes to the Gestapo.”
Thanassis had lost much of his scholarly calm.
“You told me that my share would be twenty million drachmas!”
“Dear
fellow,” Julius Chesney wailed, dramatizing their mutual plight. “Twenty million was all I could get from Heilser. We agreed to split, fifty-fifty. This is your share, ten million.”
Thanassis counted the ten million drachmas. He was gone beyond return with Chesney and, although he knew he was being cheated, he had no choice now. It was a cheat’s game. He placed the money in his pocket. “Very well. You have all the details.”
Chesney nodded.
“I will see you at the cove at midnight, then.”
“Ah, Konrad and Zervos. Right on time, I see.”
“The information,” Heilser snapped. “Do you have it?”
“Yes, I have it. And I do thank you for the prompt transfer of fifty million to my bank. Drink, gentlemen?”
Heilser was already at the bar and poured himself a half tumbler of Scotch. His hand trembled. He emptied half the glass in one gulp, some of the Scotch dribbling down his chin.
Julius Chesney unfolded a map of the province of Attica-Boeotia and placed it on the bar.
“Morrison and Lisa are departing from Athens at seven-thirty tonight.”
“Where are they?”
“Apparently they are changing hideouts every hour, so no one is absolutely certain.”
Heilser took another swig of Scotch.
Julius Chesney continued. “It also seems they have mapped a half dozen alternate ways of leaving Athens, so I cannot give you specifics on that, either.”
“Go on...”
“What I do know is this: A submarine will contact them at this point. Now, gentlemen. They leave Athens at seven-thirty. At eight-fifteen they are to rendezvous with Lisa’s sons who are hiding somewhere on the outskirts. From there they dash by car to Marathon.” Chesney’s pencil drew a line past the town of Nea Makri and farther north past Soros. His pencil stopped at a heavily forested area on the coast. “There is a cove at this point. They are due to arrive at the cove five minutes before midnight using an approach from the south.”
Heilser studied the map for several moments. He turned to Zervos. “Do you know this area?”
“Yes. It is perfect—well chosen for a submarine. Quite isolated—many coves, smooth sea, good cover with a forest in the background and no towns or troops for miles.”
“At midnight,” Chesney said, “a sentry will be on this hill above the cove. He will signal for the submarine to surface.”
Heilser was on his feet pacing the room. “We must triple the guard around Athens. I will move a battalion of men along the escape route. Another company will cover the rendezvous point....”
“Just a minute, dear fellow, just a minute,” Chesney halted Heilser. “You paid fifty million drachmas for this information. I would truly be embarrassed if you did not come up with Mr. Morrison.”
“Exactly what do you mean?”
“First off, you are underestimating your opposition. They have men posted observing all of your roadblocks out of Athens. They also have a man going in advance of their main party to make sure the route is clear. At the first indication of trouble they are either going to use an alternate or return to hiding. The moment you blanket the area with troops they’ll call it off.”
“He makes good sense, Konrad,” Zervos said.
“We cannot for a moment arouse their suspicions by throwing out a general alarm. You know as well as I do that Morrison could hide inside Athens for fifteen years and you’d never find him. Also, if he is forced into hiding again the Stergiou list may be passed to the British by any one of a hundred people. Thus far, Morrison has refused to give it up.”
The German was annoyed with himself. Yes, he’d certainly bungle things if he tried to use five thousand troops. A sudden movement of soldiers was certain to send Morrison into hiding again and Chesney was right when he said that there was little hope of finding him inside Athens.
“All right. What do you suggest?”
“I suggest that you leave Athens immediately and try to get north of Marathon. That way you could come in from the south and avoid their route and avoid their lookouts. You can slip into the rendezvous area at dark with, say, twenty or thirty heavily armed men and await their arrival.”
Heilser again studied the map and pondered. He looked to Zervos and Zervos nodded in agreement.
“Very well. We leave Athens right away. Zervos, get the road-blocks lifted around the city and pick thirty of our best men. We meet in an hour and drive north of Marathon and wait till dark. Then we move to the cove.”
“Now you talk sense,” Chesney said.
“One more thing,” Heilser added.
“Yes?”
“You are going with us, Mr. Chesney.”
“By all means, dear fellow, by all means. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
EIGHT
S
IX O’CLOCK.
Lisa was terribly shaken by the news. “I knew he was not a good man, but he was my husband,” she whispered. “Somehow, I feel that I should have helped him. Years ago, I could have helped him. He was sick—sick with ambition.”
“Don’t blame yourself, darling.”
“Manolis—dead—shot by the Germans in Averof. Will it never end, Michael? Will it never end?”
The time ticked on ruthlessly.
Six-thirty.
“You’ll love San Francisco, Lisa.”
“Hold me, Michael, hold me—I’m frightened.”
“We’ll get through, darling, we’ll get through.”
Six forty-five.
“It is beginning to turn dark outside,” Papa-Panos said. “They will be here in a few minutes.”
“Panagia, Panagia,”
Lisa whispered with her eyes closed.
“Panagia
... Holy Mother...”
The minutes ticked on.
Seven o’clock.
Mike, taut with nerves, tried to find calm in his pipe. He checked his pistol. Lisa checked hers.
The trapdoor opened. Dr. Thackery made his way down the ladder. His flashlight picked them out in the darkness.
“Everything is ready,” he said.
“Where is Thanassis?”
“He has gone in advance.”
“Does the route look clear?”
“Almost too clear—almost too clear...”
“Papa-Panos,” Lisa said, “Would you pray with me?”
“Yes, my child.”
Seven-fifteen.
The four of them stood in utter silence. Above they could hear the creak of footsteps on the floor as the evening meal began in Gyni’s Restaurant. They could hear each other breathe....
Seven twenty-five.
The trapdoor opened.
Michalis came down the ladder. “The car is waiting,” he said.
Mike drew a deep breath and squeezed Lisa’s hand.
“God be with you,” Papa-Panos said.
“Let us be gone,” Michalis urged.
“Just a moment,” Dr. Thackery said. He handed some small capsules to Lisa and Mike.
“If anything goes wrong, you are to swallow these.”
“What is it?”
“Cyanide.”
Marathon was quiet in the moonlight There was a sandy cove and a sheer wall above it. A rocky path led down to the beach. On the rim of the wall there was a growth of tall grass and brush and beyond that a forest rising to a high hill.
The hour was eleven o’clock.
Julius Chesney and Zervos, the two fat men, were hardest hit by the grueling walk through the forest.
The officer reported to Heilser for instructions.
“Spread your men along the rim, overlooking the cove,” Heilser whispered. “I want absolutely no movement until you clear with me.”
The captain nodded and crept off. He whispered commands, dispersing his men behind rocks, in the tall grass and in the brush. They formed a ring around and above the cove. The soldiers held their weapons at the ready....
Heisler, Zervos and Chesney moved up the hill a little to gain a better vantage point of the entire area.
“The men moved in well,” Chesney whispered. “I’m positive they were not detected.” He pointed his fat finger toward the southern end of the cove. “They should be coming through there. We had better just relax. There is still an hour to wait.”
The car stopped off the dirt road. A man ran toward it.
“Where are they?” the man asked the driver.
“The two boys are covered on the rear floor. The man and woman are in the trunk,” Ketty, the prostitute, answered.
The man snapped the trunk lid open and assisted Mike and Lisa out. They both reeled dizzily. Ketty uncovered the boys and they ran to their mother.
“I am Meletis,” the man said. “I am to take you to the rendezvous.”
Mike and Lisa grasped his hands. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, we will be in a minute—soon’s we get some air.” Mike went to Ketty. “I’ll always be in your debt,” he said.
“Anything for the Englezos,” Ketty answered. “I’m glad you came to me for help.”
“Come,” Meletis snapped. “We have an hour’s walk and there is no time for farewells. Did you have trouble along the route?”
“There was but one challenge,” Ketty said. “But I have a very convenient pass signed by Herr Heilser, himself.”
“Good-bye, Ketty.”
“Good-bye, my Englezos soldier.”
“We’ll be coming back to Greece some day—with an army that won’t be thrown out.” He kissed her cheek and ran to catch up with Meletis, Lisa and the boys.
They moved up the coastline.
Five minutes before midnight.
The German captain signaled to his men and back to Heilser. Everything was in order. All eyes were on the southern end of the cove. All one could hear was the gentle lap of the sea against the shore and the rustle of the leaves around them.
“Where are they?”
“Any moment now...”
A minute ticked off—two—three...
Chesney nudged Heilser and pointed toward the top of the hill behind them. A light shot out toward the water. It went on and off three times. Heilser’s heart thudded.
“That is the signal,” Chesney said. He squinted nearsightedly at his wristwatch as the seconds ticked off. “At the next signal, everything will be ready.”
A soft stir of movement was heard from the forest behind them.
“They are coming,” Chesney whispered. He kept looking at his watch for a full five minutes then glanced up to the hilltop again. The signal light went on and off three more times.
Julius Chesney grunted as he got to his feet and stretched. “Well, Konrad, the game is over,” he said. Heilser looked up at him, too stunned to speak. “Forgive me, dear fellow. There
is
a submarine, but I failed to mention that it is on the opposite coast of Greece, a hundred kilometers from this point. If my calculations are correct, Lisa and Mr. Morrison should be boarding it at this very minute.”
“Seize him!” Heilser shrieked. “Seize him!”
“Oh, no, dear fellow. That signal from the hill was for the purpose of moving two hundred gentlemen into position through the forest. Guerrillas, I believe you call them. The second signal indicated that they have your force surrounded.”
The officer came dashing up.
“Herr Heilser, we are surrounded!”
“Order your men to drop their arms, Captain. Resistance is quite useless. You see, I do not wish to die as a Greek martyr and one utterance from me and a mutual friend, Professor Thanassis, will lay down a most dreadful barrage.”
Heilser got to his feet. He looked about him. Spread all over the hill, in the brush and behind trees he could see the rifles of the Greek guerrillas. He looked into the empty cove. His face was white, his lips drained of blood....
“Surrender your force,” he croaked to his officer. He turned to Chesney. “You’ll never get away with this.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. By the time they find your body—provided they do find your body—I shall be enjoying a good gin and tonic in the Press Club in London. You see, Konrad, at my request you went to great lengths to keep your move a secret. No one knows just where you are.”
Zervos scrambled to his feet. His eyes bulged like a madman’s. “Julius,” he blubbered, “Julius—I am wealthy. Fifty—a hundred million drachmas—two hundred million—please! Please!” He fell to his knees and kissed Chesney’s hand....
A shot cracked out.
Zervos clutched his stomach and rolled over, dead. Konrad Heilser handed his pistol to Chesney.
“Collaborators,” Heilser snarled. “I have no use for a man who would sell out his own country. I underestimated you, Julius. I should have known that, devil that you are, you would not have turned traitor.”
“Dear me,” Chesney said, throwing the pistol to the ground, “these things make me extremely nervous.”
“I will spare you the dramatics of Zervos. I shall die quite quietly.”
“Well, let us not say that I was prompted by patriotic motives. But fortunately there is a bottom to my conscience. You do understand, dear fellow?”
Thanassis walked up to them. “The Germans are all rounded up. We have their arms. Let us get on with it.”
“You are going to execute me now?”
“Unfortunately, yes, dear fellow. We have no choice.”
Konrad Heilser walked slowly to a large boulder, lit a cigarette and waited. Chesney beckoned Thanassis to wait for a few moments. He walked beside the German. Heilser was calm now—a return to the old Heilser. He had lost the game, his usefulness was gone.
“Tell me, Julius, how did you manage it?”
“Ingenious plan, I must say. You see, the Underground had a very serious problem. To move Lisa and Morrison with secrecy and to get them from Athens. Thanassis came to me with the idea to use myself as a decoy by luring you to the wrong coast and at the same time getting the roadblocks lifted from Athens. You were of great help to the Underground, I must say, Konrad.”