Rise of the Order (21 page)

“Anshutz eighteen-twenty-seven Fortner Biathlon,” Jake said. “Twenty-two caliber.”

She looked surprised. “You know your weapons.”

“I'm a fan of the shooting sports. What kind of rounds you use?”

Handing Jake the rifle, she opened the box, revealing containers of .22 caliber bullets. “Standard long rifle, but with a thirty grain poly-coated tip, and hot loaded by a local man. More than two thousand feet per second.”

Jake picked up one of the little bullets. “I've heard of these. The coating improves velocity and accuracy?”

She smiled. “Yes. They're super. The coating also has an added benefit—deeper penetration.”

“Everyone likes deeper penetration.”

She hit him in the arm. “Very funny.”

“Hey, with all this weaponry, I'm getting a little turned on.” He handed her the rifle and she set it on the open gun case.

She crawled over to him and kissed him on the lips, lingering for a long time. He fell back, bringing her with him onto his chest, his arms wrapped around her.

●

Kurt and Toni had found a gasthaus on the edge of St. Johann, a short distance from Conrad's expansive compound. It was a small room on the top floor of a three-story place, a restaurant and bar taking up the entire first floor. They had grabbed a quick bite to eat and a couple of beers before retreating to their room.

Toni had called in their situation to the regional Agency honcho in Berlin and asked for support from that office. But they could not afford to send anyone, they had said, because of an operation in the Netherlands. Most of their personnel were on temporary duty there.

On his computer again at a small desk, Kurt pulled up the most recent information on Conrad's castle. “Conrad had the place renovated two years ago,” Kurt said. “Put it back to its original monastery configuration, with a few modifications.”

Laying on her back and looking up at the ceiling, Toni shifted to her side and said, “Like what?”

“Opulent shit mostly,” he said. “But also some heavy duty security features. We've already seen the gate and the cameras. But he also added motion sensors.”

“Doesn't sound too bad,” she said, rolling to her back again.

“Yeah, but assuming full coverage, and the number of goons there, this could get kinda intense.”

Even more reason to get Jake involved, she thought. “Would you send the plans to Jake by e-mail?”

“Sure.” Seconds later it was done. “We going to coordinate our efforts with him and that Interpol chick?”

“What you think?” She sat up on the edge of the bed now. “If she decides to call in her Interpol friends, they could fuck things up royally.”

“But what if we don't coordinate, and Jake and the girl go in before us? They wouldn't have a chance against all those guys.”

She clenched her jaw. “Listen, sailor boy. Last time I looked, you still worked for me. We do it my way or you can head back out to sea.”

“That's bullshit!”

Flopping back onto the bed, she said, “I won't hang Jake out to dry. I think you know me better than that. We won't move for at least twenty-four hours. First, we need to see what they're up to.”

●

At Marienburg Castle, Hermann Conrad and Alexandra had shown up after the long drive through the blizzard. He was tired from the drive and she was in total awe of the splendor of the place.

Now, Conrad sat on the large canopy bed in his master suite watching Alexandra meticulously put away the clothes in the dresser and the hang-up items in an oak shrank.

“I like watching you do that,” Conrad said.

She turned to him, her hands on her hips. “You'd like it better with a maid outfit. Sorry, but I didn't bring it with me.”

“I'll bet you have one. Would you like a bite to eat? I could have our chef make you something.”

Rubbing her flat stomach, she said, “That would be wonderful. Just a snack, though. I don't have to eat with those men.” Her eyes shifted toward the door.

Conrad got up from the bed and gave her a big hug, before backing up, her arms in his hands. “No. Not at all. At least not tonight. We do have a big meal scheduled for tomorrow night, though.” He thought at that moment about Altenstein and Albrecht, each in other rooms just down the hall.

“I understand,” she said. “But I saw guns.”

“Security. Austria has changed, Alexandra. There are those who would like what I have by any means. We have to be prepared.”

“But I don't like guns. Growing up in Soviet Union, there were soldiers everywhere.”

“I understand.” He let her arms go and went to the door. “I'll have the chef prepare something.” He left and went to the hallway.

At the end of the hallway, Miko Krupjak stood, an Uzi in his right hand at his side. Conrad told him to call down to the chef to prepare something for Alexandra, a snack, and deliver it to his room, which the man did with a walkie-talkie.

“Now,” Conrad said, “let's see what Albrecht has to say.”

Miko unlocked the grand master's door and went in first, pointing his gun at Albrecht, who sat on the bed reading a book.

Conrad locked the door behind him and stared at the man. He had only met the grand master once, years ago, so he didn't expect the man to recognize him.

“How are you doing?” Conrad said.

Albrecht put down the book. “Why are you keeping me here?”

“You mean, why are you still alive.”

“I can't imagine why you want to kill me,” Albrecht said. “What have I done to you?”

Conrad smiled. “There can only be one grand master, and this Order is hollow and ineffectual. The Order used to stand for something, but now it's all about charity and education. Do I have to tell you what the Teutonic Knights accomplished in their day? Europe is changing and the changes are not positive. It is time, again, for the Knights to rise up and push back those who are not like us.” Conrad went on and on about the changing face of Europe and how they would bring it back to its past.

Albrecht's eyes were wide now, his jaw tight, and his mind obviously trying to come to grips with Conrad's words. “You can't be serious. Are you saying this is some kind of Crusade for you?”

“I'm glad that doctorate of yours hasn't gone to waste.” Conrad continued to explain why his way was the only way—certain that Albrecht was only partially listening.

●

Back in the master suite, Alexandra opened a window and felt the snow fall to her hand. She was the only woman in the house. That made her a bit concerned. She closed the window and quickly locked the door. Crossing the room, she found the window that overlooked the front of the castle. What a splendid place—a view of the mountains to the east from one side and from the other a view of the forest. Then she went over to her suitcase and pulled out her cell phone.

She heard a sound outside the door and quickly put the phone away. When the noise went away, she continued in her suitcase, going into an inner pouch and pulling out three tiny objects and a lapel pin. The pin she put on and the objects she put into her purse.

Satisfied, she went to the door and quietly unlocked it. Just as she did so, there was a quiet knock on the door. Her heart raced.

Settling down, she opened the door. “For me?” she said. It was an older man with a tray covered by a metal dome.

“Yes, ma'am. I am Rene.” His German had a French accent. He brought the tray in and set it on the dresser. “I could open a bottle of wine for you.”

“Thanks,” she said. “But I'll wait for Hermann to see if he wants red or white.”

The man bowed his head and left.

Alone again, Alexandra started in on the food, a tray of meat and cheese and crackers.

The door opened suddenly and Conrad came in. “Good,” he said. “You got something to eat.” He went to the wet bar and opened her a bottle of Mosel Riesling, and then poured her a glass and brought it to her.

She took a drink, washing down a cracker. “Thank you. You want some?”

“No. I'll be back in a moment. I have to speak with someone.”

Glancing at her purse on the bed, she said nothing as she watched him leave. Damn it. She filled herself with meat, cheese and wine.

The sun was on its way up over the eastern Tirol Alps. Jake glanced up the path toward Anna's chalet, where the snow from the night before had filled in his shoveling with six more inches of snow—making it a foot and a half total. He was packing Anna's car with the skis and her competition rifles when his cell phone rang. The clear skies must have helped the signal, Jake thought. He picked up, “Yeah.”

“Jake.” It was Kurt Lamar.

“What ya got?”

“Did you get the e-mail I sent you last night? Plans for Conrad's castle.”

He looked around, remembering his laptop was in the back seat. “Haven't checked my mail,” Jake said. “I can do it on the way to St. Johann. What's the weather like up there?”

“Crappy. Well, I take that back. It was crappy last night. Looks like it will be sunny today. But the roads are a big mess.”

“We'll be heading out soon. Anna has her Quattro. We should be all right. What's up at Conrad's place?”

There was a beeping in the background.

“What's that?” Jake asked.

“Our GPS tracker just went off. Looks like Miko is on the move. Hang loose, they've gotta pass us. We're right on the road to town.”

Jake waited, the phone in the crotch of his neck while he closed the roof coffin.

“Gotta run, Jake. They're all going somewhere.”

The phone clicked off and Jake shrugged. Anna locked the door and came down the path.

“Ready?” she asked.

“Yeah, let's go.”

“Who was on the phone?”

“Kurt Lamar. The boys are on the move somewhere. He'll call us back later.”

Anna pointed the car down the mountain and used gravity to plow through the snow. When they got to the main road, they discovered the snow plows had been working all night. But the roads were still hard-packed snow, which would slow down their drive. It was only about 60 kilometers to St. Johann in Tirol, but they would have to traverse a fairly substantial mountain pass along route 161 on the way to Kitzbuhel. Yet, if Jake knew the Austrian road crews, they would have that road salted down and peppered with gravel, trying their best to let skiers reach the new powder.

Jake got his laptop out and downloaded his e-mail with his cell phone. He looked over the plans for the Conrad castle. Damn. That would be one tough place to enter. Then he saw the elevation scheme and he had his way in. Get to the high ground and work your way down to the back side. The mountains there nearly acted as a back wall.

Out on highway 168 between Kaprun and Uttendorf, Jake's phone rang again.

“Yeah? What's all that noise?”

“You wouldn't believe me,” Kurt said. “We followed the cars into town to the local indoor skating arena.”

“Let me guess,” Jake said, “they're all playing hockey.”

“Damn, you did guess.”

Jake mentioned he had gotten the e-mail and suggested he and Anna come in from the back. After dark, of course. They set up a time to move in, just in case they couldn't communicate. They both hung up.

“Hockey?” Anna said.

“Yep.”

“Maybe they'll kill each other. You've got to be hungry. There's a place just up ahead in Uttendorf. A bakery. We can grab some coffee there also.”

“Outstanding.”

“Super.” She smiled at him.

●

In St. Johann, at the indoor hockey arena, Toni cradled a cup of hot coffee between her gloved hands, trying to get them warm. Although the ice rink was indoors, the stands were not heated. Only the concession area was, and she couldn't watch the hockey players from there.

There were only a few people in the stands now, and Toni didn't know how long she could stay there without drawing attention. The few people looked to be the wives of local players. Players who must have had no idea the mess they were about to get into, playing against former Olympians and national players from Germany, the Czech Republic, and who knew where else.

The locals were taking a beating, physically and on the score board. Conrad's men seemed to take great pleasure in smashing their opponent into the boards more than scoring. Although younger, the local men were clearly no match for the older, more experienced skaters.

Suddenly, Toni heard Kurt in her earpiece. “I'm going through their bags now,” he said. “Let me know if anyone heads toward the dressing room.”

“Gotcha,” she whispered. “Remember, Miko was wearing the long leather coat. Plant one there.”

“Found it. Hang on.”

A woman in her mid twenties sat down a few feet from Toni, making it impossible to talk now.

The woman cringed when a hockey player was hit hard and fell to the ice. “That wasn't legal,” she said to Toni in German. “Is your husband playing? I thought I knew all the wives.”

“No,” Toni said, taking a sip of coffee before it got cold. “I don't know that much about hockey. At my hotel I heard there was a game here today, so I came over. Is your husband out there?”

“Ja. He's on the Tirol Polizei team. There. He has the puck.”

Just then one of Conrad's men checked her husband into the boards and she shook as she watched her husband slump to the ice.

Toni keyed her mic and said, “So that's the Polizei team. Who are they playing?”

The woman shrugged. “I don't know them. They're good, but a little rough. They play like Americans and Canadians.”

“Got it,” came Kurt's voice. “Meet you at the car.”

Toni got up.

“Leaving?” the woman said.

“Ja. I need to catch some fresh powder.”

Toni walked out and went to her car. Kurt was already there.