Chapter 26
The Thuringian Forest
Max returned with two of his men who unhooked the dead prisoner and dragged him from the room. They would dispose of him later, but Max told them to wait as there would be at least one more body. He himself went to collect the next subject, choosing the drunk he had picked up in Halle.
It must have been the combination of the alcohol in his system and the drugs, but the man seemed even more insensate than his predecessor. He was heavier too, and Max struggled to drag him back to the experiment chamber. By the time he had got him there, he was sickened by the odour of sweat, urine and drink which hung around the man like a miasma.
Hanging him up like his predecessor, Max turned to Ortwin and said. “Your next subject is ready.”
“Go through the book once more, doctor, we need to get this right.” Ortwin said to Genscher who had by now entered some netherland of panic.
The librarian returned to the book, studying it intently. His fear showed in the fact that he no longer used his gloves, turning the pages with his bare hands. There seemed to be no other mention of the lance, or its powers, so Genscher merely repeated what he had said earlier.
Ortwin shrugged and picked up the spear once more. The drunk seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness, although soon the choice would be made for him. Permanently. Once more he hefted the lance and drove it into his victim, passing through clothing, skin, and internal organs. Once more the man died shortly thereafter, the massive trauma unsurvivable. Once more, however, there was no light, no noise from the spear, it remained merely a lifeless relic.
Carefully withdrawing it from the corpse once more, Ortwin handed the lance back to Klaus and stomped over to the doctor. Stopping mere inches from his face, he screamed. “You are a fool! This is not working! What are you doing wrong?” Raising his hand, he slapped the librarian in the face, leaving a livid red mark on his cheek. The doctor automatically raised his hand to his sore face, but Ortwin grabbed it, holding him in a vice-like grip and staring into his eyes. “You have 20 minutes to get this sorted.”
Releasing Genscher, Ortwin strode to the door, beckoning Klaus and Max to follow him, leaving the librarian in the room with the corpse.
“That should concentrate his mind” he said as they gathered outside the room.
“Maybe this is all just some wild-goose chase.” Klaus volunteered, surprisingly brave.
Ortwin turned on him, face white with anger. “It is not a wild goose chase, you idiot. We know that the spear works. WE have the book, we have the spear, and still that moron librarian cannot get it to work! What more must we do?”
Klaus stood silently, used to Schwartz’s rages. They usually subsided quickly, and he moved back to the practicalities of the situation. A few deep breaths later, Ortwin had calmed down sufficiently to focus on the matter at hand.
“Right, what do we do now? Do you think the librarian can solve this problem?”
Klaus preferred not to get involved, knowing that if he gave an answer, he would pay for its failure. Max, had less experience of Ortwin, and so less compunction about offering a hostage to fortune. While he may have been a skilled soldier, he was less adept as a politician. Klaus noticed this and filed it away, preparing for the future.
“One thing strikes me.” he offered. “Both of the subjects we have used so far have been drugged, maybe that has something to do with it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, both of the subjects so far have had large doses of Rohypnol in their systems. Maybe it somehow interferes with the lance, stops it working properly.”
“Mmm.” Ortwin thought. ‘So you think if we used a live subject as it were, the results might be better.”
“There’s only one way to find out. I think you understand what I mean.”
The others nodded.
“Besides, we only have one more guinea pig left, and although I have no problems in getting more, it does raise potential issues of operational security.”
“I see your point, we don’t want anyone poking around at this stage. But if we do this and it doesn’t work, what are we going to do then. None of us read Latin or Greek.”
“If it doesn’t work, it is because of something else, it won’t be anything to do with the book. Besides, I have a plan. It may be that fate has given us a gift.” Max said gnomically.
“Alright, I’ll talk to the doctor, you get the body out of there.” Ortwin turned on his heels and went back into the room.
“Alright doctor, what is the answer?” Schwartz said in a tone which would brook no opposition.
“I have an idea.” the librarian stammered.
“What?” Ortwin snapped, keen to keep pressure on Genscher.
“Well, you see, there are two different ways of pronouncing Greek. We obviously don’t know how ancient Greeks spoke, but we can guess. Most people just assume, as I have been, that they spoke like Greeks do now, but there is another way which scholars sometimes use, based on clues in the ancient texts. I think we may have been pronouncing the incantation wrongly.”
“That’s it? We’ve just been using the wrong accent?”
“That is all I can think of.” Genscher shrugged, hoping that he was right, and hoping that he had done enough.
Two soldiers entered the room and took care of the dead man. Taking one end each, they manhandled him out of the room. Max and Klaus entered and shut the door.
“So, Dr Genscher, this different pronunciation, how does it work?” Ortwin asked, his voice more friendly.
“Thane kai su, uie theou” Genscher said and then repeated himself just to make sure Ortwin got it.
“Thane kai su, uie theou” Ortwin said. “Is that right?”
Genscher nodded, giving him the smile a teacher might give a promising student. “You grasp of langauges is very good, Herr Schwartz.” A little ingratiation could do no harm. Unfortunately, it would also do no good.
“Thank you, Doctor Genscher.”
Feeling slightly better, the doctor felt emboldened to ask a question. “Do you have another subject for us to test?” Appearing to be one of the gang could also do no harm.
“Sadly, no. Dr Genscher, but that won’t be a problem.” Genscher was confused now, but began to realise the true horror of his situation as he felt Max grab his left hand and twist it behind his back. His other hand grasped the librarian’s neck and pushed him forward. when they reached the far wall, Max let go of his neck and snapped a handcuff over the doctors wrist.
Twisting, Genscher turned and tried to hit Max on the side of his face. The soldier parried easily and caught his hand. Smiling, he dragged the librarian back against the wall and closed the other cuff over his arm. Genscher pulled with all his strength, which was not very much, but could do nothing to free himself. Seeing Max still in striking range, he lunged out with his right foot, not sure what he was doing but desperate to try something.
The soldier turned away lightly, and, raising his foot, brought it down on the back of Genscher’s leg, breaking his knee. The doctor roared in agony, his leg utterly useless. He was forced to stand on his good leg, the slightest pressure on the other bringing unbearable pain.
“Shut him up.” Ortwin ordered.
“Yes, sir” Max agreed, enjoying the adrenaline rush from his brief skirmish. Reaching into his pocket, he found a rag which he stuffed into Genscher’s mouth.
Ortwin once more picked up the spear, and crossed to where the doctor was waiting. Unlike the previous subjects, he could sense the fear coming from Genscher, his eyes wide open, his head moving from side to side. For some reason, this would be more satisfying than the previous attempts, just like hunting is more thrilling than merely shooting tethered animals.
“Thane kai su, uie theou”
For the third time that day, the spear tasted flesh, and for the third time, it quickly took it’s victim’s life. However, for the third time, that was all that happened.
The Thuringian Forest
Max returned with two of his men who unhooked the dead prisoner and dragged him from the room. They would dispose of him later, but Max told them to wait as there would be at least one more body. He himself went to collect the next subject, choosing the drunk he had picked up in Halle.
It must have been the combination of the alcohol in his system and the drugs, but the man seemed even more insensate than his predecessor. He was heavier too, and Max struggled to drag him back to the experiment chamber. By the time he had got him there, he was sickened by the odour of sweat, urine and drink which hung around the man like a miasma.
Hanging him up like his predecessor, Max turned to Ortwin and said. “Your next subject is ready.”
“Go through the book once more, doctor, we need to get this right.” Ortwin said to Genscher who had by now entered some netherland of panic.
The librarian returned to the book, studying it intently. His fear showed in the fact that he no longer used his gloves, turning the pages with his bare hands. There seemed to be no other mention of the lance, or its powers, so Genscher merely repeated what he had said earlier.
Ortwin shrugged and picked up the spear once more. The drunk seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness, although soon the choice would be made for him. Permanently. Once more he hefted the lance and drove it into his victim, passing through clothing, skin, and internal organs. Once more the man died shortly thereafter, the massive trauma unsurvivable. Once more, however, there was no light, no noise from the spear, it remained merely a lifeless relic.
Carefully withdrawing it from the corpse once more, Ortwin handed the lance back to Klaus and stomped over to the doctor. Stopping mere inches from his face, he screamed. “You are a fool! This is not working! What are you doing wrong?” Raising his hand, he slapped the librarian in the face, leaving a livid red mark on his cheek. The doctor automatically raised his hand to his sore face, but Ortwin grabbed it, holding him in a vice-like grip and staring into his eyes. “You have 20 minutes to get this sorted.”
Releasing Genscher, Ortwin strode to the door, beckoning Klaus and Max to follow him, leaving the librarian in the room with the corpse.
“That should concentrate his mind” he said as they gathered outside the room.
“Maybe this is all just some wild-goose chase.” Klaus volunteered, surprisingly brave.
Ortwin turned on him, face white with anger. “It is not a wild goose chase, you idiot. We know that the spear works. WE have the book, we have the spear, and still that moron librarian cannot get it to work! What more must we do?”
Klaus stood silently, used to Schwartz’s rages. They usually subsided quickly, and he moved back to the practicalities of the situation. A few deep breaths later, Ortwin had calmed down sufficiently to focus on the matter at hand.
“Right, what do we do now? Do you think the librarian can solve this problem?”
Klaus preferred not to get involved, knowing that if he gave an answer, he would pay for its failure. Max, had less experience of Ortwin, and so less compunction about offering a hostage to fortune. While he may have been a skilled soldier, he was less adept as a politician. Klaus noticed this and filed it away, preparing for the future.
“One thing strikes me.” he offered. “Both of the subjects we have used so far have been drugged, maybe that has something to do with it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, both of the subjects so far have had large doses of Rohypnol in their systems. Maybe it somehow interferes with the lance, stops it working properly.”
“Mmm.” Ortwin thought. ‘So you think if we used a live subject as it were, the results might be better.”
“There’s only one way to find out. I think you understand what I mean.”
The others nodded.
“Besides, we only have one more guinea pig left, and although I have no problems in getting more, it does raise potential issues of operational security.”
“I see your point, we don’t want anyone poking around at this stage. But if we do this and it doesn’t work, what are we going to do then. None of us read Latin or Greek.”
“If it doesn’t work, it is because of something else, it won’t be anything to do with the book. Besides, I have a plan. It may be that fate has given us a gift.” Max said gnomically.
“Alright, I’ll talk to the doctor, you get the body out of there.” Ortwin turned on his heels and went back into the room.
“Alright doctor, what is the answer?” Schwartz said in a tone which would brook no opposition.
“I have an idea.” the librarian stammered.
“What?” Ortwin snapped, keen to keep pressure on Genscher.
“Well, you see, there are two different ways of pronouncing Greek. We obviously don’t know how ancient Greeks spoke, but we can guess. Most people just assume, as I have been, that they spoke like Greeks do now, but there is another way which scholars sometimes use, based on clues in the ancient texts. I think we may have been pronouncing the incantation wrongly.”
“That’s it? We’ve just been using the wrong accent?”
“That is all I can think of.” Genscher shrugged, hoping that he was right, and hoping that he had done enough.
Two soldiers entered the room and took care of the dead man. Taking one end each, they manhandled him out of the room. Max and Klaus entered and shut the door.
“So, Dr Genscher, this different pronunciation, how does it work?” Ortwin asked, his voice more friendly.
“Thane kai su, uie theou” Genscher said and then repeated himself just to make sure Ortwin got it.
“Thane kai su, uie theou” Ortwin said. “Is that right?”
Genscher nodded, giving him the smile a teacher might give a promising student. “You grasp of langauges is very good, Herr Schwartz.” A little ingratiation could do no harm. Unfortunately, it would also do no good.
“Thank you, Doctor Genscher.”
Feeling slightly better, the doctor felt emboldened to ask a question. “Do you have another subject for us to test?” Appearing to be one of the gang could also do no harm.
“Sadly, no. Dr Genscher, but that won’t be a problem.” Genscher was confused now, but began to realise the true horror of his situation as he felt Max grab his left hand and twist it behind his back. His other hand grasped the librarian’s neck and pushed him forward. when they reached the far wall, Max let go of his neck and snapped a handcuff over the doctors wrist.
Twisting, Genscher turned and tried to hit Max on the side of his face. The soldier parried easily and caught his hand. Smiling, he dragged the librarian back against the wall and closed the other cuff over his arm. Genscher pulled with all his strength, which was not very much, but could do nothing to free himself. Seeing Max still in striking range, he lunged out with his right foot, not sure what he was doing but desperate to try something.
The soldier turned away lightly, and, raising his foot, brought it down on the back of Genscher’s leg, breaking his knee. The doctor roared in agony, his leg utterly useless. He was forced to stand on his good leg, the slightest pressure on the other bringing unbearable pain.
“Shut him up.” Ortwin ordered.
“Yes, sir” Max agreed, enjoying the adrenaline rush from his brief skirmish. Reaching into his pocket, he found a rag which he stuffed into Genscher’s mouth.
Ortwin once more picked up the spear, and crossed to where the doctor was waiting. Unlike the previous subjects, he could sense the fear coming from Genscher, his eyes wide open, his head moving from side to side. For some reason, this would be more satisfying than the previous attempts, just like hunting is more thrilling than merely shooting tethered animals.
“Thane kai su, uie theou”
For the third time that day, the spear tasted flesh, and for the third time, it quickly took it’s victim’s life. However, for the third time, that was all that happened.
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