directors’ list?”
“What list? What consortium?” Vierre asked, “What are they talking about?”
“Take a look for yourself Vierre,” Alex motioned a hand towards the table, “It’s all there. The names of the men who stood to profit from your military misadventure, which incidentally Lausat had already planned to have you tried for, once French troops had been forced to withdraw. It’s all there.”
Vierre took a step forward. Beads of sweat stood on Lausat’s forehead and he lunged forward making a clumsy grab for Vierre’s gun. The two of them tumbled and Nick was on them in a flash. There were three muffled bangs in quick succession and the pile of men on the floor lay still.
“Nick?” cried Alex.
Nick slowly hauled himself up, wincing, a dark red stain spreading across the front of his shirt.
“You’re hurt!”
“No, not this time.” He wiped ineffectually at the blood and looked at the motionless men, “I think we just lost two of our plotters.”
“And now you lose me.” Nick looked up from the bodies and across at Alex. She now had her own weapon trained on him. Covering him, she moved to the table and began scooping up the documents.
“You’re not working with British Intelligence at all are you?” Nick said. He walked over to the fire place and reached above the mantle.
“What are you doing?” Alex barked.
Nick smiled and opened the small box sitting above the fireplace, “Just taking a cigarette. Stay calm, you’ll live longer.”
“You should be the one that’s worried about living longer,” Alex retorted, stuffing the last of the papers into her jacket.
“Oh, I don’t think so. I’ve known from the start. I was told I’d be on my own. You see, I suspect you or one of your compatriots grabbed Gallais. The guy at the meet was a German wasn’t he?”
“Yes, Otto. You killed him.”
“He pulled a gun and it was an accident.”
“How very convenient,” Alex sneered. “Yes, we grabbed Gallais. He gave us the details of the meeting, though not all of them. He gave up the protocols later, which is how I was able to win your trust. Or perhaps not. If you knew…”
“I wanted to see how it would play out. Why are you doing this? It’s better for Germany if I take the plans back and this plot is stopped.”
“Is it? Or is it better for it to go ahead, so the people wake up and we can start to reassert ourselves and win back our pride!” Her eyes shone.
Nick blew out a puff of smoke and looked at his cigarette then back at Alex, “You really buy that Alex? Who’s giving you your orders?”
“I don’t know if I buy it or not, but it makes sense and I just do as I’m told. But I’m not telling you who I’m working for.”
Nick spread his hands, “So what happens to me?”
Alex looked around the room, “I lock you in here, call the police. At the very least you’ll be held for more than long enough for me to get away.”
“You won’t get away,” Nick said softly.
Alex laughed, “What? Why do you think that?”
“I’m going to take a guess here that the man you’re working for is called Von Statz, an attache at the German embassy here in Paris.”
Alex’s face gave nothing away, but Nick’s experience allowed him to see the flicker in her eyes.
“Von Statz is from a wealthy German family, old nobility. They invested in industry. Otto Von Statz has a position in the diplomatic corps but has worked for German Intelligence since 1916. You see I read my files too. His name is also on that list of directors.”
“You’re lying.”
“Alex, listen to me. He gets the plans, he’s got something over the French plotters, the invasion goes ahead and he makes a fortune. No one is the wiser except for them and they’re in on it, and you.”
“But if I know…”
“His name’s on the list. You figure it out.”
“He might not know about the plot, the Von Statz family invest in many things.”
“I never look kindly on coincidences in our line of work.” Nick stepped forward, grinding the cigarette butt under his heel.
“Stay where you are. You’re staying here Nick to speak to the French police.”
“Don’t do this Alex. Let’s go see Von Statz together. Make your choice then.”
“Are you crazy?”
“Are you? I don’t have a gun anymore.” He nodded at the Mauser on the floor. “If I’m wrong Von Statz deals with me and you get a reprimand. If I’m right, we find out just how far this goes and you get to live.”
“Von Statz wouldn’t have me killed.”
“No? Not even to protect a possible fortune and avoid the risk of being branded a traitor?”
Alex chewed her lip. “Okay Nick. We’ll go and see Von Statz, but it’s your funeral. Try anything stupid and I’ll shoot you anyway.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Nick said, stepping through the door ahead of her.
Von Statz had an apartment on the riverfront overlooking Notre Dame. A man sulkily let them in and ushered them into a drawing room without offering them a drink. After a few minutes the door opened and Von Statz walked in, a tall, elegant man, clad in a velvet smoking jacket over evening dress. His face was a mask of barely controlled fury.
“Are you mad? Bringing him here? You were meant to go to the boat!” Von Statz barked.
“I didn’t give her a choice,” Nick answered before Alex could get a reply out. “You see, I have a question of my own.”
“Ha! This will be good. What?”
“How much did you stand to make from the plot?” Nick asked quietly. Von Statz paled. He shot a look at Alex who was staring at him intently, then looked back at Nick.
“You’re as good as they say you are. Well done.” He shrugged, “Why not make some extra money? This is a tough business we’re in. I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Then you won’t mind me passing these plans and documents up the chain of command?” Alex cut in.
“I’m afraid I’d mind very much.” From nowhere a small pistol appeared in his hand.
“So it’s true,” Alex sighed wearily.
“What’s true is that the war finished Europe as we know it, and we have to work on new opportunities, even with old enemies. People talk of patriotism and borders. It is the old way of thinking. We have to seize the chances we have now.”
“For personal gain? What about the greater good?” Asked Alex.
“The greater good is what sent millions of men to their deaths and will again if we’re not careful. We need to forget about language and borders and concentrate on ourselves. Maybe you still have time to learn that Alex?” He added more gently.
“Don’t try to justify your greed on the graves of those who died believing in something. I lost everything in the war and you stand there and dare to…” Alex’s voice wavered, the emotion in it breaking through as she trailed off.
Von Statz shrugged, “The world moves on and so do I.”
“Even if people die as a result?” Nick asked.
Von Statz moved to train his pistol on Nick, “Unfortunately so. No one should have died here, and the invasion should have been largely unopposed.” He shrugged, “Loss of life would have been minimal and the rewards fantastic.” He smiled.
“I would still have been dead.” Nick reminded Von Statz.
“And you still will be,” Von Statz lips curled cruelly, “Guards!” He yelled.
A shot rang out, Nick flinched, but he wasn’t hit. Instead Von Statz was crumpling to the floor, a look of surprise on his face and a sobbing Alex was already out of one of the drawing room doors. The other door flew open and three men piled in, fumbling for their guns as they took in the scene.
Nick didn’t wait for them to finish fumbling. He was out the door behind Alex.
She was flying through the drizzle and Nick struggled to keep up with her. Both of them soon lost the men behind them.
The river shimmered ahead, Notre Dame looming out of the darkness and light fog hanging on the Seine.
Alex disappeared down a flight of steps to the river path. Nick sprinted to the top but paused.
“Alex?” He hissed. “Don’t shoot. I just want to talk.”
Nick gently started treading down the stone steps.
Alex moved from the shadows at the foot, her revolver trained on him. “Why are you still here?” She sobbed.
“To stop you getting on that boat.”
“Why?”
“Von Statz arranged that meeting. You hand over the plans. You’ll never make it to shore.”
She shook her head, “I have to not believe that Nick. That boat takes me home and out of this nightmare.”
“Don’t get on the boat Alex.” They could both hear the splutter of an approaching motor launch. “Look, I go back to London with the invasion plans and the names. It will never go ahead now with the trail of bodies. Once Von Statz’s part in it becomes known you’ll be in the clear. They’ll probably even give you a medal.” Nick was close enough now to see the doubt in her eyes.
“I don’t know Nick, I don’t need to know, I just follow orders.”
“Killing Von Statz wasn’t in your orders.”
“He was a traitor!” Alex choked, somewhere between a sob and a snarl.
“But by the time you explain that, you may be dead. Besides, following orders is a good way to get killed, trust me, I know.” Nick spoke softly, but his next move was a blur, as he grabbed at the gun and delivered an open handed slap to her face that sent her reeling. He pushed forward with the momentum and pushed her to the ground, straddling her.
“You bastard!” She snarled, kicking under him, struggling to get her