Alpha Threat by Ron Smoak Read Free Book Online

Sir, can you believe that facility?   And it was the Führer’s private facility?   I just cannot believe we were privileged to be there.   What an honor!”
      Rauch looked out of the window.   There was just a hint of light in the eastern sky.   This fool Schneider has no idea of the significance of what we just witnessed.   Rauch’s mind was speeding furiously.   What exactly was that place? What was in those crates?   Why was it so important?    The questions just erupted from Rauch’s mind.   But one thing was certain.   At least this time they knew where they were going.  
     

CHAPTER SEVEN
     
     
    March 30, 1945
     
    Railway Station, Ohrdruf, Germany;   7:00 a.m.
     
     
     
    Dawn was breaking when the trail of trucks arrived at the Ohrdruf rail station.   Rauch was amazed to see what looked to be hundreds of well-dressed SS guards in every direction.   As the staff car pulled up to the station leading the six trucks, an SS captain stepped off of the platform and threw up his hands to stop the car.   A veritable wave of SS troops surrounded the car and the trucks as they came to a halt next to the platform.   Schneider opened the door and ran around to open Rauch’s door.   Before he could get there, however, Rauch’s door was opened by the SS captain.  
    “Heil Hitler!” the SS captain saluted as Rauch exited.   He returned the salute amazed at the sheer number of SS guards all around.   He wondered about this secret cargo they carried.   What was critical enough to have this many guards around?   It must be either something extremely valuable or immensely important.   He motioned to Schneider to get up on the station platform just as they saw the trucks being unloaded and the cargo going into several closed railcars with guards on top.   Between each car was a flatbed car with two gun emplacements and dozens of guards.   Maybe not knowing their cargo was in his best interest.   That was it.   What he did not know about he could not worry about.   He motioned to the SS captain.
    “Where are we to ride, Captain?” he asked.   
    “The officers will ride in the passenger car at the rear,” the SS captain answered as he waved his arm back to their right, past the station toward the end of the train.   “Your guards are to ride in the cars with the cargo.   They are not to leave the cargo cars for any reason.”  
    “Schneider, get our bags and join me in the railcar,” Rauch ordered as he rather pompously walked by the men loading the train.    He noticed they were straining mightily with the large wooden crates being transferred to the railcars.   Rauch stopped for a second, reading the labels on the crates.   “Transport Parts” read the stencil on the crates.   But he too noted the SS emblem, Nazi eagle and swastika emblazoned on each crate as well.   Hmmm, he thought.   Official Nazi markings on crates of transport parts; not likely, he thought.    But that was none of his business.   All he wanted was to get this silly charade over and get back to his headquarters.    
    Rauch yearned for this war to be over.   What started as a grand and wonderful endeavor for the Fatherland was now a losing situation.   Hitler was still in charge but clearly not in charge of his own mind.   He had heard of many, many weird antics by Hitler and personally seen evidence of such when he visited Berlin just a few months earlier.   Losses on all fronts were mounting.   When the Americans got involved and began sweeping through Europe, Rauch knew the end was coming.   He wanted this war to end so he could return to his small farm near Zweibrücken , near the French border.   Rauch’s family had been in the area for generations.   Maybe after the war he could go to the U.S. and join some of the family there; that is if he were allowed to leave.  
    “We are leaving, sir,” interjected Schneider, snapping Rauch back to reality.   The two stepped quickly back to