Spandau Phoenix by Greg Iles Read Free Book Online

wrenched the rifle away from his face.
     
    "What is it?" Hans asked, alarmed.
     
    "Nothing ... damn. This thing works by light magnification, not infrared. That smartass flashed a spotlight toward me and whited out my scope. What an asshole."
     
    Hans grunted in mutual distaste for the Russians. "Nice scope," he said, hoping to get a look through it himself.
     
    "Your outfit doesn't have 'em?"
     
    "Some units do. The drug units, mostly. I used one in training, but they aren't issued for street duty."
     
    "Too bad." The American scanned the ruins. "This is one weird place, isn't it?"
     
    Hans shrugged and tried to look nonchalant.
     
    "Like a graveyard, man. A hundred and fifty cells in this place, and only one occupied-by Hess. Dude must-ve known some serious shit to keep him locked down that tight." The sergeant cocked his head and squinted at Hans.
     
    "Man, you know you look familiar. Yeah ... you look like that guy, that tennis player-"
     
    "Becker," Hans finished, looking at the ground.
     
    "Becker, yeah. Boris Becker. I guess everybody tells you that, huh?"
     
    Hans looked up. "Once a day, at least."
     
    "I'll bet it doesn't hurt you with the Frduleins."
     
    "I'd rather have his income," Hans said, smiling. It was his stock answer, but the American laughed. "Besides," he added, "I'm married."
     
    "Yeah?" The sergeant grinned back. "Me too. Six years and two kids.
    You?"
     
    Hans shook his head. "We've been trying, but we haven't had any luck."
     
    "That's a bitch," said the American, shaking his head. "I got some buddies with that problem. Man, they gotta check the calendar and their old lady's temperature and every other damn thing before they can even get it on. No thanks."
     
    When the sergeant saw Hans's expression, he said, "Hey, sorry 'bout that, man. Guess you know more about it than you ever wanted to." He raised his rifle again, sighting in on yet another invisible target.
    "Bang, " he said, and lowered the weapon. "We'd better keep moving, Boris." He disappeared into the shadows, taking the scope with him.
     
    For the next six hours, Hans moved through the darkness without speaking to anyone, except to answer the challenges of the Russians.
     
    They seemed to be taking the operation much more seriously than anyone else, he noticed. Almost personally.
     
    About four A.M. he decided to have a second look at his map. He approached the command trailer obliquely, walking backward to read by the glow of the single floodlamp. Suddenly he heard voices. Peering around the trailer, he saw the French and British sergeants sitting together on the makeshift steps. The Frenchman was very young, like most of the twenty-seven hundred conscripts who comprised the French garrison in Berlin. The Brit was older, a veteran of England's professional army. He did most of the talking; the Frenchman smoked and listened in silence. Now and then the wind carried distinct words to Hans. "Hess" was one"lefenant" and "bloody Russians" were others.
     
    Suddenly the Frenchman stood, flicked his cigarette butt into the darkness, and strode out of the white pool of light. The Englishman followed close on his heels.
     
    Hans turned to go, then froze. One meter behind him stood the imposing silhouette of Captain Dieter Hauer. The fiery eye of a cigar blazed orange in the darkness.
     
    "Hello, Hans," said the deep, burnished voice.
     
    Hans said nothing.
     
    "Damned cold for this time of year, eh?"
     
    "Why am I here?" Hans asked. "You broke our agreement."
     
    "No, I didn't. This was bound to happen sooner or later, even with a twenty-thousand-man police force."
     
    Hans considered this. "I suppose you're right," he said at length. "It doesn't matter. Just another assignment, right?"
     
    Hauer nodded. "You've been doing a hell of a job, I hear.
     
    Youngest sergeant in Berlin."
     
    Hans flushed a little, shrugged.
     
    "I lied, Hans," Hauer said suddenly. "I did break our agreement.
     
    I requested you for this