The Haigerloch Project

“Quiet!” Dirk snapped. “We are not here to make conversation. Do exactly as you are told and do it fast — and you will be all right!”

Open-mouthed, the two ambulance attendants stared at him.

“Take your clothes off,” he ordered. “Your pants. Your shirts. Your jackets. And hurry it up!” he barked.

The men started. They dropped the stretcher. Quickly they stripped.

“Okay, Sig,” Dirk said. “Tie them up!”

Sig moved at once. Using the heavy electrical tape, he lashed the two men's hands together in the back and wound great loops of tape tightly around their ankles, immobilizing them. Finally he placed strips of tape across their mouths, sealing their lips.

Quickly he and Dirk began to exchange their own clothing for the uniforms of the ambulance attendants.

Dirk looked at his watch. 1008 hours.

In another couple of minutes they would be on their way to Haigerloch….

* * *

There was only one man on duty in the downstairs reception hall of the farm building serving as the Sperrzone communications center. He looked up pleasantly as Oskar and Gisela entered.

“Can I be of help?” he queried.

“Yes, please,” Gisela said. She gave the man a big smile. “I have here this announcement to be read over the public-address system,” she said, touching her chest. “I show you.”

She walked to the end of the desk. She began to unbutton her uniform tunic. She gave the man a coquettish smile as she slowly loosened the buttons one by one. The man was watching her with evident interest. He was not aware that Oskar had walked quietly around the desk from the other end.

Neither was he aware of the powerful blow to the side of his neck which instantly obliterated his enjoyment.

At once Oskar slung the unconscious body over his shoulder. “Quickly!” he urged. “Upstairs! Before anyone comes.”

They hurried up the steps.

They paused before a door marked:

LAUTSPRECHERSYSTEM

KONTROLLE

ZUTRITT FÜR UNBEFÜGTE VERBOTEN

PUBLIC-ADDRESS SYSTEM

CONTROL ROOM

ENTRANCE FOR UNAUTHORIZED PERSONNEL FORBIDDEN

Oskar nodded.

Without knocking, Gisela entered.

A young Wehrmachthelferin was sitting at a desk, making entries in a logbook. She looked up in surprise. When she saw Gisela in her non-com uniform, she jumped to her feet and came to attention.

“Name?” Gisela asked.

“Siebert, Maria,” the girl answered, her young voice clipped and precise.

“Maria,” Gisela said quietly. “If you will make not the slightest sound, you will not be harmed.” As she spoke, Oskar appeared in the door with his unconscious burden. He eased the man to the floor and closed the door.

The Wehrmachthelferin stared at the two intruders, eyes bulging, color gone from slightly parted lips. She stood rooted to the spot, uttering not a sound.

“Excellent,” Gisela said. “I — we should not have liked to hurt you.” She walked up to the girl. “Turn around,” she said. “Put your hands behind your back.” Without a word, the girl obeyed.

Oskar, who had been busy taping the unconscious man's hands and feet, handed Gisela the roll of tape. “Use plenty of it,” he said.

Gisela did. “Sit down,” she told the girl.

She taped her legs together and fastened them to one leg of the chair. She tore off a few strips of tape. “I am sorry,” she said softly. She pressed the strips firmly over the frightened girl's mouth. “You will be all right,” Gisela said. “Do not worry. Whatever happens…”

Oskar was at the instrument panel.

“One minute,” he said. “It will be exactly ten twenty in one minute.”

Gisela joined him. Now that the time had come, she felt calm and confident.

“It is much like the set-up at the yard,” Oskar observed. “You flip those two switches. One for the area. One for the caves. You speak into this microphone.” He turned to a row of buttons. “I will activate the alarms when you are finished. The horns. The sirens. Is it clear?”

Gisela nodded solemnly “It is clear.”

Gisela's mind churned. Would they believe her? All the people out there? Dirk had said they would. They already knew much about him and his friend. The enemy. It was a handicap they could not get around, he had said. So they would make it work for them! They would take advantage of the knowledge the Gestapo already had. Someone was bound to learn of their presence in the area, Dirk had pointed out. This way, they would let everyone know. Their way! They knew the saboteurs were real. They would believe. She could still hear his words. “Pour it on, Gisela Create as much chaos and panic as you can!”

“Now, Gisela!” Oskar said tensely.

She flipped the two switches. She gripped the microphone stand with both her hands. Her knuckles showed white.