In The Presence Of My Enemies

The announcer went on, "We address you at a great and critical hour for the future of the Vaterland and of our Volk. A mortal danger now looms large over our great Vaterland. The policy of so-called reforms, launched at Heinz Buckliger's initiative and allegedly designed to ensure the Reich 's dynamic development, has in fact gone down a blind alley. This is the result of deliberate actions on the part of those who trample on the laws of the Greater German Reich so they can stage an unconstitutional Putsch and gather all personal power into their hands. Millions of people now demand stern measures against this gross illegality."

"Du lieber Gott!" Lise exclaimed. Whoever was on the State Committee for the Salvation of the Greater German Reich, they really meant it.

"By order of the State Committee, citizens of the Reich are to remain calm," the announcer said-and if that wasn't a command designed to spread panic, she didn't know what would be. The fellow continued, "The holding of meetings, street processions, demonstrations, and strikes isverboten. In case of need, a curfew and military patrols will be imposed. Important government and economic installations will be placed under guard by the SS, which remains loyal to the ideals of the state even in this time of corruption."

Aha!Lise thought. Now she could make a good guess about who was behind the Committee and the Putsch.

"Decisive measures will be taken to stop the spreading of subversive rumors, actions that threaten the disruption of law and order and the creation of tension, and disobedience to the authorities responsible for implementing the state of emergency." What did the announcer feel about the words in front of him? Was he for the Putsch? Did he hate it? He read like a machine, droning on mechanically: "Control will be established over all radio and televisor stations. Now serving as interim Fuhrer of the Reich and of the Germanic Empire is Odilo Globocnik-"

"Who?" Lise had heard no more of him than she had of the State Committee for the Salvation of the Greater German Reich. His name hardly even sounded German.

"-who has previously served the state as High Commissioner for Ostland Affairs." He'd been in charge of slaughtering Slavs, in other words. And now they were bringing his talents to the Reich itself? Lise shivered. The difference between bad and worse was much bigger than the difference between good and better. Much, much bigger.

CEILING SPEAKERS IN OBERKOMMANDO DER WEHRMACHT headquarters carried the announcement of Heinz Buckliger's incapacity moments after Heinrich and Willi sat down at their desks. "Decisive measures will be taken to stop the spreading of subversive rumors, actions that threaten the disruption of law and order and the creation of tension, and disobedience to the authorities responsible for implementing the state of emergency. Control will be established over all radio and televisor stations. Now serving as interim Fuhrer of the Reich and of the Germanic Empire is Odilo Globocnik, who has previously served the state as High Commissioner for Ostland Affairs." After the announcement, "

Deutschland uber Alles" and the "Horst Wessel Song" rang out again.

Heinrich looked at Willi. Willi looked back at Heinrich. "It's an SSPutsch!" Heinrich said.

Willi nodded. "It sure as hell is," he agreed. And then he said, "Odilo fucking Globocnik?" in tones of absolute disbelief.

"Be careful, Willi!" Ilse exclaimed. "If you talk like that, who knows what kind of trouble you'll end up in?"

In times like these, that might have been excellent advice. But Willi only shook his head. "Odilo fucking Globocnik?" he repeated, even more amazed and disgusted than before.

Over the patriotic music blaring out of the intercom, Heinrich said, "He's Prutzmann's puppet. He can't be anything else."

"Well, I should hope not," Willi said. "He's certainly nothing by himself. Didn't he get in trouble for driving drunk a while ago?"

"Beats me," Heinrich said. "I don't remember hearing that, but you could be right."

"I think so, but I'm not sure," Willi said. "Who the hell pays attention to the Odilo Globocniks of the world?"

Running feet in the corridor. Before Heinrich could respond to his friend's bon mot, someone-a soldier-stuck his head in the room and called, "Globocnik's on the televisor! They've got it on in the canteen!" The man didn't wait, but thudded down the hall in his jackboots and repeated his message for the next big office.

"Come on!" Half a dozen people said the same thing at the same time. Wheels squeaked as analysts pushed swivel chairs back from desks. A few stolid people went right on working. The rest, Heinrich and Willi among them, swarmed out of the room and toward the canteen.