Upfall

Ten of Sandler‘s men lay dead or badly wounded outside the Belzac wire, and of those that escaped, many carried small bits of shrapnel, including Sandler himself. Only four men from Shapira's demolition platoon had made it out alive. The SS came through shortly afterward, shooting the wounded and piling into the forest in a jaunty chase of the survivors. Having received no fire from high up in the trees, they didn‘t bother to scan where Chaim looked on.

Shapira's surrender didn‘t much surprise Chaim. The Israeli platoon leader had accomplished his mission—the gas chambers were destroyed—so why sacrifice himself unnecessarily? Imprisonment by the Nazis would no doubt be terrible, but all the members of the sayeret had long ago come to grips with the possibility they could be taken by Arab forces—Chaim figured there was little to choose between Hezbollah and the Nazis. Shapira would likely survive German mistreatment, unless they deliberately killed him. As Shapira was led away Chaim watched without thought of attempting a rescue. He had only ten rounds left in the Tavor, plus his Sig—but that was it. And Shapira was surrounded by hundreds of Germans.

Chaim stayed in the tree until well after sunrise, when the German patrols returned from their chase of Sandler‘s men. They were partly successful, he figured, based on their animated discussions and sign language—young soldiers were similar everywhere. Whoever they found, Chaim decided, they must have killed, because although they carried a few extra weapons there were no prisoners. The Germans settled in for breakfast near their old entrenchments and the woods fell silent. Off in the distance, a small German convoy departed the camp. Chaim didn't know if Shapira was in it, but guessed that was likely. Unless the Germans were fools, they would realize Shapira‘s potential value and spirit him away quickly.

The Israeli sergeant slipped out of the tree, recovered his vest and helmet, and set off into the forest. The truck and staff car they‘d taken from Biali were five kilometers to the north, hidden in the bush. He found the car a little before noon after a nervous search, interrupted once by a nearby German patrol. In the car were a platoon radio, food, water, and a pair of MP 40s.

Although Chaim didn't know the fate or status of the rest of the sayeret, he wanted to advise Yatom of Shapira‘s fate and his own situation as soon as possible. He knew that the sayeret leader could only wait so long. Chaim extended the antenna of the radio and attempted to transmit a message. The radio was at the limit of its range, and while Chaim had managed to send a brief signal to Yatom the day before, the radio battery weakened, and weather conditions were worse. He could not get through and would have to get closer to Biali before trying again. With German patrols still about, Chaim couldn't risk driving away in the middle of the day. He took the radio, an MP 40 and some supplies and moved off several hundred yards to wait for darkness.

Chapter 43

Feldhandler and Perchansky, with Bolander there for security, had been back at the capsule for a full day. Feldhandler‘s injuries strangely focused him. While concentrating on the problems of effecting a faster than light transmission the pain in his hands took leave. Under Feldhandler‘s instruction, working under the aggravating upside-down computer terminals, Perchansky had ground through the last algorithms and lines of code. Feldhandler felt like it was old times at Dimona, except for the incredible working conditions, the pain, and that Andrea's grim lover hovered by the capsule door with a slung Tavor. The moment of truth came some hours before sunrise on June 29 when Perchansky believed she ushered through a brief tachyon transmission to Dimona. Feldhandler‘s protocols dictated that the transmission, if successful, should result in a return communication from Mina, acknowledging receipt. After that, Feldhandler would submit an encrypted message, which, assuming everything else was right, would theoretically allow Mina to return the Device and its passengers.

Several hours later, Yatom was in the town administration building with Fliegel and Jezek when Feldhandler, looking something like a vagrant in a mishmash of IDF uniform and civilian clothes, waving his heavily bandaged hands, burst breathlessly into the main room. Yatom stepped from the building with the scientist. Feldhandler described his progress as they walked down the front steps of the hall. Feldhandler now seemed as anxious to get the sayeret on their way back home as he had been to frustrate their return a month before. Yatom guessed the scientist's own need to succeed was driving him.

"We need to bring in Mofaz and the rest of the sayeret” said Yatom, outwardly calm, but excited at the news.

"Bolander is already fetching them" said Feldhandler. "Let's meet at your quarters."