Chapter 4

The next morning Elke was released from the hospital. However, before she physically left the building she sat down with the First Sergeant, an intelligence officer from the 2^nd Armored Division's S2 office and a sketch artist. I was politely, but firmly, told that they would be more productive if I weren't with Elke when they talked.

It was obvious to me that they were trying to identify the other four women whom the Russians had either coerced or talked into spying in our regional sector.

When the meeting was over Top walked over to me and said, "She's trying, Lieutenant. It's just going to take time to learn everything that she knows.

"When does she go back to work?

"Monday," I replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Lieutenant, that's how she passes any information to the Russians—a customer comes in and buys something and the exchange is made then. I'll talk to the Colonel and make sure we have something for Elke to give them."

The following Monday Elke passed on the news that in four weeks there would be joint maneuvers with our armored division and a newly formed Federal Republic armored brigade. The information was harmless since there would be a public announcement revealing the same news within the next ten days. However, it was the first information that Elke had passed to them.

The theory was to start with some small stuff and string it along to better and better information. The pressure would be less on Elke and Sophie, and it would give Division time to decide whether to go for the kids or not.

The next information she gave was that the West German armored brigade Commander was retiring and named the new commander. Then Top told her to pass along to them that ordnance for our tanks was being upgraded and the new ammunition would be arriving in three months.

Elke was given an identification card so she was now allowed to enter the outer perimeter of the base, if she was accompanied by an American soldier. The Officer's Club was in that area, so I could take Elke to dinner at the Club. The real purpose was to allow the First Sergeant and others to meet with Elke to continue their questioning. I would walk into the club with Elke and she would disappear for an hour or two while I sipped at the bar. She would come out of the meeting and we would have dinner together.

The short-term situation was fine—Top told me that three of the other four women had already been located and were being watched, and that they were close to finding the fourth. Elke was more relaxed because the Russians were now happy with her and the threats to Sophie had disappeared. And, of course, she thought it was only a little while longer until permission was given to bring Sophie out.

While Elke was more relaxed, I was more nervous—everything I had experienced with the Army bureaucracy was that you never got what you expected. So I assumed that the decision would be not to go for the kids—I couldn't believe that we would risk an international incident to grab three kids just because their mothers were spies, or to reward Elke.

Elke was scheduled to go to Choiden in three weeks for her quarterly visit with Sophie. Our activity picked up since this would be an opportunity for Elke to really concentrate on the layout of the building, the men involved, and the routine they performed. She met with Top every third day now to prepare her for her visit.

To make her visit easier with the Russians, she was given critical information to pass along—the specification manual on the new ordnance for the tanks. Since I was, in theory, a supply officer in armor, it would be consistent that I would have access to the manual.

"But, First Sergeant," I asked, "won't this information hurt us?"

"Yes it would, Lieutenant, but they already have the manual; don't ask me how we know."

She told them on Tuesday that I was leaving the manual in the apartment when I went to work. On Thursday she took it to the pharmacy and gave it to her contact; two hours later it was returned to her.

It was a week before her visit to Sophie. Elke reverted back to her depressed mood as she worried whether she could fool them during the visit. Our sex life was zero; all I did was hold her during the night hoping that she would have a good night's sleep.

"Dave, I'm scared. If they catch me in a lie, they will hurt Sophie. One of these times I will make a mistake and they will know."

I lied to ease her fears, "I think the permission to go for Sophie will be made right after you return. That's why they want you to be watchful when you're there."

On Thursday night we had our last meal at the club. The First Sergeant and others met with Elke to go over again what they wanted her to observe when she was seeing Sophie. There were two buildings. The farmhouse contained the soldiers' quarters and the communications room. The small barn behind the house was where the children and the woman slept.

As accurately as possible they wanted Elke to be able to sketch the layout of the rooms, the access ways and any other physical things with the buildings that could either help or harm the team that we would possibly send in.

I took her to the train station the next day and we hugged. "Elke, don't be brave and don't do anything that you haven't done in the past. If they find you in a room where you have no business, it will be very bad."

"I understand, Dave. I'll be careful. If I make a mistake, Sophie will suffer."

I spent a nervous weekend and met her train that Sunday night. She rushed into my arms and we kissed.

"Dave..."

"Wait until we get to the apartment, Elke."

She nodded her understanding and kissed me again.

When we entered the apartment Elke said, "They are very happy with me. The Commander took me into his office to congratulate me on the information I have given them, and the manual that they copied. He said that now that I have your trust, I should be able to get more and better information."

"How is Sophie?"

"Dave, she is getting so big. She was so happy to see me—we played all day until she fell asleep exhausted. I miss her so much."

I could tell that she was happy and excited—the visit had gone well, and she had accomplished what we asked her to do.

We went to bed and for the first time in weeks the sex was uninhibited and not constrained by stress or worry.

We went to the club the next night. The First Sergeant met us inside the door.

"Lieutenant, you might as well have dinner by yourself—this will be a long meeting. We have food for Elke."

Three hours later Colonel Weldon walked up to me.

"Lieutenant, follow me."

We walked into a small office. As soon as I closed the door he said, "I never thought we'd go after your girlfriend's kid—too much political risk whether the grab was successful or not.

"The situation just changed. When the Commander of the unit invited her into the house to compliment her on the information and encourage her to get more, he received a phone call. She heard him discuss in Russian a matter that is known to only three people in the Federal Republic. It appears that the Russians have a spy at the highest level of the new government.

"The decision is being made as we speak. We have to find out the identity of the spy; we think that information might be where they are holding the kid.

"If the Federal Republic is compromised and embarrassed, it will be a huge setback for us.

"This will take a while. Be patient, Lieutenant."

"Yes, Sir."

Two hours later I was told to come to the meeting room. Top was there along with Colonel Weldon and two other officers I hadn't met before. Elke was beaming.

"Dave, they are going in to get Sophie."

I looked at Top. His nod confirmed that Elke was right.

I met Top for coffee early the next morning. He said, "Lieutenant, we've had a team getting ready for the last three weeks in case the answer came down to go in. We already know the rough location of the buildings and some pictures of the outside. With Elke's help we have the last details of what we need. You don't have the need to know any details about the operation, but the night they go in for the grab, Elke will leave her apartment and never return; she should be ready to leave any time in the next three weeks. She'll live on the base until decisions are made about what to do with her and the girl.

"We've located the other four women and they'll all be taken into our custody the night of the operation. It's going to be a little messy since two of them have a relationship with a major and a light colonel.

"Until then, continue your normal routine, both at work and with Elke. I'll continue to give her information that she can pass on."

"Top, what are the chances this is going to work?"

"Lieutenant, I know these soldiers. They are the best there is for this type of operation. If what Elke told us holds up, there's a good chance the team will bring the kids back."

One week later Captain Myer stopped in front of my desk, "Dave, Colonel Weldon wants to see you immediately. Be prepared; he really sounded pissed off.

"What did I do now?" I thought.

I walked into the outer office and the Sergeant said, "Go right in, Lieutenant; they're waiting for you."

I entered the office and spotted the First Sergeant and Colonel Weldon sitting at the conference table. I stopped in front of the Colonel and went to attention. "Lieutenant Wheeler, reporting as ordered, Sir."

He pointed at a chair and said, "Sit down, Lieutenant."

He paused to collect his thoughts and then continued, "We have a four man grab team that has been training for weeks to pull this off and get the kids out. These enlisted men are experts at this type of thing—they train for it all the time.

"I've just received orders from the Division's S2 that we have to have an intelligence officer included in the grab team. I violently disagreed with that decision and went to the Division Commander; he backed his S2.

"So now we have to pull one of the four experts and replace him with an officer. Of course, you would have to volunteer."

I was surprised... no shocked, "Me, why do you want me... Sir?"

"Top thinks that you have common sense, that you know what you don't know, and that you won't try to be a hero. Most of our officers would want or insist that they take charge of the team. That's not going to work—it's bad enough to pull a man from the team, but to put an outsider in charge of them would be a disaster.

"You would nominally be in charge of the team, but in fact, Sergeant Waters would be in charge. You would have to instantly obey any "suggestion" he gives you.

"Well, Lieutenant?"

I really had no choice. The operation was for Elke, and Elke was my responsibility.

"Yes, Sir, I volunteer."

The Colonel nodded as if this was expected and said, "You're relieved from all duties. I'll speak with Captain Myer. Go with the First Sergeant, and he'll explain how it's going to happen."

We drove to a building some distance from the office.

Something had bothered me ever since Elke came back from Choiden. "Top, they never were going after Sophie, were they?"

"Lieutenant, you and I don't know the answer to that question. War and spying is nasty business, and sometimes bad things happen. No good can come to you and Elke if you let that question fester in you.

"You should focus on the mission.

"Right now you're going to meet the team. You're going to face a great deal of hostility from these men. They train as a team and you're breaking up the team. They know you didn't make the decision, but you're an officer. Their attitude against you doesn't make sense, but it's the real world."

As usual, the First Sergeant was right. I walked into a small room and three pairs of hostile eyes stared through me as he made the introductions. There was no hand shaking, smiles, or even an attempt at politeness. The three were all infantry sergeants, obviously in great shape, and they looked mean. The head of the team was a soldier named Waters.

Top took me over to a wall where a large cardboard was nailed up. The room layout of the farmhouse and barn was sketched on the cardboard. He started pointing out the various rooms when I heard one of the men mutter, "Candy ass Lieutenant. Probably hasn't fired a gun in..."

Top whirled around; it was a person I hadn't seen before—his face was hard and I could see a vein throb in his forehead.

"Waters, you're a god damn, fucking moron. The Lieutenant volunteered for this; you know he wasn't part of the decision, and you don't know him. You're making an assumption—an assumption that can get your team killed.

"The Lieutenant will do his job, which is anything you tell him to do.

"Are you going to do your job, Waters?"

"Jeez, Top, take it easy. I was just..."

"It ain't 'Top, 'Sergeant; it's First Sergeant."

The room was deadly quiet. Finally, Waters said, "I'll do my job, First Sergeant."

I'd never seen this side of Franklin and was surprised, if not a bit scared. The gentle sarcasm and chiding which was the personality that I had seen was gone; in place was one tough soldier who wouldn't back down to anyone.

His face relaxed and the tension in the room dissipated.

The plan was meant to be simple. The two other sergeants would go over two nights before the grab, hunker down, and observe the buildings to make sure that nothing that Elke had described had changed. Waters and I would go over on the night of the operation and meet up with the first two. Assuming no surprises, we would overpower the staff and take over the building at 0300—that time of night everyone should be asleep or wishing they were.

"We" was not quite correct. The three sergeants would overpower the staff. When the buildings were secure, Waters would signal me to approach the buildings. My job was to gather any information in the house such as codebooks, signal communication and records. Elke had spotted two safes that were open when the communication room was staffed, and a filing cabinet in the Commander's office. We were hopeful to get some useful information.

Waters asked when I had last fired a rifle. Somewhat embarrassed, I told him at Officer's Basic School, which was over a year ago. He made the decision that I would only carry a sidearm with three loaded magazines.

We would go over and come back in a liquor truck that was used for smuggling—the Russian border guards got a case to let the truck go over the border, the mayor and army garrison commander of the city got two cases each for allowing the smuggling, and the restaurants paid an enormous price to obtain the scotch for their customers. Everyone was in on the take—the truck had been crossing twice a week for months. The truck had a false compartment in the front; it looked like the liquor was stacked against the wall, but the wall hid a two-foot concealed space right behind the cab of the truck.

We would stay at the farm house until our truck came back at about 0600. The four soldiers and three kids would squeeze into the hidden compartment and cross back into West Germany. It would be a very tight fit with seven of us in such a tiny space, and it was obvious why the team was limited to four members.

There was also a "Plan B." Everyone but me winced when "Plan Bravo" was described. Our normal helicopter was "the bubble" that could be used for observation, or medical evacuation with two stretchers lashed to the outside struts. It was called the OH-13H Sioux.

Our division had recently received the Sikorsky model S-55, which the army designated as the H-19C. It was designed as a utility troop carrier with a crew of two and a top speed of 75 mph. It was the first helicopter that could carry soldiers or wounded inside the hull, and the payload was about 1000 pounds. The helicopter was still being tested; the jury was out whether this new concept was viable.