"How about you pay the boss his due huh?" Held in place by the burly and pissed off goon, the man chuckles. "Listen, listen... i'll have the money next week yeah? I've got thirty-two up front." He motions down at the briefcase lying on the ground. The goon tosses the man to the side and opens up the briefcase.
"Looks like it. You have till friday for his dues capiche?" The goon chuckled as he closed the leather case.
"Fine fine... just next time, let's do this somewhere I won't stain my suit." The man chuckled.
This goon snarled in disgust.
"Friday Charlie, or next time it ain't gonna be the suit thats gonna get a bit dirty."
Charlie nodded as he pulled out a crushed pack of unfiltered Camels at lit one up.
"Pleasure doing business with you too asshole!" Charlie flipped the man the bird as he walked back home.
It was a cold and rainy tuesday evening in Belle City. The streets weren't as busy as the midday rush, yet Charlie kept looking over his shoulder as if expecting something to happen. He made it to his sleepy little suburban home, rushing in and slamming the door shut behind him. He locked the door and took off his suit jacket tossing it onto the couch. Charlie took his Luger from his leather torso holster.
Charlie sat down onto his leather armchair and sipped from a custom designed glass he had commissioned years before for a good friend. The insignia inlaid into the glass was a gold reichsadler with a globe orbited by an atomic molecule. The gold Barley crescent below was outlined with the blood of his fallen brother in arms Joesph.
"Joseph my brother... we fought hard for him. We shall continue his work in his wake!" Charlie stammered, now clearly intoxicated.
Charlie grabbed a cigar box bearing the same gold insignia and opened it. He procured a large precut cigar from the bunch and replaced the box. He put the cigar up to his lips and lit it with matches beside his armchair. He got up from his chair and walked over to an old wooden record player, pulling an unmarked sleeve a lower compartment. Charlie had put the unmarked record down onto the turntable and a crackle followed a familiar tune.
"Wenn, es stets zu Schutz und Trutze..." Charlie cheerfully sang in tow of the music.
Charlie recklessly fell down into his armchair and chuckled as he held up the glass and yelled "Unser heiliger Führer wird weiterleben!" Charlie calmed down after a short feeling of euphoria. Charlie put out the cigar and finished his beverage, heading upstairs to bed.
Charlie awoke the late morning later. He went down to the kitchen and grabbed a cup of Jacob's and headed off to work. His arrival in the large building in the outskirts of Belle City was welcomed with a group of black suited men. "Mr. Wir... Smith, you need to come with us" a large man assumed to be the leader of the group had interjected. "I'm a very busy man I..." Charlie was interrupted by a woman who flipped out her wallet with the familiar logo of the federal bureau of investigation.
Charlie was hush as he walked alongside the group to a private wing which, in his ten year tenure, had no been present. Sitting down and observing the room's decor, he took in his new environment with unease. "So... what do you fine gentlemen... and woman want with me?" Charlie had shuffled in his chair nervously. "Mr. Wirths, as part of your agreement to flee your war crimes during the war, you are to answer truthfully or face the charges set forth by the United Nations" the woman spoke up.
Charlie nodded his head in agreement. "How is project Helios heading along? Are subjects twelve, sixty-eight, and seventy-seven faring?" Charlie began to sweat profusely at the woman's inquiry. "S-subjects twelve and sixty-eight are deceased. Subject seventy-seven is beyond our predictions." The woman looked at his demeanor in disgust. "You people enjoy this sorta shit don't you?! You enjoy doing this? I'd kill you myself!" The woman's voice wavered and her polish accent fell through. One of her colleagues snapped at her then she proceeded to sit back down. "Pardon my colleagues demeanor... she's new to this unit and to be frank doctor... she'll be overseeing your operations for 'ethical reasons'."
Charlie regained his composure giving the behemoth of a man a piercing of malice. "Mein gott! you allow a woman, hell a juden oversee these operations?! This is valuable work and you will let such filth taint it?!" The man held his hand up to silence the doctor. The woman looked quietly furious with her breathe seething and fists clenched. "Doctor, her name is doctor Elsa Adamik. She has a PHD in neurobiology as well as a Major in clinical pharmacology. She will not only be assisting you with your work, she will also be ensuring you are taking special care of subject seventy-seven."
Charlie stood up to object, meeting the passionate fury of Adamik. "You have no place in my work filth!" Charlie screamed. "You killed those women and children you damn coward!" Adamik retorted. After three minutes of bickering the large man yelled "Shut the hell up both of you!" Both doctors fell silent looking embarrassed. "You both WILL work together or so help me i'll put a bullet in you!"
Charlie and Adamik both nodded in confirmation. "You're free to continue your work doctor." The man got up and grabbed Elsa's arm seemingly dragging her out of the room. Charlie scoffed as he got up and left. He routed through the lobby and took the secure elevator near the security room down into the labs.
He was met by his prodigy near the room to subject seventy-seven. "Herr doktor? Here are the results of patients twelve..." Charlie interrupted the young woman. "I know Eva, all but seventy-seven are deceased. I just got out of a meeting. we will be having another doctor with us soon. Be mindful... these damn Americans are allowing das juden to interfere with our work" He scoffed.
Charlie could see this discontent plastered on the woman's face. He sighed and lie his hand onto her shoulder. "Eva, just keep eyes on the subject. This is our my life's work. We shall do as the Americans say for now." He smiled as he lifted his hand scruffing her hair. "Joseph would be proud of you my dear Eva."
Charlie and Eva walked over to the subject and began vitals. Charlie was reading the subject's patient sheet. "Eva, administer N-44024 at 30 cc." Eva looked over to him. "Herr docktor, that would be potentially lethal..." Charlie barked "That was an order!" Eva nodded sheepishly and proceeded to inject the concoction into the patient's intravenous line.
Within fifteen minutes of observation the subject began to convulse violently. "Doktor! Help!" Eva put a bite block into the emaciated figure's mouth, holding its arms. Charlie grabbed a syringe from a nearby cabinet and popped the safety cap off. He injected the substance into the patient's IV line. Nearly two minutes later the subject began to slowly calm until both its body and vitals stabilized.
Eva sat down after the incident. She looked up at her predecessor "Doktor... we did good." Eva chuckled. Charlie sat down and pulled a cigarette from his coat pocket. He proceeded to light the stick. After one long exhale Charlie had looked over. "You'll have many of these cases. You mustn't dwell on your past failures, for you must continue on for god and the führer."
After finishing the cigarette and returning to his office space, Charlie began filing his paperwork. After a few hours his office phone had rang. "Yes? I'm quite busy." He heard a familiar voice that struck terror into his soul. "Hello Eduard... or shall I say Doktor Wirths." The voice on the other line snapped akin to the cat of nine tails. "A-agent Maxis... What do I owe the pleasure too?" Charlie's voice was pained and nervous. "Oh, just checking in on my favorite little scientist is all! How goes Helios?" The voice sounded falsely cheerful.
"It goes... what do you want Maxis?" Charlie reluctantly snapped. "Oh you know... I just want to remind you that alot of people depend on this. Including your former prodigy and his daughter." Maxis's words pierced like ice. "It's progressing well. We are expecting a completion in the next few months." Charlie scratched his head in frustration. "Oh, this is why you're my favorite little nazi!" Maxis chirped. "Oh, i've got to get going! Tell little Eva her father misses her!" Maxis chuckled before hanging up.
Charlie grabbed a glass from the ornate wood cabinet behind him and poured whiskey into it. "Gott helfe uns." as Charlie held the glass into the air and proceeded to down the harsh liquid. He knew he had a long few months ahead.
