Oppenheimer - the destroyer of worlds.

Chapter 4

Robert turned to the door and tried his best to appear calm and collected as he spoke to Bethe.
"Ah, yes, this is... Margarete."
Margarete stood up and held her hand out with a polite smile.
"Margarete, this is Hans Bethe, one of my colleagues." He looked back at Margarete, who had remained silent.
Bethe just stared at Margarete, still looking quite puzzled and confused. He didn't like her being in the same room as the project's classified information, but he decided to trust Robert with this one.

There was an awkward silence for a moment as the three acknowledged the uncomfortable tension in the room.
"Margarete is going to be working with us from now on, Hans." his tone shifted to something more serious and direct, "Margarete has some... information that may be useful for the research we're conducting here."
"Nice to meet you.." Bethe finally said.
Margarete looked at Bethe for a moment, then responded.

"Nice to meet you too."
"So," Oppenheimer turned to face Margarete again. "We were just discussing some of the... details of our project."
His tone was careful, and he was unsure of how much information he should share with her.
He looked around the office, a bit paranoid. "Perhaps we should... go somewhere more private," he suggested.
"Is it your paranoia kicking in again?" Bethe asked.

Oppenheimer was caught a bit off-guard by the blunt comment.
"Perhaps," he replied, his tone cautious still. "But I must be sure that any sensitive information about the bomb stays within this team only. That includes you, Margarete." He paused. "Can I trust you, Margarete? To keep our discussions private? To keep this information from getting into the wrong hands?"
Margarete nodded "Of course. I will give you information from the German lab as well, everything I know."

"We could certainly use the information, Margarete," Oppenheimer said slowly, "But we must be cautious about sharing any details of the project with you. Can I trust that you will not repeat anything you're told about the project or discuss it with anyone else?"
"I give you my word," Margarete said.
"Good," he said, "That's all I can ask for, Margarete. I know this is a lot to take in, and our work is very sensitive." He paused. "If you can tell us about the inner workings of the German program, that would be a huge help to us," he added.

Margarete looked nervously at Bethe. "Can I tell you about it in private? I.. don't feel comfortable among your coworkers yet."
Oppenheimer nodded and turned his attention to Bethe, who looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Hans, it's okay," Oppenheimer explained, "Margarete and I know each other. We were colleagues before the war. We can trust her."
Hans looked a bit surprised but nodded, and then left the office.

"So, tell me what you're aware of," Robert demanded.
Margarete looked down at her hands, unsure of where to begin.
"Heisenberg and I met several times in Munich to discuss the German program," she said slowly, "He told me where they were at in their development, and of a few challenges they were facing."
She looked up at Oppenheimer, her expression serious.

"I don't know everything," she added, "But I could tell you what I know. The Germans are close, Robert, that much I am certain. Heisenberg was working on some key theories regarding the physics of the bomb, and he hoped to build a prototype soon," Margarete continued. "The Germans have been building facilities to enrich uranium, and they have also made significant progress in constructing the infrastructure needed to produce heavy water."
She took a breath.

"They estimate that their prototype will be complete in roughly six months."
"Six months!? That's too soon!"
Margarete looked at Robert, her expression reflecting his concerns.
"Yes, I am afraid so," she said, "They are far ahead in their development, and the Germans are relentless. They have the manpower and resources to see this to completion."
She paused, considering her next words carefully.

"That is why we must not waste any time. We must push ourselves harder, and complete a working prototype before the Germans do."
"I must meet up with Heisenberg as soon as possible" Robert demanded
Margarete nodded, understanding the urgency.
"Yes, we must get the two of you together to see what the Germans are up to. The more intel we can gather from him, the better our understanding of the German program, and the more efficient we can be."
She paused for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts.

"He told me that he was going to take some time to reflect on his work," she explained, "He wanted to retreat to a remote cabin in the mountains, near his hometown in Germany. He said that the isolation would help him think and come up with new ideas."
"In the Alps? So you're saying we can meet up in the mountains near the Swiss-German border?" Robert asked
"Yes," Margarete replied, smiling. "That should be no problem for us."
She paused, looking at Oppenheimer for a moment.

"We shouldn't waste time any longer. I will go attempt to call him. Can I use the telephone which is in your office?" She asked
"Of course" Robert replied
Right at that moment, Ernest Lawrence barged into the room. "Robert! Bethe told me that you finally found a way to speed up our project! And you listened to my idea to contact Germans!"
Robert sighed. Just great. If Ernest knows it's the same as everyone knows.

"Ernest," Robert said quietly, sounding annoyed.
He looked at Margarete with a nod and then turned his attention back to Ernest.
"Margarete has come to work with us," he explained, trying to stay calm, "And she is familiar with the German project. She and Heisenberg remain in touch."
Ernest stood there, looking shocked.
"She's working with us? That's amazing! I am going to inform General Groves!"
"Ernest, no!" Robert said firmly, cutting Ernest off.

"This is sensitive information," he continued, "It's all top secret. Groves does not need to know."
Ernest looked annoyed but said nothing in response. This was not the first time he and Robert had argued about these sensitive topics.
"Ah, I see you want to impress him... Alright, I won't tell him anything yet as long as you inform me about your plan and keep me in touch with every update!" Ernest shouted out enthusiastically.

"Margarete said that Germans are going to have the prototype in an estimated time of 6 months... but the good news is, Heisenberg wants to meet up in the Swiss Alps and discuss everything," Robert explained.
"Oh Heavens!" Ernest exclaimed. "You are going there tomorrow! No time to waste, Robert, do you understand me? I will go help you gather all the things you need!" He ran out of the room in excitement.

"Let's go to my office Margarete, try to contact him with my telephone." Robert offered.
Margarete nodded, following Robert back to the office.
She sat down in front of the desk and dialed the number.
The phone rang for a moment before Heisenberg picked up.
"Hello?" the voice on the other end said.
"Hello, Werner," Margarete said, her voice calm. "It's me, Margarete."