Volume 1 Chapter 2 (2/2)
”Y'know, you're the onesthis so complicated What is that machine behind you?”
”Oh, this thing? It's a secret weapon of the military”
He casually dropped a bombshell of a statement
Else lowered the sub ht
”A secret weapon?”
”Yep The military told us to hand it over after we built it, so we ran off”
”The military? Then this-…?”
She looked up at theon top of it
She lowered her head a bit on reflex
…I think I've seen him somewhere before
To check on that, she spoke to the young man in front of her
”Who are you two?”
”I'ner Laboratory The shi+p behind uy on top of it is the lab head, Paul Wagner”
She recognized the laboratory name and the older man's name
”I've heard of you! You taught eo!”
The professor laughed on top of the Kaiserburg
”Oh? So you're a student at the University of Berlin?”
Else nodded and looked back and forth between Paul and Walter
”And I read in the newspaper that there was a coner Laboratory and the lab head and second-in-co”
”Missing? Oh, man What do I do if my relatives put in a search request?”
”That's what you're worried about!? What are fa here?”
”Well, we used this new experimental weapon, but its power dropped like a rock and it malfunctioned We decided it needed repairs and we happened to spot the perfect place to hide it down below”
”The perfect place to hide it, huh?”
”Yeah, sorry about that We thought it was a park”
”Fine, whatever …More importantly, can that machine really fly?”
”Yeah, it can even fly to space”
She frowned at that
”Sorry, but I seriously doubt that You just said it malfunctioned, didn't you?”
”No, no It can make it It was made to reach space”
She sensed confidence in Walter's fixation on the word ”space”
”Hey…”
”Yes?”
”When you say space, you ht?”
”That's right”
”Wait Are you serious? No one has ever successfully done that before”
”It'll be fine As long as this thing grows properly, it can go anywhere”
One word from his explanation did not fit, so she asked to ht
”Grows?”
”Yeah, isn't that right, professor?”
Paul's only response was a ful smile
Realizing that smile was filled with confidence, Else decided they were serious She also re that had happened in the past
”But why are you keeping your attempt hidden? Before - you knohen that manned rocket failed - theabout it”
She saw Paul's expression stiffen at that and he spoke before Walter could say anything
”We would rather not rely on theourselves first”
”That sounds childish”
”Shut up I've always been like that”
Else smiled bitterly at the elderly man's state
…That must be nice
That thought softened her expression
”I see So you're just doing it as a hobby”
”More or less …Noho are you?”
”Are you familiar with the Breuer Company that sells weapons?”
Walter tilted his head, but Paul looked up
”I aiant mansion in Berlin about when I quit the military”
”That's where you are now I'hter”
”Wait! Else!”
A low voice reached them as a man on a horse burst from the forest to the side
Else turned back to the two men
”And that's my father, Gaston,” she said more quietly
”Else! Who are those people! And what is that giant machine!?”
”Shut up!” she shouted without turning around ”They're criminals on the run from the military because they stole a secret shi+p!”
Gaston had clearly been planning to shout so back, but that explanation drained all color from his face Else nodded, satisfied in the influence of her words She could be cruel
”W-wait! Why would people like that be-…”
”I said shut up Obviously their shi+p malfunctioned and they crashed here”
”I'm not sure that counts as 'obviously'”
”Don't nitpickAnd either way, they aren't bad people! Would bad people sit around leisurely cooking bratwurst?”
”I don't think that's the issue here”
”Who cares if it is? We're not opposed to the ainst these two either Besides, no respectable person would sell someone out to the military”
She knew her father was easily swayed by words like that He seehter know he had to make nice to the military as a weapons dealer
Even if his job required it, that was a weakness of his, so he fell silent when she brought it up She felt a little bad for having done so
”Now, then”
She took a breath and spoke to the two behind her
”You two, co stories, won't you?”
Mayer answered the phone instead of Oscar who had gone to the rener Laboratory
As Oscar's aide, looking after the place in his absence was a legitimate part of Mayer's job He had to do his best to preserve his coood name
He looked out theas he picked up the receiver, but it had already grown dark The glass reflected his slightly tense face
He lowered his gaze and spoke into the receiver
”Yes, this is Mayer Schrier speaking for Major General Oscar Mirildorf”
”Oh, Lieutenant Mayer? This is Gaston of the Breuer Company”
He recognized the voice This was the president of the weapons dealer that manufactured the air force's aircraft and sold them firearms His was the top company in the industry, but he seemed like a fairly sociable person
Mayer lowered his head toward the phone without thinking
”Thank you for calling What do you need at this hour?”
”Have you read today's newspaper?”
”The newspaper? I skih it What about it?”
”I heard this from someone I know, but…”
Gaston's tone dropped and Mayer realized it would be crass to ask just who that ”so around this man
Mayer allowed him to keep it a secret
”Go ahead We are known for keeping secrets”
”I am well aware …Anyway, fro some sort of incident”
Mayer's silence acted as an answer and the other man seemed to pick up on what this meant
”Well, based on the assu for is on my land”
”Is that so?”
”And it is accompanied by two people”
…I see
Mayer realized what exactly was going on, so he spoke quickly
”Understood That has nothing to do with us, but it may be of interest to someone I will track them down and contact theuest for the next few days”
”Understood I will”
”Sorry about the trouble”
”No, not at all …And one other thing”
”Yes?”
”If so happens, I would prefer if you did not tell my family that I was the one to call you Could you keep that a secret?”
”Eh? Yes, we can…but why? If these guests turn out to be important, you would be richly rewarded”
”No, I'd much rather not be …And I don't need any more riches anyway”
Mayer detected hesitation in the man's voice, but there was no need to look into it further
”I see Then if it comes to it, ill reward you in another way”
”Thank you very much And I hope you will continue to use our products in the future”
The ed in an instant
…That's a merchant for you
With that thought, Mayer lowered his head toward the telephone again
”Thank you very much”
”No, thank you …And please come quickly”
With that, he hung up
Mayer held his breath as he set down the receiver and he looked out theagain
He was on the fifth and highest floor of Berlin's air force base, so he could see the nightscape of Berlin through the glass
The Breuer hoht kilometers southeast of the base
”Is that you, Walter, teacher?”
His expression grew even tenser as he muttered that question
He wanted to run out there right away to check, but Oscar had yet to return and he was too young to give orders of his own
”I can't believe this”
His voice sounded troubled and yet somehow happy
”Why are those two like that?”
His bitterly sht
Soht were the people he sought