Wurtz turned to look at the Doctor who stared back, his eyes icy cold.
“That was nothing,” Wurtz defended himself looking out at where the landslip had fallen, now cleared.
“As I was to understand it Colonel Koenig’s mission was to provide the work force to recover the artefact. Yours was to protect the mission.”
“Which I have done.”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me why you question me.”
“Because you murdered two Wehrmacht in that town and after the gunfight you were going to execute the young British soldier.”
“Both were enemies of the Fuhrer.”
“But not related to our mission which I’m glad to say was not jeopardised by your actions.”
Both men fell silent for a minute or two. The driver not listening, just staring ahead. Finally the Doctor turned to look at Wurtz.
“Well?”
“My methods may seem a little primitive to you but my actions were, I believe, in the interests of the third Reich.”
“But not in my interests. The Fuhrer has given us a great quest. We personally can gain much from it.”
“Like I said my methods may seem primitive but out here I am the police, judge, jury and executioner all in one.”
Von Brest raised a finger to him.
“You are here and under my orders Major. Don’t ever forget that.”
The Doctor tapped his driver’s shoulder for him to move off. They stopped alongside Koenig who opened the door and got in the passenger seat.
“Is that understood?”
“Yes Herr Doctor,” Wurtz said, but inside he was seething.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
GABES, TUNISIA, APRIL 1943
The full moon reflected off the glassy surface of the Mediterranean sea. The water was calm. It looked to be almost still viewed from five miles distant.
Alf, Johnny, Rushton, Doyle and the men of the long range desert group had crossed through the Fatnassa hills during the evening and now it was near midnight as they surveyed the Axis controlled port of Gabes. Rushton and Doyle were using binoculars. The trucks and Jeeps were parked all along the mountain road. For the last hour’s driving they had run without lights. Not wishing to give their position away to any watching Germans. Rushton had been looking through the binoculars for the last fifteen minutes solidly. Now he lowered them and passed them to Alf. Alf raised them to his eyes and peered through them. It was difficult to focus in the dark and Alf fiddled with the range finder until he got them as clear as he could. He took in the boats moored to the dock. The jetty was littered with cargo, some abandoned. He could see signs of frenzied activity. A motor boat was just coming in to dock.
Gabes was a major supply depot for the Axis powers linking Tunisia with Sicily and the Italian mainland.
Alf scanned the whole dock again. There was an area in darkness behind some motor boats. As Alf moved the binoculars something caught his eye and he moved back. Something was causing the water to ripple some yards from the dark. He squinted in the view finders and then in the poor light he saw the short mast.
“There’s a U-boat down there Major.”
He handed the glasses to Rushton.
“Where?”
“Can you see the group of three motor boats?” They look a bit like M.T.B’s.”
Rushton was frantically adjusting the focus back for his eyesight whilst talking to himself.
“Three motor boats that look like M.T.B’s,” suddenly it became clear “Yes. Yes. Yes. I see the three motor boats….”
“The U-boat is directly behind them.”
Rushton fiddled about with the viewfinder. Alf was impatient with him.
“Have you seen it yet?”
“No.”
“Look at the three moored together….”
“Yes I’ve got them….”
“Look at the middle one. There are ropes trailing from its stern. See how taut they are.”
“Wait….Middle boat….Ah yes now I can see the ropes. I’ve got it. I can see the submarine now. I can just make it out. Wait! Now there’s someone stood in the turret.“
“For a major supply depot it sure is quiet,” Alf said.
Rushton lowered the binoculars.
“The Germans have already evacuated this area. The main bulk of their forces have moved North. To the south are thirty corps, ten corps and the Indians there,” Rushton pointed on a roughly drawn map. They are going to bring armour in tomorrow at dawn,” Rushton brought the rest of his men together, “We have new orders,” he began. Rushton had known of them before they had left their base camp a week ago.
The men gathered round. They had all changed to black clothing, black wooly hats and their faces streaked with black. Johnny