Team Seven of Heroes Chapter 23

23.

The Reich Chancellery or known then as Reichskanzlei was the official residence of the Chancellor for over forty years then. The residence was formerly the home of Prince Antoni Radziwill. The building then was known as Rococo City Palace on Wilhelmstraße No. 77. The building was a U shaped design then with the small courtyard in the middle protected by the grilled bars and the brick pillars with the gas light lantern on it. The structure was two levels with the attic before the roofing. The windows on the walls were tall and narrow with the signs of the high ceilings. The doorways were of double doors in the centre structure and facing the courtyard was three entrances with one on each adjacent structure also facing in. The adjacent structures facing the cobbled road held no windows on the ground level but there were three narrow tall windows on the wall. On the attic levels there were windows opening and the chimneys stood tall on the crest of the roofing. The rear of the structures was a long garden with the planted flower beds and then it was surrounded by the high walls to prevent any onlookers into the rear. On the left side was the kitchen alongside with the servant quarters above it. To the right was the guards barrack and the stables for the horses.

Hauptmeister Goering had the command of the front road with both ends sealed off with the sand bags and guarded by the machine guns there. He had acquired the row of single level buildings there and had housed the extra guards there for their barracks and armoury. He was himself in his uniform and carried the Mauser rifle as though he was on a hunting expedition. He looked at the grilled wall and saw it was fortified with sand bags along it to the edge of the structures. Guards were posted behind the sand bags and on the windows opening were the marksmen. They were covering all the openings to the windows in the attic. He glanced down the road on both ends and was satisfied with the random placement of sandbags to offer covers.

“Are we going to have a battle, Hauptmeister?” The young polizei recruit asked him. The young recruit was dragged along with the other dozens from the Academy to reinforce the guards there at the Chancellery. They made it there before the siege and had barricaded the place. It was a stroke of luck that they missed the Army who had arrived an hour later. The siege took place then but the Army held the superior end with their newly designed armoured vehicle.

The Panzerwagon was the creation of Austro Daimler with the thick curved plates that covered the body (drive space and engine) and had a thick domed rotating turret that housed one or two machine guns. It was driven by a four cylinder thirty five horsepower engine that gave it a robust drive over rough terrains. It was to be a secret production with less than fifty produce for the army but with the new events, the secret was no more than a head line page.

“Hauptmeister, they have five armoured vehicles on each end.” The recruit was uneasy and voiced his concern. “I have not fired on one before.”

“Where is your Oberwachtmeister?” Hauptmeister was getting agitated by the line of questions. He was feeling nervous but the orders were explicit and he was one to follow it.

“Oberwachtmeister Klaus sneaked out just now to surrender to them.” The recruit replied. “I can’t follow him as he told me to stay.”

“Then you are a good ….officer. I will see that your name is mentioned to the Polizeioberkommissar when we meet.” Hauptmeister replied. “I forgotten your name. I am sorry for …”

“It’s Adolf.” The recruit replied and then ran off to join the others at the sentry posts.

At that moment, the Chancellor was preparing to leave the mansion with his new allies when the warning came in.

“Herr Chancellor, we have sightings of hostiles in the treelines. Our sentries are unaccounted for despite repeated calls on the radio.” The Oberwachtmeister reported in. “We may suggest that you hold your evacuation to a later hour. I have instructed the dirigibles to leave immediately.”

It was observed then the huge dirigible leaving the clearing and more guards were summoned to their posts. Chancellor Bismarck himself then had stepped into the library to inform his guests. He then picked up a Luger offered to him by one of the guards.

“I am ever surprised how they knew of this place?” The Chancellor muttered to himself. He turned to the Oberwachtmeister who had followed him in. “We had this place secured for weeks.”

“Yes, Herr Chancellor but the situation had changed. You are no more the one in power. The new to be sworn in Chancellor is on the way to the Reich Chancellery. I do apologies for that, Herr Bismarck.” The Oberwachtmeister saluted the man and then turned to walk when the former stopped him.

“Oberwachtmeister Mathias, tell me in your words why you betrayed me? Not for money or for country? Then what was it?”

The Oberwachtmeister stopped in his track and then turned around. He saluted once more and then explained.

“They got our families as hostages. We have no choice. We were told to wait for the moment to do so.” The Oberwachtmeister bowed to the ex-Chancellor. “We are ….also duty bound to our family.”

The warning came just then with more shooting. The Oberwachtmeister rushed to the tall window and saw the attack.

“Mein Gott! Those are Jagdhunde from Holle.” The Oberwachtmeister saw the huge hounds. They charged out and rushed across the clearing with the guards shooting at it. Each hound was the size of Man in length and half the height but it was the fangs in their jaws that intimidate the guards. A guard who was on duty at the clearing was seen attacked by one of the hounds which tore the head off with one bite on the neck. There were about three dozen of them

That was not all but the dozen of armoured vehicles which came crashing past the treelines and the machine guns rattled off at the guards in the mansion. Bullets assaulted the walls and past the windows to tear up the interior. The Chancellor had taken cover behind a settee set with the others.

“Are those your enemies? If they are, then they are my allies.” The ex-Chancellor called out above the flying bullets.

“No, those are not our enemy but also yours. I believe your hideout have not been discovered but attacked by the same enemy to kill you.” Sherlock gave his assessment of the situation. “I wonder if God will intervene at this moment.”

“God? You are atheist and yet you looked to him at the face of such adversity?” Mycroft snapped at his brother. “You never attended church and if you did, the pastor will sneak off from the back to avoid your tirade of questions on God.”

“I was asking him for more guidance but I did take note he was not well versed with the passages.” Sherlock sighed. “Regretfully, I had to speak …”

“Never mind that and figure who can really help us now.” It was then the bullets stopped but there were shootings and followed by with explosions. Mycroft stood up from his crouched position and looked outside.

“My God, there is God.”

God was in the form of mounted men on horseback and wagons with guns and bow with arrows. The bow riders have flaming arrows on their bow and were aiming at the armoured vehicles. Each arrow was hung a small container of flammable liquid which explode into flames on impact. The flames will spread across the armoured vehicle body. With each armoured vehicle targeted by several bow riders soon have half the armoured vehicles stopped and destroyed. The other half retreated but two more were stopped with the flaming arrows. The wagons pulled by the two horses were stationed with five riders on it. They held rifles and bows which they went for the hounds. They shot at the raging hounds with precise shooting and then rounded up the wounded to end their misery. Each time a creature was killed, the hunters will speak a word of prayers to them.

Soon the battle was over and the newly arrived hunters have a faceoff with the remaining guards led by the shaken Oberwachtmeister.

“Stand down, my worthy merry men. I will speak to them.” Friar Tuck stepped from the wagon and was led towards the Oberwachtmeister by Van Helsing then armed with a cross bow.

“My son, we are not your enemy but your rescuers. Your sentries at the treelines were saved by us but we could not prevent the attack.” While the friar spoke six guards that formed the outer perimeter sentries were led in with some minor wounds on them. “We came to ask you rescind your evil intentions and rejoice with us.”

“I am Oberwachtmeister Klaus. I do appreciate your gesture of peace but my family is held by them.” The Oberwachtmeister explained his situation. “I am ….obliged to act in this vile manner.”

“Fear not, my son. For we have your family in our care now. As we speak, more of our brothers are at work. The power of God cannot be denied with bullets and threats. Even the most hardened will not dare challenge the wrath of God.” Friar Tuck motioned to the riders before him. “I may be sightless but the presence of the merry men here is the testimony of the army which we hold.”

“Merry Men? I said are we…” Mycroft was off the cue once more when Sherlock took to explain.

“Merry Men indeed. Friar, you are truly an amazement that you kept the spirit alive for so many generations. I am indeed proud to have met you here today. Merry Men indeed they are. The myth of Sherwood Forest was never denied nor proven but the bond of the Merry Men had survived with those who sought to protect the forests.”

“The tales are passed by those who heard of it but they do exist and with the forest their abode, they have prevailed. On the identities of some heard before it was the twirl of the tongue by the devoted to add spice to the tales. We are the last of the Merry Men for the forests are diminishing and one day we may have none.” The friar replied. “Just as your tales of adventure, Mt Holmes it may be one day be only a tale but the works of yours may have its followers.”

“Nevertheless, we have a nation to save now.” The friar cut short the tale telling. “We are to travel with the Chancellor.”