Chapter 72: Sudden Rain
Before the other side could even reply, Seckt picked up the telephone again and dialed a second number.
"Royal Cavalry Regiment? This is Seckt. I order you to proceed at once to all key districts in Berlin and prevent any possible coup. Remember this clearly, no firing!"
Only after receiving a firm acknowledgement did Seckt finally let out a long breath. He sat heavily in the wooden chair behind his desk, drawing on his cigarette again and again, trying to steady the tremor in his heart.
Across from him, Drew lowered his gaze to hide the delight flickering in his eyes.
Although Seckt had not issued an explicit order for combat, a Commander in Chief could not personally control every rifle in a cavalryman's hand. If real fighting broke out, then even if Seckt later discovered that the whole affair had been arranged from the shadows, it would already be too late. By then, all Seckt would be able to do, under Drew's guidance and protection, would be to wire the entire army and step into the vacant presidential authority.
Of course, for all Drew's calculations, he had overlooked the most crucial variable.
The reason Jörg had been able to rise so quickly in the first place was the once in a lifetime opportunity to save the President.
And the one whose fate had also been altered by that act was the man Seckt had just called, the commander of the Capital Emergency Response Force, De Mengnade.
...
Berlin Defense Force Barracks.
After setting down the receiver, De Mengnade clasped his hands behind his back and fell into troubled silence.
He naturally understood that orders were orders, and personal sentiment was personal sentiment. But no matter how he looked at it, Jörg had once saved his military future. Vito, meanwhile, was unquestionably Jörg's man.
Whether by logic or by instinct, De Mengnade did not believe Jörg would stage a coup. More importantly, the order had not come with direct confirmation from the President.
Should he move his men?
After a brief hesitation, he turned to his aide.
"Get me the First Armored Division. Do everything possible to reach Jörg, Mr. Hindenburg, and Vito."
The officer beside him was stunned.
"Sir... that does not exactly follow procedure."
De Mengnade turned sharply and fixed him with a hard stare.
"Procedure? What I say is procedure. Your job is to obey."
He had only just stood and shrugged into his overcoat when the return call came through.
"Mr. De Mengnade? This is Vito."
The voice on the line was calm.
"I am glad to hear you are still keeping your head. Let me make one thing absolutely clear. The Berlin Police Department has no intention of overthrowing the government, and even less intention of seizing power."
"I know you may not believe me, but we will prove it with facts. The Berlin Police will not fire first."
There was the briefest pause before Vito continued.
"The one who tries to provoke a clash and fires the first shot will be the real criminal attempting to escalate this matter."
The line went dead before De Mengnade could answer.
A moment later, he made his decision.
"Order every unit to gear up and move to all major road junctions. Keep wireless communication open at all times. No firing without my direct order."
He grabbed his gloves.
"And prepare the car. I am going to Police Headquarters."
At the same time, the Royal Cavalry Regiment was also on the move.
Unlike the Defense Force, they had already been waiting for just such an order.
Commander Karl Todd slowly wiped the polished edge of his saber, completely ignoring the instruction about not opening fire. Then he mounted his horse and rode onto the parade ground where the regiment had long since assembled.
"Check ammunition!"
The crack of bolts and the restless breathing of warhorses rose together over the square.
"We have just received news that traitors intend to launch a coup. Cavalrymen, your chance to earn honor has come. Mount up. We move on the Berlin Police Department at once!"
On the other side of the city, outside police stations across Berlin, the bustling energy of the streets had already been replaced by the cold silence of impending violence.
Residential buildings on both sides of the roads had been occupied by police marksmen. Mauser rifle barrels protruded from windows one after another, and Lewis machine guns had even been set up on rooftops.
Meanwhile, other police officers had stepped into the streets, loudly accusing the government and elements of the army of falling under the control of ambitious men who intended to send them to the guillotine. They declared that what they were doing now was their final act of salvation for the nation.
Countless civilians stared blankly at the spectacle. When they asked questions, the only answer they received was silence, or a hard gesture ordering them away.
Most of them understood nothing. They could only read the truth from the dark metal mouths of the guns.
Soon, army trucks racing through the streets gave form to their fear.
Teams of soldiers disembarked, rapidly dispersed the crowds, and followed behind the marching police formations. Outwardly it looked like a confrontation, yet they did not immediately move to suppress anyone. In that strange moment, it seemed less like an armed blockade and more like a military escort.
For a brief instant, the sight of police and soldiers advancing in parallel had an absurd, almost comical quality.
Then the sound of hooves shattered it.
The cavalry had arrived.
Field guns were unlimbered and aimed directly at the buildings on either side of the road. Officers on horseback brandished sabers and shouted their warnings through megaphones.
"First warning! All police officers are to leave the procession immediately!"
"Second warning! All police officers are to leave the procession immediately!"
"Third warning! If rebellious police refuse to obey, artillery will open fire!"
Seeing police officers scatter behind cover and begin drawing pistols and rifles of their own, the commander of the nearby emergency response detachment could no longer remain still. He rushed forward and tried to stop the cavalry officer holding the megaphone.
"Sir! Our orders are to control the situation, not open fire. You must not escalate this!"
The Royal Cavalry commander did not even bother looking at him.
He jerked his horse forward half a step, while behind him the artillerymen had already rammed shells into the guns.
"Then tell your men to get out of the way. My orders are not to restrain but to eliminate. If you do not want to die with them, stand clear."
The emergency response commander still tried to argue, but he was too late.
Boom!
The shell exploded against a rooftop.
Flame and debris burst into the air. The thunder of the detonation was followed almost at once by scattered gunfire.
At that moment, the Defense Force commander realized with absolute clarity that the line had already been crossed.
Police Headquarters.
Vito stood at the main entrance, directly facing the armored machine gun mounted on a Defense Force vehicle. Across from him stood De Mengnade.
"Mr. De Mengnade, I will repeat myself one last time. We have never intended to overthrow the government. The accusations against Jörg and against me are baseless."
Vito's voice was firm, but not loud.
"I respect your duty as a soldier. But do not allow yourself to become someone else's instrument."
He had barely finished when the distant echo of an explosion rolled across the city.
The machine gunner on the armored car reacted instantly, nearly pulling the trigger.
De Mengnade spun around.
"Did I not order no firing?"
His aide had already checked the incoming telegrams and turned pale.
"It was not us, sir. It was the Royal Cavalry Regiment. Our liaison officer personally witnessed them shelling the police positions."
De Mengnade swore under his breath.
Were they mad?
General Staff had not given them permission to fire. He was certain of it. If they had done so anyway, then there were only two possibilities. Either their commander had lost his mind, or he had something to hide.
The aide stepped closer.
"Sir, they are requesting that we join the clearing operation."
"Clearing?"
De Mengnade barked out the word.
"Clearing what?"
His face darkened completely.
"Send orders to every unit. They are to disarm the cavalry immediately."
The aide hesitated.
"Sir... this may decide sides. If we do this, we will be standing with Jörg, and he is already being spoken of as a rebel. If this fails, you may be purged afterward."
De Mengnade stared at him for a second, then his expression hardened into something like resolve.
"Then I will make the gamble."
He pointed toward the street.
"If they refuse to surrender their weapons, drive the armored cars straight at the horses. They are the ones violating General Staff orders now. I am correcting the situation and limiting the damage. Is that clear?"
The aide straightened at once.
"Yes, sir. I will relay it immediately."
De Mengnade did not answer. His gaze had already turned back toward the smoke rising over Berlin.
Tonight had gone far beyond a question of routine duty.
It had become a wager on the future of Germany itself.
.....
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