Chapter 287: Time Points to Midnight (3)
Hunter looked extremely happy.
The submachine gun slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground.
Noka, however, remained calm.
He did not hang up the phone.
The radio, which had been tuned to the broadcast frequency, truly announced the passage of the peace resolution in a familiar male voice.
But Noka still did not lower his guard.
Nor did he hang up.
He gestured for Hunter to make another call and verify the news.
Sure enough, the answer was the same.
Good news.
"It is over, Noka."
Hunter shouted loudly, his tense thoughts suddenly relaxing.
"We really moved the world."
The calm and excitement that followed made this young man, who was still somewhat childish at heart, lose all vigilance.
But Noka was different.
He had once served as a German intelligence operative.
It was over?
He did not believe things would be that simple.
He picked up the phone again and dialed the negotiation line.
"Since you say Britain has surrendered, then we can release the hostage."
As soon as these words were spoken, MI6 fell into a silent frenzy of celebration.
The operator suppressed the excitement in her heart and asked, "You may walk out voluntarily."
"Do not worry. Everything is truly over."
"You will not face criminal charges, provided, of course, that Queen Mary is safe."
Before her voice faded, another sentence immediately followed.
It plunged MI6 into dead silence.
"But I have one more condition."
Noka's voice remained steady.
"I want to hear Herr von Roman personally announce this good news to me."
The operator had no choice but to stall further.
"No problem."
"Please wait a moment."
"This matter requires communication."
"It requires communication."
The call was cut off.
Inside the Queen's bedchamber, Hunter asked in confusion, "Are you mad, Noka?"
"It is already over. Why make such an unreasonable demand?"
Noka realized at once that the other man intended to retreat.
Before Hunter could react, Noka snatched the submachine gun from his hands on the table.
The dark muzzle was immediately pressed against Hunter's head.
"Listen to me, Hunter."
Noka's eyes were cold.
"If we do not hear Herr von Roman speak to us personally, do you believe that the moment we walk out, we will be shot into bloody corpses?"
After saying this, Noka crouched alone in the corner.
One gun was pointed at Queen Mary.
The other threatened Hunter and forced him to sit down.
At the Prime Minister's residence, seeing that MI6's trick had failed, Churchill had already grown impatient.
He spoke to the Royal Guard commander responsible for the assault.
"Go straight in."
"Demand a hostage exchange face to face."
"Then find an opportunity to kill those two thugs."
The Royal Guard commander did not agree to this order, which would almost certainly cost Queen Mary her life.
"I am sorry, Mr. Prime Minister."
"You may relieve me of my duty."
"I do not wish to carry out such a dangerous order."
"Please find someone else."
No sooner had he finished speaking than another call came in.
"Churchill, immediately halt the assault order and submit a peace agreement to Germany."
Edward's roar came through the receiver.
"You cannot gamble with my mother's life."
Listening to Edward's furious voice, Churchill was about to hang up.
But the next sentence forced him to pick up the receiver again.
"George told me everything."
"Why are you not keeping your original agreement?"
"Leave with your warmongers."
"This is your final warning."
"George is already contacting the Archbishop. He intends to abdicate and issue a surrender proclamation to the entire nation."
"At that time, the legitimacy of colonial resistance will be erased."
"Think carefully."
The voice faded.
Churchill's thoughts twisted into a knot.
He quickly dialed another number.
"Send someone to watch King George."
"If necessary, control him."
"Now."
Just as the royal family and the Prime Minister were locked in fierce contention, the English Channel had also reached the edge of disaster.
The German 1st Aircraft Carrier Fleet was the first to arrive in the waters off Brighton.
As the pioneers of the German Navy, all its carrier aircraft had completed radar installation and night bombing drills.
Routinely patrolling this area was a battleship task force led by HMS Warspite.
Thick fog and night shrouded the sea, creating an indescribable sense of desolation and mystery.
But soon, that desolation was broken.
Encar, captain of HMS Warspite, was awakened by hurried footsteps.
Realizing something was wrong, he quickly put on his glasses, only to collide directly with the approaching first mate.
"What happened?"
"Captain, you will understand once you come over."
They quickly ran to the radar room.
When Encar looked at the screen, he saw it densely packed with light dots.
Each light dot represented an enemy vessel.
"Oh my God."
A whistling sound tore through the air above them.
Encar knew it was a German reconnaissance aircraft performing low altitude lock on.
And after that, the next step was often a brutal aerial bombardment.
"Immediately request support and fire authorization from headquarters."
His voice sharpened.
"Quickly."
On the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, Fleet Commander General Callahan held his binoculars and gazed into the distance.
His adjutant reported again and again beside him.
"Sir, all battleships, including Warspite, have sent requests for permission to fire."
"According to estimates, Germany has deployed at least two carrier battle groups for this confrontation, not including detached submarine forces."
"What should we do?"
Callahan, who had only recently received the Canadian draft plan transferred from the General Staff, took a deep breath.
He could already guess that political changes had occurred at home.
It was too late to retreat.
The German Navy had moved too quickly.
Decisive as a cheetah, they intended to settle everything during Britain's internal turmoil.
"First, send a telegram to Naval Headquarters."
Callahan's voice remained controlled.
"Have the Germans opened fire?"
"No."
"They have only been confronting the warships."
"The bombers and attack aircraft are just circling."
Hearing this, Callahan already understood the situation.
The Germans were gambling.
They were gambling that the British government would succumb to internal and external pressure and choose to surrender, allowing Germany to acquire a massive, ready-to-use fleet in the simplest way possible.
And if the gamble failed, they could still catch Britain off guard.
Seeing that the general remained silent, the adjutant could no longer sit still.
"Should we issue a direct fire order?"
Callahan shook his head and said firmly, "Wait."
"We will execute whatever the General Staff orders."
Callahan was not a staunch resister.
He was a pure soldier.
Whatever headquarters ordered, he would carry out.
Before his voice faded, an officer rushed onto the command bridge and spoke rapidly.
"Sir, emergency report from the St. George's Channel."
"Read it."
"The French Navy and a combat fleet have entered a detached standoff…"
Before the officer could finish reading, another officer walked in.
"Sir, in the Strait of Dover, the Belgian and Dutch navies are engaged in a tactical standoff with Third Combat Fleet."
"HMS Malaya's guns have been adjusted to the optimal angle, and Captain Mwivi has requested fire authorization."
The next second, the intelligence dispatcher responsible for the Mediterranean region spoke.
"Sir, urgent telegram from the Mediterranean Fleet."
"This afternoon, they observed more than half of the Greek Navy's vessels heading toward the Strait of Gibraltar."
"It is highly likely that they have now crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and are approaching British waters."
Callahan pressed one hand against his forehead and said weakly, "If headquarters chooses to resist, then we will be at war with all of Europe."
"My God."
Eleven thirty in the evening.
Midnight was approaching.
Europe looked on expectantly.
The whole world held its breath.
....
https://discord.gg/KvMN2CFsMR
[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03].