The Valhalla Exchange - Jack Higgins [63]
'Which just about wraps it up,' Canning said. 'I can't see that we have anything further to discuss. If you'll take the advice of an old hand, Major, I'd say you and your men had better get the hell out of here while you still can. Let's go, gentlemen.'
He turned and walked back towards the gate briskly, Hesser at his side. Howard stayed there, holding the Thompson gun across his chest. Hoffer never took his eyes off him, his hand close to the butt of the holstered Walther at his belt. Ritter ignored him as he lit a cigarette calmly and examined the gate, the walls above.
'It would seem they mean business,' Strasser said.
Ritter nodded. 'So it would appear.'
He turned on his heel. Howard said, 'Major Karl Ritter, of the 502nd SS Heavy Tank Battalion, you said?'
Ritter turned slowly. 'That is correct.'
'We've met before.'
'Have we?'
'Last Wednesday morning. That little affair on the way to Innsbruck when you took out an entire British armoured column. I was one of the survivors, along with my two friends up there on the wall.'
'Congratulations,' Ritter said calmly. 'Your luck is good.'
'You can tell your man there to take his hand off the butt of that Walther. I'm not going to kill you - yet. I mean, that wouldn't be playing this game of yours according to the rules, now would it?'
'Your choice, my friend.'
'You'll be coming in?' Howard said. 'Or you'll try to?'
'Yes, I think so.'
'I'll be looking for you.'
Canning called from the gate, 'Captain Howard.' Howard turned and ran back through the snow.
'He means it, that one,' Strasser said. 'For the past five minutes I've had a finger on the trigger, imagining I might have to put another hole through the pocket of my coat. I wonder if he knew?'
'Oh, yes,' Ritter said. 'He knew'; and he turned and led the way back to the halftracks.
'What in the hell kept you?' Canning demanded as Howard slipped inside and the gates closed. 'Go on - up on the wall and tell Colonel Birr I'll join you in a couple of minutes.'
Howard mounted the stone steps and Canning turned to Hesser. 'As I recall, you raised the drawbridge six or seven months back?'
'That's right, Herr General. To see if it was working.'
'Then let's see if the damn thing still does.'
Hesser nodded to Schneider, who immediately opened the door at the foot of the tower on the left-hand side of the gate and led the way in. He switched on the light, disclosing a massive steel drum, ten feet across, chains wrapped around it, lifting up into the gloom. There were great spoked wheels on either side.
'Let's get it done.' Canning moved to one of the wheels, Schneider ran to the other, and together they started to turn.
Howard crouched beside the cannon, peering out through the embrasure, watching Ritter and his two companions walk back towards the Finns. Hoover and Finebaum dropped down beside him.
'What was going on out there, Captain?' the sergeant asked. 'Between you and the kraut officer?'
'It was him,' Howard said. 'The guy who took the column out Wednesday. His name's Ritter - Karl Ritter.'
'The guy in the Tiger who flattened the jeep?' Finebaum demanded. 'Are you saying that's him out there?' He raised the M1 and leaned across the cannon. 'Jesus, maybe I can still get him.'
Howard pulled him down. 'Not now,' he said. 'And anyway, he's mine.'
'Attack now!' Strasser said. 'The only way. Use the front half-track as a battering ram. Straight in while they're still wondering what our next move will be.'
'There are twenty armed men on that wall, armed to the teeth. At least one heavy machine gun mounted beside the old cannon between the turrets. I had a good look at that while I was lighting my cigarette. Rate of fire not far short of a thousand rounds a minute. You served in the first war, did you not, Herr Strasser? I should have thought you might have remembered what happens to those who attempt frontal attacks on heavy machine guns, skilfully positioned.'
'And in any case, the argument now becomes a wholly academic one.' Sorsa pointed and Strasser and Ritter