"Doc Savage Adventure 1945-01 The Hate Genius" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doc Savage Collection)

He watched them, particularly those of whom he had heard special things. There was Oland Von Zett, for instance, who had assassinated the German General-in-chief, Neufsedt, early in the war. Assassination was not the word the English and American general staff had used, but Zett with enormous cunning and patience had put six bullets through General Neufsedt and gotten away with it. General Neufsedt had started ordering the execution of American prisoners of war, and his assassination had put a stop to that.

There was also Francis Gonnerman, who had maneuvered the Italian coup, which had resulted in the surrender of the Italian government, the Italian fleet, and the fight of Mussolini. That had been a nice job. Gonnerman had not appeared in the news- papers in connection with the affair, because it was Gonnerman's business not to appear in any newspapers at all.

They didn't look like the hard, scheming, unbelievably adept fellows they really were, Doc Savage reflected' Von Zett didn't look old, nor did Gonnerman. Neither seemed as tough, even, as a regular soldier. They weren't suave slickers, either. They were just nice, healthy looking guys with whom you'd like to have a poker game or a round of golf. Which proved that you shouldn't look at a package and be too sure of what was inside it.

Mr. Dilling -- who was a more remarkable fellow than any of the others, Doc knew -- finished the introductions.

"Here is the situation," Mr. Dilling said.

Doc Savage listened, and his stomach wanted to crawl. Mr. Dilling didn't make a long speech. He tied a great deal up in a small matter-of-fact package of words and delivered it

The war was near its end in Europe, and one of the Axis leaders was fleeing his nation. The man who was taking fight happened to be the only leader remaining with any great power. He was one of the most villainous of the lot The man must be caught and punished.

"This information," Mr. Dilling explained, "came to us through various sources, and is absolutely true. We are sure of the facts."

Mr. Dilling took a large dossier of papers out of a briefcase. "Here are the reports," he said, "to substantiate what I have just told you. And there are other reports to substantiate what I am going to tell you next."

He seemed to deviate, because he began to talk about the state of the war. He sounded, for a moment, like a lecturer who had gotten his material from the newspapers, then he began to give facts and figures and names.

Germany was coming apart at the seams. The Nazis had been pounded until, like a great concrete block beaten with sledges, it had cracked in innumerable places.

"Their leader, as everybody knows, is a fanatic," Mr. Dilling said. "whether or not he is crazy is a question. But one thing is sure -- he is perfectly willing for every last German to die for Nazi plans."

Mr. Dilling scowled at his dossier of papers.

"The man has put a double in his place," he said. "He has disappeared, and left the double. Over a period of years, before the war even began, there was talk of the man using doubles. to take his place. There was some truth in the talk. He had, however only one double, a former shoe merchant named' Ludorff, frorn Minden, who resembles him closely in appearance and voice.

"The double is going to be assassinated, so that the Nazi chief will appear to have died a martyr. You men know the German temperament, so you know what will happen if the man appears to die a martyr. Germany will become solid again. The cracks in that shattering concrete block will be cemented together. The cement tying it together will be the supposed martyrdom of the Nazi leader.

"The assassination of their leader, and the job is to be done so that it will appear to be the work of Allied agents, will prolong the war. As to how many lives that will cost, your guess is as good as mine. Thousands, at least

"And there is another hellish probability: Nazism will be glorified in the minds of the German people, by the death of the leader. It will live. And in time -- twenty years, people are always saying -- we will have this mess again."

Mr. Dilling had finished. He said, "All right Questions."

"What ideas," Doc asked, "have you about where he might be?"

"Not a damned one."

"Eh?"

"The fellow has disappeared absolutely. We can't give you the least idea of where he is."

One of the other men-it was Francis Gonnerman, of the Italian coup-said gravely, "The thing has us gray-headed. The basic problem is simple: Catch this fellow and show the German people the ratty trick he was pulling in skipping out and leaving a double to be murdered in his place."

Doc asked, "How much time have we?"

"Before they assassinate the double? Two days. We are sure that we have two days. And I'm telling you, that isn't much time."