The Metal Man: An Account of a WW2 Nazi Cyborg Read Free Page A

hands. But Hitler now wore the faintest of smiles. Gone was the previous impression of barely-contained rage.
     
    ‘‘Metal Man’,’ said Hitler softly, almost to himself. ‘‘ Der Metallmann ’ – yes, perhaps…’
     
    A few more seconds of silence… Then he spoke directly, brusquely, to Reinhardt –
     
    ‘Very well, Captain; consider this project of yours authorized.’
     
    ‘ Mein Fuhrer…’ Reinhardt began, his eyes widening with grateful surprise.
     
    Waving a hand to silence him, Hitler continued: ‘You will receive a phone call presently, after you have returned from here to your departmental headquarters. This call will tell you exactly how and when you are to make your reports, concerning the progress of this… project.
     
    ‘From this moment on, you are to treat it as being subject to the highest possible security classification. Is this understood?’
     
    ‘Yes, Mein Fuhrer.’ Reinhardt gulped yet again. He now had to broach the most delicate and potentially dangerous part of his request.
     
    ‘There is just one more thing…’ he began.
     
    ‘Yes?’ returned Hitler impatiently. ‘What is it?’
     
    ‘There is just one man who is capable of building the – well, the Metal Man. My finest scientist; indeed Germany’s, perhaps Europe’s finest…’
     
    ‘Captain Reinhardt,’ broke in Hitler, his voice once again dangerously calm. ‘I would be grateful if you would say exactly what it is you want…’
     
    ‘This scientist was arrested yesterday, Mein Fuhrer,’ blurted Reinhardt.
     
    For the first time, Hitler appeared slightly surprised.
     
    ‘Arrested?’ he questioned. ‘By whom?’
     
    ‘The Gestapo, Mein Fuhrer.’
     
    Hitler raised his eyebrows slightly; and then the look of surprise was gone.
     
    ‘And what was this… scientist of yours arrested for?’ he asked.
     
    ‘I repeat he is my best scientist, Mein Fuhrer,’ said Reinhardt quickly. ‘This whole project – like so many others carried out by my department before – is almost entirely his idea. Without him, there is no chance that…’
     
    ‘ Captain Reinhardt !’ Hitler almost shouted, placing a clenched fist on the table. ‘I asked you – What was he arrested for ?’
     
    For a split-second, Reinhardt closed his eyes and saw his life flash before him. He felt he’d lose control of his bladder at any moment. He must have been insane to come here, to make this request…
     
    And now he was going to have to tell the leader of the Nazi party himself that the Reich’s finest scientist was…
     
    ‘He is half-Jewish,’ Reinhardt almost gasped, as Hitler’s icy blue eyes widened and the upper-lip below the famous moustache curled with startled indignation…
     
     
    3
     
     
    One of the sagging, rotting wooden buildings in the village had been set on fire. Two of Ackermann’s men were stood by the flames, laughing and looking up at the woman’s head that had appeared, just below the roof.
     
    She’d opened a shutter to look out, had seen the fire, and then started screaming with fear. (When closed, this shutter had disguised the fact that there was a second floor to this building – at least when it was viewed from the outside.)
     
    ‘What the hell is this?’ demanded Lieutenant Colonel Karl Brucker as he approached.
     
    The SS troopers stopped laughing to stare darkly at him.
     
    Brucker returned the look, and between gritted teeth said, ‘I asked you a question…’
     
    ‘We had an idea someone was hiding up there… sir ,’ replied one of the troopers tightly. ‘I was sure I heard a cough, when I was searching the ground and first floors.’
     
    ‘And this means you had to set fire to this building?’ spat Brucker, the reflection of the flames nearby making the facial scar on his pale face seem even shinier.
     
    The other SS trooper replied: ‘The staircase to this second floor has obviously been concealed in some way, with a false wall or something of the