[@Simple Unicycle]


Becker laughed. "You're a bold little fucker, and no mistake." He signalled one of the guards who stepped forward and slapped Richardson hard across the back of the head. "That's for speaking out of turn." Becker said. "Why do you think we wiped out your team? Because the coordinates you had led to something worth more than their lives, that's why." He paused. "Worth more than your life, too. So find em as quick as you can, and we might-might, mind you- let you live." The Talon commander broke off as the lift pinged. "Who the fuck is that?" He snarled at Karl the copper, who just shook his head as two men, one with a ragged moustache and the unmistakable bearing of a soldier, came down the aisle.

Herr Apfel had been telling Carson all about the refurbishments the city had been considering making to the building. "And you, see, herr Hauptmann, we've been waiting for this kind of investment for years. Why, the facade alone-" He stopped once he caught sight of the group of men. "Mein Gott, what is this now?" Muttered the thin little clerk, heading towards the grey-haired police officer who stood nervously beside the little group. 

"Deal with him." Becker hissed at Karl, before stooping over Richardson's shoulder. "Keep your mouth shut, or by God I'll make you suffer." He muttered in his captive's ear.

"Officer Kreuz." Apfel complained. "What is the meaning of this?" Kreuz shrugged. "These men are conducting research on the logistical details of the Shoah for the Tel Aviv University." He said. It was the perfect answer; no German official would raise an issue with that. Apfel nodded hurriedly and wished the men luck. Carson raised an eyebrow; those guys were no more from a university than he was from the Salvation Army. But what the Hell, he thought as Apfel ushered him into one of the aisles, it wasn't his problem.

"All right, Herr Apfel." He said, taking his thoughts back to the task at hand. "I'm looking for as many references as possible for Ferdinand Shorner's summary executions amongst Army Group Courland from August 1944 onwards.  I'm trying to build a compelling description of the man, you see." Apfel clapped his hands in delight. "Wunderbar! We shall search, and find, herr Hauptmann." 

"What do you mean, you can't send em away?" Becker's fury was evident even as he kept his voice low.

Karl Kreuz shook his head.

"The man has an appointment. If I were to insist he leave, it would raise questions we don't want. Just don't slap Richardson around and Apfel will stay out of the way, he's a spineless little toad." 

Becker nodded reluctantly. "Fine." He said at last. He went back to the table where Richardson was sitting, flanked by Talon troopers. 

"Listen up, you little weasel." Becker said. "Looks like we've got some company for tonight. Some guy writing a book about the Wehrmacht, for a change. So keep it down." 

Carson carried a thick binder full of Army Group Courland's various war logs back to the long central table. Taking an empty chair far from the supposed university group he began perusing the documents. He stole a glance at the group down the table. He could make out the title of one of the documents. "Todt Organization logs for the SS raw materials requirements in the East, 1942-1943." Gripping stuff. He turned back to his war logs.