THE FÜHRER'S DAUGHTER

THE FÜHRER'S DAUGHTER (Episode 2 ) - Chapters 8 & 9

 CHAPTER EIGHT

DREXLER DRAINED THE COFFEE FROM HIS MUG trying to stay alert. The kitchen staff had already brewed a pot, and brought him a cup fixed to his exact specifications: a splash of cream and one lump of sugar. He trudged into his office and picked up the report on his desk next to an empty flask.

A.S.A SECURITY BRIEFING

CLASSIFIED

Rebels Remain on the Run

Last night, palace servant Miles Beaty and an unidentified rebel member evaded SS forces while abducting the Führer’s daughter, Grace Drexler. SS forces tracked them to Prince William Forest where they managed to escape capture by killing two guards. As of 5 a.m. this morning, their whereabouts remain unknown. Having taken the weapons of the dead soldiers, they are considered armed and dangerous. Intelligence reports suggest the presence of a rebel outpost located within the forest, but its precise location has not yet been determined. SS forces will concentrate efforts in locating and capturing the rebels to ensure Grace Drexler’s safe return.

  

Drexler kicked the desk drawer, chipping off a piece of mahogany. He paged his assistant. “Get Schroeder in here now!”

#

Five minutes later, a staff attendant knocked on Drexler’s office door. “Director Schroeder is here to see you, Mein Führer.”

Drexler eyed his guest as he strode across the floor toward the chair in front of him. Schroeder sat down, hastily removed his gloves and rubbed his face with his hand.

Drexler remained standing. “I’d invite you to have a seat, but you’ve already done so.”

Schroeder stood up straight and looked down at Drexler. “My apologies, Mein Führer.” He smirked as he bowed his head.

“I find nothing amusing about this, or the fact that we must have this meeting.”

“Neither do I.”

“And yet, there you stand with that ridiculous grin on your face, while you failed at the simple task of apprehending a palace servant and my teenage daughter.”

“You do realize they had a trained rebel with them who—”

Drexler stamped his foot. “I will have none of your excuses! You had a job to do and you failed.”

“After you failed at yours.”

Drexler leaned in dangerously close. “If you think for even a moment that the Kaiser will look kindly upon your agency’s ineptitude at being able to track and identify a spy living in the palace, you presume too much upon his good graces.”

“And if you think you can peddle this lie that your daughter was simply abducted as ‘officially’ issued in this morning’s security briefing, you’re more naïve than I thought.”

“I don’t care that you report to the Kaiser, I will make your life hell if—”

“So! You intend to drag me down with you into your own little debacle.”

“I intend to ensure that you comply with my directives, starting with the execution of last night’s entire search party. If they can’t even track down a sheltered teenage girl and an old Infekt palace servant, they have no business in the SS.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Have it dealt with by midday.”

“They are some of my best men. I can’t simply—”