Taylor said, “Tempelhof Field. The site of the old Tempelhof Airport. Which Ulrich said is a public park now.”
Brodie nodded. Tempelhof was famous as the focal point of the Berlin Airlift in the late 1940s, when the Soviets blockaded West Berlin and the Allies had to fly in massive amounts of supplies to the starving city. Brodie examined the expansive area on the map, whose perimeter must have been close to five miles. He repeated Colonel Granger’s words: “I will see you later in the field.”
Taylor said, “The field of operations. The field of combat.”
“Or it’s literal.” Brodie pointed to Tempelhof Field. “This open expanse provides a unique tactical advantage for a covert mortar strike in the middle of a city. No obstructions, no public roads or private residences, restricted public access after nightfall, minimal security, little or no chance of a civilian or a police officer happening upon you, and the ability to surveil anyone making an approach from hundreds of yards in every direction. It’s also asymbolic choice for Odin, a bitter old Cold Warrior who bet on the losing side. Spectacle. Symbolism.” He added, “Revenge.”
Taylor stared at the map. “You might be right. Actually, we can’t afford for you to be wrong.”
“That rarely happens. Let’s get out of here.”
CHAPTER 51
Brodie crawled through the dark tunnel with Taylor close behind. His G36 rifle was slung on his back, and he held the flashlight in front of him. In a few minutes, they reached the end of the tunnel and climbed the metal rungs up a narrow thirty-foot shaft.
The rungs stopped at a flat ledge, and Brodie pulled himself up, followed by Taylor.
Brodie swept the flashlight around. They were in a passageway with walls made of the same degraded concrete as the bunker. The passage ran about fifty feet and ended at a concrete block wall with a steel door.
They walked to the wall, which appeared to be of newer construction than the surrounding passageway. The steel door also looked newer and was secured by a long sliding bolt.
Taylor asked, “You feel that?”
The whole passage felt like it was rumbling and was soon filled with the thunder of a fast-approaching train. They heard the train whip past them, then slow somewhere farther down, followed by the faint but familiar sound of the U-Bahn’s PA system announcing the stop. Bernauer Straße.
Brodie slid the bolt and pulled open the heavy steel door. They exited onto a narrow walkway in a dark train tunnel. The walkway ran about twenty yards along the tunnel to a set of stairs and a security gate that led to the train platform.
The U-Bahn train was at the platform, and passengers were getting on and off. Brodie and Taylor took off their winter coats, slung their compact rifles along their right sides, and put the coats back on. This concealed their rifles, but created a bulge, though not enough to draw attention. They bothheld their pistols inside their right jacket pockets and walked quickly along the catwalk to the platform as the train pulled out.
Brodie climbed the stairs, then vaulted over the low security gate onto the platform. Taylor followed. A few people noticed them, and an older man started yelling at them in German. They walked quickly up the station stairs and out to the street.
It was nighttime. The city was covered in about an inch of snow, and dense flurries were coming down. Judging by how many people were on the street, and by the traffic, it was the middle of rush hour.
Taylor said, as if to herself, “Back in the land of the living.”
Brodie had no reply, but thought of David Kim, stuck in the land between the living and the dead.
Taylor looked up and down the wide road at the slow-moving stream of cars rolling through the snow and slush. She said, “A taxi is going to take too long.”
Brodie spotted a young guy in a hooded winter parka sitting on a Vespa at a red light. The man had an insulated food delivery bag strapped to the back of the Vespa and he was fiddling with a smartphone that was mounted between the handlebars.
Brodie approached the guy and pulled out his pistol. “Off.”
The man looked at him. “Was?”
“Off.” Brodie raised the pistol slightly so the guy could understand what was happening.
The man saw the gun and yelled, “Scheiße!” then jumped off the Vespa and ran.
Brodie grabbed the handlebar, pocketed his pistol, and jumped on. Taylor hopped on behind him and held on tight.
Brodie peeled out into the intersection and weaved between the cars and trucks. A few vehicles honked and someone yelled as he cut left and headed for the tram tracks that ran between the opposing lanes.
Taylor held tight to him and asked over the rushing wind, “Have you driven one of these?”
“It’s been a while. But you never forget.” He added, “Never in snow. Hang on.” He cranked the throttle and sped down the tracks. There was no tram in sight, which made this a pretty good express lane.
Taylor asked, “Do you know how to get to Tempelhof?”
