The One with no name grips the edge of a crumbling brick wall, breath held tight, eyes fixed on the narrow street below. Boots clatter on the cobbles as Polizei 1 and Polizei 2 argue quietly at the checkpoint, their words clipped and wary. A cold drizzle slicks the pavement, blurring streetlamps and turning uniforms a dull gray. Somewhere deeper in the city, the sound of distant sirens cuts through the air, a reminder that danger is everywhere. The agent’s coat is heavy with hidden documents and a pistol presses cold against their side. The checkpoint blocks the only safe route toward their target, a Nazi official rumored to be nearby. Time is running short. The One with no name shifts position, heart pounding, and waits for the right moment to move.
Director
I create a distraction by throwing a stone into the dark alleyway nearby.
The agent crouches, fingers closing around a jagged stone lying on the slick cobblestones. With swift precision, they hurl it toward the shadows of the nearby alley. The stone strikes a metal trash bin with a sharp clang that slices through the city's low murmur. Polizei 1 and Polizei 2 halt abruptly, heads snapping toward the sudden sound.
I freeze, my hand instinctively dropping to the holster at my hip. I glare toward the alleyway, the metallic clang echoing in my ears.
"Did you hear that?"
I whisper, nudging my partner.
"Go, check the shadows. I will hold this position. Do not take any chances."
Polizei 2 exhales sharply, his breath ragged. His eyes narrow as he shifts his weight. He tightens his grip on his rifle, the steel strap biting into his shoulder. One last suspicious glance flickers toward the checkpoint barrier before he steps into the dark mouth of the alleyway.
I step into the gloom, rifle leveled into the darkness. My boots scrape the wet stone as I scan every corner.
"Show yourself,"
I bark, my voice tight with irritation. I keep the checkpoint in sight, ready to retreat if this is just a diversion.
A patrol vehicle turns the corner, its headlights sweeping toward the alleyway.
The One with no name presses flat against the damp wall as the distant rumble grows into a thunderous roar. A military patrol vehicle rounds the corner, its twin headlights slicing through the drizzle like sharp searchlights. The beams sweep over the street, blindingly bright, and lock onto the alleyway entrance. Polizei 1 raises a hand to shield his eyes, his silhouette stark against the harsh light.
I snap to attention, my back rigid as the harsh military lights blind me. I bark,
"Officer on duty, reporting!"
while saluting toward the vehicle. Ignoring the alleyway completely, I focus on avoiding any suspicion from the patrol. My heart hammers against my ribs as I wait for their next command.
The patrol vehicle idled with a low, predatory growl that trembled through the cobblestones. Behind the wheel, Dieter Hauer sat, his face shadowed beneath his service cap. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he stared through the windshield at the rigid, saluting officer.
I narrow my eyes, letting the engine idle until the vibration rattles my teeth. I do not return the salute. Instead, I gesture sharply toward the alleyway with my chin, my voice cold and clipped.
"Move along, officer. Your presence here is inefficient. Get back to your sector."
“That’s a guy worth capturing.”
I load but Silenced Luger and shoot the tires and the two police officers except Dieter Hauer.
With practiced ease, the agent draws their silenced Luger.
"That’s a guy worth capturing,"
they mutter under their breath. A soft, rhythmic cough breaks the silence as the pistol fires. Tires hiss as rubber shreds, and both officers collapse onto the slick pavement. Dieter Hauer remains alone inside the idling vehicle.
I freeze, my hands hovering just inches from the wheel as the silence of the street turns lethal. Slowly, I raise my empty palms, keeping my gaze fixed on the shadow that felled my comrades.
"You have the advantage,"
I rasp, my voice steady despite the adrenaline surging through my veins.
“What’s your rank officer.”
As I aim my silenced Luger at him.
The One with no name steps out from the shadows, the silenced Luger aimed steadily at the driver’s chest. Rain drips from the brim of the agent’s hat, falling in soft splashes onto the worn leather seat. The agent presses the barrel closer, eyes cold and unblinking.
"What’s your rank officer."
Dieter Hauer remains frozen, his face unreadable.
I stare into the black bore of the barrel, my jaw tightening until it aches.
"I am a corporal in the motorized patrol,"
I state flatly, my eyes tracking the movement of your finger.
"Killing me won't stop the next unit from finding exactly what you are hiding here."
The agent keeps the barrel pressed firmly against the corporal's uniform. Rain drums steadily on the vehicle roof, the tapping masking the man's heavy, labored breathing. The street around them lies unnervingly still, broken only by distant, muffled echoes from the city.
“Do you know of any shadows in the Reich?”
The One with no name holds the Luger steady, its cold steel catching the faint glow of the streetlights. Rain beads on the corporal’s face, washing away the grime from the road. The agent leans closer, voice low and steady.
"Do you know of any shadows in the Reich?"
The question lingers in the damp air as the agent waits for a response.
I swallow hard, feeling the cold steel press against my chest.
"Shadows? You mean the whispers in the high command. Even the most loyal men are starting to look over their shoulders lately. Some think the rot goes deeper than just the streets. There are documents moving that shouldn't exist."
The agent keeps the Luger's barrel pressed firmly against the corporal's uniform, unyielding. Dieter Hauer stands rooted by the threat, his eyes flicking through the surrounding shadows beyond the small pool of light. The rain-slicked street falls into a tense silence, broken only by their heavy, rhythmic breathing and the distant, muffled hum of the occupied city.
I press the barrel harder against his chest, my gaze steady and unyielding.
"Speak plainly, Corporal. Where are these documents kept? Give me a location, and do not waste my time with vague rumors. If you lie to me, you will not live to see the dawn."
Protagonist
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