Ballad Of A Spy

Desperate diseases require desperate remedies - Guy Fawkes (Gunpowder Plot).


Agent Kauffman had made up his mind. The decision was a difficult one but upon deliberate consideration it seemed the right thing to do. What was once for the glory and pride of Germany had turned into a senseless massacre so bloody and inhumane, even Satan would recoil at the thought of it. The madness has to end and the power to do so lies solely in his hands.

Three weeks ago, he had been summoned into General Strauss’ office. Evidence had suggested that a prominent German scientist was being smuggled into America and with him, the devastating knowledge to build a bomb so significant of might it could wipe out entire nations and envelop their future generations with an irremovable blanket of pestilence. However, in the course of the journey, the man had been assassinated. The deed was believed to have been carried out by an agent from the Soviet ranks. The Allies are now working towards procuring documents of the scientist’s work, which he had hidden before his departure. The scientist himself had come up with the plan to dispatch them separately so that should misfortune befall either one of them at one time, there is hope yet left in the other. If the enemy learns to materialize the bomb from its conception, then all would be lost for Germany. It was Agent Kauffman’s mission to retrieve the documents before they do.

The mission was a great success and the precious documents are now in his possession, but he had no intention of letting it fall into the hands of the Führer. The plan was simple; secure the documents, board the train before suspicions arose, and get himself to England. There, Kathrin would be waiting for him. He had managed to get her across safely and without hassle. Oh Kathrin, she had been his only source of light in the darkness of war and were it not for her softness and beauty, he could possibly have caved in. The nightmares were becoming too frequent, too real. It was Kathrin who was always there to hold him and soothe him. Even a hardened spy needs a woman to take care of him, Agent Kauffman smiled at the thought.

A sudden jolt of the carriage brought him back to his surroundings as the train came to a screeching halt. There were no stops scheduled until the next 2 hours. What was going on? He heard the doors of the train open and an unintelligible conversation ensued between the conductor and another man. Orders were shouted out and footsteps could be heard filling the interior of the train. He knew by the sharp patter of their military shoes that these men were not ordinary citizens. How many were there? Agent Kauffman pressed his ears against the floor of his cabin and listened hard. No less than 20 men, he concluded.

“Check all cabins and leave no bed, bunk, nor bag unturned. I want every man, woman, and child thoroughly scrutinized! If Herr Kauffman gets away you will find yourself crawling amongst the Jews in Auschwitz!” a strong, powerful voice barked in German. Agent Kauffman froze. Word of his treachery must have reached the ears of General Strauss! Doors were opening and closing, there was a commotion as the passengers were searched and their belongings ransacked. The sounds of footsteps were approaching fast and the tap-tapping of one was heading straight for his cabin! Tap-tap, tap-tap…tap-tap, tap-tap…

Within seconds he would be knocking at his cabin door. Agent Kauffman held his breath. He had prepared to fool them at the border but not at the train. He looked out the window. The train had stopped somewhere in the German countryside. He could make a break for it. The foliage would provide enough shadows for hiding…but this was unfamiliar territory. Even if he could run, he was not sure how long he could hide.

Tap-tap…tap-tap…tap-tap…

No, it would be better if he had them believe he was not aboard this train. That way, they would concentrate on other rails once this ordeal is over. If he missed this one, the difficulty of getting onto another would be doubled. He just needed to gather his wits about him and get over this obstacle. The footsteps were getting louder. Think, Sebastian, think! He commanded himself.

Tap-tap…tap-tap…tap…the footsteps stopped outside of Agent Kauffman’s cabin. The doors flung open…

The soldier turned the bed and blankets around. He cut open the mattress and pillows with his bayonet, seeking something that was not to be found. He opened the window and poked his head out into the black of the night, his eyes roving, searching, with piercing intensity. Satisfied, he left the cabin and continued to the next one.

From the roof of the train, Agent Kauffman could see the soldier poking his head out from the window. Quickly he ducked under to avoid detection. When the soldier had passed by, he allowed himself to breathe. He just might make it after all. The voices of the men were beginning to congregate around the front of the train, they must be leaving! Agent Kauffman’s heart gave a leap. But wait, what is that shuffling noise?

Right ahead of him! About 30 paces away, a silhouette of a man was clambering onto the top of the train. One of them had decided to inspect the roof! Agent Kauffman peered into the window of his cabin, there were soldiers milling about the place still. It was impossible to slip back inside unnoticed. The silhouette was beginning to take a more detailed appearance of a man. He licked his dry lips subconsciously, his mind racing. Then it hit him. He had heard no orders given out to search the roof. This soldier must be here by his own volition! The rest of the party could be unaware of his whereabouts. They could be. Agent Kauffman was not certain but this was a gamble he would have to take. Huddling closer and closer into the shadows, he waited. His timing must be perfect. There could be no mistakes. There must be no mistakes.

By now, he could already make out the face of his hunter, a young man with an angular face and serious, thin lips set in a straight line. The atmosphere was so static he could hear his own heart beat against his chest. With his right hand clutching the documents protectively, he reached for the Shepherd’s Arm with his left. Just as the soldier hopped over to the next carriage, Agent Kauffman’s fingers tightened and he squeezed the trigger. A gleaming bullet was propelled into the air, its screams suppressed by a silencer. It was a clean shot in the head. The soldier fell backwards and landed with a slight thud, his body nestled in the gap between the two carriages. Excellent! Had the soldier fallen out of the train upon his death he would be in clear view of his comrades, alerting them of Agent Kauffman’s presence.

The captain barked out his last orders as the train groaned audibly and rumbled slowly into life. Agent Kauffman climbed stealthily back into his cabin, hair matted and forehead covered with a thin sheen of cold perspiration. Peering outside, he watched as the search party grew smaller and smaller until they were no more. He smiled to himself. By the time they realized one of their comrades was missing, it would be too late. He would be well on his way to safety.


* * * * * * * * * *

It was about a week later when he arrived at London. Except for the young couple who kept holding noisy arguments in the cabin next to his, the rest of the journey had been pleasant. Just as he had expected, the Nazis had left the train in peace once they had quelled their suspicions. He breathed in the chill of the English winter, the dreariness of the season mattered little to him now. He lit a cigarette and smoked leisurely. His attention was focused on scanning for that one face he had been dying to catch. He was just observing the multitude of faces that had freshly poured in at the front gate when a sound caught his ears. It was a pitter-patter of running feet and from the left corner, darting towards him with arms outstretched in anticipation of embrace, was Kathrin, the apple of his eye, the love of his life.

Agent Kauffman gave a cry of joy. He rushed over to her with the fervour of a man in blind love. He lifted her up and swirled her around before planting his lips on hers. They kissed long and tender. She smiled, “Schatzi! I thought I was never going to see you again!”

“Silly darling, you need to have a little more confidence in me,” Agent Kauffman mused.

Kathrin sighed happily and kissed him again, “Let’s go home. I’ve prepared your favourite for dinner, beef steak and wine!”

Agent Kauffman laughed. He had never felt so elated.


* * * * * * * * * *


The after events of dinner had consisted of endless love-making and sweet nothings. When Kathrin had fallen asleep, he sat up in bed and thought about his next course of action. Nobody knew about his plan except for himself. He would have to settle everything by tomorrow, there is not a moment left to delay. The sooner the war is done, the better it is. Best of all, he did not have to lie to Kathrin anymore. The poor girl, she thinks he works as a bank clerk! He hated having to tell her untruths but women are weak. How could she possibly understand? But that is no longer relevant. Tomorrow, he would contact British Intelligence and it would all be over. They can start anew. Tomorrow. As thoughts of freedom mingled with the after-sensation of love, he fell into a deep sleep.

When he awoke, Agent Kauffman was surprised to find himself skillfully tied to a chair, clad in nothing but his shorts. Kathrin appeared from the washroom with a clean rag in her hand. “Kathrin! What are you doing? Is this some kind of joke?” he asked, though instinct told him something was very, very wrong. His head was heavy and groggy. The wine! It was drugged! No wonder she had insisted on having whiskey.

“My name’s not Kathrin. It’s Providence, Agent Providence Lynch of British Intelligence,” she said as she gagged his mouth with the rag. She spoke to him in English this time, with a distinctive British accent.

“I’m sorry Sebastian, or should I call you Agent Kauffman? Germany must not be allowed victory in this war. Too much injustice had been committed towards the human race. Nowhere in the history of Mankind had such cruelty and heartlessness been recorded,” she shook her head, her striking face hooded in anger and sadness. “The madness has to end and the power to do so lies solely in my hands,” she stopped and beheld his face. Whatever tenderness he had seen in those beautiful brown eyes the night before was gone. She just seemed to be…sizing him up.

Agent Kauffman shook his head violently. “Mmmfff mmfff,” he tried to tell Kathrin, no…Providence, that he had not planned to surrender the documents to the Nazis. That was the reason he was in London. He wanted the war and all the senseless murders to stop just as desperately as she does. But most of all, he loved her. He really loved her! “Mmmfff mmfff mmmmff!!!”

Agent Lynch ignored his impeded attempts to articulate himself. “But just for the record, your work was immaculate, Agent Kauffman. Truth be told, you were the perfect spy,” she said. “But you made one fatal mistake.”

With a deadly smirk on her face, she leaned forward, closed her eyes, and whispered in his ear, “You fell in love with me.”

The still of the morning air was softly broken by the muffled sound of a bullet cutting through a skull. Then, all was quiet again as the lights around Agent Kauffman began to dim.



This story was inspired by a dream I recently had. The plot remained unchanged (my dreams have plots, ok?) but I've altered the characters a bit.