Tom and the Wizard-08

The saucer landed at the Nazi stronghold, as Tom and company expected, under remote control. When stormtroopers came aboard, they found nothing and no one aboard, as everyone had crammed themselves into any little space that could be had.

"Somehow," Tom said as he emerged from his hiding place, "I doubt we'll have it as good as it worked in the movies."

"What do you suggest?" The Wizard said, emerging from his place.

"I expect," Longfellow said, likewise, "that they will keep eyes on the craft and wait for us to emerge."

The men gathered about, checking their gear, and hearing them they nodded their agreement one by one.

The Wizard smiled. "I concur. Leave this to me."

The Wizard left them to prepare. He dropped down a service hatch, and once out of sight he adjusted a subdermal control panel; his nano-technological enhancements altered the frequencies that his body resonated at, effectively cloaking him from visual as well as thermal detection. Secure in his invisibility, The Wizard confidently walked away from the landed saucer and made his way to the facility's hangar control room. Unseen, he slipped his hand over the deck officer's mouth and put the other one--holding a taser--to the man's back. Too late did the officer notice his undoing; at a moment when a loud noise of large machinery doing its work echoed through the hangar, The Wizard stunned the officer and took him down softly with none of the technicians wiser to his being there. Moments later, as more machinery made more noises, The Wizard used the sidearm pilfered from the officer's unconscious body to execute the technicians without so much as a mean look in their direction.

"The eyes and ears are now blind and deaf." The Wizard said as he reported back, "Come on now."

As Tom, Longfellow, and the men emerged from the saucer Tom looked over to Longfellow and said "Still too easy. It feels like we are going into a trap."

"I've seen that movie also." Longfellow said, "Let's spring it and get it done with."

Tom smiled. He may be in an absurd adventure, but at least he as company.

* * * * *

Well within the Nazi stronghold, two figures in crisp, clean SS uniforms looked on.

"All goes according to plan, sir." one said.

"Nonetheless, Major," the other said, "I cannot shake the feeling that we too are being played for fools."

"True, General." the Major said, "This feels like we're playing parts in a motion picture, and not a particularly good one at that."

Now clapping echoed throughout the room, the slow method of a golf cap intended as an insult. Both men drew their sidearms and moved back-to-back in response.

"You are being played." a voice said, "This entire incident is nothing more than a farce meant to demonstrate to parties far beyond this mythical location just how ridiculous this entire concept is in practice."

Just then, a hologram materialized, one of a severely-attired man who's much worse for wear- and yet, recognizable. The two officers, upon recognition, saluted.

"No need for names, gentlemen." the hologram said, "However, if you wish to survive and salvage this operation, then you need to listen very carefully to what I have to say- and follow my orders to the letter."

The General and the Major now paid full attention to the hologram.

"The one known to us as 'The Wizard' is with them. He has played you men like fiddles; all of the conflict between you and the enemy you've fought all these years is a carefully-controlled conflict meant to foster specific developments that he intends to take advantage of- at your expense."

"How so, sir?" The General said, "We've followed the protocols that you laid down during the war, fulfilling letter and spirit."

"Yes, protocols that the Allies captured and smuggled back to with them along with many of our surviving scientists. You were not the survivors of the Reich that you thought you were, gentlemen. The successor embedded itself deep within the establishment of our erstwhile enemies, and over the last generation or so we've come to power and consumed them from within. This conflict is as much a ruse as our post-war 'rehabilitation' was, as much as the war itself was, and your part in it is about to end."

"Disclosure." the Major said, "I think I see now what this is."

"Correct, Major." the hologram said, "The Wizard is there to ensure that the narrative we are to use regarding the emergence of our resurrected form goes smoothly. A certain degree of mutually-assured destruction occurs, acceptable losses incurred to sell the narrative to the audience, and meanwhile you gentlemen are allowed to recede into the background and enjoy the rewards for all your work. Rest assured that we shall soon see success that even the Reich could not conceive of achieving in so short a span of time."

The Nazi officers stood there, confused.

"Play your parts, gentlemen, as you were to do before, but when the time for your comeuppance arrives be certain to say to the Wizard that you feared that this day would come. He will know your sign, and he will act accordingly. That is all."

The hologram disappeared. "We have our orders then, Major." the General said.

Unseen and unheard, The Wizard smiled at them. "So close to the truth," he thought, "and yet still so very far indeed."