Mark Frost - The Second Objective

Early in his interview, Lieutenant Schmidt repeated the information he had given Grannit about the commando unit known as Einheit Stielau . In earlier interrogations the other three captured members of his squad corroborated the basics of Schmidt’s story. However, none of those men admitted knowing anything about a so-called second objective, even after being subjected to severe physical abuse.

Major Moran hadn’t yet resorted to coercion with the talkative Schmidt, when negotiations stalled over this second objective. Schmidt offered to reveal what he knew about it, but only if given written assurance that he would not be executed as a spy. Major Moran refused. An agitated and emotional Schmidt refused to say anything more.

Furious, Moran came out of the room and ordered his men to beat it out of him. Earl Grannit asked if he could be left alone with Schmidt for a few moments. The major agreed. Grannit entered and took Moran’s seat across from Schmidt.

“It doesn’t matter what you dangle in front of them, Karl. They can’t make that promise to you.”

“But it’s not fair. From the moment they brought us to that camp, we had to obey orders or they would shoot us. I haven’t conducted espionage, I haven’t killed Americans, I haven’t committed any crimes-”

“That’s not for me to decide. For all I know it may be true, but right now you have to do better.”

“How?”

“Tell them you’ll go out on patrol, help them look for the other commando teams. You know who or what to look for, don’t you?”

“Would they let me do that?”

“Of course. But first you have to tell them what they want to know. We already grilled your squad about this. Nobody’s backing you up. They say they don’t know anything about a second objective-”

“They don’t know because I never told them. We were ordered not to tell them anything-”

“Where’d that order come from?”

“From the officer in charge, the one who called himself Lieutenant Miller, the man you asked me about. Please, they must believe me, I’m telling you the truth, but I’m fighting for my life.”

Grannit hesitated. “Let me see what I can do.”

Grannit left the room, and walked right past Moran and his men. “I gotta take a piss.”

He went across the hall into the room where Ole Carlson was examining Schmidt’s documents.

“These forgeries are high-quality,” said Carlson. “I can’t find a single fault that gives ’em away-”

Grannit leaned in and whispered, “Come into the other room. Wait for my signal after I go back in with Schmidt, then buy me a minute alone with him.”

Carlson’s eyes went wide, and he followed Grannit back into the observation room where the CIC officers had congregated, keeping an eye on Schmidt through the window. Grannit lit a cigarette.

“So?” asked Moran, in a foul mood. “Is he bullshitting us?”

“I don’t think so.”

“We’re through fucking around with this asshole. If he’s got something, let him put it on the table.”

“I’ve got a good sense of this man, Major. We need to work him carefully-”

“Yeah, well, he can go fuck himself. I think he’s full of shit, I think he’s bluffing-”

“I respectfully disagree-”

“Well, who made you the fucking expert?”

“Colonel Otto Skorzeny put their unit together,” said Grannit. “That name means something to you college graduates, doesn’t it? You think Hitler sent them over here to play patty-cake?”

“So take a billy club and beat it out of him. That’s how the NYPD likes to work, isn’t it? Or do you prefer a rubber hose?”

Grannit pulled his sidearm and chambered a round. “Why don’t I just pump bullets into him until he comes clean. You want to give me your okeydokey on that, Major? I’ll make him confess to the fucking Lincoln assassination if that does the trick for you. Is that how you want to utilize our only asset?”

“You’ve got five minutes,” said Moran.

Grannit stubbed out his cigarette on the doorjamb and walked back into the interrogation room. He sat down, glanced back at the one-way window, and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Seeing that signal, Ole Carlson stepped into the room, stumbled over somebody’s foot, and spilled his coffee all over Major Moran’s trousers. During the confusion that followed, Grannit leaned forward and switched off the hidden microphone under the table.

“Okay, Karl, I got you your deal, let’s hear it,” said Grannit.

“They won’t prosecute me as a spy, they’ll treat me like any other prisoner of war?”

“You have my word on it.”

Schmidt leaned forward and cradled his head in his hands on the table, shoulders heaving with emotion. Grannit guessed he had less than a minute before the CIC smart-asses rushed in to turn the microphone back on.

“Save it for your family reunion, Karl, we’re short on time. Now, you’re going to have to ride along on those patrols we talked about; I told them you agreed to that-”

“Yes, of course-”

“And this whole thing stays between me, you, and the officer in charge, because it’s against regulations. You can’t mention it, even to him when they all pile in here, okay?”

Schmidt lifted his head up from the table. “Yes.”

“What was your second objective?”

Grannit reached down and turned the hidden microphone back on.

“After the first two days,” said Schmidt, “we are supposed to move south. Into France.”

“How many men?”

Schmidt didn’t blink. He reasoned that if he exaggerated the scope of the threat, he had a better chance at clemency, and that the right lie might save his life.

“All of us,” said Schmidt. “Eighty men. The entire company of Skorzeny’s commandos. We’re to meet in Reims on the nineteenth, at a cinema, then move south to Paris.”

“What’s in Paris?”

“We rendezvous at the Café de la Paix with our local support and then move on Versailles. That’s our objective.”

“What is?”

“To attack Allied headquarters command.”

Grannit felt his throat tighten.

“And to kill General Eisenhower.”

VIII Corps HQ, Bastogne, Belgium

DECEMBER 18, 7:00 A.M.

Jesus Christ, take a look at this.”

The telex operator ripped off the printed cable and held it out to the radioman next to him before Bernie could read it.

“Holy shit.”

The corporal’s reaction drew Von Leinsdorf’s attention, and he stepped toward them, taking a look at it before Bernie did. He handed it back to the corporal, then smiled at Bernie.

“Read it, Corporal,” said Von Leinsdorf.

“Let me have your attention!” The corporal stood up on his chair and read it out loud. “First Army HQ, emergency override alert for all units in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Holland. Be aware that squads of German commandos in American uniform, driving American vehicles, are operating in combat zone behind Allied lines-”

Bernie froze in place. The room quieted and soldiers gathered around them as the message continued.

“Be also warned brigade strength force disguised as same, equipped with Sherman tanks and mobile artillery, believed to be somewhere in the field, details to follow-”

Excitement radiated out around them. The corporal rushed the cable toward the CO’s desk. News of the bulletin ripped through the room, generating an uproar.

Bernie backed up against the wall, out of traffic, trying to make himself invisible. He caught Von Leinsdorf’s eye. Von Leinsdorf tilted his head toward the door and Bernie started toward the exit. A couple of HQ staff sergeants ahead of them looked like they were trying to stop people from leaving and to organize a stronger watch on the door. Von Leinsdorf grabbed one by the arm.