Jonathan Taylor - Meyer-Hofmann AG

“This is not happening. I will not allow it.” He watched the words form and leave his mouth. But he heard Jarvis’s voice. The image in the mirror changed rapidly, from a laughing man to one filled with angst. There was no conviction in his voice, and he had to look on as the mirror image changed again, and Jarvis manifested himself.

“You fucking arsehole. Didn’t you have your fill of misery and pain the first time around?” Michael spoke as if he had a bad taste in his mouth. “You and your friends are finished, I will see to that!”

Hofmann was reeling; he had no idea how to deal with this.

I can hardly strike out without hurting myself. The man is angry and aggressive. I must try to calm him down, before I send him back where he belongs, Hofmann thought, in an attempt to steady himself. I must alert Ecker of the situation.

“Michael, it’s not what you think. This is an incredible opportunity, for us both!” His voice was pleading, and he knew before the sentence was finished that it was wasted breath. Without waiting for an answer, he continued. “You are in a very privileged position. You can play a part in the salvation of humanity!”

“Salvation? You are a destroyer, Hofmann, not a saviour.”

“Wake up, Michael. Look at the world that you live in. You think you are in control of your life, that you can make choices. You are wrong. Every moment of your life is decided by others, for their convenience. You, and millions like you, prostitute yourselves every day, for the sake of a few baubles and possessions. We are here to save you from them, to give the power back to people like you.”

“You can’t possibly believe that propaganda nonsense will work with me, Hofmann. For God’s sake, I know what you are thinking, what you are planning. You want to murder and kill. Save the people—what people are you going to save?”

“People like you and I, Michael. People who deserve a chance in life, who were born for better things, but are downtrodden by the evil entities and sub-human creatures wandering this world. This is our destiny. That is why we were put on this Earth. To clean house!”

“Another Holocaust. More exterminations?”

“Michael, you must understand. The Aryan race gives us a perfect basis, on which we are duty-bound to build. The world cannot support all the parasites who live on it, sucking the life blood out of the planet and the good people on this Earth. Big business and politicians are carving up the world’s wealth, and you are letting them. It has been the same for generations. Mankind has got to stop being kind and start defending itself!”

“That is your justification for genocide?”

“What gives an ex-bedouin tribesman the right to call the world’s oil reserves his own, and hold the world to ransom? Look at the Russians’ gas supplies. Europe is at their beck and call. The Bolsheviks have been a thorn in Europe’s side for generations.”

“So you would annihilate them and put yourself in control?”

“I would put the people in control!” Hofmann was getting up a head of steam. He felt the old passion growing in him.

“Have you never heard of democracy?”

“It doesn’t work, Michael. Look at the British, the oldest democracy in the world, and a pale imitation of a once-great nation. Walk through their capital, and you will hardly see a white face. Where are the Englishmen?”

“On the contrary. They are the living example that a democracy works.”

“Have you seen their immigration policies? It is a country of bleeding hearts. Its doors are open to every antisocial individual on the planet. The country is so politically correct, it has become a joke! They might as well make a big sign ‘Miscreants Welcome’.” Hofmann waved his arms and hands around, animatedly framing the sign in the air.

“You are looking at the world from the same sick, bigoted place that led us into the last world war. Your strategies will always sway world opinion against you and your blinkered beliefs. Fortunately, the vast majority of the people live by a higher moral code.”

“Listen to yourself, bleating on about morality. People look after themselves, Michael, always have and always will. If you don’t show strength, you will be used by your neighbour, not helped by him.”

The debate was going nowhere, and both men knew it. Hofmann had hoped he might be able to convince Jarvis of their vision, but now he knew he had to get rid of him.

I have to wipe every last trace of this man from my mind. Expel this weakness from my consciousness. Now, I know the source of the weakness I found in my board. It was the cosseted upbringing and indoctrination of their hosts.

Michael saw himself in the mirror thinking those words, believing those words. He had to stop this man, at all costs.

Suddenly, sounds came from the hallway, and within seconds, the door was open, and a guard and Dr Ecker were in the room. Ecker had a syringe in his hand and was staring into Michaels’s eyes, unsure of what he or whom he was seeing. He sank the needle deep into Michael’s right arm, catching him as he fell, still looking, still searching. For Michael, the lights went out.

It was mid-afternoon, and the spring sunshine was blazing through the windows of the club. Heinz Hofmann had the board back at the table, and he was not a happy man. The fight with Jarvis was taking its toll and leaving his nerves raw. Dr Ecker had again tried to play the patience card, but Hofmann was having none of it. On top of that, he had now finished his appraisal of Meyer-Hofmann AG, and the litany of errors he had uncovered infuriated him.

“Gentlemen, I am not going to beat around the bush here. You are a pale imitation of your forefathers. I have spent the last two weeks studying what you have done with my company. Only to come to the conclusion that you have all lost sight of our original goal. Gentlemen, it is not our job to make money—we have always had money. It is our responsibility to create change, to change the world for the benefit of our countrymen. To rid it of weakness, corruption, and the insidious influences.”

Grunts and coughs filled the room, as the men at the table digested the accusations. All were stung by the criticism, but none were able or willing to contradict it. Only Von Klitzing seemed unaffected by the insults. He had been trying to take a more aggressive stance for years, only to be blocked by Reichard.

Maybe Hofmann’s return would change things, maybe this was exactly what the company needed.

Reichard, on the other hand, was not impressed. He had devoted his life to the company, achieving success as a global influence.

“Michael, you don’t understand.”

“Michael? Michael! My name is Heinz Hofmann, and you will address me as such!” Hofmann boomed at Reichard, enraged.

“You men have lost sight of who you really are. Despite all your work, Hitler’s vision is a million light years away. You have allowed yourselves to be corrupted by the very forces we are here to stamp out. It is abhorrent to me!” His eyes went back to Reichard. “And you. You are Hans Bremen, my friend, my confidant, my right hand. Have you forgotten who you are?”

Reichard stared up at Hofmann sheepishly. He was about to mouth an answer when Hofmann continued.

“I need strength and commitment around me. I need total commitment to the cause. We will use the rebirth technique as it was intended to be used, to start a Fourth Reich! It is time for the next generation. If you can’t deliver, then your sons will have to do it for you! Dr Ecker, start immediately?”

Ecker too was in shock, taking a while to respond. He was well aware that this was always the intent.

“But, Herr Hofmann, not all of us have male offspring.” He had hoped that they could find a plan B and spare their sons this step.