William Wu - Dictator

“That would be the Germans, I believe.”

“Exactly,” said Wayne. “Since the German army has invaded Russian soil, I think he will come to the German lines to stop them if he can. If we’re waiting for him, that will give us a jump on Hunter’s team.”

“How extensive is your knowledge of history at this time?” Ishihara asked.

“Very limited. I remember which countries fought on which side. And I know the Germans mistreated the Jews in Europe. Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union were pretty unpleasant, I guess.”

“My data is not extensive, either,” said Ishihara. “I merely have some summaries of the war given as part of my general education. But your evaluation of German treatment of Jews is an understatement of great magnitude.”

“It is? Why, what-”

“Alert,” Ishihara interrupted, suddenly looking into the distance to the east.

“You hear something?”

“I have picked up a radio transmission between a patrol vehicle and its base. The vehicle is on routine patrol, but it is coming this way.”

“Have they seen us?”

“No, but they will soon, even in the waning light. I suggest that we devise a personal history we can give to them.”

By now, even Wayne could hear the loud, rough engine in the distance. A tiny speck of headlights was barely visible in the dusk. Wayne and Ishihara kept walking.

“We’d better make it quick,” said Wayne. “What do you suggest?”

“We must pretend to come from other countries. I have a Japanese name but not a Japanese appearance; I was merely named after a Japanese roboticist when I was created. Unlike Hunter, I do not have the ability to change my appearance. But maybe I can think of a way to trade on the German alliance with Japan somehow.”

“What do you mean?” Wayne was watching the German patrol. So far, they apparently had not seen the two travelers yet, since the patrol was moving obliquely to them.

“I am not certain yet. I only know that my German, coming from many years in the future, will not pass as native to this time, so I won’t try to fool anyone. However, your surname, ‘Nystrom,’ is Swedish. I see no reason to falsify it; your appearance matches that of your ancestors and Sweden was neutral in this war, though the other Scandinavian countries fought against Germany. We shall present you as Swedish.”

“All right.”

They walked in silence for a while. The headlights grew larger, bouncing over the hard soil. Finally the lights changed direction and began to move straight toward them.

“We have been seen,” said Ishihara. “The patrol has just reported to their base that they are going to interrogate two men on foot. Apparently they had just enough sunlight left to see our movement.”

Wayne grinned wryly. “I can hardly wait.”

The small spot in the distance grew quickly as it raced toward them. Soon Wayne could see that it was a vehicle designed with a cab in the front and a large, open back full of soldiers. In the poor light, their gray uniforms and helmets made them almost invisible. They held rifles warily and two of them were tending some larger weapon mounted on a swivel.

“Do you know what that’s called?” Wayne asked. “Their vehicle?”

“It might fit the term, ‘armored car,’“ said Ishihara. “My data lacks a diagram, however. That weapon on the front is a machine gun. The patrol is accustomed to violence. We must not risk angering them.”

“Let’s stop walking and wait.”

Ishihara suddenly loosened his belt and reached into his tunic. “I believe we may be searched.”

“We don’t have any weapons.”

“I suggest you give me the device that triggers the time travel sphere,” said Ishihara. “I have opened a panel in my abdomen. I believe I can slip the device inside my torso safely.”

“Well…okay.” Wayne gave it to him. “But it doesn’t look like a weapon. Why would they want it?”

“They will find it mysterious and might take it to study. Certainly we cannot afford to lose it.”

“No-no argument about that.”

The German patrol slowed carefully as it drew near. The soldiers looked over Wayne and Ishihara, their faces clearly puzzled by the long cloaks, tunics, and leggings. Some of them grinned as they muttered to each other.

One of the Germans spoke. Wayne could not understand him at all; certainly the archaic German he had learned for the previous mission was no help. Ishihara answered him politely, however. They spoke for a moment, then the German nodded. He gestured for two soldiers to jump down. They did so, their calf-length black boots thumping on the hard ground.

Ishihara leaned very close to Wayne and whispered in English. “They will frisk us. Cooperate with them. Their commander, a Korporal, has agreed to take us to German lines.”

“Does he believe you? About my being Swedish and-whatever else you told him?”

“He has accepted it tentatively, but he is suspicious. I told him that I lived in Japan and took the name of a friend. We must remain very careful.”

“Got it.” Wayne, at the gesture of the German soldiers, raised his arms high over his head. He did not move as one of them quickly patted his clothing up and down the length of his body. Another did the same to Ishihara. Then both soldiers stepped back and pointed to the back of the armored car.

The soldiers helped Wayne and Ishihara mount the back of the armored car. The car lurched forward suddenly, into a wide turn. As it rumbled over the frozen ground, the soldiers ducked down behind the steel sides of the car to avoid the sharp wind. Wayne and Ishihara crouched with them. Around them, the nearest soldiers tugged on their fur cloaks and spoke quietly among themselves.

Hunter strode down the hall with the three NKVD agents protesting and pleading, but no longer trying to grab him. He could see that they remained intimidated by his threats and selfassuredness. They were still arguing with him as he reached the door to the room from which the radio signal emanated.

Ignoring the arguments of the agents, Hunter tried the doorknob and found the door locked. He turned and glared at the nearest man. “Open this door, comrade. Now.”

“I have no key.” He backed away.

“I do not believe you. You all have keys.” Hunter turned to another man. “Open it. I insist.”

The second man folded his arms and shook his head. “We must follow procedure, comrade. Surely you would not argue with us about that.”

Hunter looked at the third man, who merely stared angrily back at him.

“Is that you, Hunter?” Judy’s voice whispered to him through his internal receiver. “It’s Judy-we’re in here!”

Hunter decided that he could not wrestle with all three agents to get a key, since he was hampered by the First Law requirement not to hurt them. Even with his greater strength, their sheer weight would stop him. On the other hand, he could not afford to leave Judy now.

A quick look into the crack between the door and the frame showed Hunter that this door did not have a bolt lock. He grasped the doorknob firmly, as he had done at the front door, and simply turned it slowly, with great force. Again, he heard the metal pins breaking. Then he shoved the door open and stepped inside the room.

Behind him, one agent gasped in surprise; another muttered to himself.

Hunter saw Judy rising from a chair on one side of a table. Gently, he took Ivana’s arm and drew her to her feet; she would not look up at him. He walked her back to the doorway, while the agents stared at him in astonishment. This time they backed away, making room for her.

When Hunter had moved Ivana out of the room, he closed the door behind her, though of course the broken latch would not catch. A quick glance around the room showed him that it had no other exits. He had no way even to pretend that they were escaping through a window, another door, or even a large vent.