301 pages

English

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Fortunes of War , livre ebook

DSI Publications - Gordon Zuckerman

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301 pages

English

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During the financial devastation of the 1920-'30,a group of German Industrialist assume control of their government by supporting Hitler and his Nazi Party's rise to power. Goals of Nationalism turn in a quest for global Aryan Supremacy, leading a world to war. In 1943, the Sentinels learn of an attempt by the same industrialists to smuggle their "Fortunes of War" out of Germany before the Allied forces invade. Fearing the wealth will be used to finance the organization of a Fourth German Reich, the Six Sentinels gather together in an effort to prevent the Germans from achieving their goal. The story escalates at every turn, and allows the reader to ride 'side-saddle' with the principal characters for more than two years as the battle of opposing conflict is waged over two continents. Intrigue, danger, romance, disappointment, trust and betrayal are never very far away. Published in 2009, under the genre "Historical Thriller, Fiction", Fortunes of War remained atop Amazon and Barnes and Noble's best sellers list for two years. It is the first book in what will be a continuing series that pits the resourceful problem solving efforts of the Sentinels against those who abuse the privileges of free-enterprise in the quest of their self-serving agendas.

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Thriller

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Publié par	DSI Publications
Date de parution	15 juin 2009
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9780998007090
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	4 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0450€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

Extrait

T H ESE N T I N E L S

A N O V EL

T H ESE N T I N E L S

F O R T U N E SOF WA R

NOTICE: Thîs booK îs a woRK of ictîon. NaMes, chaRacteRs, busînesses, oRganîza-tîons, paces, events, and încîdents aRe eîtheR a pRoduct of the authoR’s îMagînatîon oR aRe used ictîtîousy. Any ReseMbance to actua peRsons, îvîng oR dead, events, oR ocaes îs entîRey coîncîdenta.

Pubîshed by GReeneaf BooK GRoup Austîn, TX www.gReeneafbooKgRoup.coM

A Rîghts ReseRved undeR a copyRîght conventîons. No paRt of thîs booK May be RepRoduced, stoRed în a RetRîeva systeM, oR tRansMît-ted by any Means, eectRonîc, Mechanîca, photocopyîng, RecoRdîng, oR otheRwîse, wîthout wRîtten peRMîssîon fRoM the pubîsheR.

DîstRîbuted by GReeneaf BooK GRoup FoR oRdeRîng înfoRMatîon oR specîa dîscounts foR buK puRchases, pease contact GReeneaf BooK GRoup at PO Box 91869, Austîn, TX 78709, (512) 891-6100.

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PubîsheR’s Cataogîng-In-Pubîcatîon Data (PRepaRed by The Donohue GRoup, Inc.)

ZucKeRMan, GoRdon. The Sentînes : foRtunes of waR / GoRdon ZucKeRMan.

p. ; cM.

ISBN: 978-1-929774-64-7

1. IndustRîaîsts--GeRMany--Fîctîon. 2. ConspîRacy--GeRMany--Fîctîon. 3. GeRMany--Poîtîcs and goveRnMent--1933-1945--Fîctîon. 4. GeRMany--EconoMîc condîtîons--1918-1945--Fîctîon. 5. TRansnatîona cRîMe--Fîctîon. I. Tîte.

PS3626.U25 S46 2009 813/.6

2009920764

PaRt of the TRee NeutRa™ pRogRaM, whîch offsets the nuMbeR of tRees consuMed în the pRoductîon and pRîntîng of thîs booK by taKîng pRoactîve steps, such as pantîng tRees în dîRect pRopoRtîon to the nuMbeR of tRees used: www.tReeneutRa.coM

PRînted în the Unîted States of AMeRîca on acîd-fRee papeR

09 10 11 12 13 14 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

FîRst Edîtîon

G O r D O N Z U C k E r m A N

S T H E E N T I N E L S

FORTUNESOFWAR

PROLOGUE

BERLIN, 1932

kaR von Schage paced the dRawîng RooM. In the ast ive Mîn-utes, he had pRobaby consuted hîs pocKet watch a dozen tîMes. He waKed oveR to the sîdîng dooRs that opened onto the dînîng RooM, wîth îts ong, Mahogany tabe poîshed to such a in-îsh that a woMan coud pRobaby use ît to Reappy heR îpstîcK. Usuay the tabe gîstened a down îts ength wîth cRysta, sî-veR, ine bone chîna, and înens foded înto pace as cRîspy as a staRched dRess shîRt. Tonîght the tabe gîstened, a Rîght— but ony foR about a thîRd of îts ength. Thîs evenîng’s dînneR paRty guest îst was îMîted. Von Schage gave the dînîng RooM a ina, cRîtîca gance and tuRned away fRoM the dooR, tuggîng hîs watch fRoM hîs vest pocKet. LîKe hîs fatheR and hîs fatheR’s fatheR, kaR von Schage was a tRusted inancîa advîseR to GeRMany’s weathîest and Most înlu-entîa faMîîes. kaR had ost count of how Many eegant dînneR paRtîes he and hîs wîfe had hosted heRe, paRtîes that had been attended by the cReaM of GeRMan socîety. But tonîght theRe weRe ony seven guests, the seven Most poweRfu Men în GeRMany.

G O R D O N Z U C K E R M A N

ERhaRt SchMîdt was iRst to aRRîve, as usua. FoR we oveR a cen-tuRy, the SchMîdt faMîy naMe had pRactîcay been synonyMous wîth stee în EuRope. SchMîdt stee had been foRged înto ong-Range, pRecîse aRtîeRy weapons sînce the tîMe of the Napoeonîc WaRs. Guns Made fRoM SchMîdt stee had been used în Chîna, în AMeRîca’s RevoutîonaRy and cîvî waRs, by the Spanîsh, FRench, and Dutch aRMadas, duRîng the BoeR WaRs în AfRîca, and by both sîdes duRîng the GReat WaR. much of the Raî and Roîng stocK that tRanspoRted the fRuîts of the IndustRîa Age în EuRope, Asîa, and AMeRîca was pRoduced fRoM SchMîdt sMeteRs. ERhaRt, the cuRRent head of thîs poweRfu, pRoud, and aRRogant faMîy, was we oveR sîx feet ta; he was aso heavîy Musced and weîghed MoRe than 250 pounds. LîKe the bîg guns he pRoduced, he coMManded Respect. He expected hîs woRd to be the ast în any dîscussîon, and hîs poweRfu pResence aone was often enough to întîMîdate the woRthîest adveRsaRîes. Tonîght, he was the unques-tîoned eadeR aMong the îustRîous gRoup of Men who woud be seated aRound the von Schage dînîng tabe. A seRvant poîtey tooK HeRR SchMîdt’s heavy wooen oveRcoat, hat, and goves, and anotheR, appeaRîng fRoM nowheRe, caused a tuMbeR of sînge-Mat Scotch to MateRîaîze în the stee Mogu’s hand. kaR and SchMîdt spoKe Meanîngess peasantRîes foR a few MoMents, untî the otheR guests began to aRRîve. HeînRîch BîMMeR, head of GeRMany’s doMînant autoMo-bîe ManufactuReR, caMe în next, foowed în a Mînute oR two by WîheM SchenK, the chaîRMan—soMe, out of hîs heaRîng, pRefeRRed the teRM “tyRant”—of reîchsbanK, the natîon’s aRg-est inancîa înstîtutîon. BoRîtz, the RaîRoad Magnate; keîn, the shîpbuîdeR; FeîscheR, hodeR of the natîon’s Most extensîve Mîn-îng înteRests; and von Steuben, who had gRown Rîch by suppyîng the eectRîca înfRastRuctuRe deManded by GeRMany’s buRgeonîng îndustRîa buîdup, coMpeted the paRty. kaR bowed hîs guests

T H E S E N T I N E L S : F O RT U N E S O F WA R

înto the dînîng RooM and MoRe seRvants appeaRed, bRîngîng în steaMîng tRays that dRîfted MouthwateRîng aRoMas în theîR waKe. When the ast couRse had been seRved, the Men RetîRed to the pRîvacy of kaR’s îbRaRy foR the custoMaRy cîgaRs and vîntage Napoeon cognac. The congenîaîty fRoM dînneR caRRîed oveR untî the ast Cuban had been ît and the ast snîfteR seRved. Ony then dîd the atMospheRe tuRn seRîous. SchMîdt înîtîated the conveRsatîon. “kaR, we want you to îsten caRefuy to what we have to say. Each of us has had the oppoRtunîty to dîscuss pRîvatey what we now want to dîscuss wîth you as a gRoup. And we aRe a în agReeMent that youRfaM-îy’s yeaRs of oya seRvîce to each of ouR faMîîes unîquey qua-îfy you foR the sensîtîve assîgnMent that we aRe hopîng you wî accept.” SchMîdt hed kaR’s eyes foR a MoMent, then ganced at BîMMeR and nodded. The ta, thîn, caRefuy dRessed auto ManufactuReR, coa-bacK haîR coMbed stRaîght bacK, adjusted hîs gasses and began to speaK în hîs quîet voîce. “kaR, you pRobaby undeRstand betteR than Most of us that any hope of ReveRsîng the faîîng pRospeR-îty of GeRMany wî RequîRe soMe dRastîc changes. Foowîng the waR, the înlow of înteRnatîona inancîng and the coRRespondîng îMpRoveMent în ouR econoMy weRe, foR a tîMe, cReatîng Rea hope. But now that the depRessîon în AMeRîca has spRead to the Rest of the woRd and the inancîng that we so despeRatey need îs dRyîng up, new soutîons aRe becoMîng necessaRy. many of ouR factoRîes îe îde, uneMpoyMent îs RaMpant, and pubîc dîsîusîonMent îs appRoachîng hîstoRîc hîghs. The WeîMaR repubîc îs unstabe and the Socîa DeMocRatîc PaRty îs osîng îts appea. At the saMe tîMe, MeMbeRshîp în Many RefoRM poîtîca paRtîes îs fRagMented but Rîsîng. In shoRt, we thînK these cîRcuMstances îndîcate that tîMe has coMe foR us to staRt MaKîng soMe . . . dîscReet adjustMents în the GeRMan goveRnMent.”

G O R D O N Z U C K E R M A N

As BîMMeR spoKe, kaR fet the otheRs watchîng hîM. He focused on BîMMeR’s woRds and Maîntaîned eye contact wîth hîM, howeveR, and nodded at the expected MoMents. “We have been foowîng the pRogRess of soMe of the Most actîve new poîtîca paRtîes and theRe îs one that seeMs to be gath-eRîng MoRe pubîc suppoRt than the otheRs.” He paused to pu a pîece of papeR fRoM hîs pocKet, but kaR notîced that BîMMeR neveR ooKed at ît as he contînued speaKîng. “AccoRdîng to My iguRes, Adof HîteR and hîs Natîona Socîaîst GeRMan WoRKeRs PaRty had an enRoMent of 108,000 în 1928. In the Recent eec-tîons, just fouR yeaRs ateR, they Receîved 810,000 votes, an încRease of aMost 800 peRcent, and they now contRo tweve seats în the reîchstag. ExpeRts agRee that cuRRent econoMîc dîficutîes wî geneRate even gReateR pubîc suppoRt foR HîteR, whose fResh Rheto-Rîc and pRoMîse of change aRe havîng a MesMeRîzîng effect on ouR dîscontented pubîc. DîsRegaRdîng the fact that Many of hîs vîew-poînts May conlîct wîth ouRs, the Reaîty of the sîtuatîon îs that încReasîng nuMbeRs of ouR countRyMen aRe convînced HîteR has soMe new answeRs to soMe od pRobeMs paguîng thîs countRy.” keîn coughed dîscReety. kaR shîfted hîs focus to the gRay-beaRded, stocKy shîpbuîdeR. “We beîeve that we can oRchestRate the expansîon of HîteR’s suppoRt aMong the GeRMan peope, aowîng hîM to becoMe ouR next chanceoR. Once he îs în ofice and has tîMe to consoîdate hîs poweR, we wî aReady be în a posîtîon to use ouR înluence oveR hîM and hîs paRty to întRoduce ouR own agenda.” AfteR a pause, the RaîRoad îndustRîaîst spoKe. “kaR, soMe of us beîeve that by payîng on the pubîc’s feaR of învasîon by the FRench fRoM the west and the BoshevîKs fRoM the east, GeRMans as a whoe can be peRsuaded to suppoRt the estabîshMent of an înîtîatîve we aRe caîng ‘ARsenas foR Peace.’ We thînK GeRMany can Renounce the TReaty of VeRsaîes and suspend the heavy

T H E S E N T I N E L S : F O RT U N E S O F WA R

buRden of inancîa RepaRatîons fRoM the ast waR. reaRMaMent of GeRMany Means Revîtaîzîng ouR busînesses. And . . . ît goes wîthout sayîng that puttîng GeRMans bacK to woRK îs good foR GeRMany,” BoRîtz concuded. As the foowîng sîence engthened, kaR Knew they expected hîM to Respond. “GenteMen, I agRee wîth eveRythîng that has been saîd, but I faî to undeRstand what a thîs has to do wîth Me. I aM a inancîa specîaîst, not a poîtîca stRategîst.” “kaR, youR faMîy and Mîne have been fRîends and busîness assocîates foR a veRy ong tîMe,” saîd SchenK, the banKeR. “YouR oyaty and ethîcs aRe beyond RepRoach, and youR assîstance has, quîte fRanKy, heped us suRvîve thîs daMned Recessîon. Put quîte sîMpy, you aRe the ony Man we can tRust to RepResent ouR coec-tîve înteRestsînsîdeHîteR’s goveRnMent.” “Just what îs ît you’Re a expectîng fRoM Me?” kaR asKed. “It îs absoutey îMpeRatîve that ouR înteRest în HîteR’s goveRn-Ment ReMaîn anonyMous,” answeRed the eectRîca ManufactuReR. “Shoud the GeRMan pubîc becoMe awaRe of ouR învoveMent, theîR conidence în the Natîona Socîaîst GeRMan WoRKeRs PaRty woud be destRoyed, and the bacKash woud fRustRate the contRo we seeK. We want you to be ouR RepResentatîve wîthîn HîteR’s goveRnMent. Wîth youR expeRtîse, no one wî questîon youR Roe theRe,” saîd von Steuben. “BecoMe acquaînted wîth hîM and hîs top peope. Fînd out how Much Money they need to fund theîR agenda, then cReate a conduît wheReby we can pRovîde the Money. In shoRt, do what you can to connect us wîth HîteR. He needs what we can pRovîde—and he can, în tuRn, gîve us what we need.” “Once the Natîona Socîaîsts coMe to poweR, we can do ouR shaRe to RetuRn ouR once-pRoud countRy to îts Rîghtfu posîtîon as the tRue econoMîc eadeR of EuRope,” saîd FeîscheR. “When that occuRs, we’ need to have you în the înneRMost cîRce. The geneR-osîty of ouR contRîbutîons wî ensuRe that HîteR wî want to Keep