Bloody night

Sherman stood at the podium in the Congress, his voice echoing through the hall with fervor. "No one should make such a decision! The National Defense Force is not a tool for some people to realize their ambitions! The German people love peace! This is not something that several conspirators can change! I will represent the majority of peace-loving people and condemn those criminals who put Germany at risk of war!" His speech, impassioned and forceful, earned only a smattering of applause. Most attendees were still processing the shock of his words, digesting the implications of his accusations.

Below the stage, an elderly man with a pocket watch pinned to his chest, wearing spectacles and sporting gray hair, turned to a younger man beside him. "See if there's a way to use this to make this a government intervention in the National Defense Forces. An opportunity to seize power!" he whispered urgently.

"Several parliamentarians are already on it," the young man replied, a smirk playing on his lips. "They plan to gauge Hindenburg's stance first. If he's on board, the resistance will be much smaller. If not, the parliament will take direct action and strike at the army! This time, we won't let the National Defense Force grow any stronger!"

The old man nodded, his eyes closing briefly in contemplation. When he opened them again, they shone with a fierce and peculiar light. "Let the Minister of Defense, Otto Gessler, handle it! Take immediate control of the National Defense Force headquarters! Use the Berlin police force, which is under our control, to arrest the criminal Akado Rudolph!" He paused, then added with a stern voice, "Do it tonight! Do not worry about casualties. Kill Akado directly! Remember, no survivors! We don't have the military's weapons; our only advantage is the speed of our actions!"

The young man nodded in agreement, "Rest assured! We will not be hindered by the police controlled by the Grand German Party! I will use our influence."

In another corner of the room, two veteran lawmakers conversed in hushed tones. One of them, an elderly man who had lost his teeth, his speech slightly slurred, asked, "Mills, how certain are you about this? Will involving the National Defense Force cause a backlash?"

Mills, dressed in a splendid noble shirt, his left hand trembling slightly with age, pondered for a moment before responding, "The action will be coordinated by the Nazi stormtroopers. We've utilized our hidden arms. This time, we can ensure the end of the General Command of the National Defense Forces."

"It's a pity," the toothless old man sighed regretfully. "He was quite capable of training the National Defense Force. Too authoritarian, too ambitious. So many forces, and yet, he won't survive tonight."

"The elite of the National Defense Forces should have been in the hands of the government, not left to reckless and ignorant officers," Mills snorted disdainfully.

A man with a shoulder badge approached and sat next to the two old men, coughing before speaking, "He was a bit too reckless! Expanding the National Defense Force is beneficial, but he used too many underhanded methods! We can't afford a mishap in the National Defense Forces, so he must be sacrificed."

"What does the crown prince say?" the tremulous Mills inquired, looking at the senior general of the National Defense Force.

"The royal family will support us in this operation," the general declared proudly. "One of my old comrades, now a commander in the first division of the National Defense Forces, will act tonight. He will lead troops to take over the defense of Berlin. Once the operation succeeds, any troops loyal to Akado will be thrown into disarray, and the battle will be over before it even begins!"

"We mustn't be careless," the toothless old man cautioned, his eyes narrowing. "Akado has at least the 15th Division and other troops around Berlin. If we fail, it will be disastrous."

"Once the operation starts, try to control as many senior members of the German Party as possible. Use the cabinet's position to make them stand with us," he added, outlining their strategy.

Meanwhile, at the Presidential Palace, Hindenburg listened intently to a report detailing Akado's unauthorized financial dealings within the National Defense Forces. The report was extensive, comprising over a dozen pages of documents that laid bare the vast scale of embezzlement.

"Major Carque! What's the urgency of summoning the army at such a late hour?" inquired the on-duty captain, his expression one of confusion as he regarded the officer and two soldiers who had just entered the building. "We have orders to enforce martial law across the entire third district of Berlin," replied Major Karl, a middle-aged officer, as he removed his gloves and issued his commands without hesitation.

"Martial law? In the third district?" The captain's face twisted in bewilderment. "I haven't received any such orders from headquarters! Declaring martial law isn't a trivial matter. I must apologize for questioning you, but I need to confirm this order with Commander Hulk!" With that, the captain reached for the telephone.

"There's no need for confirmation. I have this." Major Carque sneered, pulling a pistol from his belt. "You!" The captain froze, then let the phone drop from his hand. "What are you doing? Surrounding the headquarters? This is treason!"

"Minister of Defense Otto Gessler has declared that Akado Rudolph is a traitor! You and Hulk are finished!" Carque brandished his gun with a proud swing. The captain, seeing Karl's pistol not yet aimed at him, quickly bent down to draw his own weapon, his movements swift as a shooting star. He wasn't about to be passive; if he didn't resist, he'd be doomed once everything settled.

Bang! The captain fell to the ground, a gunshot echoing as blood seeped into the floor's crevices. Although quick, he was still a step too slow. Carque's pistol, already drawn, had found its mark. "Long live the Great German Party…" the captain managed, blood spitting from his lips as he struggled to utter his final words, dispersing his last bit of energy before lying still.

...

"Akado," said old Karl Benz, his face a mask of shock as he saw Akado Rudolph enter the Wehrmacht headquarters with a walking stick. "You should be in the barracks! It's not safe here!"

"Relax! I've made arrangements. Tonight, we will eliminate many of our usual adversaries," Akado sneered, tossing his gloves onto the conference table before taking a seat. He then looked up at the slightly pale Krupp, "Is Mrs. Krupp taken care of?"

"Just received a call; my wife said two company IDF soldiers are at the mountain villa protecting her and the children," Krupp replied, his voice heavy with concern. "Can we really survive tonight?"

"Relax," Akado smiled. "The Great German Party has two main supports: the consortium government and the National Defense Army. Previously, I relied on the consortium government to strengthen the Defense Forces. Now, when I need them, they won't let me down."

...

Berlin's night was peaceful and beautiful, a tranquility soon to be shattered. The sound of boots on wooden stairs broke the silence. Knock, knock, knock. The knocking at the door was forceful, almost arrogant.

"Who is it?" a woman's voice called from inside. "Mills isn't home! He mentioned he couldn't return today."

"The National Defense Force is here to ensure your safety," came a resolute voice from outside. "Please, ma'am, cooperate with us."

"Don't come in! I have a gun! I'll shoot if you try anything!" warned Mills' wife from inside. "By dawn, you'll receive orders to leave. Don't risk your lives for nothing—I promise..."

Before she could finish, the rattling of a new submachine gun cut her off as bullets pummeled the door. IDF soldiers in steel helmets stepped back, their guns smoking. Quickly, three or four soldiers armed with Mauser 98k rifles charged forward, smashing the door with their rifle butts, followed by a barrage of gunfire.

Bang! A shot rang out from inside; Mills' revolver had found its mark, hitting a soldier's arm. "You dare attack a parliamentary official?" he shouted.

"Open fire! Kill the traitorous dog," commanded a major from the FDF, who had followed his men into the room. Gunfire erupted again, lighting up the night through Mrs. Mills' windows.

...

"That man Mills! That man Brock! That man Filton! And Buster Cole! Tonight, they will all receive visits. I want to clean up the politicians controlling the National Defense Force," Akado stated coldly, his gaze fixed on Krupp and Karl Benz. "No one can control my defense forces, just as no one can stop you from making money."

"How will we explain tonight's actions to Hindenburg? After all, he still commands considerable forces," Karl Benz inquired.

"Explain? He won't be giving me any explanations, and I won't need to provide any. Tonight, the victor needs no explanations, nor does the loser," Akado replied, closing his eyes with a weary expression. "We'll just wait for the outcome."

Krupp's face finally relaxed, and he nodded in agreement. "That's all we can do. Let's wait for the outcome." He left unsaid the stark reality: victory tonight meant ascending as the unchallenged ruler of the country, while defeat could mean death by hanging.

...

"I'm Defense Secretary Otto Gessler! I need to speak with Mr. Filton, the chief of police. When can we start the operation?" Gessler's voice was tense as he spoke on the phone late into the night in Berlin. This was his fourth call to confirm the plan.

"Mr. Gessler! This is Felton! My men have surrounded the headquarters, and we can begin celebrating in ten minutes!" Felton's voice was filled with pride. "Our police force has deployed 1,000 Nazi party stormtroopers. The guard battalion at the headquarters is down by a company, with only 400 men left. We've won!"

"Not so fast!" Just as Felton boasted, a bandaged police officer burst in, his voice filled with despair clearly audible to Gessler over the phone. "What's wrong? Was there a problem with the surprise attack?"

The officer reported with a heavy heart, "The 2nd Regiment of the 1st Division, which was supposed to support our offensive, never showed up. Instead, the 15th Division's reconnaissance training camp arrived, and our forces were scattered!"

"What?" Felton felt darkness closing in, barely managing to stay upright as he asked weakly, "What about Hitler's stormtroopers?"

"They're clashing with the German Guards on Fourth Street. They're facing a machine gun and have suffered heavy losses. They're trying to regroup, but it's unlikely they'll break through the SS defenses and reach the third zone anytime soon," the officer reported, tears in his eyes. "Director, this isn't going according to plan!"

...

"Gather the soldiers! Someone is trying to attack the headquarters. Declare martial law in Berlin's third district. No one is allowed in or out!" Carque ordered furiously. He hadn't anticipated that his plan to take the army into Berlin's third district and surround the headquarters would face such difficulties. After shooting the on-duty captain and dealing with two guards who had heard the gunshots, they had finally stabilized the situation, though they were an hour behind schedule. A soldier immediately relayed his command, and soon the entire barracks was bustling as soldiers dressed and assembled on the parade ground. Vehicles were pulled out of the garages, engines roaring, soldiers checking their weapons, and engineers loading barbed wire and obstacles onto trucks.

The harsh alarm of the National Defense Forces' first division camps blared, causing Karl to panic. "Damn! Something's wrong!" he exclaimed. A sharp squeal then came from the camp's loudspeakers, causing everyone to stop and look towards the source.

"I'm Colonel Hulk, commander of the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Division of the Defense Force. Major Carl has colluded with treasonous members of Congress and attempted a mutiny to attack our headquarters. I now order Karl's immediate arrest! If he resists, he may be killed. Execute this order now!" the voice boomed over the speaker.

Carque's confidants, standing not far away, stiffened. Dropping their cigarettes, they turned to flee but were cut down by gunfire within steps. Carque, trembling, saw their bodies twist and fall, one still twitching. He raised his hands and shouted, "Don't shoot!"

But the gunfire did not cease at his plea; instead, it intensified. Carque felt as if his chest had been struck by a hammer. Looking down, he saw multiple holes in his body, blood spurting out. Darkness closed in, and he lost consciousness.

...

"The 1st Division of the National Defense Force was the first to be thoroughly infiltrated, and I've never dared to rely on it fully. But after tonight, this force will become Germany's most elite paratrooper force, one of our strongest fists," Akado declared, standing by the window and looking out at the moonlit sky. Turning to Krupp and Karl Benz, he continued, "After tonight, we can formally discuss joining Congress."