Hero

"Bell... bell!" The telephone bell shattered the eerie silence in the room, prompting Akado to reach for the receiver. "Hello, this is Akado? Rudolph."

"I'm glad I can still hear your voice, my friend," a man joked from the other end.

Akado snorted, "Mr. Smith, did you call to mock my predicament?"

"To be honest, I really want to laugh at you, but now is not the time," Smith replied, his tone light but serious. "The French ambassador to the UK just called us, and he insisted I pass on a message to you."

"Out with it then! Are the French gearing up for war?" Akado's voice trembled slightly despite his efforts to remain composed.

"I thought General Akado knew no fear," Smith remarked sarcastically. "The French have informed us that the troops firing in the Rhineland are not under official French command; they belong to a radical group. France will not take responsibility for this conflict, and those who fired on your troops will no longer receive France's protection."

"So, this was all a misunderstanding?" Akado inquired, taking a deep breath to steady himself.

"Yes," Smith confirmed. "However, French aerial reconnaissance has spotted two of your armored divisions and four infantry divisions moving westward. They urge you to cease these controversial military actions immediately."

"As you wish," Akado replied with a wry smile. "I will order our forces to retreat. These military actions were merely precautions against our unpredictable French neighbors."

"As a friend, I still advise you not to test the French limits, or your country might face the wrath of the strongest continental army in Europe," Smith warned before hanging up.

Akado replaced the receiver, noticing his collar was soaked with sweat. He turned to Anna, who stood beside him, and in a moment of relief, embraced her and kissed her deeply.

Akado didn't care what others might think; he needed to vent his pent-up emotions. No one could understand the pressure he had just faced—the brink of war. And yet, he had triumphed, elevating himself to heroic status. Surely, such a victory deserved a reward?

His sudden display of affection shocked his staff, including Bock, but they quickly understood the implications of his actions and the conversation. Bock led the office in a round of applause, which soon turned into cheers.

Releasing Anna, Akado smiled and waved to his team, "The French have backed down! We've reclaimed the Rhineland!"

"Long live the Great German Party!" an officer exclaimed, raising his hand in salute.

"Hi! Akado! Hi! Victory! Long live Akado! Rudolph!" the room echoed with salutes and cheers.

The phone rang again amidst the celebration. Akado signaled for silence before answering, "This is Akado? Rudolph."

"General! It's Luz... I'm at a bridge on the Rhine... just a hundred meters from the enemy position! The French are setting up makeshift defenses and have light machine guns. Some are covering with rifles," Luz reported, his voice tense but clear.

"Luz, listen carefully! I order you to fire immediately and lead your troops across the bridge! The French resistance is disorganized—their main forces have retreated!" Akado commanded.

"General, my manpower is limited! If we hold our position, we might receive support by tomorrow. If we attack now, the French might counterattack, and we could be overwhelmed," Luz responded anxiously.

"Attack immediately, Luz! Trust me, and follow the orders! Long live victory!" Akado insisted firmly.

"Understood, General! I will... execute the order," Luz replied before hanging up.

"Call the party headquarters! Inform Krupp and the others that my orders have been executed! The German Wehrmacht has successfully recaptured the Rhineland Demilitarized Zone!" Akado instructed Anna, who was still flushed from their earlier embrace. "And arrange a dinner celebration for tonight. Tell Robert Adams to prepare it. You, Anna, order an evening dress and be my dance partner!"

As Anna walked away, Akado couldn't help but call after her, eliciting a smile and a playful response, "As you command, my General!"

"Sindra!" Akado then called his secretary.

"Sorry, Your Excellency General! I have a boyfriend," Sindra responded with a hint of coldness, misinterpreting his call as personal interest.

Laughing off the awkward moment, Bock chimed in with amusement. Akado, slightly embarrassed, quickly clarified, "Sindra, I meant to ask you to call Fanny immediately. Have her distribute the printed newspaper brochures as planned. Let the world know we've retaken Rhineland."

"Yes, General!" Sindra replied, still slightly flustered. "I'm sorry, General, I really do have a boyfriend."

"That's fine! Invite him to our celebration tonight!" Akado laughed, trying to ease the tension. "Let's all celebrate together tonight. Bring your partner!"

The office erupted in even louder cheers.

"Send a telegram to Miss Mercedes at the Coca-Cola Company in the United States. Tell her to return and join me for dinner," Akado added thoughtfully. "And make sure Fanny is there tonight as well. Let's all celebrate together."

"Would you like me to inform the band to prepare two dances for you?" Sindra asked, her tone laced with irony.

Akado, feeling the sting of her words, realized he was not the protagonist of a novel where women fawned over him unconditionally. Though many women were indeed around him, Sindra was not one of them.

Bock, sensing Akado's embarrassment, advised, "General, some women don't mind a man's romantic adventures, but others do. Maybe it's best to forget about it."

Acknowledging the advice, Akado replied, "Alright, I understand. I'll be more mindful of the impact. Bock, I'll leave the deployment in the Rhineland to you. It's hard work, but it's for our victory."

"Lord General," Bock responded with a hearty smile, "if there are two types of hard work, then the kind that comes with victory is the most rewarding. We've reclaimed our territory, the highest honor for a soldier. You've made my dream a reality."

"For Germany," Akado said solemnly.

"Thank you," Bock replied, saluting.

Meanwhile, at the Presidential Palace, President Hindenburg, with a heavy heart, tossed aside the action report. He looked at the officials and generals before him and sighed, "From this day on, his reputation will rival mine! We no longer have the power to restrain him, nor to suppress him."

He walked to the window, watching the jubilant crowds outside, and continued, "Regardless, he helped us reclaim what we lost. We should be thankful for that... In the future... let's withhold our prejudices against him."

Turning to face the room of silent, old men, Hindenburg added, "Everyone is working for the strength of Germany. I am working hard, but he is working desperately. In this, I am not his equal."

"President!" an old general started, attempting to interject, but Hindenburg raised his hand to stop him.

"Even though he was reckless this time, he was victorious," Hindenburg stated, closing his eyes. "From today on, I will approve any document he brings. This country... I leave it to him."

"Yes, Your Excellency the President," the attendees murmured, a mix of resignation and respect in their voices.

Outside, newspaper boys shouted, their voices carrying through the windows of the Presidential Palace, "The German Wehrmacht has recaptured the Rhineland! Down with 32 French rebels! Come and see! The National Defense Force redeems its honor! The Great German Party saves Germany! General Akado? Rudolph leads the army across the Rhine! Germany steps out of the shadow of war! The German Party will lead us out of the economic crisis!"

In a stark contrast to the jubilation outside, a gunshot echoed through the deep corridors of a dimly lit building, sending shivers down the spine of those who heard it. Two soldiers in black SS uniforms stepped out from a cell door, their expressions stoic.

"She took her own life," one of the soldiers stated coldly to an IDF officer.

The IDF officer nodded, "It appears General Akado is the leader who will take us to victory. We need to resolve all minor issues for our leader."

"Hi! Akado!" the SS soldiers and officers saluted in unison.

The National Defence Force officer, relieved, stamped a document with the word "logged off." The document solemnly stated: "Colonel Grace, Secretary General of the Secretariat of the General Command of the National Defence Forces, and Secretary of the General Commander General Sikter. Martyred in the mountains of southern Munich due to a plane crash. Date xxxx. Officer resume…"