//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 Facility and Kaiser-Friedrich Museum // Story: Even a Diamond can break // by Bronycommander //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Facility and Kaiser-Friedrich Museum It was late evening as the truck arrived. The young private gently shook the filly’s shoulder. “Diamond, it’s time to wake up.” She let out a cute yawn. “We’re here Dad- I mean Josef?” He giggled. “I wouldn’t mind of you would call me your daddy. Besides, I would help us to avoid suspicion.” She nodded in understanding. “Wow… I never saw such a Facility before.” Tiaras eyes went wide. “Neither did me.” A loudspeaker turned on. It was incomprehensible; Josef only understood that someone should report. He showed his ID to the guard at the checkpoint. The guard looked at Diamond. “Just my imagination.” “Should I show you the Facility?” “Please daddy.” “Ok, just stay close.” They entered through the north-entrance. An officer greeted them. “Sir.” Josef saluted. “At ease. Why are you here?” “I was heading to the Tiergarten Flak Tower to get my daughter to safety. A comrade said to me it would be a good idea to rest there, if you give us permission.” “Permission granted. I see you wanted to show your daughter the Facility?” “Yes sir, if you don’t mind.” Josef was little bit nervous. “Not at all, private. The war is over soon anyway and this Facility isn’t a secret anymore.” The officer kneeled down to her. “That’s a cute costume you know that?” “Thank you, sir.” Josef showed Tiara the Facility and how the V2 rockets were produced. “Even if it’s designed as a weapon, I am sure it will be of great use for humanity after the war.” “Let’s hope so, daddy. Let’s eat something for dinner, ok?” “Right.” Diamond Tiara didn’t complain about bread. Apart from the chocolate Josef gave her when he found her, she hadn’t eaten anything. And she understood how bad the Food supply was because of the war. She was just glad to have something in her stomach. “Hey, do you want to play cards with us?” “No thanks, comrade. I need to sleep; I’ve been awake for two days straight now. I can barely keep my eyes open…” “You deserve some sleep, daddy. After protecting me from the bad guys, you earned it.” “She’s right, follow me.” The Soldier leaded them to an office with a bed. “Good night, you two.” The Soldier tipped his helmet at the filly and left. Josef laid his gear aside and was fast asleep. Tiara laid the bedcover over him. “Goodnight, daddy.” Then she snuggled herself into the bed and fell asleep too with a sigh. The German almost forgot how beautiful sleep was. Relaxing and nice. Josef had a beautiful dream. He was sitting with his wife in the grass. They watched happy as Tiara chased some butterflies. “She is not our daughter but still we should enjoy every minute with her.” “I know, Jenny. She is already a daughter for me. I just hope her parents aren’t too worried about her.” “You worry too much. Besides, I must say for a filly of a rich family, she is very polite.” “Yeah, she really is.” A bird landed next to them. He opened his beak. Instead of a normal chirp, the bird made a sound of a siren. The man’s eyes shot open as he heard an explosion. He jolted at the sound almost knocking Diamond off the bed. “Hurry, get up!” She pleaded. The Soldier from earlier ran in. “What’s happening?!” Josef grabbed his gear. “This Facility is gonna blow! We must evacuate!” They ran down the stairs. Red lights were on and Alarms sounded. Parts of the Facility were in flames. Other soldiers and officers tried to evacuate but were caught in explosions. The north-entrance was the only exit as explosion and flames blocked all other exits. Josef slipped but caught himself with his left hand. Almost at the exit, an explosion knocked Tiara over. It also killed the other soldier, his body landed next to her. “He’s dead. Come on, we’re almost made it!” Josef grabbed her. With a sprint he made it out in time. Another explosion caused him to land on the ground. “That was too close…” Josef looked back as the entrance was also in flames. Diamond shivered in his arms. Both hearts were pumping so fast that they both passed out. “Ohh… my head.” Josef tried to get up but the pain kept him from doing it. He grunted. “Ah! You awake!” a soldier exclaimed. Josef looked around. He was lying on a mattress, his gear right next to him. He recognized the building. It was the Kaiser-Friedrich Museum. Then he panicked, as Diamond Tiara wasn’t around him. “Where’s my daughter?! Don’t tell me she…” “Died? No she’s safe and sound.” He stepped aside to a reveal a still unconscious filly on a mattress beside him. She was bandaged around her chest. The soldier corrected his helmet before helping Josef up. It was painful but he made it up. “My sweet daughter, I had almost lost you.” Josef and his comrade let out a tear. “D-daddy? Daddy!” She hugged him with tears. “I thought we had died!” “No, we’re safe thanks to him.” Josef pointed to his comrade. He smiled at Tiara. “Hello little one, I am Ben. I helped you because I couldn’t live with myself if you had died. A sweet girl like you doesn’t deserve to die so early.” “Thank you very much, Ben. Wait, where’s my Tiara?” “I am afraid it was destroyed as the Facility exploded.” Her eyes began to tear up. “It was a birthday gift from my mother.” To cheer her up, Josef putted his cap on Tiara. She smiled at him. “Thank you, Daddy.” “You’re welcome, sweetheart. Ben, you know where we heading?” Ben looked worried at him. “Yes. But there’s a problem: Berlin isn’t a ghost town anymore. The Reds have broken through our lines and a tank unit is heading here. You were both unconscious for the rest of the night. ” “Then we better get moving.” “Not so fast. You won’t make it far in this condition. I suggest that you rest for a while before going.” “Alright Ben. Should I show you the museum, Dana?” “Yes, daddy.” She smiled. Most of the paintings and other parts were already taken away, but there were still some sights. What caught Diamond's interest was the Numismatic of Berlin. There were Ancient coins, medals, Medieval and post-medieval coins and other stocks. “Quite surprising how coins change over time, isn't it?” “Yes, daddy. I think I still need some rest.” Tiara trotted back to the mattress. “Okay, I will patrol the museum.” “Just don’t leave me.” Tiara looked into his eyes, pleading. Josef booped her nose causing her to giggle. “I will come back for you.” Josef walked through the museum. He loved every visit when he was a kid. Now it was in ruins too. It was such a beautiful building once. Now it’s a half-destroyed building. He leaned against the window. Will be there anything left after the war? He thought before someone shouted in German, “Hands up, drop your weapon!” Josef dropped his rifle. He raised his hands and trembled in fear. “P-please don’t kill me, I have a family!” “Turn around. Slowly.” Josef turned around. A muscular man with blue eyes with brushed back brown hair, wearing olive drab coat and pants and black boots was holding him at gunpoint with a silenced pistol. “How old are you?” the man asked. “I got 20 this year. Please let me live, nobody will know that you were here, I promise!” The man lowered his weapon. “You’re still young. You don’t deserve to rot here. You should get out of here as fast as you can.” Josef relaxed. “I know I and my daughter are just here to rest. You’re the famous Desert Ghost, aren’t you?” “Yes I am. You know, I was raised in Berlin. It’s really pity that my former home is now a shatter city.” “What a coincidence, I live in Berlin too.” “Guess we aren’t so different from each other. Even if I am happy to let the Germans rot, I can’t say it feels good to kill a fellow countryman.” “Say that to the SS. They execute anyone who says that the war is lost or refuses to fight. I just want to get my daughter to safety. I was planning to get to the Tiergarten Flak tower.” “Do that. I suggest you heading west to get out of Berlin as soon as possible. I am very dedicated to my missions and will eliminate anyone who stands in my way of completing my objective. However, I will disregard orders when I uncover new information and change my objectives, for the greater good. You’re a good guy. I am planning to destroy the bridge to slow the Reds. It will buy me and you some time. When you see the bridge exploding, get out of here, understand?” “Yes.” “Despite she isn’t your real daughter, you care for her as she is your daughter. You have my respect.” “Wait! Before you go, can I know your real name?” “Karl Fairburne. And you’re Josef. I have my sources.” Karl took the stairs up. Josef grabbed his rifle. It took him a minute to process this. Then he looked after Tiara. “How are you?” “Much better, Daddy.” She smiled at him. “The Russians!” a soldier screamed. “Diamond listen, I have an escape route. When the bridge explodes, we’re leaving through a hole upstairs got it?” “Got it.” The bridge exploded. Russian soldiers dived for cover. 3 IS-2s were falling into the water as they tried to cross the bridge. “Now go! We buy you as much time as we can!” Ben shouted before firing his MP 40. A few other soldiers escorted them. “He must be on the roof! Storm the roof! Stop him!” The squad leader shouted as Josef helped his daughter down. They were stopped by a higher ranking soldier. Josef couldn’t see what his rank was exactly. “You there, stop!” “Why? I just want to get my daughter to safety!” The soldier hit him with the butt of his Gewehr 43. “You are going nowhere, traitor! Bring them to the Opernplatz for immediate execution!” “Yes, sir!” The other soldiers forced them on a truck. “Daddy, I am scared!” “Don’t worry, we won’t die, I promise.” Before the truck moved, Josef looked at the Soldier with the Gewehr 43 again. “SS-Hauptsturmführer, should have known it.” He mumbled to himself as the truck rolled towards the Opernplatz.