Before the other side could even reply, Seckt picked up the telephone again and dialed a second number.
"Royal Cavalry Regint? This is Seckt. I order you to proceed at once to all key districts in Berlin and prevent any possible coup. Rember this clearly, no firing!"
Only after receiving a firm acknowledgent did Seckt finally let out a long breath. He sat heavily in the wooden chair behind his desk, drawing on his cigarette again and again, trying to steady the tremor in his heart.
Across from him, Drew lowered his gaze to hide the delight flickering in his eyes.
Although Seckt had not issued an explicit order for combat, a Commander in Chief could not personally control every rifle in a cavalryman's hand. If real fighting broke out, then even if Seckt later discovered that the whole affair had been arranged from the shadows, it would already be too late. By then, all Seckt would be able to do, under Drew's guidance and protection, would be to wire the entire army and step into the vacant presidential authority.
Of course, for all Drew's calculations, he had overlooked the most crucial variable.
The reason Jörg had been able to rise so quickly in the first place was the once in a lifeti opportunity to save the President.
And the one whose fate had also been altered by that act was the man Seckt had just called, the commander of the Capital Ergency Response Force, De ngnade.
...
Berlin Defense Force Barracks.
After setting down the receiver, De ngnade clasped his hands behind his back and fell into troubled silence.
He naturally understood that orders were orders, and personal sentint was personal sentint. But no matter how he looked at it, Jörg had once saved his military future. Vito, anwhile, was unquestionably Jörg's man.
Whether by logic or by instinct, De ngnade did not believe Jörg would stage a coup. More importantly, the order had not co with direct confirmation from the President.
Should he move his n?
After a brief hesitation, he turned to his aide.
"Get the First Armored Division. Do everything possible to reach Jörg, Mr. Hindenburg, and Vito."
The officer beside him was stunned.
"Sir... that does not exactly follow procedure."
De ngnade turned sharply and fixed him with a hard stare.
"Procedure? What I say is procedure. Your job is to obey."
He had only just stood and shrugged into his overcoat when the return call ca through.
"Mr. De ngnade? This is Vito."
The voice on the line was calm.
"I am glad to hear you are still keeping your head. Let make one thing absolutely clear. The Berlin Police Departnt has no intention of overthrowing the governnt, and even less intention of seizing power."
"I know you may not believe , but we will prove it with facts. The Berlin Police will not fire first."
There was the briefest pause before Vito continued.
"The one who tries to provoke a clash and fires the first shot will be the real criminal attempting to escalate this matter."
The line went dead before De ngnade could answer.
A mont later, he made his decision.
"Order every unit to gear up and move to all major road junctions. Keep wireless communication open at all tis. No firing without my direct order."
He grabbed his gloves.
"And prepare the car. I am going to Police Headquarters."
At the sa ti, the Royal Cavalry Regint was also on the move.
Unlike the Defense Force, they had already been waiting for just such an order.
Commander Karl Todd slowly wiped the polished edge of his saber, completely ignoring the instruction about not opening fire. Then he mounted his horse and rode onto the parade ground where the regint had long since assembled.
"Check ammunition!"
The crack of bolts and the restless breathing of warhorses rose together over the square.
"We have just received news that traitors intend to launch a coup. Cavalryn, your chance to earn honor has co. Mount up. We move on the Berlin Police Departnt at once!"
On the other side of the city, outside police stations across Berlin, the bustling energy of the streets had already been replaced by the cold silence of impending violence.
Residential buildings on both sides of the roads had been occupied by police marksn. Mauser rifle barrels protruded from windows one after another, and Lewis machine guns had even been set up on rooftops.
anwhile, other police officers had stepped into the streets, loudly accusing the governnt and elents of the army of falling under the control of ambitious n who intended to send them to the guillotine. They declared that what they were doing now was their final act of salvation for the nation.
Countless civilians stared blankly at the spectacle. When they asked questions, the only answer they received was silence, or a hard gesture ordering them away.
Most of them understood nothing. They could only read the truth from the dark tal mouths of the guns.
Soon, army trucks racing through the streets gave form to their fear.
Teams of soldiers disembarked, rapidly dispersed the crowds, and followed behind the marching police formations. Outwardly it looked like a confrontation, yet they did not imdiately move to suppress anyone. In that strange mont, it seed less like an ard blockade and more like a military escort.
For a brief instant, the sight of police and soldiers advancing in parallel had an absurd, almost comical quality.
Then the sound of hooves shattered it.
The cavalry had arrived.
Field guns were unlimbered and aid directly at the buildings on either side of the road. Officers on horseback brandished sabers and shouted their warnings through gaphones.
"First warning! All police officers are to leave the procession imdiately!"
"Second warning! All police officers are to leave the procession imdiately!"
"Third warning! If rebellious police refuse to obey, artillery will open fire!"
Seeing police officers scatter behind cover and begin drawing pistols and rifles of their own, the commander of the nearby ergency response detachnt could no longer remain still. He rushed forward and tried to stop the cavalry officer holding the gaphone.
"Sir! Our orders are to control the situation, not open fire. You must not escalate this!"
The Royal Cavalry commander did not even bother looking at him.
He jerked his horse forward half a step, while behind him the artilleryn had already ramd shells into the guns.
"Then tell your n to get out of the way. My orders are not to restrain but to eliminate. If you do not want to die with them, stand clear."
The ergency response commander still tried to argue, but he was too late.
Boom!
The shell exploded against a rooftop.
Fla and debris burst into the air. The thunder of the detonation was followed almost at once by scattered gunfire.
At that mont, the Defense Force commander realized with absolute clarity that the line had already been crossed.
Police Headquarters.
Vito stood at the main entrance, directly facing the armored machine gun mounted on a Defense Force vehicle. Across from him stood De ngnade.
"Mr. De ngnade, I will repeat myself one last ti. We have never intended to overthrow the governnt. The accusations against Jörg and against are baseless."
Vito's voice was firm, but not loud.
"I respect your duty as a soldier. But do not allow yourself to beco soone else's instrunt."
He had barely finished when the distant echo of an explosion rolled across the city.
The machine gunner on the armored car reacted instantly, nearly pulling the trigger.
De ngnade spun around.
"Did I not order no firing?"
His aide had already checked the incoming telegrams and turned pale.
"It was not us, sir. It was the Royal Cavalry Regint. Our liaison officer personally witnessed them shelling the police positions."
De ngnade swore under his breath.
Were they mad?
General Staff had not given them permission to fire. He was certain of it. If they had done so anyway, then there were only two possibilities. Either their commander had lost his mind, or he had sothing to hide.
The aide stepped closer.
"Sir, they are requesting that we join the clearing operation."
"Clearing?"
De ngnade barked out the word.
"Clearing what?"
His face darkened completely.
"Send orders to every unit. They are to disarm the cavalry imdiately."
The aide hesitated.
"Sir... this may decide sides. If we do this, we will be standing with Jörg, and he is already being spoken of as a rebel. If this fails, you may be purged afterward."
De ngnade stared at him for a second, then his expression hardened into sothing like resolve.
"Then I will make the gamble."
He pointed toward the street.
"If they refuse to surrender their weapons, drive the armored cars straight at the horses. They are the ones violating General Staff orders now. I am correcting the situation and limiting the damage. Is that clear?"
The aide straightened at once.
"Yes, sir. I will relay it imdiately."
De ngnade did not answer. His gaze had already turned back toward the smoke rising over Berlin.
Tonight had gone far beyond a question of routine duty.
It had beco a wager on the future of Germany itself.
.....
[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 10–50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]
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