Editing City Series:Volume1 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 4===

Mayer answered the phone instead of Oscar who had gone to the remains of the Wagner Laboratory.

As Oscar’s aide, looking after the place in his absence was a legitimate part of Mayer’s job. He had to do his best to preserve his commander’s good name.

He looked out the window as he picked up the receiver, but it had already grown dark. The glass reflected his slightly tense face.

He lowered his gaze and spoke into the receiver.

“Yes, this is Mayer Schrier speaking for Major General Oscar Mirildorf.”

“Oh, Lieutenant Mayer? This is Gaston of the Breuer Company.”

He recognized the voice. This was the president of the weapons dealer that manufactured the air force’s aircraft and sold them firearms. His was the top company in the industry, but he seemed like a fairly sociable person.

Mayer lowered his head toward the phone without thinking.

“Thank you for calling. What do you need at this hour?”

“Have you read today’s newspaper?”

“The newspaper? I skimmed through it. What about it?”

“I heard this from someone I know, but…”

Gaston’s tone dropped and Mayer realized it would be crass to ask just who that “someone” was. Some important incident had to be happening around this man.

Mayer allowed him to keep it a secret.

“Go ahead. We are known for keeping secrets.”

“I am well aware. …Anyway, from what I’ve heard, Major General Oscar’s unit is pursuing some sort of incident.”

“…”

Mayer’s silence acted as an answer and the other man seemed to pick up on what this meant.

“Well, based on the assumption that you are, I believe what you are looking for is on my land.”

“Is that so?”

“And it is accompanied by two people.”

…''I see.

Mayer realized what exactly was going on, so he spoke quickly.

“Understood. That has nothing to do with us, but it may be of interest to someone. I will track them down and contact them, so please invite those two people in as a guest for the next few days.”

“Understood. I will.”

“Sorry about the trouble.”

“No, not at all. …And one other thing.”

“Yes?”

“If something happens, I would prefer if you did not tell my family that I was the one to call you. Could you keep that a secret?”

“Eh? Yes, we can…but why? If these guests turn out to be important, you would be richly rewarded.”

“No, I’d much rather not be. …And I don’t need any more riches anyway.”

Mayer detected hesitation in the man’s voice, but there was no need to look into it further.

“I see. Then if it comes to it, we will reward you in another way.”

“Thank you very much. And I hope you will continue to use our products in the future.”

The man’s tone completely changed in an instant.

…''That’s a merchant for you.

With that thought, Mayer lowered his head toward the telephone again.

“Thank you very much.”

“No, thank you. …And please come quickly.”

With that, he hung up.

Mayer held his breath as he set down the receiver and he looked out the window again.

He was on the fifth and highest floor of Berlin’s air force base, so he could see the nightscape of Berlin through the glass.

The Breuer home was about eight kilometers southeast of the base.

“Is that you, Walter, teacher?”

His expression grew even tenser as he muttered that question.

He wanted to run out there right away to check, but Oscar had yet to return and he was too young to give orders of his own.

“I can’t believe this.”

His voice sounded troubled and yet somehow happy.

“Why are those two like that?”

His bitterly smiling eyes stared out into the night.

Somewhere in those scattered specks of light were the people he sought.

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