Bruno had more or less suspected that France would begin its propaganda efforts. War was more than looking like a certainty for the world as a whole as the years passed. And Germany had begun preparing long before anyone else.
While other nations were still focused on meeting recruitment quotas, Germany was in the process of developing advanced weapons. The latest of which were expected to see full scale production by 1912. Two years before the war would break out if all went according to planned.
Then again, Bruno had caused so many significant changes in this timeline that it was actually impossible to know when the War would break out, and what would be the cause. He often had thought to himself of a dreadful fate of irony, that his assassination by the Black Hand would spark the War without him, rather than the untimely death of Franz Ferdinand.
But believe it or not, Erich was very good at his job, and monitoring the ins and outs of the German Reich and those dangerous people residing within its borders, whether temporarily or permanently, was his bread and butter.
The Black Hand had, on more than one occasion, attempted to infiltrate the German Reich in a bid to try a second or third time to end Bruno’s life. But each time they had found themselves buried in a shallow unmarked grave in the middle of nowhere. That is, of course, after being dragged to a Stasi black site for interrogation. Which, of course, did not officially exist in any record.
To put it simply, Bruno was rather satisfied with his investment in his friendship with Erich. Even though the man had long since been driven to a state of never-ending bloodlust, and absolute callousness towards life as a result of repeated exposure to the horrors of war. He was a useful bloodhound to send against his enemies.
And it was perhaps because of that the two men were meeting in a public setting within the City of Berlin at the moment. Erich and Bruno were both dressed in an expensive choice of attire, which Erich couldn’t help but comment on knowing his friend’s true nature.
“It must be killing you to wear that suit. You look the part of a proper nobleman, and I know how much you like to pretend to be humble…”
Bruno, like Erich, was smoking a cigarette while drinking from a cup of premium coffee with his free hand. He placed down the cup and looked Erich in the eyes. Not even bothering to make a statement of defense towards his humbler attitude towards life.
Instead, he smirked while accepting his friend’s banter, as one would normally be inclined to do so.
“You must be loving this… Seeing me waste a ludicrous amount of money building lavish palaces, while surrounding myself in expensive clothing, shoes, and other accessories like this fucking tie that I want to rip off of my throat with every agonizing minute I am forced to wear such an absurdity!”
Erich broke out into a fit of laughter upon hearing this remark come from Bruno’s mouth. He couldn’t help but comment on the man’s misery enduring the trinkets that lesser men would kill to have, as if it was some hellish torture designed and optimized by the Lord God Almighty for him personally.
“I have to say, frankly speaking, the look of a working-class man doesn’t suit you, my friend. You’re too… Gentle. The nobility definitely shows on your face, especially with that fencing scar of yours, no matter how much you like to pretend you’re a man of the people.”
Bruno did not take offense to the man’s use of the word “Gentle” to describe his appearance, as it was not used in the modern sense he had grown accustomed to in his past life, which was a reference to meekness, kindness, and in some circle’s weakness.
Rather, it was a reference to his status as a man of noble birth, or a gentleman—a term that, before the fall of the monarchies, was used exclusively, much like “Lady,” to refer to those of the aristocratic class. However, when the monarchies fell in 1918, and traditional western civilization with it, any semblance of the meaning to the words “Gentleman” and “Lady” had been watered down so much that they were often used interchangeably with man and woman.
So much so that common harlots and streetwalkers would take offense if you dared to insist, they were neither noble nor virtuous enough to be called a “lady.” Thinking back upon it, Bruno couldn’t help but shake his head, thinking about the fate of the world he had come from, and how glad he was to be reborn in a time of virtue, culture, and general decency. Three things that were sorely missing from the world that would come from the Great War.
A fate Bruno once more steeled himself to prevent by any means necessary. Erich, of course, could not fathom why his friend had such a dreadful appearance all of a sudden, nor his actions of simply shaking his head. Bruno, of course, did not explain as he recollected his thoughts, and entered the world in front of him once more.
Instead, he got the point, the reason why he had requested Erich to meet with him on this day.
“Do you have what I want?”
Seeing how they were no longer exchanging pleasantries and were instead getting down to business, Erich pulled a folder out of his coat pocket and slid it over across the table to Bruno. Who opened it and gazed upon the dossier within. As well as the pictures inside of it, that were so gruesome they should never be revealed in civilized company.
Yet Bruno gazed upon them nonetheless, and in a public setting, as Erich summarized their contents.
“The Black Hand, as you call it, otherwise known as Unification or Death, has attempted on three separate occasions to infiltrate the German Reich and end your life since that nasty business in Russia.
The good news is we intercepted them before they could get anywhere near Berlin. And after some… persuading, we managed to gain a significant amount of information about their partners in crime.
These fuckers aren’t just in Serbia, they’re all over the Balkans. And that includes the nations like Bulgaria who just gained their independence from the Ottoman Empire following the end of the Young Turk Movement last month.
We can prevent them from causing harm in the Reich, Bruno, but… They’re just getting started. Their failed attempts on your life have only galvanized their recruitment. I’m afraid these fucking bastards might be the cause of something significantly greater than we can even imagine… Especially now that Austro-Hungary is planning to march its troops into Bosnia and Herzegovina…”
Bruno looked over at Erich, who appeared to be reaching the ultimate conclusion that Bruno had long since known would occur, having learned about in his past life. There was a slight smirk on Bruno’s face as he caused Erich to enter a state of mental turmoil.
“Like what? The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, an act which has the potential to cause all of Europe to break out into a major global war?”
Erich stared at Bruno with a daunted expression on his face. Bruno just announced a fear he had not even thought about. As if it was a natural occurrence. And it was only then that Erich began to understand just how far Bruno had been outmaneuvering his opponents. But the idea… was surreal.
Had Bruno been preparing for a global conflict since their days at the Academy when they were mere cadets? That was over a decade prior. Was this his whole reason for joining the Army? The mere thought was enough to drive Erich into madness.
He was just about to ask something when Bruno closed the folder and handed it back to him. After which Bruno raised a single question with a curt tone in his voice.
“Have you alerted Austro-Hungarian intelligence to what you have found?”
Erich silently shook his head, still trying to fathom the depths of Bruno’s cunning and planning. But when Bruno smiled next, finishing his coffee with a sneer on his face, before standing up from his seat. Erich felt chills down his spine, especially as Bruno practically confirmed that things were going according to his plans.
“Good, make sure to keep it that way. We wouldn’t want the Austrians to spoil our fun, now, would we?”
Bruno was about to turn away when Erich abruptly stood up, catching the notice of several people from nearby. He quickly realized he couldn’t speak his thoughts aloud in German or else the people who were now watching the two of them would hear his words. And thus, he whispered to Bruno in Russian his exact, and terrifying thoughts.
“Don’t tell me… You have known all about this? For–”
Bruno silenced Erich’s interrogation as he leaned over and patted the man on the shoulder. His words sounded like the devil whispering sweet poison into his ears as he did so.
“A war is coming, my friend. It can’t be avoided. Postponed perhaps, but either way there is nothing we can do to stop it. Isn’t that what you have always wanted?”
Bruno then walked off without saying another word. Leaving Erich absolutely speechless. One thing was certain, Erich had grown ten times more afraid of Bruno than he had in the past. And was beginning to consider transferring back to the Army. As if Bruno’s words were true, this war would be on a scale never before seen in human history, or at least not on the European continent. And like hell, he was going to miss out on all the fun!
