Rachel R. Heil's Blog, page 10
May 29, 2023
Infiltration Teaser Post #3
Here’s another teaser of Infiltration! Enjoy!
Infiltration ©Rachel R. Heil 2023
“You’ve completely lost your mind,” Ulrich told him matter-of-factly at lunch when Ernst had revealed his plan to his friend.
Anxiously looking around at the others in the cafeteria, Ulrich snarled at Ernst, “You want a suspected terrorist to be your secretary?”
“You did say I was in desperate need of one,” Ernst sat back in his chair, dangling a cigarette between his fingers.
“No one is that desperate,” Ulrich’s face was tight was indignation as he poked at his soup.
“Ulrich, you must think of this logically,” Ernst leaned forward, planting his elbows on the table. “We are getting nowhere with Logan and the officer tracking Daniel Prochnow. We are essentially in the same spot as before we caught Bauer. We’ve now been given a golden opportunity to infiltrate the group.”
“If she’s involved,” Ulrich reminded him.
Ernst inhaled his cigarette before blowing out the smoke with annoyance. “She is. No one goes through what she did and not want revenge against the person whose behind it. Bruckmann agreed with me when I proposed the idea to him.”
“Ernst,” Ulrich folded his arms and placed them on the table. “She has no idea you signed off on the orders.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Ernst burned the cigarette out on his plate. “She wants revenge against me. To her, I am the embodiment of evil and need to be stopped.”
“And so you’re going to stop her by having her be in a position where she’s with you all day?” Ulrich was nearly laughing. He grabbed his glass of water and shook his head. “You are a lunatic.”
Ernst began to wonder if he was but whatever way he looked at it, bringing Prochnow in as his secretary and having access to her for several hours of a day might just be the break his investigation needed. The only thing that still troubled him was that he might have to sign off on the execution order for Prochnow as he had done for Bauer.
Ulrich sighed heavily, finishing his water and placing the empty glass down. “You know I’ll support you but I think this is risky.”
Ernst smiled. “Most of what we do is risky.”
May 25, 2023
Infiltration Teaser Post #2
Hello fellow readers! Today I’m sharing with you the #2 teaser for my upcoming release Infiltration. Enjoy!
Infiltration ©Rachel R. Heil 2023
The acceptance of Lina as Ernst Jung’s personal secretary came sooner than she had anticipated. The day before the Brotherhood’s weekly meeting she received a letter in the mail from Jung, informing her that her job application had been accepted and she should report to his office on the first of June.
Lina felt a wave of joyous success but also mind-numbing fear. She had successfully entered the Stasi and would have access to the cases Jung was in charge of. But she was also entering the inner sanctum of the devil and his minions, Jung chief among them. Lina would have to tread carefully but she knew she could do it.
The Brotherhood were less inclined.
“You are not naïve,” Hannah spoke slowly and methodically after Lina had told them. “You are positively stupid.”
Daniel, standing on the opposite side of the table from Hannah, lunged forward, only held back by Bernhard. “You’re ignorant. My sister has done more for this movement than you have done in your entire existence!”
Guy, who always stood at the head of the table, looked at Hannah harshly. “Hannah, your words, as always, are harsh and not necessary.” He then looked at Lina, who stood on the other end of the table. “But she is correct in her concerns. You should have brought this plan before us.”
“You would have shot it down,” Lina spoke the truth.
“For good reason,” Bernhard argued. “We’ve wanted to avoid the Stasi, not enter their den.”
“Do you realize how careful you’ll have to be?” Major inquired, his voice the calmest of them all. “Every word and action you say or do will be scrutinized.”
“Even more because of your background,” Bernhard added.
“Which makes it all the more concerning of why Jung hired you,” Guy gripped the edges of the table. “I fear your Stasi friend has his own agenda.”
Lina shook her head at the idea. “Jung has no evidence that I’m part of the Brotherhood. He let me go because it was clear I had no knowledge of it.”
“This is your biggest problem,” Hannah tossed a hand at Lina. “You continuingly disregard the fact that the Stasi are smarter than they lead you to believe.”
Lina felt her angry growing at her comrades’ disbelief that she could pull this off. “Then what are we supposed to do? We have no idea where Logan is and therefore we can’t continue the work Winston was killed over. Meanwhile more people are getting locked up, silenced, and those who have to get of the East are stuck here. And the West shows no sign of landing a hand.” Lina threw an upset hand into the air before looking at the group with pleading eyes. “I have been handed a chance to change that. Think of the information I’ll have access to! Not only can I find out where Logan is and what the Stasi knows about us, but I’ll know of people soon to be arrested, the identity of other informants, and if the Stasi is going to strike, giving us all ample time to make arrangements to get out or go into hiding. There is no other way for us to get that knowledge.”
“But at the risk of you getting killed,” Daniel finally spoke up.
Only Daniel had known of Lina’s plan and he had been as angry with her as the others, though he was wise enough to know that once Lina made her mind up there was little chance of it changing.
Lina looked at her brother, a lump forming in her throat. Her eyes switched to the others, who were staring at her, waiting for a reply. Daniel had mentioned the possibility they all feared, that not only would the Stasi imprison and torture them but that they could be executed, just like Winston. It was terrifying idea and one that continually made Lina second guess her decision. But every time she thought of it, her mind went back to Winston. She had failed him once. She would not fail in helping to carry out his vision for the future, a future where they could speak their minds and live free of their oppressive regime. The only way that could happen was for the Brotherhood, including Lina, to take risks.
Settling her eyes on Guy, who waited patiently for an answer, Lina told him, “I promised to make any sacrifice necessary for the Brotherhood. I’m taking that sacrifice now. I’m going to infiltrate the Stasi and I am going to help people who need us, and to show the world who the Stasi and the GDR government truly are.”
