"I apologize, I did not mean to disturb the two of you," a voice said, with a hint of mockery.
Paul turned around, only to see a glamorous military uniform and a man whose face he had already noticed earlier this evening.
Paul stiffened and quickly saluted. "Admiral Reader, you do not disturb us at all."
"May I borrow your... companion for a while?" he asked, now turning his gaze toward Elisabeth.
Elisabeth glanced toward the hall, the sound of laughter and music drifting faintly up the balcony. "I should return," she said softly, a small smile tugging at her lips. "The evening isn’t over yet, and I’m sure someone is expecting me."
Paul nodded, masking the pang of disappointment.
"Of course. Enjoy the rest of the evening," he said, keeping his tone light."
"Easy up a bit, Leutn... No, Oberstleutnant Jeager," he said, letting the correction roll off his tongue smoothly, "I am not the Führer. Please speak and behave freely with me."
Paul blinked, a faint flush rising to his cheeks, but he forced himself to relax, easing his salute slightly. "Of course, Admiral. My apologies," he replied evenly, though his mind raced to assess the meaning behind the comment. Making jokes about the Führer, that’s not how a model Nazi does it, he noted.
Reader’s eyes narrowed, piercing through Paul’s careful mask. "I’ve been watching you tonight, Oberstleutnant," he said, voice low but unyielding. "And I must admit... there is something in your eyes."
Paul stiffened, every muscle suddenly alert. What does he know? How much does he know? His mind flickered to the Luger pistol carefully hidden in his breast pocket. No... what the hell am I thinking?
Paul swallowed, his mind racing. How? When?
Reader’s gaze changed, not with accusation, but with curiosity, even admiration. "I see your disdain. Your... hatred for the performance, the people, the cause itself. And yet... you play along. Why?"
Now that’s interesting, Paul thought, measuring his response carefully, keeping his tone steady, neutral. "Because survival demands it, Admiral. Because appearances are stronger than truth."
Reader looked him directly into the eyes."So you really do hate them this much. Honestly, it was just a guess... but you’ve proven it correct, Oberstleutnant."
Paul’s jaw tightened, a flash of anger flaring in his mind. Fuck... I revealed it myself. I should have just played dumb, and now that’s a card I can’t play with him anymore.
Reader’s eyes never wavered, fixed on Paul as if trying to uncover every hidden thought. "So... you act for survival, is that it?" he asked, voice calm but searching. Eyes... they tell you a lot about someone. The way they move, the way they linger, the way they betray emotions."
This guy... he is dangerous. A true wolf in sheep’s clothing, Paul silently reminded himself.
"I don’t see it," Reader said.
"You don’t see what, Sir?" Paul asked, a lingering unease in his voice. The way Reader looked at him made him feel like an open book, free to be read by anyone.
"The fear... the fear for survival," Reader said slowly, eyes fixed on Paul, "I do not see it now, and I did not see it once the entire evening. What I saw instead was... hunger, greed, mockery... and ambition."
Reader stepped closer again, now only a few centimeters away from Paul. "Why be ambitious in a system you despise? Unless... HAHAHA! I knew you were ambitious, but destroying the Nazis... that’s pure madness, not ambition."
There was a long pause, neither of them saying anything. after a while Paul was the first to open his mouth.
"Not destroy... replace," Paul said, a terrifying glint in his eyes. "Germany needs strong leadership, a leadership led by rationality, not ideology. Killing innocents is not the way."
Reader’s eyes flickered, a mixture of surprise and intrigue crossing his features. For the first time, he seemed genuinely impressed and perhaps slightly unsettled, by Paul’s audacity.
"Replace..." he repeated, voice low, savoring the weight of the word. "Bold. Dangerous. And yet... you speak it as though it were inevitable."
Paul met his gaze evenly, refusing to flinch. "It must be inevitable. Otherwise, Germany will continue down a path of ruin. I won’t stand by and watch that happen."
Reader leaned back slightly, studying him, the faintest smile playing at the corner of his mouth. "Most men... most officers, most Party men... would choke on such words, or hide them behind empty smiles. You... you speak them freely. That makes you either incredibly brave, or incredibly foolish."
Paul’s mind raced. "Perhaps both," he said evenly. "But the truth remains. Change is necessary."
There was another long pause, broken only by the distant echoes of the party drifting through the doors.
"Indeed," he said quietly, his voice carrying a weight that made Paul’s pulse quicken. "I cannot deny... your assessment is accurate. Germany does need rational leadership, and the current path... it will lead nowhere good."
Reader’s gaze remained fixed, sharp and calculating. "Courageous words, Oberstleutnant. Dangerous... but not without merit. But not enough to persuade me to help you, if that is what you desire."
Reader turned towards the doors." If that’s all the...
"What... what if I could show you proof one day," Paul said, his voice low but intense, "terrible proof of the consequences we would face if Hitler remains in power?"
Reader’s eyes narrowed, a spark of interest flickering in their depths. He leaned slightly closer, the shadows from the balcony railing cutting across his sharp features.
"Proof?" he repeated slowly, his tone measured, almost teasing. "And what sort of proof could convince me, Oberstleutnant? You speak of consequences... yet most would call such talk exaggeration, fear-mongering, or foolishness."
Paul met his gaze evenly, voice steady despite the surge of urgency inside him. "I can show you... the devastation that will come. Give me time, and I will show you."
Reader reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small, crisp card. He handed it to Paul without breaking eye contact.
"Here," he said, his voice calm but carrying weight. "My home. Consider this... a gesture of trust, though limited. Bring whatever proof you claim to have. Whenever you want. Convince me, Oberstleutnant... or you’ll find that opportunities like this do not come twice."
Paul took the card carefully, feeling the smooth texture beneath his fingers. He nodded slightly, masking the surge of both relief and determination. This is it... a foothold. Now I have to make it count.
Reader’s gaze lingered on him for another heartbeat before he stepped back, letting the night air between them grow cold and heavy with unspoken possibilities.
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