The Enigma Stolen

Mauro sipped his drink and confirmed, “Correct. It didn’t start off that way. Everything looked so promising at first, and they were so accommodating, based on past favors done for their people. Now the favor they are doing for me is a trap that I didn’t see coming.”

Luisa looked confused as she asked, “What do you mean, a favor that became a trap? Who are these people, my darling?”

Mauro mused, “It is a long story that contains an unknown slippery slope. It started way before me.

“At the end of World War II, the German S.S. higher ups could see the war was lost. They started moving people and resources out to countries that would be more sympathetic to their cause and not have to comply with extradition requests from the big three. With German manpower dwindling, those in power started recruiting younger men to fill the ranks. The 12th S.S. Panzer, the Hitler Jürgen Division, had fought ferociously in Normandy which changed the conventional thinking about sixteen and seventeen year old soldiers. After the battle of the Ardennes and the war closing in from all sides, an impromptu group of German fanatics were assembled. These hastily trained, poorly armed, and foolishly naïve fanatics were turned loose to conduct partisan activities against the invaders in defense of the greater Germany.

“These were known as the Werewolf Commandos. The rumors of them in history has been colorful at the very least and extremely elusive. Essentially, they were made up of mostly ten to fifteen year old boys with little chance of success, but they were fanatically loyal to the cause. However, as the end of the war approached, the S.S. pipeline for exodus really increased. As lots of Germans left the continent, so too the Werewolves were picked up and transported as well. The S.S. pipeline got out some very important S.S. personnel, including Otto Skorzeny, with a great deal of those refugees ending up here in Argentina. The irony was that they set up shop in this country as consultants in the intelligence business. They even received assistance from some of the Italian Catholic clergy to help get them onto ships and then drift out of the reach of the Allies. This is where my grandfather came in.

“My grandfather felt sorry for the Werewolf Commandos, particularly those that were children and of the Catholic faith. He prominently facilitated the underground railway to Argentina. These children never forgot his name or how he had assisted them in their time of need. Then when we immigrated to Argentina, they felt a debt of gratitude to our family. Because my grandfather facilitated their lineage, the second and third generation Werewolves felt duty and honor bound to our lineage. These are the people from whom I take my instructions.”

Luisa, now thoroughly frightened, swallowed and implored, “My love, we cannot stay any longer! We must run, all of us, and escape these circumstances! I remember the cruelty of the German S.S. when I studied my history. I know how those evil men took advantage of this country when they set up shop in Argentina. I have no doubt that these children of the Werewolves are potentially more evil than their original masters.