Chapter 238 - 21: The Balance of Power

Chapter 238: Chapter 21: The Balance of Power

Three days later, Bruner delivered the cooked books to Werner.

"It’s all in here." He set down a thick folder. "I found a businessman who died in a car crash in Switzerland five years ago and used his name to create a false identity. All the transaction records point to him."

Werner opened the file and inspected it carefully.

The cooked books were meticulous. From the opening documents for the Swiss account to every single transfer record and the final recipient’s information, everything was seamless.

"This dead man’s identity—" Werner asked, "Will they find out?"

"No." Bruner pushed up his glasses. "His identity records in Switzerland are all real; I just used his name. Besides, he’s been dead for five years. No family, no company, no connections whatsoever. Even if the BND investigates him, they won’t find anything."

"Good." Werner nodded. "Leave a copy of these fake records for me. Destroy the rest."

"Understood."

"One more thing." Werner looked at him. "As of today, this transaction between you and me never happened."

Bruner froze for a second, then understood.

"I get it," he said. "I don’t know anything."

"Smart." Werner took a stack of bills from his drawer. "This is your payment. Take the money and forget this ever happened."

Bruner took the money, counted it, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Don’t worry, my lips are sealed."

After Bruner left, Werner locked the fake records in his safe.

It was his lifeline.

***************

The next three weeks were an agonizing wait.

Werner went to work at Koko as usual and handled his procurement tasks as usual, but he was constantly on edge.

Anna gave him regular updates on the BND’s investigation.

"They’ve sent people to investigate the fake identity you set up. Looks like they took the bait."

"Good." Werner breathed a sigh of relief.

"But they haven’t completely given up on the Switzerland lead," Anna said. "The BND is still waiting for a response from the Swiss."

"What are the Swiss saying?"

"They’re still dragging their feet," Anna said. "The Swiss Bank is refusing to cooperate, citing client privacy. But if the West German Government applies enough pressure, they might give in."

Werner nodded.

"Then we’ll keep waiting."

Every night, Werner would sit in his apartment and look out at East Berlin.

The lights of Alexanderplatz flickered, and the red light of the TV tower was like some kind of warning.

Pedestrians hurried along the streets, each bundled in a thick coat, head down against the cold.

In a city living under the shadow of the Cold War, everyone survived by treading carefully.

And he, Werner, was no exception.

In the fourth week, Anna brought news.

"The Swiss Bank finally gave the transaction records to the BND," Anna said. "But what they saw were your cooked books. All traces led to that dead businessman. The BND verified his identity, confirmed he died in a car crash five years ago, and the investigation has been halted."

Werner let out a long breath.

"So, I—"

"You’re safe," Anna smiled. "At least, for now. The BND didn’t find you, and your channels in West Germany are secure."

Werner leaned back on the sofa, feeling as if all the strength had been drained from his body.

He had spent the last three weeks in a state of constant tension.

Now, it was finally over.

"Werner." Anna sat down beside him and took his hand. "You’re pushing yourself too hard."

"I have no choice," Werner said. "If I don’t, I won’t survive."

"But look at you." Anna touched his face. "You’ve lost weight, and your eyes are all bloodshot."

Werner didn’t say anything.

"Why don’t you slow down?" Anna said softly. "Stop taking on arms deals, at least for a while. You have other business at Koko, you don’t have to—"

"No." Werner cut her off. "This is a critical time. The Congo shipment was a success, and Gunter’s trust in me has grown immensely. If I back down now, he’ll suspect me."

"Then what do you plan to do?"

"Continue," Werner said, "but more carefully. I’ve learned my lesson from this—I must maintain a clean image on both sides. In East Germany, a capable official for Koko; in West Germany, a reliable businessman."

Anna looked at him, her expression complicated.

"Do you know how hard that is?"

"I know." Werner squeezed her hand. "But I don’t have a choice."

"You do have a choice," Anna said. "You could give up, you could leave, you could—"

"And then what?" Werner interrupted her. "Leave Koko? Leave East Germany? Go to West Germany and be an ordinary businessman? Anna, do you think that’s possible? If I leave now, will the Stasi let me go? Will Gunter let me go?"

Anna fell silent.

She knew Werner was right.

In this system, once you were in, there was no getting out.

Either you climbed up, or you were trampled to death.

There was no third way.

"Then at least promise me this." Anna looked up, her gaze serious. "You have to survive."

Werner looked into her eyes and saw worry, fear, and a deep affection.

"I promise you," he said. "I will survive. We will both survive."

Anna threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.

The light from the fireplace danced, casting their two shadows on the wall, entwined.

Snow began to fall outside the window.

The first snow in East Berlin had come early.

Snowflakes tapped against the glass, making a soft sound.

Werner held Anna, feeling her warmth.

In this moment, he felt a sense of peace.

Though he knew countless dangers lay ahead, though he knew he could be exposed at any moment, at least for now, he was alive.

**************

In November, the conference room in the Koko Building was packed.

Werner stood in a corner, folder in hand, listening quietly as Gunter delivered the annual summary report.

"This year, we earned twenty-three million West German Marks in foreign currency for the state." Gunter stood at the podium, his voice booming. "An increase of forty percent over last year."

Applause rose from the audience.

"This achievement would not have been possible without the hard work of all our comrades." Gunter paused, his gaze sweeping across the room. "But I want to give special praise to one person—Comrade Werner, Deputy Director of the Special Procurement Department."

Werner’s heart skipped a beat.

All eyes turned to him.

"Comrade Werner completed thirteen major procurement tasks this year, with a one hundred percent success rate," Gunter said. "His pioneering work in the Third World market, in particular, has opened up a new front for Koko. His work ethic and professional ability are something we can all learn from."

The applause grew even more enthusiastic.

Werner stood up and bowed slightly. "Thank you, Director. This is all thanks to the organization’s training and the result of teamwork."

"It’s good for a young man to be modest, but not too modest," Gunter laughed. "Comrade Werner is only twenty-five, yet he can already hold his own. His future is limitless."

After the meeting, many people crowded around Werner to congratulate him.

"Werner, you’ll have to look out for us from now on."

"Werner, I’ll have to buy you a drink sometime."

"Comrade Werner, we should exchange notes sometime."

Werner dealt with them, a polite smile on his face, but his mind was racing.

Gunter was putting him on a pedestal.

But he was putting him up too high.

****************

Back in his office, Werner’s direct supervisor, Otto Rehman, was already waiting for him.

"Congratulations, Werner," Otto said with a smile, but it seemed a bit forced.

"Director Otto, please don’t say that." Werner quickly poured a cup of coffee and handed it to him. "These achievements were all made under your leadership."

"Spare me the pleasantries." Otto waved his hand dismissively. "I know my own worth. If it weren’t for you this past year, our department’s performance would have been a disaster."

"Director, you’re exaggerating." Werner sat down, his tone sincere. "I’m the new guy; I have to rely on you to oversee many things. Your experience and seniority are my greatest support."

Otto looked at him, his expression complicated.

"Werner, you’re a smart man." He lit a cigarette. "You know when to step into the spotlight and when to keep a low profile."

"I’m just being honest," Werner said. "Director Otto, I know some people might be gossiping, saying I stole your thunder. But I assure you, that was never my intention."

"I know." Otto exhaled a cloud of smoke. "If you really wanted to step on me to climb the ladder, you would have gone to Gunter to bad-mouth me long ago."

"I’m not that kind of person."

"I believe you." Otto stubbed out his cigarette. "But Werner, I have to give you a piece of advice—the tree that stands tallest in the forest is the first to be struck by the wind. Gunter praising you so much in the meeting today is a good thing, but it’s also a bad thing."

A thought struck Werner. "Director, you mean—"

"There are many capable people in Koko, but only a few positions." Otto lowered his voice. "You’re too much in the spotlight right now, and some people will get jealous. I’ve heard some of the old-timers are talking behind your back, saying a young man like you becoming deputy director must mean you used some back channels."

"Back channels?"

"The Stasi’s back channels." Otto looked at him. "Werner, everyone knows you’re on good terms with Colonel von Brown."

Werner was silent for a few seconds.

This was what he feared the most.