Chapter 324 - 107: Intelligence for the CIA

Chapter 324: Chapter 107: Intelligence for the CIA

Werner hung up the phone and walked out of the post office.

The streets of Vienna were clean and tidy. Sunlight spilled onto the Baroque buildings, and leisurely pedestrians and street musicians were everywhere.

An hour later, Werner was sitting in a cafe near Saint Stephen’s Cathedral.

The cafe was small and quaintly decorated, with old photographs of Vienna hanging on the walls. He ordered a coffee and sat by the window.

Ten minutes later, a man in a gray trench coat walked in and sat down across from him.

The man was in his forties, with a lean face, blond hair, and a pair of gray-blue eyes that held a scrutinizing gaze.

"Mr. Smith." Werner nodded.

"Mr. Schmidt, long time no see," the man said in fluent German. "I hear you went to South Africa."

"You get your news fast," Werner said, not surprised.

"It’s my job." Smith smiled. "So, what do you have for me?"

Werner took a small envelope from his pocket and placed it on the table. "There’s some information inside. It’s about East Germany procuring strategic materials from South Africa."

Smith picked up the envelope and quickly stuffed it into his pocket. He then took out an envelope of his own and pushed it toward Werner. "This is your payment. Fifty thousand US Dollars, on a Swiss Bank check."

Werner put the check away and took a sip of his coffee. "The information I provide won’t compromise East Germany’s security. You should be clear on that."

"Of course we’re clear on that." Smith leaned back in his chair. "You only provide ’scraps’—useful, but not fatal. The scale of the deal, the general types of materials, the South African companies involved... this information helps us understand East Germany’s military movements, but it’s not enough to truly disrupt anything."

"Then why do you still want it?"

"Because every little bit adds up," Smith said. "One piece of information might not be much, but ten or twenty pieces together can paint a complete picture. And to be honest, Mr. Schmidt, we value you more than just your intelligence."

"What do you mean?"

"You’re a smart man. You know how to maintain your value to both sides," Smith said, staring at him. "You give us information, but you never touch anything truly sensitive. You work for East Germany, but you also leave yourself an escape route. You’re a perfect double agent—no, that’s not quite the right word. You’re a... businessman. A businessman operating in the Cold War."

Werner said nothing, just watched him.

"We need more people like you," Smith continued. "So keep it up, Mr. Schmidt. Provide your ’scraps,’ take your payment, and pave the way for your own future. Believe me, you’ll find that all these preparations you’re making will be worth it."

Werner smiled. "Are all you CIA guys such smooth talkers?"

"We’re professionally trained." Smith smiled back and stood up. "It’s been a pleasure working with you, Mr. Schmidt. I hope to hear more interesting stories next time we meet."

"You will," Werner said.

After Smith left, Werner put the check away, paid for his coffee, and walked out of the cafe.

The streets of Vienna were still leisurely. The church bells rang, and pigeons flapped their wings in the square.

Werner took a deep breath, then headed for the airport.

His flight was due to take off in just over an hour—back to Berlin, back to the city divided by a wall, back to his double life.

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

It was late at night by the time he returned to East Berlin.

Werner went straight to the Koko office. Gunter was still waiting for him.

"How did it go?" Gunter asked, sitting on the sofa with a cup of coffee. "Did you close the deal in South Africa?"

"It’s done." Werner sat down and handed him the contract. "Fourteen million US Dollars, to be delivered in six shipments, starting next January."

Gunter frowned as he looked through the contract. "Fourteen million? Didn’t Moscow say ten million?"

"Van der Meij insisted on fifteen million. I haggled him down to fourteen," Werner explained. "That was the absolute limit. Those rare metals are in high demand right now, and only a few companies in South Africa can source them."

"The people in Moscow are going to be furious," Gunter sighed.

"Let them be furious," Werner said, leaning back in his chair. "As long as the goods arrive on time and the quality is right, what’s a little extra money?"

Gunter glanced at him, then smiled. "You certainly have a relaxed way of looking at it. All right, I’ll explain it to Moscow." He closed the contract. "You’ve worked hard, Werner. You did a good job on this mission."

"It’s my duty." Werner stood up. "I’m heading home. I’m exhausted from the past few days."

"Go on," Gunter said with a wave. "Get some rest."

Werner left the office and took the elevator downstairs.

The building was deserted, with only the light in the duty office still on. He walked out the main entrance, and a cold wind hit him, making him shiver.

Winter had come to East Berlin.

He drove back to his apartment, and when he opened the door, he found the lights on.

Anna was sitting on the sofa, holding a book.

"You’re back," Anna said, putting her book down and standing up.

"What are you doing here?" Werner asked, taking off his coat.

"I wanted to see you." Anna walked over and took his coat. "How was South Africa?"

"Hot and chaotic, but the deal is done." Werner sat on the sofa, rubbing his temples. "I’m dead tired."

Anna sat down beside him and poured him a glass of water. "Then get some rest. Have a drink of water, then go take a shower."

Werner took the glass and drank a large gulp. The cool water flowed down his throat, clearing his head a little.

"What are the people in South Africa like?" Anna asked casually.

"They’re all businessmen," Werner said, leaning back on the sofa. "They only recognize money, not ideology. That fellow Van der Meij, he’s a mining magnate on the surface, but in reality, he’ll do any kind of business—selling minerals to us, selling intelligence to the West, he even has dealings with guerilla forces in Africa."

"A typical opportunist," Anna commented.

"Isn’t he just," Werner chuckled. "But people like that are easier to deal with. At least you don’t have to listen to all that ideological nonsense."

Anna smiled. "You must be exhausted. Go take a shower and rest."

"Okay."

Werner stood up and went into the bathroom.

Listening to the sounds of Anna busying herself outside, he looked at his reflection in the mirror—his face was somewhat haggard, and his eyes were bloodshot.

’This trip to South Africa had been truly draining, not just physically, but mentally.’

’I had to stay vigilant at all times. In front of Van der Meij, I had to act like a reliable socialist businessman. In front of the CIA guys, I had to seem cooperative without betraying my core interests. Every word had to be carefully weighed, and every action had to be considered for its consequences.’

’Fortunately, everything went according to plan.’

’The meeting in Vienna went smoothly. I chose a location in a busy tourist area, deliberately leaving the airport mid-layover. I first went to Schönbrunn Palace to take some photos, browsed a few shops, and only then went to the cafe.’

’Even if someone was following me, they would have just thought I was out for a bit of sightseeing during my layover.’

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

The next morning, Werner was in a meeting at Koko, reporting on the results of his trip to South Africa.

The conference room was full—Gunter, several department heads, and an overseer sent from Moscow.

"...In summary, the procurement mission in South Africa was completed successfully. The first shipment will arrive at Hamburg Port next January, with one shipment per month thereafter, and the full order delivered by June."

"The price exceeded the budget by four million," the overseer from Moscow said coldly. "That requires an explanation."

"Market price," Werner replied calmly. "Rare metals from South Africa are in short supply. It’s not just us buying; Western countries are scrambling for them too. Van der Meij’s opening price was fifteen million. I got him down to fourteen million, and that was the absolute limit."

"Why not find other suppliers?"

"Because South Africa is the only reliable source," Werner said, turning to him. "Mines in other African countries either have insufficient output or insecure transportation. Mozambique is in a civil war, and the situation in Angola is also unstable. Only South Africa has both the production capacity and a stable transport network."

The overseer frowned, clearly wanting to say more.

Gunter spoke up from the side. "Werner is right. Besides, I’ve already spoken with Minister Sokolov, and he’s very satisfied with the result. Spending an extra four million to secure a stable supply for six months is a worthwhile trade."

The overseer said no more, but his expression remained sour.

The meeting continued for another hour, discussing various technical details and subsequent arrangements.

After the meeting, Gunter called Werner into his office.

"That idiot from Moscow, don’t pay him any mind," Gunter said, pouring Werner a coffee. "He’s just here to make his presence felt. I’ve already smoothed things over with Sokolov, so there’s no problem."

"Thank you," Werner said, accepting the coffee.

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

That afternoon, Werner received a call from Von Brown, telling him to come to the Stasi Headquarters in the evening.

"Is something wrong?" Werner asked.

"A routine conversation," Von Brown’s voice was emotionless. "The higher-ups want to know some details about your trip to South Africa."

"All right, I’ll be there tonight."

After hanging up, Werner lit a cigarette and took a deep drag. ’So, it’s finally come.’