Chapter 6

                The metal gate swung open and the Mercedes pulled around the circular driveway of the large stucco house in Bal Harbor.  The house was three stories and the cream colored walls were accented by red clay shingles.  The house dated to the 1930s and was once owned by a famous character actor from Hollywood.  Now it was rented for $8500 a month to vacationers and businessmen looking for privacy.

There were several balconies and to one side of the house a pool could be scene spilling off into infinity.  It was a convincing optical illusion.  A large yacht was moored at a pier behind the house.

                A young Nordic looking blond boy opened the door of the Mercedes and motioned the occupants inside the house.  Otto sat in the front gallery.  A stereo was blasting an act from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung at full volume.  Otto was slumped in a large leather chair, a glass of brandy on the table beside him.  He was moving his arms back and forth to the music with his eyes closed and was so engrossed in the piece that he didn’t hear his guests enter.  At last the music ended and Otto opened his eyes.  He pressed a button on a remote control unit and the stereo volume was lowered several notches.

                “Ahh, Mein Gott!” Otto exclaimed, “Here they are, fresh from their little test of the power of the Salamander.  So how did it go?”

                “It was far more successful than expected, praise be to God,” Mohammed said, “Today will be remembered as the start of the Islamic revenge on the United States.  Hundreds of lives were taken.  Hundreds of lives exchanged for the occupation of the Country of the Two Holy Places, and transgressions in Palestine and the whole of the Muslim world.”

                “Good, good.  And where is our Salamander, did he make it back okay?” Otto asked.

                “Yes, he is in the car.  He was hurt, but he is already healing.  The fire did not touch him!” Mohammed said in wonder of the fact.

                “The Salamander cannot be burned.  Remember, these creatures left their mortal shells behind months ago.  They are now spirit and they are smoke.  They have only the beginnings of the power of fire now.  They must touch what they burn and it takes them time to generate the heat necessary to kill.  After the ceremony is performed, and Junius is sung, they will become as immortals and they will have the power of Gods,” Otto said.

                “They will use that power for the only true God that is Allah,” said Mohammed.

“As you wish, my friend, as you wish,” croaked Otto and took a sip of the brandy.

“One thing that I must know,” asked Mohammed, “you have still not informed us as to why you are helping.  Why you have brought your ancient magic to us and offered to help us. You are not a Muslim.  You believe in no God as far as I can tell, except for maybe your Fuhrer, gone from this Earth now sixty years.”

“That is for me to know only, Mohammed.  You should not look the gift horse in the mouth.  Especially when that horse is a Valkyrie.  Suffice to say I have my reasons and they mesh nicely with yours.”

“As you wish, Herr Otto.  Now we must prepare for the operation.  Soon there will be fires in all of the cities of this corrupt nation.  Planes will explode, buildings will burn and Allah will rule the day,” said Mohammed with pride in his eyes.

Mohammed signaled his entourage and the four Saudis walked out the front door to the Mercedes.  The gate swung open once more as the car exited the driveway and headed back towards the International Cash Grocer.

Otto picked up a black cordless phone and pressed a speed dial button.  At a compound in Central Florida, a heavyset man with a square jaw picked up a receiver.  He wore a red armband with a swastika and a tan officer’s uniform.

“Yes?” he said into the mouthpiece.

“The Arabs have started their reign of destruction,” Otto whispered into the mouthpiece, “soon there will be chaos in every major population center of the United States.  How are the Salamanders?”

Reich Marshall Steven Johnson of the American Nazi Party looked over his shoulder to a large room in his concrete bunker.  Line after line of gray skinned men in the uniform of the Nazi S.S. lay unmoving.

“They are fine, everything is on schedule.  Are you sure you can control the Arabs?”

“Of course I can.  They will start their Jihad, my friend, but they will not finish it.  They will cause just enough problems for the people of this country to come looking for a powerful group that can defeat them.  Blond haired, blue eyed immortal supermen and superwomen will restore order and determine the plan for the next one thousand years!”

Spittle dribbled from the corner of Otto’s mouth and he silently set down the phone.