1916-October-26-December-7
''Looks like we are lucky'' I said while observing the terrain. ''The swamp is frozen, so it makes crossing easier'' I added as I walked over the hardened ground covered by a thin layer of snow.
''As long as we get out of here quickly, I do not care about anything else… I just want this to end'' the Tsar said, completely exhausted after several days of hiding while waiting for the best moment to cross the border.
We had found the best crossing point, where several operational gaps still existed even after the increase in patrols.
''Relax… swamps are my specialty, frozen or not… soon we will be in territory occupied by Germany, and then you will be safe'' I replied as I began moving through the area.
''I do not see anything coming from the Vitebsk direction… so we should not have problems for at least an hour if they maintain the same routines we have observed these past days'' Friedrich said, lowering the binoculars.
''Good… looks like someone up there is protecting us… now we only have to get past the German guards, and that will be much easier'' I said, advancing carefully to avoid snapping branches.
''Assuming the Germans do not discover us, of course…'' the Tsar replied, lowering his gaze while holding Aleksei's hand.
''The difference is that here I can actually say who I am… and with my rank, at least some German soldier will listen before shooting'' I answered with a faint smile while maintaining the pace.
''So… we are safe now'' one of my men asked while carefully watching the surroundings.
''You could say that… unless someone shoots us from a distance, we should be fine. If we speak with German soldiers, I will handle it… and I will try to get some kind of vehicle to transport them to the delivery point'' I said, glancing toward the Romanovs.
''Finally… Aleksei needs to rest… we do not know if something is wrong with him, and he needs his medication before anything worse happens'' the Tsar said.
''That will depend on where they decide to hide him… but he will probably have access to good doctors… though I do not know if they actually have useful medicine for your son'' I replied while using a fallen tree to propel myself over a frozen ditch.
''They are mostly medicines with aspirin and other things… though Grigori Rasputin insisted that it was bad for Aleksei… but right now we only need to make sure nothing happens to him'' the Tsar explained.
I turned around immediately.
''You would be an idiot if you did that… aspirin has anticoagulant properties… and your son's illness is specifically a problem with internal bleeding… that Rasputin was right… it is bad for him'' I said before turning back and continuing to lead the way.
''And how do you know all that'' the Tsar asked, surprised.
''I know many things… besides, it was fairly obvious that something serious was wrong with Aleksei if he never appeared publicly in certain situations… and we had a great deal of information on the Russian state after you were removed from power'' I replied with a faint smile.
''Thank you… I suppose'' the Tsar muttered.
We continued moving while I made sure the Tsar's daughters could still walk. The last few days had been brutal for them. Their feet were swollen after walking more than they ever had in their lives, and several times we had been forced to carry them because they simply stopped being able to move.
''There was movement here… this boot print is fresh'' I said while examining a footprint pressed into still-wet mud.
''Then we are close to German patrol areas'' Friedrich replied, carefully observing the surroundings.
We kept advancing through swamps and forests. With the freezing weather, the terrain was much easier to cross, though we still had to be careful with wolves and other wild animals roaming the area.
''Someone is approaching'' one of my men warned, pointing toward figures moving between the trees.
I was about to order everyone to run to avoid detection, but after seeing how exhausted the Romanovs were, I decided it would be better to resolve this quickly by using my rank.
''Who goes there'' an officer shouted as he approached rapidly with his pistol drawn, followed by several German soldiers aiming at us from the trees.
''Eh… easy… I am with the German Army'' I said, slowly raising my hands while my men discreetly shielded the Romanovs to keep them from being recognized.
''Oh really? Then what are you doing here without a uniform'' the officer asked while his soldiers continued approaching.
''Unteroffizier'' one of the German soldiers suddenly said while staring directly at my face.
''What? Can you not see we have something going on here'' the officer replied without lowering the pistol from my face.
''He is the Devil of Masuria'' the soldier said, pointing at me.
''Oh… but he is not the… oh…'' the Unteroffizier muttered before quickly lowering his pistol and holstering it. ''My apologies… I did not know you were operating in the area.''
''Do not worry about it… this is something you should not know about anyway. It would be best if you simply told us where your camp is. We need to deliver these spies we extracted from Russian territory so they can provide important information to German High Command'' I said with a faint smile.
''Of course… our camp is to the southwest. You can use the telegraph there to send any message you deem necessary'' the officer replied, standing at attention once again.
''Understood… continue your duties'' I said before turning around and making sure the Romanovs kept their faces covered as we moved toward the safety of the German lines.
We quickly crossed the narrow stretch of solid ground through the swamp, trying to reach the camp. Once there, I went ahead with two of my men to speak with the commanding officer and demand a motorized vehicle, explaining that I needed to complete an urgent mission.
It did not take long before they brought out two transport trucks used to supply the area, and we immediately began driving toward Kiev, where I would have to contact Abteilung IIIb to decide what to do with the Romanovs.
''Well… welcome to the Kingdom of Ukraine, where you will be protected by the recently crowned and elected King of Ukraine and his Minister of Security'' I said while sitting across from the Romanovs as the truck bounced over the uneven road.
''And can that Minister of Security protect us from the Devil of Masuria'' the Tsar asked, staring directly at me.
''Ah… yes… that is usually the look German officers give me when they discover I killed one of the enemy high commands'' I replied with a tired smile.
''I cannot say much about you… you are my savior… but your methods are more than questionable'' Nicholas said while hugging Alexei and pulling one of his daughters closer.
''Think whatever you want… the only thing that matters to me is that they are going to pay me a fortune for getting you out of Russia… and of course paying my men as well'' I said while glancing toward the driver.
''Hopefully soon… I want to send money to my mother'' the soldier driving replied.
''And you will… the moment they pay me, you will receive your share immediately'' I answered calmly before looking back at the Tsar.
''So… where will we stay in the meantime'' the Tsar asked seriously.
''The Minister of Security has several properties scheduled for demolition… old Russian mansions that will be turned into farmland or food processing facilities. You can stay there until I speak with the Kaiser about what to do with you'' I said, crossing one leg over the other.
''Was it not supposed to be that nobody should know I am here? Is it not contradictory for a German politician to know about this'' the Tsar asked without looking away.
''Ah… the problem is that you are speaking to the Minister of Security of Ukraine… so he already knows. I am as good at killing Russian officers as I am at hunting criminals and making sure people can eat after their former leader abandoned them by taking all the food and leaving millions to starve'' I replied, my tone hardening.
''That was the decision recommended by our High Command to prevent the total collapse of the front and rebellions within the country'' the Tsar answered.
''And how did that turn out? Being protected by the country you declared war on and leaving forty million people abandoned to starvation… for what? For nothing? Maybe you should save those looks of disgust for a mirror… that is where you will find someone truly deserving of hatred'' I answered, crossing my arms.
The conversation died there while we continued traveling until we reached one of the mansions I had mentioned, a property soon to be demolished so the land could be cleared and converted into new agricultural fields.
As soon as we arrived, I continued my journey toward Kiev while leaving several of my men with the Romanovs and ordering them to provide proper clothing and food suited to their status to avoid problems once they finally spoke with Kaiser Wilhelm.
So, using an Abteilung IIIb telegraph line, I contacted Kaiser Wilhelm.
There, a date and time were arranged for me to bring the Romanovs to Posen so he could speak with them personally, as well as prepare the place where they would remain protected during their asylum for who knew how long, because I doubted they would ever be able to return to Russia.
Still, it remained unclear what would happen in Russia, because at least Vladimir Lenin was not there nor had he been sent by Germany, meaning a Soviet Union like the one we know would probably never come into existence. There was even the possibility that the moderate socialists might consolidate a democracy. There were too many possibilities open now.
As the days passed, I learned something quite positive for German interests. Apparently, the Battle of Verdun had been won. The encirclement around the city had been completed, several thousand French soldiers had been captured, and the defensive lines had been broken, allowing advances deeper into French territory and extending economic destruction into areas that had previously remained untouched.
Beyond that, the Battle of the Somme had also ended favorably for Germany.
Though it had not been as decisive as Verdun, the British and French offensive had been completely stopped. The only thing they had achieved was sending hundreds of thousands of men to their graves while German losses seemed much smaller, though exact figures still did not exist. Everything suggested that we had won both the offensive and defensive battles, and history continued drifting farther and farther away from its original course.
Just as Abteilung had predicted, Alexander Kerensky's government eventually collapsed into disgrace. According to the available information, a new government had formed after Kerensky stepped down without causing total collapse. He did not release the radicals or arm the population, he simply became part of the opposition while a new socialist cabinet assumed control and conservatives began preparing for a possible coup d'état.
While that was happening, the peace negotiations with Russia finally concluded. The new government immediately abandoned Kerensky's attempts to achieve an honorable peace.
The negotiations literally lasted only a few days before the new government accepted every German demand.
The cession of the Baltic governorates and Pskov, recognition of the Kingdom of Poland and the Kingdom of Ukraine, the creation of the Kingdom of White Ruthenia and the Kingdom of Finland, the transfer of the Caucasus to the Ottomans, the payment of ten billion gold marks, tariff-free trade for Germany while Russia continued paying German tariffs, along with the surrender of officers responsible for the looting in Prussia and many of the soldiers involved so they could be tried, in addition to the return of German prisoners sent to Siberia.
That was the core of the treaty, and it was extremely severe. The new government simply had no political will to continue the war and wanted to recover the more than one million Russian soldiers captured by Germany and its allies as quickly as possible.
For the moment, however, those prisoners would be returned slowly in small groups, because they remained far too useful as a labor force to lose all at once while the war in the west still continued.
I hoped that some of those lands would eventually end up in my hands. I assumed the Kaiser would grant me part of the newly conquered territories along with the promised title. I preferred something relatively close rather than land lost somewhere deep in Eastern Europe.
As soon as the negotiations ended and the peace agreements were signed, I received the message to once again meet with the Kaiser together with the Romanovs.
While millions of soldiers began moving westward toward Italy and France, I prepared myself to travel to Posen.
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