This is the fifth volume of my award-winning Wattpad Featured Story, 'Posted As Missing', an intense adventure/romance set in the turmoil of World War One Europe.
I've grown tired of blood-and-guts war stories, so I've written this series to examin...
During lunch with the men, David had them try to explain the reason for the postcards. A popular idea was to learn about Switzerland, making them more familiar with it in case they're questioned. The stumbling block for this and other postulations was the huge quantity of cards.
Finally, David picked up the gold coin from the table and replaced it with a silver Five Franc piece. "I figured this was safe. Half-price now."
"So, what are they for?"
"Continue guessing, Manny, while I tell you about my experience in Ettingen last week. Perhaps you'll see the opportunity we did."
David recounted the story of the three women at his table, and as he talked about revealing the realities of the war to them, Dolf interrupted, "The postcards are to show them the peacefulness of Switzerland, aren't they? We're going to try to change the way they think about the war. About Germany."
David picked up the silver coin and flipped across the table to Dolf. "Exactly! Our next mission is subversion."
Manny screwed his face. "Subversion? What's that?"
"To undermine the support for a system by changing the perception among the people. Our aim is to tell them about the deceptions of their government and to explain the realities of the war. The postcards will offer them emotionally-charged visual examples of a peacefulness they crave, and they'll also serve as keepsakes and reminders."
Maria chuckled. "I can see some of the women setting up shrines with the cards and praying to them."
"And that is the attitude we want to impart. The stronger the impact, the more quickly and widely word will spread." David shrugged. "You know how women love to share, to gossip."
He watched the nods, then he continued, "Our thought is to begin this away from the industrial centres, in places where it's unlikely they've increased security. Some of you may have seen the scramble to tighten their guard after the explosions. I certainly did last week in Karlsrhue."
"We saw none." Dolf shrugged. "But we quickly moved away from the river into quieter settings."
"Great! And, it's those quieter settings we want to approach first. We'll be joined by men from the Schaffhausen network, and I'll be sitting down tomorrow with Karl and Horst to divide up the country."
Rick tilted his head, offering a puzzled expression. "Our cover as fuse salesmen will seem odd in places with no factories."
"Indeed! You'll all become agents of Swiss tourism, promoting hotels and resorts, cities, towns and mountain villages. And above all, the peaceful lifestyle. We'll add brochures for some of these as we acquire them, but the postcards will provide a great start."
"While David carves up Germany, I'll come down and share with you some of the topics which will most stir the women." Maria paused and pointed across the table. "And discuss ways to prevent what happened to Greg."
"And what might have happened to me were I not committed to Maria. The three women, innocent as they appeared, were desperate for money to feed themselves and their families. Desperation such as this can turn honest people to crime. Who knows what they might have done had I taken them to my room."
"But with your wounds, you..." Maria paused and clapped a hand to her mouth.
"Wounds?" Georg looked back and forth between David and Maria.
David shrugged. "I need to tell you about being interrogated, but it's not a proper topic with lunch. We'll discuss it after we've finished. Let's continue now with an overview of the subversion tactics."
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On Saturday, David sat in the drawing-room with Karl and Horst, and he spread a map of Germany on the floor between them. "We must change our prime focus. Our explosions last week have caused a scramble to mount guards on all sites they see as necessary to their war effort. They are now far too dangerous to approach except from the air."
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He paused to examine the expectant faces, then continued. "London has approved changing our mission to subversion. We'll work at trying to sway their thinking and lessen their support for the war."
After David had outlined the plan, he said, "I see no need for us to visit the areas close to the Fronts. The people there already know the realities of the war."
"But they are likely unaware of the deception."
"That's true, Karl. But also, think of the concentration of soldiers there, spread many kilometres back from the fighting. We don't need that risk, nor the risk near the industrial centres." David pointed to the middle of the map. "We have a vast area here, well away from both the French and the Russian Fronts and the Rhine Valley. The only involvement with the war for many is having fathers, brothers or sons sent off to fight."
"And having them not return. Or return maimed." Horst nodded. "That and the economic impact, the rationing, the declining value of their money. My team members continue to report a general peacefulness throughout this region, the only concern being the deterioration in living conditions."
"And it's unexplained." David circled his finger over the map. "These are our prime targets. Away from the fighting and the factories, and with the news tightly controlled and censored, they have little idea of the seriousness of the situation nor of the way their thinking is being manipulated."
"And we'll manipulate it back to reality."
"Indeed, Karl."
The three continued to discuss the new direction, then they divided the country among the three teams, Karl to continue with Alsace, Lorraine, Baden and Württemberg, and Horst to carve Bavaria from his current area for David's team to handle.
When this had been done, David said, "I have thought to return here at the beginning of June with brochures and more information and to conduct subversion training for all the teams."
"What shall we have them do until then?" Karl asked.
"Learn what they can about tourism and leisure travel. Also, you can search the Zeughaus library for anything about the art and science of subversive activities."
After David had looked again at his notes, he said, "I would like to begin this sooner, but I have business in France all next week, and I will be out of touch."
