"Vultures serve an important part of the natural world, Herr Carter. Tabloid journalists are more akin to mosquitos." Once the other man had finished talking, Schultz would reach again, this time drawing out a small polaroid picture. It showed a smiling woman, likely in her early twenties holding a wine-glass cocktail in one hand and gesturing wildly with her other one. She was unmistakably beautiful, even in black and white; in fact, her and fellow actress Marilyn Monroe could have been sisters, were it not for Jacqueline's much darker hair colour. On the reverse of the polaroid were details. Jacqueline Schultz. Maiden name Jacqueline Fosters. Employed at the Glamour Hawk production company, currently working on the set of a new film. "The title of the film is under confidentiality clauses at the moment," Schultz would say after a short while. "So that's the best I have for you. If you want the itinerary... I'll see if I can't extract one at some point, but know that my pockets are deep enough to not mind the extra expense."
The pair would quietly stare at each other for a little while, Schultz answering any further questions, before the elderly German drew out a pocket watch and examined it. "I've taken up twenty minutes of your time, have I not?" It was a question, but not one that needed an answer. He would retrieve his wallet, place two reichsdollars down onto the table, turn, and limp his way out of the door, shutting it carefully behind him.
The steps would fade away into the distance as the man walked down the stairs, leaving behind the two notes and the picture of his target. Say what you would about the tendencies of Germans in this new world, but their money didn't lie; the one-reichsdollar bill still held George Washington's face on one side, but on the other, the bald eagle clutched a shield blazoned with the swastika, 'In God We Trust' had been replaced by the Nazi slogan of Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer, and the unfinished pyramid had, at last, been finished, to show the completeness and perfectness of the German regime.
The pair would quietly stare at each other for a little while, Schultz answering any further questions, before the elderly German drew out a pocket watch and examined it. "I've taken up twenty minutes of your time, have I not?" It was a question, but not one that needed an answer. He would retrieve his wallet, place two reichsdollars down onto the table, turn, and limp his way out of the door, shutting it carefully behind him.
The steps would fade away into the distance as the man walked down the stairs, leaving behind the two notes and the picture of his target. Say what you would about the tendencies of Germans in this new world, but their money didn't lie; the one-reichsdollar bill still held George Washington's face on one side, but on the other, the bald eagle clutched a shield blazoned with the swastika, 'In God We Trust' had been replaced by the Nazi slogan of Ein Volk, Ein Reich, Ein Fuhrer, and the unfinished pyramid had, at last, been finished, to show the completeness and perfectness of the German regime.