Chapter 13 - Reassigment

By order of the Capital chief, I was vacated from my post as Commissar.  A grand banquet was held in my honor in the great hall of the main hotel and all the party chiefs and city leaders were in attendance.  My brother and many of my family were in attendance and proudly raised their glasses as this was a great honor.  My early retirement.

In truth, Wolf Gustafson and the secret police had met with me.  They retrieved the tapes that Oliver truthfully identified in our wire tapped conversation.  He wasn't sure to label me a genius or an absolute buffoon, possibly both.  The tapes were destroyed and everyone had hoped that was the end of the Artesians.

They offered me a choice and the better of the options was early retirement.  We embraced and he shaked my hand in congratulations and was all smiles at the great gala with glasses raised and toasting one after the other with the six remaining Commissars.  Sigmund Gustafson was immediately posted as my replacement and we embraced and gave pleasantries to all in attendance.

The only Gustafson not in attendance was Sophie, who true to form was still in mourning of the death of her dear baby brother Stephan who Sigmund also wept for and decried that he would be even prouder had Stephan was standing there as the new Comissar.  A standing ovation and a loud cacophony of cheers, party songs and all the same you would hear and expect at any senior Politiburo event.

I retired at my own courtesy and was driven to my home by Wolf's personal attache a Captain Long.  All of my attache's and support staff had been reassigned.  The Colonel, retired.  One Captain promoted and now serving Sigmund.  The other Captain, resigned for reasons unknown.

Captain Long assured me all were safe and Wolf was true to his word.  The Colonel called me shortly after and confirmed what Captain Long had said.  While they couldn't give him a promotion, he retired handsomely on the pension of a General so he had little regret.  His only concern was how all this transpired and they were all treated like pawns.  He himself felt partially responsible for walking into Wolf's office that day and only giving me a nudge when he should have punched me out cold.

I should have decked you that day.  He should have floored himself if he had known what was coming.  He was in touch with both Captain's and the one now a Major is doing well and the other, he would not say his reasons, but assured us it was not under any duress or pressure by Wolf or anyone associated with the Politiburo.  He added, Wolf offered him a reinstatement at anytime he so wished.  Wolf said he would care for all of his own.

As for my new assignment?  I was welcomed to Camp 47 to begin a new re indoctrination program.  It would require about three years, no hard labor.  I would conclude the final year at the Perkin's and Wolf asked me to call him about a job.