The Reich Mutiny
by
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"Mr. Maxwell, Mr. Thibadeaux," the Captain shouted. "You are guests aboard my boat. I am in command here and what I say will be obeyed. You are under orders from Naval Operations, of which I have no control, but while you are under my command, you will take orders, just like the rest of the crew, and I have made it a part of the record. The incident is closed. There is nothing you can do about it. Now go to your quarters and remain there until I put you ashore, which should be within the next forty hours. Good night, gentlemen." "Good night, hell," Maxwell said, his neck craning slightly forward. "These two psycho’s just murdered two unarmed men. I saw it. He saw it," pointing to Thibadeaux, "you saw it, the Exec. saw it, and you’re making it look like they were justified. I won’t take it, Captain, not now, tomorrow, or any other time. As soon as I get ashore, I’m notifying Naval Operations about what happened, and I hope to hell they hang you." Unlike the first words, these rushed from him. The Captain jerked his hat from his head and rapidly put it back on. He was beside himself with anger. Danet had taken two aggressive steps towards Maxwell and was trembling, on the verge of attacking him. The Captain glared at Maxwell as he spoke. "Mr. Maxwell, you will do no such thing. All this will be covered in my report, even your hallucinations about it. Now go to your quarters. That is a direct order, otherwise, I will have to have you put in chains. Is that clear?" At that instant Thibadeaux thought Maxwell would strike the Captain. Maxwell shuffled his feet around and started, his face red with anger. He glared at the Captain as he spoke. "Yes sir," he said. "Dismissed," the Captain said. Rosenberg and Steinhoff stood triumphantly. They had not moved from where they were. Maxwell turned, opened the hatch door, and stepped through it with Thibadeaux close behind him. They closed the hatch after Rhinehardt and Mickey were relieved and out of the control room. They started aft towards their quarters. "Guess I got a little excited," Maxwell said to Mickey as he slapped the thin man on the back and smiled. "Haven’t had enough sleep, you know." Mickey smiled and seemed relieved. "No use getting involved," he said. Maxwell shrugged as they passed into the aft battery compartment again. "I guess it’s no secret that I don’t like Rosenberg or Steinhoff, but anyway, that’s that." He pulled out a cigarette and offered Mickey another. Mickey accepted and closed one eye as he lit it. The guns were still lying on the table. Rhinehardt yawned, sat in a chair and began pulling off his boots. Maxwell smiled at Rhinehardt. "By the way, would you show me and him how to load that thing? Someday, I may need to know how." Mickey looked sideways at Maxwell and took another drag of the cigarette. "Sure," Rhinehardt replied, standing in his sock feet and rubbing his eyes with his fists. He moved to the table with the guns. "It’s quite easy," he said. "Here’s how you do it."
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About the Book
THE REICH MUTINY
As the Americans survive a sea battle, tour occupied Paris and Berlin, and finally complete their training in Hanau, they realize that they have become caught in the political in-fight between the SD, the intelligence wing of the SS, and the Abwehr, the German army intelligence agency.
The Americans’ eventual participation in the mutiny and slaughter aboard the U-168 drives them underground inside the U.S. as they try to elude a relentless SS assassin, obsessed with the completion of his mission.
THE REICH MUTINY spans both sides of the Atlantic, contains a fascinating love interest, historical perspective, murder, revenge, and mutiny on the high seas.
About the Author
William (Steve) Reynolds was born in Nashville, TN in 1951. A graduate of The McCallie School in 1969, he received a B.A. in English from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN in 1974, and an M.A. in English from Western Kentucky University in 1995. He has taught both high school and college English, and has coached tennis and wrestling in area high schools for the last twenty years. Mr. Reynolds currently resides in Nashville.