Eighth installment

"I will get the buyer to check the weapons and then give me his car keys, I will put the weapons in his car and then park it well away from the school with a guard well away but just close enough to see it. When I have done that I will take him to his car and drive through the check points on the way into Osijek so as to give him safe conduct ",

Ernie agreed with the plan and ordered me to carry it out. We went back and sat chatting to Brian until the buyer came, I knew him by sight but I didn't know him by name, he had been several times prior to this meeting so I assumed that he had had previous dealings with Ernie or someone acting on his behalf the way that I was, it seemed that Ernie didn't want to get his hands dirty but he wanted the cash. The man spoke perfect english so I had no difficulty explaining the plan and after hearing me out he agreed, we went back into the room to find out that Brian so I walked out with him, I thanked him for the bottle of whiskey and also told him that Ernie had confiscated it, Brian said that was ok and that he knew that would happen and got into his car, he came out again carrying another bottle but this time it was genuine Scotch, I put it under my jacket, shook hands and said our farewells, he got into his car and drove off. That was one journalist that I didn't mind speaking to, he was a gentleman even if he was a bit weird, Ernie had told me that he was queer(I wonder how he knew) but he was my friend, he was the man who had saved my life back at our base in Brijest and I would never forget that. When he had gone out of sight I went back inside to carry out my orders, I took the keys of the armory and took the buyer to inspect the weapons, after checking everything was ok he handed me his car keys, he then went back to the office while I loaded the car. When the car was loaded I got one of the Australians to follow me in another car, I parked the car and told him to keep an eye on it until I returned, the buyer was waiting and he got in and we drove off,just before we reached the car I stopped and asked for the money, he gave me two thousand five hundred deucthmarks which I put in my socks as that was the safest place if we were caught and searched, I drove him to his car and he got out, I went first and he followed until we were in Osijek, he flashed his lights and I turned around. When I arrived back I found Ernie already waiting for his money, I handed it over and without as much as a thank you he went into his office where he took the money to his bed space. While he was there I sat down and waited, he came back saying that I shouldn't say anything to anyone and left the room. There was I left with my mouth wide open with surprise, he hadn't even said thanks or even offered me a drink, I was dumbfounded, I knew now where and how he was getting some of his money, he was getting rich while everyone else just got their wages, he was truly a selfish and devious person, at that moment I didn't know him at all. The only thing that I got out of this episode was a date for my holiday but at least that was something and at least I could sell my pistol to him as he was the only person with money. Why was it that only commanders get rich, why was it that everyone else in the unit followed his orders even if they were wrong, there was something about Ernie that compelled all to admire and trust him even though he was probably the biggest rouge that you would ever meet, perhaps it was his uncanny ability to speak so many languages or his ability to get whatever he wanted from hq without any trouble, whatever it was he held everyone under his spell. There were a few who had not fallen for his charm, Peter was one and he had got out while the going was good, then there was George, Nigel and most of the men from the original PIV had left as well and lastly there was me, I knew I was going to leave but I didn't know when.