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It was the year 1950, five years after the tragic end of the Second World War, Adolph Hitler, the Fuhrer and leader of all Germans was no more, he chose to end his own life so that his enemies could not have the joy to humiliate him. At least this was the thought which gave most of his old comrades and followers who were not executed or killed in the war, hope.
The war brought much pain to the people, destroyed lives, hopes and dreams leaving only cold. Like a horrible disease which can't be healed and takes more and more lives with any passing minute. Some people even said that it was as if they would have seen the Four Horseman of The Apocalypse ride over the cities, the Grim Reaper walking through the stream of screaming people who were running away in panic as the tanks come.
But all this was now over.
The war wasn't fought on the battlefield anymore, but by the discussions table by politicians and not soldiers, this was the time of the 'Cold War'…
A lone figure was walking along the famous Chain-bridge which connected the two parts of Hungary's capitol city Buda and Pest with each other which were separated by the Duane. The figure stopped after a while, the cold night air surrounding him as he looked at the lights of the two cities which were in reality one. It was in a way interesting that both cities could exist on their own, but still stood together even if separated from the majestic river, but the two cities held also something other which was also very unique. While Buda with the kings palace and old buildings represented the past so was Pest representing the new age, both different, but still one.
A sigh escaped the figure's lips, turning the blown out air to fine mist. As he continued to walk further along the deserted monument he suddenly spotted a lone figure leaning on the reeling.
"Hmm…what an interezting surprize to an old familiar face." the man said, while putting one hand in the pocket of his long black trench coat, with the other he pushed his glasses up. "Long time not zeen Miss. Duboiz." the woman turned around at hearing her name.
"How do you know me." she said while looking at the man in front of her.
"Waz it really so long ago that we saw each other?" the man said, voice and face emotionless. As Michelle looked into those cold, blue eyes behind the glasses she suddenly let out one unwanted gasp.
"Herr Otto Flick…" she gasped.
"Correct, even if not anymore part of the Gestapo."
"As I'm not anymore part of the resistance since the war is now over, well at least on the battlefields." she said.
"Yes, so how come that you are here and not in England or with the otherz?" Herr Flick asked as he leaned on the reeling beside her, both watching their reflections in the dark water.
"I'm visiting my aunt who lives here. And you?"
"After the Fuhrer'z and my godfather'z death I couldn't bring myself to stay in Germany, I don't know why. Von Smallhausen went for that time back home to his mother." he explained.
"And what about Privet Geerhard? She was rather fond of seducing you." she said with a little grin, this was the first time she was talking to and enemy, well ex-enemy now, in such a civil way without to have her gun drawn.
"I'm sometimesz really surprized about your spy skillz. If you were German you would have made an excellent Gestapo officer." Michelle decided to take the comment as a compliment she was slowly getting over grudges, mostly as one of the victors was it not important "She is now in Italy and will marry that woman crazy Captain Bertorelli." he said and Michelle could finally detect a little hint of jealousy in his voice.
So he could actually feel.
"I will take that as one compliment," she decided to tell him her earlier conclusion about his comment of her in the Gestapo "you weren't also that bad when it come to disguising yourself. And I'm sorry." she told him as an afterthought.
"Even if izn't usual from me, but thank you and for the other well, I can live with it." a soft laugh brought him to look at the woman on his side. "Hmm…did I zay something amuzing?" he asked while raising a brow.
"No, it is only a bit amusing that back then in the war we would have more likely shoot each other and now we stand here together on a bridge in the night and have a civilized conversation as if we would be two old friends meting for a little chatting." she said and was shocked when she saw a little smile on the man's face.
"It seemz to me as if thiz bridge would not only unite the two halvez of this city." at that Michelle nodded.
"To be honest, I was in a way rather interested in this country."
"Hmm…?"
"Becouse of the literature, the myths. Did you know that Hungary only joined the war because they tried to take back the parts which they lost after WWI? Both times and almost in every war after the Middle Age they only fought for freedom and the uniting with the lost parts." Michelle said, her aunt was one of the few female historians so she had told many things to her, mostly since she come to visit her.
"To be honezt no." he said while looking down at their reflections again, then suddenly he turned again to Michelle and tilted her head up with one gloved hand.
"What are yo…hmpf…" her cold lips were suddenly covered with his cold ones and her heart felt as if it would bust any moment. After he pulled away from her a fev seconds later, - but for her it felt like eternity - she looked at him, noting that this man seemed so much different from the emotionless and cruel Gestapo officer she had known. "Was this the particular usage of the saying "Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer"?" she asked smirking.
"Oh, would you like from me to zee you az my enemy?" he asked the same grin on his face and Michelle let out a little laugh.
"Can I invite you to some red vine? I know a really nice little restaurant in Buda." she said suddenly.
"That would be a pleasure." he said and offered her his right arm which she accepted and both begun to walk down on the bridge, the lights of the 'City of the Past' shining in front of them.
It really looked like as if the Cain-bridge would not only connect the two cities with eachother, but also the hearts of two old ex-enemies who met in Budapest…
End/Vége