The Judas Man
By Ray Drayton
“Typical well researched thriller by the author.
Hard to put down with a story line that makes you ponder on The Cold War and what goes on behind the political fronts, even today.”
Synopsis:
‘THE JUDAS MAN.’
A rogue superspy in East Berlin must be found to avert nuclear war between the superpowers. His code name is ‘JUDAS’. He has turned against the Stasi spy masters who created him…
‘Knowing your enemy is very important indeed.’ A former MI6 Controller.
The ornate ceiling of the German State Opera House reverberates to thunderous applause in awe of East Berlin’s foremost composer of our time.
His wide generous mouth smiles as he acknowledges his musicians, who all stand as one to pay homage. The maestro had bought Bruckner and his symphony back to life.
My mother squeezes my hand, looking at me with a knowing smile. We have been privy to my father’s musical brilliance on more than one occasion.
We had not been privy to my father’s secret life as a master spy for the Stasi, nor to his brilliance at creating an unbreakable code using musical composition.
Neither had we been privy to his code name ‘JUDAS,’ and would eventually leave us for an honourable rank of Colonel in the KGB. He was to retire on a generous pension and live his final days in Russia.
This was my father, Maxim Frankhauser who neither I nor my mother knew at all. We had been living with a vile monster possessing dark secrets and dark ideals.
This is East Berlin during a Cold War that was to span four decades…
Major Robert Clements walks slowly towards the American Sector on the opposite side of the Glienicke Bridge, commonly known by the superpowers as ‘The Bridge of Spies.’
A lone shadowy figure approaches from the far end. Robert can see a barrier arm pointing skywards. He realizes that he has less than 100meters to reach freedom.
The other man involved in the spy exchange moves forward. He stares at the GDR checkpoint as though he is in a hypnotic trance.
Robert stops under a light in the middle of the bridge, awaiting orders to move forward. His breath condenses in the freezing night air. A distinct crack followed by a sharp hiss sounds behind him.
Everything now happens in slow motion. Robert’s brain tells him it is an incoming bullet travelling at supersonic speed. The man’s face in the glow of the light jolts violently and his cheeks puff out at point of impact. His hair had parted with the approaching shockwave. A single explosive bullet took him above the nose. The face shatters like an eggshell.
It is all over in a second – a nano second. ‘Sniper!!’ the single word screams in Robert’s brain. He continues walking towards the American Checkpoint, knowing the bullet was not intended for him. If it had been, he would be dead by now. He instinctively knows the bullet came from the Eastern Sector, telling him the Stasi wanted their man dead.
He walks under the open barrier arm which immediately closes behind him.
An American Captain snaps a salute and shakes his hand. “Welcome back, Major Clements. You are going home to stateside, Sir.”
Robert doesn’t return the salute, instead he collapses against the captain in a sea of tears…
Every morning while cleaning the foyer and entrance to the building, the janitor pauses, looking longingly at the early morning sky heralding another day.
People passing by assumed he was admiring a new sunrise.
Judas did not tell anyone it wasn’t the sunrise he was watching for. It was an incoming nuclear dawn. The Doomsday Clock is still ticking… His fractured mind tells Judas it should have happened by now…
A rogue superspy in East Berlin must be found to avert nuclear war between the superpowers. His code name is ‘JUDAS’. He has turned against the Stasi spy masters who created him…
‘Knowing your enemy is very important indeed.’ A former MI6 Controller.
The ornate ceiling of the German State Opera House reverberates to thunderous applause in awe of East Berlin’s foremost composer of our time.
His wide generous mouth smiles as he acknowledges his musicians, who all stand as one to pay homage. The maestro had bought Bruckner and his symphony back to life.
My mother squeezes my hand, looking at me with a knowing smile. We have been privy to my father’s musical brilliance on more than one occasion.
We had not been privy to my father’s secret life as a master spy for the Stasi, nor to his brilliance at creating an unbreakable code using musical composition.
Neither had we been privy to his code name ‘JUDAS,’ and would eventually leave us for an honourable rank of Colonel in the KGB. He was to retire on a generous pension and live his final days in Russia.
This was my father, Maxim Frankhauser who neither I nor my mother knew at all. We had been living with a vile monster possessing dark secrets and dark ideals.
This is East Berlin during a Cold War that was to span four decades…
Major Robert Clements walks slowly towards the American Sector on the opposite side of the Glienicke Bridge, commonly known by the superpowers as ‘The Bridge of Spies.’
A lone shadowy figure approaches from the far end. Robert can see a barrier arm pointing skywards. He realizes that he has less than 100meters to reach freedom.
The other man involved in the spy exchange moves forward. He stares at the GDR checkpoint as though he is in a hypnotic trance.
Robert stops under a light in the middle of the bridge, awaiting orders to move forward. His breath condenses in the freezing night air. A distinct crack followed by a sharp hiss sounds behind him.
Everything now happens in slow motion. Robert’s brain tells him it is an incoming bullet travelling at supersonic speed. The man’s face in the glow of the light jolts violently and his cheeks puff out at point of impact. His hair had parted with the approaching shockwave. A single explosive bullet took him above the nose. The face shatters like an eggshell.
It is all over in a second – a nano second. ‘Sniper!!’ the single word screams in Robert’s brain. He continues walking towards the American Checkpoint, knowing the bullet was not intended for him. If it had been, he would be dead by now. He instinctively knows the bullet came from the Eastern Sector, telling him the Stasi wanted their man dead.
He walks under the open barrier arm which immediately closes behind him.
An American Captain snaps a salute and shakes his hand. “Welcome back, Major Clements. You are going home to stateside, Sir.”
Robert doesn’t return the salute, instead he collapses against the captain in a sea of tears…
Every morning while cleaning the foyer and entrance to the building, the janitor pauses, looking longingly at the early morning sky heralding another day.
People passing by assumed he was admiring a new sunrise.
Judas did not tell anyone it wasn’t the sunrise he was watching for. It was an incoming nuclear dawn. The Doomsday Clock is still ticking… His fractured mind tells Judas it should have happened by now…