One Thousand and Forty-Four Our Sincerity

?In the dark cell, Mussolini looked bored at the cracks on the ceiling. He was imprisoned in the basement of a villa not far from where he was arrested. ▲, he does not know why the Germans did not escort him back to Rome immediately, or did not get him to Berlin.

Just when he was thinking wildly, the door of the basement was opened from the outside, and a man wearing an Italian military uniform walked into the cell with a smile. When Sorini was in power, he was even more majestic.

"Are you still used to living here? My great leader, Mr. Mussolini?" Marshal Garibaldi put his hands behind his back, as if admiring a work of art he had completed, admiring his former boss, Mussolini, who was behind bars. Solini suddenly asked with a smile.

Mussolini glanced at the smug former Italian field marshal, snorted coldly and did not speak. His meaning is very obvious, that is, his opponent is the head of state of Germany, Akado, not the former subordinate who stands here to show off his might. He didn't even bother to speak to the other party, because he looked down on this capricious villain who had betrayed the whole of Italy.

He felt that if Marshal Garibaldi, the wolf-hearted traitor, hadn't defected to Acador, then in his withdrawal from the Axis powers this time, the winning side, Italy, would be able to safely withdraw from the world war and become a neutral country. free country.

"Guess why you were imprisoned in this unknown place, but you were not sent back to Berlin or Rome?" Garibaldi seemed to care nothing about Mussolini's ignorance, talking to himself Interested, what I want to talk about: "Think about it, if it weren't for you, a genius who wanted to die, how could I, Garibaldi, be where I am today?"

"Even if you took my place today, so what? It's just a dog raised by the German head of state Accardo!" Mussolini finally spoke, his eyes adjusted to the light from the door Come on, frowning and sarcastic: "I'm different from you! At least I'm still the leader of a country! The leader of a once independent country!"

"No, no, no! I dare not sit in your position." Garibaldi waved his hand, denying that he became the new leader of Italy. He seemed to have a sense of accomplishment about this matter, and he argued proudly: "Italy is in a special period now, and it is now a military government. This government has me, Marshal Garibaldi, and there are no messy leaders or anything."

He pointed to the well-made Iron Cross on his chest, and continued: "Look, I appreciate my other identity even more: an honorary citizen of Germany, and the Iron Cross personally awarded by the head of state."

While talking, Garibaldi looked at Mussolini shamelessly for the first time: "I am nothing more than a dog in your hands! Everyone is just your dog! But I am smarter and know how to be a winner. A better dog than a loser dog, at least in the end."

Mussolini looked at the complacent Garibaldi in front of him,

An inexplicable anger erupted from his body, he gritted his teeth, and yelled fiercely at the guy who looked like a villain: "You bastard! If you hadn't been a hindrance, Italy would have honorably withdrawn from the war! How many people will have peace? I'm just trying to do what's best for my country, and you? You don't know anything, idiot! You've ruined Italy's hopes of a peaceful exit from the war! Ruined!"

He has been working hard for the strength of Italy all his life. In the eyes of outsiders, he may be a despicable and unscrupulous dictator, but he does have the position and dream of a generation of old Italian politicians. Sadly, these dreams and positions made him choose his current path, and pushed him further and further down this path.

For Italy's efforts, or in Mussolini's own view, all his efforts for Italy are correct. For this persistence and ideal, he is willing to take risks and give up the fame and fortune that is easy to get. This sounds very lofty, but behind the scenes, it is just that the things he pursues are different.

Hitler was a vegetarian, and Himmler was even called a model husband by those familiar with his private life. When racism was regarded as hunting animals, this group of lunatics even brought the gas chambers in concentration camps to the dining table as a topic of discussion . When they are not committing crimes, they are almost all good people like the grandmother next door, and Mussolini is also this kind of person. What he pursues is power and reputation, and he is the kind of absolute ruling force that never bows to others.

"Have you ever thought that the war has been won?" Garibaldi looked at Mussolini, who was already annoyed. Go-ahead made him angry. This is an indelible sense of accomplishment, and he enjoys the refreshment brought by this overtake.

Like Mussolini, Garibaldi gambled. Mussolini placed his bet on Italy swinging left and right to get something for nothing, while Garibaldi bet all his wealth on the German head of state, Accardo. He was sure that the German head of state, who was called a gift from God, would eventually win the war.

As long as Germany completes its external expansion and becomes the world's largest power, the political status of the United States will be infinitely marginalized. Germany will become the actual master of the whole world. At that time, Italy, a small follower of the Axis powers, will naturally jump to the second position in the world.

Or more ideally, join the group of Great Europe, integrate into the big family of European empires, and become the real master of this world. For thousands of years, the dream of unifying Europe that the monarchs of every European country have longed for will come true in the not-too-distant future. As the highest-level collaborator, Garibaldi is at least The first prime minister or deputy head of state was selected.

Completely different from Mussolini, Marshal Garibaldi, who has always been subordinated, did not regard it as a kind of humiliation to be an eagle dog for Akado. On the contrary, what he saw was a very bright future: a dictator in Italy Being a dog is definitely not as comfortable as being the prime minister of the whole of Europe. Even if this deputy or prime minister may be just a false title, it is also a false title for one person under one person and above ten thousand people, isn't it?

Thinking of this, he ignored the astonished Mussolini, walked to the door and continued, "I asked you just now, but you haven't answered my question. Since you claim to be extremely smart, then Just guessing...why are you being held in this obscure little place and not being sent back to Berlin or Rome?"

The tone of his question was full of ridicule, and before Mussolini could answer, he began to answer himself: "Because whether it is our Majesty the King, or me, the consul of the military government, or a distant The Führer of the Reich sitting in Berlin. None of us want you back in any power center...so you have no future."

"Impossible! Don't think I don't know! It must be because you are afraid that I will go back and take your place! It doesn't take much, just give me an hour, and I will be sure to replace you! You are just afraid of this!" Mo Suo Rini laughed proudly at Garibaldi: "With me here, you are always just an alternative!"

"In fact, it's a pity. The leader, Mr. Mussolini... please allow me to call you that for the last time." Garibaldi turned around at the door and looked at Mussolini: "It was the German special forces who caught you. Troops, I'm sure you've heard of some... 0th SS Division, a special operations unit absolutely loyal to the Führer. Do you think that, as a spokesperson for a puppet regime, I can order the mobilization Are these personal guards of the head of state who are usually ignored by the generals of the National Defense Forces?"

Mussolini was taken aback for a moment, and after a while he seemed to have lost all his strength, and sat back on the edge of his own bed. He knew that Garibaldi didn't need to lie to him. The Fuehrer who was far away in Berlin had no plans to see him again. He was full of hope and planned to persuade the other party during the meeting. It seemed that he was really self-indulgent. up.

Walking outside the door, a German major general watched Garibaldi take out a cigarette from the cigarette case, smiled and reached out to pass a very beautiful lighter, he lightly rubbed the roller on the lighter, and the beating The flames started to ignite, and Garibaldo took the first breath, and the cigarette near his mouth was lit.

He exhaled a puff of smoke, seemed to let go of something, smiled and nodded in thanks: "Thank you."

The burly-looking major general chuckled: "We are friends, right? Marshal Garibaldi. If you are friends, you don't have to be so alien. You will know sooner or later, and become friends with me, Otto Skorzeny. It is a very worthwhile thing. We will do a lot of things for our friends, and we will also consider their feelings. The head of state asked me to tell you, don’t worry about our cooperation, and today we will show our sincerity.”

After he said this, he stopped talking, but the two SS officers standing behind him with their hands behind their backs immediately started their preparations. The two put on gloves, then drew their pistols from their waists, and walked into Mussolini's cell with a straight face.

"Long live Italy!" In the room, a desperate Mussolini yelled his last words, and then there were four crisp gunshots: "Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!" Then the two walked out of the cell, facing each other. Seeing Skorzeny nodded his head slightly.