The Price of Duty

In the year 1941, when World War 2 was in full swing, the smell of piled dead bodies reeked the Auschwitz camp, a constant reminder of death for the ones who were still alive. Adam was one of them, but his family had all perished. His father, a Jewish human rights activist, was the reason they were imprisoned there. Adam endured starvation and was terrified at the sight of his family members' decaying corpses. He held on to the memories of his family, their final moments engraved in his memory; his mother praying and begging for forgiveness; his father who was willing to sacrifice himself but pleaded to spare his wife and children; and his younger sister, too young to understand what was going on, wept aloud. Adam had been in the camp for over a year, the last memories of his family playing over and over in his head, and one voice echoed in his mind: "Revenge." He had to endure unspeakable horrors and face inhuman treatment. His desire for revenge was the only thing that kept him alive and inspired him to plan an escape.

He and his fellows made a deal with the guard, who was secretly sympathetic towards them, signing their freedom in exchange for some valuables that were hidden by the prisoners. The guard agreed to leave a section of fence unguarded for a brief time, allowing Adam and others to escape.

They kept low and rushed towards the forest. Soon enough, their absence was noticed, and the sound of barking dogs and guards running fell to their ears. They ran like they had never run before, breathless, tired, and hurt but still not giving up. Their life depended on it. Their clothes were stuck in branches and torn, but they didn't stop. They couldn't because they knew running was the only thing between them and death. They had come a long way and given up so much to stop. Now, freedom was right around the corner. Then suddenly, one of them fell to the ground, blood gushing from his head as he had been shot. They couldn't stop and help, so they left his lifeless body and rushed into the denser part of the forest. The guards stopped to pick up the body, and the distance between them expanded, helping Adam and others to get away, but this was only the beginning. The fight was far from being over.

After his escape, Adam separated from the group and was later discovered by allied forces. He proved himself to be intelligent, experienced, and determined to take revenge which made him ideal to be used against the Nazis. The Allies saw the potential in him and knew he was a valuable asset as he had spent time in the camp and had experienced the German atrocities; moreover, he knew how they operated. He was appointed by Britain and was given a chance for revenge against the regime that destroyed his family. He underwent extensive training in espionage, combat, and manipulation and was given a new identity. It would not be so difficult for him to fit in as he was born and raised in Germany; he was well versed in the language, accent, customs, and traditions, which could easily help him in blending seamlessly into the Nazi society. Moreover, the espionage and combat techniques enabled him to master the art of surveillance and evasion. He also became fluent in deception, lying with conviction, and manipulation. As time passed, Adam transformed. He went from being a weak survivor of a concentration camp to a warrior ready to strike Germany right in the heart. He was now ready to infiltrate Germany as a UK spy.

Adam, now known as Nick Müller (short for Nicholas), enters Germany through a network of hidden tunnels and passages arranged by British intelligence. He traveled using fake documents, posing as a factory worker. He moved into an apartment in Berlin, which served as the base for his operation. He became part of the community, posed as a loyal Nazi supporter, and became friends with locals. He also secured a job at an engineering firm involved in producing weapons. His skills and work ethic quickly highlighted him in front of his superiors. His dedication to work was appreciated by his superiors, and he carefully cultivated relations with them and gained their trust. Through his newly formed friendship with his superiors, he got an invitation to parties and gatherings where high-ranking officials were present. He made selective friendships and managed to get into the closer circle and get a grip of a complex web of Nazi hierarchy. He started to send critical information to the British that he heard in close circles, and while having drinks with Nazi officials to gain further access, he helped the Nazis in their operation, which solidified his cover and he gained further access.

On his first day in the new apartment, he noticed a flower shop at the end of his street and saw his mother's favorite flowers. He entered the shop to buy the flowers for his apartment in an attempt to feel less lonely and feel the presence of his mother. There, he met Jessica, a young woman who owned the shop. Then he started to buy those flowers every two days not just to keep alive the memory of his mother but also to see Jessica as she was the most gentle and kind woman he met after moving to Germany. Their conversation started with small talk about flowers but later turned into personal interests and hobbies as they got to know each other more with every passing day. He observed how similar their stories were and how they had the same interests. She also ran away from her abusive home and started a new life in Berlin. They went to parks and visited cafes. Nick started to find solace in these moments as an escape from loneliness and the danger of his mission. Jess seemed to be a nice girl with the utmost love for flowers and coffee, but nick still kept his mission a secret from everyone.

He adapted to his new life in Berlin and made regular reports to the British through secret radio messages. As he grew closer to Hitler's inner circle, his stakes became higher, and he started to get torn between his mission and his growing affection for Jess.

Nick was standing by the window as he stared into the empty street and imagined a life where he didn't have a double life and the constant fear of being caught didn't loom over his head. He had just sent another coded message to the British, giving them details of the next nazi movement and the latest intelligence he had gathered. The mission was reaching its peak, and every detail could change the direction of war.

At the same time Jessica's presence was a comfort and torture for him. Comfort because, over the past month, her presence had become the light of his life, a source of peace in his chaotic world, whereas keeping such a big secret from her tortured him.

Then Jess arrived at his place and was worried for him as he had stopped picking flowers from her shop, and he seemed distant and stressed. Whenever he crossed the shop he didn't stop and waved. She asked if everything was ok. Nick turned to her, forcing a smile, and said that the job was really tiring and causing him much stress. It was difficult for him to find peace in all the chaos she approached him and said some comforting words.

For a moment, he let his guard and embraced her, but he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his side. He gasped, and his hand reached for the side of his ribs only to see blood staining his fingers and soaking his shirt. He looked up, confused and betrayed, and as he whispered why, he fell to the ground, blood pouring out of his body, making a pool around him.

Jessica's eyes were filled with tears. A mixed feeling of regret and duty filled her heart as she said that she was sorry, but duty comes first. She sat by his side and told him that she was sent to watch him and gather information. She said that she never wanted things to end like that, but he left her with no choice; he stood against everything she fought for, and the war was the time to show loyalty to her country. He couldn't make sense of her words as the world around him started to blur, but one thing was clear: he was betrayed by the woman he so dearly loved. The woman he trusted was his enemy all along. His past flashed before his eyes, and one final thought echoed in his mind that he had failed his dead family.

Jess, filled with sorrow and regret, stood up, wiped her bloody hands with her clothes, and started to gather the documents and information Nick had collected and left while Nick's body lay on the ground.

She gave all the information to the intelligence, which proved to be very useful for the Nazis, and she was rewarded for her loyalty and service.

But as she received the reward she had a hollow feeling inside her. She fulfilled her duty, but at what cost? The man who trusted her, cared for her, and even loved her was killed by her own hands. At that very moment, the reward felt worthless her efforts and everything she did seemed meaningless. She chose duty over love, the price of which will haunt her for the rest of her life.