The Last Sentinel Read online

“I first came to India in 1935. Two years prior, I completed my medical studies at the University of Munich. I was hired to be the doctor for an expedition to Tibet, funded by the Ahnenerbe, the recently formed scientific branch of the SS. The purpose of the expedition was to investigate the ancient migration of the Aryan race. Once in Tibet, several sub-expeditions were sent to India. I was assigned to one heading to eastern India. We arrived in the Andamans in 1936. Back then, it was a remote British outpost, mainly used to house troublesome convicts at the Cellular Jail. It was obvious that there was no Aryan influence on the natives of these islands, but we decided to stay for a few weeks. On the second week we headed out for North Sentinel Island. We heard rumors that it was inhabited by an ancient race of savages and decided to investigate.

  “When we got there the island was in chaos. From what we were able to infer, there had been a rebellion against the chief. It had been put down but the chief’s first born son had his chest slashed in the uprising. He was lying on a bed of palm leaves, a group of women caring for him. It was obvious that he would die soon if he didn’t receive care. I suppose that the chief took our coming as a gift from the gods. They were not hostile. I treated the child as best as I could, but given his age, he couldn’t have been more than five or six, and the severity of his wounds, I doubted he would survive. I was by his side for several days. Once the chief realized that his son would survive he took me through a tunnel that led to a large underground cave partially filled with water. On the walls were etchings of swastikas, along with paintings of animals, hunters, and astronomical maps. Obviously, the swastikas intrigued me. It may not surprise you to find a swastika in India. After all, it is used as a symbol of Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. In fact, it is found all across the globe. But this was an isolated island. I followed him through the cave to the edge of a cliff. About thirty meters below me were the ruins of a stone structure. They were intricately carved, far beyond anything the natives could have constructed. I watched the chief dive through the clear water to the ruins, pick up some object, and return to the surface. In his hands was a small swastika, carved out of crystal quartz. I took it and thanked him. Our team photographed the cave and the remnants of the temple, but I did not mention the crystal swastika. We left the island two weeks later. I can show you the cave if you like.”

  Ajit hesitated for several seconds. “I think it will be better if we stay out here.”

  “There’s no danger. I’m not leading you into a trap.”

  “I know, but I am very interested in hearing the rest of your story.”

  “It is no story. It is the truth. We returned to Germany in 1937. The other expeditions had similar discoveries. There was an ancient global civilization, the precursors to the Aryan race. The evidence pointed to its destruction about 5,000 years ago. But reports came in that there were some bizarre archaeological findings at some of the sites. For example, it seemed that some of the sites were being inhabited in parallel. On a site, you would discover that a building was used as a temple, and as grain storage. I do not mean that the use of the structure changed over time, or that it was a multi-purpose building. The building was used for grain storage and as a temple at the same time, at the same location, but by different people from different periods and in two different lines that merged together for a brief time. I know that doesn’t make sense now but it will a bit later. I was unable to keep up with the latest discoveries as I was transferred out of the Ahnenerbe, and into the Wehrmacht. I spent a few months fighting on the front lines, but was transferred to a camp in 1940, where I served out the rest of the war.

  “After the war ended, I fled to Argentina. I had not participated in any crimes, but as I worked in a camp my chances were not good. In Argentina, I lived in the beautiful village of Bariloche, in the Andes. It reminded me of my winter home in the Alps, absolutely gorgeous. Several other Nazis resided there, but I tried to live a quiet life. In 1949 I travelled to Buenos Aires to see the Argentinean National Team play a friendly against Brazil. After the match ended, a 2-2 draw, I was approached by a Brazilian supporter. At first I thought it was some drunk trying to start a fight, but then I realized who it was—Dr. Hans Krause. Hans was an anthropologist in the Ahnenerbe, was on the Andaman expedition with me, but after I was transferred I lost contact with him.

  “Hans invited me his house in Rio Grande do Sul, in the south of Brazil, promising that he had exciting news for me. I accepted. After returning to Bariloche to get my affairs in order, I travelled to meet him. His house, or perhaps the word compound would be more appropriately, was situated about five miles from the nearest village center in a small clearing in the woods. It was a traditional German style half-timbered house, very large, thirty rooms in total. Two nights after I arrived, there was a meeting. Approximately forty attendees. I recognized a few from the Ahnenerbe, but most I did not know. Half military and half academics — physicists, astronomers, zoologists, along with archaeologists, anthropologist, and historians.

  “They recapped their news for me. The Ahnenerbe discovered that the Proto-Aryans, that’s the name that was given to the ancient civilization, were able to harness the power of time travel. Time travel is not the proper word, maybe time shift would be better. It is a very complicated process, I will get into it more later. Anyway, to be able to travel through time, one must create a…, I am not sure of the proper word, an amulet perhaps. This was created in 1943, in September to be precise, sadly that it couldn’t have been created earlier, as you—”

  “I’m sorry,” said Rishi. “Is this a fucking joke? Your story is getting more and more ridiculous by the second. You expect me to believe that the Nazis created a time machine? Let’s shoot this old fool and let’s get out of here.”

  “You are not exactly correct but you get the gist of it. And I do not care if you shoot me anyways, I will die soon regardless. But it will not matter. It will be 1943 soon.”

  “This man is trying to kill time telling this ridiculous story,” said Rohan. “We need to call a bomb squad, search the bunker, and find out what their plan is.

  Klaus’s story was definitely bizarre, thought Ajit. Was the man just crazy, or was he trying to bide time? But for what? According to Vimal, the sub had been captured and the threat neutralized. But Klaus did not seem upset when he heard the news come across the radio. Was the sub a decoy? Was there some other nefarious plan about to be carried out? Someone obviously decided to build a bunker on this remote island for some purpose.

  “Call a bomb unit. And a HazMat unit. I am going into the bunker.”