Odessa Strikes Read online

  Odessa Strikes

  A Gunner Fox trilogy: book three

  Bobby Akart

  Thank You

  Thank you for downloading ODESSA STRIKES the final installment in this Gunner Fox trilogy by Author Bobby Akart.

  For a copy of my critically acclaimed monthly newsletter, The Epigraph, updates on new releases, special offers, and bonus content visit me online at

  BobbyAkart.com

  or visit my dedicated feature page on Amazon at

  Amazon.com/BobbyAkart

  PRAISE FOR AUTHOR BOBBY AKART and GUNNER FOX

  “Only Akart can weave a story that begins so calm, so normal and before you know it, you are at the end of the book with your pulse pounding in your chest and your mind screaming for more! Amazon Hall of Fame, Top 2 Reviewer

  “Another phenomenal story from THE master story teller of our time!”

  Amazon review of Asteroid Destruction

  “Akart is a master of suspense, keeping us on the edge of our seats. But, he does it with fact-based fiction that would scare even the most hardened readers.”

  “Mixing science and suspense is something Bobby Akart is a master of—writing character driven stories that will have you on the edge of your seat.”

  “I have highly enjoyed Mr. Akart’s literary works because his research is comprehensive and he has an eerie prescience of writing fiction and it becoming reality.”

  “Mr. Akart has become one of my favorite authors joining the ranks of fellas named King, Grisham & Clancy.”

  “Bobby Akart is one of those very rare authors who makes things so visceral, so real, that you experience what he writes … His research, depth of knowledge, and genuine understanding of people make his works more real than any movie.”

  “No one, and I mean NO ONE, does it better!”

  Other Works by Amazon Charts Top 25 Author Bobby Akart

  Odessa (a Gunner Fox trilogy)

  Odessa Reborn

  Odessa Rising

  Odessa Strikes

  The Virus Hunters

  Virus Hunters I

  Virus Hunters II

  Virus Hunters III

  The Geostorm Series

  The Shift

  The Pulse

  The Collapse

  The Flood

  The Tempest

  The Pioneers

  The Asteroid Series (A Gunner Fox trilogy)

  Discovery

  Diversion

  Destruction

  The Doomsday Series

  Apocalypse

  Haven

  Anarchy

  Minutemen

  Civil War

  The Yellowstone Series

  Hellfire

  Inferno

  Fallout

  Survival

  The Lone Star Series

  Axis of Evil

  Beyond Borders

  Lines in the Sand

  Texas Strong

  Fifth Column

  Suicide Six

  The Pandemic Series

  Beginnings

  The Innocents

  Level 6

  Quietus

  The Blackout Series

  36 Hours

  Zero Hour

  Turning Point

  Shiloh Ranch

  Hornet’s Nest

  Devil’s Homecoming

  The Boston Brahmin Series

  The Loyal Nine

  Cyber Attack

  Martial Law

  False Flag

  The Mechanics

  Choose Freedom

  Patriot’s Farewell (standalone novel)

  Black Friday (standalone novel)

  Seeds of Liberty (Companion Guide)

  The Prepping for Tomorrow Series

  Cyber Warfare

  EMP: Electromagnetic Pulse

  Economic Collapse

  Odessa Strikes

  A Gunner Fox trilogy, book three

  by

  Bobby Akart

  Dedications

  There is nothing more important on this planet than my darling wife, Dani, and our two princesses, Bullie and Boom. With the love and support of Dani and the never-ending supply of smiles our two girls give us, I’m able to tell you these stories.

  For many years, I have lived by the following premise:

  Because you never know when the day before is the day before, prepare for tomorrow.

  My friends, I study and write about the threats we face, not only to both entertain and inform you, but because I am constantly learning how to prepare for the benefit of my family as well. The Odessa trilogy is dedicated to Dani and the girls. I will always protect you from anything that threatens us.

  Acknowledgments

  Creating a novel that is both informative and entertaining requires a tremendous team effort. Writing is the easy part.

  For their efforts in making the Virus Hunters a reality, I would like to thank Hristo Argirov Kovatliev for his incredible artistic talents in creating my cover art. He and Dani collaborate (and conspire) to create the most incredible cover art in the publishing business. A huge hug of appreciation goes out to Pauline Nolet, the Professor, for her editorial prowess and patience in correcting this writer’s same tics after fifty-plus novels. Thanks again to the newest member of the team, Drew Avera, a United States Navy veteran, who has brought his talented formatting skills from a writer’s perspective to create multiple formats for reading my novels. The accomplished Chris Abernathy has returned as the voice of Gunner Fox. His performance of the Asteroid trilogy earned him a nomination for best thriller/suspense narration by the Independent Audiobook Awards.

  Now, for the serious stuff. The Odessa trilogy required countless hours of never-ending research. Without the background material and direction from those individuals who provided me a portal into the history of Nazi Germany, the German settlements establishments in Argentina following World War II, and the terrifying world of bioterrorism, this story couldn’t have been written.

  Once again, as I immersed myself in the science and history, source material and research flooded my inbox from around the globe. Without the assistance of many individuals and organizations, this story could not be told. Please allow me a moment to acknowledge a few of those individuals whom, without their tireless efforts, the Odessa trilogy could not have been written.

  Many thanks to Dr. Catherine Epstein, Winkley Professor of History and Dean of the Faculty at Amherst College. Her research and lecture material on the history of Nazi Germany, especially the emergence of Adolf Hitler and Nazi ideology, provided me an invaluable glimpse into how dictatorships function and why brutal regimes engage in mass murder.

  In that same vein, Constance Nicholls, who holds a master’s degree in public history, and sat on the advisory board for the National World War II Museum, shared her outstanding research work on the Architect of Terror: Heinrich Himmler. Her in depth analysis of Himmler’s implementation of the Final Solution, gave me insight into the devil that Himmler was. However, it was a passing comment during a conversation regarding Himmler’s affinity for Norway and Norwegian women that took this story into a very interesting direction. Thanks Connie!

  Odessa, like many of my other novels, could not have been written without the support of the former director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Steven Walker; Janet Waldorf, Deputy Chief of Communications within the DARPA Public Affairs office, and her staff; and the DARPA program managers and contractors who took the time to speak with me by phone or via email. Left of boom. Now, I get it. Thanks to you all!

  For my research in Argentina, I called upon a fellow author, Abel Basti who wrote the World War II history book titled Hitler in Exile. The language barrier was a challenge but Google translator came through. Not
only did he have me utterly convinced that Hitler escaped his Berlin bunker and fled to Argentina via Spain, but that the Soviet Union assisted in the coverup in exchange for future cooperation against the United States. I’ve always loved a good conspiracy theory, and Hitler’s escape is certainly a grand one. However, one thing is certain. It was the Soviet Red Army who discovered Hitler’s dead body and then promptly whisked it away before British Intelligence could view it. Confirmation of death was always in question.

  A fun footnote and a special acknowledgment. In the Geostorm series, one of the lead characters Tommy Bannon, was based upon our friend and veterinarian, Dr. Thomas McNair. In the Odessa trilogy, I decided to create a character for his wife, Kala. Like Tommy Bannon, I chose not to use McNair as the character’s last name.

  So, who should Kala, professor at William & Mary, be? Well, we have a lot of fun on Facebook with our readers and Kala is always very active on my posts. One day, Dani and Kala were joking about how her husband, Thomas, resembles actor Christian Bale. Sooo, long story short, we thought it was appropriate to name the character, Professor Kala Bale. Thanks to Kala and Thomas for being such good sports and great friends.

  There’s a moral to this story. If you interact with me on social media, you never know. You might become a character in one of my stories.

  Speaking of side notes, there’ll be a scene in Odessa strikes that references fruitcake. I want to give a shoutout to Ashley Schoenith, founder of Heirloomed Collection, a friend of Dani’s on Instagram. She created this fabulous, full-size tea towel with the likeness of Doris Hart’s Fruit Cake recipe on it. Doris was her grandmother’s neighbor and because her last name was Hart, I thought it would be fun to make her related to Sammy Hart, Gunner’s friendly bartender/confidant who landed on Tangier Island.

  Finally, as always, a special thank you to my team of loyal friends who’ve always supported my work and provided me valuable insight from a reader’s perspective. Denise Keef, Joe Carey, Shirley Nicholson, Bennita Barnett, and Karl Hughey.

  This is why I wrote Odessa.

  Because you never know when the day before is the day before, prepare for tomorrow.

  Thank you all!

  Choose Freedom and Godspeed, Patriots!

  About the Author, Bobby Akart

  Author Bobby Akart has been ranked by Amazon as #25 on the Amazon Charts list of most popular, bestselling authors. He has achieved recognition as the #1 bestselling Horror Author, #1 bestselling Science Fiction Author, #5 bestselling Action & Adventure Author, #7 bestselling Historical Fiction Author and #10 on Amazon’s bestselling Thriller Author list.

  Mr. Akart delivers up-all-night thrillers to readers in 245 countries and territories worldwide. He has sold over one million books in all formats, which includes over forty international bestsellers, in nearly fifty fiction and nonfiction genres.

  His novel Yellowstone: Hellfire reached the Top 25 on the Amazon bestsellers list and earned him multiple Kindle All-Star awards for most pages read in a month and most pages read as an author. The Yellowstone series vaulted him to the #25 bestselling author on Amazon Charts, and the #1 bestselling science fiction author.

  Bobby has provided his readers a diverse range of topics that are both informative and entertaining. His attention to detail and impeccable research has allowed him to capture the imagination of his readers through his fictional works and bring them valuable knowledge through his nonfiction books.

  SIGN UP for Bobby Akart’s mailing list to receive a copy of his monthly newsletter, The Epigraph, learn of special offers, view bonus content, and be the first to receive news about new releases featuring Gunner Fox and the Gray Fox team.

  Visit www.BobbyAkart.com for details.

  Author’s Introduction to the Odessa trilogy

  August 15, 2020

  As of this writing, the United States was going through a period of upheaval. For my loyal readers, you’ve known for years that my worldview, and therefore my novels, have been shaped by personal experiences as well as certain other works of literature and art.

  Years ago, reading the massive treatise by Edward Gibbons titled the History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire led me to the following premise:

  All empires collapse eventually. Either they are conquered by a more powerful enemy or they collapse under the weight of their debt. But make no mistake. Every great empire and nation-state eventually fails. There have been no exceptions in the history of mankind.

  Which leads me to the artistic work of Thomas Cole. Beginning in 1833, Thomas Cole created a series of five paintings depicting the growth and fall of an imaginary empire. It’s a place that begins peaceful and full of freedom. Then, it achieves a level of glory indicated by joyous occasions and vast amounts of wealth, as shown in The Consummation of Empire.

  But, as Gibbon’s Decline and Fall led me to realize, Cole had reached the same conclusion as evidenced by his paintings. Like the Roman Empire, Cole showed decadence, wealth, vice, and corruption ultimately led to war and eventually destruction of the state. The result, was Destruction as depicted in this painting.

  It’s possible America is going through a similar period at this time. Like all new empires, the Founding Fathers thought they’d laid the groundwork for their principals and ideals to last forever through the adoption of the Constitution. Only time will tell whether the U.S. Constitution and this great republic can withstand the enormous political pressures from both outside our borders, and from within.

  During World War I, an obscure German soldier named Adolf Hitler had been injured and was hospitalized as The War to End All Wars came to an end. He took up political work in Munich and then joined the small German Workers’ Party.

  His ability to convince and manipulate others led him to be put in charge of the Party’s propaganda. Resentment at the loss of the war and the severity of the peace terms imposed upon the German people brought widespread anger to the country, especially Bavaria which had a disdain for Berlin’s government.

  Under Hitler’s leadership, the party was renamed to the National Socialist German Worker’s Party, which became commonly referred to as the Nazi Party. Hitler and his ardent supporters envisioned a Third Reich of a thousand years in which all German peoples, including Austria, would be led by the Nazi Party.

  Hitler rode this wave of enthusiasm for the Nazi cause to lead Germany into a period of expansion across Europe and into Northern Africa. He was a brutal leader who murdered millions of innocent people, Germans included, in the quest for ethnic purity.

  Even during the Second World War, Hitler’s name became synonymous with pure evil. To this day, his name, the term Nazi, and the symbol of the swastika adopted by the Nazi Party evokes feelings of anger and hostility.

  World War II ended in 1945 and Germany eventually became a respected member of the European Community and a world leader. Many former Nazis were captured, killed, or went into hiding. The European continent moved on vowing to never allow the rise of a charismatic leader like Hitler to gain power again.

  History has shown that many high-ranking officials in the Nazi Party escaped Germany in the waning days of the war as well as afterwards. Their means of transportation were as varied as their destinations. Organizations and governments around the world have devoted eight decades tracking down every last Nazi soldier, party leader, and conspirator in the Holocaust until even those in their late nineties were brought to justice.

  This story, however, is about a different group. It’s a story of legends and a tale of conspiracy. But as is always the case with my novels, it is based in historical fact.

  The ODESSA, or Organisation der Ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen, translated as Organization for Former SS Members, was created to assist in the escape of the Nazi Party officials and German business leaders who feared they’d be captured and imprisoned by the Allied forces. They sought destinations around the world, escaping through European portals including Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and Norway. They arrive
d in strange, faraway lands including the Middle East, Africa, and South America.

  And they never gave up their dreams for a Fourth Reich. With their vast amounts of ill-gotten gains in the form of money, gold, and historic artifacts, the Nazis abroad were well-funded, hidden from Allied intelligence and above all, committed to continuing their quest for a future Nazi Germany.

  Many of the gatherings in the formation of Odessa were discovered by the intelligence community after the war. The destination and the ratlines used by the escaping Nazis were based upon countless hours of research and interviews with history experts from Hamburg to Buenos Aries.

  Some of the most feared Nazis on the planet during the rise and fall of the Third Reich—Adolph Eichmann, Josef Mengele, Walter Rauff, and Franz Stangl, among many others, managed to escape to these destinations.

  Then, there were the wives, mistresses, children, and future grandchildren of the Nazis who carried the torch of the Nazi Party ideology. They still believed in the viability of the Reich. As a result, every single historian I contacted agreed on one thing: