Chapter 474: Berlin Crisis
After having settled his conversation with the President of the United States, Bruno found himself alone and once more without work... It was a dreadful thing for a man like him not to be busy with some important matter or another. And now he simply could not figure out how to rest.
However, just as he was about to crack open a bottle and pour himself another drink, Bruno’s phone began to ring. At this hour, there were only a handful of people who would dare to call him—and they all knew better.
And yet, the phone rang nonetheless. Naturally, Bruno would not ignore this, and was quick to accept the cal, noticing immediately that the hasty voice on the line was a familiar one, both from history and his personal life, but the tone was far more haggard and grim.
"Bruno, my old friend... I need you in Berlin as quickly as you can come. Nothing more should be said, not until we’ve spoken in person."
And with that, the line was cut—clearly having been hung up intentionally by the other party.
It did not take Bruno long to put two and two together. Currently, he was dressed like a field hand, or a factory worker. Which was hardly the attire necessary for who he was about to meet with, and where they would be.
But Bruno most certainly did not have time to change into more appropriate attire for the man he was meeting with, as the orders were very clear: time was of the essence. Thus, Bruno compromised, and grabbed an old leather jacket—a gift to him from Max Immelmann, better known by the nickname "The Blue Max."
He was Germany’s first flying ace to be awarded the Pour le Mérite during Bruno’s past life and had died midway through the war. But in this life, like his more infamous counterpart Manfred von Richthofen, he had survived the war.
When the war came to the end, and the German soldiers who briefly occupied Paris celebrated their victory, Bruno had shared drinks with Max in Paris during the occupation where the man had handed him his jacket as a sign of respect for all that Bruno had done to win the war and keep his pilots safe.
Bruno was normally not one to wear meaningful clothing or accessories he did not earn, but a gift from a man who had worn this jacket into battle—and who was a legendary figure Bruno had admired—was hard to turn down. Though Bruno had indeed tried to reject the offer, the Blue Max demanded it be accepted.