| Matthew "Crash" Buckner. Fastest pen on the | | | | attention until near the end, he could hit |
| net. Yeah, right. At the moment, he had one | | | | them with a socko ending. But what? Closing |
| eye glued to the pillow case and the other | | | | his eyes in concentration, Matt drank some |
| squinting away from the glare of the sun | | | | water. It tasted bitter, echoing his fears |
| coming through the window. A hazy image of | | | | of losing. Concentrate! he told himself. |
| 11 AM on the clock surfaced to his brain. | | | | The door to his cabin burst open after a |
| Trying to think why he should get up. Oh, | | | | brief knock. McCauley tried not to show any |
| yeah, today was the Speed Writers Grand | | | | expression that would give away the pounding |
| Competition..Matt plowed his way through the | | | | of his heart. It was just the conductor |
| mess on the floor, moodily kicking an empty | | | | asking for his ticket. A too long scrutiny |
| beer can into the kitchen. Why couldn't a | | | | metamorphosed into a sharp demand for his |
| writer of sixty-five retire in peace? Didn't | | | | "Ausweise" papers. Prepared for the worst, |
| he write enough stories for a lifetime? | | | | McCauley had, besides his German passport, a |
| Social Security would pay for the basics, but | | | | letter from a high official in the |
| he wanted to spend them on the coast of | | | | Bundeswehr, a bogus letter of introduction |
| California, not in a hick town in | | | | and carte blanc for any mode of travel. |
| Pennsylvania where he was. Matt blasted | | | | Though written on official stationary stolen |
| himself with the hot water in the shower. | | | | from a German general's hotel room, it |
| Maybe a shave and a quick breakfast would | | | | provoked a silent, suspicious stare from the |
| wake him up enough to face the challenge.One | | | | conductor. Faced with such powerful |
| hundred thousand dollars went to the winner | | | | permissions, he left abruptly. Sagging back |
| of the Speed Writers Grand Competition. The | | | | in the seat and touching the hardness of the |
| rules were simple: write a 2000 word short | | | | gun secreted near his ankle, McCauley dared |
| story in thirty minutes. Millions of readers | | | | to plan his next step.Matt suddenly went |
| all over the net would log in, their pulses | | | | blank. Nothing. Not a glimmer of an idea |
| connected to the comparative heart rate | | | | would pop into his brain. The irresistible |
| meter. As they read the emerging story, the | | | | meters grabbed at his eyes, confirming his |
| meter would indicate their interest and give | | | | worst fears. He was dropping behind! |
| Matt a boost in the ratings. The money | | | | Frantically, Matt rummaged through the top |
| would go to the writer with the highest point | | | | drawer of the computer desk. There! He knew |
| total. Matt would go head to head with the | | | | he had a few bennies left from college |
| previous day's winner, "Garbage" Johnson. | | | | finals. He'd better take two. He could work |
| This was the final match-up; one last effort | | | | them off later. No, he'd better take only |
| to win all the marbles. Please God let them | | | | one -- he might get sick and blow the whole |
| pick a Title he knew something about.An old | | | | thing. He wondered if his opponent was |
| classmate, "Garbage" Johnson got his nickname | | | | having the same doubts. No. Just write the |
| from his dad, who was also a writer. Unlike | | | | damn thing! Dawn finally smudged the |
| his dad who wrote fourteen novels, two of | | | | horizon. They were coming into the last stop |
| which fostered movies, "Garbage" made his | | | | before entering Poland. McCauley watched as |
| money in the fifties writing for the pulp | | | | boarders fussed with their luggage, one |
| magazines. Sleazy police rags and low end | | | | well-dressed civilian even arguing with a |
| sex magazines was more his style. Four cents | | | | guard, berating him with large gestures. |
| a word hardly paid for the rent unless he | | | | There must have been something important in |
| cranked out three stories per day. Like | | | | the trunks to cause that much commotion. |
| "Garbage" Johnson, Matt didn't get paid much | | | | They must have been heavy, too, because two |
| more. His venues were the romantic | | | | burly porters were struggling to lift one of |
| monthlies, True Story clones and fillers for | | | | the trunks onto the train. Curious as to |
| the daily rags. But he was still a hack | | | | their contents, McCauley made a mental note |
| writer.The aspirin seemed to work, but Matt | | | | to check them out. Now the owner of the |
| was still foggy from the party last night. A | | | | trunks was heading this way. Damn! He'd |
| fast two mile run should shape him up. The | | | | have to share his cabin with this guy. |
| competition log in started at one PM.. plenty | | | | Suppose he got nosy and discovered that he |
| of time for a run. There was no use trying | | | | wasn't a German citizen. The train hadn't |
| to bone up for the challenge, since he | | | | moved yet. The conductor reappeared, asking |
| wouldn't know the subject until one minute | | | | for the new occupant's papers. MacCauley |
| before the bell. He'd just have to rely on | | | | noticed that his point of origin was the same |
| his experience and natural talent. Half way | | | | as his destination. It appeared coincidental |
| through the run, a passing shower viciously | | | | or were they both after the same fortune in |
| belted his face, plastering down his hair and | | | | gold? He also saw the hagenkreutz and eagle |
| tracking down his neck. The cooling effect, | | | | of the SS on one of the papers. Then why was |
| though was welcome as Matt powered up the | | | | he in civilian clothes?The dreaded gong |
| final hill. Panting fiercely, he leaned on | | | | startled Matt. Three quarters of the time |
| his gate to get his breath. His leg muscles | | | | had passed. What happened to the half mark? |
| tingled from the effort, letting him know | | | | He must have missed it. He'd better start |
| that he wasn't a kid anymore.Just in time, | | | | winding down. His climax must coincide with |
| Matt changed into dry sweats. He booted up | | | | the allotted time or his adrenaline meter |
| the computer and cued in the DSL. Logging | | | | would suffer. Speaking of which -- how was |
| onto the website, Matt lined up four glasses | | | | he doing? Sparing a glance, Matt did a |
| of water and a spare laptop as backup. Its | | | | double take. He was slightly ahead, but as |
| modem set at the same website and a | | | | he watched, his opponent's meter gave a lurch |
| thesaurus opened and ready. As he waited, he | | | | forward. Frantically, Matt addressed himself |
| propped his feet up on the tattered | | | | to the keyboard. The sweaty keys sounded |
| collection of notes for the novel he never | | | | loud in his ears, the space bar jumping under |
| had time to write. He gazed around him at | | | | his thumb. Later, his traveling companion |
| the walls lined with bookshelves. Not too | | | | fell asleep, his open mouth making wet |
| many books filled the shelves, but every | | | | noises. McCauley quietly stood up and left |
| magazine he wrote for and wanted to write for | | | | the cabin. Just in case, he took his only |
| competed for space. Matt never read them, | | | | carry-all with him. Two cars down rumbled |
| but enjoyed their very presence as proof of | | | | the dining car. He sat down at a table near |
| his industry. If he won this competition, | | | | the end and ordered a sandwich and coffee. A |
| they would stay behind with the second hand | | | | sign over the door to the next car showed the |
| furniture and the out-of-date clothes in the | | | | symbol for the toilet and a sign declaring |
| closet. All he would need was his laptop and | | | | the baggage car off limits except to |
| the novel inside his head. A new life | | | | authorized personnel. He had to get in |
| waited just on the other side of that | | | | there. When the waiter came back, he asked |
| mountain of a website, beckoning with | | | | the waiter if there was any way he could |
| impossible promises and tons of money. It | | | | check on his little dog in the baggage car. |
| took some luck, but he got this far, didn't | | | | Informed that the door was open, he assumed |
| he? Not bad for an old hack writer.His | | | | there would be no problem accessing the car. |
| kitchen timer chimed once. He set it in case | | | | McCauley forced himself to take his time with |
| he got distracted and missed the start up. | | | | the sandwich and coffee, refusing seconds. |
| Not wanting any interruptions he took the | | | | The noise between cars was deafening as he |
| telephone receiver off the hook to his second | | | | skinned his knuckles getting into the baggage |
| line. False sounding applause and whistles | | | | car. Luckily, the trunk he was looking for |
| signaled the start of the contest. A large | | | | stood on its side in the middle of the car. |
| double faced meter took up most of the | | | | A quick search found a piece of metal he |
| screen, needles set at zero. Over each was a | | | | could use as a crow bar. Lining the open |
| caricature of his and his opponents faces. | | | | trunk were rows of what looked like |
| His looked slightly drunk with wild-looking | | | | stockings. MacCauley hefted one and found it |
| hair and eyes at half mast. "Garbage" | | | | quite heavy for its size. Unwrapped, the bar |
| Johnson appeared bloated and a little | | | | inside looked a dull gray, but was stamped |
| disgusted. The announcer recapped the | | | | with official looking marks on one side. |
| competition so far, alternating with promos | | | | Gouging the surface proved his suspicions |
| for their latest "Best Seller" and extolling | | | | that it was really gold! It was the very |
| the virtues of their book club.Finally, the | | | | same gold stolen from the Polish government |
| Title was announced as ..ta da.. "Hitler's | | | | needed by the Nazis for the purpose of |
| Gold". Matt's instant response was. "Wasn't | | | | extending the war.Sweat was now dripping down |
| this done a hundred times already?" Oh, | | | | the sides of Matt's face, the water almost |
| well, here goes. At the chime, Matt started | | | | gone, and the time running out. Matt figured |
| to write. The clackety clack of the wheels | | | | he had a few minutes left to cap off the |
| wound down, signaling an unscheduled stop. | | | | story before the final gong sounded. He had |
| Major McCauley looked at his civilian watch, | | | | to know how his enemy was doing. The meters |
| noting the time. In these days of dusk | | | | stood near the highest mark, neck to neck and |
| before the war was officially declared over, | | | | moving. This was going to be close. A mere |
| anything could happen to jeopardize his | | | | thousand dollars went to second place. Pound |
| mission.At the word 'mission', the adrenaline | | | | those keys, make the deadline or die! That |
| meter by his name jumped up one division. | | | | was Matt's credo his whole life as a writer. |
| His opponent's hadn't moved. Then just as he | | | | Write or don't eat. Write or walk the |
| gathered his thoughts for the next sentence, | | | | streets. Deep in a secret pocket, |
| Matt saw the meter on the right side of the | | | | MacCauley dug out a syringe prepared with a |
| screen take a double hit. Damn, he'd better | | | | powerful sleeping potion. A gun wasn't the |
| get moving. Mentally vowing not to look at | | | | only weapon at his disposal. His sleeping |
| the enemy meter, Matt went to work. The next | | | | visitor now snored softly, not waking upon |
| sentence flew across the screen. Just the | | | | Matt's entrance. The drug would wear off in |
| thought of twenty million dollars of raw gold | | | | twelve hours, leaving him dizzy and |
| made his heart pound. A cheap shot, but that | | | | disoriented. McCauley had replaced the |
| ought to get their hearts going. Hitler | | | | labels on the trunk of gold bars with the |
| didn't own it any more than he did. The | | | | labels prepared for the gold's shipment out |
| report of its whereabouts burned a hole near | | | | of Poland. The train finally started to move |
| his heart. Somewhere in a coal mine in | | | | but in the wrong direction! The change in |
| Poland was stashed the bars of gold that | | | | direction shocked him at first, then he |
| would have allowed the Reich to live on. The | | | | realized that it solved all his problems. The |
| location was inadvertently revealed in a news | | | | train was heading back into Germany. His |
| report on the last page of the Berliner | | | | expected two week mission was over before it |
| Zietung. Unfortunately, Major McCauley's | | | | started and one phone call would secure the |
| opposite number in intelligence undoubtedly | | | | gold for the Americans. A grim smile tugged |
| also saw the report. He was probably | | | | at the corners of his mouth as he turned back |
| heading there right now from somewhere deep | | | | to the compartment to take care of his |
| in Germany. Air travel was impossible and a | | | | prisoner. The End.Matt stared at his frozen |
| car would take too long what with all the | | | | meter. It stuttered then jumped to the top of |
| check zones in place. So he probably used | | | | the scale. He won! He did it! California |
| the rails just as he himself did.A gong | | | | here I come! Matt went to the closet and |
| sounded from the computer signaling that one | | | | started to pack. Into the empty suitcase he |
| quarter of the allotted time had passed. | | | | lovingly placed the notes for his novel. His |
| Matt stole a look at the adrenaline meters. | | | | dreams went in with them.Thogh not primarily |
| His meter showed him ahead by a nose, its | | | | a fiction writer, that vehicle presents a |
| steady but slow rise wavering at the half way | | | | |
| point. The only thing that counted was the | | | | viable face for exploring the future. |
| surge at the end. If he could hold their | | | | |