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“We are still in need of the services of the former committee members, I assure you. Herr Drexler, for one, has agreed to become President of the Darbeitpartei.” Halstead paused to lead the applause for the man and his newly-created honorary post, then continued. “I look forward to Herr Drexler’s continued guidance as the founder of our party. I look forward to the continued participation of all our former committee members.” Halstead glanced at each of the other five sullen losers. “This party will need all the help it can get in the days, weeks, months, and years to come as it strives to lead Germany down the path to resurrection!” Halstead now bowed to both trios of defeated rivals, seated on both sides of his podium. “And what do I have in mind for the coming weeks and months, you might ask? Why, nothing less than the unquestioned control of Germany!” Halstead asked and answered, prompting more than a few chuckles. He now held up a copy of the inaugural issue of the New Times, an issue which had hit the newsstands of Bavarian cities two days before and was now being demanded by telegram from points throughout the world. The center of the front page was filled with a color photograph of the treasures of King Tutankhamen’s tomb. The photograph was framed on the left side by an introductory letter from the Editor-in-Chief, Adolf Hitler, declaring the purpose and principles of the Darbeitpartei, and on the right side by an account from Rudolph Hess, Editor, of the journey of discovery to Egypt, and on the bottom by Alfred Rosenberg’s heavily-edited essay describing the dangers of Bolshevism and the stand that the Darbeitpartei was taking against the Red Menace. “Yes, you might ask, many of you have asked, how I knew about the treasures of the Pharaoh, how I knew about the Dead Sea Scrolls, how I knew about the texts of Nag Hammadi.” Halstead lowered the newspaper to the podium, dropping it on top of the latest issue, which had several lines from the Gospel of Thomas on its own front page, and returned his hand to the air as a fist. “All of this shall be revealed in due time! All shall be made clear once the Darbeitpartei is in command of Germany and has returned this nation to her former glory!” Those who were not already standing now rose to their feet, and chants, this time of “Heil Hitler!,” reverberated once more against the walls of the Burgerbräu. |