Chapter 332: Chemical Warfare
Inside the officer's club, Lucia turned off the bright incandescent lights, leaving only a few dim, colored bulbs that cast the room in a hazy, subdued glow. Soon, officers entered in pairs or small groups, ordering drinks and discussing topics that piqued their interest.
To the distant strains of listless piano music, Lucia mechanically shook a cocktail mixer, then poured the drink into a glass, placing half a lemon slice on the rim before sliding it to the officer in front of her. The officer gave her a surprised look, glancing between the glass and Lucia. "I ordered a Bloody Mary, Lucia."
Realizing her mistake, Lucia quickly apologized, "I'm so sorry, Major. I'll fix it right away."
The major hesitated, but then replied understandingly, "No need. Actually, I've been meaning to try a Margarita. I'll take this one."
Everyone in the club knew Lucia was Charles' girlfriend, so the officers were generally respectful towards her. Even those who had once been fond of making inappropriate jokes around her had toned it down, especially after a few admirers of Charles had given them a sound thrashing.
"Are you alright, Lucia?" asked Garrel. "Would you like to rest?"
"No, it's nothing," Lucia said with a strained smile. "Just didn't sleep well." Yet her gaze kept darting toward the club's entrance, as if she were waiting for someone.
Finally, a familiar figure appeared, stepping through the doorway. Lucia's face lit up for a brief moment before her expression hardened. She frowned, looking down at the drink she was mixing as if she hadn't seen him at all.
"A cup of coffee," Charles called to the bar before heading to a quiet corner and taking a seat.
Garrel chuckled, taking the shaker from Lucia's hands. "Go ahead, Lucia. You've been waiting for him, haven't you?"
"No, Garrel," Lucia quickly denied, though she couldn't help but glance in Charles' direction. Not only was he her "boyfriend," but he was also a guest of the club and, ultimately, her superior. What else could she do?
With a sigh, she walked over to Charles and set the coffee in front of him with a sharp clink. Only then did Charles seem to notice her sullen expression.
"What's wrong?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.
Seeing Charles' oblivious look only fueled her frustration. How could he not realize what he'd done?
"Do I need to remind you, Colonel?" Lucia said, sitting across from him, anger flashing in her eyes. "If a man has a girlfriend, shouldn't he at least say goodbye before heading to the front?"
"That was classified, Lucia," Charles replied calmly. "I couldn't tell anyone."
It was a poor excuse. Reporters had been at the port taking photos when the 105th Infantry left, so secrecy wasn't really an argument she could challenge.
"Fine," Lucia said, trying to stay calm. "Then, when you got back, shouldn't you have come to see her right away?"
Charles nodded nonchalantly. "I'll be more mindful next time."
Her disappointment grew. She had expected him to offer a small gift as an apology, or at least try to soothe her. Instead, he had treated the whole matter as if it were nothing more than work, a mission without any personal sentiment. The thought filled her with bitterness. Had she been too naive, allowing herself to get emotionally involved?
Trying to compose herself, Lucia forced a smile. "I apologize, Colonel. My tone was too harsh."
"No, you're right," Charles replied. "I really should work on making myself appear more… believable."
The remark was like a cold stab, piercing deeply into her heart and leaving her speechless.
Charles's expression remained impassive as he asked, "Any movement from Grevy?"
"No, Colonel," Lucia replied, her voice laced with a hint of bitterness. "Grevy seems to have sensed something and has been unusually quiet lately."
Charles frowned slightly. Had Laume slipped up? With Steed's close monitoring of Laume's dealings with the Pito arms factory, it would have been difficult to avoid notice. Perhaps he could fool the Pito factory or Schneider, but not someone as cunning as Grevy.
"Anything from Ypres?" Charles asked.
"We have some intelligence, but…" Lucia hesitated.
"But what?" Charles prompted.
"We're not certain, Colonel." Lucia spoke carefully. "There's been unusual activity on the German side near a place called Blute. They've cordoned off the area and wiped out dozens of households, but we couldn't find any bodies."
"How do you know it was a massacre if there were no bodies?" Charles asked, puzzled.
"We found many dead animals," Lucia explained. "And the plants there had withered. But we still don't know what caused it."
Charles's face shifted in realization—poison gas! The first large-scale gas attack of the Great War was launched at Ypres, causing over 10,000 casualties among the Allies.
He had almost forgotten.
"You know what this is, don't you?" Lucia eyed him curiously, catching the look of recognition in his eyes.
Charles hesitated. He couldn't just tell her; this was one of Germany's most closely guarded secrets, and even British Intelligence hadn't uncovered it. If he claimed to know, he would need to explain how, risking suspicion as a German spy.
After a moment, Charles replied, feigning uncertainty, "I'm not entirely sure. But if animals and plants nearby were poisoned, we might assume it's a lethal gas of some sort."
"That's what we suspected too." Lucia nodded. "The affected area does resemble the spread of a gas. But if this kind of weapon really exists, why would the Germans test it on a small village?"
"Blute may not have been the real target, Lucia," Charles said gravely. "If my guess is right, they might be planning to deploy it on the battlefield."
Lucia's eyes widened in horror. "You mean…"
Charles nodded grimly. "Think about it. The Germans are struggling on the frontlines, their navy is blockaded, Gallipoli is on the brink of collapse, and they're stretched thin with battles on the eastern and western fronts. They're desperate and might be looking to unconventional measures."
Listening to his reasoning, Lucia became increasingly convinced. "Then Blute… was likely just a test?"
"Exactly," Charles replied. "They probably wanted to verify whether this gas would work in Ypres's climate. And if it has, then…"
Lucia's face turned pale as she looked at him in alarm. "That would mean the Germans might soon unleash gas attacks along the Ypres front!"
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