I'm a Profiteer in Cold War Germany

Chapter 158: Chapter 68: The West German Reporter’s Accident

"Alright." Franz nodded. "Tomorrow night, at that same Polish-owned tavern. I’ll notify Boss Werner."

After Franz left, Walter sat motionless in the darkness. His two subordinates didn’t dare speak, merely standing silently to the side.

After a long while, Walter suddenly burst out laughing. The sound echoed through the small apartment, like the mournful howl of a wild animal.

"Werner, you’ve won," he muttered to himself. "This time, you’ve won."

************

「The evening of February 20th, at the Polish-owned tavern.」

Werner arrived on time. The tavern owner saw him, nodded, and gestured toward the private room inside.

Walter was already waiting in the private room. He wore a rumpled overcoat, his face pale and his eyes sunken.

"Betelich." Walter looked up, his voice hoarse.

"Walter." Werner sat down across from him, his expression calm.

The two men stared at each other, neither willing to speak first. The air felt as if it had turned to ice.

"You set me up." Walter finally broke the silence. "You’ve been playing me from the start."

"All’s fair in business," Werner said.

"All’s fair?" Walter sneered. "You colluded with the Stasi, took down Sokolov, poached my people, and spread rumors. You call that ’all’s fair’?"

"Walter, you were the one who came after my territory in the city center," Werner said, his tone placid. "You started a price war, threatened my distributors, spread rumors that the Stasi was on to me, and sent thugs to intimidate my warehouse staff. Have you forgotten?"

Walter fell silent.

"I was merely giving you a taste of your own medicine," Werner continued. "Besides, you’re the one who chose to partner with Sokolov. He was insatiably greedy, and his smuggling operation was getting too big. It was only a matter of time before he got caught. You tried to take my turf and ended up losing your own stronghold. You should be grateful you’re still a free man."

Walter stared at Werner, his eyes a complex mix of emotions. Anger, resentment, humiliation... they were all tangled together.

"I brought what you wanted." He pulled a stack of documents from inside his coat and tossed them onto the table. "The keys and deeds for three warehouses in the East District, the contact information for over a dozen clients, and my intelligence on the Czech channel."

Werner picked up the documents and examined them carefully. Warehouse addresses, client lists, contacts for the channel... everything was recorded in detail.

"Excellent." Werner took an envelope from his briefcase and slid it across the table. "Fifteen thousand Marks. It’s all there."

Walter opened the envelope, gave the bills a cursory count, and stuffed it inside his coat.

He stood up and looked at Werner.

"Betelich, you’re one sharp operator. I’ve been running the East District for years, hoping to expand into the city center. Instead, I failed to take the center and lost the East District in the process." He gave a bitter laugh. "But remember this: in East Berlin, no one stays a winner forever. You beat me today, but someone else will beat you tomorrow."

"I’ll be careful," Werner said, also standing up. "Take care, Walter."

Walter snorted, turned, and walked out the door.

Werner sat back down and lit a cigarette.

*************

「February 22nd」 News spread within the Stasi: for "poor management and improper use of personnel," Lorentz was being transferred to the small East German border town of Essen Huchenstadt to serve as the deputy chief of the local police station. It was a dead-end post, essentially the end of his political career.

At an internal meeting, Deputy Director Herman publicly criticized, "Comrade Lorentz lacks political sensitivity and fails to appreciate the threat posed by black marketeers, which allowed the Walter case to escalate to such a severe level. This is a profound lesson for us all."

Vonke sat in a corner of the conference room, his face expressionless. But inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief.

’Werner had won. He hadn’t just beaten Walter; he’d also eliminated the threat of Lorentz in the process. The young man’s methods were more brilliant than he’d ever imagined.’

After the meeting, Deputy Director Schmidt summoned Vonke to his office.

"This informant of yours, Werner, is quite something," Schmidt said, sitting behind his desk and lighting a cigar. "He not only helped you get rid of Lorentz, but he also allowed Lainer to score a major victory, and put Herman’s people in your debt. Killing three birds with one stone."

"You flatter me, Deputy Director," Vonke said. "Werner is certainly capable, but he’s also dangerous. He’s too ambitious, and not easy to control."

"Ambitious men are the most useful," Schmidt said, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "Vonke, keep using him. As long as he’s useful, let him be. The day he gets out of control, it won’t be too late to deal with him then."

"Understood." Vonke nodded.

Stepping out of Schmidt’s office, Vonke stood in the hallway and lit a cigarette.

’Werner... The young man stirring up the East Berlin Black Market had grown to the point that even he was becoming wary of him.’

’At the same time, however, Vonke knew Werner was the best card in his hand. Played right, that card could help him go far.’

*****************

「A few days later」 Werner was in his office, a detailed ledger spread out before him.

Franz, Keller, Old Pete, Hans, and a few newly recruited key men were all there. Every face in the room showed a mixture of excitement and awe.

"Gentlemen, the operation was a complete success." Werner set down the ledger and looked around the room. "Walter tried to take our turf. And the result? Not only did we defend the city center, but we also captured his home base in the East District. Three warehouses, all his best clients, and the intelligence on the Czech channel—they’re all ours now."

The men erupted in thunderous applause.

"The East Berlin Black Market used to be fragmented, with each district run by its own crew. The city center was one faction, the East District another, the North District yet another, and nobody answered to anyone else." Werner stood and walked over to a map of East Berlin on the wall. "But things are different now. The city center is ours. The East District is ours. And the petty bosses in the North District are already reaching out to us, looking to cooperate."

Even more enthusiastic applause and cheers filled the office.

"But this isn’t the finish line. It’s just the starting point." Werner held up a hand to quiet them. "The Black Market is volatile. You can seize territory today, only for someone to snatch it away tomorrow. So, we must continue to consolidate and expand."

"Boss, what’s our next move?" Franz asked.

"First, Hans." Werner looked toward Hans. "You’re in charge of integrating the East District. As for Walter’s old crew, keep the ones who are useful. Give the rest severance pay and let them go. Remember, we have principles. We don’t operate like Walter."

"Understood, Boss," Hans nodded, his eyes filled with gratitude.

"Second, Old Pete," Werner continued, "you’re responsible for stabilizing the distribution network in the city center. Tell everyone that prices will remain low for now. We’ll raise them gradually once the market stabilizes."

"Got it, Boss," Old Pete said.

"Third, Franz." Werner turned to Franz. "You’ll continue to handle intelligence and coordination. I want you to figure out Walter’s Czech channel as soon as possible, and see if we can take it over."

"No problem!" Franz said, thumping his chest.

"Keller, go talk to those local bosses in the North District. See if you can bring them into the fold."

"No problem, Boss," Keller said.

"And finally..." Werner stood up and walked to the window. "You’ve all worked hard. Everyone gets a five-hundred Mark bonus. And tonight, drinks are on me. Let’s celebrate."

The office erupted with another round of thunderous applause and cheers.

After seeing everyone out, Werner sat alone in his office. He leaned back in his chair, taking stock of his recent gains.

He had not only held onto his original territory in the city center but had also taken three warehouses in the East District—in Lichtenberg, Friedrichshain, and Karlskroost. They were all under his control.

His clientele had expanded as well, now including factory owners and union cadres in the East District, and even some junior and mid-level officers in the Soviet Army.

More importantly, he had acquired intelligence on the Czech smuggling channel, a connection that was still waiting to be developed.

In terms of manpower, the twelve experienced Black Market veterans Hans had brought from the East District were now under his command.

He had now consolidated the new powers in the city center and the East District, shattering the long-standing fragmentation of power. Even the factions in the North District were making friendly overtures.

As for the Stasi, Lainer had earned major credit for cracking the Sokolov case and was quite pleased with him. Their cooperative relationship could now be deepened.

Vonke, having witnessed his capabilities, would continue to use him while also remaining wary.

Through Vonke, Deputy Director Schmidt had also taken notice of this "capable informant." And as for Lorentz, he was politically finished, the threat completely neutralized.

In just a month and a half, he had turned a crisis on its head—transforming from a besieged defender into a conqueror who had not only survived the attack but had turned the tables and absorbed his rival’s territory.

’But he knew this was only the beginning.’

East Berlin was consolidated, but there was still the rest of East Germany: Leipzig, Dresden, Rostock... countless cities waiting for him to tap into. And across the wall in West Berlin, there were limitless business opportunities.

Werner stood up, turned off the lights, and walked out of the office.

He pushed open the door to the building, and the night wind hit his face, carrying the scent of early spring. The snow had completely melted from the streets, revealing wet asphalt underneath.

In the distance, church bells chimed, their sound melodious and profound.

Werner pulled his scarf tighter and disappeared into the night.

In a corner of East Berlin, Lainer was receiving a commendation from Director Herman, a triumphant smile on his face.

In a Stasi records room, the file on Werner Betelich was updated. A note was added: "Important informant. Exceptionally capable. To be monitored closely."

In West Berlin, in the office of an unknown intelligence agency, an agent was reading a report from East Berlin. It mentioned a Black Market merchant named Werner Betelich.

And Werner himself was walking home, already planning his next move.

*************

「March 1962」 The skies over East Berlin were a dreary gray.

Werner sat in his secret office, sipping coffee imported from West Germany and flipping through a ledger.

"Boss, we’ve got a problem," Keller said, bursting through the door. He looked troubled.

Werner looked up. "What is it?"

"There’s some guy from West Germany taking pictures in the Black Market," Keller said. "Old Pete’s men saw him. The fellow was holding a camera, just CLICK, CLICK, CLICKING away."

"What was he photographing?"

"Don’t know." Keller lit a cigarette. "But he was snooping around the Black Market over in Prenzlauer Berg all yesterday afternoon. Didn’t you just make a delivery there last week?"

Werner’s hand, holding his coffee cup, froze in midair.