Chapter 1.1 - Into the Heart of Darkness
The 13 men and women of the Russian, British and American forces, dresses as a rag-tag band of German soldiers, leave about to take a more round-about route to their destination, the Reichsluftfahrt-Ministry. The rest of the combined company are to follow about an hour behind them.
Lena, having spent the last few years in Berlin, is able to double as a local guide. The woods north to the Olympic Stadium are thinner than they used to be, with many trees taken down for materials.
It's a lovely day in April, now that the sun is out, it soon starts to warm up nicely.
Then, the artillery starts again. The shells are not falling anywhere close, but they can be heard continuosly, a rolling thunder, answered by the stakkato gunfire of German 88s and smaller artillery.
Once they have cleared the forest, the little troop enters what seems to be a small village inside the city: A grid of small houses, surrounded by tiny yards and gardens, picket fences all around them. The shutters of all the windows are closed, but there is some movement behind some of the windows. From somewhere, music can be heard, Bach or Mozart, maybe, accentuated by the falling shells.
Once the troop of 13 reaches the other side, you're back in the city of Berlin. Multistory houses line the railway leading east and west. And on the other side is the river Spree.
Either could take you closer to your destination. The railway track will get you easily east, but then you'll have to cut down South, possibly taking you much closer to the fighting than you might want to.
Or you try and find a boat or two on the Spree. That should take you much closer, but may draw more attention than you want.