Page 183 of Winter of the World (The Century 2)

"Precisely."

Ochs sat back and spread his hands in a gesture of openness. "So you have nothing to hide!"

"Nothing at all."

"Some of those transferred children have died."

Willrich said nothing.

Ochs gently persisted. "That's true, isn't it?"

"I cannot answer you with any certain knowledge, Herr Pastor."

"Ah!" said Ochs. "Because even if one of those children died, you would not be notified."

"As we said before."

"Forgive me the repetition, but I simply want to establish beyond doubt that you cannot be asked to shed light on those deaths."

"Not at all."

Once again Ochs turned to Walter. "I think we're clearing matters up splendidly."

Walter nodded.

Carla wanted to say Nothing has been cleared up!

But Ochs was speaking again. "Approximately how many children have you transferred in, say, the last twelve months?"

"Ten," said Willrich. "Exactly." He smiled complacently. "We scientific men prefer not to deal in approximations."

"Ten patients, out of . . . ?"

"Today we have one hundred and seven children here."

"A very small proportion!" said Ochs.

Carla was getting angry. Ochs was obviously on Willrich's side! Why was her father swallowing this?

Ochs said: "And did those children suffer from one common condition, or a variety?"

"A variety." Willrich opened a folder on his desk. "Idiocy; Down's syndrome; microcephaly; hydrocephaly; malformations of limbs, head, and spinal column; and paralysis."

"These are the types of patients you were instructed to send to Akelberg."

That was a jump. It was the first mention of Akelberg, and the first suggestion that Willrich had received instructions from a higher authority. Perhaps Ochs was more subtle than he had seemed.

Willrich opened his mouth to say something, but Ochs forestalled him with another question. "Were they all to receive the same special treatment?"

Willrich smiled. "Again, I was not informed, so I cannot tell you."

"You simply complied--"

"With my instructions, yes."

Ochs smiled. "You're a judicious man. You choose your words carefully. Were the children all ages?"

"Initially the program was restricted to children under three, but later it was expanded to benefit all ages, yes."

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