The morning edition of Prager Abendblatt hit the streets before the church bells rang.
The headline screamed in bold Gothic font.
"Ten Dead in Sudeten March. Czech Police Open Fire on Unarmed Protesters"
A grainy photograph showed what looked like bodies beneath black cloth.
In the corner of the image, a Czech uniform. Half-visible.
Unconfirmed.
By noon, the photo was in cafés across Vienna, Zurich, Amsterdam.
By dusk, it had reached London.
And none of it had happened.
Beneš stood in the map room with a copy in hand
He held it as if it might stain his gloves.
"This never occurred," Krofta said. "Our agents were stationed in Krásná Lípa all night. There was a protest. No gunfire. No casualties. No crowd over twenty people."
"Then where are the names?" Beneš asked.
"There aren't any," Krejčí answered. "No lists. No relatives interviewed. Just cloth and distance. It's all suggestion."
