He did not hesitate, but with a little bundle tucked under his arm, serenely stepped out of the hatch and off into clear morning sky. His body turned and twisted during a soundless plunge toward the earth. The package swung up and opened with a snap like a rifle shot. Beneath a huge wide expanse of fabric, he swung like a pendulum, then descended ever so slowly and safely to earth. The Zeppelin steadily continued on its voyage. Whether he had been noticed abandoning ship and they did not have the inclination or time to turn around to find him, he never knew. Ten minutes later at 7:17 a.m. as he was making his way through the brush and trees to a small village he had noted while descending from the airship, the explosion reported around the world, knocked him off his feet. He picked himself up and made his way to the village. He had secured gold coins in his suit and was easily able to hire a boat and crew to take him hastily down stream to a larger town, then to another that had a telegraph. He reported to an agent in France, who then reported the events to England. They arranged to have him transported by boat then train to Europe. He would be given a new identity and job with other units, as he could not return to Prussia, or be known to have survived the Zeppelin explosion. An agent met us at our hotel in Zurich Switzerland where we were recuperating and anxiously awaiting any news and orders. Mycroft had sent two dispatches, his mission out-briefing and Jack’s letter to me. Mycroft congratulated us on what we had been able to accomplish. The definitive demise of Moriarty insured that malevolent mastermind would never devise another fiendish plot nor command a criminal organization again. The destruction of the experimental munitions plant, obliteration of the weapon prototype and the deaths of the team of Moriarty’s scientist who alone knew how to build the device terminated the threat that it had posed. Although British scientist, technicians and military experts had the basic concepts of Moriarty’s device, without the unique meteor, no more such weapon could be created. They were still unable to comprehend what physical process caused the uranium to cause such a massive explosion. It was quite beyond their current understanding of scientific theories of physics. Perhaps some future day, the horrors of such a weapon would be unleashed upon mankind, but for the immediate future thousand of death would have to be committed with lesser yet gruesome weapons mankind would think up. Mycroft bade me come home and wished me a further uneventful retirement. Two substantial checks would be sent to us, as reward for our services and losses. The letter from Jack was to both Watson and me. It read: “Mr. Holmes and Uncle John, Upon your receipt of this I will have been dead for days or weeks. But I assure you my death bought a significant benefit to mankind and I do not regret for one second that I paid the price. Uncle John I am terribly, terribly sorry I caused the death of your beloved Christy; that I do regret more than I can ever convey to you. I know that by the time you read this, we will be strolling the golden streets of Heaven swapping stories about her time with you in her earthly sojourn. I dearly hope that someday soon you will follow our example and rely upon Jesus for your salvation. I know it seems incompatible with my killing the scientist and destroying all aboard the Zeppelin that was transporting Moriarty’s fiendish devil inspired weapon, with my claim to be a true Christian. I may have to explain myself to Jesus, but I know that even the Holy Spirit killed two Christians who merely lied to Him over money. My lies and deceptions were not to myself or to God, but to earthly agents of Satan. I did it not for selfish gain, but for humanity’s benefit. Maybe I cannot rightly justify my actions, maybe I am entirely wrong. The fact is I have a loophole. Jesus died for all of my sins, those I engaged in before I knew better and those I did anyway after I committed my self to Christ. I will have His unblemished coverings on when I appear before the Great White Throne. My judgment has been waived, my cleanliness imputed. Mr. Holmes, I truly regret having you involved with your close friend’s wife’s murder. I know that although you to have been involved in many dreadful deaths, this one was personal. It was my instigation to involve you and abuse my Uncle’s relationship to get to meet you and turn over the technical papers I had copied. I apologize to you both for my underestimation of my cover. We spent so little time together and under circumstances that did not encourage familiarity, I never got to really know you the person behind those marvelous exploits my Uncle chronicled. So this is my apology and final goodbye to you both, Jack Grimm” The case was closed. I parted with my dear old friend Watson, as he headed back to London alone, really alone without his beloved wife. He let me know that I was not required at the belated funeral ceremony for his wife he would be conducting upon his return. I was not required nor it seems wanted.