Chapter Four
Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020
As arranged, everyone had come down for breakfast at eight. For today’s agenda, Oliver, Candy, Jesse and Linda would travel by express train to Munich with only Lieutenant Saunders from the security team on board. However, there would be additional security force members at each stop and at their destination.
John, Tracy, Gene and Amanda would also take the same train but would be traveling separately. The initial visit to the werewolves in Regensburg would be just the four of them while Oliver and the Army team made a big show of investigating the bombing site.
Regensburg was where most of Amanda’s pack lived. It had a population of a hundred and fifty thousand, was about an hour and fifteen minutes north of Munich and an hour and a half west of the Bavarian Forest. Amanda’s parents were meeting the train in Munich and she was very excited.
Once they were well underway on the Inter-City Express (or ICE train), with the city of Berlin falling quickly behind and their speed approaching two hundred miles per hour, John looked around and said, “Wow. This is pretty impressive.” They were in first class, thanks to “P” Branch, and had their own compartment for the four of them equipped with plush armchairs and accessories. There was also a luxurious dining car they could use. “When Tracy told me we were being thrown to the wolves, I had no idea what a wonderful adventure this would be!”
Tracy groaned, looked at Gene and Amanda with exasperation and said, “Please ignore him. His attempt at humor, as usual, is totally inappropriate.”
“Actually,” smiled Amanda, “his comment probablyisappropriate. While I’m excited about seeing my family, I can’t say Gene and I will be getting greeted with open arms by the rest of the pack.”
“Because you mated with Gene rather than his brother?”
“Yes, that … and because we then became rogue wolves, with no pack. Plus, we haven’t been breeding yet.” Amanda grimaced. “I’m supposed to be increasing the werewolf population, if possible. So, I haven’t exactly been fulfilling my destiny. At least … not the destiny my pack’s Alpha had in mind when he arranged for me to be exchanged.”
Gene said, “And now Justine, the girl who my pack exchanged for Amanda? She won’t be breeding any werewolves because she was killed in that bombing. I don’t know what the reason may have been, but she and Johan Gerhard never had any children.”
“Well, setting aside the tragedy of this terrorist bombing,” said Tracy, “I guess I’m finding it difficult to understand this whole destiny business.” She glanced at John briefly and then asked, “What about true love and finding your soulmate?”
John said, “Yeah, your pack should be proud of you and Gene. And, you’re still young. Are you hoping to have children someday?” He saw Tracy was not happy about his blunt question but, hey … if increasing the werewolf population was such a huge issue?
Amanda noticed Tracy being annoyed with John and rushed to say, “Yes, we wouldloveto have children. Until now, we needed to wait. Being in the foreign service, moving around the way we were, and not being in any pack? We just couldn’t risk starting a family.”
Gene smiled and said, “But, thanks to our new jobs on Robert’s team andespeciallynow that we’re members of the New England pack, thanks to Missy … well, we’re actually hoping we can finally start. A family. Hopefully, our children will be werewolves. But, if not, we’ll still be happy. Our destiny will have been fulfilled, either way. We don’t care what Amanda’s former pack might want. Or, my former pack either.”
“Congratulations on making that decision,” said Tracy. “And, we wish you all the luck in the world. May all your dreams come true!” She looked at John and said, “Maybe my tactless, inappropriately behaving boyfriend and I might someday fulfill our dreams as well. Assuming I decide to forgive him, of course.”
John grinned and said, “What happened to our beingsoulmates? Now, I’m merely yourboyfriend? Woe is me, woe is me!” Everyone laughed at this.
They continued to talk about soulmates, werewolf packs and family for the remainder of their trip, only leaving the privacy of their compartment towards the end so they could enjoy a nice meal in the dining car. When they finally arrived in Munich, they had formed a nice friendship which they knew would be a lasting one.
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Oliver and Candace’s arrival at the nightclub where the bombing had occurred five nights earlier was purposely ostentatious with a great deal of fanfare. The media had been alerted and, in spite of the short notice, they were quite happy to take photos and videos for the news and showed up in force. The German people had all watched the previous September when Candace had been dragged before the cameras by WIJO. Her last minute rescue had been a big story. And, now she was there in Munich, showing sympathy for those who had been brutally killed by the same WIJO terrorist organization which had wanted to kill her.
The nightclub was closed and marked off with police tape as a crime scene. But the forensic work and other investigative efforts had been completed so Oliver and Candace were allowed to enter and examine the aftermath. The bomb had been hidden inside a backpack which, in spite of tight security, had somehow been smuggled inside and left under a table near one of the support columns. It had then been detonated by a cell phone signal. In addition to the shrapnel from the devastating blast, there had been a great deal of secondary damage with partial collapse of the roof. Fortunately, there had been no fire afterwards as the sprinkler system had activated. Nonetheless, there was debris everywhere and those in proximity to the bomb had suffered injury or death right away.
The fact that Candace was strikingly beautiful with blond hair, deep blue eyes and a smile which would light up any location certainly added to how well she and her entourage were received. It was no surprise she was surrounded by military guards. The presence of so many from the media then drew large crowds and her visit quickly became a big event. When she was asked to say a few words, she was happy to do so. An interpreter was provided and, after another brilliant performance on her part, she was asked many follow-up questions.
Oliver was very visible at her side and she proudly introduced him as her fiancé. The Army guards did an excellent job of protecting them while Linda and Jesse remained in the background. Linda said, “Now I understand why Marsha Gooding suggested this visit as a way to keep WIJO on the defensive and interfere with whatever plans they might have. This will clearly be the top story on all the news channels and far outweighs any statement made by those terrorists.”
“Yes,” agreed Jesse. “They cannot ignore all this publicity against them and, since Oliver and Missy made themselves visible as demons when they stopped that attack in London, I’m sure Robert’s team will be picking up some Intel concerning WIJO’s reaction to this. Having Oliver here fulfils the promise Missy made to Karimi that actions would be taken against them if there were further attacks. They won’t know what those demon actions might be, of course, and that has to be concerning them now.”
“That’s the real benefit, isn’t it?” chuckled Linda. “That wholedemon lorebusiness which Colonel Schermerhorn talks about. Fear of the unknown can be very debilitating. From the feedback Robert’s team has gotten so far, it’s been very effective. Those WIJO leaders don’t know what to do about our demons.”
“Let’s hope their worry about what Oliver might be doing here will lead to their making some mistakes. Then the promise you heard Candace make to the German people just now for justice will become a reality. While Oliver isn’t really that much of a warrior witch, we’ve brought along Tracy. They don’t actually know about her but they’ll soon learn what justice means if she gets unleashed on them.”
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Amanda’s parents were overjoyed at seeing their daughter get off the train. She had two older brothers who were also there, along with their wives and children. The exuberant greetings as she hugged and kissed each of them were heartwarming. Then the pride and love she exhibited as she introduced each of them to Gene were very obvious. John and Tracy stood by and enjoyed the show and didn’t need any translator. It was a truly wonderful family reunion and they were very touched by it.
They soon piled into several vehicles for the ride out to the family home where a large celebration was waiting. During the trip, Amanda translated what her father was explaining. Yes, there were many pack members who were not happy about the disgrace which Amanda had brought on them but, that didn’t matter. They were pack and had gathered together to celebrate her visit regardless.
John asked, “Does everyone know you’re bringing a couple of outsiders who are not werewolves?” He knew how secretive witches were and had heard werewolves were even more so.
