Tracy the Fire Witch

by P. G. Allison

  As each member of his team arrived, he explained what had happened and why he had called them in. When they were all gathered in the large meeting room at the warehouse which was also used for his beer, wine and liquor distribution business, he called then all to order.

  “Attention everyone.” He looked at each of the fourteen men on his team. “I have just learned the Infidel whore Candace Axtell is here and has brought one of the U.S. demons with her. This demon was last seen in England two weeks ago when our attack in London was stopped and Abdullah Jawara was arrested. So was his entire team. I have sent word to Mullah Ahmed Kahtar and we will wait here to learn what our leaders will want us to do.”

  One of his men asked, “Why must we wait? Surely it will be Allah’s will that we destroy these abominations!” There was some murmuring around the room indicating many of them agreed. They all knew what an embarrassment it had been when Candace Axtell had been rescued rather than beheaded. It had been rumored an entire village in Afghanistan had been destroyed.

  Mansoor was quick to reply. “We must wait to learn what our leaders say. They have made it very clear there will be no more public failures to disgrace our cause. And, none of us here knows how to defeat the demons which the U.S. is using against us. They are not human. And, they possess great powers. Powers and abilities which we do not yet understand.”

  Another voice asked, “Will they be investigating what we did in Munich? We left no evidence they can find to trace back to us.”

  “Who knows what demons can determine? Or, what they can use to search for us? That has been the problem for all our teams which have failed. We must wait for orders. And, if those orders say we must leave Germany, then we will obey.”

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  Mullah Ahmed Kahtar was also concerned when he received Mansoor’s report. Askar-Samar Karimi had said the U.S. demons would interfere if there were further WIJO attacks. And, now Bessom was in Germany. Attempts to kill him or Candace Axtell had all failed. Even their surveillance teams had failed. Bessom had chased them away with fireballs.

  Mansoor’s team would not be successful in either of these efforts and should probably be pulled out. He began calling the other leaders. Karimi was the first one to get his call and that was his recommendation. But Kahtar thought perhaps they could wait a day or so to see what developed. WIJO had invested a great deal in establishing Mansoor in Germany.

  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 probably is appropriate. 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 would love to 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 and especially now 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 being soulmates? Now, I’m merely your boyfriend? 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 whole demon lore business 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.

  Amanda and her parents exchanged some quick sentences and then Amanda smiled at John. “Yes, my father has told them how you are bringing your soulmate, who happens to be a witch. They’re not thrilled about that but they do understand. Mates are family and can be trusted. So, you both are allowed to visit.”

  “And, I’m guessing they’ll trust John since his sister is the Alpha of the pack you and Gene have just joined, right?” asked Tracy. “Lucky me, having such an esteemed boyfriend … err, soulmate!” She grinned at John.

  There was some more discussion in German. Although Amanda’s parents both understood English, and knew what Tracy had said, they wanted to share their thoughts with their daughter and then let her translate. Finally, Amanda turned to Gene, Tracy and John and said, “They heard about Missy defeating Brody Billiscombe to take over the New England Pack a couple days before hearing from me about our joining that pack. They actually didn’t know until my telling them just now that Missy did that in our behalf. They’re very impressed. There haven’t been very many female Alphas and there have never been any werecats doing this before. The whole werewolf world has taken this news as quite an extraordinary thing.”

  John nodded and said, “Ah, well … there are those in this world who are extraordinary and destined for greatness. Then, there are those of us fortunate enough to be mated to such amazing supernatural beings.” He pulled Tracy in close and hugged her tightly.

  Gene then pulled Amanda over for a big hug and said, “That is so true, John!” The rest of the trip went extremely well with Tracy and Amanda both glowing at being given such praise and affection by their respective mates.

  Chapter Five

  Mar 17, 2020

  Klauss Jäger, the Alpha of the Regensburg pack, was present at the family celebration in Amanda’s honor but was not there to give his blessing. He had agreed to come since Hans Gerhard, his Beta and best friend, had asked that he be there. Hans was mourning the loss of his son and daughter-in-law, as was the rest of the pack, and Klauss had come to pay his respects where so many pack members would be gathering.

  While he had been very upset about the disgrace which Amanda had caused to his pack years ago, he understood the need for him now to show his acceptance. It was a time for the pack to focus on healing. Thus, he was determined to make peace without any recriminations. He was there. However, he would not be giving any blessings to the visitors.

  Amanda listened to her parents’ explanation of how the pack had agreed to assemble and would allow her to visit but that it would be more in honor of Jonah and Justine Gerhard. She then translated all this to the others. As she had indicated on the train, while many would greet them warmly, there would be many more who would merely tolerate their presence. She cautioned them not to take offense at this.

  There were almost fifty members in the pack and most had come to this gathering which was held in the large hall where the pack typically had its meetings. They formed several different groups as they waited for Amanda’s family to bring the visitors around to be introduced. With Amanda’s family guiding them, Gene and Amanda along with John and Tracy slowly worked their way from group to group.

  The first group were close friends of Amanda’s family and they were very gracious in their welcome. There was much oohing and aahing about how much Amanda had changed from the little girl who had left them all those years ago. Amanda remembered them quite well and thanked them for the friendship and support they’d continued to give her family during the years she’d been away.

  Next was Klauss, the Alpha. He nodded at Amanda and then looked at Gene. He said in English, “I have mixed feelings about this visit, as I’m sure you understand. While I cannot forget the wrong which was done, both to my pack and to your father’s pack, I have agreed to not be judgmental. I will say that knowing you two are now accepted in the New England pack does help somewhat.”

  He looked at John and said, “I understand your sister is now leading this New England pack. She is a Shifter but you are not?”

  John answered, “Yes, that is correct. Both that she is their leader and that I am not a Shifter. My destiny lies in a different direction.” He reached over to grab Tracy’s hand and said, “This is where I am bound, body and soul. My life will be devoted to her.”

  Tracy was deeply touched by John’s declaration. Wow. Just when she thought she couldn’t love him any more than she already did, he overwhelmed her and made her heart explode. She rushed to say, “My soulmate likes to exaggerate. I do love him for saying that, of course. But it is his sister Missy who is gifted by the Fates for greatness.”

  Klauss looked at Tracy and smiled. “My information is that you are a very powerful witch. Those Fates you speak of have gifted you with supernatural abilities as well, then.” Looking at everyone, he said, “All right. I do find it interesting that our Amanda has somehow ended u
p a member in such a distinguished pack, the largest and strongest in the U.S. I also find it interesting that this visit is somehow connected with that of Candace Axtell’s visit.” He looked over to Hans who had been quietly standing there during all of this. “I’m told she is here in Munich today, making speeches about justice for Johan and Justine.”

  Gene said, “Amanda and I now work for an anti-terrorist task force. We agreed to introduce Candace at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin since, in our former jobs, we were in America’s foreign service and got to know many staff members now at that embassy. While we cannot discuss any details, it’s hoped those speeches Candace is giving will lead to identifying the terrorists responsible for that bombing.”

  “So, your visit is part of an investigation by that task force of yours?” asked Hans. Everyone knew Candace Axtell was the niece of General Blake, who was in charge of the U.S. forces in the Mid-East. For there to be some linkage between her visit and an American task force investigation was something he could see being very credible.

  Amanda said, “Yes, but that’s all we can probably tell you.” She looked at Tracy and then back at Klauss and Hans. “Although … maybe we can trust you with just a little more information. My pack leader Missy? She and Tracy were the ones who rescued Candace last September over in Afghanistan. This task force Gene and I are working for has many resources, has been very successful against WIJO terrorists and, yeah. We will be doing everything possible to obtain justice for all those who were killed or injured at that nightclub.”