This news greatly impressed both Klauss and Hans. Nothing had been more frustrating than their being completely helpless concerning the loss of their pack members and family. To realize that one of their own might possibly be taking some action was quite an eye opener and put a whole new light on things. Klauss looked at Gene and Amanda with some respect now. Then he looked at Tracy and asked, with a huge grin on his face, “Just how powerful a witch are you, young lady?”
John said, “Oh, she’s more powerful than a locomotive! And, my sister’s faster than a speeding bullet. They’re Supergirls!” This got some laughs from everyone.
“I did warn you how he likes to exaggerate,” said Tracy. “Even so, our task force has indeed been very successful and, as Amanda stated, we will be doing everything possible to defeat those WIJO terrorists.”
They discussed the nightclub bombing but no one had any useful information. Johan and Justine had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time and been unfortunate victims. Klauss and Hans gave assurances that if anything further was learned, it would be passed along to Amanda.
The rest of the visit went very well after that, with Amanda getting to see and be seen by everyone. There of course was plenty of food and by the time they needed to leave in order to catch the last train back to Berlin, it was agreed the day had been a very fulfilling and satisfying success.
When they boarded the train and met up with Candace and her team, their sentiment was similar. Candace and her entourage had visited all the injured victims at the various hospitals and homes for those who’d been released. The newspapers and film crews had obtained more than enough to assure coverage of the event would be in the news for several days.
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Talib Mansoor had learned from his embassy source that Candace and Oliver would be back there the next day for the official tour but had gone down to Munich that day to visit the nightclub where the bombing had occurred. He had a man located in Munich and had directed him to observe the area from a distance and report what, if anything, he might see going on.
Late in the afternoon, that report came in. The Axtell girl’s visit had been a big event and had received tons of media coverage. It would no doubt be the lead story that evening and have several follow-up stories for days after that. Several international outlets would surely be picking up the story and the internet coverage would be going viral.
Not only had the girl given speeches in front of the nightclub but she then had visited all the surviving victims. Plus, there was now a movement called “Justice for Jonah and Justine” which she and her group had somehow started, using the names of two of the deceased victims.
Talib considered all this to be significant enough for immediate relay to his leaders in Afghanistan. Phone calls were made and emails were sent.
Talib then waited to hear back. His team was standing by. However, no actions would be taken without getting word from higher authority.
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When John and Tracy climbed into bed that night it was very, very late and they were thoroughly exhausted. As much as Tracy wanted to express her appreciation to John for the devotion he had pledged that day, she knew their libidos were not able to handle any vigorous lovemaking and she contented herself with merely climbing into John’s warm embrace and snuggling up close. She decided there would definitely be some sexy times the following morning but, for right now? Falling asleep with his arms around her was all she needed and she quickly drifted off to sleep, feeling all was right in the world.
Oliver and Candace also fell asleep right away, almost before their heads hit their pillows. They too had experienced a very satisfying day.
Amanda was keyed up with excitement but, once she and Gene went to bed, they too went right to sleep with her blissful happiness quickly ebbing into peaceful slumber not long after Gene had kissed her goodnight. It had been wonderful seeing her family once again.
For Jesse and Linda, however, things were a little different. They went up to their room together and quickly got ready for bed, with Jesse undressing down to his underwear and climbing under the covers while Linda changed into her nightgown in the bathroom. She left the bathroom light on when she came out, as he had done the night before, and made her way over to her bed. The lights in the room were already turned out.
As she placed the clothing she had removed on top of the suitcase next to her bed and then climbed under the covers, she whispered, “Good night, Jesse.” They had talked on and off for hours that day and she somehow felt she needed to say something.
“Good night, Linda,” replied Jesse in a normal voice. He too wanted to say more and was very much aware of her being right there, in the room with him. In her bed. In her nightgown. After a long pause, he said in a much softer voice, “Sweet dreams!”
There was a short pause. Then she too whispered, “Sweet dreams, Jesse!”
Chapter Six
Wednesday, Mar 18, 2020
When Tracy joined the others for breakfast, she was feeling great. She had promised herself some sexy times when she woke up and John had not disappointed; far from it. She was aglow and ready for whatever the day might bring. She had dressed in one of her best outfits, appropriate for touring Berlin, and knew she looked good. She greeted everyone warmly as she approached their tables and, since John was following along behind, she added just a little extra sway to her hips which she knew he would appreciate.
Apparently, they were the last to arrive; even Lieutenant Saunders was there with a couple of his men, although they weren’t eating but merely sitting at another table nearby. Amanda said, “I love that dress, Tracy! Come sit next to me and tell me where you bought it.” She gestured to the empty seat next to her. She was alone at a table for four and had just sat down with her breakfast.
John said, “Go ahead … I’ll bring you some food. I know what you want.” He headed over towards the buffet dishes.
“Bring me some juice and coffee first,” Tracy called out to him. Then she sat down and told Amanda, “John and I were at Quincy Market last Saturday. I found this dress at a little boutique there but I’m not sure what the store’s name is. But you can’t go wrong if you just check all the shops in that area. I saw lots of great buys.”
“Oh, I’ve heard that,” acknowledged Amanda. “Gene and I haven’t been there yet but it’s high on our list of places to see.”
Tracy glanced around and was amused to see how interested Linda seemed in whatever Captain Bonomo was telling her. They were seated with Candy and Oliver at another table for four nearby. Candy was looking glamourous, as usual, with Oliver proudly at her side.
Gene was just returning with his breakfast and sat down opposite Amanda. Tracy leaned in closer and said in a conspiratorial whisper, “I don’t have any enhanced senses like you guys do but, even so, I’m definitely guessing the good captain’s plan for keeping things platonic with Linda might not last the week.” She wiggled her eyebrows up and down and was clearly inviting them to gossip.
Gene chuckled and said, “You are incorrigible, Tracy! Amanda and I don’t betray secrets. Whatever we might notice about them, or you and John for that matter, will not be shared.”
“Darn! Not even a raging pheromone alert, huh?” giggled Tracy, with no embarrassment whatsoever that he and Amanda could certainly scent what she and John had been doing that morning. “That’s okay. John and I have a little bet going. Ve haf our vays of finding out!”
John placed a glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee in front of Tracy and did the same for himself opposite to her. Hearing her last sentence where she was faking a Russian accent, he asked in a similar manner, “Darlink! Vat mischiev are you up to now?” Then he left to get their breakfast dishes. He returned a few minutes later with heaping plates for Tracy and himself and then took his seat.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” said Tracy, obviously pleased with everything he’d brought. Looking up she said, “I’m really hungry this morning and we need a goo
d meal to start off with.” She and John were taking a half-day walking tour of Berlin while the others would all be touring the embassy again.
They’d be meeting their group and an English-speaking guide at the Neue Prominade 3 which was in the center of the city’s Mitte district. Lieutenant Saunders had arranged transportation for the thirty-minute ride to get there. According to Amanda, there were many historic highlights and landmarks on this tour which ought to provide them an excellent understanding of German history in relation to significant monuments, sites and buildings.
Amanda said, “As I told you yesterday, you’re going to really appreciate seeing Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin Wall, the Holocaust Memorial and all the other things on that tour. But I’m betting you’ll love seeing the Brandenburg Gate the best. Then, once you’ve seen all those places, if you have more time? There are these hop-on, hop-off red buses where you can create your own sightseeing itinerary. These buses all have audio commentary available in English, of course.”
“Yes, that’s what we originally were planning on doing,” said John. “But you convinced us we should start with this Discover Berlin walking tour first. Having an actual person as a guide will definitely be great.”
Tracy said, “Depending on how things go after today, if we have any time here in Berlin for more sightseeing, we definitely will use those buses.” They were all hoping, of course, that the terrorist group would reveal something about itself and they’d be busy following up on leads rather than merely sightseeing.
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Talib Mansoor was getting more and more complaints from the members in his group. Most had only come to Germany recently after extensive training in Afghanistan. He and three others had established both their terrorist cell and liquor store business in Leipzig two years earlier, getting financial assistance from WIJO for that purpose.
Leipzig had a population of six hundred thousand and was a good central location about a hundred miles southwest of Berlin, two hundred fifty miles northeast of Frankfurt and two hundred seventy miles north of Munich. In addition to his store, he now had a large warehouse and several vehicles for making deliveries throughout Germany. He had worked hard to build up his distribution since it made an excellent cover for the attacks which he intended to carry out. The recent members of his cell were easily absorbed into the business as warehouse workers and deliverymen. Keeping all their various munitions hidden away had been easy. The nightclub bombing in Munich had been executed exactly as planned. Mansoor was certain his ambitions for advancing in WIJO would all be coming true.
Thus, he was not willing to allow any complaints to influence him. He was a patient man and had worked too long and too hard to arrange things the way they were in Germany. He had earned the confidence of Mullah Ahmed Kahtar and the other leaders and was not about to take any actions which might risk all he had accomplished. It was enough that Kahtar was willing to wait and see. Hopefully, this visit by Candace Axtell and her demon fiancé would not amount to anything and all the media hype would quickly die down. Then the additional bombings already planned could resume.
He called Kahtar on their secure satellite phone link to brief him on the latest news concerning this visit. Although, satellite phones do disclose exact GPS locations in an insecure manner and can be traced, it was considered secure enough since the calls were encrypted, with no risk of being intercepted and listened to by any high-tech equipment.
After exchanging greetings, Kahtar asked, “What news do you have today about the American visitors, my friend?”
“As expected, they have spent all day at the U.S. Embassy,” Mansoor told him. “The girl gave more speeches there denouncing WIJO and hoping this movement she started yesterday in Munich will continue, even after she leaves. Justice for Johan and Justine. These American infidels love to stir things up with their slogans.”
“Do you know what they plan next?”
“Unfortunately, no. They did not say anything about that and all I know is their military guards will still be with them for several days, wherever they go.”
Kahtar grunted. “Her uncle will not allow them to travel anywhere otherwise. And, of course, that demon Bessom has proven what he can do. But, the girl attends college and this trip sounds like only something she’s doing while her school is on vacation this week.”
“It is good you are keeping track of her like that,” said Mansoor. “Once she is gone, we are ready here to continue our bombings. The new members of my group are complaining, however. They are very anxious to take action and are not happy they must wait.”
“Talib, remind them we are anxious as well but have been interfered with many times now by these demons the U.S. is using against us. Oliver Bessom is a huge threat and so is Missy McCrea. Since West Point cadets are also on vacation this week, it’s very possible McCrea is right there with them along with who knows what other demons. Tell everyone in your group to do as they’re told. For now? We shall continue to wait and see.”
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Tracy slid into the booth and John followed along next to her. They had picked a restaurant their guide Frank had recommended which was famous for its wiener schnitzel and beer. They each ordered a dark beer right away while they reviewed the menu; the drinking age everywhere in Germany was only eighteen so they had no problem ordering after showing their id’s.
“Frank considered it mandatory we experience some of the wonderful beer this country is so famous for,” said Tracy. “He really was great. I’m so glad we listened to Amanda and went on this walking tour.”
“Yeah, only my feet are ready to fall off,” said John. “I freely admit I can’t sustain the pace the way you highly trained West Point cadets can. But, yeah … that tour was fascinating and Frank was perfect. He really knew his German history and had an answer for every question anyone asked today.”
“What are you going to eat? I’m getting the wiener schnitzel, just like he suggested. The way he described it being so tender and perfectly breaded … not too cakey or too thin?”
John nodded and said, “Me too. If it’s as crisp and bursting with flavor as he says, then we’re in for a real treat. My stomach started growling after he told us all that.”
“Of course, since we skipped lunch, your stomach would probably growl at just about anything.” Tracy put down her menu and watched as the waiter served their drinks. After they placed their orders and the waiter left, she took a long drink from her beer. “Ahhh, that’s good. Really, really good!”
John tasted his beer and was equally as impressed. Then he said, “Taking this trip with you just gets better and better. Many magic moments and magnificent memories!”
“Yes, so far. I almost feel guilty having so much fun while everyone else is working hard to find those terrorists.”
“Well, hopefully they’ll succeed and maybe then you’ll be asked to help.” John was proud of the way she wanted to do her part. “It’s not up to you to do it all, you know. It’s enough that what you can do will make a difference and that you’re willing to do that.”
“I suppose. Did you notice how proud Amanda’s parents were when Klauss learned she was working for a task force?” asked Tracy. “When their Alpha realized their daughter was helping, was actually doing something about what happened to Johan and Justine …”
“Exactly. And, all the publicity which Candy is getting, demanding justice for them, will surely lead to something.”
Just then their waiter was back with their order and they watched as he set their dishes in front of them. As they enjoyed their meal they again were thankful they’d had Frank as their guide that day. It was every bit as delicious as he’d described.
Chapter Seven
Mar 18, 2020
Captain Bonomo and Linda had just gone up to their room when Lieutenant Colonel Schermerhorn’s call came in. They sat down side by side on Linda’s bed and Jesse said, “Go ahead, Colonel. We have you on speakerphone.”
“Good news. Missy was ab
le to listen to a call from someone named Talib which was about Candy and Oliver’s visit today at the embassy. He mentioned his group being ready to continue the bombings once you all leave Germany. They’re concerned about interference from demons and are waiting until then before taking any actions.”
“That is good news that Missy managed hearing that,” said Linda, looking at Jesse and grinning. They knew Missy would not only have been invisible, spying on various WIJO leaders in Afghanistan, but was also fluent in Pashto and thus able to listen to everything with her supernatural hearing. “Obviously, our being here triggered that call. Have you traced it back to a location?”
“Yes. We already know it was from somewhere in Leipzig and by morning we should have an exact address. If Talib is associated with that address, we can also identify him by his full name.”
Jesse said, “Great, sir. Leipzig is less than three hours from here. I’ll let our security team know we’ll need them to escort us there tomorrow morning. They have several guards here already but Lieutenant Saunders told me he has more on standby at Ansbach and that he’d want them to travel with us in the event we went anywhere like this.”
They discussed the plan with the lieutenant colonel for a few minutes and then he disconnected so they could make arrangements with the others. Linda said she’d call the other three couples while Jesse called Lieutenant Saunders. They were both pretty excited and, in the euphoria of the moment, Linda gave Jesse a quick hug. Then she went into their bathroom to make her calls.
After speaking to Candace, Amanda and Tracy, she was feeling even more excited and keyed up. She went back into their room and saw that Jesse had finished his call, had gotten undressed and into bed, but was still wide awake and sitting up. There was still one light on over by the small desk but it wasn’t very bright. She smiled at him and said, “Let me get some of my things and then I’ll get ready for bed. Be back in a minute.”
Tracy the Fire Witch Page 4