Origins of the Prime

by Christopher Vale

  Dr. Holger smiled at him. “It is not a trick, Herr Doctor,” he said. “Their strength is…staggering.”

  Dr. Volker slapped Dr. Holger on the shoulder. “Well done, Herbert. Your, err, pupils are quite impressive,” he said. “I think it is time we showed this off. Let everyone know the success of our program. You will bring them to Berlin for a demonstration.”

  “Berlin?” Dr. Holger asked. “And who will be there?”

  “Colonel Arnulf is anxious to see your work himself.”

  “Of course, Herr Doctor,” Dr. Holger said trying to hide the fear in his voice.

  “Freyr and Freyja shall be there as well,” Volker said smiling at his greatest achievement to date. “It will be quite the spectacle.”

  “Of that I have no doubt,” Holger mumbled.

  Dr. Volker was excited when he left. He was certain that he would be rewarded for his department’s success. Like many Nazis, he ignored the inconvenient fact that it was too late. The Allies were moving in on all sides and there was nothing that could stop them now. Certainly not a handful of young children, even if they did possess incredible superhuman powers and abilities.

  Dr. Holger smiled down at his “pupils” as Dr. Volker had called them. Dr. Holger thought of them more as his children than his pupils. He and his staff had raised them from infancy, and he was the closest thing to a father any of them had. Furthermore, Holger had never married and had no children of his own. They were as much family to him as anyone he knew.

  “Well done, children,” he smiled proudly at them and they smiled back. Then he knelt down and held his arms wide. The four children rushed to him excitedly, wrapping their arms around him. He tried to enjoy the moment, knowing that it would not last for long. He did not want to go to Berlin. He wanted to stay right there where the Americans or British would certainly soon reach his laboratory and would free these children.

  Unlike Dr. Volker, who had been a card carrying Nazi for years, Dr. Holger was not a Nazi idealist. Sure, he was a member of the party, just as everyone who wanted to eat and stay out of the camps were, but he did not believe in the Nazi ideas of racial purity. He did however, believe that mankind had the capability to scientifically improve itself physically. None of these children were of pure Aryan blood. Axel and Rolf’s mother was a Polish Jew and Kristel and Gerd’s mother was Slavic. Yet look at the amazing things science had accomplished with them. Dr. Holger was quite proud of these achievements, even while conveniently forgetting about the hundreds of women who had to die to make it a reality, and the role he played in that.

  “We will be going to Berlin,” he told the children. They each glanced at the others. “Berlin is different. There will be people there that are not scientists. They will each have their own agenda and it may be different from ours. Do you understand?”

  Axel and Kristel nodded. Gerd and Rolf were perplexed, but they smiled at the doctor anyway.

  ***

  Axel laid in his bed, staring at the ceiling of the small room he shared with Rolf while his brother snored gently from his own bed. Axel didn’t know why, but he was nervous about the demonstration in Berlin. He heard a tap on the door and sat up. He watched as the door slowly opened and Kristel stuck her head inside. He smiled at her and she waved for him to follow her.

  Axel tossed the blankets off and swung his feet down to the cold floor. He glanced back, checking one more time to make sure Rolf was still asleep and then crossed the room and stepped through the door. Kristel smiled and took Axel by the hand leading him through Dr. Holger’s lab, past the bedroom the on-duty technician used, and up the stairs. They went all the way up to the top and Kristel unlocked the door, opened it, and stepped out onto the roof.

  The night air was cool as Kristel and Axel strolled across the roof, she in a gown and he in pajamas. It was not their first time to sneak up to the roof. In fact, they did so about once a week. The two children had a lot in common. Besides the obvious, that they lived in the same lab, had been genetically engineered by German scientists and were the same age, they also both had twin brothers with amazing size and strength, but underdeveloped mental capacity. Because of the latter, Axel and Kristel could not really share their thoughts and fears with Rolf and Gerd. Thus, they became each other’s confidant.

  The two children sat at the edge of the roof, feet dangling over the edge as they held each other’s hand and stared out into the night sky. After a while, Kristel turned to Axel. “I couldn’t sleep,” she said.

  “Me either,” he replied.

  “Are you scared of going to that Berlin place? ‘Cause I am.”

  Axel nodded. “Yeah.”

  “I wish my mother was here,” Kristel said. “I keep thinking about her.”

  Axel turned to stare at her quizzically. “You know your mother?” he asked, clearly confused.

  “No,” she replied with a shake of her head as she stared down at the ground below. “I just wish I did. I wish she were here.” She then turned to look at Axel. “Do you ever think about your mother?”

  Axel nodded. “I sometimes pretend that I’m talking to her at night, you know, when I’m lying in bed.”

  “Me too,” Kristel said with a wide grin.

  Axel smiled. He couldn’t help but think about how pretty she looked. “I tell her when I’m scared or hurt. Just whenever I need someone. It’s nice to have someone to talk to.”

  Kristel laid her head on Axel’s shoulder. “You’re my best friend,” she whispered. “You can always talk to me.”

  “You’re my best friend too,” Axel said.

  “Promise me we’ll always be together,” Kristel said.

  “I promise,” he said, the thought of such a strange occurrence as their separation perplexing him. “Why wouldn’t we be together?”

  Kristel ignored the question and just stared off into the night in silence.

  ***

  Axel stood between Rolf and Kristel, holding onto both of their hands nervously as they watched the two older children fight and defeat four burly German men in hand-to-hand combat. The children were introduced as Freyr and Freyja, born from pure Aryan blood, the pride of the Fuhrer.

  The twin Aryans were five years older than Axel and his friends, but carried a maturity to them that went even further beyond their ten years. Even though young, they had rippling muscles which were evident in their matching uniforms, a combination of gymnastics leotard and military fatigues. Freyr and Freyja both had hair so blond it almost shone and eyes that sparkled blue, virtual poster children for the master race. When they finished defeating the burly men, they stood facing the gathered scientists and military officers, their faces stoic and their hands clasped firmly behind their backs. The dignitaries erupted into loud applause at the twin’s impressive demonstration.

  Colonel Arnulf was there, standing at the center of the spectators. He turned and smiled happily at Dr. Volker. Both men appeared very pleased with Freyr’s and Freyja’s progress. The twins stepped to the side and Dr. Holger was called forward to present his “pupils.” Dr. Holger gave the children a little wink before stepping forth and proceeding with a similar demonstration to the one he had given to Dr. Volker a few days earlier. Everyone was astounded by Kristel’s speed, and though most awed at Axel’s light bulb trick, Colonel Arnulf seemed less than impressed. He held up his hand and stopped the demonstration.

  “That is certainly a cute trick, Herr Doctor, but can these children fight?” he asked Holger. “Does Axel’s electrical abilities have any military applications?”

  “I believe so, Herr Colonel,” Doctor Holger said.

  “Colonel, if I may,” Dr. Volker began, interrupting Dr. Holger and receiving a nod from Arnulf. “We believe that Axel becomes more powerful the more emotional he gets and thus in a fight, should be able to call forth the electricity militarily.” Axel’s eyes leapt to Dr. Holger. The doctor saw the fear in them, but held up his hand to signal Axel to remain calm.

  “Excellent,” Colonel
Arnulf said. He smiled at Axel as he remembered how Axel’s mother’s strength had been triggered that night in Poland. He thought of a similar trigger. “Let us see him fight the girl,” the Colonel said.

  “Excuse me Herr Colonel?” Dr. Holger said.

  Arnulf ignored him. Instead he pulled the long knife he carried opposite his side arm on his belt from its sheath. “Come here, Kristel,” he said smiling gently at her. She hesitated. “It is alright,” he said. “Come.” Kristel turned back to Holger who nodded at her. She slowly walked to the Colonel, her chin pressed against her chest. He handed her the knife with a smile. “Now,” he said, “I want you to cut Axel.”

  Kristel shook her head. “No, Herr Colonel, I cannot.”

  “My dear, I am not asking you to cut him, I am ordering you to cut him,” Arnulf said.

  “I cannot Herr Colonel, he is my best friend.”

  Arnulf sighed. “That is disappointing.” He drew his pistol and pointed it at her. “If you will not obey orders then you are no good to me and I shall shoot you dead right here.”

  Her eyes darted to Dr. Holger as tears began to pour from them, but Holger would not look at her. Instead he held his face hidden in his hand. Kristel was trembling as she slowly walked toward Axel, holding the long knife in front of her. Axel trembled as well and pulled back when Kristel got close.

  “Cut him!” Arnulf shouted. Kristel glanced back at Arnulf and then swung the knife at Axel, at the same speed as a normal child, which of course, Axel deflected with ease. The pistol rang out and and Kristel felt the bullet whiz by her head. She looked at Arnulf again. “When I count to three I am going to pull the trigger. This time someone will die. It may be you, it may be Axel, or Gerd or Rolf. The only way to stop me is if Axel is bleeding.” Kristel started to breath heavily, as if about to have a panic attack. “One,” Arnulf said. “Two.” Then in a flash Kristel ran past Axel, while slicing him with the blade. Axel screamed in pain and then began to sob. He looked up at Dr. Holger for comfort, hoping he would intercede as a child would expect his father to do in such a situation, but the man did not move.

  “I’m sorry, Axel!” Kristel cried.

  “Do not be sorry my dear, you did well,” Arnulf sneered. “Now do it again.” Kristel hesitated. “One,” he began and then Kristel cut Axel again, moving with a blur of speed. Axel screamed in pain. “Again!” Arnulf shouted and Kristel sliced him again. It was repeated over and over. Axel was on his knees crying as hard as he could, tears pouring down his red cheeks. “He is weak and pathetic,” Arnulf said. “Kill him.”

  “Herr Colonel, I…” Dr. Holger began, but the pistol jumped to aim at him.

  “I will kill you and all of them if you open you mouth one more time without permission, Herr Doctor.” Dr. Holger timidly nodded his understanding, swallowing hard and looking away before the pistol was once again trained on Kristel. “Kill him, Kristel, or I shall kill you and your brother.”

  Kristel turned toward Axel. “I’m sorry,” she sobbed through her tears and flashed toward Axel, the knife raised above her head. Just as she reached him a bubble of blue energy surrounded Axel, protecting him and charging through Kristel’s body with a jolt that sent her flying backward to land several feet away in a clump on the floor.

  “Yes!” shouted Arnulf. He began to clap and the others in the room followed suit. Holger rushed to Kristel to help her. She was dazed but conscious. “Excellent job Axel! Excellent!” Arnulf said then turned to Kristel as Holger helped her to her feet. “And well done by you too, my dear. You are going to make an excellent soldier.” He looked at both of them and then his eyes leapt to Gerd and Rolf. “Alright, Dr. Holger, how about these two?”

  Holger straightened and looked at Gerd and Rolf. “W-well they h-have incredible strength,” he stammered.

  “Wonderful,” Arnulf said, smiling brightly. “Let us see it.”

  Gerd and Rolf each demonstrated their respective strength by lifting the two-hundred pound barbell as before. As they did so, Axel and Kristel were seen to by a medic. Axel received bandages, but was assured that the cuts were not deep. He would be just fine. Axel nodded as he wiped tears from his eyes. Kristel was alright, and recovering quickly from her jolt.

  They left the medics and Kristel joined Axel. “I’m sorry, Axel,” she said. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

  “It is alright,” he replied. “It wasn’t your fault.” Axel’s attention was jerked to Rolf and Gerd as he heard Arnulf’s voice ring out above the applause.

  “Now, let’s see them fight,” Arnulf said with a grin.

  “Herr Colonel, I don’t think…” Holger began, but Arnulf interrupted him with a cold stare.

  “If you would prefer, I could have Freyr and Freyja fight them, Herr Doctor,” the Colonel said. Holger glanced at the Aryan twins seeing them smile, relishing the idea of beating up on the two. Holger feared they would likely kill his boys. “No, Herr Colonel,” Holger said.

  Arnulf looked at Gerd and Rolf. “Fight,” he said. “Fight each other.” Instead of fighting, however, the two just stared blankly at one another. Arnulf was visibly frustrated and drew his pistol once again. He stepped over to Rolf and aimed the pistol at the boy’s head. “Hit him,” Arnulf said but instead of obeying, Rolf began to cry, sobbing into his hands. Arnulf rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed. He raised the pistol to aim it at Gerd. “Hit him,” he told Gerd as he motioned to Rolf. “Hit him or I’ll shoot you.” Gerd slowly walked up to Rolf and hit him in the shoulder. It was not very hard, but the way Rolf reacted one would have thought his arm had been torn off. Rolf screamed an agonizing shriek as his opposite hand flew to his shoulder. Arnulf laughed. This caused Gerd to laugh. “Good boy, Gerd,” Arnulf said. “Now hit him in the face.” Gerd laughed as he punched Rolf in the face. This time the punch was hard and sent blood flying from the other boy’s mouth. Arnulf laughed again causing Gerd to laugh more, thinking it was a fun game. “Hit him harder, Gerd,” Arnulf smiled. Gerd reared back and slammed his fist into Rolf knocking the other boy down to the ground. Rolf pulled himself into a ball and began to scream and cry.

  Arnulf patted Gerd on the back like a proud father. “Good job Gerd,” he said. Arnulf turned to one of the other officers and motioned for something. The officer stepped forward, holding a sledge hammer and handed it to Arnulf. Arnulf turned and handed the hammer to Gerd. “Take this Gerd. Hit him with it. Smash his head.” Gerd smiled back at Arnulf as he took the hammer, and began to raise it over his head.

  “No!” Axel, Dr. Holger, and Kristel shouted in unison and Gerd’s eyes leapt to them.

  “Don’t do it Gerd, it will kill him!” Kristel cried.

  “Shut-up!” Arnulf snapped. He then turned back to Gerd. The boy wasn’t laughing anymore. He finally realized that he had hurt his friend. He lowered the hammer and began to cry. “Ignore them Gerd. Do it. Kill him.”

  “No,” Gerd snapped angrily. “Rolf is my friend.”

  Arnulf straightened. He was fuming. He marched over to Kristel and snatched her by the hair and dragged her over to stand beside Gerd. Arnulf placed the barrel of his pistol against Kristel’s temple. “Kill him, Gerd, or I kill your sister.” Gerd sobbed harder. “I’ll give you to the count of three. One. Two,” he said and pulled the hammer back on the pistol. Gerd raised the hammer. He looked at Kristel and then back at Rolf. “Three.” Arnulf said.

  “Nooooo!” Axel shouted and as he did so a blue bolt of energy leapt from his fingers and slammed into Arnulf, blowing the Colonel back against the wall to collapse in a clump. Everyone in the room stared at Arnulf’s unmoving body in stunned silence. Then all heads turned as one to face Axel. Soldiers drew pistols and aimed them at the boy, but Axel had only just begun. There were more flashes of blue energy and more men fell into clumps. Gerd dropped the hammer and fled from the room dashing down the hall away from everyone.

  “Gerd!” Kristel shouted and flashed away after him.

  Dr. Volker ran and hid by the stairwell. Dr. Holger
dashed over to Rolf and scooped him up, forced to toss him over his shoulder to carry him as he weighed almost as much as an adult. Axel continued to throw lightning bolts at anyone who dared to show his head, his rage evident in the furious screams that leapt from his lips with each bolt. Soldiers fired blindly at him from anywhere they could find to hide, desperately trying to avoid the lightning emanating from the boy.

  Suddenly, Axel fell flat onto his face as something slammed hard into his back. He rolled over on the floor to see Freyr towering above him sneering down. Freyr raised his boot to stop on Axel’s face, but before he could bring his foot down Axel blasted him with a bolt of lightning sending him flying backward several yards.

  “Axel!” Holger shouted as the boy pushed himself to his feet. “Let’s go!”

  Axel ran, following the doctor down the hall, with Holger carrying a still sobbing and petrified Rolf.

  “Where are Kris and Gerd?” Axel asked.

  “I don’t know,” Holger replied sharply.

  The two of them glanced about frantically, but the other children were nowhere to be seen. “We have to get you out of here,” Holger said. “After what you did, they will kill you for sure.”

  Axel followed the doctor out of the facility to the doctor’s car. Holger laid Rolf down on the seat and Axel climbed in beside him. Holger slammed the door closed and ran around to the other side, jumping into the driver’s seat.

  “We can’t leave Kristel and Gerd!” Axel cried.

  “We have no choice,” Holger returned.

  “But…” Axel began, but Holger cut him off.

  “I’ll come back for them, I promise,” he said. “But if you are caught, they will certainly kill you for what you did.

  “Doctor,” Axel began.

  “Axel, let me get you home and I’ll come back and get Kristel and Gerd.”