Chapter 15

Angelika - Like an angel
Truda - Fighting woman
Varick - Protecting Ruler
Harman - Man of the army

Alan sighed, it had been a week so far and still no one was getting where he wanted them to be. Appearing near the training area he watched as Madde and Angelika were flying across the road into the woods. Shaking his head he’d thought that most of them would be starting to get a handle on this by now.

Rounding a corner, he saw that both Varick and Harman were upset at the two women they had just blasted across the road. “Are you actually teaching them or trying to kill them?” Alan asked as he watched the two women reappear beside him.

Harman stood up straight pointing a finger at Alan. “You really left us not much choice. After your demonstration we have been trying to perfect what you showed us. I am still having trouble attuning to exactly what you hit me with!”

“You need me to hit you again eh? Are you a glutton for punishment?” Alan asked as Harman was nodding with a huge smile on his face. Sighing Alan told him, “Alright make your defense again.”

Alan waited as he saw Harman concentrate then his eyes opened and he nodded. Sighing again Alan released a blue ball of energy watching as it stopped within a foot of Harman. With a huge smile Harman held it, well for almost twenty seconds then flew across the road to just inside the wooded area. Nodding Alan waited for Harman to come back.

“Hell yeah! Wait! Was that the same strength as before? That was easier to hold though as I said before I felt it start to eat its way through after 15 seconds.” Harman asked.

“You seem to be finally increasing. I need to test all concerned again,” then he turned to his mother and Madde. “Are you two feeling strong enough to be tested? I can wait on the both of you if you like.”

“I think we will be fine,” Madde said as she looked at Angelika. “Though if you took the both of us last I think it might give us a few moments to rest up.”

“Alright,” Alan said as he concentrated and called the rest of the two groups. The last to appear was Aldrich, an unhappy look on his face. “I am still considering it Aldrich, though these types of moods might convince me otherwise.”

“I thought you could do something in my mind, to prevent me from doing what it is you are afraid I might do.” Aldrich replied.

Sighing Alan nodded, “I can but I have to have the permission of the one I do this to. If there is any resistance then the mind of the one I ‘adjust’ could be seriously damaged. Though there aren’t many I want to do that to, I still don’t enjoy destroying a part of a mind. I can feel your resistance Aldrich, ‘til you are ready I cannot risk it.”

Turning back to the group of people before him Alan nodded to all seven of them. “I am sorry I haven’t been able to help all of you with this training. I am still at an impasse finding the doctor though I am starting to narrow it down. We all know he is here in Germany. We all know he isn’t in the southern section where we are. Of the 357,168 sq km of total area (137,903 sq miles), I know that he isn’t within 267,766.5 sq km (103,385.3 sq miles).”

“That’s about one quarter of Germany! You mean to tell me you have searched three quarters of Germany these last seven days?” Truda asked an incredulous look on her face.

Nodding slowly Alan told them, “I am afraid that I still haven’t found him as of yet. He appears to have a hiding type of field of his own. Though it does appear that he is on the Berlin side of the Elbe river.”

Nodding Emory said, “Berlin, yes as I remember he was in love with that city, though he had no wish to be there long. If I remember right he had a large dwelling 100 kilometers to the north of Berlin. It might help if you were to start there.”

Pausing Alan smiled, “Anything else you can think of Uncle will help. I called all of you here to test you again. Obviously I wasn’t thorough enough the first time. Plus I never tested Emory or Varick, I thought that both of them being as strong as they were wouldn’t need it. I guess I was wrong. As I just showed Harman it appears that no one has gotten the energy wave length yet. Emory I’d like to start with you.?

Emory nodded as he stepped away from the group. Firing a blue bolt Alan smiled as Emory held it for twenty-five seconds before he was pushed backwards to the other side of the road. A moment later he appeared a broad smile on his face. “Well, that was exhilarating!”

Nodding Varick walked to his brother as they traded place. When Varick nodded Alan released another blue bolt. Alan’s smile got even bigger when Varick held the blast for thirty seconds! This was hopeful as he hadn’t thought any of them had progressed this far. Even as Varick flew towards the road Alan could see that it was only about half power.

“I see what you mean about it eating away at the defense Harman.” Turning toward Alan Varick said, “I also see what you mean about we weren’t using the right wave length. As it is now the Doctor could have easily over powered all of us.”

“Alright, Aldrich?” Alan called as the young man stepped up.

Nodding he was ready, Alan released another bolt at the young man. Unlike the last time Aldrich actually held the blast past ten, then fifteen seconds. Finally at nineteen it got through and the man was flying through the air into the woods. Appearing a few moments later with a smile the young man thanked Alan.

Truda smiled hugely, “I hope you are as surprised at my effort Alan.” Taking her place she concentrated then nodded she was ready. Alan released a fifth bolt that headed toward Truda, struck her defenses, then veered off away from her. Well most of it, what was left struck her knocking her down and back.

Alan’s smile was even larger than before, “Finally, one of you has figured out how to divert it!” Shaking his head he stared at Truda. “I’d still say that you have the strongest defense against him Truda. I thought that none of you would get this. Very well done!”

“Thank you, I thought of it a few days ago. I remember you doing something like that earlier when it was just us five training. I thought it might work on any energy so, I have been working on it.” Truda said with a proud look.

Alan nodded then looked to Madde and his mother. “Whichever of you are ready.”

Madde looked at Angelika and nodded stepping forward. Nodding to Alan he released another blue bolt, stopping a foot from her he was pleasantly surprised when most of it reversed back toward him! Raising his hand the bolt turned at a ninety degree angle shooting skyward. Madde was propelled backwards across the road.

Appearing beside Alan she asked, “Was that alright? We both saw what Truda was doing and thought to expand upon it. I can see now what you meant about the energy, yours eats away at one’s defenses. I am afraid that’s why I was only able to deflect part of it.”

“That was excellent! Either way is good, yours deflecting or diverting works. Mother your next.” Alan told Angelika.

Taking her place Alan released a seventh bolt after she nodded she was ready. As with the others it stopped a foot before her though this time most of it was deflected back towards him. Angelika was knocked down with a smile on her face. With an even broader smile Alan raised a hand stopping the bolt. Then just as suddenly it fizzled out! “Now that is a damn good trick!” Angelika said as she got off the ground.

Alan nodded at all of them. “Once you are strong enough being attuned to the energy wave length, you can actually cancel it out. Though I am afraid that none of you are that strong yet. All of you are showing a hell of a lot more improvement than I had at first thought. Some of you even more, you may not be there yet but your potential is very encouraging.”

Alan stopped short when he saw that Emory had suddenly stopped and was stock still. Alan thought a moment then started to curse. That bolt that he’d sent straight up was a damn marker that the Doctor could easily follow! “It is the Doctor’s probe again. It feels a hell of a lot stronger than it was before. I don’t think the hiding field is going to stop it!” Emory was saying.

Pissed, Alan winked out appearing at the south end of the town of Krippen. Alan fired a massive blue bolt north toward Berlin. A moment later he felt the probing energy disappear, then a mental scream from the Doctor. <You bastard! So you have mastered the blue waves! but can you defeat... > Came the Doctor’s thoughts even as Alan was releasing another blue bolt. Again there was a scream of mental anguish. <This isn’t over, bastard!>

Just as suddenly the Doctor was gone as Alan tried to follow him as fast as he could. This time there was far less territory to cover as the Doctor retreated. Finally the Doctor lost Alan near Berlin but not before Alan had eliminated everything south of Berlin to the Elbe. Still he felt he was a lot closer than ever before.

Alan opened up still feeling a fading trace of the Doctor. As quickly as he could he scanned straight north of Berlin. A few moments later the trace was gone but Alan was smiling.

The further straight north of Berlin he went the stronger the feeling of the Doctor he got. Appearing back at the village Alan had a huge smile etched on his face.

“Damn it Alan!” Angelika said as she threw her arms around Alan. “You can’t keep doing this! You had both Truda and I worried to death!”

Truda walked up and actually punched Alan in the arm. “OW! Damn it Truda why in the hell did you do that!?” Alan almost shouted.

“THAT!” Truda said with an angry look on her face, “was for worrying the hell out of my best friend!” Throwing her arms around Alan also, Alan could swear that both of them were crying! Then as they both withdrew saw that they both had in fact been crying!

Truda and Angelika held on to Alan as Angelika kissed him. Truda then gave him a long lingering kiss that seemed to go on forever. “You are far more important than you think Alan.” Angelika whispered in his ear.

“Yes,” Truda was saying in his other ear. “I’d hate to have to bring you back just so I could kick your ass!”

Alan could only stare at them both as they released him and walked away. Shaking his head he turned to look at Harman and Varick. Both of whom threw their hands up in surrender with huge smiles on their faces. Wait?! Harman was smiling? Alright what in the hell was going on?

“You really worried them Alan,” Alan heard the soft voice of Madde. “From the moment you vanished neither of them could feel you. Angelika was beside herself with worry. You really don’t know how lucky you are Alan. I lost my mother not long after I was born.” Sighing Madde went on her voice breaking a bit. “Father could never remarry, he said it was far too painful after she died. I ... I think he blamed himself.”

Alan looked at Madde in shock because of the personal things she was telling him. “I’m sorry Madde, really I am. I was raised with no one, in and out of orphanages, different homes that didn’t want me, just the money involved. I was beaten, many, many times. So bad that finally I was comatose when the state inspector came.”

Alan looked up at Madde seeing that she was distressed not unlike his mother had been when he told her. “I hope that you finally went back and paid that son of a bitch back many times over!”

“No, if there is one thing Mother and the others have taught me is that if I can’t do things like that. If I did then I would be no better. No, I won’t kill unless I have no choice.” Alan explained to her. “That’s another reason I tried to discourage losing it to your emotions. Once you are there it’s very, very difficult to stop.”

“So what happened after the inspector came?” Madde asked him.

“They tried to hide me but the inspector was far smarter than that. When he found me, I swore that the man was going to be sick. I was taken out and placed in protective custody at the hospital for almost a month. Finally I was placed with a loving family. They gave me love and a haven. Though I am afraid it was too late, I was quiet and withdrawn.” Alan told her.