Wolves can't be caught Chapters 7-14

Wolves can’t be caught

Chapter 7
Verheyen questions the students

Inspector Verheyen walked out the room.
“Seal it.” Brand took the police tape from his pocket and sealed the room.
Verheyen patiently waited until Brand was finished.
Then they walked down to the kitchen. It was a small kitchen for such a large student house, but you could also see that of all the mess. Dirty pans, dishes, forks, knives, spoons and spatula’s were piled up on the dresser and the sink was blocked. Brown-orange dishwater from half an hour ago seeped through the sieve of leftovers on the bottom of the sink. In the doorless cabinet was a half eaten dish of moulding spaghetti. The kitchen table was empty except for the bread crumbs, pea’s and drops of sauce, littering the surface. It was less bad on the floor. The bin was filled over and the trash was piling up on the bin against the wall.
Seven students were in the kitchen of which three were sitting on different models of chairs.
Verheyen looked shocked when he saw the messy kitchen.
“Uhm, can’t we better question you in the living room?”
“We can, but there is no table to write on. Please take a seat. Coffee?”
Verheyen pulled a chair out and knocked of the crumbs. He sat down and wanted to put his file on the table, but after a look at the table, he put the file on his lap.
“No thank you, we have a busy schedule.”
Brand shook his head too, he also rather preferred to stand.
“Ohkeey.” Verheyen sighed. “Who first?”
Hein and Koen looked to each other.
“I think it is best for Koen to start, he noticed it first.”
“Good, mister Koen...?”
“Huybregts.”
“Koen Huybregts, you can start your story.”
“Well, I was at my room back from going out and I was drinking a lot of water before going to sleep. But then I heard a lot of noise. Although I was a bit drunk, I can’t sleep with noise. That’s why I chose to live here and not in the centre you see.”
“Hmhm, and at what time exactly did the noise start?”
“Uhm... No idea. But it was this morning.”
Hein jumped in. “About eight o’clock.”
“Yeah, around eight o’clock. Something like that.”
Verheyen nodded and scribbled in his file without touching the table. “Continue.”
“So I went to take a look from where all the noise came from. So I walked down to Willem’s room because that’s where all the noise seemed to come from you know. So I knocked on his door and told him to be quiet but I didn’t get any answer. Instead even more noise came from his room. After that I went back to my room. And a few moments later, I heard somebody scream like a girl.” Koen smiled.
Hein quickly kicked Koen’s leg. “Shut the fuck up...” Hein whispered threatening.
Brand smiled too.
“And that was everything, I think.” Koen ended.
“Ok, if you remember more things, don’t hesitate to say so.” Koen nodded.
“Your turn babe.” Koen pushed Hein with his elbow. Hein looked back with a ‘I’ll get you back’ face and kicked harder this time.
“Uhmm... Yeah. I also heard some noise, but I thought like, whatever, there’s probably somebody err... you know” Hein winked “really hard but then I heard a drunken guy yelling at Willem’s room who later seemed to be Koen here.” He smiled to Koen. “So when Koen’s yelling stopped, I went out of my room to have look what was going on. Because the last time Koen was drunk and yelling on the staircase, he puked in his pants.”
Another student came in between: “What? In his pants? How the fuck did he do that?” Koen looked angry at Hein.
“Gentlemen please, Hein?”
“Oh, ok” He laughed. “Uhh... Oh yeah, I opened my door and saw Koen stumble by. I asked him what happened. And our genius here told me that Willem was having uhh... loud sexual intercourse, which was absolutely not true of course. So I went to Willem’s door to look what was going on and I asked if he was ok, because I heard a lot of noise coming from his room. And then suddenly a gigantic grey glove smashed through the door. That is what that hole caused. Then I ran back to my room and called 112.”
“Ok...” Verheyen kept scribbling in his file. “Oh, by the way, I didn’t get your name.”
“Hein van Baal.”
“Hein... van... Baal... that is.” Verheyen wrote.
“Good, the next one?” Verheyen looked at the other students.
“Nobody?” He asked surprised.
One of the students answered.
“Most of us were at a houseparty in the city and the rest went out.”
“Ok...” Verheyen frowned. “Then we come to the next part of this interrogation: Have you lately noticed something strange or abnormal about Willem?”
The students shoke their heads.
“Are you sure?”
“I only remember that I heard Willem stumbling a bit unstable to his room. But he’s like that every week when he’s wasted.” Koen answered.
“Hm. Ok then. Well, we’re finished here.” Verheyen quickly finished his notes and ended with a loud dot of his pen.
“Of course you all know that it is prohibited to enter Willem’s room?” The students nodded.
“When we know more about Willem, an officer will come by to inform you. And if you remember anything more...” Verheyen gave a small card to Hein. “you can contact us on this number. I wish you all a good day.”

The shrieking front door closed.
Verheyen sucked up cool fresh air. It was a quiet neighborhood. The morning sun had already come up moments ago and although it was winter, it woke nature. Sparrows, robins and doves were watching nearby, hoping to get some food from the two humans.
“It seems like the boys from the lab are already gone. Shall we?”
Brand nodded and seated in the driver’s seat of a grey Opel Astra. Verheyen sat on the passenger’s side. He sighed.
With three gnawing thrusts of the start engine, the Astra came to life and they took off.
They passed an army jeep.
“Brand, what do you think about this case?”
“No wonder he got lost, those students are crazy. How do you ever...”
Trrrriiit... Trrrriiit...
Verheyen opened his mobile phone with a twist.
“Hello, Verheyen here... Yes... uhuh... And where is that? ... ok.... yes... ok.... we’ll be there in a minute.”
He closed his phone.
“Try to turn around Brand.”
“Ok, where are we going?”
“Back to where we came from, but then the other side: in a forest. They found something there. If I’m right, our boys should be there already. So we’ve got to be fast.”
Brand pressed the gas pedal a bit further down.
“Verheyen, I think it’s going to be a busy day today.”
“I’m afraid so too. God, I’m getting too old for this.”



Wolves can’t be caught

Chapter 8
Alone with my tail

Ah, they are finally gone. He hadn’t had the chance to examine his new him.
Willem looked at his stomach. Everything was covered by soft grey fur. And his whole body was bigger. The rest of the world seemed smaller to him. He flexed his biceps.
Fuck yeah!
He looked behind.
Hey! A tail!
Willem grabbed his tail.
It was strange to have a tail.
His tail started wagging.
Funny.
Then he had a look at his front paws.
Wow... Big claws.
He moved one of his claws.
Grrrr... Willem growled. Cool.
Then he looked down.
Those feet, uhm... paws look strange. It looks like he was crouching half way the whole time. Willem bounced up and down.
Wow. It’s funny I can stand straight on my toes like that.
He looked around him again. Everything seemed small.
Then he realised it was his own room.
Oh no, what have I done?
His room was ravaged.
Did I do this? He looked at the wall with the large scratches and then looked at his paws.
Oh yes, to stop my anger.
Anger.
What have I become? His tail stopped wagging.
No, this can’t be true.
He growled. Rage was filling up again.
Steady boy, calm down. That’s what caused the damage in the first place. Ok, ok. Calm now. Let’s get the situation. Ok, my room is destroyed. It is now...
He picked up his watch whose strap was broken from the floor.
It is now almost half past eight,
He dropped the watch.
Ok. Destroyed room. Half past eight. Next question...
What am I?
He knew the answer. But he didn’t want to admit it.
A... a werewolf. He sighed with a growl.
Even how cool it sounds. This is a problem.
All kinds of questions went through his mind.
Will I always be like that? If not, how do I change back to human? What if I hurt someone? What if people find me in this state? What if my friends and family find out?
He could already imagine their faces if he would stuck his muzzle around the corner and growled hello.
Never drinking beer with my mates. Never making fun anymore. Never flirt girls... Come on! How am I ever going to get girlfriend like this?!
Willem never has been good in flirting. He hadn’t has a girlfriend for years. He yearned for just a bit of attention and love from a girl. He sighed with a sad howl.
It is not fair. In the end, I don’t want to be a werewolf. Why is this happening to me?
He wanted to howl, but then he heard a car stopping in front of the student house.
Oh shit, I uncontrollably scared off... Oncontrollable? How can I control myself? By hitting objects? I’m in control of... of my instincts now. How long can I control myself? How often do I become a violent wolf maniac? Shit. I just scared off my roommates. They’re gone now. Probably back to their rooms. Oh no... I know what I would do when I would meet a monster. Especially as a whimp like Hein.
Anger started to pile up again.
Fack! Somebody is walking to the front door!
The front door opened with a loud squeak.
“KLPD inspectors Wolkers and Jansens”
Shit. The police.
“I assume you’re Hein van Baal? ... A 112 call came in from here?”
I must hide.
“Errrr.... yeah. Uhh...Theh.. there’s somthing... no uh... I think a burglar in Willem’s room.”
Shit, where? Hide where?!
“Could you show us where Willem’s room is?”
Everything is broken. I can’t hide behind my desk or bookcase.
“Uhm... second door.”
There they come.
Willem’s sensative ears heard how two men walked up the stairs with every thud. Quickly he pushed himself two meters next to the door against the wall. Like that, they couldn’t see him through the hole.
He heard them stopping in front of his door.
He heard the breathing of the two police officers. One was breathing steadily, the other one was breathing fast and nervous.
“Police KLPD! Open the door!”
Willem startled. That smell...
He heard sounds as like somebody was peering through the hole. He quickly pushed himself against the wall even harder.
“Hello?! This is the police! Open the door or we will force our way in.”
Oh no. Shit. They probably have guns.
Panic, anger and fear started to pile up in Willem’s mind.
I got to get out of here.
He stuck out his muzzle. There was nobody looking through the hole now.
Now or never.
As silent as possible he walked to the window.
He startled. There in the hole, he stared straight into the eyes of the policemen.
All kinds of thoughts entered his mind.
I’ve seen those eyes before! I know him! Because of him I’m werewolf now!
Willem jumped out through the window and landed on his rear paws on the grass. Because of the digitigrade paws and the grass which haven’t been mown for months, he landed softly.  Glass fragments fell behind him as he jumped over the hedge to the neighbors. Then he ran up into the neighborhood.
“He’s escaping!” He heard the werewolf cop calling.
Willem ran. He peered over his shoulder if they were following him.
Shit! He saw how the two policemen jumped into a police car starting the pursuit.
He kept running. Screaming sirens followed him
Fuck! They’re gaining on me!
Something in his head told him he was going into the wrong direction.
Left.
A narrow neighborhood. Good. Poles and thresholds.
Effortlessly he jumped over parked cars. He heard how the suspensions of the police car creaked as it raced over the thresholds with its yelling sirens.
Again left.
Yes! To the forest! There I can lose them!
A feeling in his mind gave him a satisfying feeling.
Suddenly he heard a loud bang. He looked around and saw that a jeep crashed into the police car.
Haha, so long suckers.
He followed the street and then ran into the forest.
He ran further and further into the woods. The soft forest ground felt more comfortable on his rear paws. He slowed down.
A wind breeze blew against his fur.
Slowly the panting stopped.
I recognize this place...
He was standing behind dark green bushes next to a muddy path.
So here I was bitten.
He felt his left shoulder. He lightly felt the scar under his dark grey fur.
Hey, my bike is still here. I’ll get it back later. But I can’t stay here. A pedestrian or cycler may see me.
He walked away from the path. Suddenly his sharp eyes caught something.
Blood?
He followed the trail.
Wait, that’s my blood!
The blood trail stopped.
I fainted here yesterday evening...
Again a cool winter breeze caressed his fur. His tail started to wag.
Hey, I’m not cold. That comes quite handy, a fur like that.
He remembered the cold and wet night. He looked down. The ground was still a bit wet. He looked a bit more up. He saw his abdomen moving on the same pace of his breathing.
Oh... that’s embarrasing. I’m walking around in my shorts.
Because of the transformation, his grey shorts had become to small.
Ashamed he crouched.
Did somebody see me? I need clothes or something. No, even better. I need a disguise. Without any disguise I can’t come nearby other people. I’m lucky I didn’t meet any people during the run.

Now, for clothes. He looked around.
Of course, my room isn’t far from here.
He quickly scanned the gardens from any clothes hanging to dry. But it was winter and nobody was hanging their clothes outside.
Damn, what do I do now?
He walked back to the back garden of his student house.
I can’t walk in just like that.
Then he saw the broken window.
I wonder... maybe this works.
He looked around him if somebody saw him.
Nobody. There is nobody in the living room neither. It seems like the curtains on the upper floors are closed. Perfect.
He heard his roommates having coffee in the kitchen. The kitchen was at the street side so he didn’t have to worry.
He jumped over the fence, ran to the living room, crouched a bit and jumped. His front paws grabbed the window frame. His left paw claws hooked into the wood, but his right paw ended up on a glass fragment.
Willem growled. Wrautsj!
He pulled himself up into his room.
Everything looked the same as when he left except for the door which barely still hang from the hinges.
It seems like I just escaped in time.
His ears rose. The only sounds came from the kitchen.
Good.
He opened his closet which was the only thing still standing straight.
Hmmm. Jeans are too small. Ah, this is what I need.
He pulled on wide dark blue jogging pants. He continued his search.
That sweater is too small too. Dammit, everything is too small.
Oh, this looks reasonable.
He took a dark green T-shirt from his closet.
It was too big anyway, good that it has some use now.
He looked at his furry arms. I need to hide that too.
He picked up a red hoodie.
No, too prominent.
He picked up a dark blue hoodie with zipper. It was too small so he couldn’t close the zipper, but at least his fur on my arms was concealed. By the way, like that he could put on the hood. It felt uncomfortable on his fur though.
He picked up a black hat to camouflage his muzzle. His muzzle could be seen as a shadow of his hat.
Now for his paws.
Effortlessly he pulled up the bookcase and took two big army mittens from it. The mittens were large and made of sturdy leather and water repellent cloth. With difficulty he put on the mitten.
Only his rear paws were left unconcealed. He stared at his feet. No way there is ever going to be a shoe where they’re going to fit in. I need to find a solution for that later.
He looked at himself.
In fact I don’t look that bad after all. Well, except for the fact that I look like a giant police attracting football hooligan. But at least I stay unnoticed in the vicinity of other people.
Good, let’s get out of here.

Willem wanted to jump out of the window, but changed his mind.
What could I need more? I might as well look around for handy stuff.
He looked around his messy room. He took his wallet from his dirty and wet jeans which was still lying on the floor and put it in his pocket. Mobile phone? He took the mobile phone from the ripped jacket and pushed the on-button. The screen lit up for a brief moment but failed a moment later.
Maybe it still works. I recharged the battery yesterday, so it might still work if I let it dry.
He put the mobile phone in his pocket and looked around for more things.
A shaver? He laughed barking.
Then he saw his fallen over little fridge.
Food... He realized he hadn’t any dinner and breakfast. His stomach started to rumble, his muzzle started to produce spittle and his tail started wagging.
He pulled the fridge open and quickly consumed the liverpaste, cheese and slices of ham.
More!
But the only food he smelled was the packaging of the food he just ate. For the rest he only smelled a mix of forest, coffee, molding  spaghetti and bread, puke and beer.
Bah! Willem growled.
He walked to the window, jumped down and ran off after he made sure nobody saw him
Food. Where can I find food?
Suddenly his nose smell something. He looked straight into the direction the rabbit odor came from. His ears peaked and his tail held still.
Hmm... that smells nice. He smiled while his side lips pulled up a bit, revealing sharp teeth.
Stealthily he walked a few hundred meters into the direction of his prey.
He heard how the small rabbit heart beat in the bushes.
There it is, Willem thought.
The rabbit knew he was compromised and ran off. The hunting instinct took over Willem and he started the pursuit. Shortly after that he caught the poor animal in his claws and the rabbit stopped struggling when he bit through its neck spine.
He savored the meat and ate it clean to the bone.
That was nice.
He walked further. He smelled more animals. More rabbits, mice, cats and birds.
No, it was enough for now.
Then he realized he was standing on all four paws. During the hunt he started running on four paws to catch the poor little rabbit.
Awesome.
It felt more familiar to walk on all four.
He lied down and started to ponder.
I just caught and ate a raw rabbit. Uncooked, just raw meat with pieces of fur. No salt, pepper, seasoning or oil. Just like that. Disgusting.
I have to admit it is quite good edible.
In fact, I like it.
So, we’ve solved the food problem. But what’s next?
How long am I going to stay as a wolf? I want to be back the old Willem. With fur, muzzle and paws, I don’t get far in this world.
I feel miserable.
I feel... alone.
He howled.
Then he let his head rest on his front paws.



Wolves can’t be caught

Chapter 9
The colonel’s story

Somebody knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
A soldier with stripes entered the room, closed the door, saluted and clicked with his boots.
“At ease lieutenant.”
The lieutenant adjusted his straight stance to a wide stance and put his hands behind his back.
“Lieutenant, do you know why I called you?”
“Yes sir.”
“Very well, sit down.”
With large steps the lieutenant marched to the desk and sat on one of the two chairs. Behind the desk was a military with lots of stripes sitting in a big office chair. On the desk were a small plant and an old desk lamp with penholders. For the rest, the room was dark grey and had no windows. There was a large bookcase with files, forms and reports up to the ceiling. In the middle of the ceiling there were two humming pale blue light tubes. The light tubes and the desk lamp were the only lights in the room.
“I’m very impressed about your service record Lieutenant Verhoeven.”
The lieutenant just stared at him.
“That is why I’m assigning you a special mission, on which I will be operating on too. But I’ve already told you that, haven’t I?”
The lieutenant nodded.
“Well, back to business. I’m hunting for this beast specie for years. This far underestimated murderous specie must be wiped out. But be careful, because almost nobody acknowledge its existence, it is our duty and our mission to do so without other people knowing. Even not our superior officers. So that means this conversation never happened. Are we clear?”
“Yes colonel Vissers.”
“Good, do you know about which monstrous specie I’m talking about?”
“No idea sir.”
“Wolves, lieutenant. Wolves.”
“Sir? I beg your pardon sir. Aren’t wolves an endangered specie? By the way, there are no wolves in the Netherlands.”
“That is true lieutenant, but I’m not talking about regular wolves... I’m talking about werewolves.”
“Err... Sir?”
“Let me tell you a story lieutenant. It was a cold winter night in West-Germany 1981...”


Wolves can’t be caught

Chapter 10
West-Germany, Gotthards, nearby the East-German border, 24th of December 1981

It was cold that night. It was almost Christmas and everybody was longing for home. But somebody had to guard the border. You’d never know what those communists were up to. Or there might be refugees. Sigh.
Although it was partially clouded, it was freezing. It felt very cold.
Maybe because of the wind. Thought Corporal Diederik Vissers while he hid in his collar and his helmet.
Why did HE have to guard the border? The other guys were playing cards in the barracks and the bunker. Well, an order is an order. Vissers remembered his commander.
A moment the full moon peeked out behind the clouds.
Private Verhoeven has been sick the whole evening and Vissers had to replace him. Luckily his best mate private Breesma was there.
Breesma was a fine soldier and his best friend.
If those DDR communists would ever invade, he could count on him.
Bas Breesma and Diederik Vissers grew up in the same small village and were best friends since they were kids. Together they succeeded military school and they were happy that they were put in the same unit. And now they were standing here at the East-German border.
Vissers heard approaching footsteps behind him. Bas Breesma joined him, wearing a winter coat, winter hat, helmet, gloves and a FN FAL rifle. Now they would follow the fence which was barbed on the top. Together they walked down the frozen path.
“Verhoeven is having a hard time; I think he’s very ill. I heard him throwing up in the toilets.”
“Poor guy, his first foreign service is going badly already.”
On the other side of the fence two DDR-guards with AK74’s walked by on a similar path.
“Gute Weihnachten” One of the guards wished them merry Christmas. They stopped too.
“Gute Weihnachten, Zigarette?”
The East-German soldiers smiled when they saw the American cigarettes. “Bitte.”
Vissers passed each guard a cigarette through the fence. He lit them. He and Breesma took one also. There they stood, silently smoking their cigarette in the cold.
“Es ist doch verdammt kalt nicht?” One of the German guards started.
“Jah... verdammt kalt.” Vissers responded.
The guard realized that the two Dutch soldiers weren’t very good in speaking German and the conversation didn’t go well. So he kept silent.
Everyone smoked their cigarette, wished them a good night and resumed their round.
“Danke für die Zigaretten, guten Nacht.”
“Guten Nacht.“
They continued walking.
Small flakes of snow fell down.
“It’s going to be white Christmas Diederik.”
“Yeah, I think so too.”
The frozen ground slowly started to get covered by a layer of snow. The trees and bushes next to the path started to form white and black silhouettes. A thin layer of snow grew on the helmets and shoulders of the two. The army boots made a crunching noise in the snow.
“Shall we turn?”
They turned around and followed their own trail in the snow.
Suddenly they saw a third set of footsteps in the snow.
“Bas, do you see that?”
They both got their rifles from their shoulders.
“Yes, the footsteps go into the bushes.”
“Wait a minute Bas. Hmm, there is no fresh snow on the trail. He passed by not long ago.”
“I’ll have a look, probably another refugee.”
“Ok, I’ll stay on watch.”
The snow creaked as Breesma followed the trail into the bushes.
The creaking footsteps were heard more distant per minute.
Minutes passed.
Then suddenly Breesma yelled.
“Diederik! Help!” There sounded two loud shots, followed by a terrible scream. “AAaargh!”
Corporal Vissers aimed his FAL rifle at the bushes. He couldn’t see a thing. The trees and bushes formed a mix of white snow and dark branches.
Damned.
“Alarm! Alarm! Insurgent at pole 64!!!” Vissers yelled. He saw two colleagues a few hundred metres running to the bunker.
Vissers stared frightened into the forest. He scanned the forest with his torch.
“Hold on Bas! I’m coming!” He yelled.
The snow creaked as his boots left the path. He clicked his safety off. The torch shone at the trails of Breesma and the stranger.
He went deeper and deeper into the forest. Then he saw Breesma lying in the snow. His rifle lay on the ground a few meters further.
“Bas!!” He ran to Breesma and kneeled. Blood seeped out of Breesma’s neck. He put pressure on the wound, but felt there was no pumping pressure behind it. He grabbed Breesma’s hand to find his pulse.
“No! Bas! Say something!”
Breesma’s skin had become pale and cold.
Suddenly he heard howling nearby. A few ten meters from him stood an immense human-like creature. Vissers startled but regained his courage.
“You will pay for this! Die!” Vissers grabbed his rifle and aimed at the wolf. Although the wolf had already ran away.
His FN FAL spit twenty 7.62x51mm NATO bullets into the direction the wolf went. Vissers dropped the empty magazine, wriggled his pouch for a new one, pushed the new magazine in his rifle with a click, cocked the handle and fired a few more rounds.
It stayed quiet a few seconds. A line of smoke escaped from the barrel as well as the empty rounds which melted the snow.
Behind Vissers four soldiers came running with their rifles drawn. The sergeant was carrying a FN Browning pistol.
“Jesus Christ! Has the third world war begun toda....”
He shut silent when he saw Vissers crying at Breesma’s body.
Then the sergeant ordered: “Get the medics here and report to the base commander!”
One soldier ran back to the bunker.
A few minutes later, a dark green M38A1 Nekaf jeep medic transport covered in snow drove over the path with Bas Breesma’s body in the back stretcher.



Wolves can’t be caught

Chapter 11
Call of duty

“Rev it lieutenant!”
“I don’t want the truck to loose us colonel.”
Colonel Vissers cursed.
Dammit, you won’t get away this time.
The portable police radio creaked.
“Headquarters. Pursuit twelve fourteen Kleerloop Wijderzijdsestraat direction North. Suspect is wearing a grey jogging suit and he is about.. uhm.... more than two metres.”
“Kilo Lima 6. Roger that. All nearby units fifty seven twelve Kleerloop Wijderszijdsestraat in North direction.”
“Lieutenant! Turn right!”
The military Mercedes jeep veered right with flashing blue lights into a neighborhood.
Not far behind the jeep, a DAF army truck followed them.
“We’re close colonel, we got them this time.”
“Don’t feel happy now. I’ll feel happy when I’ve got its dead head in my hands. They’ve escaped several times on the brink of capture.”
“Suspect is going West on Anderzijdsestraat!”
“The police’s pursuit is going quite well.”
“Yes, and that’s why we’ve gotta be there first.”
“Suspect is going South-East Kleerloop Anderzijdsestraat to Bijzijdsestraat.”
“Straight ahead lieutenant!”

“Do you know why we’re driving this fast?” The soldier in the back of the truck asked.
“I don’t know. The colonel has been acting strange lately. We’re now using live rounds during an Urban Mission Training.”
“Yes, definitely this. I don’t want to jeopardize any civilians.”
“Yeah, I’ve got a bad feeling about this. This just doesn’t feel right. Come on, look at the way our driver is driving. It’s like he’s driving for his life.”
The army truck made a sharp turn to the right.
“There we go again.”
The army truck leaned a bit over.
“I wonder what the colonel is up to. Because I’ve never...”
Suddenly a large bang sounded.
“What the hell was that?”
The army truck stopped on the side of the road with peeping brakes.
“Gogogo! Out of the truck ladies!” The sergeant yelled.
The soldiers jumped out of the back of the truck.
Then they saw that the colonel’s car crashed into a police car.
“Holy shit.”
“Help the wounded!” The sergeant ordered.
The sergeant and the corporal ran to the army jeep. The soldier and his mate ran to the police car where two disorientated officers crawled out.
“Are you hurt sir?”
“Yes yeah, I’m fine.”
Then the soldiers saw the police inspector walk to the colonel.
“Wow, they’re having quite a conversation.”
“Yeah, I think that cop is tuff one.”
“Yeah... What do you think he’s saying?”
“I don’t know, but I do know that the colonel is in big trouble now.”


Chapter 12
Vicky

Wolkers was standing in the middle of the forest. The blood trail has stopped. He quickly looked around if someone was near. He sniffed. He smelled that a wolf was nearby. Or at least came through here recently. He could clearly smell the scent.
I have to find him, but I can’t just start yelling. Jansens could hear him.
Wolkers started searching through the bushes.
I’m sure I heard howling from here somewhere. Nope, he hadn’t hid here.
He was sure Willem was here. The first instinct of every new-were is to return to the scene of infection. Maybe his colleagues, who kept a short search, scared Willem off. No, that couldn’t be true. He feared of the boy’s life. If they caught him... Wolkers preferred not to think about the consequences.
A short police siren sounded from his pocket. He grabbed his mobile phone. But before he pushed the green button, he moaned briefly. His muzzle, ears and fur retreated.
“Yes? No... Yes, I’ll be back in a minute. How is our guest doing?... Ok... cya.”
Jansens... Don’t be that impatient. Hmm... I’ve got an idea.
Wolkers scrolled through the telephone register of his mobile phone until he found the right number.
“Hello?... Yes, we have a problem here... yes, he’s gone. I can’t find him.... Yes?... Ok... all right. Bye.” He tucked his phone back into his pocket.
Jansens approached Wolkers.
“Didn’t I tell you to stay with the car?”
“No, you told that you would be there in a minute. And by the way, I’m quite an impatient person.”
“Haha, I realized that a moment ago. If you’re impatient, you shouldn’t have joined the force boy.”
They walked back to the Volvo V50.
“Found something back there?” Jansens asked.
Wolkers stepped into the car.
“Naah...”


“Yeah dad, ok... I will... ok... yeayeah.... yeahes... don’t worry... ok... kisses.”
The girl put away his new Nokia.
“Vicky, was that your dad?” Her friend asked.
“Yes, he’s always concerned about me.”
“Like you’re still a kid.” They laughed.
“Yeah, he’s worried because he’s always gone to work and has little time. Busy at work blabla.”
Her friend giggled.
“So your dad told you he had no time again?”
“Nono, he asked if I could come home early. And he asked if I was at school right now.”
“Oooh, of course you’re at school now!”
“Yes dad! It is break time now!” The two girls laughed.
The two friends were shopping in city’s shopping center during the afternoon. They were in the last class of Cerilius high school and they were free today. It was almost three o’clock and there weren’t a lot of people on the streets.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then?” Her friend asked.
“Yeah, I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye!”
Vicky walked out of the shopping street to her bicycle. He unlocked her bicycle and cycled away.
She cycled on the bicycle path next to city ring. After a while, she turned right, just before a bridge.
He had told her that the new-were would be in the forest. She already knew though. She heard a howl from there somewhere before lunch. She wondered why she was called that late. She is called immediately if the other one couldn’t take care of the new-were for what reason ever. Usually the one who bit the new-were had the responsibility to take care of the new-were. Why hadn’t the biter taken care of the new-were? Hm. Oh well. I’ve done this a few times. But the howl sounded sad though. I hope he is ok.
She changed to higher cycling gear.



Chapter 13
Tailing Verheyen


The shrieking front door closed.
Verheyen sucked up cool fresh air. It was a quiet neighborhood. The morning sun had already come up moments ago and although it was winter, it woke nature. Sparrows, robins and doves were watching nearby, hoping to get some food from the two humans.
“It seems like the boys from the lab are already gone. Shall we?”
Brand nodded and seated in the driver’s seat of a grey Opel Astra. Verheyen sat on the passenger’s side. He sighed.
With three gnawing thrusts of the start engine, the Astra came to life and they took off.

“Ok, there they go.”
He started the military Mercedes G-class terrain vehicle and calmly drove away from his parking spot.
“Try to keep distance, they’re not allowed to see us.”
The soldier behind the wheel nodded.
The soldier in the passengers seat started to phone.
“Yes, we’re following them right now... ok... understood.”
He tucked away his mobile phone.
“Why aren’t we using the radio?”
“You know that the colonel is in deep shit right now? It means his ass if command finds out that he’s still doing this. AND our asses by the way.”
“Ow, then why are you forcing me to do this? This just doesn’t feel right.”
“Because I was forced by the colonel. And if you don’t cooporate, I’ll tell command that you’re using drugs. You do know the no-tolerance policy, do you?”
The driver sighed.
“But don’t think about that. Think about what you’re going to do with the money when the colonel pays up.”
“I hate you.”
“I know.”
“Wait, they’re turning around.”
“Keep driving.”
The grey Opel Astra turned around but the military jeep went straight ahead.
“Ok, now go into that street and turn. Quickly.”
The jeep turned right, turned around without stopping by driving over the pavements and then turned left to keep following the Opel.
“Easy easy... We haven’t lost them.”
“They’re revving up.”
“Keep holding distance, just don’t loose them.”
“Roger that. Wait a second... They’re going back.”
“Interesting.”
The two soldiers in the Mercedes jeep kept following the police men until the Opel slowed down.
“That’s a dead end.”
“Don’t turn, we’ll stop a bit further down the road.”
The Opel turned right and parked at the dead end. There was another police car and a police van. The jeep went straight ahead and stopped a hundred meters further.
“You stay behind the wheel, I’m gonna take a look.”
The soldier stepped out of the car and sneaked into the dead end street.
Wow... Hide. Thanks for the camouflage, dear army. Ah, they’re entering the forest.
The soldier grabbed his binoculars.
It seems like there is an investigation going on.
He left his binoculars hanging from his neck and dialled the colonel again.
“Yes, with Alpha... they stopped at the forest and are investigating something... yes, lotsa cops... yes? Are you sure?... Yes of course sir... Understood sir... Thank you sir.”
The colonel hung up.
The soldier sneaked back to the jeep.
“The colonel doesn’t needs us anymore. He has what he wanted.”
“Oh? That fast?”
“As long he doesn’t blackmail me anymore and that I get my money.”
The jeep left and disappeared into the traffic.


Wolves can’t be caught

Chapter 14
Court marshal and night vision

“What was that all about?!” The brigadier’s head was red of anger.
“Because of you, I’m in big trouble! The state-secretary of Defense demands an explanation how a high ranking officer crashes into a police car in pursuit with a fake blue light, a stolen police radio and an illegally taken truck with a whole squad of reserves armed with live fire Diemaco’s! So now the whole command is accusing ME!” Colonel Vissers kept silent and the brigadier calmed down.
“Ok, there is always another side of the story. Enlighten me.” The brigadier was still panting.
“Brigadier? Uhm... It was just a realistic Urban Mission Training with...”
“Dammit! Don’t fucking lie to me Vissers! I can get you to court marshal!”
The colonel shut his mouth.
“So, tell me what REALLY happened.”
The brigadier waited more than ten seconds but the colonel didn’t answer.
“So we’re going to play the hard way? Good. Ok then... As your commander I am obliged by army command and defense to take action. You take all the responsibility. I have nothing to do with this and I cannot be blamed. You lose your command on Delta Company and you’re demoted. Oh by the way, congratulations with your new rank, captain Vissers. Besides that, you’re sent home for three months for a new screening and investigation. You should be glad I didn’t send you to court marshal. Defense can’t permit any bad publications like Van Gelder and Kroon. ”
The colonel didn’t speak.
“Is that understood colo... captain Vissers?”
“Yes sir.”
“Go to the administration, replace your stripes and hand your firearm at the stock.”
“Yes sir.”
“Get out. I don’t want to see your face around here anymore.”
The colonel left the office.
The brigadier sighed.
“I never thought that such a fine soldier would misbehave like that.”

“And?” the lieutenant asked while Vissers appeared.
“I have my old rank as captain back, they took away my company and I’m suspended for three month. At least my rank is still higher than yours.”
“Sigh... What now?”
“This isn’t finished. I know how to catch him this time.”
“But colonel? Are you going to continue this?”
“Captain lieutenant, captain is my new rank. And yes, I’m going on with this. This afternoon, two men of mine followed a few cops. Soon we will catch those wolves.”
“But... Delta Company was taken away from you?”
“I know, but it doesn’t means there aren’t any soldiers left listening to me.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing.”
“I know very well. Come on, I’m going to swap my stripes.”
The lieutenant followed the captain (colonel) to administration.

“That’s a long time I wore these stripes.”
“Why are we walking to the storage?”
“To fetch equipment.”
Lieutenant Verhoeven watched surprised at captain Vissers.
“We’re going to fetch two pairs of night vision goggles because it will be dark soon.” Captain Vissers looked at his watch. “15 past 5. When it gets dark, it starts.”
“Starts what?”
Captain Vissers looked at the full moon which gradually became visible in the twilight.
“Lieutenant, are you armed?”
“Yes, why?”
“We’re going to need those.”
“Oh but... Weren’t you going to hand in you Glock 17?”
“That’s why we must leave before the brigadier notices.”
“But...”
“No buts lieutenant. I still have my jeep. It is going to be tonight or never.”
They walked into the hall and fetched two pairs of night visions. Then they walked over to the Mercedes jeep and drove away.
The guard at the gate opened the barrier when he saw ‘the colonel’s jeep’.
A telephone rang in the guard house. A second guard answered the phone.
“Yes? ... What?!... He just left... Ok.”
“What was that?” the guard at the barrier asked.
“The colonel...”

“I know where they’re going.”
“Who?”
“The monsters who killed Bas.”
“How do you know?”
“I noticed that werewolves come back to a certain place and I’m quite sure where that place is. My two men found out this afternoon.”
“Where is it then?”
“You’ll see.”
They drove an hour to the city. On the city ring they turned right just before the bridge. Then the jeep drove into a neighborhood. They drove into a dead end. There the captain parked the jeep under the shadow of a tree, not far from the path.
“And now we wait.”
”How long will we stay?”
“Until we catch or kill them.”
“Ow... I’m going to call my wife I won’t be home for dinner.”