Part Two

The members of the group had to meet ahead of time, of course. Not only to become familiar with each other but also to be briefed on and trained for their roles in the upcoming raid. Most had already met, and even already trained some together. This all took place on a joint Royal Air Force and US Army Air Corps training ground, to which Aaron was taken in Mastermind's own staff car. The team was actually housed in a secure and separate area. Not only were the British and US forces assigned to the base kept apart from each other, but the civilian team which Aaron had just joined was supposed to be kept separate from both groups.

Of course, this intent was much more easily ordered than followed. For all three groups.

"I am very pleased to welcome you to our team," said Commander Zero, as he shook hands with Aaron. He dismissed the corporal who had driven the American to the team's assigned, isolated barracks, then continued in a more confidential manner. "I'm told you are the only other military veteran in our little group. I'm hoping you'll be able to instill a little discipline."

He had a middle-class, northern England accent, but a vocabulary - and manner - reflecting most of a life spent in the military. Physically he was very stocky, but also quite athletic. Aaron knew from reports of his exploits that the man was mildly superhuman in every aspect, including his resilience.

"Having worked with Tallman I know he can be rather free spirited," said Aaron, dryly, as they entered the relatively new Quonset hut. "Are the others really all that bad?"

"Well, they're all civilians, so I didn't have high hopes going in," said Zero, with a sigh, as he saw that the room was empty. "Especially since we have a woman on the team. Your quarters will be in the same attached building as mine. I consider you my second in command. By the way, you'll need to change into the same jumpsuits as the others wear. There's several pair in your size in your wardrobe."

Aaron nodded. He preferred wearing flannel shirts and jeans, but was flexible about his clothing.

"I've been on civilian teams with women," said Aaron, as he was escorted out the rear door of the hut, along a short, covered pathway of the same apparent age as the main building and into the much smaller - and older - attached officers' barracks. "As with men, the individual's inclinations are more important than their sex."

"True," said Zero, a bit reluctantly. He showed Aaron his small but functional quarters. "However, I'm speaking of logistics. We had to wall off part of the barracks just for her, as well as supplying a separate shower facility and so forth."

Commander Zero waited in his quarters for Aaron to change, which didn't take long. Even though Aaron took a moment to examine himself in the small mirror which came with his room. The American noted there were no insignia on the plain, blue jumpsuit, while Commander Zero wore a regular British Army uniform with a Colonel's rank insignia and multiple campaign ribbons plus multiple medals. Once back together, the two men returned to the common area. Aaron noticed that Commando Zero was looking around the room again, this time scowling.

"I, uh, gather that there's supposed to be someone here?"

"All of them are supposed to be here," said Zero, sourly. "That includes their instructor for this afternoon. They're supposed to be getting training in the use and maintenance of the STEN gun."

"That's something I could use, being trained only in the bolt-action rifle and the French 73," said Aaron, wryly. "Though I grew up around firearms and can usually handle them competently."

"One of the reasons, I believe, Mastermind selected you. Come on, then, let's see if we can find them."

As it turned out, the team and their instructor weren't far from the barracks. They were assembled on the ground in an arc in front of their instructor, sitting in the shade of a stand of trees not far from the rear of the barracks. Aaron could see that the team members wore the same military-style fatigues with no markings which he had been issued. Though the man teaching them was regular British Army.

Sergeant Wilfrey had a STEN submachinegun in pieces on a folding table, and was going over one part with a solvent-soaked, small brass brush. He exchanged salutes with Commander Zero and continued with the instruction. Zero and Aaron stood nearby, watching.

"There, nice and clean! Just dry it off thoroughly, then give it a light coat of oil. As long as you take care of the carbon buildup and keep your gun properly lubricated there should be no problems. Any questions?"

There were none. After the class ended, Zero introduced Aaron to the group.

"Good to see you again, Knotsoe," said Aaron, as he and Tallman warmly greeted each other.

"Likewise. With you on board this little enterprise of ours just got a big boost." He laughed. "We might actually have survivors!"

The others looked at the pair a bit askance at that - except for Commander Zero, who instead gave Tallman a disapproving look - but they said nothing.

* * *

Dinner that evening was in the air base's mess hall, though the group sat at their own, isolated table. Still, they were gathered in the same room as the other diners.

"This arrangement seems unreasonably public for a secret operation," said Aaron, concerned, in a low voice.

"There's so much secret stuff going on these days that the average person just pays it no attention," said Commander Zero, confidently. "Besides, sometimes secrecy just has to yield to pragmatism."

"That doesn't seem very reasonable," said Molly, her tone doubtful. She was a native Puerto Rican, a dark-skinned, exotic beauty. "I mean, what if the Nazis get wind of our project?"

"Our enemies are people who prize dogma over data," said Aaron, still speaking quietly, and apparently from personal experience. "Wishful thinking over objective analysis. If they think something of theirs is secret, it would take a great deal to change their minds about its status. They are also very compartmentalized, with the compartments kept isolated. I seriously doubt that even if someone among the Nazis is aware of this project, that those in charge of the island have been told about it."

"Isn't that most people, though?" said The Infiltrator, wistfully.

The Infiltrator was apparently a typical Englishman, who spoke with a middle-class accent. Knowing his reputation, all of that was likely an act.

"On both sides in this conflict," said Commander Zero, with a pragmatic air. "However, the Nazis, especially, are prone to this."

"So you're saying that effect is real?" said Molly, still a bit skeptical.

"I've seen it, too," said The Infiltrator.

Molly nodded, then turned back to Aaron.

"What was it you called Tallman earlier?"

"Knotsoe," said Aaron, grinning and giving the big man a nod. "One of his earlier aliases was Knotsoe Short."

"I was young and easily amused," said Tallman, with a shrug. "Most people were too intimidated by my size to question that name."

"This is a serious business," said Conquistador, flatly. He was nearly as dark as Molly and his voice nearly as deep as Aaron's. He was the second biggest member of the team, barely edging out Commander Zero, and had a flamboyant mustache which made him look a bit like Stalin. "Try to remember that."

Tallman's reaction to this criticism wasn't obvious, but Aaron caught it. He realized that Commander Zero had, as well. Aaron decided that either the two men would have it out soon, or that Conquistador wouldn't be with the team much longer.

Reynard seemed mildly amused by the interplay, but said nothing, concentrating on his food. He was the smallest member of the team, actually shorter than Molly, who was unusually tall for a woman in that time and place. As expected from his nom de guerre he was a lean, foxy man.

The Solution was bland in appearance and manner. He rarely spoke, and when he did his voice was quiet and almost a monotone.

Cobber and Sutter were similar in looks and mannerisms, the main difference being Cobber's accent. Both were of medium build and coloring, but obviously quite fit.

Their meal finished, the group disposed of their trays and garbage appropriately and headed back to their barracks.

* * *

"Conquistador could be trouble," said Aaron, as he spoke with Commander Zero while the two perused the training course that evening. "He disappeared for a while after we ate and when he turned up he was drunk."

"I already had serious doubts about him," said Zero, mildly. "The fact that he was on the losing side of the one war he was in is only part of it. Not to mention that he isn't taking the training seriously. I'll speak with Mastermind about of him."

"Aren't you worried he'll spill the beans?"

"Not my job to worry about such things," said Commander Zero, blithely.

* * *

Details of the operation required multiple meetings to work out, of course. In part the additional planning was required because additional information kept coming in. Chesney, Commander Zero and Aaron had several long talks about the enterprise, with more being divulged by Mastermind each time.

"The organizer of the Axis empowered training camp is a man - apparently of Bavarian origin - known only as The Integral."

"There's something else going on, here," said Aaron, frowning. "Is he simply too protected to assassinate?"

"That's... part of it," admitted Mastermind. "In this case, though, he is a largely known quantity. We don't want him to be replaced by someone we know nothing about."

Aaron could sense that there was more than even that involved, but kept quiet.

"At any rate, having you on board, Aaron, has made others on our side more interested in this project. We've actually had to start lying about what you people are doing. Part of the reason we decided to drop Conquistador is that he couldn't keep quiet about the mission."

"I'm worried he'll let the Nazis know what we're planning," said Aaron. "The man's loyalties are... suspect. As is his discretion."

"Only you, Commander Zero, I and a select few of my superiors know the details of the operation," said Mastermind, confidently. "Conquistador was not told the location of our target, or the goals of the mission beyond destroying a training camp, with an SS base involved. Even you two don't know how you'll be transported to the island."

Aaron glanced over at Commander Zero. Who seemed remarkably unworried over the security problem Conquistador might present.

"Sounds like you have everything under control," said Aaron, nodding. "However, I am concerned that enough information has been made available that the Nazis will at the very least be on their guard."

"They are always on their guard," said Mastermind, pointedly. "We just have to be careful they are no more on guard than usual. So that their confidence overcomes their caution."

"At any rate," said Commander Zero, calmly, "we go in just a few more days. The Nazis who do hear about our mission will take that long just to decide whether to do something. Then they have to get their bosses to agree that the matter should actually be investigated. Then they have to go through the bureaucracy to warn those on the island. I'm not worried about that. There's plenty else to worry about."

Well, he was right about that.

* * *

The physical exercises on the training course proved revelatory. Even Aaron and Commander Zero participated, and both of them managed to show up most of the recruits. However, all of those involved in the operation turned out to be more physically capable than the majority of unempowered humans. Even Molly, who was supposedly along for her heightened senses, could almost casually break Olympic records.

Reynard turned out to be one of the rare empowered who could physically transform, something which was casually mentioned in his records. He demonstrated this ability a few times during the training. He could go from completely human to completely fox, at will. His clothing, fortunately, changed with him, actually vanishing when he went full fox. When "on the job" he usually was mostly human but had a short muzzle and foxy ears on the sides of his head, rather than on the top as happened when he went full fox. This partial change provided him with additional physical enhancements, including keener hearing and a far better sense of smell. However, the team was under orders to not attract attention. For the most part, Reynard therefore kept his appearance strictly human except when their training required him to change.

Of course, not attracting attention meant that most of their training was in an isolated area or after the usual hours. Therefore, much of it was conducted in a location on the large air base which was far from prying eyes. Only the team members, the base's managers and a handful of trainers even knew the place existed. Even so, rumors started going around the air base about the strange group of civilians.

The training mainly involved various types of drills. They marched. They ran. They overcame obstacles. They were taught the use of weapons, as well as unarmed combat. All both with and without their powers, though the latter was for only when there was no-one unapproved about. Aaron and Tallman proved very useful in this training, especially the unarmed combat part. The team members were also trained in demolitions. Commander Zero and The Infiltrator both already knew quite a bit about explosives. They were taught more, while the rest were given basic instruction. If even one member of the group was able to reach the Nazi training area, they should still be able to do considerable damage to it.

For their weapon training the group used the standard target range, but late in the day. They waited for the range rats, who normally worked in the trenches behind the targets and made repairs after the range closed, to leave. So there was just the team there, for secrecy. Of course, the people who maintained the range noticed the effects of their efforts, the next day. So far there had been only a few complaints.

Aaron turned out to be the most consistently accurate, with every firearm they were tested on. He was so consistent, in fact, that there were comments from the staff about the ragged holes he left in the backboards. Some members of the team suspected he was only off that much to keep from being accused of missing the target completely with most of his shots, having put them all through one hole. He wasn't the only one in that elite group who was a good shot, but he was by far the best. However, at least one person expected more of him.

"Not bad," said Tallman, with a smirk, as the group stood at the firing line and examined one of Aaron's targets, "but you can do a lot better. Why don't you let your wings out? We've seen what Reynard can do, after all."

"'Wings'?" said Molly, interest perking up.

"He thinks it's immodest to transform in front of people," said Tallman, smirking even more.

"'Transform'?"

"This is not a situation for modesty," said Commander Zero. Who had been told about Aaron's transformation, but had not seen it. He was therefore curious. Though that could not be told from his expression. "Also, if we lose the explosives, or simply don't have time to place them, your spears could do the job."

"'Spears'?" said Molly, becoming increasingly curious.

Aaron sighed, and changed. His plain, military-style garb became white robes, his boots became sandals, his hair grew longer and he became taller; in fact, he was now a bit larger in all directions, standing almost as big as Tallman. Finally, a huge pair of dove-grey wings sprouted from his lower back. The center feathers extended almost to his feet, serving as a tail.

"You're the Angel of Chicago!" said Sutter.

"Not an angel," said Malak, tiredly.

"I'm glad I got to see this again," said Tallman, with a satisfied smile, nodding.

Indeed, Aaron - or Malak, now - appeared quite impressive in this form. In part because of the room his wings required, but also because that "look of eagles" was even more intense in this form. That his wings were obviously living appendages, and were as mobile and expressive as his arms, reinforced this new impressiveness.

"Well, you have already proven your prowess with firearms," said Commander Zero, managing to not show how affected he was by this apparition, though that was not easy. "Why don't you use one of your spears so I can get an idea of what they do?"

"What spears?!" said Molly, now sounding a bit impatient.

"These spears," said Malak.

He held out his hand. A long, heavy spear, with a tip burning and sputtering like a magnesium flare, appeared. Even in the fading daylight of late afternoon that tip was too bright to look at directly with more than a quick glance. Malak raised his arm to a throwing position, and let fly. Perhaps as quickly as a rifle bullet, perhaps just a bit less quickly, it struck one of the furthest targets. The entire board and its supports disappeared in a ball of flame, the sound of the blast reaching them a moment later.

"With that, you better change back and we need to get out of here," said Commander Zero, quickly but calmly. "No sense hanging around and facing awkward questions."

* * *

One of their final briefers was a "Lieutenant Lee" who was described to the team as a "Royal Air Force Intelligence Officer, working with the newly formed OSS." He was unusually tall and had an impressively deep voice. He was very knowledgable of the area where they would carry out the operation.

"Remember, this island you are going to has long been part of Germany," said Lee, summing up and pointing to a large map of northern Germany and the southernmost part of the Baltic Sea. "So has the much larger island of Rügen, just north of it, where the SS base is located. However, Vilm is very isolated, more than you would think from the location and being surrounded by water. It's an eerie place, easy to believe haunted. The whole island was set aside as a hunting preserve for aristocrats more than a century ago. The recent activity there by the Nazis is unprecedented, and a violation of both longstanding law and very old tradition. However, among their elite only Goering protested these actions and he only mildly."

"Nothing unusual about that," said Commander Zero, in a audible mutter. "The Nazis just ignore any law which would prevent them from doing what they want."

"Be that as it may, their activities there attracted the attention of our agents, who alerted British Intelligence. Which ordered further investigation. Which revealed numerous recent changes on the island. That, plus the analysis of Mastermind, told us much of what was going on."

"You've been there," said Aaron.

"Briefly, before the War, yes," said Lee, nodding. "I will provide maps and descriptions of what I remember. Just keep in mind that any or all of that may have been altered by the Nazis, or simply by time."

He looked pointedly at Reynard.

"You need to be careful if you scout in your other form. They shoot foxes for sport, there."