CODENAME: ATHENA (2025 Edition) by Michel Poulin - HTML preview

CHAPTER 26 – INGRID

07:36 (GMT)

Saturday, February 22, 1941

24 St James’ Place, London

Nancy took a deep breath of the cold air once out of her apartment building.

Dressed in her sky blue and pink Lycra skin-tight exercise suit, a light matching Gore-

Tex windbreaker and a pair of white and pink Nike running shoes, she had decided to

use her scheduled weekly visit to the German women in the Tower of London as an

excuse for a good exercise session. The blue and pink windbreaker covered a belt

supporting her holstered Glock 26 pistol, a small fanny pack containing money, keys and

identity cards and, finally, her iPod with light earphones. A pink sweatband around her

head completed her outfit. Using a small alley on the side of her building, she jogged to

Green Park, then stopped by a park bench beside a tree to do her stretching and

warming up exercises. She next did a few balance exercises, performing front and back

summersaults and walking on her hands, to the astonishment of a few early strollers.

After doing sixty sit-ups and fifty push-ups by the park bench, Nancy started playing a

tune of fast-paced music on her iPod and, following a trail leading to St James’ Park,

started running at a good pace. Alternating between quick run and a more sedate

jogging pace, Nancy crossed the arched bridge over St James’ Park Lake and took

Birdcage Walk once out of the park, turning left on Victoria Embankment to follow the

bank of the Thames River. During the three miles of her run, she used every opportunity

to practice her balance and upper body strength, walking on top of guardrails or pulling

chin-ups from the steel bars of façade scaffoldings.

By the time Nancy arrived at the Tower of London, she had worked up a good

sweat. She also had made the day of a group of off-duty sailors, nearly caused two

accidents by distracting male drivers, scandalized a few old ladies and was even called

a slut by a fat banker. She ignored everybody but the banker, who got a resounding

slap in the face for his troubles. Presenting briefly her security pass at the two soldiers

standing guard at the entrance of Middle Tower, jogging on the spot as they checked the

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pass, she then went through it and the Byward Tower, then the Bloody Tower, to finally

enter the inner yard of the fortress. Nancy was happy to find Ingrid Weiss doing warm-

up exercises in front of Gaoler’s House, dressed in a loose-fitting two-piece fleece outfit

and a pair of short, laced boots. On her first visit a week ago, Unterfuhrerin Hauser had

told Nancy that Ingrid was turning into a real fitness nut, exercising and jogging

constantly around the confines of the fortress.

“Hi, Ingrid!”

The teenager snapped her head around and smiled at her sight.

“Hi, Nancy! It’s so nice to see you again. You were out jogging?”

“Yes! Would you like to jog outside with me this morning?”

Ingrid’s face lit up in anticipated joy.

“Could I do that?”

“Of course! I’ll act as your escort.”

She looked at Ingrid’s boots, which were made more for hiking than for running.

“Maybe at the same time I’ll get you a proper pair of running shoes.”

That really made the young German girl happy. Getting up from her stretching position,

she looked with envy at Nancy’s exercise outfit.

“I wish I could get a suit like yours. Your running shoes also look really

comfortable.”

“They are. Unfortunately for you, they were bought in the year 2011: you won’t

find anything like them or my suit these days. Are you warmed up enough now for a

jog?”

“I am! Should I tell Anna before we go outside?”

“Please do, Ingrid.”

While the teenager went inside, Nancy spotted a guard nearby and jogged towards him.

He immediately presented arms to her with his rifle.

“Good morning, Colonel!”

“Good morning, Private! Can you advise Captain Nicholson that I am escorting

outside of the Tower prisoner Ingrid Weiss for a jog? We should be back in two or three

hours at the most.”

“Yes, Colonel!”

The young soldier then ran towards Waterloo Barracks. Ingrid emerged from Gaoler’s

House shortly afterwards and, Nancy at her right side, jogged through Bloody Tower.

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Nancy stopped briefly at Middle Tower to advise the two guards of her intentions. The

corporal in charge was unsure if he should let them go out, saying he had no instructions

about that. Nancy finally raised the right side of her windbreaker, revealing her pistol.

“Look, Corporal, I am armed, I can run faster than the prisoner and I could beat

her with one arm in my back. We are going out now. Captain Nicholson has been

advised, so good day to you, Corporal.”

Ingrid looked like a bird escaping its cage as she jogged westward with Nancy

along Lower Thames Street. She appeared in fairly good shape already, as she

sustained Nancy’s pace with no problems while chatting with her.

“So,” asked Nancy, “how are you girls doing in the Tower?”

“We’re okay, apart from being bored. This exercising however really helps me to

kill the time. General Browning told us yesterday that there would be an informal dance

at his residence tomorrow night for us and the British soldiers. He also invited me to a

guided tour of his residence this afternoon. That should be interesting: his house looks

really nice from the outside and I always liked historical things.”

“Good for you! So, you’re having a dance tomorrow night. Maybe I should ask

the general if I could bring some 2012-era music and films.”

“YOU WOULD?”

Ingrid nearly stopped jogging from the excitement.

“It would be a real pleasure for me, Ingrid. I will talk to General Browning once

we return to the Tower. Let’s turn right onto the next street.”

Both women turned on St Mary-at-Hill Street, following it at a jog while talking.

“We got letters from Germany two days ago. Your Major Crawford is really sweet

in providing us this mail service: it is helping our morale tremendously. He is also a

really attractive man. I think that Bertha has a crush on him. I wouldn’t mind dating him

myself.”

Nancy laughed hard at seeing the way Ingrid’s face lit up when she said that. She then

patted lightly the teenager’s shoulder.

“You girls better remember that Mike is my private property. Did you get a letter

yourself, Ingrid?”

“Er, yes, although I didn’t send any myself.”

“Then, who sent you a letter?”

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“Bertha’s father did: he works at the personnel department of the Luftwaffe and

has discovered that I’m fifteen years old.”

Nancy swore silently to herself: that could cause some problems.

“Did he say what he was going to do about it?”

“Yes: nothing!”

Ingrid smiled at the puzzlement on Nancy’s face.

“He understands the reasons why I decided to stay with the other girls and he

respects my decision. He also said that he would keep it a secret if you do the same

yourself. There is a note for you from him which I will give to you once back at the

Tower.”

“That is really decent of him, but can he really keep it a secret from his

superiors?”

Ingrid grinned at that.

“I believe so, Nancy: General Major Reinholdt IS the head of the Luftwaffe

personnel department. I’m telling you this because I know that you will not use this

information against her daughter.”

“Ingrid, you are truly a devious, crafty young thing.” said Nancy while looking with

fondness at the teenager: in many ways, the German girl reminded her of herself at a

younger age. Nancy then saw Ingrid slow down noticeably as she stared at something.

Looking in the same direction, Nancy saw a small synagogue, clearly marked with a star

of David. Ingrid’s expression as she eyed the Hebrew symbol was one of regret, not

hatred. Puzzled, Nancy waited a few seconds before speaking in German to the

teenager.

‘’Ingrid, what religion do you practice exactly?’’

The girl seemed taken by surprise by her question and hesitated, lying badly.

‘’Uh, Lutheran. Why, Colonel?’’

‘’Ingrid, you can call me simply ‘Nancy’ when in private, like right now. You can

also tell me the truth: I promise you that it will stay strictly between us. So, again, what

is your religion?’’

Ingrid hesitated still before finally answering in a near whisper while jogging at her side.

‘’My father was Lutheran, but my mother was Jewish, something my parents hid

from everyone. According to my Luftwaffe personnel file, I am a non-practicing Lutheran.

None of my comrades know that I am in reality a Jew.’’

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Nancy took a moment to swallow that information. If true, then Ingrid was in an even

more precarious situation than as a simple German prisoner of war. Her future after the

war, even following an allied victory, would probably not be rosy. The duo turned on St

Mary-at-Hill Street while continuing to talk and jog.

After another fifteen minutes of jogging, Nancy slowed down and looked at the

front window of a sportswear boutique.

“This looks like a good place to get your running shoes. Let’s go see inside.”

If Nancy didn’t exactly expect a 2012-era display of sporting equipment and clothing, she

found even less than what she was afraid to find. The best she could find in the store

was low quality canvas running shoes with rubber soles.

“Damn rationing system! I should go to the United States for a shopping spree

soon.”

She had Ingrid try a pair of the least awful-looking shoes so that she could find the

proper size, then chose for the teenager a gray fleece sports outfit. Ingrid looked at her

with confusion when Nancy asked her to try the outfit.

“Why are we buying those anyway?”

“So that you can change into clean clothes after taking a shower in my

apartment.”

“Oh…”

Nancy waited for Ingrid to be dressed again, then paid for the items before leaving the

store with the young German. This time, they walked to Nancy’s apartment, which was

only two blocks away.

The teenager’s eyes sparkled when she entered the apartment behind Nancy

and saw Mike Crawford sitting in the lounge, reading a newspaper. The American

smiled to her, which made Ingrid even happier. Nancy looked at her with mock severity.

“Didn’t I tell you that he’s mine, Ingrid?”

“Can’t a girl dream from time to time?”

“Dream, yes! Now get in the shower, you young pervert.”

Ingrid giggled as she went into the bathroom. Nancy kissed Mike, who wrinkled his nose

at the odor of her perspiration.

“I believe that you could use a shower too, Nancy.”

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“Really? I didn’t notice… OWW!”

Rubbing her buttock, where Mike had applied a gentle slap, Nancy joined Ingrid in the

bathroom. She jumped under the shower as soon as the teenager was finished and

stepped out to dry herself.

“Ingrid, do you mind if I ask you a few intimate questions?” ‘’Uh, alright!’’

“Are you still a virgin? Be honest now, I only want to give you some advice.”

Ingrid blushed slightly before answering.

“No! I had my first boy two years ago, in my school years. I also was dating

Klaus Bayerling, the pilot who was captured at the same time as me.”

Ingrid then grinned devilishly.

“Klaus is much less clumsy than the boys I had at school. I recommend him to

you.”

“Hmm… I’m sure that he would love that. You certainly are sexually precocious

for your age, Ingrid. Do you realize in how much trouble this could put you here?”

“What do you mean?” said Ingrid, looking alarmed.

“What I mean is that you are a prisoner of war surrounded by enemies, most of

them men. The majority of your guards may be disciplined and respectful enough not to

abuse you, but life has taught me that there will always be people ready to do about

anything to satisfy their lust. Being a German may be an additional excuse in their mind

to justify abusing you. If you were already showing yourself to be promiscuous, then

they would have an easy time raping you, then blame it on you or even deny the whole

thing. If you make advances to British soldiers here, you will soon be considered fair

game by the whole garrison and left open to all kinds of abuses. As a German, your

word will count for very little against their word. Even your female guards shouldn’t be

trusted just because they are women.”

“There could be lesbians in the lot?” asked Ingrid, suddenly looking horrified. “I didn’t say that, Ingrid. I just said that you could never know. It would be a lot

better for you to lay low and cool down, especially since your young age may make you

even juicier to some. Like it or not, you are in a very dangerous and precarious

situation.”

“What am I supposed to do then for the next few years? Turn into a nun?”

protested the teenager, close to tears. Nancy took the girl in her arms to comfort her.

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“Look, you don’t need to go to such an extreme, although abstinence would be

your safest course for now. This may sound ludicrous to you but your hand is your

safest friend right now.”

“You are right: it is ludicrous.”

“You prefer risking rape by British soldiers, or even beatings from your own

comrades if they find you fraternizing with the enemy?”

Ingrid paled and lowered her head.

“Could it really be this bad?”

“It could actually be much worst. Count yourself lucky that you are not a French

or Dutch woman interned in the Ravensbrück concentration camp, Ingrid.”

“Ravensbrück? What is happening there?”

The girl’s ignorance seemed genuine, so Nancy explained herself calmly.

“The Ravensbrück concentration camp is reserved for female political prisoners

and captured resistance women from various occupied countries. Tens of thousands of

women will be beaten, tortured and starved to death in Ravensbrück alone during this

war. On top of that, over six million Jews, men, women and children, will be

exterminated by the Nazis, along with millions of Tziganes and Soviets.”

Ingrid looked at her with absolute horror.

“You… you are not serious. How could anybody do that?” ‘’Ingrid, the Nazis will not be alone in this war to commit such atrocities. Stalin

already had nearly 4,500 Polish officers executed in 1939 in the Katyn Forest. As for the

Japanese, you can’t count the number of massacres of civilians they committed in China.

The worst is however still to come.’’

Seeing that Ingrid was about to be physically sick, Nancy hurried to come out of the

shower and hugged her to console her.

‘’Ingrid, I could still with some luck prevent the worst of this war, but you will have

to behave as if the worst will happen. I don’t want to see anything bad happen to you

during your captivity.’’

‘’Why? Why care for me like this? I am just a German after all.’’ said Ingrid in a

shaking voice.

‘’Why? Because I believe that you deserve it, Ingrid. You are an orphan and,

whether you like it or not, still a minor. I also became an orphan while still a minor and I

know what you are going through.’’

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The façade which Ingrid had built after the death of her family then crumbled and she

started to cry, watched by a sad Nancy who was still hugging her. Attracted by the noise

of Ingrid’s crying, Mike then knocked on the door of the bathroom.

‘’Nancy, is everything alright in there?’’

‘’Not really, Mike. Come in!’’

Alarmed, Mike opened swiftly the door but then froze on seeing Ingrid, still naked and in

Nancy’s arms. The latter then insisted.

‘’Come in, Mike. Ingrid needs us, seriously.’’

The big American entered but stayed two steps away from Ingrid and avoided looking

directly at her, so that she would not think that he was abusing the present situation.

Nancy smiled to him to thank him for his sensitivity.

‘’Mike, I now know things about Ingrid that you should know as well. I will

however ask you to not to repeat it to anyone else.’’

‘’You have my word on that, Nancy.’’

Nancy then told him Ingrid’s real age, the tragedy which had struck her family and the

fact that she was a Jew. Mike, deeply moved, gave the teenager a sorrowful look.

‘’What can we do to help her, Nancy?’’

‘’I am not sure, Mike. The one thing I am sure about is that I do not wish to

consider her an enemy anymore.’’

Ingrid, still in tears, looked hesitantly at Nancy with surprise.

‘’But what am I then to you, Colonel?’’

Nancy smiled tenderly to her while caressing Ingrid’s hair with one hand.

‘’A girl in need of help. Do you feel strong enough to watch a movie about the

reality of this war, Ingrid? I have to warn you that it will not be a nice film.’’

The teenager nodded her head after a short hesitation.

‘’If I must learn the truth one day, then I might as well learn it today, with you

two.’’

‘’Thank you for your trust in us, Ingrid. I believe that you have the potential to

become a truly formidable person.’’

12:18 (GMT)

Tower of London

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Parking her Mitsubishi Outlander near the main entrance of the Tower, Nancy

then escorted Ingrid back to her room in Gaoler’s House. The subdued teenager

followed her in silence; still shaken by the film she had seen. Nancy left her after kissing

her on the forehead. Ingrid was still sitting on her bed, her mind in turmoil, when her

friend Ruth Brandhauer stuck her head inside and knocked on the open door.

“Can I come in, Ingrid?”

“Of course, Ruth.” said Ingrid without conviction. Intrigued, the redhead sat

beside her on the bed and passed an arm around her shoulders.

“What’s wrong, Ingrid? You look depressed.”

“I am depressed, Ruth. Please don’t repeat this to the others but I am now

wondering if I am not on the wrong side in this war.”

“Why are you saying such a thing?” replied Ruth, scandalized by this. “What did

Colonel Laplante tell you to make you think like this?”

“She showed me a film made decades after this war, Ruth.”

Ingrid then described the film about Nazi concentration and extermination camps she

had seen at Nancy’s apartment.

“And you believe that?”

“Yes, Ruth! Coming from a British, I would think this to be fabrications. From

her…”

Ruth fell silent herself as Ingrid retreated in her thoughts. Ingrid was the first to speak

again a minute later.

“You know, Ruth, my family in Berlin had as neighbors a quiet family of six, years

ago. They were nice, kind people who were ready to help anyone in need. The father in

that family owned a prosperous commerce, yet lived modestly. One night, the Gestapo

came and arrested the whole family. We all heard their pleas for help but nobody did

anything for them. I was thirteen at the time and wanted to tell those Gestapo men that

our neighbors had done nothing wrong, but my father stopped me. He was terrified that

I would be arrested too and told me then that we would all end up in a camp like our

neighbors if we intervened. At that time I didn’t understand what kind of camp my father

was alluding to and he wouldn’t tell me anything more. Now I know what kind of camp

he was talking about.”

“Your neighbors… did they ever come back?”

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“No! I learned soon enough why they had been arrested: they were Jewish and

had harbored a Jew who had been on the run from the Gestapo. Their store and all their

belongings were confiscated and given to a local Nazi party official, a man I loathed for

being arrogant and corrupt. While that incident brought bitterness to me, I thought that

this had to be an isolated case and that Germany was simply doing its best to keep the

public order. Was I ever naïve then.”

Ruth had nothing to reply to that. In fact, something very similar had happened in her

own neighborhood in Koln18 eight years ago. In her case, it had been Nazi Brown Shirts

and not the Gestapo who had beaten and arrested some Jewish neighbors. Ruth felt

shame as she remembered how she had cheered the Brown Shirts on then, mostly

because everybody else was doing the same. Getting on her feet, she patted gently

Ingrid’s back before leaving the room and closing quietly the door behind her.

13:15 (GMT)

Sunday, February 23, 1941

King’s House, Tower of London

The ground floor hall in which Nancy was standing was now packed with excited British

soldiers as well as with the seven German female prisoners,

who were sitting in the front row of seats with Brigadier

Browning and his senior officers. Mike Crawford was also

present, along with Marine Corps Captain Ken Dows and six

of the Marine guards from the American embassy, invited as

neutral personnel for the benefit of the seven German women.

Her TV/DVD unit was on top of a buffet behind her, in order for

everybody to have a good view of the screen. Nancy, dressed

in a very sexy black leather outfit made of knee-high boots, a very short skirt and a

sleeveless jacket covering a silver silk blouse, raised her hand high and called for

silence. The room quickly became quiet, with all eyes fixed on her.

“General, Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome! We are here to both forget the war

for a few hours and to have some good time. In order to do this, we will have a mixed

18 Koln: Cologne

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program of movies, dance and music, with a buffet thrown in so that we could keep

enjoying ourselves right here all evening and night. On behalf of Brigadier General

Browning, I will invite all of you to refrain from smoking inside, as we are many in a

rather cramped space. Smokers are invited to use the ashtrays which have been

installed outside near the entrance. Today’s program will start with a science

documentary, followed by an historical drama. Supper will follow, then some dance and

music. The evening will then conclude with a science-fiction movie and some more

dance. To help loosen the atmosphere a bit, Brigadier Browning and I pitched in and

brought in some beer and wine. You will each get three tickets good for a glass of beer

or wine at six O’clock. I will now repeat my announcement in German for the benefit of

our guest residents.”

That took only a minute, after which Nancy started the first viewing. Gasps came

out of the spectators when a space shuttle appeared, sitting on its launch pad.

“This documentary is about the construction in Earth orbit of an international

space station. It was produced in 2007. Everything you will see will exist by then.

Enjoy!”

Sitting on the chair reserved for her between the chairs of Brigadier Browning and Mike

Crawford, Nancy watched discreetly the spectators’ reactions as the documentary went

on. She was amused to see the women present, both British and German, cheer in

unison when the astronauts appeared and took place in the shuttle: two of the

astronauts were women.

At the end of the one-hour documentary, Nancy announced a fifteen minutes

smoke and restroom break before the showing of the next film. Ingrid Weiss, sparkles in

her eyes, came to see her as the others dispersed.

“That was like magic, Nancy! The Earth was so beautiful from orbit.”

“It really was. The more reason to try preserving it. Maybe you will be able to go

in space one day, like those Americans.’’

‘’Oh, I hope so, Nancy.

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Everybody rushed back to their seats when Nancy announced the start of the

second presentation at about three O’clock. She waited for everyone to be sitting before

addressing the excited crowd.

“What you are going to watch is a film recorded on a digital video disk, or DVD.

A DVD has a huge data capacity and commercial films recorded on DVD in my time

typically contain numerous options like special scenes, director’s cuts, bloopers and side

stories. They also routinely come with a capacity to be viewed with sub-titles in a variety

of languages. With this particular DVD, I will play it with German sub-titles.”

Anna Hauser shook her head, overwhelmed by such advanced technology.

The showing of the movie ‘GLADIATOR’ brought forth powerful emotions in the

audience, which had never experienced anything as sophisticated in terms of cinematic

technology. All the women present, along with more than a few men, either cried or had

big lumps inside their throats as the dead Maximus was shown meeting his wife and son

in the afterlife. Brigadier Browning spoke to her as soon as the movie was finished.

“This was a fantastic movie, Colonel. Do you have many films of the same

caliber as this one?”

“I do have quite a few, sir. I gather that your people would like regular viewings

from now on.”

“Like? They would be crazy about it. If a simple film can excite an old man like

me, think of what these young men and women feel like now.”

“Then I propose that we have a weekly film show every Sunday, sir, depending

on my availability of course.”

“Splendid! This will help the morale of my men tremendously.”

Browning then walked away to organize the buffet and the distribution of alcohol. Nancy

went to the nearby ballroom, where the buffet and drinks were being served. Going first

to a table on which her portable radio/CD player was laid with a pile of CDs, she started

a CD of songs by Sarah Brightman and cranked up the volume before getting a glass of

white wine from one of the stewards. Nancy then went back to the viewing room and put

on a DVD on which she had recorded some of her favorite music videos. That

immediately attracted a crowd curious about modern music. Leaving them to gawk at

the often very skimpy or downright outrageous costumes worn by some of the female

stars and dancers shown in the videos, Nancy returned behind the table on which her

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portable sound system was and sat down. She then arranged her CDs in neat piles

according to the type of music. It didn’t take long before someone came to speak to her.

It was Bertha Reinholdt, looking happy and excited.

“All this is so fascinating, Colonel. I wish I could have lived in your time period.”

“Be careful about what you wish for, Bertha: my time was no utopian paradise.

We still had more than our fair share of wars, famines and injustices in 2012. By the

way, you can call me Nancy when I’m in civilian clothes.”

“As you wish, Nancy. May I ask what kind of movie will be shown after the dance?

You said that it was a science-fiction one but, for us, even films about 2012 are science-

fiction movies.”

“True! The next movie is called ‘AVATAR’ and is a classic in my time. It is also

visually stunning. You should love it.”

One of the invited American Marines then came to Ruth to ask her for a dance. The

German teenager smiled to the big, fit American soldier and accepted readily, starting to

dance a slow in the ballroom to a song by Sarah Brightman. Ingrid Weiss quickly

imitated Ruth, dragging Captain Ken Dows to the dance floor and gluing herself to him to

the delight of the young and very handsome Marine Corps officer. Nancy also got in the

act and grabbed a delighted captain Nicholson to dance with him. Things heated up

from there, with Nancy concluding the first dancing period with a provocative solo dance

number that left the men present cheering wildly.

The showing of ‘AVATAR’ after the supper was even more appreciated than the

previous movie, impressing the audience with its visual effects and stunningly beautiful

imagery. A second period of dancing and music followed the movie. By then, few

persons cared who was dancing with who. Nancy didn’t miss the fact that Ingrid seemed

to have connected very well with Captain Ken Dows, while Dows was obviously

mesmerized by her youthful beauty. Nancy thought to herself that those two would

make a truly beautiful couple. Mike then grabbed her for a dance, making her join the

other couples on the dance floor.

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08:46 (GMT)

Saturday, March 08, 1941

24 St James’ Place, London

‘’We are not running more this morning, Nancy?’’ asked Ingrid, surprised, when

she saw that they were now approaching Nancy’s apartment after only twenty minutes of

running. She was now in good physical shape and could run for much longer, while

Nancy was barely starting to sweat.

‘’No: we have something to discuss in private, Ingrid.’’

Surprised by that, Ingrid nonetheless followed Nancy inside her apartment block, smiling

in passing at the small girl playing in the lobby. Once inside her apartment, Nancy

locked the door behind Ingrid and invited her to sit in a sofa of the lounge. Ingrid smiled

when Mike Crawford came out of the small kitchen to go sit down with her on the sofa.

On her part, Nancy approached a chair and sat facing Ingrid. The German girl looked

alternatively at the American and at the Canadian, intrigued.

‘’Uh, what is going on? Did I do something wrong?’’

‘’The only thing you did was to win our hearts, Ingrid.’’ said softly Mike. ‘’You are

a nice, intelligent, kind and brave girl, but you still have a major problem.’’

‘’I’m a German?’’ replied Ingrid, trying some humor. Mike shook his head. ‘’That is not a problem for me, Ingrid.’’

‘’Neither for me.’’ said Nancy.

‘’But you are fighting alongside the British, Nancy. You could be accused of

fraternizing with an enemy.’’

‘’Do you really want us to be enemies, Ingrid?’’

‘’Of course not! In fact, I don’t want to be the enemy of anybody. So, what is my

problem, if not for the fact that I am a German?’’

‘’You don’t have a family, Ingrid.’’ replied Nancy. ‘’You risk finding yourself alone

at the end of this war, in a devastated country which would have nothing to offer to a girl

like you. Me and Mike would like to offer you an alternative.’’

Ingrid looked at Mike, who was smiling tenderly to her.

‘’What kind of alternative?’’

‘’Ingrid, would you like to go live in the United States after the war? I could

arrange something through my embassy.’’

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‘’But I don’t know anybody in the United States.’’

‘’You know me and Nancy.’’ replied Mike, who then became most serious. ‘’As

an American citizen, if I adopt a minor, that minor immediately gains the right to become

an American citizen and to reside in the United States. Nancy is my wife and, as such,

already has a permit to reside in the United States. She in fact intends to go live with me

in the United States at the end of the war and would love for you to accompany us.’’

Ingrid opened her eyes wide, unable to believe her ears.

‘’You…you want to adopt me, both of you?’’

‘’Unofficially, yes. Officially, I will be the one to adopt you. You were

unfortunately right about Nancy being accused of fraternization with the enemy if she

filled papers to adopt you. We must however act before the end of this year, before the

United States enters officially this war, which would then make it impossible for me to

adopt you. So, what do you say, Ingrid?’’

Tears came out of the teenager’s eyes and her lips trembled as emotions overwhelmed

her. Nancy then got close to her to hold her hands.

‘’Ingrid, you are made of gold and we got to love you very much in the last few

weeks. I would be most proud to be your adoptive mother and would also be very happy

to help you become the exceptional woman which you promise to become.’’

‘’What…what else could I say but yes? You…you are such good people. I

accept! Thank you so much, both you and Mike.’’

‘’We are the ones who thank you, Ingrid, for accepting our offer. Please keep this

strictly to yourself, though. You risk a lot if your comrades or the British find about this. I

also risk a lot personally if the British learn that I want to adopt a German prisoner of war.

Mike has some official forms for you to fill, so that he can start the adoption procedures

quickly and get you an American passport. While that procedure is initiated, I will take

on me to educate you discreetly…to the standards of 2012. If you are going to start a

new life, then you might as well start it with an advantage on others.’’

Nancy smiled with malice while saying those last words.

23:11 (GMT)

Gaoler’s House, Tower of London

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Ingrid was tired but happy when she finally closed the book on basic aeronautical

science that Nancy had bought for her in town, along with other books to advance her

education, before bringing her back to the Tower of London. Those were however only

the official part of the education offered by Nancy. Her future adoptive mother had

started right away to teach her knowledge from the 21st Century, showing to Ingrid a

video documentary on modern aircraft and then discussing with her about the progress

and breakthroughs to come in aeronautics. With now good reasons to hope for a better

future, on top of having secretly gained a new family, Ingrid quickly fell asleep in her

small room.

Barely half an hour later, a bizarre dream came to her. It was as if she was

reliving at accelerated speed the life of a black man, somewhere in the South of the

United States. Despite of the speed of her visions, everything was of impossible clarity,

as if she always had those visions store deep inside her brain. Even more shocking was

the fact that the visions came with physical sensations, some of them intense. She

woke up with a startle after one hour of visions, covered with sweat, shaking and in tears.

The man whose life she was reliving, a black slave named Thomas Green, had been

cruelly flogged by the sadistic manager of the plantation he was working in, to die two

weeks later from infected wounds, this in March of 1876. Ingrid had felt the atrocious

pain from the lashes as if she had really lived through the experience. Not knowing what

to think, she then tried to go back to sleep. Only a few minutes later, new visions filled

her head. This time the visions concerned a peasant from Indochina who had lived in

the 18th Century and whose name was Tran Qui Khiem. Tran had lived with his wife and

five children in a small village of the Mekong Delta and had died from a tropical fever in

1786. Since his death had not been as traumatic as that of Thomas Green, it didn’t

wake up Ingrid, who started to review a third life of the past, as clear and vivid as the two

others. That one concerned a humble Iranian woman of the 17th Century named Aisha,

dead of old age in 1685 in the city of Hormuz. The life of a Ukrainian woman of the 16th

Century, Nadia Romanova, and the one about a Masai warrior of the 14th Century,

Luwasi, followed.

Ingrid was reliving in dreams her sixth past life, that of a tax collector for the Inca

king in Peru in the 13th Century, when a hand shook her, abruptly cutting her dreams

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and waking her up. Opening her eyes, Ingrid saw that Bertha Reinholdt, bent over her

bed, was looking at her with worry.

‘’Are you okay, Ingrid? You seemed to be having nightmares and were saying

something incomprehensible.’’

‘’Uh, I am alright, Bertha. What time is it?’’

‘’Ten past seven in the morning. You better hurry if you want to have breakfast.’’

‘’Damn! I will make it quick.’’ said Ingrid, throwing away her blanket and jumping

out of bed. As she was brushing her teeth after going to the washroom, she wondered if

her visions would return next night, and if she would remember them. Out of curiosity,

she tried to remember a song in Ukrainian which had been a favorite of Nadia

Romanova. Ingrid surprised herself by remembering easily all the lyrics, along with the

rhythm. More incredible still, she could think in Ukrainian, as well as in Vietnamese,

Persian, Masai and Quechua.

07:23 (GMT)

Sunday, March 09, 1941

Apartment 11, 24 St James’ Place

London

‘’MONTJOIE!19 SUS AUX ANGLAIS!’’

The scream in French from Nancy, who was sleeping beside him, brutally woke up Mike

with a startle. Getting up on his elbows and turning his head, he saw that Nancy was

still in bed but was agitated, as if she was having nightmares. Since her eyes were still

closed, Mike let Nancy sleep and got up to go prepare himself a cup of coffee in the

small kitchen of Nancy’s apartment, where he was spending most of his nights since

they had married.

He was sipping his coffee, sitting in the kitchen, when a scream of pain from

Nancy nearly made him spit out his coffee. Grabbing a kitchen knife, he ran to the

bedroom, only to find Nancy sitting in the bed, her eyes opened and her body covered

with cold sweat.

19 Montjoie: War cry of the French knights during the Hundred Year War.

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‘’Nancy, are you alright?’’ asked Mike, worried. Nancy looked at him with eyes

full of horror, then spoke in French.

‘’Les Godons20, ils me brûlaient vive!’’

Mike, who now could and speak quite a lot of French, looked at her with confusion.

‘’Burning you alive? What are you talking about, Nancy?’’

Nancy only realized then that she had spoken in French. She was then quiet for a

moment, thinking about her nightmare.

‘’Joan of Arc? Why was I dreaming about her life, or about the lives of the others

before?’’

‘’The others before? Decidedly, you don’t make much sense this morning,

Nancy.’’

She bit her lips as pieces of the six past lives came back to her mind.

‘’I suppose that I effectively don’t make much sense today. Sorry about that,

Mike.’’

 

20 Godons: Nickname given to English soldiers by the French during the Middle Ages,

due to their habit of swearing by saying ‘Goddam’.

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