How a Dimitrescu Heart Beats
Chapter 5: Choice or Chance
Berlin
Nazi Germany
December 1940
Across a large furnished desk, large amounts of papers, reports, sightings, laid across the light brown haired man's desk. Victor Raddu, just put his cigarette out, which joined ten other cigarette butts in it. His fingers drummed the desk, impatiently as he stared blue eyed daggers on his telephone. Despite the impatience of the young Raddu sibling, he was truly at home.
It was only weeks, which seemed like an eternity for Victor to finish all his training at the SS facility in Bad Tolz, in southern Germany. The facility was massive, and was organized into turning young men like Victor into die hard fanatics of the Nazi regime, sworn on oath before god and Hitler, to carry out any task assigned.
His training was rigorous, brutal, and hard. But his experience already serving in the German army had hardened him already. Many other trainees had dropped out, and Victor didn't care about them, nor showed any compassion or camaraderie. Victor's belief, along with the Nazis, was the weak shall perish but strong shall forever survive. His masterful approach through weapons training, drills, combat operations, and lectures made him move to the top of his class. The facility director personally recommended the young Raddu sibling to go with a commissioned role into the military branch of the SS, the Waffen SS.
Victor would have none of it, he already served in the army, it wasn't that he was not interested in fighting, but he felt too many of the nation's enemies were at large. He wanted to be a part of that role in reshaping the Reich and all it controlled, to protect it like a parent to their child. To end the wrong of the Jews who did him and his family wrong, like men who lashed him brutally for trying to feed his family with bread when they were starving, after maniacs murdered his parents in front of him and his brother and sisters eyes, that unfortunate day.
To that, the light brown haired man looked towards the security branch of the SS, and began learning about the security operations, methods of questioning, interrogating, subversive and espionage activities. His commitment, dedication and performance astounded the other recruits, teachers, and facility director himself. Victor was recommended on a field training assignment with members of the Reich Main Security Office and Gestapo at one of the offices in Munich, Germany.
Victor attended, in a large cell, where a middle aged German man had been incarcerated for three days prior for the distribution of sending defeatist leaflets, and speaking horrible things about Hitler and the Nazi Party. When the young Raddu attended, the middle aged man was strung up, blood covering his face and clothes, and no shoes or socks on his feet. The man was being punched and hit with a lead metal pipe by other interrogators, constantly yelling at the man to give up his contacts, locations, and other areas where this pathetic movement was being organized. Still the German man refused to open his mouth, and took the brutal punishment.
Victor interjected with an idea before the training officer, and gestapo officers in the cell. Victor wearing his grey SS uniform, with an SD patch on his lower sleeve, approached the German man. The prisoner was seemingly unimpressed, scoffed in annoyance, and spat in the direction of Victor, missing him narrowly.
Victor merely stared with deep blue eyes, grinning maliciously, and speaking to a guard, "Bring me a….blow torch please." The prisoner's eyes widened like saucers, showing a horrified look, but still didn't talk. The young Raddu sibling didn't expect him to...yet.
As the SS guard retrieved the device, Victor merely took it, and grinned again at the man. Showing no emotion, and not saying a word, approached and turned on the device. He ran the flames under the German man's exposed legs, lost count of the screams and numbers he burned the prisoner's feet and legs. Avoiding killing the man, but bringing the torture to a point, where he finally spoke, a mocking tone in his voice, "I was hoping now we can have a nice little talk my good man. I do know if you chose not to, I was thinking maybe we can have your wife and two daughters come by, maybe hang around...having a chat...through the same process we are going through...what do you say?"
The prisoner was absolutely mortified, and did not want to see his family harmed, his eyes streaming tears, sobbing, "Please...please...d-don't harm them I'll talk….I'll talk."
At that point, the information was provided of all contacts and locations for the SS to organize a raid over the next few weeks. Upon receiving the information, Victor merely smiled and nodded before lighting a cigarette, giving it to the prisoner still strung up, pulled out his Luger pistol, and shot the man in the temple.
The results and success of the training assignment impressed all the people in the cell, who passed Victor's results all the way to the supreme commander of the SS, Reichsführer-SS Heinrich Himmler.
Victor's graduation day, was small and private, summoned to the Director of the SS school Bad Tolz, a clear wintery day, he entered the office, giving a stern Nazi salute, with his wide blue eyes for what lay before him. For whom, was in the office was none other than Himmler himself. It was a moment, he never forgot that day. Himmler returned the salute, approached and staring the man in his black tunic, with red swastika arm band, black SS cap, and steel rimmed glasses, smiled before speaking, "So you are the man, who helped us execute the raid and brought to justice, numerous traitors in the Reich."
The young Raddu sibling, was star shocked as if he was meeting Hitler himself, a little nervous, but joy gleaming on his face and blue eyes, speaking in a very excited tone, "Yes herr Reichsführer. I helped organize the raid and end those who would dare speak against our fuhrer."
The slim SS man before him spoke, "I am pleased with your performance as well as our fuhrer, and shocked, a Romanian man, bearing such military experience, to join us in our noble cause. You must be proud, now that your home country has decided to join the Reich."
Victor was now blushing and beaming ever joyful, his actions and service had been brought before Hitler. He already was proud enough having gotten into the school, to have the ability to punish and deal with those that would speak against the regime, and to go after the rotten Jewish presence that plagued the fuhrer's perfect world, the people that wronged him and his family. He also felt extremely proud, that after numerous politcal nonsense, that Romania had finally joined alongside the main parties of the war, mainly Nazi Germany, Italy, and Japan, binding together the Axis forces, as well as other nations Finland, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and yes even Hungary, despite Victor wasn't very pleased with them involved. The more the merrier with numbers when it came to defeating the Reich's enemies.
Reichsführer Himmler gave a small grin before the young Raddu sibling, before speaking softly, "It is people like you, we need to help deal in the protection of our Reich and its territories. I have no doubt your services will be required in the near future, as the fuhrer looks to the east. We will definately be watching you and your career closely, Victor Raddu, I am promoting you now to Haupsturmfuhrer and transferring you to the Reich Main Security Office in Berlin."
Victor then shook the Reichsfuhrer's hand before he gave another Nazi salute, and told the office of the director and his constituents he had to depart, for business with the fuhrer in Obersalzburg.
The young light brown haired man, still smiling, in shock in deep thoughts
I will not disappoint, I will help end this Jewish filth soon, I will enjoy that day I have my revenge.
Those were the glory days, now Victor had stacks of papers shuffled across his desk in messy piles, stale coffee, and smoking endless amounts of cigarettes. Many contained orders of this case or that case to deal with. His induction into Department IVB, department of Jewish affairs in the Reich brought a massive case load of matters. Whilst Victor Raddu, was generally following all orders from his superiors, he took upon himself to use access to all information about all German citizens, a little more curiously.
Over the past two weeks, Victor tried to write to his aunt, Ludmilla Stahler to have nothing written back. Shortly after, learned from the Gestapo office in Essen, that she sold her home, and moved to a quiet apartment in Berlin. Ever suspicious of his aunt, since her days of speaking with the couple, he spied on and reported speaking harsh things about Hitler and the regime, he conducted a close watch at having her monitored and followed. Up to yesterday, a Gestapo agent had discovered and reported back to Victor, that she had been seeing a Jewish man, who she was engaged to, and even found out plans that upon completion of the marriage, were to leave Germany for the United States.
Victor, could've moved in of course, but suspected others involved and reported to his superior, Major Klein who told Victor to remain patient, a good fox hunts the rabbit with patience and cunning. Victor would be that patient fox and obliged to have the contact maintain close observation on the couple acquiring names and a location of the ceremony.
While Victor was about to light a cigarette, the telephone rang which he nearly jumped out of his skin upon the eerie quietness of his office, grabbing the receiver and answering, "Hauptsturmführer Raddu. Yes. Excellent, I will follow up with the Sturmbannfuhrer now, thank you." And with that hung up, grabbed the folder of his information, and left his office for his superiors.
Knocking on the door, Major Klein beckoned the young Raddu sibling into his office, which he obliged, opening the door. Approaching Major Klein, Victor snapped to attention and raised his arm in the Nazi salute, which his commanding officer merely nodded, looking up from some papers on his desk. Major Johannes Klein, was a older man, grey hair, medium build, but carried a kind of cold, dark, almost emotionless attitude to his job, but his desire much like Victor's made them a practical powerful team, when it came to executing orders, launch raids, capturing traitors, Jews, Gypsies, Homosexuals, and other subhumans that Reich decreed as not part of the Master Race. The man was 58 years old, a decorated man from the great war, but a large scar from a British bayonet during the Battle of the Somme. Joined the Nazi Party in 1929, already was a lawyer, and was an absolute candid role for him to be apart of the SS and the Security Office of the SS.
Klein spoke in a neutral tone, his usual casual demeanor as if a school teacher making sure a student's question was clear and concise, "Well Victor, what do you have for me today?"
Victor, nearly jumping out of his skin, his enthusiasm taken over, approached and dropped his file on Klein's desk, before speaking, "Our agent reported back. Stahler will be marrying the Jew, Ernst Heisenberg this afternoon, 10 miles outside of the city after three o'clock herr Sturmbannfuhrer."
Klein leaned back in his seat, smiling and looking at the blue eyed man, "Well Raddu, I'd say it's time for a bit of rabbit hunt, would you like to bring your aunt a nice wedding present."
Victor grinned, "I'd like to catch up with my aunt indeed."
The major ordered, "Have two squads of our men prepared, let's go visit her and her Jewish friend."
Within hours, the trap was set to be sprung. A small house in the countryside, near Berlin, had two squads of SS men, a group hidden in a small barn facing the back of the home, another group in a truck hidden around the corner. All were briefed by Victor, on the operation, to await the sound of his whistle blown to commence the troops to move in and arrest all involved.
Watching and grinning, the young Raddu sibling faced his binoculars, while the other troops laid prepared with their rifles and submachine guns, Klein stood behind Victor, smoking a cigarette. Victor was surprised after a moment, when the major placed a hand on his shoulder, speaking sombre, "A choice or chance my dear Victor. The choice where you will undoubtedly commit your full duty in the arrest of all the enemies of the state, pleasing me and your fuhrer. Or a chance, that you will not desire to betray your aunt, as she is your family, and allow the two to live their happily ever after."
Victor turned to the major, puzzled at first, but replied without hesitation and no emotion, "I am here, to serve the Reich and to deal with the filthy traitor whore, and her filthy Jewish piece of shit man, as well as all those who attend. I am the judge, jury, and likely executioner."
Klein smiled maliciously at that, as the two now began to see Victor's aunt Ludmilla, her finance, a rabbi, and two more couples. Victor removed his binoculars, smiling while watching his aunt, looking so happy in her silk beige dress with veil. The man Ludmilla was to marry, Ernst Heisenberg, was a fairly tall man, with short brown hair, a light beard growing, wearing a black suit, already had a profile that the SD and Gestapo were following, an extended family with vast wealth across Europe. Interesting enough, a younger brother, Karl Heisenberg who sounded familiar at first, resided in Victor's home village, in Romania. He would surely follow up with him another time, he thought to himself.
As the ceremony got underway, Klein and Victor blew their whistles, and at that the barn doors opened and a dozen SS troops rushed at the group gathered. Terrified screams ensued, as harsh orders were barked all around, people raising their frightened arms. One man attending the wedding, tried to make a run for it, upon which Klein said in a sarcastic tone upon spotting the older man, "Oh ho ho, rabbit hunt." Klein looked at Victor, smiling and speaking with a light voice, "There goes your rabbit, choice or chance my dear Victor." At that Victor, grabbed an SS sentry's bolt action rifle, and aimed the weapon, shooting the running man in the back, falling to the ground amidst the screams of his aunt and other people.
Finally gathering all at the wedding, Victor smiled and approached his aunt Ludmilla being held by two SS men, watching her closely with deep blue eyes facing her tear and mascara streaked face, speaking quietly, "My dearest aunt Ludmilla, I congratulate you on your wonderful day, I am saddened I didn't get an invite, but here I am. As a wedding present to you, I am here to inform you that in the name of the Fuhrer, you are under arrest for crimes against the state." With that he nodded to the guards to escort the aunt, fiancee, rabbi, and other guests away.
Klein approached slowly, smiling at Victor, "You made a good choice Haupsturmfuhrer Victor, now shall we go talk to them?"
Victor grinned greedily, "Of course herr Sturmbannfuhrer, I would most enjoy catching up with family."
--
13 Miles away from the Raddu Farm
Romania
December 1940
"I don't have enough experience..I don't have enough fucking experience" muttered a highly irate dirty blonde woman, attempting to manage an old red French pick up truck through a flurry of a brutal snowstorm.
Lucille Raddu, was on her way back from the nearby small town of Lasi, from a day where she thought she had an excellent chance to finally acquire a job at a small clerical office. She dressed to the nines, ready to go in her bright red dress, makeup, and black heels. The woman resembled almost that of a movie star, although her appearance was appealing, the interview did not work out. Her lack of experience in working in an office setting unfortunately was her downfall, and did not get the job.
As if the day wasn't bad, the weather began to worsen when she left Lasi, a brutal snow storm came into the town, and by the time she had hit the country on the way back to her uncle's farm, it was a practical snow squall.
Her mood was already sour prior, as she asked Anton to drive her to the town but he could not oblige the middle Raddu sibling's request. Anton had to work that day doing work for the Duke, but the merchant had decided to remain at his vast trading outpost, and sent the eldest Raddu to do work by himself. He could've asked for the day off of course. Anton had already established a wonderful relationship and earned the respect of various customers and the employer himself, one day would have not been a big deal. One day where he could have taken his sister for this interview and not let her traverse the hostile terrain on the way home through the worst snow storm she had ever seen. It was like his mind wasn't on helping or spending time with Lucille anymore. A thought like that crossed her mind, and she felt her one brown eye start to water, she went into deep thought….
I know he cares for me, we have good laughs, but it's like his mind is on something...or someone else...I wonder who has captivated his attention lately, it can't be his work….he's hiding something…
Lucille's mind began to wander, she wasn't paying attention to where she was going, inadvertently missing a fork in the road that would've brought her home, went down a different route, she did not notice his mistake till some minutes later.
The wind and snow blasting the French delivery was getting heavier, the road was not clean at all. The middle Raddu sibling began to focus on her route, but sweat was showing on her brow, she began to get nervous.
"Where the hell am I? I should've been home by now" the dirty blonde scoffed annoyingly.
She could make a very small sight coming into view, but it wasn't the village, Castle Dimitrescu's towers, or any sign of the road leading back to uncle's farm.
It was that of billowing smoke from a couple smokestacks, like that of an old large factory. She was becoming convinced, clearly, she was lost.
Unable to make out the road any further, she didn't realize a second, when her vehicle slipped off the snow covered road, and landed in a fairly deep ditch, with a loud thud, banging her sweaty dirty blonde head off the steering wheel of the truck, hard.
Adrenaline pumping through her veins, she shook the impact off, brushed her usual French braid aside, and attempted to push her heeled shoe on the gas pedal, to try and get out of the predicament she was in.
It was a futile attempt, the truck could not get out, and Lucille receded pushing anymore of her uncle's vehicle, for fear of wearing the engine out. Fear started to creep into Lucille's stomach and head, as she began to breathe rapidly. Her brown eyes scanned outside the vehicle, but it was like she was on a deserted island. She was all alone with no ability to find help to get her out of the vast snow covered country.
Lucille pushed the fear out of her head, and thought maybe the vehicle wasn't so bad of the situation, perhaps there could be a chance the truck was merely stuck on a small tree, or the ditch wasn't as bad as it seemed. Maybe even this is along the delivery route that Anton would be working for the merchant, she thought to herself.
She exited the vehicle, to observe her situation. It was not good, the vehicle was in a deep ditch, at least 3 feet. The front of the vehicle looked like it nose dived. She sighed annoyingly, angry breathing, gritting her teeth, quietly to herself, "Stupid, so fucking stupid, dammit Anton where the hell were you for me today?"
Her vulgar curse words were interrupted when she felt something wet start to slide down her slightly snow covered face, as she brought her hand to touch. A blood trickle coming down her head, she must've banged her temple against the vehicle's wheel pretty hard she thought.
The winds intensified, the cold was harsh, and the middle Raddu sibling's panic was slowly coming to fruition.
Then a loud growl, laid somewhere in the distance, snapping Lucille's attention with wide eyes, while using an arm to cover herself from the snow hitting her face, to attempt to make out what was in the area.
Lucille's first thought was an animal, but hopefully nothing ravenous, she had little protection, other than the interior of the truck and with nobody around to help her. She did think she could make her way towards the old factory, seen in the distance but decided against it as it was too far. Another snarl and growl again, loud but low sounding, as her brown eyes widened like saucers to attempt to look to see the direction. Then quietness as if it disappeared entirely.
But the scene was absolutely eerie, just the sound of the wind, and her rapid breath.
That face went from confusion, to absolute sheer terror, as a large beast creature landed with a loud crash on top of the crashed vehicle, crushing the top of the hood, smashing it like it was a tin can.
No more than 5 feet from the terrified girl, another creature appeared, jumping down and blocking any escape attempt behind her. Two lycans had descended upon Lucille Raddu, all alone with nothing to protect her or help her.
Both creatures snarled, with razor sharp bloodied teeth, blackened eyes, long sharp nails on their hands. Both Lycan creatures wore torn men's clothing of a white shirt, and dark pants, their fur snow covered, but their rapid desire to rip the middle Raddu sibling apart.
For Lucille, it was an absolute nightmare, she had no way of acquiring any help, she knew from past years heard terrifying tales of these beasts attacking the village, nearby homes and some small towns nearby, ripping homes and lives apart. But she had never experienced anything so terrifying, up to now.
The one creature jumped off the crushed pickup truck onto the snow, while the second merely started to growl slowly, both showing their deadly jaws, breathing frost out of their nose, their deadly darkened gaze centerd around their prey, trapped.
The terrified dirty blonde girl, shaking from both cold and terror, began to slowly back away in the opposite direction, she would love to run but knew this beasts would easily outrun her, the terrain would make it nearly impossible with the knee deep inch snow, causing her to move too slow for a successful escape.
A glimmer of hope appeared, at the base of her dark heeled shoes, as she looked down, and discovered a fair sized branch off a tree, and picked it up in her last ditch defense from the onslaught to come. It came down to this now, though a doubt did cast she could repel the incoming attack.
Lucille, still picked up the branch, to arm her. Gave a daggered but frightened look, muttering to herself shaking rapidly from from the cold and the heavy unease in her stomach, "C-Choice or c-c-chance girlfriend, run o-o-or stand m-my groun-d against t-t-hese ba-s-stards."
Her decision was made, to fight.
The first Lycan made the initial pounce and attack, first swiping his hand, narrowly missing the girl's cheek. Lucille made a few steps back and swung the weapon hitting the creature's face, obtaining an annoying loud growl as a reaction. But clearly did not phase the beast who didn't get moved that far away. The second lycan, then pounced, and grabbed the girl from behind, growling in her ear from behind, his massive arms crossed over her chest, picking up the girl like she weighed like that of a feather.
Lucille screamed frantically, tears now streaming down her blackened mascara and snow covered face. She was now at the mercy of the beast, who tossed the middle Raddu sibling like a light stone, who slammed very hard against the side of the broken down pickup truck.
A loud thud, and a "oof" was all the girl, now barely conscious, the blood running a little more down the front of her temple.
She was resigned to feel the end coming, as these beasts were now in position to make them their dinner. Her thoughts to her brothers, aunt and uncle, but did have a pleasant thought…
Mama, Papa...I will see you soon
As both lycans closed within a few feet, the girl was shocked all of a sudden to see a large man jump down in front of her. It was a very unusual sight before her. From what she could barely make out from the heavy snowstorm, and her eyes blinded from tears, and barely maintaining her consciousness, made it out a fair sized man, wearing a large brown trench coat, and some weird looking brownish hat. The most odd thing she noticed was that this unusual man carried a large hammer, larger than her, the man and even the lycans, but somehow had the ability to carry it.
The man turned his face slightly, his eyes covered in dark sunglasses, muttering to Lucille quietly, "Stay back, I'll deal with these little shits."
With that, the girl watched as the man approached with his weapon, swinging at one creature, making a hard impact across the beast's face, and knocking it some distance away, unconscious and likely dead from such an impact, probably dead. The second creature jumped at the coated man, landing behind angrily and snarling, attempting to use the same tactic as it did on Lucille from behind.
The strange man, dropped his hammer, felt the beast's arms wrap around his body, stomped hard on the creature's foot, then used the back of his head as a weapon and backed it fast into the beast's face, causing it to back and release the grip on the man.
The lycan was momentarily stunned, then after a second moved back and positioned its feet, as ready to pounce on the coated man.
The man picked up it's hammer, glared at the creature, and motioned with his hand, while holding the hammer in the other, "Come on, come get your meal today fucker."
The lycan let out a massive growl, and launched at the man.
The coated man smiled, and just at the last moment, swung the hammer with a massive crack across the beasts, sending blood and the body of the lycan flying through the air and coming to a crash on the ground. The impact was hard, and the motionless nightmarish creature was no more.
Lucille could only watch the horrid scene, but watched as the man, finished with his battle with the two monsters, turned and walked slowly towards to her injured, nearly frozen form.
The man lowered, removing his eye wear, glancing with deepened brown eyes in a concern at the helpless girl, while holding her hammer.
The dirty blonde woman could only stare, barely conscious and almost whisper, "P--p--l--e--a--s--e, h--h--h--e--l--p--m." At that, everything went dark.
--
10 miles away from Castle Dimitrescu
Romania
December 1940
Drinking a small flask, the harsh contents of alcohol entered the mouth of a man sitting on a small darkened chair, staring at a fireplace, holding a picture of a person, with a meaningful memory to him.
Staring, feeling strong sadness and raged emotions in him for a very good purpose. Only years ago, his brother had set out on a quest to rid the village of the vile Dimitrescu family, to rid the village of it's fearful lord with two others. The attempt to acquire such fame and fortune, had ended in a murderous end to the three brave men.
Now, preparing, gathering strength, numbers, and resources, the man, grinned with his darkened beard, massive built form, blue eyes, the day was to come anytime now, for payback.
Also sitting at the small kitchen table of a small cabin, another young man, close friends of the brother, sat reading a newspaper, drinking coffee, his boots on top of the kitchen table. The bearded man glanced at his direction, frowning and scoffing annoyingly, as if wanting to approach the youngster and smack him for putting his dirty boots on his table where he eats.
Almost brought to that point, the front door to the shack opened, wind and snow blowing in, another man with long brown hair, smaller beard, brown eyes, but another strong form entered. Wiping snow off his face and coat, stomping the snow off his feet, approached, putting his hand in his coat, pulling out a small towel covered item, spoke softly, "I told my man would come through, this should be enough to end those vile Dimitrescu whores once and for all."
The seated bearded man grinned from ear to ear, speaking slowly, "Tomorrow, we'll do this tomorrow." And with that, he glanced at a darkened massive object, on a table beside him, a crossbow, would end the Dimitrescu line as far as he was concerned and any who attempted to get in the way.
--
Author's Notes
- I know this chapter got a lot more shortened than my last one, no Bela/Anton encounters this one, but that'll come soon :)
-Victors personality coming clearly about, he will tame at some point, we will see :)
-Lucille and the coated man ;), we'll see where this goes, in any case that scene was inspired while watching Beauty and the Beast with my kids, lol. Except the Beast didn't get hurt….yet.
-In any case, much more will come soon...thanks for the reads, kudos, subs, and comments. Enjoy