Fang & Bullet by Greg Williams

The gray fog of London swirled around me as I made my way back to my hotel. Wartime curfew was only a few minutes away and I had to walk 5 blocks in the fog. Why did I take that English man up on another round of darts? I was due back to my outfit's field tomorrow and it wouldn't look good on my record to be late after your first night in London.

While I walked to the hotel I looked at the lieutenants bars on my shoulder. I'd earned them, and rightly so. Being a waist gunner on a B-17 is an important job and I had yet to fly my first mission. A noise down an alley made me look, and what I saw there was not a pretty site. The fog had lifted somewhat and a shape that wasn't human was leaning over something and eating, loudly. It looked up sharply, sniffed the air and turned to me with malevolent yellow eyes. A wolf in London?! Not a wolf, a werewolf! It stood up on its hind legs and advanced on me! An honest to god werewolf! They were the stuff of comic books, dime novels and folklore; Lon Chaney's portrayal did not do it justice.

I had no choice but to run and it followed after me. As I was crossing a street it jumped and bit down on my shoulder, and I yelled in pain. I kicked him off me and it crashed into a light pole. It picked itself up and stalked me on all fours. Just as it was about to jump, a truck came barreling around the corner and I had a really good view of the werewolf in the air before the truck's grill slammed into it head first, brain and gore splattering everywhere. The brakes squealed and it came to a halt, the driver got out and looked at the mess he made, then at me.

"Blimey, mate! Are you all right?"

"I think so."

"What's the meaning of this?"

We both turned to see a British army MP coming towards us.

"This bloke may need a doctor corporal, he's bleeding," said the truck driver.

"Do you gentlemen know its past curfew?"

"Yes I know." I said "I was on my way to my hotel when that thing attacked me. There's a body over in the alley."

"He attacked you?" said the corporal "With what? I don't see any weapons on him; for that matter, any clothes."

The truck driver and me looked to find a naked man lying on the street, quite dead, with a tattoo on his arm of the German Cross.

"A Nazi werewolf. Well that explains everything," said the truck driver

"Werewolf? Don't be daft, man." said the corporal.

"Corporal, what's this bloody mess your in?"

A lieutenant walked up, along with several soldiers in tow.

"That shoulder needs mending there, Yank."

"I know. Look, I was attacked...."

"Save it for later, lad. The two of you are coming with us."

The driver and me looked at each other.

"What for?" he asked

"Isn't it obvious? You both broke curfew."

"We were on our back when this...."

"That's enough of that now. Corporal, you know what to do. Off with you now."

My first night in England, and I was being arrested. My commanding officer was going to love this. I saw a doctor in lock up, who was amazed at how fast my wounded shoulder healed; and right there was proof for me! I was released back to my base the next day and Colonel Maddox glared at me from his desk while I stood at attention.

"You knew the curfew time lieutenant. And you broke it."

"I was attacked by a werewolf sir."

"Don't get funny with me son." growled Maddox "I got no time for drunken hysterics."

"I wasn't drunk sir! I was on my way back to the hotel when..."

Maddox held up his hand.

"I really don't want to hear it Mr. Foster. You made us look bad in front of the British, and I don't stand for that."

"If you don't believe me then ask the truck driver who hit the thing."

"I will on my own time. You are confined to base for the next two weeks, and you will fly your missions."

"Yes sir."

"Dismissed."

The next night was a full moon. When I woke, it was morning and I found myself in the medical ward, a small bandage on my torso.

"Nurse?" I asked groggily.

She turned and smiled at me.

"Feel better Mister Foster?"

"What happened to me?"

"I'll let the doctor explain."

She left the ward and returned with the doctor, and Colonel Maddox as well. Inwardly I groaned.

"I'm Doctor Becker. How do you feel son?"

"I'm not sure doc. Confused for one thing. What happened?"

"You turned into a werewolf son," says Maddox

My eyes widened

"Then, you believe me, sir?"

"I do now. Half the base saw you transform inside the mess hall."

I steeled myself for the next question.

"Did I..."

"No, fortunately. As I understand it, you were playing cards with several other rookies."

"That part I remember."

"You then felt woozy and decided to get some air, but you never made it that far. Right in front of everybody you transformed into a wolf and hunched yourself in a corner scared as hell. Quite the sensation I'm told. You made a break for it and ran out for the base perimeter. Fortunately, Doctor Becker here arrived a couple hours after your encounter and took charge of your capturing."

"A very effective tranquilizer that only works on lycanthropes." said Becker

"That explains the bandage." Said Col. Maddox

"I'm sorry, colonel, but I don't remember any of it."

"Common problem for a first time werewolf." said Dr. Becker

"Doctor Becker specializes in lycanthropes."

I blinked.

"Wait, Doctor Clayton Becker, world wide adventurer and star of the dime novel series Becker: Were Hunter?"

"You didn't think those stories could be made up did you?" he replied with smirk.

I gaped in astonishment

"I loved those stories growing up! But I thought you hunted weres that went bad."

"I do. Most of them are usually harmless, never attacking humans. Feralness among newly bitten werewolves is a common problem, that's why there are "Wolf Masters", to ease the transition.

The german that attacked you was a fighter pilot for the Luftwaffe who was shot down over London during the blitz. I personally did his case several years before the war. Why he never turned himself in I'll never know."

"Can you help me keep it under control?"

"That's what I'm here for. I'm a wolf master myself actually."

"The dime novels I read made that clear. Does this mean I won't be flying anymore colonel."

"Oh no you don't." he said waggling a finger at me. "You don't get out of it that easily."

"Not my intention sir."

"Good. Because next mission, you go up."

"Yes sir."

He turned to leave, then looked back at me.

"David, I'm sorry I was harsh on you before."

"Oh, No problem sir."

In between bombing missions, Doctor Becker taught me about being a werewolf. Most werewolves preferred to stay away from humans and lived with their own kind in isolated wooded areas. Dr. Becker was one of a few exceptions. The German who bit me kept his condition a secret from his commanders, I later learned, living in isolation near the Alps. He joined the Luftwaffe because he felt he needed to protect his home. All werewolves heal quickly, of course and that stuff about silver bullets is more or less true. Of course we can be killed by other means; the German's encounter with the truck proved that. Living several hundred years was also common among werewolves; Doc Becker himself was 92 and looked no older than his mid 30's!

Werewolves and other were creatures had been around since Greek times, maybe before, but they always kept to themselves or inisolation. Stories of were investigators; stopping weres that had gone mad, had circled the globe for centuries. Growing up outside Clinton Oklahoma at the height of the Dust Bowl, my only escape was reading Becker's dime novel adventures; of course no werewolf would find himself in the dustbowl, no places to hide

The B-17 I flew on was given the name Stink Bomber. Painted on the nose was a well-endowed female skunk in a red dress, straddling a 1,000lb bomb; a voluminous tail trailing behind her and giving the viewer a seductive look. The crew of the bomber went as such: Pilot - Matt, Co-pilot - Jim, Bombardier - Steve, Navigator - Brennan, Top Turret - Jeff, Radio operator - Andy, Ball turret - Stan, Me on Left Waist, Right waist - Roscoe, and Charlie as tail gunner. They all knew about my condition and gave me the nickname Wolf.

After 22 missions we were the best of friends, with barely any scratches. Of course most of our missions were milk runs along the coast and just inland of Netherlands, Belgium and France. I had accumulated an impressive 18 kills and 1 probable. It was the wolf in me of course; I had excellent eyesight and during battle I had the annoying habit of growling over the radio, much to the annoyance of my buddies. Mission 23 is where it gets interesting.

After our morning meal we assembled in the briefing room.

"Ten-HUT!!"

We all came to attention as Colonel Maddox and Major Fowler came up to the stage.

"At ease. Good morning gentlemen, another day, another dollar huh?"

Eyes rolled and throats groaned.

"I know. Well, it's going to get a little tougher from now on. High Command has deemed it time to take the battle farther inland."

Maddox nodded and Fowler pulled back a curtain over a map of Europe.

"The target for today.... is Nancy."

The response in all of us was instant. We were going farther inland into more dangerous territory.

"My reaction exactly." said Maddox "But it has to be done. Starting next week there will be bombing raids into Germany. I don't need to emphasize the danger involved. So for now, good luck gentlemen, and god speed. Major Fowler?"

"Morning gentlemen..."

I won't bore you with the details. We soon found ourselves airborne, heading into enemy territory. Pretty soon, the first fighter of the day came in.

"Bandits, 3:00!"

"Two of them coming in at 12:00!"

"4:00 low, he's yours ball turret."

"This is tail, I got three passing me by."

"I got 'em!"

"109 going down at 8:00!"

"I see it, the waist gunner from Dallas Diva got him."

"This is left waist, bandit headed in at 8:00!"

"Smoke 'em Wolf!"

"Come on Jerry, make it easy for me. There!"

I fired my gun and the bandit's engine blew. I removed me mask and howled out the window in triumph

"Yeah! Chew on that you master race pig!"

"Nice shot David!"

"B-17 smoking at 5:00, it's Pretty Palomino."

"Come you guys, bail out! Watch out!"

Palomino collided with Windy Wanda and both exploded.

"Oh, my God!" someone commented

"Anyone see any chutes?"

"Negative."

"More nasties looking to sting at 3:00!"

We lost another bomber on the way to Nancy, and I smoked another bandit. Pretty soon we encounter flak from the batteries surrounding the town.

"Bombardier, she's all yours."

"Bomb bay doors open."

"B-17 at 2:00 in trouble. She's smoking something bad."

"Its Fearless Finney. There's a massive hole in their side!"

"They're bailing out."

"Bombs away!"

The bombs dropped to their target and we made our way home, if only it was that simple. The plane was rocked by a huge blast.

"Crud! We've been hit! This is left waist, there's a fire in the radio room!"

"Don't just stand there, help him out!"

"Come on Roscoe!"

He pulled Andy out while I used a fire extinguisher, then knelt next to Roscoe.

"He's dead."

Then we were hit again!

"This is ball turret, number three and four engines are hit!"

"We're losing fuel!"

Both engines then spouted fire.

"Aw nuts! Time to bail out guys. This is the end of Stink Bomber, see you guys on the ground!"

I bailed out right behind Roscoe and released my chute. Stink Bomber went into a dive and hit the ground before us. I found myself headed for a field next to a small forest and landed near the tree line just like how I was trained. After stashing the chute I made my way into the forest. We managed to all make it down, except two others.

"Where's Charlie?"

"His chute didn't open," said Brennan "He didn't survive."

"Steve's neck got broken when he landed in the trees," said Jeff

"So now what" said Roscoe?

"Try to find the Resistance while avoiding the Germans and make our way back to England," said Matt

"Oh, is that all? Sounds easy to me," said Stan

"Shut up!" said Jeff

"No he's right." I said, "With my special ability it should be easy."

"Your special...oh yeah." said Stan "I keep forgetting about your other side."

"Well, don't keep us in suspense Wolf" said Jim "Transform and find us a way out of here."

"Coitenly."

Remember, you have to strip to change into a werewolf otherwise you'd be paying a fortune in clothing. So I squatted down to get myself ready.

"Mind if we watch you do it?" said Jeff

"That fascinating, huh?"

"Heck, yeah."

"Aw come on, just this once." said Roscoe

"Hurry, hurry, hurry" I said imitating a circus sideshow announcer "Come see the incredible Wolfman of the Sky!"

I closed my eyes and concentrated just like Doc Becker taught me. Hair began sprouting along my arms and legs and started growing in thickness. Bones shifted to new positions and my face swelled out to form a muzzle. In one minute flat, I was a werewolf on all fours, sniffing the air for danger.

"Amazing!" breathed Roscoe

"You go on and scout" said Matt "We'll stay here."

I nodded then lopped off. After a short while I saw a farmhouse and the unmistakable scent of another werewolf! A young female by her scent and I headed out to it. I dived into some bushes as a German car pulled up with three soldiers and a Major. As they got out I listened in on their conversation.

"I don't know why you bother coming out here Major. So what if a girl lives out here alone."

"Because she has no family sergeant, and she's all alone. Its the least I can do after the Luftwaffe strafed her parents."

A Nazi with a conscience; will wonders never cease. He straitened his uniform then knocked on the door.

"One minute." came the reply

The door opened to reveal a young girl no more than nineteen with blonde hair and wearing a simple skirt and shirt. She was the other werewolf I smelled.

"Ah, Major Kohler, what an unexpected visit."

"A pleasant one I hope. And how many times have I told you, my dear Belle, call me Gerhard. Just think of me as an uncle looking out for you."

Belle looked over Kohler's shoulder right to where I was crouched! Her eyes widened momentarily then went back to Kohler.

"Uh, of course, Gerhard. I'm happy you stopped by. Can I offer you something?"

He went in and the door closed. The three soldiers milled around the car. One of then started to come in my direction, but his rifle was slung over his shoulder. He came to a tall clump of bushes and unzipped his pants.

"I don't know what Major Kohler sees in the girl.," he said over his shoulder to his comrades. "We ought to be looking for the crew of that B-17 we saw going down."

One made a dismissive gesture.

"Ah, let the Gestapo find 'em Hans. Major Kohler's allowed his little indulgences because the General is his uncle."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." said Hans annoyed. He finished and zipped his pants back up and started to walk away when something caught his eye. He started to again come in my direction and unslung his rifle. He was coming for me!

At the last moment I struck out and tripped him. Before he could scream I clamped down on his throat and tore it away. I heard an annoyed sigh from his comrades.

"Hans, stop trying to be funny, you'll roll into your own pee."

The other chuckled.

"That would serve him right."

"Hans! Get up will you!"

He started coming our way. I had no choice but to burst out of the thick grass and attack. His eyes wide and reaching for his slung rifle I tore the throat out of him as well. The third had his back to us and was leaning on the car looking at the house.

"Oh, come on Franz, don't tell me you fell down too?"

He turned around to find me on the hood of the car, my fangs bared and growling quietly. I gave him just enough time to gasp in horror before I knocked him down and did him in as well. Footsteps came from the house and Major Kohler stepped out, a luger in his hand.

"What the devil is---"

A hand on the shoulder stopped him and he turned back around to find Belle, her face distorted and wolf-like.

"My god!" breathed Kohler before Belle tore his throat out too. She looked at me and she changed back.

"Where did you come from?"

I changed halfway so I could talk to her.

"My name is David Foster, my bomber went down earlier and the rest of my crew is hiding in that forest. Can you direct us to the underground?"

"Oui, I'm in the underground. Tell you friends to come here while I hide the bodies."

"Most kind of you madam."

"You can drop the madam part; my name's Belle. Hurry and bring them.

I hurried to where they were hiding and told them the good news. We made our way to the farmhouse, as it was getting dark. Belle opened her door and hurried us inside.

"You want to find the resistance and get back to England? We go through here first."

She pushed a table away and lifted a door hidden in the floor. We all climbed down into a subterranean tunnel and Belle led us down a dirt corridor, lighted every few yards with lamps.

"We really appreciate this miss," said Matt

"Save it. I've been helping downed allied pilots since you started coming our way. I know some people who'll get you to safety, this way."

We soon found our way into an underground barracks. Bunk beds lined the walls and a single wooden table was all that it made up. On the table a lamp burned and a deck of cards sat on it, very sparse accommodations.

"Wait here." said Belle "I'll bring someone along with new clothes and something to eat."

She left us and we settled into our temporary home.

"So, anyone up for a round of Poker?" said Brennan

An hour later Belle returned with a man carrying a satchel and tossed it on the table.

"Name's Pierre." he said "In that satchel is a change of clothing for each of you. Get 'em on and hide your flight suits in the satchel. We'll be leaving in a few hours."

"Are there others like us around miss?" I asked

"I'm the last one left, that I know of, in France." said Belle "The Nazi's have werewolves of their own and smelled most of us out in a few weeks."

"What happened to them?" I said

"I don't know" said Belle "But those werewolves who refuse to work for them have never been seen again

I shuddered at the thought.

"Exactly."

"Be ready to leave in two hours," said Pierre and they both left. Two hours later we found ourselves on a rail car. Matt and Pierre were up front in the first car, pumping up and down on bars set in the middle while the rest of us sat back in an open air metal box, dressed in French civilian clothing.

"This is where you and Belle get off American," said Pierre looking at me. "Disrobe and follow us within the tree line. We're nearing a town we must pass through and we can't take chances that the two of you will be captured."

"What about you?" I said

"I can take care of myself."

"Good luck Wolf," said Matt.

"You too."

The two of us got out, disrobed, put the clothes in the satchel and Changed inside the woods. I must say that Belle makes a very pretty blonde werewolf. She noticed me staring and gave an impatient chuff before heading off. It was several hours before dawn and the two of us stealthily made our way past town. As we neared the railroad we heard a voice cry out "Halt!" We crept up and found the guys surrounded by half a dozen German soldiers and an SS Colonel giving them the once over.

"We showed you our documents sir," said Pierre "We're just going to do some routine maint----"

"Spare me your lies scum. Now I want to know what happened to four German soldiers. They went out to visit a friend of yours, a so called Belle, and never returned."

"I don't know anything about it Colonel," said Pierre

"Then maybe one of your friends would know. It seems odd that some railroad maintenance should require seven people when all it really needs is two."

He looked down at Roscoe.

"Do you know anything about it?"

Roscoe just shook his head like he was supposed to.

"Speak when spoken to, you filth!" screamed the colonel who took one of his leather gloves and slapped him hard in the face. I looked at Belle and we gave each other an affirmative and broke from the bushes and attacked. We each snapped the neck of a soldier and turned to our second before they could react. Brennan took out a pistol he'd been hiding under the satchel and shot one soldier point blank in the forehead. The Colonel was suddenly realizing what was going on.

"Soldier!" he shouted before Pierre flung his hand out and a knife was seen protruding from the colonel's chest. He collapsed, dead before he hit the ground. Matt lunged at the soldier the colonel shouted for, the gun went off and they went down in a heap. Belle and me took out the last soldier before I turned on the one Matt tackled and tore his throat out. It happened so fast it was over before we realized it.

"Matt!" shouted Stan

Belle and me half-Changed and knelt next to Matt who had a gaping bullet wound above his heart. He coughed in pain.

"Hey Wolf, how's it going?" he replied weakly

"We'll get you out of here Matt, I promise." I said

He shook his head.

"No. No here's where I stay." He grabbed my shoulder and looked into my eyes "Don't abuse your gift, not even to save me."

"But Matt!" said Jim.

"Go on, all of you." he began coughing up blood "Tell my wife.... I died like a soldier. Do it...for me...Wolf."

"I will." I said, nodding "I'll tell her you died a hero."

"Thanks David." he replied before coughing wetly, choked and died. I lifted my head and howled at the sky before Belle joined in. Roscoe broke down and started crying. And Jim crossed himself. Our howls died down and Pierre was all business as he got on the rail car.

"Come on, we're still not safe. We have to keep moving."

Belle and me changed, put our clothing on and we kept going on to the English Channel. Me and Belle became fast friends and we were hitting it off like two old friends. The guys couldn't help but notice. We made our way without further incident from Pas de Calais to the shores of England where a corvette picked us up.

We went our separate way then. Jim went on to fly B-29's over Japan, Brennan and Jeff became instructors, Stan kept flying mission until he was killed over Berlin, and Roscoe became a mechanic. Pierre returned to France where he was a big help to the Pathfinders during D-Day, and me and Belle got married when we returned to England, where I spent the rest of the war at a desk in preperation for D-Day.

Me, Belle and Doc Becker went to the states, after the war, and went to work for the government in Washington at the Department of Shapeshifter Control; a kind of Were Investigation and Elimination business. We help contain and monitor feral and cursed were's and to control their abilities. Matt was right you know, it's a gift, as well as a curse.

We've gone all over the world stopping feral and cursed were's. A werejaguar in Brazil, an evil kitsune in Japan, a weretiger in Siberia, heck, even a weregorilla in central Africa. I've seen and done it all, and let me tell you, I wouldn't give it up for anything. Being a werewolf is just too damn good to give up.

The End