Lycanthropos by Jeffrey Sackett

hand. "I didn’t know when you would be arriving, so I went ahead without you." He nodded at the corpse on the operating table. "I’m afraid you owe me that beer you wagered. Urea is toxic to the Sorbs."
    Festhaller frowned. "Really?"
    "I’m afraid so," Mengele nodded, still smiling, happy at having won the friendly wager. "It look less than three minutes."
    The Professor shrugged. "Ah, well. It seemed like a good possibility to me, but of course, I was just speculating. One cannot ague with the results of experimentation."
    "No, one cannot," Mengele agreed. He gestured at Petra and said, "Have you met Fräulein Loewenstein?"
    Festhaller turned to the young woman and smiled. "My pleasure, Fräulein."
    "The pleasure is mine, Herr Professor," Petra replied, shaking his hand and noting that his handshake was weak and liquid .
    "I have made careful records of everything we’ve been doing with the Sorbs since we spoke last month," Mengele said. "I think that you will find the results interesting. The Sorbs seem to have absorbed a great deal of Aryan blood over the centuries..."
    "Yes, yes, in a moment," Festhaller interrupted. "Before we get into all that, I have some special orders for you from the Reichsführer ." He reached into the inner pocket of his heavy overcoat and pulled out a brown communications envelope, clearly sealed with Himmler’s personal insignia. He handed it to Mengele and said, "A new project is being begun, Herr Doctor, a fascinating new project."
    "Indeed?" Mengele replied as he opened the envelope and unfolded the enclosed orders. His eyebrows rose as he read Himmler’s message, and then he asked, "Is this serious, Herr Professor? Is this true?"
    "I have seen the film with my own eyes, Herr Doctor," Festhaller answered. "There is no doubt about the truth of Colonel Schlacht’s report."
    Mengele emitted a low whistle. "I’d give a year’s pay to get my hands on this man."
    "No doubt, no doubt," Festhaller said, "but the Reichsführer doesn’t want to commit too much of our research resources to this until he is certain that it is worth pursuing. Schlacht will be in charge of the project, and I will act as expert consultant for the time being. I’m quite certain that if we see results quickly, the entire matter will be transferred to you in due time. At the moment, however, all we require from you is a chemist to assist the colonel’s cousin."
    Mengele dropped the orders down on the desk and began to pace up and down. "I’m not sure which of my people is best qualified for this sort of research," he muttered. "Belser, perhaps. He studied genetics in London during the thirties. He might be what Colonel Schlacht needs..."
    As Mengele contemplated which of his assistants he could spare for the next few months. Petra Loewenstein surrendered to her curiosity and looked down at the orders. She strained her eyes in a attempt to read them without being too obvious about it, and then her face blanched when she saw the word ‘ werewolf’, and she picked the papers up eagerly. Her hands trembled as she studied them intently. Festhaller grabbed the pages from her and said with undisguised annoyance, "That is classified material, Fräulein!"
    She did not respond to his words. Instead she looked at Mengele and said earnestly, "Herr Doctor, you must transfer me to this project, you simply must!"
    "Now, Petra ," Mengele began, "this requires someone with particular expertise in the..."
    "Please, Herr Doctor, read my personal dossier," she interrupted. "You will see that I have had some experience with genetics." She paused. "You will also see that I have personal reasons for wishing to become involved in this research."
    "Petra, I cannot spare you here," Mengele said firmly. "Our work with the Sorbs..."
    "Can be continued by any one of a number of chemists," she finished for him. "Please, Herr Doctor, take a moment to read my dossier. Please!"
    Mengele