“You are?” Juliana looked back over her shoulder at the gray-eyed boy. “What does his touch do? What does yours do?”
“Sh! Already I am saying too much. General Kranzler and Dr. Wichtmann may not want us to speak of such things.”
“Who are they?” Juliana asked. They approached the crowded railroad terminal by the port, which looked like a modernist castle, complete with arches and a clock tower. The city teemed with life, people hurrying everywhere, and the air smelled like industrial smoke and grease.
Instead of answering her question, Alise turned back to face the boys. “Do we move too fast for you?”
“What have you been whispering about?” Sebastian asked as he and Niklaus caught up with them.
“I am hoping your journey was comfortable.” Alise touched Sebastian’s forearm, drawing another smile from him. He brightened up a little too much at her touch, Juliana thought.
“It was nice. I could use a beer, though,” Sebastian said.
“Yah, bier.” Niklaus nodded as he spoke his first words since their arrival. He also gave his first hint of a smile.
“Nein!” Alise snapped at him. Then she turned a sweet smile on Juliana. “We go to the rail station now.”
“For Berlin?” Juliana asked.
Alise shook her head.
“Mr. Barrett said we were going to Berlin,” Sebastian said.
“Herr Barrett does not know about the new laboratory,” Alise said. “In the Harz mountains, very pleasant. You will like it there!” She smiled. “I promise.”
Sebastian and Juliana traded worried looks, but there wasn’t much they could do but go along with whatever Alise told them.
They rode in a spacious, first-class car, divided by heavy curtains into private areas with plush seats. A porter secured Juliana and Sebastian’s luggage above them, then left the group alone.
Niklaus tapped Sebastian’s shoulder and pointed down the aisle, toward the club car. “Bier?”
“Yah, bier!” Sebastian replied, already learning two key words of German. He glanced at Juliana, who shrugged. The two boys left for their drinks. Alise looked toward the ceiling and shook her head.
“What can we expect when we get there?” Juliana asked her. “What will they do to us?”
Alise smiled. “First, they treat us all very well. Good food, nice rooms. There is radio, books, and even a small projection room. Sometimes we watch Hollywood movies!”
“That sounds nice.”
“Of course, they test our powers. They do these tests on me, too, and Niklaus.”
“What kind of tests?”
“For you, it is very dangerous,” Alise said, then shook her head. “Your touch is very dangerous. So...animals?” She shrugged.
Juliana frowned.
“It is necessary science,” Alise said, nodding firmly. “They will use microscopes to study your blood, skin, hair. And, if you are like me, they will find nothing!” She laughed, almost looking proud of it, but Juliana felt her heart fall.
“They find nothing?” Juliana said. “Why not?”
“Because the touch is a mystery.” Alise raised her hand and wiggled her fingers. “Even for the best scientists.”
“What does your touch do?” Juliana asked again.
Alise glanced at the empty aisle, then out the window, as if she expected someone to be spying on them. A bell clanged, and the train crept forward.
“My touch,” Alise whispered. “Makes people feel...happy.”
“Happy?”
“Happy.” Alise touched her heart and smiled wide. “Sometimes too happy.”
Juliana laughed, trying to imagine a room full of people feeling “too happy.” Would they be dancing? Singing? Kissing?
“Yes, happy,” Alise said. “We should talk no more on this until we arrive. It is not public information, we must keep it very quiet.”
Juliana nodded. If Alise filled people with happiness, it explained Sebastian’s comically large smile whenever Alise touched him, but that didn’t exactly make Juliana feel reassured. She looked out the window and saw long, stiff vertical banners hanging at regular intervals along the platform. They billowed as the train picked up speed. They were red, with a white circle and the black twisted-cross design in the center, the same one that was on Niklaus’ sleeve.
“What are those?” Juliana asked. She tried to imitate the strange shape with her fingers. Alise quickly covered Juliana’s gloved hands and shook her head. Then, probably remembering that Juliana’s touch was deadly, she snapped her hand back away from Juliana.
“It means National Socialist party,” Alise explained.