Werewolves (RP 7): Where Phantoms Reside (10/15-9/16)
Quote from Adriana on August 24, 2018, 6:02 pmMae
"Oh, it's been going on forever, leastways as long as I've been here, but it picked up quite a bit just this last year." Jen didn't miss a beat when Zander asked his question, and she cleverly disguised her satisfaction at getting the stranger to join in on the conversation. Then her attention was casually again on Bianca, and Jen stepped away from the chair to give the latter room to collect her things.
"They don't close for another hour or so, but we can head just down the street from here." Jen commented briefly, watching Bianca gather her books and listening to her talk about her family.
"Yeah," Jen sympathized, agreeing with Bianca's career choice as she made a kind face and wrinkled her nose slightly. "It takes some pretty tough skin sometimes. But being a teacher is great!"
Following the ebb and flow of the conversation, Jen was back to a brisk smile in moments, though she couldn't help but notice how encumbered Bianca looked.
"Definitely, a small town like Reknab Bend is nice!" Jen carried on, walking with Bianca, though she continued to notice the stack of books. "Really? So you're looking to come live out here then, carry on Grandma's old ambition? Well that's great! I haven't looked into the market here, but there are people that live all over, I mean we've got people living in town and then some that prefer to live way off in the countryside - there are even some people that live up on the mountains in little log cabins! It really just depends on what you're looking for. I live here in town, what with work and my studies and everything, it's just an easier commute."Just as they stepped out of the library, Jen couldn't hold back anymore and asked if she could lend Bianca a hand in carrying her things. Continuing on, she led the others a way up the street, when suddenly Jen remembered something:
"Oh, you know what, I was suppose to be waiting for a friend. She seems to be running late." In light of this recollection, Jen looked around for signs of said friend, and as it would so happen, she sighted her. "Ah, there she is. Tammy, over here!"******
Tammy wasn't expecting to see Jenn outside the library this late, much less heading off down the road with two strangers in tow, so it took her a moment to recognize the lithe little red-head bouncing up and down on the pavement to get her attention.
"Jenn?" Tammy asked bewildered, once she had pulled to the shoulder of the road and close enough to see Jenn's face. "I thought you'd be in the library."
"I was - and I forgot something. Here, Tammy, can you help Bianca get her books into your truck? We're just heading to Lobo's for something to eat - I'll only be a moment!" Jenn ran off back toward the library before Tammy had said anything, which did very little to ease Tammy's confusion, nonetheless she complied to her friend's wishes.
Getting out of the beaten old truck Tammy approached Bianca and Zander with a smile that was far more bashful than Jenn's ever could be.
"Here, we can put those between the seats," she offered, and reached out to give Bianca a hand. It might have been strange to Tammy just then, to feel the hair on the back of her neck prick, and a peculiar sense of uneasiness come over her, though there seemed to be nothing to warrant it. But Tammy was not so inexperienced as to disregard the odd sensation, and it caused her to take a second look at Jenn's acquaintances...."Did you say what your names were?"
******
Somewhere in the darkness Ulric could hear the martillo beat of the old bongo set, playing like the tick of a clock in his ears. Sometimes the rhythm played fast, and other times it played slow, but always the same pattern; a constant, pounding beat.
It did not take Ulric long to realize that this pumping, pounding rhythm was his own heart beat, urging him to get up and to move about and to be alive. But he waited a long time before he tried to do anything. There was a throbbing numbness sort-of pain in his arm and back that made getting up seem like an implausible idea. But as Ulric continued to wait, he began to feel a sense of urgency rise. He remembered he and Jackie weren't safe, and he had no recognition of the place he was...A steadying breath - somehow pleasant though utterly overlooked - filled Ulric's chest as he tested his limbs steadily, one by one. Stretching his fingers and toes, Ulric found he was still a captive, but a slightly more liberated captive than when he was taken by the hunters. He did not know when he had gone back to his original form, but he knew he would not have relented to it unless some part of him had been conscious at the time, so Ulric supposed he must have done it shortly before he awoke.
It was too dark for Ulric to see where he was, but many unrecognizable scents heavily lingered in the air.
"Jackie?" Ulric whispered, and the sound of his voice told him that some kind of walls surrounded him and the empty space between him and them made up for quite some room. He listened, and thought he heard muffled voices outside... but his own was the only breath he heard from within, so he knew he was alone...
Mae
"Oh, it's been going on forever, leastways as long as I've been here, but it picked up quite a bit just this last year." Jen didn't miss a beat when Zander asked his question, and she cleverly disguised her satisfaction at getting the stranger to join in on the conversation. Then her attention was casually again on Bianca, and Jen stepped away from the chair to give the latter room to collect her things.
"They don't close for another hour or so, but we can head just down the street from here." Jen commented briefly, watching Bianca gather her books and listening to her talk about her family.
"Yeah," Jen sympathized, agreeing with Bianca's career choice as she made a kind face and wrinkled her nose slightly. "It takes some pretty tough skin sometimes. But being a teacher is great!"
Following the ebb and flow of the conversation, Jen was back to a brisk smile in moments, though she couldn't help but notice how encumbered Bianca looked.
"Definitely, a small town like Reknab Bend is nice!" Jen carried on, walking with Bianca, though she continued to notice the stack of books. "Really? So you're looking to come live out here then, carry on Grandma's old ambition? Well that's great! I haven't looked into the market here, but there are people that live all over, I mean we've got people living in town and then some that prefer to live way off in the countryside - there are even some people that live up on the mountains in little log cabins! It really just depends on what you're looking for. I live here in town, what with work and my studies and everything, it's just an easier commute."
Just as they stepped out of the library, Jen couldn't hold back anymore and asked if she could lend Bianca a hand in carrying her things. Continuing on, she led the others a way up the street, when suddenly Jen remembered something:
"Oh, you know what, I was suppose to be waiting for a friend. She seems to be running late." In light of this recollection, Jen looked around for signs of said friend, and as it would so happen, she sighted her. "Ah, there she is. Tammy, over here!"
******
Tammy wasn't expecting to see Jenn outside the library this late, much less heading off down the road with two strangers in tow, so it took her a moment to recognize the lithe little red-head bouncing up and down on the pavement to get her attention.
"Jenn?" Tammy asked bewildered, once she had pulled to the shoulder of the road and close enough to see Jenn's face. "I thought you'd be in the library."
"I was - and I forgot something. Here, Tammy, can you help Bianca get her books into your truck? We're just heading to Lobo's for something to eat - I'll only be a moment!" Jenn ran off back toward the library before Tammy had said anything, which did very little to ease Tammy's confusion, nonetheless she complied to her friend's wishes.
Getting out of the beaten old truck Tammy approached Bianca and Zander with a smile that was far more bashful than Jenn's ever could be.
"Here, we can put those between the seats," she offered, and reached out to give Bianca a hand. It might have been strange to Tammy just then, to feel the hair on the back of her neck prick, and a peculiar sense of uneasiness come over her, though there seemed to be nothing to warrant it. But Tammy was not so inexperienced as to disregard the odd sensation, and it caused her to take a second look at Jenn's acquaintances....
"Did you say what your names were?"
******
Somewhere in the darkness Ulric could hear the martillo beat of the old bongo set, playing like the tick of a clock in his ears. Sometimes the rhythm played fast, and other times it played slow, but always the same pattern; a constant, pounding beat.
It did not take Ulric long to realize that this pumping, pounding rhythm was his own heart beat, urging him to get up and to move about and to be alive. But he waited a long time before he tried to do anything. There was a throbbing numbness sort-of pain in his arm and back that made getting up seem like an implausible idea. But as Ulric continued to wait, he began to feel a sense of urgency rise. He remembered he and Jackie weren't safe, and he had no recognition of the place he was...
A steadying breath - somehow pleasant though utterly overlooked - filled Ulric's chest as he tested his limbs steadily, one by one. Stretching his fingers and toes, Ulric found he was still a captive, but a slightly more liberated captive than when he was taken by the hunters. He did not know when he had gone back to his original form, but he knew he would not have relented to it unless some part of him had been conscious at the time, so Ulric supposed he must have done it shortly before he awoke.
It was too dark for Ulric to see where he was, but many unrecognizable scents heavily lingered in the air.
"Jackie?" Ulric whispered, and the sound of his voice told him that some kind of walls surrounded him and the empty space between him and them made up for quite some room. He listened, and thought he heard muffled voices outside... but his own was the only breath he heard from within, so he knew he was alone...
Quote from Adriana on August 24, 2018, 6:02 pmIndy
After uttering the apology to Ulric, Jackie’s mind cleared. She was still afraid, and she was still frustrated being trapped as she was, but now these emotions only served as clarity. Enough clarity, in fact, to reach out with the senses she often forgot she now had to realize… she was alone. Ulric wasn’t here. She would have slammed a fist into something solid if her constraints had allowed it. She’d gone on long enough playing another man’s game.
In the meantime, the evening had grown old and the moon had fully risen. It would be a few nights yet before it was completely full, but Jackie could sense its presence in spite of being tied up in the back of the van. At least Jackie could think of no other reason why she could feel just the faintest trace of energy running up and down her spine. All this bottled up energy and nothing to do with it.
“Well you’re just a little late, aren’t you?,” Jackie hissed,” Your timing sucks”
A few hours earlier, the hunters would have been a different story. She’d at least have had the satisfaction of a few bites before being subdued. Now it was both pointless and infuriating.
Or…?
How strong were these metal nets, she wondered. The netting was pulled around her tight; just a touch too tight, perhaps, that something a bit larger than her might not fit. The hunters obviously had experience in confining a werewolf, but her lackluster performance may have had some benefit after all; enough that she might have been the slightest underestimated.
No one had ever told her just exactly what she was capable of. At least, there had been no pamphlets passed out when she first joined the pack. Basic physics dictated her next course of action would be either unwise or pointless, but then again werewolves were not just basic physics. It was down to a simple choice: wait in the back of a van and hope whoever opened the door next was friendly, or risk extreme discomfort on only the possibility of freedom.
When stated like that, the choice was easy.
“Alright moon baby, I know we’re not good friends,” she brought her knees as close to her chest as physically possible until the mesh was as taut as it could be. She closed her eyes and took a single sharp inhale,”But if you help me out here, I promise it’s for a good cause”
Her skin was itching and crawling. The itching was becoming uncomfortable.
“Might even teach a few punks a lesson”
---Melinda eyed the stranger as he stepped back into his car, knowing she’d found herself in a scenario with few good options. Protocol would dictate she immediately call Harvey and let him know the rendezvous was compromised. But there was a strange quality in the air she’d encountered once before; there were eyes in unsuspecting places, judging every action she took and deciding what type of threat she was. She’d rather not blow her cover or intention just yet.
And in any case, it appeared this quiet night was only biding its time until all mayhem broke loose. Melinda retreated into her car and watched as the stranger drove farther up the road. She could either follow the man, or call this mission a bust and retreat back to the hotel.
She sparked the engine to life, and turned off the headlights.
“Well,” she sighed wearily,” I’ve come too far to quit now”
She followed a hundred yards behind Levi’s vehicle.
---
“Uumm”
Theo starred at his feet. Last time he’d seen mystery girl, he’d been twice his size and covered in fur. It might get a little awkward if he tried to explain who he was to her in person.
“I don’t think we should tell her it’s… from me.”
Theo’s brow furrowed, thinking hard. How was he going to sell Toby on this idea? “Actually, I was thinking we could maybe just leave it somewhere for her to find? We’ll need to be vague and mysterious. Like… um… in books!”
---
Only one year? Zander was far too busy dwelling over the significance of this new piece of information in the scheme of his findings to pay much mind to Bianca or Jen. By the time he’d resurfaced, he was startled to learn they’d made dinner plans. Or at least Bianca had. Briefly he reflected on making some excuse to break away; but no, still this outing seemed perfectly harmless.
As the group neared a truck, Zander saw a young woman, presumably Jen’s friend Tammy, coming out. Tammy appeared friendly; she hadn’t looked concerned by two unfamiliar. She even helped Bianca with her books; that was when Zander noted a peculiar expression on her face. It looked almost uneasy, as if she’d had a sudden realization.
He offered her a quick smile, as if to prove he was friendly and offered her his hand to shake,”I’m Zander. I’m just passing through for my studies. ‘shouldn’t be staying too long. Although that didn’t stop your friend from finding us”.
Indy
After uttering the apology to Ulric, Jackie’s mind cleared. She was still afraid, and she was still frustrated being trapped as she was, but now these emotions only served as clarity. Enough clarity, in fact, to reach out with the senses she often forgot she now had to realize… she was alone. Ulric wasn’t here. She would have slammed a fist into something solid if her constraints had allowed it. She’d gone on long enough playing another man’s game.
In the meantime, the evening had grown old and the moon had fully risen. It would be a few nights yet before it was completely full, but Jackie could sense its presence in spite of being tied up in the back of the van. At least Jackie could think of no other reason why she could feel just the faintest trace of energy running up and down her spine. All this bottled up energy and nothing to do with it.
“Well you’re just a little late, aren’t you?,” Jackie hissed,” Your timing sucks”
A few hours earlier, the hunters would have been a different story. She’d at least have had the satisfaction of a few bites before being subdued. Now it was both pointless and infuriating.
Or…?
How strong were these metal nets, she wondered. The netting was pulled around her tight; just a touch too tight, perhaps, that something a bit larger than her might not fit. The hunters obviously had experience in confining a werewolf, but her lackluster performance may have had some benefit after all; enough that she might have been the slightest underestimated.
No one had ever told her just exactly what she was capable of. At least, there had been no pamphlets passed out when she first joined the pack. Basic physics dictated her next course of action would be either unwise or pointless, but then again werewolves were not just basic physics. It was down to a simple choice: wait in the back of a van and hope whoever opened the door next was friendly, or risk extreme discomfort on only the possibility of freedom.
When stated like that, the choice was easy.
“Alright moon baby, I know we’re not good friends,” she brought her knees as close to her chest as physically possible until the mesh was as taut as it could be. She closed her eyes and took a single sharp inhale,”But if you help me out here, I promise it’s for a good cause”
Her skin was itching and crawling. The itching was becoming uncomfortable.
“Might even teach a few punks a lesson”
---
Melinda eyed the stranger as he stepped back into his car, knowing she’d found herself in a scenario with few good options. Protocol would dictate she immediately call Harvey and let him know the rendezvous was compromised. But there was a strange quality in the air she’d encountered once before; there were eyes in unsuspecting places, judging every action she took and deciding what type of threat she was. She’d rather not blow her cover or intention just yet.
And in any case, it appeared this quiet night was only biding its time until all mayhem broke loose. Melinda retreated into her car and watched as the stranger drove farther up the road. She could either follow the man, or call this mission a bust and retreat back to the hotel.
She sparked the engine to life, and turned off the headlights.
“Well,” she sighed wearily,” I’ve come too far to quit now”
She followed a hundred yards behind Levi’s vehicle.
---
“Uumm”
Theo starred at his feet. Last time he’d seen mystery girl, he’d been twice his size and covered in fur. It might get a little awkward if he tried to explain who he was to her in person.
“I don’t think we should tell her it’s… from me.”
Theo’s brow furrowed, thinking hard. How was he going to sell Toby on this idea? “Actually, I was thinking we could maybe just leave it somewhere for her to find? We’ll need to be vague and mysterious. Like… um… in books!”
---
Only one year? Zander was far too busy dwelling over the significance of this new piece of information in the scheme of his findings to pay much mind to Bianca or Jen. By the time he’d resurfaced, he was startled to learn they’d made dinner plans. Or at least Bianca had. Briefly he reflected on making some excuse to break away; but no, still this outing seemed perfectly harmless.
As the group neared a truck, Zander saw a young woman, presumably Jen’s friend Tammy, coming out. Tammy appeared friendly; she hadn’t looked concerned by two unfamiliar. She even helped Bianca with her books; that was when Zander noted a peculiar expression on her face. It looked almost uneasy, as if she’d had a sudden realization.
He offered her a quick smile, as if to prove he was friendly and offered her his hand to shake,”I’m Zander. I’m just passing through for my studies. ‘shouldn’t be staying too long. Although that didn’t stop your friend from finding us”.
Quote from Adriana on August 24, 2018, 6:02 pmDeseree
Never a moment of hesitation, and without disregarding his own rank or skill, Silas obeyed Diane. While it was her job to give the orders, it was in part his to know what she was going to command of him before she gave it. And so it was, by the time she neared him, his icy eyes had long been set on the weapons van, and his tranquilizer loaded. He needed only her word.
So be it.
He went with the next heavy gust of wind, while the hunters eyes were placed on the new vehicle entering the scene...
The mercenary soon took his mark in the brush, not more than a dozen paces across from the window of the vehicle. Brown hair danced atop his head in the breeze; the only portion of his figure that held life, for the rest of him was crouched still as stone beneath the waves of grain and weeds.
His eyes narrowed on the driver. He clasped a hand on the barrel of the gun and another at the trigger, and lifted himself slowly until he was level.
Chk.
The trigger was pulled, the dart was sent shooting for the neck of it's target.
Deseree
Never a moment of hesitation, and without disregarding his own rank or skill, Silas obeyed Diane. While it was her job to give the orders, it was in part his to know what she was going to command of him before she gave it. And so it was, by the time she neared him, his icy eyes had long been set on the weapons van, and his tranquilizer loaded. He needed only her word.
So be it.
He went with the next heavy gust of wind, while the hunters eyes were placed on the new vehicle entering the scene...
The mercenary soon took his mark in the brush, not more than a dozen paces across from the window of the vehicle. Brown hair danced atop his head in the breeze; the only portion of his figure that held life, for the rest of him was crouched still as stone beneath the waves of grain and weeds.
His eyes narrowed on the driver. He clasped a hand on the barrel of the gun and another at the trigger, and lifted himself slowly until he was level.
Chk.
The trigger was pulled, the dart was sent shooting for the neck of it's target.
Quote from Adriana on August 24, 2018, 6:03 pmKaqurei
The limo pulled up in front of Mr. Bolt and those that were nearest him. There was a pause after the purr of the engine hushed and it pulled into park, as if taunting the tense atmosphere surrounding the hunters to reach breaking point. Then, at length, there was a click and one of the rear doors opened. Out stepped a fairly tall woman dressed in a crisp business suit, her platinum blonde hair pulled back in a tight bun. Shades adorned her face, in spite of the black of night, while her lips were just a touch brighter crimson than blood. Leaning back into the vehicle, she said something to the driver, sounded like, This won't take long or something of that nature, and she shut the limousine.
"Mr. Bolt," she said, sweeping forward with a ridiculously graceful gait in spite of the high heels she was wearing. She was almost a head and shoulders taller than Bolt when she stood before him. "I'm Victoria Mires," she said briskly, putting her hand out as a gesture to shake his. "I'm afraid Miss Channing won't be able to make our appointment tonight. I was sent in her stead. You have the... merchandise, I presume?"
****
Levi relaxed a bit as he caught sight of Channing's headlights in his rear view mirror. She'd taken the bait.... for now, anyway. He hoped Sabrina had caught his signal. At any rate, she couldn't miss the fact that her vehicle was trailing his back towards town.
Kaqurei
The limo pulled up in front of Mr. Bolt and those that were nearest him. There was a pause after the purr of the engine hushed and it pulled into park, as if taunting the tense atmosphere surrounding the hunters to reach breaking point. Then, at length, there was a click and one of the rear doors opened. Out stepped a fairly tall woman dressed in a crisp business suit, her platinum blonde hair pulled back in a tight bun. Shades adorned her face, in spite of the black of night, while her lips were just a touch brighter crimson than blood. Leaning back into the vehicle, she said something to the driver, sounded like, This won't take long or something of that nature, and she shut the limousine.
"Mr. Bolt," she said, sweeping forward with a ridiculously graceful gait in spite of the high heels she was wearing. She was almost a head and shoulders taller than Bolt when she stood before him. "I'm Victoria Mires," she said briskly, putting her hand out as a gesture to shake his. "I'm afraid Miss Channing won't be able to make our appointment tonight. I was sent in her stead. You have the... merchandise, I presume?"
****
Levi relaxed a bit as he caught sight of Channing's headlights in his rear view mirror. She'd taken the bait.... for now, anyway. He hoped Sabrina had caught his signal. At any rate, she couldn't miss the fact that her vehicle was trailing his back towards town.
Quote from Adriana on August 24, 2018, 6:03 pmMae
Calerry Christensen had only a moment to realize he'd been shot before he slumped in the driver's seat and his head fell against the door.
The instant Silas acted, Diane veered around to a new vantage point at the front of the vehicle. There, she discovered the approaching vehicle to be a high-profile limousine, and a moment later she saw a very curious creature exited it..
"Curious indeed.." Diane thought to herself, "I was expecting someone else." She watched, to see how Harvey stepped forward to meet this approaching woman while the other three remained to back him... The language of the hunter's posture made it clear that they were on the defensive and it would not take much to agitate them.
But Diane's primary interest was not the affairs of Harvey Bolt's hunters, and looking over her left shoulder, around the van to the west, Diane could see the two trucks wherein she knew the captives were held. Only the very rear of the westernmost truck could be seen from her vantage, and both trucks were guarded in the back by a hunter. Still, Diane was nothing if not clever at collecting advantages, and for the moment her calculations had judged a place of refuge.
Diane slunk back to the side of the van and motioned for Silas. "There is another hunter directly on the other side of this van... Find some way to lure him around the back and disengage him. Stay out of sight of that man in the truck."
******Harvey Bolt was skeptical the moment he laid eyes on the figure from the limousine. He did not take her hand.
"I wasn't told about any change in hands, and it's not my habit to play without a straight." Harvey returned rather bluntly, then asked directly, "Did they send you with the price on that merchandise?"Clearly, Harvey was not in the mood to haggle through this transaction, but he knew he was on a time limit, and his hunters were impatient.
******
It took Ulric a long while to get the motivation to find his way out, as the dread of moving too much still lingered in his limbs, but when he at last tried, he found that there was no additional pain. However, attempting to sit upright, Ulric felt the net around him catch, and discovered that it must be fastened to the floor somehow..
Ulric was not inclined to test the strength of the confines just yet, so he laid back down and began searching for other means.
The strange weight hanging on Ulric's wrists had rolled from his chest to his torso when he tried to sit up, therefore it became his main interest. He set about feeling the contraption for awhile and knew how to manipulate his hands out of it after only a few minutes. But in making such an attempt, Ulric was alarmed to discover a powerful surge of pain that shot through his forearm up into his shoulder, and the venture was hastily discontinued."Okay..." Ulric muttered to himself, and took a stabilizing breath. He tried again, and took his uninjured arm out of the contraption, then gently finagled the device around his other wrist with some difficulty until both were freed. Now, he carefully began feeling the coated metal links of his confines, noting they were rounded and heavy, each link an inch and a half long with a centimeter in thickness - a tedious thing to carry. However, had Ulric not had an injury, he might have felt the weight was comfortably spread out over him, with whatever kind of plastic coating that kept the bare metal from his skin. As it was, Ulric was quite uncomfortable, and wanted to get out if only to rest peacefully; Every inch of him was still tired, and for all Ulric's observations, focus was still fleeting.
Ulric could not guess what sort of circumstances Jackie was in, but if he let the purpose of finding her slip from view, then his determination to escape followed.
But Ulric was not of the mind to let the matter slip, and fingering around in the net, it was easy to find the clasps that were used to secure the links around him, as they were bare metal and very cold. So aside from the difficulty of using both hands to undo them, Ulric made short work of figuring out how they worked.In only a few minutes, Ulric was out of the net, but he lay on the cold floor of the truck for a few moments anyway... Hopefully, Jackie had already gotten herself out wherever she was, as Ulric knew she likely had the use of both her arms for the process, but regardless he needed a moment to rest.
Little did Ulric know, however, that Jackie's net was different from his in that the clasps were more complicated, and the links had no coating - being designed to be uncomfortable and even painful if strenuously tested. Each link was longer and slightly thinner than the links that held Ulric bound - more inclined to give to pressure, but they were also flexible. When pressed to the limit, the clumsy clasps that separated the excess net for a tight fit around a small captive were sure to snap before any of the actual links would.
Mae
Calerry Christensen had only a moment to realize he'd been shot before he slumped in the driver's seat and his head fell against the door.
The instant Silas acted, Diane veered around to a new vantage point at the front of the vehicle. There, she discovered the approaching vehicle to be a high-profile limousine, and a moment later she saw a very curious creature exited it..
"Curious indeed.." Diane thought to herself, "I was expecting someone else." She watched, to see how Harvey stepped forward to meet this approaching woman while the other three remained to back him... The language of the hunter's posture made it clear that they were on the defensive and it would not take much to agitate them.
But Diane's primary interest was not the affairs of Harvey Bolt's hunters, and looking over her left shoulder, around the van to the west, Diane could see the two trucks wherein she knew the captives were held. Only the very rear of the westernmost truck could be seen from her vantage, and both trucks were guarded in the back by a hunter. Still, Diane was nothing if not clever at collecting advantages, and for the moment her calculations had judged a place of refuge.
Diane slunk back to the side of the van and motioned for Silas. "There is another hunter directly on the other side of this van... Find some way to lure him around the back and disengage him. Stay out of sight of that man in the truck."
******
Harvey Bolt was skeptical the moment he laid eyes on the figure from the limousine. He did not take her hand.
"I wasn't told about any change in hands, and it's not my habit to play without a straight." Harvey returned rather bluntly, then asked directly, "Did they send you with the price on that merchandise?"
Clearly, Harvey was not in the mood to haggle through this transaction, but he knew he was on a time limit, and his hunters were impatient.
******
It took Ulric a long while to get the motivation to find his way out, as the dread of moving too much still lingered in his limbs, but when he at last tried, he found that there was no additional pain. However, attempting to sit upright, Ulric felt the net around him catch, and discovered that it must be fastened to the floor somehow..
Ulric was not inclined to test the strength of the confines just yet, so he laid back down and began searching for other means.
The strange weight hanging on Ulric's wrists had rolled from his chest to his torso when he tried to sit up, therefore it became his main interest. He set about feeling the contraption for awhile and knew how to manipulate his hands out of it after only a few minutes. But in making such an attempt, Ulric was alarmed to discover a powerful surge of pain that shot through his forearm up into his shoulder, and the venture was hastily discontinued.
"Okay..." Ulric muttered to himself, and took a stabilizing breath. He tried again, and took his uninjured arm out of the contraption, then gently finagled the device around his other wrist with some difficulty until both were freed. Now, he carefully began feeling the coated metal links of his confines, noting they were rounded and heavy, each link an inch and a half long with a centimeter in thickness - a tedious thing to carry. However, had Ulric not had an injury, he might have felt the weight was comfortably spread out over him, with whatever kind of plastic coating that kept the bare metal from his skin. As it was, Ulric was quite uncomfortable, and wanted to get out if only to rest peacefully; Every inch of him was still tired, and for all Ulric's observations, focus was still fleeting.
Ulric could not guess what sort of circumstances Jackie was in, but if he let the purpose of finding her slip from view, then his determination to escape followed.
But Ulric was not of the mind to let the matter slip, and fingering around in the net, it was easy to find the clasps that were used to secure the links around him, as they were bare metal and very cold. So aside from the difficulty of using both hands to undo them, Ulric made short work of figuring out how they worked.
In only a few minutes, Ulric was out of the net, but he lay on the cold floor of the truck for a few moments anyway... Hopefully, Jackie had already gotten herself out wherever she was, as Ulric knew she likely had the use of both her arms for the process, but regardless he needed a moment to rest.
Little did Ulric know, however, that Jackie's net was different from his in that the clasps were more complicated, and the links had no coating - being designed to be uncomfortable and even painful if strenuously tested. Each link was longer and slightly thinner than the links that held Ulric bound - more inclined to give to pressure, but they were also flexible. When pressed to the limit, the clumsy clasps that separated the excess net for a tight fit around a small captive were sure to snap before any of the actual links would.
Quote from Adriana on August 24, 2018, 6:03 pmDeseree
Bianca felt a little silly at this point; she might have assumed the community of Reknab bend to be made up of older ranchers and quiet, overly reserved folk. She was glad to be proved wrong, in any case.
Laughing slightly at Zanders response, she nodded to Tammy and passed her half of the work load. "Oh, but I'm glad Jenn found us! She's really great. My name is Bianca Chapman. I'm here on a work assignment as well. It's a pleasure, Tammy." she nodded respectfully, before moving around to the passenger side of the door and opening it, placing the books down between the seats. She seemed oblivious to Tammy's sweeping uneasiness, and carried on with ease.
"Were you born here as well?" she asked, closing the door and making her way around the front of the vehicle again.
---
With his gaze focused elsewhere, Silas listened to Dianes next command, never once making eye contact. By the time she finished, he had placed his weapon in his back and was removing a curious box from a pocket.. cigarettes?
"Do you smoke?" he asked quietly, almost smirking as he shook his head just so. He flipped the box open and lifted a cigar to his lips, returning the package to it's place and moving round the back of the van.
He listened and waited. The pacing seemed to be getting further. Lifting a lighter to the cigarette and covering the flame with his hand, he lit it, and waited still.
'Back this way..' he urged the guard mentally.
Then the pacing shifted around, growing near this time. Silas removed the unsightly thing from his mouth and released a long, steady breathe of smoke into the breeze. Then with a quick flick of his wrist, he cast it forward into the path of his next target and pressed himself against the back of the van, furthest from the north side.
He took the bait. Just as quickly as he could look around the back of the van and take a step forward, Silas shifted behind him and hooked his arms around the neck of the other, in a hold that was intended to swiftly bring about an unwanted sleep.
Deseree
Bianca felt a little silly at this point; she might have assumed the community of Reknab bend to be made up of older ranchers and quiet, overly reserved folk. She was glad to be proved wrong, in any case.
Laughing slightly at Zanders response, she nodded to Tammy and passed her half of the work load. "Oh, but I'm glad Jenn found us! She's really great. My name is Bianca Chapman. I'm here on a work assignment as well. It's a pleasure, Tammy." she nodded respectfully, before moving around to the passenger side of the door and opening it, placing the books down between the seats. She seemed oblivious to Tammy's sweeping uneasiness, and carried on with ease.
"Were you born here as well?" she asked, closing the door and making her way around the front of the vehicle again.
---
With his gaze focused elsewhere, Silas listened to Dianes next command, never once making eye contact. By the time she finished, he had placed his weapon in his back and was removing a curious box from a pocket.. cigarettes?
"Do you smoke?" he asked quietly, almost smirking as he shook his head just so. He flipped the box open and lifted a cigar to his lips, returning the package to it's place and moving round the back of the van.
He listened and waited. The pacing seemed to be getting further. Lifting a lighter to the cigarette and covering the flame with his hand, he lit it, and waited still.
'Back this way..' he urged the guard mentally.
Then the pacing shifted around, growing near this time. Silas removed the unsightly thing from his mouth and released a long, steady breathe of smoke into the breeze. Then with a quick flick of his wrist, he cast it forward into the path of his next target and pressed himself against the back of the van, furthest from the north side.
He took the bait. Just as quickly as he could look around the back of the van and take a step forward, Silas shifted behind him and hooked his arms around the neck of the other, in a hold that was intended to swiftly bring about an unwanted sleep.
Quote from Adriana on August 24, 2018, 6:03 pmKaqurei
A smile curled those red lips of this "Victoria"--they even split to reveal the glossy white teeth behind them. "You like to gamble Mr. Bolt," she said. It was not a question. It was not even an accusation. "Of course I have it." She reached into her jacket and pulled out a white envelope, which she waved playfully from side to side. "But, I should like to see the merchandise before payment," she said coolly. "You understand, I am sure. You see, I don't particularly care for gambling. So let us be certain that everything is in order... hm?"
She paused... there was a scent on the air--more than the cigarette. Her brows knit together slightly as something was calculated within. She focused on Bolt again and gave something of a displeased chuckle. "Time is money, Mr. Bolt."
Kaqurei
A smile curled those red lips of this "Victoria"--they even split to reveal the glossy white teeth behind them. "You like to gamble Mr. Bolt," she said. It was not a question. It was not even an accusation. "Of course I have it." She reached into her jacket and pulled out a white envelope, which she waved playfully from side to side. "But, I should like to see the merchandise before payment," she said coolly. "You understand, I am sure. You see, I don't particularly care for gambling. So let us be certain that everything is in order... hm?"
She paused... there was a scent on the air--more than the cigarette. Her brows knit together slightly as something was calculated within. She focused on Bolt again and gave something of a displeased chuckle. "Time is money, Mr. Bolt."
Quote from Adriana on August 24, 2018, 6:03 pmMae
Unfortunately for him, Cook's disposition made him a man that wouldn't resort to desperate means, even if his life depended on it, and though naturally he put up a fight, ultimately he failed to free himself. Miles Cook was caught before he knew what was happening - he couldn't breathe, he couldn't shout - and he would argue fiercely with Calerry later that his had been a far less pleasant assault.
Diane disregarded Silas' antics and didn't watch him do his work. When the man was subdued to an unconscious state, Diane instructed that both hunters be quickly and quietly tied as she disarmed them of anything long range.
The moment one of the other hunters looked this direction, Diane estimated they would notice Miles wasn't at his post, but Calerry, still seated at the wheel, would buy the werewolves time. Her team now possessed the weapons van, for although the Svalnaglas frowned on the use of traditional firearms, it was an asset as a strong holding position, shelter from ranged attacks, and a means of emergency transportation.
The operation was now a timed venture, but even so, Diane knew when to act and when to wait. For the moment, it was again time to wait, but they wouldn't be waiting long...
******Tammy received Bianca's books before she tried to take Zander's hand, but she dipped her head to him briefly and returned to her truck. Opening the driver's door, Tammy leaned over the seat and waited for Bianca to set down her stack before placing the other books down, and then she waited there while Bianca made her way back around the truck...
Tammy bit her lower lip out of view of the strangers, then she hastily pushed away from the driver's seat and pulled her cap down a little further on her forehead, closing the truck door with her foot in the next motion and turning to face the werewolves.
"No, I wasn't born here." Tammy said, smiling despite herself, and she didn't offer much else by way of explanation. Looking back toward the library to watch for Jenn, Tammy fidgeted briefly with her hands.
******Time was money, and with each passing moment Harvey cared less about who he delivered the so-called merchandise to, and more about getting the whole ordeal over with.
"Hope you brought something to bring her back in." Bolt sneered, gesturing toward Victoria's limousine, but he led the way to the back of Paul Reginald's truck regardless.
"Get out here and grab your gun, Dugston." Harvey ordered as he approached the trucks.
Daniel Whiles immediately stood aside to give Bolt access to the back of Paul's truck, and prepared his own weapon. Jon Dugston reached to where he stored his tranquilizer beside him, giving Bevis a careful, sweeping glance as he exited the vehicle and closed the door behind him. Jon then took a prepared stance in front of Harvey, between him and the truck.Meanwhile, Hal, Mary, and Alfred had followed behind Bolt and Victoria at some distance, and while the first two took up a position beside Daniel, Alfred spat on the ground and loaded his rifle, stepping forward.
"Get ready fellas!" Alfred called, making sure none were positioned very close, and none closer than Jon and himself.
Seeing everyone in position, Harvey nodded to Alfred, who then signaled Paul with a nod in his rear-view mirror. Shortly following, a distinct click sounded from the truck, and then the heavy metal door that separated Jackie from the hunters began to lift...
Mae
Unfortunately for him, Cook's disposition made him a man that wouldn't resort to desperate means, even if his life depended on it, and though naturally he put up a fight, ultimately he failed to free himself. Miles Cook was caught before he knew what was happening - he couldn't breathe, he couldn't shout - and he would argue fiercely with Calerry later that his had been a far less pleasant assault.
Diane disregarded Silas' antics and didn't watch him do his work. When the man was subdued to an unconscious state, Diane instructed that both hunters be quickly and quietly tied as she disarmed them of anything long range.
The moment one of the other hunters looked this direction, Diane estimated they would notice Miles wasn't at his post, but Calerry, still seated at the wheel, would buy the werewolves time. Her team now possessed the weapons van, for although the Svalnaglas frowned on the use of traditional firearms, it was an asset as a strong holding position, shelter from ranged attacks, and a means of emergency transportation.
The operation was now a timed venture, but even so, Diane knew when to act and when to wait. For the moment, it was again time to wait, but they wouldn't be waiting long...
******
Tammy received Bianca's books before she tried to take Zander's hand, but she dipped her head to him briefly and returned to her truck. Opening the driver's door, Tammy leaned over the seat and waited for Bianca to set down her stack before placing the other books down, and then she waited there while Bianca made her way back around the truck...
Tammy bit her lower lip out of view of the strangers, then she hastily pushed away from the driver's seat and pulled her cap down a little further on her forehead, closing the truck door with her foot in the next motion and turning to face the werewolves.
"No, I wasn't born here." Tammy said, smiling despite herself, and she didn't offer much else by way of explanation. Looking back toward the library to watch for Jenn, Tammy fidgeted briefly with her hands.
******
Time was money, and with each passing moment Harvey cared less about who he delivered the so-called merchandise to, and more about getting the whole ordeal over with.
"Hope you brought something to bring her back in." Bolt sneered, gesturing toward Victoria's limousine, but he led the way to the back of Paul Reginald's truck regardless.
"Get out here and grab your gun, Dugston." Harvey ordered as he approached the trucks.
Daniel Whiles immediately stood aside to give Bolt access to the back of Paul's truck, and prepared his own weapon. Jon Dugston reached to where he stored his tranquilizer beside him, giving Bevis a careful, sweeping glance as he exited the vehicle and closed the door behind him. Jon then took a prepared stance in front of Harvey, between him and the truck.
Meanwhile, Hal, Mary, and Alfred had followed behind Bolt and Victoria at some distance, and while the first two took up a position beside Daniel, Alfred spat on the ground and loaded his rifle, stepping forward.
"Get ready fellas!" Alfred called, making sure none were positioned very close, and none closer than Jon and himself.
Seeing everyone in position, Harvey nodded to Alfred, who then signaled Paul with a nod in his rear-view mirror. Shortly following, a distinct click sounded from the truck, and then the heavy metal door that separated Jackie from the hunters began to lift...
Quote from Adriana on August 24, 2018, 6:04 pmIndy
Melinda eyed the road ahead of her with disgust. This wasn’t the right way and she knew it. The ‘helpful stranger’, it seemed, had been nothing more than a means to get her out of the game while the other players had their fun. Melinda sneered into her rearview mirror; she would not be so easily swayed from her objective.
There were several possible courses of action she could do next, all of which depended on who exactly this stranger was and his motivation. Ally, adversary, or a neutral party… all were equally possible at that moment. What she needed was to narrow down her parameters.
She slowed down her car gradually, so the gap might grow between her car and the stranger’s. With her headlights off since first turning the ignition, the change would be a subtle one to see. When about a quarter mile distance had grown between the two, Melinda stopped almost entirely. Then, slowly, she turned her car around to drive in the opposing direction without so much a screech on the pavement.
She glanced in her rearview mirror. If the man followed her, that meant he had noticed her change in direction. Which would be very difficult to notice if his senses were entirely human.
---Zander frowned at Tammy as she rejected his handshake, as though feeling there’d been something personal about it. Ordinarily he wouldn’t have been so bothered, but something about the young woman’s manner suggested she was uncomfortable, and Zander couldn’t help but empathize. He knew what it was like to feel uncomfortable around others, wary even, and he’d hate to have somehow been the source of her unease. And it was no wonder -- he'd spent much of his time observing, barely sharing more than his purpose at Reknab Bend.
He offered her a quick, warm smile, “I’m sure Jen won’t be long. We’ll be out of your way in no time. But in the meantime… ”
The man then turned to the bag at his side and started to fumble around. At last, his hands settled on a small object. He extracted a small stack of typed pages bound together by a clip, no more than several pages long.
“ I well, like to travel around a lot. I hear a lot of interesting stories, and when I hear a good one, I like to write them down. This particular one is a sort of fairy tale, from a small group of people far from here,” he offered the young woman the stack of pages,”And whenever I get the chance, I like to share them with people as well”
---
The changes had already begun to progress as Jackie willed them, though much slower than it would ordinarily. She could feel the netting already start to stretch and a few clasps snap, but it would take much more than that. She tried not to cry out as the cold metal dug into her skin, tried to readjust herself so the netting would always be as taut around her expanding form…
But most of all she was just trying to fight the overwhelming urge to pass out and vomit. Her mind wandered. Sometimes she’d forget where she was or what she was doing. Often when she closed her eyes in pain, scenes of a different time and place played out instead.
A man stands over her, teeth glinting into a smile. ‘You’re weak,’ he says, ‘Get up and finish what you started’. Standing hurts—she’s broken a few ribs—but she smiles right back at him and starts to walk away. He lets her go, but only because he knows she’ll return.
Several of the outer links snapped, but the netting wouldn’t give. Instead it loosened only slightly. Maybe the chains won’t break… maybe it was an impossible task. It would be much easier to quit, she thought. Though she’d never shirked away from difficulty before. Jackie clenched her teeth as she readjusted herself, shoving the urge to stop deep into the pit of her stomach.
She always came back no matter how angry she was when she left. Sometimes it was a few days, and sometimes a few months, but she’d always return. The man would welcome her home with a knowing glance and a new obstacle. The facility, and the man, and the obstacles had become home so many years ago.
More of the links buckled and the slack increased significantly. But no, not enough. The pain became almost unbearable. The metal links felt like thousands of chewing teeth. Jackie could sense freedom was close. Or maybe she was just close to passing out.
One day she doesn’t go home for nearly a year. She learned what the man had planned of her and she was afraid of it. The man, or those with him, never pursued her. Even if she’d never returned, he’d have never looked. She went where she wanted, did as she pleased; she was free.
The netting creaked and groaned. It was splitting at the seams; and so was she. She should have passed out by now. And she did – or at least a part of her did. By now she’s not distinguishably human, just a mass of fur and metal. As the human mind slipped underneath, the wolf emerged terrified and injured. It was frantic as any caged thing ought be, and squirmed in the confines with every ounce of strength it had. Just as the beast was about to cry out, the final chain buckled, and the monster flopped out onto the cold metal of the truck. For a moment it seemed only dazed. Panting heavily, it lay watching the thin line of the opening door grow.
Until freedom became a bitter. She’d remember the man’s smile when she performed well. She’d remember the facility and its many passages. She’d remember the people inside, their jokes and stories of days long past. She’d even miss the other girl her age, who rarely spoke an unprompted word towards her. She had never been free. Her heart had always belonged to the facility, to the man, and no amount of running would ever change it.
A throaty growl gathered. Just as the door came fully ajar, the creature scrambled to it’s trembling feet and ran out of the truck with every ounce of strength it had.
Indy
Melinda eyed the road ahead of her with disgust. This wasn’t the right way and she knew it. The ‘helpful stranger’, it seemed, had been nothing more than a means to get her out of the game while the other players had their fun. Melinda sneered into her rearview mirror; she would not be so easily swayed from her objective.
There were several possible courses of action she could do next, all of which depended on who exactly this stranger was and his motivation. Ally, adversary, or a neutral party… all were equally possible at that moment. What she needed was to narrow down her parameters.
She slowed down her car gradually, so the gap might grow between her car and the stranger’s. With her headlights off since first turning the ignition, the change would be a subtle one to see. When about a quarter mile distance had grown between the two, Melinda stopped almost entirely. Then, slowly, she turned her car around to drive in the opposing direction without so much a screech on the pavement.
She glanced in her rearview mirror. If the man followed her, that meant he had noticed her change in direction. Which would be very difficult to notice if his senses were entirely human.
---
Zander frowned at Tammy as she rejected his handshake, as though feeling there’d been something personal about it. Ordinarily he wouldn’t have been so bothered, but something about the young woman’s manner suggested she was uncomfortable, and Zander couldn’t help but empathize. He knew what it was like to feel uncomfortable around others, wary even, and he’d hate to have somehow been the source of her unease. And it was no wonder -- he'd spent much of his time observing, barely sharing more than his purpose at Reknab Bend.
He offered her a quick, warm smile, “I’m sure Jen won’t be long. We’ll be out of your way in no time. But in the meantime… ”
The man then turned to the bag at his side and started to fumble around. At last, his hands settled on a small object. He extracted a small stack of typed pages bound together by a clip, no more than several pages long.
“ I well, like to travel around a lot. I hear a lot of interesting stories, and when I hear a good one, I like to write them down. This particular one is a sort of fairy tale, from a small group of people far from here,” he offered the young woman the stack of pages,”And whenever I get the chance, I like to share them with people as well”
---
The changes had already begun to progress as Jackie willed them, though much slower than it would ordinarily. She could feel the netting already start to stretch and a few clasps snap, but it would take much more than that. She tried not to cry out as the cold metal dug into her skin, tried to readjust herself so the netting would always be as taut around her expanding form…
But most of all she was just trying to fight the overwhelming urge to pass out and vomit. Her mind wandered. Sometimes she’d forget where she was or what she was doing. Often when she closed her eyes in pain, scenes of a different time and place played out instead.
A man stands over her, teeth glinting into a smile. ‘You’re weak,’ he says, ‘Get up and finish what you started’. Standing hurts—she’s broken a few ribs—but she smiles right back at him and starts to walk away. He lets her go, but only because he knows she’ll return.
Several of the outer links snapped, but the netting wouldn’t give. Instead it loosened only slightly. Maybe the chains won’t break… maybe it was an impossible task. It would be much easier to quit, she thought. Though she’d never shirked away from difficulty before. Jackie clenched her teeth as she readjusted herself, shoving the urge to stop deep into the pit of her stomach.
She always came back no matter how angry she was when she left. Sometimes it was a few days, and sometimes a few months, but she’d always return. The man would welcome her home with a knowing glance and a new obstacle. The facility, and the man, and the obstacles had become home so many years ago.
More of the links buckled and the slack increased significantly. But no, not enough. The pain became almost unbearable. The metal links felt like thousands of chewing teeth. Jackie could sense freedom was close. Or maybe she was just close to passing out.
One day she doesn’t go home for nearly a year. She learned what the man had planned of her and she was afraid of it. The man, or those with him, never pursued her. Even if she’d never returned, he’d have never looked. She went where she wanted, did as she pleased; she was free.
The netting creaked and groaned. It was splitting at the seams; and so was she. She should have passed out by now. And she did – or at least a part of her did. By now she’s not distinguishably human, just a mass of fur and metal. As the human mind slipped underneath, the wolf emerged terrified and injured. It was frantic as any caged thing ought be, and squirmed in the confines with every ounce of strength it had. Just as the beast was about to cry out, the final chain buckled, and the monster flopped out onto the cold metal of the truck. For a moment it seemed only dazed. Panting heavily, it lay watching the thin line of the opening door grow.
Until freedom became a bitter. She’d remember the man’s smile when she performed well. She’d remember the facility and its many passages. She’d remember the people inside, their jokes and stories of days long past. She’d even miss the other girl her age, who rarely spoke an unprompted word towards her. She had never been free. Her heart had always belonged to the facility, to the man, and no amount of running would ever change it.
A throaty growl gathered. Just as the door came fully ajar, the creature scrambled to it’s trembling feet and ran out of the truck with every ounce of strength it had.
Quote from Adriana on August 24, 2018, 6:04 pmMae
The moment everyone had expected had finally arrived, and Jackie was the fuse that set it all in motion!
A scream erupted from the field to the north which caused Hal, Mary, and even Daniel to look behind them. Douglas Hampshire sprinted off from behind Jon's truck, and Daniel was off right behind him.
Harvey spat a curse. "What is going on?" He shouted, then the growl sounded from within Paul's truck and it came fully open.
For Jon Dugston, it was a nightmare! He anticipated the werewolf in the truck being free and his tranquilizer couldn't miss an enclosed target, but he never could have seen the monster that had awaited just outside the truck!
Eyes and teeth and a creature too large to be comprehended in the dark, appeared right in front of Jon! He didn't have a chance to change targets, and before he knew anything else, he heard Bevis shout and was staring at the underbelly of his vehicle with a ringing in his ears.The Alpha descended into the midst of the hunters just as Jackie flung herself to freedom. He came at an angle no one expected, for Paul had just noticed something amiss with Calerry and Miles' position ahead of him, and wasn't interested in his rear-view mirrors. Bevis herself had been watching the group and had not seen the creature pass just under her windshield until it was too late!
Daniel Whiles stopped in his pursuit of Douglas when he heard the commotion, and turned around to see the captured werewolf escape, joined by a massive black werewolf that took Harvey's shoulder and neck in its jaws and threw him against the side of Jon's truck! Victoria, the client, was no more, and in her place a creature of reputable size and stark white fur had seized Alfred!
Daniel was a large man, he was a trained, quick, and steady hunter, but he knew he could not face the opponents that were now before him. The weapon he had on hand would be insufficient, and he could never be quick enough to shoot all three werewolves before they had crossed the distance to him...Daniel turned, and fled.
Mary and Hal had gone for their own weapons, and several shots were fired, but what happened to those shots eluded the knowledge of all. Kratos descended upon both of them and had apprehended their weapons swiftly.
Paul heard the ruckus and jumped for his weapon! He knew something was wrong with Calerry and Miles, but they would have to wait. He grabbed his lethal weapon and exited his vehicle to join Harvey and the others. But he wasn't outside for more than two seconds before something had seized him from behind!
"Actaeon!" Diane called for assistance, buckling her arms under Paul's shoulders and dodging the swings he made for her head!
*****Tammy knit her brows at Zander, looking at the manuscript he had offered her. Jenn wasn't here, and the ordinary world began to dissipate in light of that fact. Were they going to pretend anyway, without anyone to pretend for?
Tammy gingerly took the pages, and gave whatever smile she could for Zander's sake, then she looked down at the words... Briefly, her eyes wandered up and down the first page, catching on the second paragraph and continuing to the third in silence. Reading to this point, Tammy met Zander's eyes again, and there was something indiscernible in the glance.Lightening flashed unnervingly in the distance! Tammy looked up sharply to the sky and the voice of thunder rumbled off the mountains shortly afterward. How foreboding! Just then, however, a bubbly familiar voice called out, "Wow! Did you guys hear that? That was loud!"
Jenn hadn't taken more than a minute to return with coffee-cup in one hand and a few select papers under the other arm. "I'm here! Let's get going to LoboHambriento's!"
Mae
The moment everyone had expected had finally arrived, and Jackie was the fuse that set it all in motion!
A scream erupted from the field to the north which caused Hal, Mary, and even Daniel to look behind them. Douglas Hampshire sprinted off from behind Jon's truck, and Daniel was off right behind him.
Harvey spat a curse. "What is going on?" He shouted, then the growl sounded from within Paul's truck and it came fully open.
For Jon Dugston, it was a nightmare! He anticipated the werewolf in the truck being free and his tranquilizer couldn't miss an enclosed target, but he never could have seen the monster that had awaited just outside the truck!
Eyes and teeth and a creature too large to be comprehended in the dark, appeared right in front of Jon! He didn't have a chance to change targets, and before he knew anything else, he heard Bevis shout and was staring at the underbelly of his vehicle with a ringing in his ears.
The Alpha descended into the midst of the hunters just as Jackie flung herself to freedom. He came at an angle no one expected, for Paul had just noticed something amiss with Calerry and Miles' position ahead of him, and wasn't interested in his rear-view mirrors. Bevis herself had been watching the group and had not seen the creature pass just under her windshield until it was too late!
Daniel Whiles stopped in his pursuit of Douglas when he heard the commotion, and turned around to see the captured werewolf escape, joined by a massive black werewolf that took Harvey's shoulder and neck in its jaws and threw him against the side of Jon's truck! Victoria, the client, was no more, and in her place a creature of reputable size and stark white fur had seized Alfred!
Daniel was a large man, he was a trained, quick, and steady hunter, but he knew he could not face the opponents that were now before him. The weapon he had on hand would be insufficient, and he could never be quick enough to shoot all three werewolves before they had crossed the distance to him...
Daniel turned, and fled.
Mary and Hal had gone for their own weapons, and several shots were fired, but what happened to those shots eluded the knowledge of all. Kratos descended upon both of them and had apprehended their weapons swiftly.
Paul heard the ruckus and jumped for his weapon! He knew something was wrong with Calerry and Miles, but they would have to wait. He grabbed his lethal weapon and exited his vehicle to join Harvey and the others. But he wasn't outside for more than two seconds before something had seized him from behind!
"Actaeon!" Diane called for assistance, buckling her arms under Paul's shoulders and dodging the swings he made for her head!
*****
Tammy knit her brows at Zander, looking at the manuscript he had offered her. Jenn wasn't here, and the ordinary world began to dissipate in light of that fact. Were they going to pretend anyway, without anyone to pretend for?
Tammy gingerly took the pages, and gave whatever smile she could for Zander's sake, then she looked down at the words... Briefly, her eyes wandered up and down the first page, catching on the second paragraph and continuing to the third in silence. Reading to this point, Tammy met Zander's eyes again, and there was something indiscernible in the glance.
Lightening flashed unnervingly in the distance! Tammy looked up sharply to the sky and the voice of thunder rumbled off the mountains shortly afterward. How foreboding! Just then, however, a bubbly familiar voice called out, "Wow! Did you guys hear that? That was loud!"
Jenn hadn't taken more than a minute to return with coffee-cup in one hand and a few select papers under the other arm. "I'm here! Let's get going to LoboHambriento's!"
