Hollingsworth

by Tom Bont

  “Oh, shit!” she exclaimed. “Chris!” Her eyes turned hot, her vision, watery.

  “Yes.” He unstrapped her arms and legs.

  “I tried to save him.” A sob rattled her chest. “I did, Danny. What do I tell Mom and Daddy?”

  He didn’t say anything. He sat there and let her cry on his shoulder.

  Angela stood by the graveside, her arm linked with Randy’s while her mom and dad stood on her other side. Heather and Danny were across from them, her mother and the general standing next to each other.

  The reverend droned on about life and death. Life and death. Life and death.

  Why couldn’t they ever talk about the fun times? I guess that’s what wakes are for.

  Somber. Cheerful. Life and death. The happy part before the sad part. Until you’re actually dead, and they have the fun part. Maybe people should have more fun before they die. Then the funerals would be a formality. A quick, “Adios, Amigo!” She squeezed Randy’s arm a little tighter.

  Afterwards, she walked arm in arm with her mother to the limousine. Randy and her dad followed them. “Mom,” she said, stopping and looking her in the eyes. “Chris was trying to better himself at the end.”

  “He was?” She stood a little straighter and stopped her sniffling for a moment.

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  “Well, he wasn’t that bad. He was a good boy. Life cut too short.” She laid her head on Angela’s shoulder. “I’m glad you got the people who killed him.”

  “Me, too.”

  “You always were the responsible one.”

  Angela knocked on Kent’s door.

  “Come.”

  She and Danny stepped into the office. Garry McNeil sat at Kent’s desk. “You wanted us, sir?”

  “Yes, I did,” he confirmed. “Please sit down. I’ve read your report in great detail along with the debriefings from all other personnel at the doormen laboratory.” He patted a tall stack of folders. “Well done. Both of you.” He looked at Danny in particular.

  “Are we still being tested?” he asked, not without a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

  “Of course. Every agent, every day.”

  “We stopped the Forsaken Dweller.” She was ready to get back to work. Convalescent leave was over. “What next?”

  “To start with, the Diutinus. Thanks to our success and the intelligence we gave them, they’ve moved on to another planet. They’ll visit from time to time to check on us, though.”

  “I’m going to miss Artemis, but I think that’s great news,” Angela said. “If they feel confident enough to leave, they think our world is safe.”

  “Indeed,” Garry said, nodding. “You two saved mankind. I going to hate losing you.”

  “Sir?”

  “You’re a werewolf now. And Danny here isn’t.” He sat back up and pulled a red file folder from inside the stack. “It says here, ‘Senior Special Agent Hollingsworth has yet to control the change from human to Lupus sapiens. She is what the lupus community refers to as a Defrenator or a wildling. As the description indicates, she is wild, uncontrolled. It is the judgment of this medical board that she remains on medical leave until such time as she learns to Frenis or control the change.’” He flipped the cover closed.

  Angela knew this was coming. The only reason Danny qualified as a full-time consultant was because he was a Frenator. Now he wasn’t even a werewolf any longer. Everyone’s best guess is Chris’s pseudo-lupus virus combined with the electrical shock killed the real virus in his system. He’s even immune now. She, however, was not. The catalyst the drones injected her with appeared to have protected the lupus virus in her system. It’s also why she transformed as soon as the virus hit her bloodstream instead of waiting for the next full moon.

  Lucky me.

  “Well, sir, I would like to remain on duty. I feel I can keep it under con—”

  “Not according to Danny’s report—” he flipped open another file “— ‘She’s not going to be able to control it under high-stress situations. And I’m not going to be able to tamp down on her. I’m no longer lupus.’”

  Angela snapped her head around and stared hard at her partner. He was looking at his hands. She couldn’t blame him even though she wanted to. “Well…shit.”

  “Yeah, a real bitch, huh?” Garry pursed his lips, stood, and stared out the window. “Agent, you have entirely too much experience for me to let you work on your tan. And Danny has told us that if he can’t work with you, he’s going back to Redstick.” He turned around and stared at them. “For all intents and purposes, I would be losing two agents for the price of one.” He cocked a sideways grin. “It’s been a while since grade school, but I can still cipher. That doesn’t add up for me.”

  Angela’s heart pounded in her chest. Excitement. Not anger. She was learning what emotions triggered a renovatio. Excitement could, but rarely.

  “So, Agent Hollingsworth, I’m assigning you to restricted duty until you learn to—”

  He opened another folder, but Danny interrupted him. “Frenis.”

  “Yes, until you learn to Frenis. In fact, it’s going to be boring. I’m assigning you to follow-up investigations. Making sure paperwork is complete. You might get to consult with other agents. You will not be participating in raids. I’ve even debated confiscating your sidearm. However, I would prefer it be handy should the situation arise versus having you fall back on the alternative.” He sat back down in his chair and neatly arranged all the folders again. “And if you think we were testing and watching you two before, it’s nothing compared to the scrutiny you’ll be facing going forward.

  “Bill, I believe, has been loading up your desk with follow-ups. I’m sure you’ll enjoy the change of pace. Dismissed.”

  Latin to English Translations

  To assist the reader, below are English translations of the Latin phrases and words used throughout this tome. Translations and pronunciations may not be exact, but this is how the Race has handed them down from generation to generation; as with any language, there is drift in meaning and pronunciation.

  Defrenator/Defrenatus

  Noun: dē-frə-nā’-tôr/dē-frə-nā’-tus

  A lupus who has not learned to control his or her emotions or make conscious decisions while transformed.

  Slang: Wildling, Unbridled.

  Plural: Defrenatus.

  Frenator/Frenatus

  Noun: fren’-ə-tôr/fren-ät’-tus

  A lupus who has learned to control his or her emotions and make conscious decisions while transformed.

  Slang: Bridled.

  Plural: Frenatus.

  Frenis

  Verb: fren’-is

  To control one’s emotions and make conscious decisions while transformed.

  Bridle, control, restrain.

  Interfectore

  Noun: in-tər-fek-tôr’-ə

  Killer.

  Murderer.

  Slang: Fector. A member of Lucerna Veritatis.

  Lucerna Veritatis

  Noun, Phrase: lü-ser’-nə()ver-i-tā’-tis

  Lamp of Truth.

  Ancient order of priests formed to fight Lupus sapiens.

  Luna Amator

  Noun, Phrase: lü’-nə()ä-mä-tôr’

  Moon lover.

  Clan Name.

  The Luna Amator Clan originates from the northeastern portion of North America.

  Lupa/Lupas

  Noun: lü’-pə/lü’-pəz

  Slang for female Lupus sapiens.

  Lupas, the plural form, is used when referring to multiple females.

  Lupus/Lupis

  Noun: lü’-pəs/lü’-pis

  Slang for male Lupus sapiens. May refer to males or females.

  Lupis, the plural form, is used when referring to multiple males or males and females together. Does not typically refer to the individuals of the entire Race.

  Lupus Rex

  Noun, Phrase: lü’-pəs()reks

  Wolf King.

  Lupus
/Lupis sapiens

  Noun, Phrase: lü’-pəs/lü’-pis()sā’-pē-ənz

  Wise wolf.

  Scientific name for the werewolf species.

  Used when referencing the entire Race as a whole.

  Lupis, the plural form, is typically used when referring to the group of individuals comprising the entire Race.

  Slang: Howler, Race, werewolf, lupus, lupa.

  Lupus (Lupis)(Lupa)(Lupas) solitarius

  Noun, Phrase: lü’-pəs()sä-lə-ter’-rē-əs

  Lone or solitary Wolf.

  A lupus who has been shunned by the Race, or one who is not recognized by the Race.

  Renovatio/Innovationes

  Noun: re-nə-vä’-tē-ō/in-ə-vā’-shən-əs

  Rebirth, rejuvenate, or renewal.

  The transformation from human to lupus.

  Plural: Innovationes.

  Sans Peur

  Noun, Phrase: sänz()pyür

  Without fear.

  Clan Name.

  The Sans Peur Clan originates from the British Isles.

  Vagor

  Noun: vā’-gor

  A howl, typically a commandant.

  Viatorius/Viator

  Noun, Phrase: (v)(w)ē-ə-tôr’-ə-us/(v)(w)ē’-ə-tôr

  Traveler.

  Ancient times: a lupus tasked with spreading Lupus Rex’s decrees

  Modern times: a lupus given free reign to go where and when he wants to.

  A non-shunned Lupus solitarius.

  Viam Lupus

  Noun, Phrase: (v)(w)ē’-əm()lü’-pəs

  The Way of the Wolf.

  If you liked Hollingsworth, then you’ll like

  Howlers: Lupus Rex

  Other Works by Tom Bont

  Howlers: Lupus Rex universe

  Howlers: Lupus Rex

  Father Jake Chronicles Howlers: Candle in the Night (novelette)

  Howlers: The Eye of God’s Wrath (novelette)

  No Bullshit Stories

  Transplanted Yankee: Lest All My Balderdash Be Forgotten

  With Alan O’Brien

  Iron Broderick TWB Press

  Young Adult Southern Humor

  Big Game (working title)

  Short Stories

  “Redstick” Roadkill: Texas Horror by Texas Authors, Eakin Press

  “Concerning the Affairs of Jeremiah James” http://moonmagazine.org/

  http://jumbelbook.com/wordpress/

  “Free Range” http://www.theflashfictionpress.org

  “Liars’ Club” Locked In, Horrified Press

  “Mhuld’enda of the Deep” Lovecraftiana, Walpurgisnacht 2018, Rogue Planet Press

  “Conrad Usry’s Estate” Rabbit Hole, Writers’ Co-op

  “That Kind of Magic” TWB Press

  “Rocket Fuel” http://jumbelbook.com/wordpress/

  Short Stories - Upcoming

  “Merry-Go-Round” Twisted Time, Horrified Press

  “Cotton Candy” Bought and Sold, Horrified Press

  About the Author

  Tom is a United States Navy veteran, has a degree in computer science from Louisiana Tech University, is a licensed pilot, and is a competitive dancer. He lives in North Texas with his family. Married since 1992, he still spends as many hours as he can on the dance floor with his wife.

  You can catch him at:

  www.TomBont.com

  Facebook: @AuthorTomBont

  Twitter @TomBont

  DFW Writers’ Workshop