Wolf Killer (The Hammer Commission)

by John Van Stry

  "Thank you, Agent Woods," Mark nodded, "Now, everybody?"

  Mark smiled, except for Agent Sikes, who was looking a little surprised; everyone else's hand went up.

  "Good. Now, how many of you think that devils are the same as any other monster?"

  No hands went up, but Mark could see some uncertain looks.

  "Okay, I see some uncertain expressions among you, so let me explain. Devils come from hell, or whatever your religion's comparable place is. If it doesn't have one, go talk to one of your elders or leaders about it, they can sort it out for you. The reason I make this point is simple, devils can only be dismissed or destroyed here in our world, you cannot kill them. What does this mean? It means that you can get one who doesn't know a damn thing about the modern world, or you could get one who knows everything. Because it may have been here before, it may have been here last week for all you know, and knowing that they can't be killed, only sent back to where they came from makes many of them fearless in a confrontation.

  "It also means that they can not be hurt by most material weapons, only holy objects will effect them, and in many cases only if those items are wielded by someone who has faith. The more powerful the devil, the more powerful the item that will be required. This isn't a religious organization, religious issues aren't really in your scope, so I would suggest that you just don't have anything to do with those things if you can help it, and you just call in someone who can deal with it."

  "But if we are faithful, and we have a holy object, we can dismiss them, right?" one of the agents in the group, Mary Swain, asked.

  Mark nodded, "Yes, you can, if your item is powerful enough and your faith strong enough. But I'll tell you right now, that if you run into anything big, just run away as fast as you can."

  "Why?"

  "Because when a bigger devil kills you, you go to hell. And until someone comes along and does the proper blessing, you stay there."

  They all grimaced at that.

  "Now, how many of you think that the monsters have religion?"

  Mark looked around, and no one's hands went up. Well, Agent Sikes's did, so he must have believed Mark.

  "Monsters may or may not practice a religion; most of them have souls, as far as I understand it, only a few do not. However, they all have religion, as in they all believe in God, heaven, and hell. But, they believe the things that will get them into heaven are different than the things you believe will get you there. You believe being a better person and following your religion is what is necessary.

  "They believe in being a better monster."

  Mark watched as they all absorbed that little tidbit.

  "Not all monsters are evil, not all are good, but some are good or evil innately. For the rest, they're just like you, they can be good or bad, and they can be persuaded to change their ways. But things that you see as bad, they may not, and for them those things may not even be bad. So always approach with care, know who and what you're dealing with. You don't want to attack the good ones, because they'll defend themselves just as much as the evil ones.

  "And you don't ever want to give the evil ones a chance."

  "Have you dealt with a lot of monsters?" Agent Timms asked.

  Mark nodded, "It is not uncommon for the Church to get called in to deal with them. Usually in smaller towns, out of the way places, people are a lot more likely to go to their local priest for help, than they are the government. Also there are some that have abilities or knowledge that can be helpful to the Church and its own fight against devils."

  "What is the Church's stance on them?"

  "If they're not innately evil, the Church's stance is that they are to be ministered to, just as humans are ministered to. As far as the Church is concerned, if they have a soul, that soul is worth saving."

  "Does everyone deal with the monsters, or mainly you?" Agent Haines asked.

  "Mainly me," Mark said.

  "And why is that?"

  Mark smiled and looked around the room, waiting a moment before answering.

  "Because I'm a monster."

  Everyone got very quiet in the room at that point, and Agent Woods just shook his head and sighed.

  "He's not kidding, is he, Sir?" Agent Walters asked Agent Woods.

  "No, he's not kidding. I'd asked him not to tell anyone."

  "Why not?" Agent Chance asked.

  "Because he wanted you to learn that not all monsters are evil, and most are not easy to pick out of a crowd," Mark said. "How many of you had suspicions?"

  Agent Haines's hand went up.

  "Ah, good. What made you suspicious?"

  "Your record. You came out of nowhere, and then suddenly became the Vatican's number one devil killer. They sent you everywhere, and when you and your former partner were ambushed, only you survived."

  Mark nodded, impressed, "Solid reasoning."

  "So, what kind of monster are you?"

  "I'm a were-creature, a lycanthrope, or lycan for short. But I'm not a natural, or a pure blood. I'm a turned lycan."

  "What's a turned lycan?" Agent Chance asked.

  "I was bit by a natural were, someone who was born a lycan, and not turned into one."

  "Why'd they do that?"

  "To save my life." Mark said; briefly remembering the living hell his life had become, before Helena had bitten him. "I had been inflicted with a magical disease by the vamp I'd killed in Afghanistan, it was slowly and painfully killing me, and I would probably have come back as some sort of ghoul. Regardless, the prospects weren't pretty and I didn't have any alternative." Which was true, because Helena hadn't asked him if he wanted it or not, she'd made that decision for him.

  Not that he'd ever regretted it, especially not afterwards!

  "So, if you bit one of us?" Agent Denise O'Brien, the other female agent on the team asked.

  "If I bit one of you, I'd get arrested for assault. Plus my wife would kill me," Mark said with a smile, "A turned lycan cannot themselves turn someone else into a lycan; only a natural born can do that. And this is important! Just getting bit won't change you; they have to intentionally want to change you when they bite you."

  "Well, that's a relief!" Agent O'Brien sighed.

  "Trust me; lycans really aren't interested in turning everyone, or even anyone. If they were, they would have done it already."

  "Are there any other differences between the natural born and the turned?" Agent Sikes asked.

  Mark nodded, impressed that Michael was thinking about this. "The natural born are tougher, stronger, harder to kill, and are a lot less likely to get in trouble. Like all monsters, lycans police themselves; they tend to be very law-abiding. The ones most likely to cause trouble, and bring attention to them, are the ones that have been turned. Because they haven't been raised with it, and taught not to run afoul of human society."

  "Which is why they don't want to turn people," Agent O'Brien said.

  Mark nodded, "Exactly. When they turned me, if I had gone off the deep end, they would have dealt with me immediately."

  "So, what do you turn into?" Agent Timms asked.

  "A cougar."

  "Just a regular, average cougar?" Agent Timms seemed surprised.

  "Well, a two-hundred-pound one, or whatever I weigh right now, but yes, just a plain, North American cougar."

  "No half man, half cougar, monster?" Agent Swain asked, looking almost disappointed.

  "Nope, sorry."

  "Can we see?" Agent Timms asked.

  "I'd have to strip naked first, so no, you can't," Mark said with a smile.

  "I think that's enough questions for this morning," Agent Woods said, standing back up. "And as a reminder, everything in the confidential morning brief is just that: Confidential. You are not to go spreading Agent Levin's status around to anyone; I don't even want to hear you discussing it with each other. Leadership knows, but for the same reason we don't go public about the monsters, we don't go public about this either, and that includes not telling other
agents.

  "Understood?"

  Everyone nodded and said "Yes, Sir."

  "Dismissed, now get to work people. Mark? A moment?"

  Mark nodded and went over to Agent Woods.

  "I thought I'd asked you not to tell them," Agent Woods said lowering his voice and looking at him a little cross.

  "I was having a discussion about religion with Michael on the way into work this morning, and I realized there were some things that needed to be said," Mark sighed, "I'm sorry if I ruined your planned reveal, Agent Woods, but they all got the point you wanted them to learn.

  "You do have a problem, however."

  Agent Woods looked up at him, "What?"

  "You need to have a talk with the HR department and make them understand that no one who isn't a member of an organized religion, or who doesn't have faith in one, should be allowed on this team."

  Agent Woods just shook his head and sighed, "I've tried, believe me I've tried. I got a bunch of legalistic BS back."

  "Then tell them that everyone interested in joining this group has to sign a waiver that they understand that their lack of faith will most likely get them killed," Mark said with a shrug, "You're not discriminating then, you're just pointing out a real life working hazard. Everyone, or rather every monster, that they deal with will have some sort of religion, so anyone joining the team should as well. Or they may end up paying for it with their lives."

  Agent Woods nodded slowly, "That might work. I'll take it to Henry."

  Mark nodded and followed Agent Woods out of the room. It would be interesting to see how everyone dealt with him now, knowing what he really was.

  Surprisingly, Mark found that they really didn't seem to care all that much, when lunch came he was invited to join several of the agents as they went down the street to a sandwich shop that was rather popular with the group. Mark suspected then that the only 'us and them' that existed was 'FBI' and 'everyone else' in a lot of the agent's minds, and honestly, he could deal with that.

  When they came back from lunch Agent Woods came out of his office with a folder in his hand.

  "Everybody, listen up, we might have something."

  The office got quiet then and everyone put down what they were doing.

  "About a week ago, there was a fire in the George Washington National forest, a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Because it was in a national forest, and arson was suspected, it came to the attention of one of our groups.

  "That by itself wasn't a big deal, but they found human remains in the rubble, and they found chains, chains with silver manacles."

  "Silver?" Agent Swain asked, looking surprised.

  "Silver is poisonous to were-creatures," Agent Woods replied. "They also think the victim was tortured to death."

  "Do they have any leads on who set the fire?" Agent Haines asked.

  Agent Woods shook his head, "Everyone is clamming up, no one knows anything, no one saw anything, nothing."

  Mark raised his hand, "I'd like to go."

  "Of course, you and Mike are going, along with Mary and Steve."

  "Why us?" Agent Swain asked.

  "Because the body recovered was that of a woman, and if there are other women involved you'll be better able to interview them. Also Steve is our most experienced woodsman."

  "When do we leave?" Mark asked.

  "Immediately. I've already checked out one of our SUV's from the garage for you. Here's your copy of what we have so far." Agent Woods handled them a small stack of folders. "They've set up an office in the local sheriff's department; Marylyn has booked you rooms at a local hotel."

  "We're driving?" Mark asked surprised, "How far away is this place?"

  "Hundred, hundred fifty miles as the crow flies, probably two hundred by car. It's one pm now, so with any luck, you can be there before six."

  Mark looked at Agent Sikes who shrugged.

  "We'll stop by your place so you can grab some things," Agent Sikes said and then looked at the other two who were going. "Where do you want to meet up?" he asked them.

  Mark picked up the phone and called Helena while the others worked things out.

  "Yes, Mark?" Helena said answering her phone.

  "I'm being sent out on a case, Hon," he told her. "I'll be stopping by in a bit to pick up some clothes and stuff, sounds like we're going to be there a few days."

  "Oh? Where are you going?"

  "George Washington national park."

  "There are a lot of shifters living around there, you know that, right?" Helena said in a lowered voice.

  "Yeah, I kind of figured as much. Your parents were from there, weren't they?"

  "Yes. Does this involve shifters?"

  "Yeah, that's why we're going."

  "I'll pack a bag for you, Mark."

  "Thanks," Mark said and hung up his cell phone.

  "So, tell the wife?" Agent Sikes asked

  "Yup. You ever been to this park?"

  Agent Sikes shook his head, "No. I'm not really the outdoors type. Steve's been there a few times I think; you can ask him about it on the way there. I told him and Mary that we'd pick them up on the way to your place. Let's go get the SUV."

  "What about you?"

  "Oh, I keep a suitcase in the car," Agent Sikes said smiling.

  Mark looked at him surprised. "You keep a packed suitcase in your car?"

  "I used to be on the quick response team. You're required to keep one in your car or at your desk. Still a habit."

  Mark nodded, "Can we stop by the armory on the way? I'd like to check out a few things."

  "The SUV's come with shotguns and AR-10's, you sure?"

  Mark nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure."

  "Fine, this way then."

  "I can't believe they didn't have any machetes," Mark grumbled as they drove towards his apartment, the others were looking at him surprised.

  "It's an armory, not a knife store," Agent Michael Sikes chuckled from behind the wheel; he was driving the big black SUV they'd been given. Mark had checked, there was quite a bit of hardware in the back, including windbreakers and bullet proof vests with 'FBI' prominently labeled on them.

  "Knives are weapons too, and a machete is going to be a lot more useful in the forest than a gun," Mark grumbled.

  "For you maybe," Agent Swain said. "For us, I don't think so."

  "I can lend you mine if you want," Agent Steve Hughes said from the front passenger's seat. Hughes was Mary Swain's partner, Mark had noticed him right away, he was a fairly rugged looking type, dirty blond hair, heavily built, and about six foot. From the items on his desk, Mark had gathered that he had been in the marines.

  "You brought a machete?" Michael said glancing over at Agent Hughes.

  "We're going into the brush, I always bring a machete," Steve said and shrugged.

  "Nah, I'll hit up a hardware store or something when we get there," Mark sighed. "Still, someone needs to have a word with the people running that place. They didn't even have any hand grenades!"

  "You asked for a hand grenade?" Mary said looking rather surprised.

  "He asked for a whole box," Michael laughed, "after they told him they didn't have anything with an edge on it. You should have seen the looks on their faces when he did, too!"

  "I was curious to find out just what they did carry, if they couldn't be bothered with something as simple as a machete," Mark chuckled. "I'm going to have to make a list of weapons for you guys. There are some pretty tough monsters out there, and if you ever need to flex a little muscle to impress one, you're gonna need more than just a couple of rifles."

  Michael pulled over and stopped in front of Mark's townhouse.

  "Here we are, Mark."

  "Give me a minute," Mark said and getting out of the back he walked up to the front door and let himself in. Helena was standing there waiting for him, so he gave her a hug and a kiss.

  "I'm not sure how long we'll be gone," Mark said.

  "That's okay, I'm going with you," Helena sai
d and handed him his overnight bag.

  "What?" Mark looked at her surprised.

  "I'm going with you," Helena purred and leaned up against him. "These last two nights were our first nights together in almost a year. You don't think you're getting off that easy, do you?"

  "Helena," Mark said staring down at her, "This is work. We're on a case. I can't just go dragging my wife along!"

  "Sure you can," Helena smiled.

  "No, I can't, and I'm not."

  "Yes, you can, and you are!" Helena said a little more firmly, "First, I'm your leading expert on lycans and forest lore. Second I have family in those woods, and that might count for something, and third," Helena winked and poked him in the stomach, "I am the one who turned you, and I'm more than willing to use that influence to beat you into submission. I'm your mate, Mark. I demand it."

  Mark sighed, he probably could force her not to go along, they'd butted heads before and she didn't always get her way anymore. But she had a point, they'd only spent two days together, and this wasn't his real job, he was supposed to be more of an advisor than anything else, and Helena did know a hell of a lot about North American lore.

  Besides, it wasn't as if she couldn't take care of herself.

  He grabbed her bag; at least it was a small one like his. "Lock the door for me, dear, and don't scare the humans. Please?"

  "Yes, dear." Helena smiled and followed Mark out to the back of the SUV, closing the townhouse door behind her and locking it.

  Mark opened the back of the SUV and tossed his and her bags on top of everyone else's. Mark's was fairly small compared to the other's, he was used to traveling light on things like this, and Helena's was the same. As far as he knew she never wore long pants, just cutoffs or short dresses. She probably owned fewer clothes than he did, which was another obvious indicator that she wasn't really human.

  Walking around to the side he opened the door and Helena hopped in and slid over to the middle of the rear bench seat as Mark climbed in and closed the door behind him.

  "Everyone, this is my wife, Helena. Helena, this is Agent Mary Swain," Mark motioned to the woman sitting now sitting next to Helena on the back seat. Mary was about six feet tall, almost as tall as Mark was. She looked like a jock and kept her black hair in a military style, also being a former marine like her partner Steve, not as short as the men, but definitely shorter than most women.