"From what?"
"Maybe," Helena said speaking up, "he found whatever it is that the old mage who once lived in that cabin was using. That he started to prey on the local members of the wolf clans, and Craig is turning these women into wolves before bringing them up there can't be a coincidence."
"But just how would he have found it?" Steve asked. "After all, the locals haven't found it, and it's been what, a hundred years? Longer?"
Mark shrugged, "Could have been luck, or he could have been drawn to it."
"Drawn to it?"
Mark noticed he had everyone's attention, "Yeah, evil people, evil beings, if they have the same driving goals, or have some basic fundamental reason for their being, they seem to instinctively seek each other out. There's been a lot of research on it in the church, because we've seen this sort of thing before. Evil guy stumbles on evil monster, or devil, or font of power, and they join forces. Or to be more precise, one joins with the other, the more powerful one tends to control the lesser powerful one."
"So, whatever he's found. It may be controlling him?"
"Most likely, it's leading him. I'm sure he's rather happily helping it out in return for the power it is granting him."
Mark's phone rang then, so he took it out and looked at it.
Sheriff Clayton was calling.
"What's wrong, Bill?" Mark said answering it.
"I got a bunch of priests over here at the office. Apparently Father Braener was supposed to meet them at the church and take them up to the remains of that cabin and bless it or something. But he's not there, and no one knows where he is."
"I'll be right over," Mark said and hanging up the phone, put it away.
"What's wrong?" Michael asked.
"The team to bless the cabin showed up and Father Braener is missing," Mark looked at his watch, it was almost nine. "They're at the sheriff's office."
"Well that doesn't sound good," Mary sighed.
"No, it doesn't," Mark agreed.
Steve quickly paid the bill and they got into their SUV's and quickly drove over to the sheriff's office.
As they strode into Sheriff Clayton's office, Mark immediately recognized one of the priests in the group from the last time he'd handled an assignment in the area for the commission.
"Mark! It is good to see you! I did not know you were in the area!" Father Hess said coming over and shaking hands.
"I'm on loan to the FBI, Father," Mark said.
"My condolences on the loss of your partner, Jake was a good man."
"You know each other?" Sheriff Clayton asked.
Father Hess nodded, "Of course, I work in the Bishop's office and often handle the blessings and other procedures for these incidents. Mark here is one of our better miles in the conflict between heaven and hell."
Mark nodded at the Sheriff and turned back to Father Hess. "Thank you, now what is going on with Father Braener?"
"That is what we are trying to determine. Apparently he went out early this morning, but no one knows where he is, and he knew we were coming today."
"When was he expecting you?"
Father Hess shrugged, "I honestly do not know. We had told him we should be here around noon. But with the traffic up north, you never know these days."
Mark nodded and thought about that. Braener struck him as the conscientious type, he'd said he would bless the place every morning until the team from the Bishop's office showed up, and Mark did not doubt that was where he went.
"I suspect he went up to the cabin to bless the area this morning," Mark said.
"That should not have taken more than thirty, forty minutes at most," Father Hess said, starting to look rather worried.
Mark nodded, and looked at the others in his group, and then the Sheriff.
"I'm worried that something bad may have happened to Father Braener, it's possible Craig may have returned to the cabin, though why I have no idea. I'm going to take the rest of my people up there and go see if we can find him."
Sheriff Clayton nodded, "I'll set my men out to watch the roads and the town and I'll alert the locals to keep an eye out. If this guy is back, we don't want him taking any hostages."
Mark nodded, "If you could have one of your deputies lead Father Hess and his people up there, so they can do their job, I'd appreciate it." He motioned to the others, "Come on, let's get up there and make sure it's secure and see if we can find Father Braener."
Mark led the way in his car, with Michael in the passenger seat and Helena in the back. He'd gotten out both of the HK's and handed Helena his pistol, then strapped on his machete before getting in the car. Now they were flying through the roads with the lights flashing. He didn't want to use the sirens though, as that would carry here in the hills and he didn't want anyone to hear that they were coming.
When they got to the turn off for the cabin, Mark killed the lights and bounced up the dirt road faster than might have been wise, but it wasn't his car, so he really didn't care all that much.
When they got to the clearing, he locked it up and slid the SUV to a halt, looking around.
"I don't see anyone, but be careful," Mark said and they all opened the doors and got out looking around rather warily.
They spread out and quickly did a circuit around the clearing, Mark could easily see that there was no one hiding in the charred and collapsed remains of the cabin, looking down into the woods he didn't see anyone, or anything. However with all of the trees, it wouldn't be all that hard for someone to be hiding.
The other SUV pulled up then, Steve having driven a lot more carefully. He came out and looked around.
"Anything?" He asked.
Mark shook his head. "Not that I can see. Course with all of these trees, it's hard to see. We're going to have to go in there and scout it out."
"Just a minute," Steve said and walking over to the front of the cabin, he picked up a handful of rocks, then started to walk around the clearing, throwing smaller handfuls into the trees, then coming back, getting more and repeating it.
"What good is that..." Michael started when on the third try the sound of something metal came out of the woods as Steve threw another handful.
"Guess we should look over there," Mark said and carefully made his way out of the clearing and down the hillside, between two rather large trees, and into the brush, a lot of which looked broken, now that he was in it.
"Something came through here alright," Mark called back and fifty or so feet later he saw a large shape behind a tree with some branches thrown over it to better obscure it from anyone up on the hill. Drawing closer he could see it was Father Braener's jeep.
"Found his car," Mark called up the hill, and then moved closer to examine it.
It was unlocked, the keys were in the ignition, and there were no signs of violence, no blood. Putting his hand on the hood, it felt cool, but not cold. So it had been here a while, but it hadn't been here all night.
Going back to the driver's door, he opened it and stuck his head inside and sniffed at the seat. His nose as a human wasn't strong enough to pick up any distinct scents, so looking around first; he set the rifle down, pulled off his shirt, kicked off his shoes and dropped his pants, then shifted.
Taking another sniff around the inside of the jeep he scented it then, Craig. He growled and took a moment to prowl around the car. The only trail led back up to the clearing.
So shifting back he put his clothes back on, then going back to the jeep he opened the back and looked around, finding the small case of materials that Father Braener had brought along to do his daily blessing: holy water, salt, a cross, and an aspergillum. Grabbing the bag he started back up the hillside to the rest of the group.
"Any signs of violence?" Michael asked.
Mark shook his head, "No, but somebody drove it down there and threw a few branches on it to try and hide it."
"Craig?"
Mark nodded, "I had to shift to get the scent, but yeah, it was Craig."
"So,
now what?"
"We wait for the other priests to show up, then we let them do their blessing and consecrating of the site. It could be whatever it is around here didn't like what Father Braener was doing, and sent Craig up here to put an end to it."
"Shouldn't we track Craig's trail back to wherever this thing is holed up?"
Mark shook his head, "Then we'd be fighting Craig, Ursula, and who knows whatever the hell they've gotten mixed up with. If that thing doesn't like this place being blessed, then surely when the priests get started, it'll send Craig back up here."
"So set up an ambush and take them out here, away from whatever this thing is," Michael said.
Mark nodded. "Also, the work of the priest up here may weaken whatever it is we need to face. As we have no idea what it is, I'd rather take every advantage that we can."
"What about Braener?" Steve asked.
Mark shook his head, "He's probably dead by now. Besides, I don't want to leave the priests up here alone while we go haring off into the woods." Mark looked over at Helena, "Can you get an idea of where he came out of the woods, and went back in? I want to try and get an idea of where to set up in case he returns."
"Sure thing, Hon," Helena said and quickly stripping down to the buff, she shifted and padded off to scout the perimeter.
"Well, at least I know why she wears so little clothing," Mary said smirking. "Getting dressed and undressed constantly must be a real pain in the butt."
"Now you know why I don't wear a jacket or a tie," Mark sighed. "Go load up on ammo, we may have quite the firefight on our hands when Craig shows up."
Everyone nodded and went back to the SUV's and grabbed a couple of extra magazines for their HK's.
Helena padded over and shifted back, smiling at him.
"They came out over there," She pointed to a spot behind the cabin, "and left over there," She pointed to a spot further around the clearing away from the cabin. "There were two of them, the same two who attacked us in the hotel. Also, they had a third person with them when they left; I gather that was the priest."
Mark nodded. "I hear cars coming, why don't you get dressed?"
Helena winked, "What, no free shows?"
"It's not the priests I'm worried about, it's the deputy," Mark grumbled, "Now quit teasing and get dressed, Hon. Please."
"Well, since you asked so nicely!" Helena laughed and walked over to her clothes and quickly redressed.
Mark watched as first a sheriff's deputy pulled into the clearing, followed by a rather plain looking van.
"What's with all the firepower?" The deputy asked walking up to them.
"Evil werewolves," Mark said and smiled.
"Oh! Guess I should get out my shotgun," he said and walked around to the trunk of his cruiser while the Father Hess and the three other priests that had come with him got out of their van.
"How long is this going to take, Father?" Mark asked as he walked over to Father Hess.
"About forty minutes to set up, then another hour to do the full blessing. Expecting trouble?" he asked looking at Mark and the rest with their guns out.
"Yes. There's something old and evil around here, and I suspect we'll be having trouble."
"Father Braener?" Father Hess asked looking worried.
"Taken, probably dead," Mark sighed.
"Then we better be about this. We'll stay until you find the body, so that he may be blessed immediately."
"Thanks, Father."
"You have your job, we have ours." Father Hess turned to the others, "Let's get going. We'll start with the cabin, that's probably the central focus, and then move around the clearing from there!"
Mark watched as they all nodded, then started to unpack all sorts of assorted items from the back of the van, including a temporary altar of some type.
Mark went and gathered the others up then, and discussed where to best set up their ambush.
"Once we engage, Helena and I will move to the front, I want the rest of you to drop back."
"Me too?" the deputy asked. By now Mark had figured out he was a lycan as well, a werebear actually.
"Yes, I want you to put yourself between our attackers and the priests, in case they manage to get around us. You'll be their last line of defense."
Mark turned back to Steve, Mary, and Michael. "As for you three, if you have to engage anyone, engage Ursula. Craig is going to be too powerful for you three to take on safely."
They all nodded.
"Okay, once the priests start the blessing, we need to be on the lookout. If this thing really can't stand it, expect Craig and Ursula to show up fairly quickly after they start. Any last questions?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"Good, now, get in place, and let's watch and wait."
Mark and the others took up prone positions that were concealed behind the SUV's and some of the wreckage of the burned out cabin and laid in wait. It took the priests closer to an hour to set up, and after they started, nothing happened for the first fifteen minutes or so. Shortly after that two figures charged the clearing on Mark's left. Mark opened fire immediately on Ursula, who was the closer of the two, with Mary opening up on Craig. Steve and Michael both jumped up from their positions and moving to the flanks, opened fire as well once they had clear lines of fire.
As soon as he ran out of bullets, Mark jumped up and drawing his machete he charged Ursula, as Helena stood up and started firing her pistol at Craig in slow measured shots not moving in closer as Mary reloaded and fired another twenty rounds into Craig.
Ursula he noticed was still moving forward, and as Michael stopped to reload Mark made contact with her, hitting her several times with his machete. He was rather shocked then to see that her wounds did not bleed, and healed almost instantly. Further he could see no blood on her anywhere even though her clothing was torn with bullet holes.
Ursula took a swing at him with a small knife that she was holding in her hand, while laughing at him.
"Puny mortal!" she yelled as Mark dodged and then kicked her in the kidneys with all of his might, sending her flying a good twenty feet across the ground. She might be tougher now somehow, but the rules of physics hadn't changed and his extra strength combined with her light weight sent her flying.
Glancing back at Craig for a moment, he could see that Steve and Mary were still pumping bullets into him, while Helena was still taking slow measured shots. He was stumbling around, looking confused.
"Michael! Use your pistol!" Helena yelled when Michael stopped shooting to reload.
Mark charged at Ursula as she started to recover.
"And don't hit Mark!" Helena added as Mark and Ursula clashed again, this time Mark started punching and kicking her, using his heavier mass and greater strength to knock her around. She hit him a couple of times with her free hand, he wasn't going to let her get him with that knife, but it wasn't enough to hurt him anymore than he'd have expected. So obviously only her healing was enhanced.
She jerked as Michael shot her, once, twice, and then a third time. Mark got her then in a grapple hold and hip threw her to the ground. Ursula looked up at him confused, her eyes glassy now as Michael shot her three more times in quick succession.
Mark watched as Ursula shook her head and started to swipe at something in front of her face, and then he remembered that Helena had done something to the bullets in their handguns yesterday.
Raising the machete high overhead he moved in quickly then and brought it down hard on Ursula's neck causing her to scream loudly, it took two more hard swings to cut through her neck and take her head off, but at least she stopped screaming after the second stroke.
Unfortunately, Michael hit him in the leg with one of the bullets as he brought the machete down the second time, and when he lowered it the third time it left a trail behind it as he did.
Suddenly he had an idea of just what Helena had done to the bullets.
"Shit, Mark, are you okay?" He heard Michael yell, but his voice sounded
distorted and he could see the grass around him moving from the words.
"Help Helena," he said and dropping the machete he punted Ursula's head, which was slowly starting to crawl back to her body. He heard a lot of yelling then, Ursula's head hit Craig, who stumbled around, and then he suddenly turned and ran away.
Helena started to chase after him, but Michael said some blue words and some yellow words at her, and she turned and came over to him.
"Having fun?" Helena asked him, talking very slowly as he noticed little cats running back and forth across her bare skin.
"You have cats on you, you know that?" Mark laughed and shook his head. "How long will this last?"
"Long enough. Let's sit down and cuddle, okay?"
Mark smiled down at Helena. "Suuuurrre...."
* * *
Craig looked around him confused, everything was going right, sure there were a bunch of them, but with the extra powers that the Sage had given him, there was no way that he and Ursula could lose. They were stoked up full of energy and their abilities enhanced far beyond normal.
When the started getting shot, he barely even felt it, it was like walking against a hard rain. He figured he'd kill the shooters first, and then pick off the priests at his leisure.
And then, suddenly, everything changed. The bullets were flying everywhere, and the noise, the noise from them was deafening. He could feel his insides lighting up and inside his head his wolf started to snap it jaws and attack him!
He turned around, confused; the two people shooting at him looked like cartoon g-men, in black and white. Then he saw the woman, she was hot, she was gorgeous, and she was slowly shooting him. One shot. Then another shot. Then another shot.
She was smiling at him. He wondered if she'd like to be in one of his movies? He bet she'd look wonderful, screaming and crying as he cut her to pieces.
Suddenly he got hit with something that made him stumble and look down. It was Ursula's head, she was looking at him, she winked at him and smiled.
Wolf Killer (The Hammer Commission) Page 16