by Noah Harris
“Jared, no matter what happens tonight, stay right by me. I won’t let anything happen to you.” Nick promised.
“Wasn’t it me who saved you last time?” Jared reminded him.
“Yeah, but there’s something you don’t know,” Nick added. “Our intelligence team says your dad has been feeding you crushed shifter bone for some time, maybe since you were born. It makes you stronger. You’ve been without it for a few days now, and you’re probably already feeling the effects. You won’t be as strong, or as fast, as you were that night, or that you’re used to being. You can’t overestimate your capabilities.”
“He’s been feeding me dead shifters, crushed up? I find that hard to believe.” Then, after a moment of reflection he spoke again. “But, then again, I find all of this hard to believe.” It was as if a light bulb came on deep within the recesses of Jared’s brain. “The protein powder. He always insisted I take it, he said it would improve my health and strength for my dancing. It’s the only thing he ever really got on my case about. If I didn’t do it, I mean, especially since we moved here.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sure you feel betrayed… I would. Also, while we’re on the topic of revelations, I healed your ankle with my power. That’s why it healed so quickly.”
“How?” Jared asked.
“I transferred a small amount of my shifter cells into you. Once it’s fully healed, I can take them back. I mean, I can take them back now if you want. If you don’t want them, I mean,” Nick offered.
Jared looked at him softly, “I don’t want you to take them back, unless you need them, of course.”
“No, I’m fine,” Nick confirmed. “Besides, this way, you will always have a little piece of me with you.”
“Just until we see each other again,” Jared quickly amended, but Nick looked dejected. He knew the likelihood of that was low. Jared, however, would not give in, “Nick, we will see each other again. We’ll find a way.”
Nick nodded, and Jared joked for good measure. “I mean, how hard can it be, with you able to turn into anything under the sun?”
“Not everything,” Nick corrected, “I’m still learning.”
They spent the remaining time together, staying away from the others and enjoying the time they had left. In the last few minutes before they rejoined the group, Nick kissed Jared intensely, and stroked his hair, as if trying to remember every fiber of his being. For some reason, he had a deep sense of foreboding. Once they rejoined the pack, they exited the building, and all but Michael, Jared, Nick and Isda fanned out in various shifter forms. The remaining pack members knew that when they arrived, they would be hiding all around them, ready to assist. Once in the car, it seemed to take forever to get there as Michael reviewed the plan, step by step. Who would walk first, what they would do if a guard fired, what they would do if the humans rushed them. As they drove through town, Nick listened intently, but as he passed all the normal trappings of town—the coffee shops, the bowling alley, the restaurants—he longed for a time which now seemed eons ago, when he had been a normal student, with a normal life, untouched by any of this. If that were the case, he and Jared could just be together in peace, and no one would be trying to separate them.
Next, it was Isda’s turn. She reviewed the plan with Jared, reminding him to stay behind Nick, stay behind her. If anything happened, he was to run back to the car and drive himself away—the rest of them could get out in other forms if they had to, but Jared didn’t have that option. Jared was largely unconcerned, faithful in the belief that his father wouldn’t hurt him, and that Nick wouldn’t allow any shifter to hurt him. Nick was grateful to Isda for treating Jared so nicely. He knew she was worried sick about Gideon, and that she blamed the humans in general, because she had lost so many friends in the war already. That she took the extra time to reassure Jared was a testament to her character and her decency, he thought. In reality, she was just very clinical—if anything happened to Jared, they wouldn’t have anything to bargain with. He had to stay safe, no matter what—at least until they got Gideon and Giselle back.
As Michael approached the last few miles, they all began to scan the surroundings for signs of movement. A drone overhead confirmed that Mr. Finley knew they were approaching.
“Let’s hope he doesn’t know about the rest of the team,” Isda contributed.
“They’re a little harder to spot,” Jared encouraged.
“Enough talking,” Michael jumped in, “We’re getting close now.” While it’s true he had warmed slightly to Jared, the result was tepid at best, and he still didn’t want a human chiming in during the middle of an operation, even if he was helping to some extent. They turned down the long, dirt road that approached the barn, and Nick and Jared looked at one another in the back seat. The last time they had been here, they had been together on a long sunny day. Now, under cover of night, Nick shifted his eyes for better night vision, allowing him to see various members of the pack scattered about in different locations completely surrounding the property—in the water, in the trees and in the air. He felt better just knowing they were there. As they arrived and Michael turned off the ignition, Jared gave Nick’s hand one last squeeze in the darkness of the back seat before they both exited the vehicle.
Nearer to the barn, but greater than fifteen feet back, as requested, was a dark SUV. Michael, Isda, Nick and Jared stopped in front of their own vehicle, silhouetted by the headlights, until the others also got out. This was where their shifter powers really helped. It was no problem to see well, despite a similar silhouette effect on the other side. Besides, Nick could feel Gideon’s presence, vaguely reminiscent of the shimmering shape that had followed him around before the pack ever made contact with him. Excited to see that Gideon was okay, Isda put her hand to her chest and inhaled sharply. He didn’t look good, for sure, but he was alive. Where was Giselle? They took several steps toward the SUV, matched as a mirror effect by Mr. Finley and his team on the other side, eventually meeting in the middle. Michael grabbed Jared by the arm, though they both knew it was purely for effect, but Mr. Finley needed to believe.
“Where is Giselle?” Michael asked, once they were all close enough to be within speaking distance. They looked around, and back toward the vehicle.
“I’m afraid the other creature didn’t make it,” Mr. Finley informed them with a complete lack of empathy, “It was long before you called, so we didn’t know we’d be needing it.”
Michael yanked Jared back forcefully behind him, “That wasn’t the deal!”
“Well, do you want this creature or not?” Mr. Finley asked.
Michael’s brain registered more anger than he could convey. He had to stay focused and calm. He was the leader, he had to remain calm and think clearly. In his mind, he envisioned turning into an animal and ripping out this man’s throat. He even calculated the trajectories of the several guns being held on them, just to confirm he couldn’t get away with it, before responding.
“We will exchange today, but this is far from over. Your treachery will not be forgotten,” Michael practically spat out his words. Nick was focused on Gideon, and on Jared. He felt something for the loss of their friend, but it was harder because he didn’t know Giselle himself. In a nearby tree, a tussle of animals began. As Henri heard of Giselle’s death, he started out in a rage, and was being held back by other pack members. All the shifters in the exchange could see this, but the humans could not.
“I want all but two of your guards back in the SUV before we make the exchange. We clearly can’t trust you not to open fire, and we aren’t letting your son go until that happens.” Mr. Finley remained very still for about twenty seconds, and then nodded very slowly to his team. The rear guards peeled off, backing away slowly, still aiming their weapons at the shifters before them. The tussle in the trees grew louder.
“Now, on three, you hand Gideon over, and I’ll pass you Jared,” Michael instructed. Finley looked at his son, focused on his safe return, though it galled him t
o do it.
“Fine.” he responded.
Michael counted down, “1…2…3.” On three, in one swift motion, Gideon moved forward, being caught by Isda, and Jared stepped forward, feeling a final reassuring touch on his back from Nick. They began backing away slowly, and Nick and Jared stared directly at one another. Nick had to watch until he was safely in the car. Gideon was being supported by Isda, and nearly dragged toward the sedan, as he could barely stand. What happened next, was unexpected by all of them. When all of them were about halfway back to their respective corners, the tussle in the trees exploded into mayhem. Henri flew out of the trees and turned himself into a full, fire-breathing, and clearly pissed off, dragon. His shrieks could be heard for miles as he completed his transformation in mid-air, as soon as he got clear of the trees, and raced straight for the SUV.
The humans began running, and Nick watched in horror as the dragon took a pass at them, scorching the earth between them and the car. Isda and Gideon kept retreating as the human guards began to open fire. Bullets flew all around them and the wall of flames hit the barn, and all the hay in it, creating a huge blaze and a ball of fire in the sky as Henri took another pass. This time, one of the human guards spontaneously combusted right before their eyes, and Mr. Finley was dragging Jared by the arm back toward the car, though he was trying to run to Nick. Nick shifted into… what form? He didn’t know, for in a second, he was next to Jared and had returned back to himself. Assessing the closer vehicle to be the fastest way out for Jared, he forcefully shoved him into the SUV as his father got in the other side. One of the guards took a shot at him, but he turned into ether too quickly to be hurt by the bullet. Henri, as the dragon, circled for a third time, but when he spewed more fire toward the SUV, he lost form and fell into the lake. A dragon form is one of the most difficult to achieve, much less maintain, and he floated in the lake, looking lifeless as well.
The SUV raced away, and at that moment, Isda got Gideon to the sedan.
“Get him out of here!” Michael shouted back at her. “We’ll get ourselves back!”
With that, Isda and Gideon sped away, and the stillness of night returned just as quickly as it had departed. Two shifters fished Henri’s body out of the lake, and the rest, returning to their own forms, gathered in a semi-circle on the shore.
“He’s not well,” a shifter Nick didn’t know, reported, “He’s almost out of energy.”
“Just let me die,” Henri whispered, “I don’t want to live without her. My Giselle.”
He passed out, and they gathered around him in a circle, all taking each other’s hands. The short girl with the pixie blonde hair reached out to Nick, who took her hand, even though he didn’t fully understand. Suddenly, he felt a large collective energy move through him, and it felt as if it were traveling through all of them, in circle after circle, gaining strength with each pass, until it began to pass across the circle, through them all until a full web of invisible energy had collected in the space above Henri. Finally, the energy coalesced into a large ball-shaped ether form above him, and shot into him as suddenly as it had begun. He didn’t stir right away, but Nick could perceive his energy level improved, lifted, and somehow he knew that he would be okay. Whether he would want to be, was another story. Unbeknownst to Nick at the time, Henri and Giselle had grown up together as children. Both sets of their parents were shifters and friends too. This was rare in shifter history, to grow up together and to live long enough to marry. They almost made it. Almost.
As they flew back in a quiet, somber, flock, Nick’s thoughts turned to Jared. He was grateful he got out, but he worried about him just the same. What would his father do? Would the pack, or the Wisdom, retaliate for the death of Giselle? And, if they did so, how was he to keep Jared out of it? It was one thing when he was their bargaining chip, they had to tolerate him. Now that he had returned to be with his father, would he be considered just another enemy human? Nick was determined that they would remember his kindness—that he had helped them even though he didn’t have to, and remind them that the concept of the sins of the father being paid upon the child was an antiquated one. Jared didn’t want any trouble. He just wanted to be normal. Then the thought struck Nick for the first time, for no specific reason other than the fact that he realized it. Nick didn’t want to be normal. Sure, he wanted a peaceful life, and to be able to love whomever he wanted, but he liked being a shifter. He liked being different, excelling, using his powers, and he knew that even if he had the opportunity, he would never choose to go back to being just human, or thinking he was. Something, a line maybe, had been crossed inside him, and there was no going back on it now. Later, when he reflected on this moment, he would realize that it was the magnificence of seeing Henri as a dragon that had done it. He thought he had learned amazing things already, but just seeing what the possibilities were, was dazzling, and he knew he would work the rest of his life if he had to, but he wanted to be able to shift into a dragon someday.
Once they arrived back at their new base, Nick dialed Jared’s cell. It went straight to voicemail. He texted him twice, to no avail. Jared wasn’t responding. Either he wasn’t speaking to him, or he wasn’t allowed to speak to him. What would his life look like now, under his father’s iron grip? These were Nick’s contemplations as his energy finally gave out and sleep overtook his weary body.
17
Jared and his father sat across from one another at the large conference table, as Mr. Finley tapped his foot on the marble floor. Mr. Finley had taken Jared’s phone, and Jared wanted it returned.
“Dad, I at least need to call Abby. I can’t afford to have all my hard work go up in smoke, can I?”
“You may call Abby, and Abby only,” Mr. Finley said, sliding him the phone. “I’m concerned about your level of attachment to Nick.”
“Nick isn’t a problem,” Jared replied, taking the phone. He texted Abby that he was sorry for all the scheduling problems, and arranged to meet with her and schedule in extra sessions. When he was finished, his father held out his hand, and Jared placed the phone in front of him, on the table, but closer to himself.
“I need to be certain of your loyalties,” his father stated.
“You are just going to have to trust me. You can’t have me followed and monitored 24/7 forever. Besides, you can never really be completely sure about anyone’s loyalty. You taught me that.”
Mr. Finley smiled, as if he was proud of that fact, and Forrester shook his head slightly to himself. Having been with the family since Jared was a boy, he felt that Jared had turned out to be of higher quality than the stock from which he came. Many people in a similar situation would have caved to family pressures to be less moral, or more ruthless, or whatever it was that drove Mr. Finley. Forrester poured them each iced tea, and Mr. Finley continued, as if he weren’t even there.
“Jared, this whole situation has brought a number of forces into motion beyond my control. This business of ridding the world of the non-humans is larger than myself, and your choices have led those higher in power to question things. They will be here shortly, and you need to reassure them that you aren’t going to be a problem.”
“I thought you were the head of this initiative.” Jared said, looking at his father with doubt.
“Of this area, I am. That is the real reason we had to transfer here. Usually, I am afforded a great degree of autonomy, nearly complete, but there is always a higher power, son.” As an afterthought, he added:
“Forrester, please get me a protein shake.”
Forrester departed the room momentarily, and a security guard reported to Mr. Finley that the car had arrived at the gate.
“Excellent, please show them in here when they arrive,” Mr. Finley ordered.
“Yes, sir.” the guard complied, and departed as swiftly as he had arrived.
“I do need to call Nick,” Jared said, trying to reason with the man. “I need to know their status, if everyone made it out alive.”
“Th
is is not the time or place, Jared. Let’s not discuss this in front of company. Nick should be the last thing on your mind at the moment.”
Frustrated, Jared sighed and kicked his flip-flop under the table. Forrester returned with the protein shake, which Mr. Finley drank so quickly that the red-haired man stayed to remove the glass when he was finished. He departed, and the guard escorted in four people. The first was a man of only about thirty-five. He had black hair, violet eyes, and wore a grey suit with a violet pocket square. Expensive shoes and watch conveyed his place in the world—part of the private jet crowd, much like the Finley’s. The second was a woman, not much older than the man, with light brown hair cut into a sleek bob, wearing a leather skirt, suit jacket, and heels so high it was a miracle she managed to walk in them. The two flanking them were body guards, one taller and one shorter, both wearing identical impervious expressions.