Web Master (#8 Shifter Squad)

by J. C. Diem

  “I’m starving,” Kala complained the moment we disembarked from the jet. “Please tell me we’re going to eat before we go before your lords and masters.”

  “They’re your lords and masters, too,” Mark said dryly.

  “You’re our boss,” she replied firmly. “They’re just figureheads to us.”

  “I’m fairly sure you’ll change your mind about that once you’ve met them.” There was no amusement in his tone or in his scent. I wondered if the Board members were as pompous as I imagined them to be. I wasn’t particularly looking forward to meeting them.

  The obligatory black SUV was parked near the landing strip. We climbed into our usual seats and Reece took off. Mark didn’t need to key our destination into the GPS. He obviously knew the area well.

  We drove for an hour and finally entered a large town. Reece pulled up next to a seafood restaurant that was doing a brisk business. I let Zeus out and asked him to stay out of sight. He was just as hungry as we were, but he agreed to my request. He knew I wouldn’t forget to feed him. He crossed the road and lay down between two bushes to keep watch. His dark coat helped him to blend in with the shadows.

  We stepped inside the restaurant and the smell of lobster, crab, fish and other seafood hung heavily in the air. The theme was nautical to match their food. Flynn was the tallest of our team and worn ropes hung from the ceiling almost low enough to brush against his head. Anchors, life preservers and other paraphernalia were attached to the walls. Black and white photos of old boats and their crew were the most tasteful decorations.

  Flynn and Reece shifted two tables together to accommodate us all. We sat down and a waitress in her early forties took our order. Bottle blonde, she was pretty in a harsh kind of way. Her blouse was too tight and her skirt was too short for her age. She alternated her attention from Reece to Flynn and occasionally threw a glance at Mark as well. None of the men were interested in her. It was a fact that she apparently didn’t pick up on.

  She didn’t bother to look at Kala or me as we gave her our orders. We were too insignificant for her to notice. Kala rolled her eyes, but she didn’t make an issue of it. We already tended to stand out too much without making a scene that would draw further notice to us.

  Flynn waited for the waitress to leave before speaking. “What can we expect when we reach headquarters?”

  Mark and Reece had already talked it through during the flight. I’d caught most of their conversation through Reece, but listened in anyway. “They have heavy security and surveillance,” Mark said. “Only the Board members are aware of what you are, so be careful to act human around everyone else. Only one of my superiors lives in the US. He goes by the name of ‘Cromby’.” His tone hinted that this was an assumed name that his boss used to protect his true identity. “The rest of the Board will appear via video link.”

  Our organization had been founded in Britain over four hundred years ago, but it was worldwide now. It didn’t surprise me that the rest of the Board were based overseas.

  It wasn’t safe to discuss our business where we might be overheard. We ate our meals mostly in silence then headed back to the SUV. Zeus emerged from the shadows like a ghost. He checked for traffic and trotted across the road. When he reached the sidewalk, I tossed him a couple of bread rolls. He caught them both and almost swallowed them whole.

  “Ever heard of chewing?” Kala asked him in mock disgust.

  “Have you?” Flynn countered with a sly grin. She sent him a dirty look.

  “That’s all I have for now,” I said to Zeus’ disappointment. “I’ll give you some more food when we reach our destination.” That was assuming they’d have suitable food and that they’d be willing to share it. I could have ordered him something more substantial from the restaurant, but their selection hadn’t been particularly dog friendly. He wasn’t usually fussy, but he’d prefer to eat just about anything other than seafood.

  ₪₪₪

  Chapter Six

  Reece followed Mark’s directions and drove for nearly two hours. We skirted around Washington rather than cutting through it. We finally reached a private property on a large estate that was isolated from its neighbors.

  Our compounds had thirty foot high electrified fences that had been designed to contain us during the full moon. In stark contrast, the fence that surrounded our HQ was only five feet high. It was made of sandstone rather than metal. The Board didn’t seem particularly worried about monsters infiltrating their property. Armed guards were on patrol, but they wouldn’t be very effective if a pack of werewolves or nest of vampires came calling.

  As we approached an ornate wrought iron gate, I realized the property wasn’t as undefended as it seemed. A strange shimmer hung in the air along the entire fence line. “The property is warded,” I told the others.

  Everyone squinted at the fence, but they couldn’t make out the magical shimmer. Reece concentrated and looked through my eyes so he could share the vision. We both noted that it was different from the wards that had been set up around Bradbury. It was thinner and seemed less threatening somehow.

  “That doesn’t surprise me,” Mark said. “The PIA employs at least a few humans and non-humans who possess powers. Considering the kinds of creatures we deal with, it makes sense that they have magical security as well as human guards.”

  Cameras were mounted every twenty feet or so on the fence. Another two were sitting on the gate. It would be difficult to infiltrate the place without being seen. It would be easy enough for Reece and me, since we could now move faster than the naked eye could see. Then again, the magical barrier would probably be able to pick up our presence. It stretched high enough into the air that it was doubtful we’d be able to leap over it even in our strange new hybrid forms.

  A guard stepped out of a tiny guardhouse to check our IDs. We powered our windows down and held up our wallets. He checked Mark’s and Reece’s first then leaned down to look through Kala’s window. Finally managing to tear his attention away from her face, he started back when he saw Zeus glaring at him over my shoulder, his teeth bared in a silent growl, warning the guard to back off. The human was standing too close for his liking.

  “No one said anything about a Rottweiler,” the guard said after quickly checking Flynn’s and then my identification.

  “Zeus is a new member of the team,” Mark said blandly. “I haven’t had time to issue him with a formal ID yet.” Kala sniggered beneath her breath, but I sensed Mark wasn’t joking.

  Debating for a second, the guard wisely decided not to argue the point. He stepped back inside the guardhouse and pressed a button. The gates swung open and we tensed in expectation of something horrible happening when we drove through the ward.

  We passed through it without incident and everyone relaxed slightly. We all remembered Mark getting a nose bleed that would have killed him if we hadn’t gotten him out of Bradbury in time. The dark coven of six witches and warlocks had a number of nasty spells that caused misery and death. They’d kept themselves alive for over two hundred years by sucking the life force out of young, attractive men and women. I was nervous at seeing more wards here. It appeared the Board had at least one witch on their staff.

  We drove along a gravel driveway that was intermittently lit with wrought iron lampposts. Painted dark green, they were spaced out every fifty feet or so. The grounds were extensive and well maintained. The immaculate grass was deep and plush and looked like an expensive carpet. Trees blocked our view on the right, but I caught flashes of light in the distance.

  The driveway curved around the trees and a large stone mansion came into view. It was three stories high and had dark gray shingles on the roof that complimented the lighter gray stone walls. The building looked at least a couple of centuries old and was slightly sinister. I wondered if it was haunted.

  A pair of lions guarded the main entrance. Carved from white marble, they were weatherworn, but still regal. A wide stone path led to twin oak doors. They were subtly li
t by strategically placed spotlights. More cameras were mounted above the door, watching every angle. Just as we’d been warned, security was tight.

  Mark directed Reece to continue on to another building behind the house. As we drove past it, I saw that the mansion was much larger than it seemed. The entire place was warded. A ripple in the air made the stone walls and windows seem to undulate. Looking at it for more than a few seconds made me feel dizzy.

  Set a short distance away from the mansion, the garage was large enough to hold an entire fleet of vehicles. Several black SUVs and half a dozen black vans identical to the ones we used were parked inside. Two large armored trucks hulked at the back of the garage. Even with so many vehicles in attendance, there would still be plenty of room for our SUV.

  Just like the house, the garage was warded. Reece tensed when he drove into the cavernous opening. Again, nothing happened and he pulled to a stop. It wasn’t just the wards that had him on edge. Mark’s superiors knew we were shifters, but they didn’t know that Reece and I had become something more. Viktor D’Ath had tried to draw our vampirism out, but he hadn’t succeeded completely. If they knew Reece and I were a new breed of monster, they might order Mark to kill us both.

  Picking up on my concern, Flynn stopped Mark before he could open his door. “No matter what the Board orders you to do, we’re all walking out of here tonight.” He spoke quietly, knowing the garage was probably under surveillance.

  Mark turned to assess us and found us to be united. “Agreed,” he said just as quietly. He was loyal to the agency, but we were his family. He’d fight to the death to keep us all safe and we would do no less for him.

  We left our luggage in the SUV, but took our handguns with us. Flynn opened the backdoor to let Zeus out. He leaped to the cold concrete floor and his hackles rose when he sensed the magical wards. It was different from the magic the dark coven in Bradbury had used and it was nothing like faery magic. It was something else, but it didn’t feel especially malignant. Maybe that was why it felt different. It might just be a warning system rather than a deathtrap.

  Mark’s eyebrows rose in silent query as I assessed the danger. I shrugged uneasily. “I don’t think the wards will harm us.” It was far from reassuring, but it was the best I could do.

  “Let’s go,” he said. “We don’t want to keep the Board waiting.”

  ₪₪₪

  Chapter Seven

  We left the garage and followed a narrow stone path to a side door in the mansion. It was far smaller than the main entrance and was probably a servant’s door. Only one camera was in place this time. It was mounted directly above the entrance.

  The door opened just before we reached it and a woman stepped out to greet us. About my height, slim and in her mid-thirties, she had glossy black hair that hung to halfway down her back. Her gray suit had been tailored to fit her frame and was too expensive to have come off a rack. She wore black shoes that had a three inch heel to make her the same height as our boss. Her eyes were brown and had an oriental cast to them.

  “Mark,” she said warmly and placed a brief kiss on his cheek. “How lovely to see you again.”

  Sensing jealousy coming from Kala, I glanced at her to see her staring at the agent through narrowed eyes. She was used to being the prettiest girl in the room and now she finally had a rival. She didn’t like it much.

  “How are you, Ava?” Mark asked and kissed her on the cheek in return. “It’s been far too long.”

  I sensed his fondness for her and elbowed Kala in the side. “I think he likes her,” I whispered. He’d been infatuated with Laurylayne, Queen of the fae, but he felt a genuine attraction to this woman that hadn’t been caused by faery glamor.

  “Of course he likes her,” she muttered sullenly. “She’s gorgeous, for a human.”

  “Meow,” Flynn murmured. It was a not so subtle hint that she was being catty.

  Oblivious to the byplay, Ava held her hand out to Reece. “I am Ava Nasuri.” We took turns introducing ourselves then she gestured for us to step inside. “Please, follow me,” she said. “The Board is waiting for you.”

  Mark was the first one through the door after Ava. We filed in after him with Zeus bringing up the rear. His hackles settled down once we were inside, but he stayed close to me as we walked along the lengthy hallway. He didn’t like this place and I didn’t blame him. It was even creepier inside than it had been outside. It was as quiet as a tomb and had a museum-like atmosphere. I half expected to turn around and see a butler following us to make sure we didn’t mark the walls or try to steal anything.

  Thick dark blue carpet made our footsteps almost soundless. The walls were covered in cream wallpaper. The drapes were the same color as the carpet. Antique furniture graced the hall every so often. Old paintings of landscapes with ornate gold frames hung on the walls. Heavy oak doors led to unknown rooms to our left. All of the doors were warded.

  We were halfway down the corridor when a ghost appeared towards the far end. Slightly faded with age, she hovered a few inches above the floor. Small, plain and in her early teens, she had mousy brown hair that was tied up in a tight bun. She wore an antiquated maid’s uniform of a black dress and a pure white apron. She stared at me sadly, somehow knowing that I could see her. When she realized that she had my attention, she turned to the door next to her then back to me. Her tiny hands lifted and she shook her head in warning. Clearly, she didn’t want us to step inside.

  Seeing her through my eyes, Reece took my hand. My grip tightened when the ghost disappeared just as suddenly as she’d appeared. The only other time I’d been able to see ghosts had been when they’d been trapped by wards. It seemed the same thing had happened here. We’re about to walk into a trap, aren’t we, I thought to him.

  It sure looks like it, he thought back at me unhappily.

  Should we warn Mark?

  He thought about it before responding. Cameras had been placed high up on the ceiling to watch every inch of the hallway. There was no way to let Mark know our suspicions without the Board finding out. I think we should see where this goes first, he decided. The four of us should be able to keep Mark safe.

  You mean the five of us, I replied and looked down at Zeus. Reece smiled wryly when the Rottweiler looked up at us. My guardian could always tell when I was thinking about him. He sensed through me that we were about to walk into danger and went on full alert.

  Ava stopped at the door the ghost had warned me about and opened it. The same tell-tale magical shimmer hovered over the opening. Mark hesitated for a fraction of a second before stepping through. I couldn’t read his mind, but it seemed he also had reservations about this meeting. His instincts were almost as finely tuned as ours. Ava waited for us all to enter before closing the door. She didn’t follow us inside.

  Just like the building itself, the room was larger than it seemed from the outside. The walls were black rather than cream, making it feel as though we’d stepped into a cave. The edges of the room were dark with a single bright spotlight pointed at the floor in the middle of the room.

  Mark drew us into the light where we were put on display. To a human, it would have been too dim to see into every corner. To shifters, it might as well have been bathed in floodlights.

  Eight monitors hung on a wall to our left with stern faced people staring down at us. Three were women and five were men. All were upwards of fifty. Just their faces were displayed, giving away nothing of where they were or what they were wearing. Identical black walls were displayed behind them. They were probably all sitting in rooms exactly like this one, watching us on their computer screens.

  A huge oak desk and an executive black leather chair sat to our right. It was situated directly across from the monitors. An expensive Tiffany lamp illuminated the desk and its occupant. A man in his sixties sat in the chair. He wore a black suit similar to Mark’s. Black and gray seemed to be the colors of choice for PIA agents. Dressed in t-shirts and cargo pants, we four shifters were a star
k contrast.

  “Agents,” the man I presumed was Cromby said with a nod to us all. “Thank you for coming on such short notice.”

  “It was no problem, sir,” Mark said with a polite nod. “May I ask why you called us here? Shouldn’t we be trying to track down whoever took Viktor D’Ath and the golem heads?”

  Cromby rested his elbows on the desk and tented his fingers together. He regarded us solemnly for a moment while his colleagues watched on in silence. “I’m afraid something important came to our attention while you were on your way here,” he said. “This takes precedence.” He switched his gaze from Mark to the rest of us. His eyes lingered on me the longest. I had the distinct impression that he was warier of me than the others. His scent backed up my theory.

  “What could possibly be more important?” Mark asked in confusion.

  “That is what we are here to discuss,” one of the women on the monitors said in a crisp British accent. In her early seventies, she had pure white hair and cold blue eyes. Her already stern expression hardened even more when she looked at me. “We have reason to believe that one of your agents is a traitor. We have been told by a trusted source that they are working for EERI.”

  ₪₪₪

  Chapter Eight

  Mark’s mouth dropped open at her accusation and so did mine. As far as I knew, I’d never done anything to make anyone think that I wasn’t loyal to our agency. “That’s preposterous!” Mark said hotly. “No one on my team is working for EERI.”