by JJ Jones
“He may have cameras,” I said trying to keep my voice low.
“Yeah I considered that,” Logan said. “But it was worth a try.”
“Sure, where to now?” I asked.
“The office,” he said.
“This guy has an office and a study?” I said. “That’s insane.”
“Yeah probably,” Logan said shrugging his shoulders, “but yes, there’s an office, too.”
We quickly made our way there, but I was pretty sure it would be empty just like the study. Again Logan did not stop or hesitate at the door. He opened it and walked right in. The office was smaller and had a heavier mood than the study did. As I walked in, I didn’t feel the welcoming feeling that the study had had. This room felt cold and dark. I wondered what he used the office for. Not happy things, that was for sure.
My eyes were drawn to the desk where a cigarette sat in an ashtray, about halfway smoked and then left. It was still smoking, leaving small wisps of smoke floating into the air. I felt annoyed. I specifically rolled my eyes several times in different directions, so that if the Big Dog did have cameras he could see that I was not amused by his antics.
I could sense that Logan was not finding this amusing either. He reached over onto the desk and grabbed the cigarette and put it out. “Wouldn’t want to start a fire by leaving one of these lying around. That’s not very smart.” He said as he shoved it very hard into the ashtray. He took his anger out on the cigarette.
“Come on,” he said.
We walked out of the room and he slammed the door shut. He muttered a few things under his breath that I was sure included a few expletives directed to the Big Dog, but I ignored him and followed his lead down the hall.
I wasn’t sure where we were headed next, until he reached the end of a hallway that didn’t seem to have any rooms to search. I looked over to him questioningly.
“Sorry, I should have said something. I thought I heard something on the roof when we were in the office, but I didn’t want to give it away that I’d heard anything in case he was listening in or watching. Hopefully he won’t know that I’m on to him, at least not yet.”
“Oh, okay,” I said.
“Here,” he said, opening a hatch above my head. A ladder released and came down revealing the night sky above us. I quickly climbed up the ladder and pulled myself onto the roof. It wasn’t a cold night and the roof was actually quite pleasant. Under any other circumstances, I might have enjoyed being up there.
I moved out of the way so Logan could climb up and join me. Where we had come up, the roof was a beautiful garden with flowers and trees. I felt like I had entered a completely different world. The flowers were all different colors and many of the trees bore fruit or had flowers, too. For a moment, I just stood there stunned at the beauty and how out of place the entire thing felt on the top of a house.
“We need to keep looking,” Logan touched my arm bringing me back to reality.
“Yeah, of course,” I said shaking my head.
Something didn’t feel right about the roof. It felt completely out of place. Logan grabbed my hand and pulled me along with him and we walked through the garden and watched carefully for signs of anyone around us.
Logan’s eyes kept darting in each direction and the sound of anything. I knew with his heightened senses that he was probably hearing things that I couldn’t, but his awareness of anything was making him the stronger leader for both of us.
Logan drew a weapon and walked with more caution as we walked around the corner and out of the garden. It was strange to leave the garden and see that the rest of the roof looked more like a typical roof. It had shingles and air conditioning units and a few chimneys in various places.
I also drew my gun and walked just behind Logan, waiting and watching his every step, knowing that he would alert me and protect me if something were to jump out in front of us.
I tried to keep my eyes and ears alert too, just in case I saw or heard something that Logan didn’t catch. I figured it was unlikely, but it never hurt to have two sets of ears and eyes watching and listening.
We searched the entire rooftop and found nothing.
“I thought for sure I heard something up here,” Logan said disappointed when we were finished searching.
“You probably did,” I said reaching out to him.
“It’s the same as with the office and the study. He’s just playing with us. He wants us to go where he wants us to go. If he wants us in the study then he’ll send us there. If he wants us on the roof, then he’ll make us think he’s on the roof.” I shrugged my shoulders.
“It will be a game of cat and mouse forever at this rate,” Logan said obviously frustrated.
“I just don’t understand why he is toying with us like this,” I said. “Obviously, he has the upper hand here while we are at his house,” I continued. “He knows we are here, and now he is just playing games with us. What’s the point?”
“Because that is how he is,” Logan said. “This is his personality. He likes to play with his food before he eats it.”
“What?!” I said with astonishment. “He’s going to eat us?”
“No, I was just using it as a figure of speech,” Logan said exasperated.
“Oh, right,” I said relieved.
“He’s just like that, he’s always been like that – even in training.” Logan shook his head obviously frustrated.
“So what’s next?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” Logan said. “That’s what’s strange. I don’t know what he wants us to do next. I don’t feel like he sent us any other signals or messages about where to go next while we were up here. Did you pick up on anything?” he asked.
“No, but I didn’t hear anything on the roof before,” I said. “He’s playing to your senses, not mine,” I observed.
“Okay, maybe, but even if he is, there’s nothing. I don’t hear, see or smell anything new,” Logan said.
“Well let’s start walking back toward the ladder and maybe we’ll pick up on something,” I said encouragingly.
“Alright,” Logan said obviously not convinced, but without any other suggestions either.
Together we crept back toward the ladder both trying to pay extra attention to anything out of the ordinary. I knew that something was going to lead us to whatever was next in this stupid game.
Even before we rounded the corner leading back through the garden, the hair on the back of my neck stood and I felt a tingling sensation running through my whole body.
I continued walking knowing that something was ahead of us. Logan was walking ahead of me and just as he walked around the corner he froze standing completely still. I took one more step to see what he was staring at. Logan extended his hand protectively in front of me, but I could still easily see who was standing in front of us.
“Hello, Snowflake,” the Big Dog said smirking, but didn’t move from his seated position on a bench a few feet in front of us in the garden.
Chapter8
Logan and I both stood dumbfounded for a few seconds unsure of what to do or what to say after the Big Dog spoke. I felt Logan's body tensed at my side and I knew he was upset, but I was unsure of how he would react.
“It was very clever of you to come here, to my home,” the Big Dog continued speaking, “it seems that I may have underestimated you,” his smile was cold and harsh. “Please come and sit down. I have been looking forward to your company all evening since I learned of your impending arrival.” The sarcasm in his voice was heavy and thick.
The Big Dog looked so comfortable sitting in his rooftop garden. Seeing him sit there made me hate him even more. I wanted to wipe the smug look right off his face. He sat in a very expensive pin-striped suit that made him look like he was worth far more than he deserved. He was large though, far bigger than I had imagined him from the video we had seen of him back at headquarters. I feared what he would look like if he shifted into wolf form. He would have to be the largest werewol
f I had ever seen. His eyes were blood red, even in human form, and even though he spoke with a sweet tone, his eyes told a different story.
I didn't move waiting for Logan to indicate what we would do. I looked up at him trying to figure out what he wanted me to do.
“I want you to stop this,” Logan practically spat his words at the Big Dog. “Stop all of this,” he gestured his arms out wide. “Just leave and quit harassing all of my people. Let us all be.”
“Now, Snowflake,” the Big Dog kept his voice calm and with almost a father-like tone. “You and I both know why I can't do that. I am far too invested in...” he seemed to hesitate trying to find the right words for what exactly he was invested in, “well invested in my little project for me just to walk away from everything now.”
“You will walk away,” Logan demanded as he started to walk through the garden toward the Big Dog. “It's not an option anymore.”
“Oh really?” the Big Dog answered calmly. “I'll walk away from my entire life's work. You are threatening me now? Oh look who has grown-up,” the Big Dog taunted. “Do you see how I am shivering in my boots?”
“I'm not really feeling that forgiving this time,” Logan said in between clenched teeth.
“Oh, really,” the Big Dog still remained seated on the bench even though Logan was moving closer and closer. I remained behind, still frozen to the spot unsure of whether I should move forward or hang back. I didn't think I would be of much use next to Logan, so I stayed back and waited.
Logan snarled angrily, but didn't say anything.
“Oh that temper, Snowflake. I see you never really were able to get it under control. A shame really. And what do you plan to do if I refuse to step aside? I'm sure you aren't planning to kill me, because we both know you can't do that,” the Big Dog flashed his maniacal smile again that sent chills down my spine.
I looked over at Logan wondering how he would respond, and his face was dark red. I was sure that I'd never seen him that angry. I waited for him to speak, but again he just seemed almost too angry to respond with words.
“Oh, I must have missed your plan altogether,” the Big Dog clapped his hands together playfully. “That is why you brought along your little female friend, she is the one you have brought to do your dirty work,” he laughed.
Logan moved closer to him, threatening him to say more.
The Big Dog ignored Logan's actions and continued speaking, but directed his words to me instead of Logan. “You should have left when you had the chance, young lady,” he called in my direction. “I don't know why you insisted on accompanying Logan to my house. Tsk, tsk, it was a poor decision.”
Logan turned to look at me his eyes wild with rage, but none of it directed at me. Instead, I could tell that he was protective of me. I couldn't tell what he wanted me to do. Did he want me to attack the Big Dog? I wasn't prepared to do that. I didn't think I was anywhere near qualified to handle that man.
No, that wasn't at all why he was looking at me. Instead, he seemed to be looking all around me, in every direction making sure of something else. That's when it dawned on me. He was making sure everything was okay. He was looking out for me. He was using his acute senses to make sure the Big Dog hadn't set something up around me. I started to look around me as well, making sure I was safe, too.
Everything seemed normal I couldn't sense any immediate danger or threat. I looked back to Logan to see if he had noticed anything either, but he seemed to be already directing his attention back to the Big Dog, convinced that I was okay.
“It is a shame that you are always choosing young ladies to throw into harm's way, Logan,” the Big Dog chided him like he was a child. “I thought you would have learned your lesson by now.” The Big Dog looked up and made direct eye contact with Logan.
“Be very careful what you say next, Big Dog,” Logan managed to speak; his body was shaking he was so angry.
“Oh we are back to threatening again,” the Big Dog seemed bored with the conversation. “So then Logan what do you propose we do? In a few minutes, my back-up will be here, and trust me when I tell you that my back-up is powerful enough to kill both you and your little girlfriend, so you better this quick.”
“I already told you once,” Logan clenched his jaw tight, “I want you to stop, I want to call a truce,” Logan relaxed a little almost like he was tired, “You started this war and you can end it. It's that simple. Stop this war and move on with your life.”
“I think you have things a little backwards, Logan,” the Big Dog explained, “you are the one who started this war. You started this war when you set the bears free. There was no war until you made that move against the project. When you made that defiant move, you were the one that started the war, and then you were the one that made it worse by killing the lone wolf. Your actions are the ones that are fueling this war, not mine.”
His words hung in the night air filling the silence with a heavy overwhelming feeling. I didn't know how to respond or what to say. Logan, too, I could tell was overwhelmed with what the Big Dog had said. I could tell that Logan wanted to refute what he had said, wanted to fight back or contradict his words, but was struggling to contradict him. I wanted to defend him, too, but had no idea what to say, and was forced to stay quiet.
The Big Dog continued speaking, “And your dear friend Goldflake paid the price of your lack of indifference, didn't she?” it was like a slap in the face. “You couldn't decide which side of the fence you were on, could you? You wanted to fight for yourself, but you also wanted to fight for the freedom of all shifters. Goldflake always knew where she stood, didn't she? You just decided a little too late, didn't you?”
Logan was visibly upset. The Big Dog had found the right place to drive the nail and twist. Logan's face contorted with anger, but he didn't say anything. I wanted to help him, to say something to help him stay calm, but I couldn't think of anything to help, and besides, saying anything in front of the Big Dog didn't seem appropriate. I stood by and watched as the he continued to chip away at Logan's pride.
“Oh, Logan, did I hurt your feelings? Did I find a soft spot? What are you going to do about it? Run to Daddy Lionel and tell on me? Oh, wait, you can't, because he is dead...” the Big Dog paused for effect waiting to see how Logan would react.
Logan stood with his fists clenched and his jaw tightly clamped shut. The Big Dog could tell that he was getting to him and only needed to push a little further to get the reaction he was going for, so he continued pushing. “By the way, if you really want to tell on me. His body is downstairs though – would you like to see it? I thought it might help aid in my research of werebears, so I had it brought here to be cut up. I am sure you don't mind do you Snowflake?”
“You fucking son of bitch,” he moved seemingly out of control, grabbing the Big Dog around the throat and punching him in the face. “If you had any fucking heart or knew about anything about what you were talking about,” his breathing was heavy.
I stood frozen, reaching my hands out in front of me and wanting to say something, but no words escaped my mouth. I couldn’t move a muscle even if I had wanted to – and if I could have moved, I am not sure I would have intervened anyway.
“I hate everything about you,” he punched him again, “all the fucking shit you put us through,” he shoved the Big Dog hard in the chest making him stumble backward until they both were standing against the outer edge of the roof. “You don’t fucking deserve any of this shit,” Logan extended his hands around gesturing to the house and gardens. He squared up and punched him again, this time square in the nose. The big dog was clearly caught off guard by Logan's sudden attack.
The impact of the last punch sent the Big Dog toppling over the roof’s edge where he surly would have fallen to his death from so high in the air, but at the last second, Logan extended his hand and caught his arm before he fell.
Finally I felt unglued from where I stood, and I ran through the garden to the edge of the roof and helped Logan fr
om falling over the edge as well. He actually didn’t seem to need my help, but it was nice to finally be next to his side.
I looked down at the Big Dog and even in his moment of defeat he looked smug. I couldn’t believe that as he sat in a moment of defeat cowering in the hands of Logan, he still could look so triumphant. I was angry, and I couldn’t even understand exactly why. “Ah, Snowflake,” he said smiling, “you almost killed me,” the Big Dog chanced a small laugh. “We both know you can’t do that. So you better help me back up.”
I looked over at Logan and saw the frustration in his face. He had the man by his hand, hanging over the edge of a building, and yet the Big Dog was still in control of it all somehow. I could see that Logan needed and wanted to be free of this man. The Big Dog had controlled Logan in so many situations, many of which I didn’t know or understand, and even now when Logan finally felt like he was in control, the man has manipulated the situation to make Logan feel like he didn’t have the control anymore.
I felt pity and frustration for Logan. I wanted to step in and say something, but I knew this was a fight that Logan needed to win for himself. He wouldn’t want me to win this for him. He needed to conquer this battle on his own.
In the moments that followed, Logan hesitated pulling the Big Dog back up. I sensed the panic in the Big Dog’s eyes. His tone changed almost immediately. “Snowflake, listen to me,” he tried to get Logan’s attention. “If you pull me back up, I will call off the second attack. You know they will listen to me. I will call them off and you and your girl can go free. You can go wherever you want and I will leave you alone – forever.”