by Jan Stryvant
"Ye... yes, let's do that," Stewart nodded, and then watched as Jace grabbed Allen's body by the belt, and dragged it over to the back of the truck and then just tossed it inside, like it was a bag of laundry.
"Okay, button up guys!" Jace called and walked back over to where Stewart was.
"How about I drive?" Jace told him, leading Stewart back to the front of the truck and helping him up inside. "You can tell me where to go. Okay?"
Stewart nodded dumbly as Jace closed the door, and then trotted around to the other side. Climbing up into the driver's seat, Jace started up the truck and putting it in gear, slowly drove off down the street, heading north.
"What do you suggest?" Stewart asked, the image of the surprised expression locked on Allen's now dead face still fresh in his mind. He'd been standing next to Allen when he'd been hit. It could have been him!
"I suggest we go north, out of town, find a nice deserted area to dig a deep hole for the bodies, and then after we get rid of them we go home," Jace told him, and thinking that perhaps after they tossed in the dead members of his pack, that perhaps Stewart could join them. Seeing as the others had apparently fled.
Stewart nodded and swallowed, "That, that sounds like a good idea."
They spent the next hour driving in complete silence. Jace had to refer to the map a few times, but eventually he found a good spot and pulling off the road he shut the truck down.
"You can wait here, Mr. Stewart," Jace told him. "Most of the corpses aren't very pretty."
"Doesn't it bother you?" Stewart asked him.
Jace shrugged, "I got over it when I was fourteen. For us, it's just a part of life. We don't ask questions, we just do as we're told," 'if we want to keep living,' Jace finished silently to himself.
Stewart nodded quickly. He really didn't want to look at any of the bodies. He watched as Jace slipped out of the driver's seat, and just before he closed the door, a thought crossed his mind.
"How old are you, Jace?"
"Eighteen, I'm the old man of the group now with Clem and Kirk gone," and with that Jace closed the door and walked around the back. As he hadn't locked the rollup door, it was already open and the others were piling out with the two shovels that were always brought along.
"How's he taking it?" Rufus asked as Red and Beck found a spot off the road and started digging quickly.
"Eh, he's still in shock," Jace sighed. "Seeing his dad's friend getting his brains blown out appears to have upset him."
"We hauling the body back?"
"Umm," Jace eyed the mirror on the side of the truck. Stewart was still staring off into space. "I'm thinking we could fit twelve in that grave as easily as ten."
Rufus chuckled, and the four who were stacking the dead bodies along side the truck stopped and smiled at him.
"You know, we kill him, and we've only got a few hours until they pull the plug on us."
"We're too far away," Jace told him.
"Did you see the lion that was with them?" Gray, one of the four who had stacked the dead bodies of their pack said.
Jace looked at him and shook his head, "No, I didn't. Are you sure about that?"
"Oh yeah, I'm sure. Just as sure as I am that our silver bullets weren't having any effect."
Jace swore, "Yeah, I'd noticed that as well. Apparently someone's discovered a cure for what ails us."
"Maybe after we cap the kid, we should go and try and find them?" Rufus said. "Then it won't matter how close we are, they won't be able to pull our plugs and kill us."
Jace shook his head, "We just burned down their house and killed several of their people. Do you really think they're gonna want to talk to us? They'll probably just shoot us all on sight!"
"They have to know that we were forced to do it," Rufus said, raising his hands in a shrug.
"I'm not so sure about that," Jace said shaking his head. "We'd just be a bunch of rogue wolves at that point."
"You know," Gray said, lowering his voice to a whisper, "Maybe if we brought them a peace offering?"
All six of them slowly turned and looked at the cab, where Stewart was sitting, oblivious to the world around him.
Jace smiled slowly, "Now that's the best idea I've heard all week."
Red came trotting up then, "We got the hole dug, how many are going in it?"
"Allen and those over there," Jace nodded.
"Not the kid?"
Jace snorted, "He's three years older than me, five more than you, he's not a 'kid.' But no, Gray had a better idea. Just make sure he doesn't see you putting Allen's body with the rest."
Red nodded, "You're the boss!"
"The rest of you give him a hand, Rufus, come with me. We need to have a little discussion with our Mr. Stewart."
Rufus smiled, "It'll be my pleasure, Jace."
Back to Square One
Sean grumbled to himself and pulled out his cellphone, the one John had tricked for him. It was almost seven, time to make some phone calls. He was sitting at a picnic table out in front of the bunkhouse that Claudia had put his people up in. She had several of them on her property, though why she had them, he could only guess. He'd talk to her later about it. He could feel his lion's uneasiness with the situation. Like it or not, someone was going to have to take the reins, he could see it coming.
And that someone was going to be him. He'd gotten enough jabs from his lion to know that this was another burden he was going to have to shoulder.
"Hello?" Steve's voice came over the phone as he picked up.
"It's Sean."
"Damn, what happened?"
"How do you know something happened?" Sean asked, curious.
"Because you never call someone this early in the morning unless something bad has happened. So, what happened?"
"We were attacked last night; the building is probably a total ruin at this point."
"What! Are you alright? What happened to the place?"
"They drove a gas tanker into it. Set the whole place on fire." Sean sighed, "I don't know yet how many we lost, most of us got out. But they engaged us in a firefight after lighting the place up. We got out as the fire department showed up, but I want you to be aware of the situation when you show up at work."
"Damn, I thought they didn't want to draw this kind of attention?"
"Yeah, I thought so too."
"So what are you going to do now?"
"Find a new place to live I guess," Sean sighed again. "I'm gonna call my lawyer here in a few. I don't know what's going to happen next, or how any of this is going to be explained. But keep your eyes open."
"Yeah, sure thing. Thanks for the head's up."
"Bye, Steve."
Sean hung up and dialed Chad next.
"Hello?"
Sean smiled, it was Max's voice.
"It's Sean. Wake up sleepyhead and put him on."
"What makes you think he's here?" Max asked coyly.
"Because you answered his phone, now wake him up. We got hit last night."
"What!" Max said loudly, "How bad?"
"Very."
Sean heard some grumbling, and then Chad came on the line. "What's so important that you are calling before seven?"
"Looks like we're at war, warn everybody. We got hit hard last night, the building is probably gone by now, they dumped a couple tons of gasoline into it and lit it all up on fire."
"Well, damn. There goes my morning," Chad grumbled. "What are you doing for a place to live?"
"Right now, some of us are holed up at Claudia's. The rest are in that bunker we have. But I'm going to have to start looking for a new place, and soon."
"Get something remote, so you can set up some defenses in depth. Get some heavy weapons."
"Where the hell am I going to get those?"
"Sawyer, where else?" Chad grunted. "Call your father-in-law; let him know what's going on. Do you think the Vesti's did it?"
Sean snorted, "Who else?"
"While I admit they're the most li
kely candidate, don't go off half-cocked on this, Sean. There are other groups out there which might be playing their hand and hoping to misdirect you, just like the Vesti's are trying to do to everyone else."
"Okay, I'll keep that in mind, but I'm just getting so damn tired of this!" Sean growled. "This is like the fourth time I've been forced out of my home now! I need to start making people pay for this!"
"Sean, you've been attacking them in their homes as well, you know," Chad pointed out.
"That's different."
"How?"
"I'm freeing our people, and I'm not trying to kill anyone."
"They see it as you stealing their property, and may I remind you about what happened at Gradatim?"
"Chad," Sean growled.
"Yes?"
"I watched people burn to death last night; this isn't the time for rhetorical games and fancy dialectic. Your job is to get your packs in order, plan our next attack, and get ready for whatever the hell is coming our way next. Right?"
"Yeah, Yeah. I hear you," Chad grumbled unhappily, "I'll start calling my people and see if anyone knows what's going on while I'm planning the next attack on the Vesti's. I'll see if I can come up with any thoughts on what they might do next, but you may as well tell Claudia to spread the word as well."
Sean sighed, "She's already doing it. Thanks, Chad."
"Go deal, I'll be in touch."
Sean hung up and pulling out his own cellphone he powered that up and called his lawyer.
"Sean? Why are you calling me this early?" Anthony said.
"A truck crashed into my building last night. A gas tanker truck. Some of my people died in the fire, the rest of us got out before the fire department showed up. I need you to deal with the police I guess."
"Have you talked to anyone about this?" Anthony asked carefully.
"I was too upset over what had happened, and too worried about everyone to stay and talk to the fire department or the police. I took everyone to a place out of town," Sean said carefully.
"Okay, I'll deal with it. Goodbye."
"Thanks," Sean said and hung up the phone. Checking to be sure he didn't have any messages, he turned his own phone back off and pulled the battery. While John had tricked the replacement for his phone just like the burner phone he now used to talk to the girls and his friends, he was still warned to use it as little as possible as the number for that phone was known to be his.
Going back to the burner phone, he made another phone call.
"Chief Channing," the phone was answered.
"It's Sean."
He heard Roxy's father sigh, "How are you managing, Son? Roxy called me when it all started, but other than a text telling me you were all okay, I haven't heard from her."
"I'm getting by. I know we lost some people last night, but the girls and I are all okay at least." Sean then gave him a quick rundown on what had happened.
"Damn, that's pretty bad. But if they cleaned up their own bodies before the fire department or police got there, they can just claim it as a simple accident with the truck. So what are you going to do?"
"Something nasty and over the top," Sean growled. "I just need to know who the guilty party is."
"So you're not jumping to any conclusions, good," Bill replied. "What about a place to live? You've got a lot of people with you now."
"Yeah, I know. At least I got the money from the fellowship for those collars I've been giving them. By the way, there aren't going to be anymore for a while. I need to replace the stock I lost last night for making them, and I need a new lab."
"Where were you getting the stock?"
"One of Dae's relatives made them."
"I'll call Samis, I'll get the fellowship to pay for it."
"Thanks, Dad." Sean said and heaved a sigh of relief. He wasn't broke, far from it. But his first concern had to be his people at this point.
"I'll be calling in some favors, see what I can find out. I didn't get a call from the governor's office, so apparently they don't think this was terrorism. I'll call them in a little while and say that I heard about it on the news and start digging for information. I'll call you back when I know what's going on. Take care of my daughter and the others as well. Bye."
"Bye."
Sean hung up and looked up as Claudia came walking over to him.
"Early riser?" she asked.
"Hardly, still up from the night before. You know of any good real estate agents?"
"There's several in my packs out here, what are you looking for?"
"Something large, remote, easily defensible. The next time someone comes calling, I want to be able to stand my ground and fight."
Claudia nodded, "I know just the person, when do you want to start looking?"
"An hour ago," Sean grumbled, "and I want to borrow one of your helicopters to go check the places out."
"Those aren't cheap to run you know," Claudia said.
"Oh, I almost forgot," Sean handed her a bag. "This is for last night."
"You don't have to do that."
"Right, I don't. Take it," Sean said and looked her in the eye, "and I still want to borrow the helicopter."
Claudia took the bag and looked inside. There was a bunch of necklaces and a pile of tags in the bottom.
"There's twenty in there. I got a bunch more, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to sell them for cash."
"Didn't we just give you two million?"
"I suspect I'll be spending at least that on whatever I buy. Then probably twice that on weapons and defenses. Plus I have two hundred people to feed who just lost all their personal belongings."
Claudia nodded, "I'll call Gloria and go roust one of the pilots," Claudia looked him over with a critical eye, "and I'll show you were the kitchen is, you need to eat some food."
Nodding, Sean got up from the picnic table and walked with her as she took him over to the house.
"Why all the bunkhouses?" he asked, motioning to them as they headed over to the main house.
"I make each of my packs come out here at least one week a year."
"Like the reserves?" Sean chuckled.
"Yup. I run a tight outfit. Everyone knows their place, and they know what they have to do. Unlike Michael, I don't let any of my people run wild or do whatever they want. Wolves need a leader, and they need order."
"So you give it to them," Sean said glancing over at her as they walked.
"Damn right I do. If you hadn't stuck your friend in charge of the western packs, I'd be adding them to mine as we speak. Good move on that one, by the by. You made it clear to everyone who the real power in Reno is."
"So, not mad that I kept you from that position?" Sean asked.
"Maybe a little annoyed, I'd been trying to figure out how to move on Michael for years now."
Sean gave her a bit of a dour look when she said that, one that came totally from his lion side.
Claudia noticed his expression and shrugged with a wry grin, "I gotta be what I am, and that's the alpha bitch. Michael had it coming, you wouldn't have tossed his ass out if he didn't, and you know it."
"Point made," he agreed.
"But it's okay, I like your friend, he's smart and definitely ruthless. And from the way he and my daughter have latched on to one another, I suspect he'll be my son-in-law soon enough."
Sean snorted, "I suspect he already is, they just haven't realized it yet."
Claudia laughed at that.
"So," Sean asked, "just how do you pay for all of this?"
"Tithe, how else?"
"You make your wolves pay a tithe?" Sean looked at her, impressed.
"Damn right I do. It's a pack, not a social club, and membership is not optional. You live in our territory, you're a member. You pay your fair share and take up your share of the work. For that we make sure you're protected from the mages, and taken care of during any hard times. If worse comes to worse, any member of the pack always has a place here."
"Tithe, huh?" Sean said,
rubbing his chin and thinking about that. He could tell his lion liked that idea as well.
"I'm not paying you any money, Sean."
Sean looked at her and gave him one of his best smiles, "I'm not asking."
"Yet," Claudia growled.
"And when I do, if I do?" Sean asked as he stopped smiling and turned serious.
"Sampson was so much easier to deal with," Claudia grumbled.
Sean laughed at that as she showed him into the kitchen, where the two cooks were already putting out food.
"I'm sure he was," Sean agreed, "but he had a different job, and now it's my turn."
Claudia gave him a strange look then, but she didn't comment on it.
"Well, I'll go get things ready," she told him instead.
"Thanks," Sean said and grabbing two plates he got one of the cooks to pile them both up, then went and found a place to sit and eat.
Pulling his phone back out he called Daelyn's number.
"It's about time you called!" Daelyn grumbled at him as soon as she answered.
"Sorry, Dae. It's just been busy. How is everything over there?"
"Packed to the rafters," she sighed. "At least in wolf form they don't take up as much space and can all sleep on the floor. Which of course is now covered wall to wall in dog."
"They're wolves, not dogs," Sean chuckled.
"We're going to need a new place, and soon, Sean."
"Yeah, I know. I'm going to start shopping here as soon as I finish eating. Do you have a list of names on who's there?"
"Not yet, but I can get one. Did Roxy tell you how many we have here?"
"Yeah," Sean sighed heavily, "we've got twelve unaccounted for, which is why I need the list of names, so we can figure out who died."
Daelyn swore softly, "What do you want me to do with it?"
"Have Granite, or whoever is in charge there send it to Oak. He can figure out exactly who we lost. I want you to go to your uncle's and see if he has anyone he can send out to inspect the building and find out what it'll take to get it fixed."
"Do you think they'll let us do that?"
"I don't know," Sean admitted. "I called our lawyer; you may want to have Samis talk to him. I also want to make sure that anybody whose body is there gets treated properly."
"Okay, then what?"