by Aaron Henley
The curiosity got the better of Steve. “What do you mean?”
Mark chuckled again. “Last time he was challenged, it took a hell of a lot more than a first aid kit and a simple healing spell to fix the cur. Last I heard, he’s still walking with a limp and that was---oh---about six years ago or so I reckon.”
If Kurt was taking it “easy” on us, we sure do not want to piss him off.
Agreed.
“Now then pup, are you going to stand there with your mouth open or are you going to get in your truck so we can get going?”
“I’m heading there now though I’ll need a few minutes. I got a few important phone calls to make that I’ve been putting off. I got to let my family know I’m all right.”
“No problem. Just don’t take too long, Charlie’s special tonight is shrimp gumbo and I don’t plan on eating it reheated. Never tastes the same.”
“Just a few minutes and we’ll be on the way. I think I’ll limit myself to just one bowl though.”
“Good idea pup. Anyone ever tell you what happened to Bob after the jambalaya incident?”
***
Steve called Kiera and let her know he was okay. After checking on Alan’s progress, which there was depressingly none, he told her that his original lead hadn’t panned out but he wasn’t giving up. She thanked him again for his efforts for both herself and Alan and wished him their love and well-being.
She sounds exhausted. We’ve never heard her sound like that. Even during the holiday rushes, she was always happy and excited. Now she just sounds worn out. Hope we can give her some peace until Alan wakes up. Becca would hate to see her like this.
Yeah. Now comes the hard point. I’ll leave this one to you.
Hey now. I thought we were doing better.
Oh we are. But you’re on your own when it comes to Pops until he calms down. I figure that sometime in the next century or so. His wolf retreated to the back of his mind.
Traitor.
Somehow, Steve got the impression that his wolf was giving him a raspberry, the stink eye, and the bird at the same time.
“Okay,” Steve whispered softly. “Here we go.” He dialed the store. Pops didn’t use a cell unless it was an emergency and he figured Pops would be working. The phone rang a few times then the receiver picked up.
“Ford’s Hardware.”
“Hi Pops.”
“Steve,” Pops exclaimed fumbling the phone in his hand. “Where the hell are you boy?! What were you thinking?!”
“I’m okay Pops. I’m okay. I’m out in Washington.”
“D.C.? What are you doing there?”
“No Pops. The state. It’s a long story that I’d love to tell you about but I have to get going. I just wanted to check in with you. I won’t be getting to the place I’m staying at until sometime tonight. I’ll call you back then. I promise.”
Pops was silent for a minute. “The same kind of promise you made when you told me you weren’t leaving town?”
Steve winced. “I’m sorry Pops. I am. I was wrong to lie to you. But Becca means to much to me. I have to see this through. You remember what you told me growing up? A boy starts a job---”
“---but a man sees it through.” Richard sighed and softly laughed. “Not fair you using my own words against me son. Now I wish I hadn’t used that to blackmail you to sweep the aisles all those times.” Richard took a deep sigh. “Okay. I’ll talk to you later tonight. You call me no matter the time. I’ll be up. I love you Steve.”
“I love you too Pops.” Now for the big one. “Pops, while I was out here I ran into another werewolf. A rogue.”
“You steered clear, I assume.”
“Not exactly. I kinda owe him and his crew for helping me out with this.”
Richard’s tone instantly cooled.“Just be careful son. Rogues can’t be trusted. I’m not too crazy about the people who’d choose to stay with them either. I don’t like it but you’re making your own decisions now and we’re both going to have learn to live with them. Just make sure to call me a little more regularly okay? I have to know you’re safe.”
“I will Pops. I swear it on my parents’ graves.”
“Okay son. Well, I better let you go. Incidentally, what’s the name of that rogue you’re dealing with? I probably don’t know him but couldn’t hurt to have an ear to the ground and find out just what you’re getting into.”
“Actually, he gave me a message for you.”
Astonished, Richard asked, “He did?”
“Yep. His name’s Kurt Parker and he told me to tell you “hi”.”
The line went so quiet for so long that Steve thought he had been disconnected. Finally he heard Pops take a sharp intake of breath, “Just be careful son. I love you. Talk to you soon.”
“Bye Pops.” Steve hung up his cell, started the truck and followed Mark’s Charger out of the parking lot.
***
Richard shakily put the receiver back into the cradle. Kurt? How the hell did Steve find him?! Well, if anyone is sure to keep that pup on a tight leash, it’d be my brother. He opened the desk drawer and pulled out a very old black and white photograph of two young men. When he gets back, Steve and I are due for a very long talk.
Chapter 15
When they pulled into the Howling Moon’s parking lot, it was already dusk. Upon entering the tavern, Steve saw a few patrons but it looked like the dinner rush hadn’t yet hit. He could smell the wonders of Charlie’s kitchen and it set his stomach rumbling. He went up to the bar and sat on the same stool he had used earlier. Michelle was tending bar while Lexi and Ayla were handling server duties.
“Welcome back kid. Glad to see you didn’t get lost following that fool brother of mine. He isn’t always the most reliable when it comes to directions.” She smiled as she walked over to him. “Want a beer?”
“Sure. Also, one bowl of gumbo,” he stressed the number.
Michelle laughed. “Learned your lesson I see. Coming right up. Anything else?”
“Steak on the menu?”
“Considering who owns the place, are you kidding?”
“Good point. I’ll take a couple T-bones then. Medium rare”
Michelle called out the order to Charlie who was more than happy to work his magic. Steve could see him take two fresh very large steaks and place them on the grill. His nostrils picked up a scent of a spiced rub on the meat that set his mouth watering. As he ate his meal, the tavern slowly filled up and he sat back and took in the sight.
They do seem to be pretty nice people, even Bob over there. Steve waved his beer in salute to the orc standing guard at his usual spot. Bob barely gave him a second look. I wonder what spooked Pops so much when I mentioned Kurt. Now there’s a story we need to hear. The way he froze tells me there’s some history between the two. After clearing his plates and paying his bill, Steve headed upstairs.
When he reached the living room, he saw the TV was on. It was playing an old cartoon involving a duck, a rabbit, and a rather dim hunter trying to determine which hunting season it was. Wonder who’s up here? “Hello?”
He saw the TV remote fly into the air. A top of long black hair rose over the back of the couch. He then saw a pair of blue eyes, wide as saucers peek over the edge. Poor little thing is scared to death. “Sorry to startle you. I didn’t know anyone else was up here. My name’s Steve. What’s yours?”
The little girl just stared at him. He could see her trembling slightly. “D-D-Do you know Kurt?” a meek voice asked.
“Tall old guy, kinda gruff, wears a black vest?”
She nodded.
“Yeah. We met the other day. He let me stay here a couple nights.” Be calm Steve. Go slow here. “Say, I love that cartoon. Would it be ok if I took that recliner and watched it with you?”
“O-o-okay.”
Steve sat in the recliner further from the sofa. The little girl watched him the whole time until she decided he was okay and then turned back to the cartoon. It finished and another one
started involving the same duck and a stuttering pig in outer space. After it finished, the little girl said very quietly. “My name is Emily.”
In a tone as soft as he could Steve replied, “It’s nice to meet you Emily. Can I ask what you’re doing up here?”
“Susan got sick so Charlie had to bring me to work today. Kurt said it was okay for me to watch TV here.”
“Do you live with Charlie then?” She nodded. “Are you his daughter?” She shook her head. “Charlie’s been helping me since the bad time.” Tears started to well up in her eyes. Not wanting to press or hurt the little girl, Steve quickly changed the topic. “Would you like a snack Emily? I bet I could find us something.”
“Are there any cookies?”
“You bet there are. What’s your favorite? I bet they have it.”
“Chocolate chip.”
Steve almost winced. Deciding that he’d rather deal with an angry orc than a crying little girl, he went and fetched her a couple of the large cookies. She started nibbling on them and they continued to watch the cartoons.
She fell asleep a few hours later, then around midnight, Charlie came and took her home. The little girl barely even knew she was carried out. Everyone was still downstairs closing up so Steve went down to help. He was just reaching for the door to the tavern, when he heard Kurt’s voice from his office. “Get in here Cub.”
Steve came over and paused at the doorway. “Take a seat there. We’ve got some things to discuss.”
Steve sat down in a leather chair beside the desk. “I saw that you met Emily. That’s good. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
“Yeah. She’s seems a pretty nice little girl. Something bad happened to her though. She mentioned a “bad time” but I didn’t press her on it.”
“If you had, I’d have torn your throat out.” Kurt met Steve’s eyes and he knew the older wolf was deadly serious. “That little girl’s gone through a hell no one should suffer. She was part of a sex trafficking operation a sick bastard decided to run through my town. We managed to save quite a few girls but Emily lost her older sister before they got to town. She was the only family she had. There’s few things that make my blood run cold Cub. Seeing that little girl the way I did, that was one of them. I swore to find the bastards responsible and tear their throats out myself. The rest of the crew wanted in as well. We almost had what we needed but then some idiot Cub goes and fucks the whole thing three ways to Sunday.”
Steve flinched, his face pale. “ That’s why you were at the depot. You mean because of me---”
Kurt’s flint-like gaze bored deep into Steve. “That’s right Cub. Amethyst's been playing transporter for whoever’s lining their pockets. Lexi managed to hack into their system and started to download their entire database but then someone decided to piss Bob off. Now they’re on the alert. We will be going back but it’s sure to be a bitch now. No one runs this kind of shit in my town. No one. But now we have to wait for the heat to die a little, for them to get a little less wary. Until then, God only knows how many Emilys are about to suffer.”
“I’m sorry,” Steve whispered, the realization of what he’d done sinking in. “What did I do?” He bowed his head and cried a bit as he pictured the sweet little girl he had just spent a few hours with laughing and eating snacks undergoing horrors he couldn’t possibly imagine.
We seriously screwed up.
His wolf hung his head in shame. Yeah, we did. The only thing we can do is fix it.
What about Becca?
We heard that Lexi was downloading their entire database. There’s got to be something there we could use. Even if we don't, Becca---Kiera---Pops, they would move heaven and earth to help girls like Emily. So would we and both of us know that. His wolf answered in firm resolve.
Steve wiped his face and looked up, his amber eyes glowing. “I’m in. Whatever you need me to do.”
Kurt replied flatly. “No. You’re not.”
“Bullshit.”
Kurt continued in that same level tone. “You are reckless, untrained, and a liability. I don’t have any use for an amateur on this. You’ll do way more harm than good.”
Steve calmed down as he followed the older man’s reasoning. “You’re right. You tore me apart without any effort. Hell, I don’t even think you were breathing hard after. But, I have to do this. I owe it to the girls. I owe it to the woman I love who’d kick my ass if I didn’t help. Most of all, I owe it to myself. I’d never be able to look in the mirror again if I didn’t. So train me. You said we’re going to have to wait for a bit. Then use that time to get me up to speed. I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Kurt hardly moved a muscle. He just stared at Steve the same way he did in the clearing. Steve felt as if Kurt was staring into his very soul, taking the full measure of the man and the wolf before him. Finally, he said. “You won’t be ready Cub.” Steve’s heart sank but he kept his gaze fixed on Kurt. “But, you won’t be a complete waste either. Okay. Training begins tomorrow after breakfast. Go to bed Cub. You’re going to need all the rest you can get.”
Steve smiled, nodded his head, his head and went upstairs. Kurt leaned back in his oversized chair. “Time to see what the kid’s made of Richard. Hope he survives the experience.”
Chapter 16
Becca had just finished her breakfast. The empty bowl of oatmeal and half-full cup of orange juice were all that remained. She had been resting for almost a week and a half since her revelation regarding Richard and Steve. She had been subtly asking questions regarding her parents; when she could visit them; who was handling the funeral arrangements for her friends; why she wasn’t allowed to have a room with a view. Various answers had been given but the general theme was “it’s all being taken care of, no need to worry.” Which was exactly what sent Becca’s mental antennae twitching.
It wasn’t until the day before that Becca discovered something was very seriously wrong. Dr. Morrow himself, all apologetic and compassionate, handed her a copy of the Falls Reporter which listed the Daniels’ home invasion on the front page. Not only did it list Steve and Richard as deceased, but that were killed by gunshots to the chest. That would simply not be possible. The entire world thinks werewolves are myths. Plus, I know Victor Quinn. He’s married to a wolf. He knows just what it would take to bring one down. Also, the way the story was written was completely not his style. Someone went to a lot of trouble for this. I don’t know what the game is but I am doing being a pawn.
***
It was 5:00 AM when Steve’s alarm clock went off. Totally unexpecting the raucous buzzer, Steve did a combination leap/tumble/fall out of bed. Trying to get himself out of the tangled bedsheets, he was able to poke his head out to see Kurt standing at the doorway fully dressed and sipping a mug of coffee.
“There’s some workout clothes in the bottom dresser drawer for you. Breakfast is on the table. You’ve got fifteen minutes to get dressed, eat what you can, and get your furry butt downstairs. If you’re not there, you get in your truck and drive back home.” He walked off before Steve could even say a word.
He went to the dresser and opened the designated drawer. He found a pair of dark gray sweatpants, white T-shirt, socks and a brand new pair of tennis shoes waiting for him. He hurriedly got dressed and headed for the kitchen. After scarfing down a few eggs and a couple strips of bacon in record time, he made it to the tavern’s front door with two minutes to spare. He expected to find Kurt waiting but instead it was Ayla.
She greeted Steve and asked how the clothes fit. “Pretty great. Thanks. I’ve got enough to pay you back for everything too.”
A small smirk appeared on the soft planes of her chiseled features. “Oh. Don’t worry. You’re going to pay us back.” The smirk became a full grin. “In sweat, blood, and tears. You may end up regretting this.” The grin faded into a mask of seriousness. Her brown eyes looked deep into Steve. He felt like she was reading his very soul. “This will be your last chance to back out. Once we start, you do
n’t quit until we tell you to quit. There’s no bell to ring, no sign-out sheet. You’re in this to the end, no matter what. I won’t lie to you. This will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced. You will probably end up cursing each and every one of us but at the end you will be the wolf you should be. I have to ask one more time: Is the memory of a dead woman, no matter how you feel about her, worth what you’re about to go through?”
Steve thought for a minute. He didn’t know what lay ahead of him. He could still back out, drive home and live the rest of his days working at Pops’. He’d probably inherit it one day, probably when Pops “died” and assumed another identity in another town. He could probably find another woman to love, maybe even a werewolf, raise some kids, and grow old and die happy. All he’d have to do is sacrifice a few little, insignificant things: self-respect, courage, loyalty, love. He met Ayla’s gaze, his hazel eyes glowing amber in the dawning sun. “I messed up when I stopped you from helping those girls like Emily. I owe them just as I owe Becca and her parents. Whatever the price, I am willing to pay it.”
Ayla’s eyes searched his for just a moment longer, then she nodded to herself, a small smile on her lips. “You may end up regretting saying that Steve. For what’s it worth though, I’m proud to hear you say that.” Then the smile disappeared and Ayla’s face was a mask. “To start with, I’ll run you through some basic stretches first. After that, we’re going running.”
“Sounds okay. Just how far?”
Ayla’s voice took on a commanding tone, each word tinged with ice. “When I say stop. Is that clear?”
Steve instinctively snapped up straight, his eyes fixed over Ayla’s shoulder. “Crystal clear.” Why did I do that? We never went into the military.
You seriously want us to argue that point with her?