by A. J. Mayall
“We have something just between us, off-duty. You in?”
Jack shrugged. No harm in helping out partners, he thought as he signed out and followed the large man to a black SUV. Upon entering, he found the other members of The Pack there. Dorian wasn’t there, probably still busy at the prison.
“So, Omega, you ready to earn your place in with us?”
Jack hesitated. He knew hazing had been a standard in lycanthropic communities, and had been dreading it.
“Depends; what are we doing?”
“We will be taking care of business. You will be keeping an eye out. You wanna be one of us, you play watchdog for a while.”
Jack growled but relented.
“Good. We’ll be in Eastside for a few hours. Think you can handle that?”
Hoffman rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Can I at least know what this is about?”
Cortez smiled. “Payment for services rendered.”
The ride was uneventful as Jack watched the others share jokes, periodically shooting him dirty looks. Hoffman took it in stride as the van entered the upscale suburbs of Eastside.
It was Cortez who cut the silence directed at the new packmate. “Long story short, RMPD is working on some new stuff. Very hush-hush. Fact you’re in this car should be enough to quit your bitching about us not coddling you. We have some business to talk about and payment to settle. You will stay outside. If anyone approaches the house, you tell them they can’t come in. We shouldn’t have any issues with folks nosing in though. You keep your mouth shut and if you hear anything, you didn’t hear anything, got it?”
“This is beginning to sound a bit too shady for my liking.”
“Is that so? Maybe you outta click those Spring-Heels of yours and wish to go back Asylum side,” Cortez said, curling his lip.
“Fuck you, Cortez.”
“Jack, are you in or not?”
He gritted his teeth and looked at the others. “I’m in.”
Cortez growled and sat back in his seat, at which point, Jack asked, “Where’s Maxwell?”
“Just noticed that, now? How’d you pass basic training? Naw, don’t take it personal, we’re meeting him there.”
The van pulled into the driveway of a lovely two story home of red brick, perfect white paint with a red door. Beside it was parked a black sports car with the license place “HOWL”.
“Who lives here?” Hoffman looked to the others.
“Good friend of ours, most of us go back years. You sit tight, okay?” Cortez muttered.
The others filed out of the SUV, leaving Jack, still in uniform, alone.
“God damn it,” he muttered as he watched the sun sink beneath the horizon.
The meal had been superb, as always. Chef made chicken Milanese like no other. The flavors danced in the senses long after the bite had been enjoyed. The fresh tortelloni was enhanced by the slightly sweet red sauce with just a hint of heat. Suzette, like her grandmother, preferred to squeeze lemon and lime over the dish before tucking into it.
The two ladies enjoyed some of the famed tiramisu the Chester Building had won awards for in the past. A glass of raspberry dessert wine was the perfect finish.
“Grandma, seriously, thank you.” Suzette held her stomach, knowing when to stop.
“Oh, think nothing of it, darling. It’s nice to have company without it being your father complaining about me working in my 80’s. Seriously, how did that man come from my loins?” She sat back and laughed, louder and heartier than one would expect a woman of her age to make on first glance. Suzette couldn’t help but join in.
“I think he asks the same thing about me, tell you the truth. He just blames it on ‘middle child syndrome’,” she said, using fingers to air quote.
“That’s the biggest load I’ve ever heard. Claudia is a daddy’s girl, knows it, and is manipulative past her years. Don’t get me started on Angelique, either.”
“Grandma, do you talk like this about me behind my back?”
“You betcha.”
“I don’t want to know. I really don’t want to know.”
Francesca beamed a wide smile as she poured herself another glass of wine.
“Oh, Suzette, you’re always so…walled.”
“I learned it from you, Grandma!”
She nodded, taking a big gulp of the sweet red wine. “Indeed! I don’t like the competition, Suzette! I know your sisters chat with you or visit you for a few hours before coming here, to warm up to the experience. At least, that’s what Angelique says.”
“That conniving, little…”
Her grandmother shushed her and the two paused, looking at each other in silence before they burst into laughter together.
“She is conniving, isn’t she?” Francesca muttered, offering Suzette another glass.
“No more, I’m stuffed! Please!”
“I’ll have Chef box up the rest for you, darling. If there is any left over, I’ll see about some for Phoenix…” Francesca stood and walked back toward the kitchen. When she returned, she continued, “Remind him of his debts, Suzette; I’m not a woman to be trifled with. I’d be more than happy to give him a place to work and stay here in the Chester building. I could use a new valet. Give him the Gerard Suite.”
“Grandma, he’s been down on his luck. Why are you getting on his case? He’s never done anything but be good to me and you.” She took a second to check her messages, and found one from Phoenix sent just a few minutes previous.
Need you here. It’s going down.
Suzette blinked, hurrying to the door. She kissed her grandmother on the cheeks and hugged her tightly, nearly lifting the older woman. “I have to go, work. Sorry!”
Francesca scowled, putting a few to-go containers in a paper bag.
“This is why. He’s a good kid, if naïve. But I don’t have to remind you that I walked this path you’re on. I know what he is, Suzette. I know what he’s capable of, and I’ll keep my thumb on him, make sure he doesn’t cause any harm. You be careful on the road, and have a glass of water before you leave.”
Suzette chugged a glass and thanked her again. “I’ll make this up to you, I swear. See you soon, love you. Thanks for the food, from both of us.”
“You tell him I’ll give him an extension, but I’m keeping that tail on him. One wrong step and he can add bellboy to his resume.”
Within moments, Suzette was walking briskly through the hallways of the hotel, holding her phone in front of her, messaging back.
On my way, how bad is it?
Suzette turned a corner and headed to the elevator to get to the VIP parking. She turned her gaze back to the screen.
Human form. Werewolf form. Wolf wolf form. Three books have fallen off the bookshelf already.
“Shit, this I gotta see…” she muttered as she ran to her scooter, sending one last message to him.
Getting on my ride. Have door unlocked. Have chair ready. I’m bringing dinner. Will not be seeing any other messages. Be there in 5 – 10.
Suzette rocketed out of the parking area, glad traffic had calmed by this point. She only hoped she could be there in time to see it for herself.
Just a few more blocks… she thought as she saw the row of two-story buildings in the far distance.
Phoenix blinked, sitting in the darkened back room, the grey-blue light from the screen on his face, as he sat transfixed by the images before him. His right hand, now bandaged with an ice pack on it, rubbed his slack jaw. Bouncer had been brought down and the plush toy rested on a stool, also facing the screen.
It was a few more minutes before he heard a motor whiz by.
“Wait for me!” Suzette screamed, moments later bursting into the office, having been left unlocked per her request.
“You are not going to believe this…” Phoenix muttered and pointed to the screen. “Remember when you said she was friends with five werewolves?”
“Yeah? Wait. No.” She gave a girlish squeal and hopped beside him. She squinted at
the screen pointing and moving her finger about counting.
The two of them sat watching the monitor with matching expressions of horror, wonder and awe. After a minute they cocked their heads to the right, nodded a few times, then cocked them all the way to the left.
“He’s eight feet tall like that…how is that going to fit?” Phoenix asked in a reverent hushed tone.
“I don’t know, Phoenix. I just don’t know,” she said in the quiet, slightly detached tone her employer had taken on before her.
They sat there hypnotized, their faces bathed in the glow of the monitor that flickered dark then light. After a few minutes, Suzette moved her hand to cover Bouncer’s eyes.
“Is she upside down?” Her jaw went slack, equally horrified and impressed.
“Yes. Yes, she is, Suzette. Before, they had her on the ceiling.”
Suzette and Phoenix watched on, mesmerized, as partners were rotated out. It was Suzette who broke the silence minutes later.
“You should call her husband and have him meet you there,” she whispered.
Phoenix nodded, hearing but not listening. His assistant smacked him after a few seconds and pointed to his phone.
“No, seriously. If you’re going to bust her, I wanna see.” She smiled wide, pointing to the monitor. “Get over there.”
He was up moments later, nearly stumbling back off his chair as the images on the screen made them both cock their heads to the right, enough that Phoenix’s neck cracked.
“Damn,” they said in unison.
He stood, muttering, “I think she’s already busted…”
“We shouldn’t be enjoying this as much as we are,” Suzette stated with a hint of wonder in her voice. She kicked open the mini-fridge near her desk to retrieve a cola. “We really, really shouldn’t.”
Phoenix headed upstairs to make the call to Jeremy, Suzette handing him Bouncer.
“This isn’t for his eyes,” she said.
Raccoon in hand, he turned on his heels and dashed to his loft. His voice rang out but was soon muffled as he closed the door.
“Mr. Benton, it’s Phoenix. Yes. I have some bad news.”
Suzette listened in. Since the video feed didn’t come with audio, this was as close to commentary she could get.
“Yes. She is with Mr. Maxwell.” Another pause. “Right now. However,” he paused again and inhaled quickly, “they aren’t alone. No. Yes.” Phoenix hurried back downstairs, signaling to Suzette to ready the FogDrive. The look of sorrow on his face at listening to Jeremy’s anguish over the phone was only briefly interrupted by him mouthing the words “Four at once?” as he peeked at the screen.
Suzette pointed to a corner of the screen and held up five fingers. The detective cringed.
“Yes, Mr. Benton. Jeremy. It’s a pack. Yes. All at once. If you can meet me there ASAP, we can have you confront her, and I can get my equipment. You’ll have all the proof you need. I have the video saved, and I can supply you with it.”
Phoenix, grabbing his duffel bag in the process, headed back upstairs to his loft window.
“I’ll meet you there in 15 minutes. If I can, I’ll get photos. May I intrude enough to delay them, give you some time to show up?” Phoenix smiled when he got the affirmative, slinging his camera into the bag.
“I’ll see you there. I’m very sorry, for what it is worth, Jeremy. We can worry about settling the bill after you have a few days to calm down and take it all in.”
He paused.
“You’re very welcome, I’ll see you soon, just prepare yourself.” He paused again. “We counted five.” Another long pause as he winced, the cries loud enough to make him hold the phone at arm’s length. “Mr. Benton, I hate to be blunt but your wife is, right now, in the midst of a werewolf orgy. How could I have sugar-coated that?”
With that, he flew off into the night.
Jack Hoffman scowled in the driveway. He didn’t need his enhanced hearing or sense of smell to know what was going on. If anything, he was glad to not be involved beyond what he was. The only things keeping the rookie there were a sense of duty, but more importantly a lack of means of getting anywhere. Cortez had taken the keys in with him. It had been at least an hour and a half at this point, though probably closer to two hours. Still, he leaned on the SUV.
He looked over his shoulder at the door in disgust. What was he supposed to do? They weren’t breaking any laws, since they were all off at this point. He had turned in his radio, but he hadn’t had a chance to hit his locker, so he couldn’t call for a ride. The most awkward thing was he was still in uniform, waving to the neighbors as they went on nightly strolls or walked their dogs. Some looked to the house, hearing the growling, if muted. There is only so much you can nod and smile and wave off.
Jack closed his eyes, taking in the smells of the night. Besides the ones he was really regretting that decision about, his nose was full of the scent of pine, of grass, of birds and small animals, and of…man. Nearby. He looked around as he paced around the house, trying to sniff out the intruder.
Phoenix hovered near the treetops, hoping the smell of the fir tree would mask his scent. Although he had permission by Jeremy to be on the property, it wouldn’t be an easy task to convince the officer.
The detective took the camera from his duffel bag and quietly lined up a shot into the second floor master bedroom. He cringed at the sight on the other side of the glass.
It’s even more graphic up close, he noted as he clicked whenever he heard birdcall in the air. He knew Jeremy had said fifteen minutes, but traffic to the suburbs would be double that.
But where is the fun in trying to set up a delay, without a little chaos, right? he thought as he turned on the flash of his camera. He lined up the shot, not that he needed to—it would likely be ruined by the reflection off the glass—but he had to make it look convincing to the men inside.
“Say ‘Cheese!’”
The camera flashed. There was a shriek, a cacophony of yelps and growls, and finally the heavy thud of a body falling to the floor. Margaret yelped.
Jack heard the ruckus, looked up and yelled at the detective who applauded those inside. He snarled, gripping the sides of his top and pulled the buttoned over flaps of extra fabric, repeating the process on his legs. His clothes hung loose on his body as he pulled the snaps off his segmented boots and assumed his werewolf form. Bones swelled, growth plates expanded, his muscles aches as they stretched.
“Hold it!” he yelled as his face stretched outwards into a muzzle. The process took less than thirty seconds, now fitting snugly back in his uniform, having grown into the larger size the clothing afforded him. His feet also had expanded, the boots being in multiple sections with stretch fabric, affording him comfort and ease, not to mention traction.
He stood there, seven and a half feet of power, muscle, and primal force, pointing a claw at McGee.
“Get down here, that’s an order!” Jack growled, running at the house and leaping up the wall, kicking off it to grab the flying man. Phoenix evaded by simply rising ten feet.
“Don’t worry, Officer, I’m a friend of the family. I’m expected, so just go about your business,” he laughed, waving down.
Jack gave chase, climbing the tree with speed and tenacity. Not wanting to be on the business end of those claws, Phoenix hovered over the roof. He soon heard clamoring and screams from inside, and then the front door burst open. A low guttural growl broke the silence of suburbia.
“THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT, JACK?”
“We got a peeper, I’m on it!”
He cursed under his breath as he leaped onto the roof, hearing snarls come from the front lawn, knowing his team was coming out to have a go at the interloper. Mrs. Benton’s panicked cries filled the house.
“Jack? Where the fuck are you?” came a voice from the side of the house. Jack assumed it to be Cortez, possibly Lee.
“I’m on the roof, he’s a flier!” the officer called back, taking a few cautionary steps. He tur
ned to look at McGee, who held back intense laughter at the situation. “Okay, buddy, you had your fun. Come on down, now. You going to disregard a police request?”
“When covering for a pack of five men gangbanging a married lady, damn right I will. Go call a superior officer, I’m sure he’d love to chat.” Phoenix descended a bit, and then touched down about twenty feet from the lycanthrope. “You ain’t gonna do that though, are ya? Lemme guess, you had to play watchdog? Drew the short end of the straw? Anyways, I was asked to come, had to pick up some equipment of mine, this is just icing on the cake.”
Jack snarled as Lee climbed onto the roof behind McGee, preparing to lunge. Hoffman held out an outstretched claw to stop him.
Phoenix turned, seeing tooth, fur, and claw coming at him. He ducked and held out his arms in panic, letting his power free on instinct. Jack watched in shock as he felt time itself somehow thicken like gelatin. Around the tall redhead’s hands, light refracted. There was a faint ticking noise and then a blue aura, seeping from nowhere. This wasn’t energy filling space, but space parting to give way to energy. Swirls and whorls, faintly resembling the cogs of a machine, flashed around Lee, forming a perfect clockwork gear, and then it ‘clicked’. One moment, he was about to crash into the red-haired man; the next, he flew fast and higher, off the roof, ricocheting off the limbs of the tree, rolling and skidding into the front lawn.
“Self-defense, that was self-defense,” Phoenix insisted in a panicked voice. Jack backed away, sniffing the air.
“Omnus? What the hell kinda power is that? Using telekinesis on a person in a fight is a violation of Federal Omnus Laws and Regulations.” He advanced, but slowly. The detective held his hands up.
“You know what telekinesis is and you know that isn’t it. I’m not Omnus. I’m just a private eye with a few things I can do, that’s it.”
“Really, and what was it you just did?” Jack inched closer. Phoenix held his hands out, which made the werewolf snap his jaws once more.
“From how it felt, I just reduced, temporarily reduced, how he reacts to friction, that’s all. Just a little bending of the laws of physics, but not breaking them. Now, if you’ll excuse me!”