Retribution

by Charles Tillman

  “Good thing I’m in charge and you aren’t. We do it my way. Unless you want to challenge me for my position?” Chao growled as his eyes turned yellow.

  “No, we do it your way. I meant no disrespect, Chao.” Guo took a step back with his eyes downcast and his hands held palms up in supplication.

  “Anyone else?” Chao glared at the other two. “No? Then you take point, Guo. We’ll follow a few hundred meters back. When they stop, we’ll finalize the attack plan.”

  Chapter Forty

  Han’s Pit Barbeque, Shinjuku City, Tokyo, Japan

  “That was the best meal I’ve had in weeks!” Koda exclaimed as they walked. “Those different-flavored sauces were amazing. Where did you say that style of cooking came from?”

  “A country called the United States pre-WWDE,” Horst answered. “Han uses sauces based on different regions. All of them claimed to be the best, and they had competitions to determine it.”

  “I especially liked the sweet sauce. The seasonings gave it the perfect blend of sweet and heat.”

  “I liked the one from an area called the Carolinas. The vinegar base gave it a tangy taste.”

  “That one was too intense for me, but I like all things sweet.” She giggled as she made to lick Horst’s arm.

  Horst laughed at her antics, then froze as the strong musk of big cat assailed his sensitive nose. He searched the area for the source as he wrapped one arm protectively around Koda.

  “What is it?”

  “Cat, probably tiger.” Horst kept his head high as he continued to scan the area.

  He picked up speed, heading toward the Palace and the safety of Takumi’s defensive zone before trouble found them. They made it half a block before two men stepped in front of them from a dark alley.

  “Look what we have here, Tao. A girl taking her mutt for a walk.”

  The other man laughed as he moved beside his companion to block the sidewalk.

  Horst pulled Koda behind him. “We don’t want any trouble. Move aside and let us be on our way.”

  “He doesn’t want any trouble,” the first man mocked. “If you didn’t want trouble, you wouldn’t have associated with those vampires.”

  The scuff of a shoe behind him caused Horst to glance back and see two more men approaching from his rear. He caught Koda and shoved her into a shallow entryway. The business was closed for the night, so a heavy metal grate blocked the glass doors. The space was less than half a meter deep, but it protected Koda and provided some cover for his back.

  “Takumi,” Koda called over her communicator, “Horst and I are under attack. Notify Akio and Yuko that four tigers have blocked our way.”

  “Messages sent. I am deploying active defensive and offensive measures to your location.”

  “Oh, look, she’s calling for help,” the apparent spokesman for the group crowed. “Don’t worry, girlie. When we’re done with the dog, we’ll take excellent care of you.”

  The others moved into a half-circle in front of Horst, blocking any chance of escape. One of them leered at Koda. “We don’t have to do this. Give us the girl for a while, and you can go. She looks like she can take care of all of us.”

  Horst knew this was a tactic designed to make him step out of the doorway. It didn’t work, but the implied threat set off a raging fire inside of his body.

  “Step away, cat. I’m not moving. If any of you come closer, you’ll die,” Horst growled, his voice rough like stones grinding together.

  “The only one dying today is you, dog,” the speaker taunted, then an orange- and black striped tiger occupied the space where he stood. The other three shifted as the first leapt toward Horst. The Were’s body shimmered, and in its place stood a nine-foot-tall Pricolici wolf.

  Horst roared in defiance as he extended the fingers on his right hand toward the airborne tiger. The skin parted like paper when the cat’s heavy body encountered the seven-centimeter-long claws on each finger. When the attacker's forward momentum stopped, Horst’s arm was buried elbow-deep in the cat’s chest. He snarled as he closed his fist, twisted it, and jerked. His hand pulled free of the tiger's body with a wet sucking sound and a river of blood. The tiger dropped to the pavement in a boneless heap, his lifeless eyes wide open and staring at nothing.

  Horst howled as he flung the bloody organ to the ground. “Coommmee and geett meeeee, little kitteeesss,” he snarled.

  The remaining tigers rushed him as one. Koda screamed when he stumbled from a blow to his side. Hot blood flowed from the wound as he lashed out, but he missed the nimble cat by a hair's breadth.

  A second tried to go around him, intent on attacking Koda. Horst caught him by the scruff of his neck, lifted him off the ground, and slammed his body into the third, who rushed toward them, thinking the injury and attempt on Koda distracted Horst.

  Horst flew into a berserker's rage and moved faster than Koda’s eyes could follow. He threw the tiger he held and knocked the legs out from under the last standing assailant. When that beast was on the ground, attempting to untangle itself from the other, Horst jumped on him with both feet. The sounds of breaking bones followed by an agonized shriek ripped the air.

  As he continued to stomp the life from the beast, the other two came in again, one behind him, the other in front. Sharp claws pierced the soft skin behind his knee, and blood ran down his leg in a solid sheet from the jagged wound. The leg gave out and he toppled to the ground, unable to maintain his balance on his good leg. The remaining two tigers wasted no time. Both pounced on him, claws and teeth ripping into his body.

  Horst rolled to the side and caught the cat that had cut his knee by its front leg. He tucked his head, the thick muscles in his neck straining as he blocked the other from biting into his throat. Horst jerked the cat he held forward, and the force pulled the leg from the shoulder socket with an audible pop. He grinned toothily when he twisted and yanked again, ripping the skin and tearing the leg off the body.

  He rolled, which threw the cat that worried his neck momentarily off-balance. Before it regained its footing, he had one huge bony hand around its throat. Squeezing, he cut off its oxygen until it opened its mouth and attempted to suck in air. In one swift motion, Horst drove the leg he held in his other hand into the open orifice, shoving until it could go no farther. Then he raised his knees and kicked the struggling beast in the side. The satisfying sound of bones shattering was his reward.

  The cat thrashed wildly on the pavement as it frantically pawed its muzzle in a vain attempt to dislodge the object suffocating it. Horst ignored its death throes as he turned to the injured cat attempting to flee on three legs. He pushed himself to his feet unsteadily and set out after it in a staggering gait. He caught the wounded tiger in a few steps and swiped his clawed hand down, severing the muscles and tendons in both rear legs.

  The tiger collapsed, and Horst, his body weak from blood loss, fell forward and pinned it to the ground. His last action before he passed out was to clamp his jaws on the back of the tiger's neck, crushing it with his teeth and severing the spinal cord.

  Koda stood in shock at the speed and viciousness of the encounter. In a matter of seconds, Horst had changed into something she’d never seen, a hulking monster that moved faster than thought. The creature had turned the four who had attacked them into bloody chunks of cooling flesh in the street. She let out a muffled sob when he collapsed and ran to him with no thought to her safety.

  She slid to her knees by the still form of the man who was everything to her. “Horst? Horst, speak to me.” She grabbed the coarse hair on his shoulder as she spoke.

  Horst moved by sheer instinct. His claw-tipped hand lashed out and caught Koda across her midsection, leaving four deep furrows in her body.

  Koda squeaked as the force of the blow knocked the breath out of her, then slowly toppled to the ground with a shocked look on her face.

  Horst shakily sat up, his body weak and his mind locked in a struggle to maintain its humanity while the wolf fought
to run wild and howl its defiance at the world.

  His body shook as he tried to force his beast to shift back to human form now that he’d defeated the threats. It seemed like hours to him, but in seconds, a battered and bloody nude man sat in the deserted street.

  He surveyed the damage, satisfied that he would heal in time before turning to the alcove where he’d secured Koda. His eyes passed over a heap of colored cloth lying beside him. He continued to turn until his mind registered what he’d seen.

  “Koda!” he screamed as he painfully covered the distance to her on his hands and knees. Shock and pain ate at his soul when he saw her bloody wounds—injuries he’d caused.

  A loud boom shattered the night as a Black Eagle descended at high speed. Akio leapt from the open hatch before the craft stopped, his eyes red and katana at the ready.

  The vampire spun when he heard steps approaching at a fast pace but relaxed when Yuko appeared, a Jean Dukes Special gripped tightly in each hand.

  Horst shook as hot tears coursed down his cheeks and splashed on the unmoving body he gently cradled in his arms. “I killed her,” he cried, his voice cracking under the strain.

  Yuko blurred and was on her knees beside the injured woman in a flash. She ripped the tattered cloth away from the wounds and extended her senses to assess Koda. A faint heartbeat registered from the still body.

  “Horst?” Yuko called.

  Lost in grief, his mind numb at what he had done, Horst didn’t register that Yuko had spoken.

  “Horst!” Yuko yelled.

  Horst continued to gently rock Koda in his arms, sobbing as grief ate away at him.

  The sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed down the gloomy street as Yuko’s open palm connected with his face. “Horst, she still lives. She is fading fast and needs your blood to survive until we can get her in the Pod-doc.”

  Horst’s eyes focused on Yuko as what she said penetrated his grief. “What? I… No! I don’t know that she wants that,” he argued.

  Yuko met his gaze with her steely red one. “If you don’t do it, I will. Koda Rii. Will. Not. Die. Your choice, Horst, werewolf or vampire. Those are the only options she has.”

  Horst was dumbstruck, his face red where the normally reserved Yuko had slapped him. Her eyes burned with iron will and determination to do what she must for Koda. He opened his mouth to speak when he felt a firm hand grip the wrist of one arm. He looked up and met Akio’s eyes centimeters from his face. “Give me your arm,” he hissed.

  Horst relaxed and allowed Akio to raise his arm. Sharp pain flared in his wrist when Akio sliced it deep with his razor-sharp katana.

  “Drip it into her mouth,” he ordered while guiding the arm to hold the open wound to her mouth. “Now on to the injuries.”

  Horst followed his directions without resistance, his body responding with no conscious thought. His blood filled her mouth and Yuko massaged Koda’s throat, forcing her unresponsive body to swallow while Horst covered the deep wounds across her torso with his nanocyte-rich blood. It was done in seconds.

  Akio pulled Horst to his feet while Yuko lifted Koda into her arms and carried her like a sleeping babe to the Pod Abel had dispatched when Koda called. Akio led the mind-numbed Horst to the Pod and gently pushed him into a seat. “I’ll meet you at the base.”

  The Pod shot into the night sky, followed by the sleek and deadly Black Eagle. Both vessels descended into the base’s open courtyard

  “The Pod-doc is ready. I have her,” Eve assured them as she briskly pushed the stretcher into the building, then to the elevator to take them below.

  Yuko led Horst from the Pod to the open doors of the building. He moved like he was in a trance, responding to her guiding touch but not communicating.

  “Akio, have you finished your missions?” Yuko inquired while they waited for the elevator to return.

  “Scotland is done. Kenjii is finishing up in China now. He took out one group of Sacred Clan and freed the humans they held. Another group left the same farm earlier. He’s dealing with them now,” Akio informed her, pride evident in his voice.

  “That’s good.” Yuko nodded as the elevator doors opened.

  Akio followed in silence as Yuko guided the unresponsive Were through the entrance to the base.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Dabie Mountains, Outside of Sanhe, China

  “Where did they go, Abel?”

  “I tracked them into the mountains, and they dropped off of sensors when they went into this gorge.”

  “Find them.”

  “Sensor sweep in progress, stand by.”

  “I have detected a rock formation that appears to be the entrance to a subterranean cavern.” A highlight appeared on the monitor in the Pod, halfway down the deep cut between two mountains.

  “Can you get a look inside?”

  “Negative. There are no available drones.”

  “Why not? I thought all the aircraft have drones.”

  “Eve is upgrading them. They use some components that are not available on Earth. She’s recycling those from the older models.”

  “Drop me at the entrance. I will scout it out and see where they went.”

  “That is unadvisable, I recommend returning to base and returning once drones are available.”

  “I only want to look. I won’t take an unnecessary risk.”

  “Like you didn’t at the farm?”

  “I know I should have listened to you. I admit I could have done that better.”

  “No doubt.”

  “Come on, Abel. Akio trusted me to deal with these tigers. I don’t want to have to tell him I lost them and don’t know where they went.”

  “Akio will understand. He uses sound tactics.”

  “Abel, at least let me be certain they have left the area. The humans we freed aren’t safe if they return.”

  “I will maintain station here if you like. If they show up on sensors, we can assess the situation then.”

  “You won’t let me look for them, will you?” Kenjii grumbled, frustration in his tone.

  “Negative. Akio was clear that I couldn’t let you take unneeded risks.”

  “Can you take me back to the farm, at least? Perhaps the clan left some information there we could use.”

  “That is acceptable. I will continue to search for the missing Clan members and will pick you up in time to get back before sunrise.”

  “Thank you, Abel.”

  The Pod descended, and seconds later, Kenjii was back at the house. He watched the Pod disappear into the night sky, then stalked into the structure.

  Abel should not have stopped me. I’m more than capable of dealing with a few tigers. I will need to speak with Akio about this, he must allow me to make my own decisions.

  He looked through the few papers and belongings he located. Finding nothing of interest, he stepped out of the house and stopped on the steps.

  I need to send a message to this Sacred Clan. They hunted me in China and Japan. They need to understand their place in this world.

  Kenjii smiled as he stepped back into the house. The tigers had shifted back to human form after they died. He started dragging bodies into the yard. He planned to leave a message anyone could understand.

  TQB Base, Tokyo, Japan

  “Yuko, contact Inspector Yonai, please. He needs to know what happened,” Akio advised Yuko after she had settled the distraught Were in the kitchen.

  “Hai, you’re right. I’m certain the bodies have been found by now,” Yuko agreed.

  “I’ll stay with Horst until you’re done.”

  “Domo, Akio. This shouldn’t take long.”

  Akio entered the room and found Horst with his head in his hands, shuddering with silent sobs.

  “Horst.”

  The Were looked up, his eyes red and his face wet with tears. “Is-is she…” he stuttered as the color drained from his face.

  “She lives. Eve has her in the Pod-Doc and is repairing the life-threatening injuries
. The nanocytes in your blood sustained her long enough to get her the treatment she needs.”

  “She’s going to hate me. I almost killed her, and now she will be a monster because of me.”

  Akio placed a comforting hand on Horst’s shoulder. “You saved her life. You defeated four weretigers by yourself and controlled the Pricolici. You could have caused mass carnage among the people. That form is hard to control; I have seen some of the strongest Weres I know not have the self-restraint you did.”

  “Still, I hurt Koda. If she had died, my life would have no meaning.”

  “But she lives. You not only stopped and shifted, but you saved her life.”

  “After I injured her.”

  “Horst, you’re hurt. You need to go into the Pod-Doc yourself. The Pricolici form is a raging beast, and it takes time to learn to control it. Koda didn’t know, and none of us ever thought to warn her that the form was dangerous. It’s more my fault than yours. I knew you could shift into that form with the proper incentive since I have seen you partially do it.”

  Horst shook his head, denying Akio’s words.

  “Horst, how many times have you shifted to full Pricolici?”

  “Once.”

  “So, it's reasonable to say it was not something you expected. What happened that caused you to shift?”

  “The schwein threatened to do things to Koda. All I could think was that they had to die. If I had known this would happen, I would have tried something else. Anything else.”

  “I know you would have. The Clan didn’t leave you a choice. They would have killed both of you if you hadn’t fought them.”

  “The things they said.” Horst shuddered. “A red rage overtook me. I couldn’t control it.”

  “Powerful emotions are rumored to trigger that form. The day you killed Heinz started it. The form and control come easier, the more you shift to it. A session in the Pod-doc can adjust your nanocytes to give you more control, too. When Koda’s healing is complete, you need to go in.”

  “Koda’s healing will be complete in two hours and thirty-six minutes,” Eve announced as she walked through the door.