Hair, Greg - Werewolf 01, page 8
“He got himself a new grill as a wedding gift,” said his wife, smiling, throwing her arms around his waist.
“Well, over here is a nice set, on sale actually,” said Jim, moving away from Jerry.
Jerry looked into the case and noticed that Jim was right, there was a knife missing.
“Where’d the other one go?” asked Mandy, standing on her toes and bending down from behind the counter to see inside the case.
Jerry stared at her with a mind your own business look, but tried to look down her shirt at the same time.
“I used it last night,” he said dryly, unblinking.
Mandy backed down and looked over at her father, who heard Jerry’s response. The young couple also heard.
“Well, we’re just looking. We’ll keep this place in mind. Thanks for your help,” said the young man, leading his wife out onto the River Walk.
“Sir, I think it’s time for you to go,” said Jim.
Jerry closed the case, gave Mandy another look, and walked out the door, the bell above ringing as he left. Down the River Walk he strolled, watching the people on the boats wave as they went by, listening to the Spanish guitar playing a couple of shops down. The flowers resembled mini versions of the colorful umbrellas that shaded the many tables outside the restaurants and cafes. The smell of Mexican food permeated the air. The sweat from his forehead dripped off his face.
Jerry couldn’t get his mind off the missing knife. Not only could it possibly have cost him a sale, because there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that there was nothing wrong with his sales tactics, but also because he was missing the knife, the one he’d been using to kill his victims, the one he’d been washing and polishing diligently and putting back in the case to present to possible clients, the one that had his fingerprints.
He was so focused on the last city he’d visited, Seattle, that he didn’t notice the waitress standing in front of him as he walked past one of the tables with the colorful umbrellas. The drinks went everywhere.
“Oh, sir, I’m so sorry,” she said, grabbing the towel tucked into the apron string tied around her waist.
“Why don’t you watch what the hell you’re doing,” he screamed at her.
The patrons gathered outside quieted their conversations to watch the scene play out. The waitress bent down nervously to pick up some broken glass, not thinking that she should sweep it up instead. She winced, drawing her hand back quickly, blood running down her fingers.
“I’m sorry, sir. It’s my first day,” she said, beginning to cry.
A couple of the male bystanders stood slowly, watching and listening to Jerry’s next move. He clutched the case ever tighter. You’re only alive because I’m choosing not to kill you, he thought.
“It’s fine,” he said with furrowed eyebrows. “Just be more careful next time.” He looked around at the people looking at him.
“Yes, sir,” the waitress said as one of her coworkers brought out a broom and dustpan, rubbing her on the back in a reassuring gesture. The second waitress squinted, giving Jerry the kind of look that told him to get lost.
He obliged, taking his case full of handy-dandy killing utensils with him. The new waitress disappeared later that night.
12
Landon, LillyAnna, and Jamie awoke to the pilot’s voice over the intercom letting them know that the plane was approaching the tiny German airport. Upon landing and exiting the aircraft, the three were escorted into a hangar where a car was waiting for them, the keys in the ignition. Jamie again sat in the back seat.
Hanging beside him were two black Armani suits and a black dress with an Italian name he couldn’t pronounce. He didn’t ask about the clothes.
“What did you do once you got back to the US from Germany?” Jamie asked.
“Like I said, I began to hunt the worst of society,” said Landon, pulling onto the road. “For the most part, I spent my time tracking missing children, returning them home. I’m very good at tracking. That’s my job. Everyone connected to Burghausen has a job, and that’s mine, tracking missing children. It’s how I pay for the apartment and the car. We are paid well to do what we do.”
“What did you do to those that took the kids, the kidnappers?”
“I think you can figure that out,” he said, making eye contact with Jamie in the rearview mirror. “And I’m very good at that, too.”
“Did you have a lot of success finding the kids?” asked LillyAnna.
“I’ve found every one that…” Landon’s voice trailed off.
“Alive?” she asked. He didn’t respond.
LillyAnna looked out the window as the German countryside passed by and posed another question. “So do the families hire you or something?” she asked.
“No. They’re kept unaware that I’m searching. I need as few questions asked by outsiders as possible. Our justice system is sorely lacking in exactly that—justice. The defense lawyers would get the kidnappers off completely or back on the streets within a short amount of time. That’s not justice. I don’t know how the lawyers sleep at night. Shakespeare was right. ‘The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.’”
“Is it hard to find them?” Jamie asked.
“No. I make my way into the child’s home, get their scent. I’m actually able to get a mental picture of someone’s face off their scent. Each person’s smell, that which is produced by their pheromones, is like a fingerprint. So I get what I need from the house, then go where the child was last seen and start tracking.”
“You break into their homes?” asked LillyAnna.
Landon laughed. “Well, yes, but they never know I’m there. I leave no trace of my presence. When we get to Burghausen, we’ll be seeing the Senate.”
“What Senate?” she asked.
“You’ll see soon enough. What I will tell you is that they often receive requests for assistance when something appears to be out of the realm of expertise of local law enforcement. The Senate calls me when it’s time for me to go to work. Mind you, though, it’s not the organizations themselves sending the requests; it’s the people we have on the inside who alert us when we’re needed.”
“So you guys are like some kind of monster justice league,” said Jamie. “That’s kinda cool. I guess.”
“That’s why I brought you here,” said Landon. “I want you to see what we have to offer, what you have to offer society with what you’ve been given, and I hope you’ll choose to become a part of something greater than yourself. Like I said before, you have no idea what you’re capable of—not yet.
“It’s not easy, though,” Landon continued, looking at the teen in the rear view mirror. “It’ll be more difficult than you can imagine. You’ve got a lot of work ahead of you. There’ll be times when you’ll fail, which is what you’re supposed to do. That’s to teach you two things: that you’ll not always win, and how to get back up. Not physically, but psychologically. You will be defeated. I’m defeated at times when I search for the kids, but I get back up because I know there’s more to be found. I’m not saying it’s easy to recover. We all have our own way of dealing with our demons.”
“I say yes,” said LillyAnna. “This’ll be good for me. You, too, Jamie.”
“We’ll see,” said Jamie. “I still don’t like any of this. And I damn sure still don’t trust you very much.” He glared at Landon.
Soon the town of Burghausen came into view, nestled in the Bavarian countryside. The village sat along the River Salzach, next to the German-Austrian border. Suddenly, the castle appeared. LillyAnna and Jamie weren’t prepared for the size of the fortress. The place was used not only as the seat of the Senate, but also as a proving ground for those joining the ranks. The complex sat atop the largest hill for miles. There were the usual castle appendages: round towers, an imposing gate, high walls. Especially the walls. They seemed to stretch forever. Burghausen was one of those castles that had a perfect vantage point. Nothing was going to happen within the area that couldn’t be seen from the fortress.
The car made its way up the long, winding, tree-shaded drive until it came to a gate in the middle of a large, long stone wall. Four guards stood atop the entrance, seeming as if to peer inside the car. Two guards standing at the gatehouse motioned for Landon to drive through as the gate opened. Landon noticed that both LillyAnna and Jamie gave a sudden shudder. He cracked a slight smile.
The car continued a little farther along the same curving path, coming to a circle where Landon parked. Surrounding the newly arrived car were a red Ferrari Enzo, a black Lamborghini Murcielago, a black Bugatti Veyron, a silver Pagani Zonda C12 F, and two Koenigsegg CCXs.
“Like I said, they’ve got some money.”
Jamie reached his hand out to touch one of the Koenigsegg’s when one of the guards near the front door took two steps in his direction and stop.
“I wouldn’t if I were you,” said Landon.
He led his guests to a small side building, gesturing them to enter. Inside, he gave them the clothes that hung in the back seat with Jamie. LillyAnna and Jamie gave him a curious look.
“Put these on,” he said.
“What’s wrong with our own clothes?” asked Jamie.
Landon gave a little laugh, saying, “No one sees the Senate dressed like that.”
13
Landon, LillyAnna, and Jamie walked down the hall led by a short, thin young man with dark hair, wearing an expensive Italian suit. Everyone at Burghausen wore expensive Italian suits. The corridor was lined with various paintings and sculptures from some of the most famous Medieval and Renaissance artists. Landon informed his guests that the furniture they passed on their way was from the Palace of Versailles, and that it had been commissioned and given to the Senate as a personal gift from Louis XIV. Jamie extended his arm to touch a sofa and was quickly advised not to by the young man in the Italian suit.
“If you touch that, I’ll have to touch you,” the man said in a not-quite-discernable accent, his steel blue eyes never blinking at Jamie.
Landon watched the teen lower his arm, seemingly resisting the urge to touch the sofa, which appeared to grow evermore with each threat.
The great entrance that led into the Chamber was protected by two large, heavy, gilded doors that glowed with a kind of glimmering majesty. As the group approached, the guards posted on each side of the entrance knocked once on their respective door, and the great barrier opened slowly. The echoing of their footsteps belied the large size of the room, but they were unable to see just how large due to the all-encompassing darkness. The only light that existed emanated from above the gathering at the opposite end of the room, shining down on those seated individuals, though it wasn’t possible to actually see the light’s source.
On each side of the room sat the Senate, twenty-five individuals to each semicircle, one side werewolf, the other, vampire. Landon revealed that each race sat on the side opposite their Consul so that the room wasn’t so divided. Like one of Raphael’s paintings, the eyes began at the nearest points of the Senate’s seating arrangements and were drawn slowly, naturally, to the center of the room where the two great thrones and their occupants sat.
On the left sat a man who appeared to be in his mid-twenties, and on the right, a man who seemed to show his age a little more, perhaps in his early fifties. Each wore a robe of deep purple. All members of the Senate wore robes of ivory white lined with gold. In the middle, at the bottom of three large steps that supported the thrones, stood a man who looked to be around the age of thirty. He also was dressed in fine Italian. Once the guests began to near the halfway point of the floor, the standing man crossed to meet them.
“Hello, Landon,” he said, with a slight French accent. “And to our new guests, greetings. My name is Nicholas. It is a great pleasure to have you in our presence. Should you require anything during your stay, please ask; we are here to serve. The man seated behind me to your left is Joseph. He is the Consul Vampire. The man to your right is Seamus, the Consul Werewolf. They would now like to speak with you. Please extend your courtesies.”
Nicholas immediately turned around, faced Joseph and Seamus, and bowed, followed by Landon. LillyAnna did her best to curtsy, while Jamie mimicked Nicholas and Landon. Nicholas led the three companions closer to the Consuls, then, motioning for them to stop and remain, resumed his previous position between the two thrones. Seamus spoke first.
“Welcome. Your journey was uneventful, Landon?” he asked in a deep Scottish brogue, his full red beard synchronized with his jaw.
“Yes, sir,” Landon replied.
“Good. It’s good to see you again after so long away. I see you’ve brought friends with you this time. LillyAnna and Jamie, is it?”
“Yes, sir. I would like to submit them as candidates for admission,” said Landon.
“You need simply ask,” spoke Joseph, his German accent unavoidable. “We would be happy to speak with them further. Since both our new guests are werewolves, I will yield to my Co-consul and allow the courtesy of speaking to his own.”
Seamus motioned for LillyAnna to approach closer.
“LillyAnna,” he said, smiling, “you are in a safe place. We will give you what you need to find what you seek—a reason for being and a place to belong. Is it your wish to remain with us for training?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. We are pleased to have you.”
Seamus gave her nod, and she backed into her previous spot. He then motioned for Jamie to come forward.
“Jamie,” said Seamus. “It is not often that we receive guests of your age, but nonetheless, you are welcome here. The change would not have occurred were it not the right time. We will give you what you need to find what you seek—answers. Is it your wish to remain with us for training?”
“You mean you’re giving me choice now?” Jamie asked, giving a quick glance over his should to Landon, then looking around the room at the members of the Senate and Joseph. His anger and lack of self-confidence were obvious.
Seamus noticed Jamie’s unease, saying, “You always have a choice. We will also give you the confidence you need to fulfill your destiny. Please note, however, that vengeance is not the answer. Would you like to remain?”
“Sure.”
Seamus nodded for Jamie to return to his place.
“You will now retire with Nicholas to one of our many balconies overlooking the town below,” said Seamus. “Landon, I believe you will find some old friends waiting for you there.”
Nicholas stepped forward, leading the three out of the Chamber, down another grand hallway until they reached a large sitting room, and on to the outside balcony. There Landon found, sitting at a table, his friend Ryker and Ryker’s wife, Annelise. The couple jumped up and welcomed Landon with an embrace.
“It’s good to see you, old friend,” said Ryker, his Danish accent unmistakable. The six-foot blond, with a goatee and spiked hair, was dressed in a black suit. His blue eyes glowed like Santorini’s sunlit domes. His wife was his equal in every measure. The tall, thin, statuesque blonde quickly gave up her Danish ancestry as well.
“We’ve missed you so,” she said. “How are things?”
“Yes, sit, have some wine. How have you been?” asked Ryker, not giving Landon time to answer Annelise’s question first.
“Well, it’s been a rough couple of days,” Landon responded. He explained the recent events that had taken place since the wedding reception.
“Wow, I’m so sorry,” said Annelise. She then finally took notice of Landon’s other companions.
“I love your hair,” she said, reaching over to brush LillyAnna’s pixie locks.
“Thanks,” she responded, immediately jumping back. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I just did that.”
“We do,” said Landon. “You and Jamie have been feeling a slight electrical charge since you got here, haven’t you? I noticed you two shuddered when we entered the castle gate. You felt it then.”
“Yes,” she said. Jamie nodded.
“And you just felt a more powerful one when Annelise touched you. That’s what we, werewolves, feel in the presence of vampires.”
Jamie had a look of surprise on his face.
“That’s how we know when one’s around. It’s built into us, because they don’t give off a scent.”
“Yeah,” said Ryker, laughing. “We don’t smell.”
“You’re both vampires?” asked Jamie. They nodded. He reached over, touching Annelise’s hand, then jerked back.
“I felt the charge,” he said. “But it’s not just that. You’re warm. Aren’t you guys supposed to be cold?”
“Another myth,” said Landon, “just like the full moon causing our change.”
“And silver,” added Nicholas. “Silver has no effect.”
“What are you?” asked Jamie to Nicholas.
“I am werewolf,” he responded, with a hint of pride.
“We’re warm,” interjected Ryker, “because we’re not corpses. Look, our top two canine teeth grow for us to pierce the skin. We’re warm-blooded, just like you, because we drink warm blood. We’re not pale, as you can see, and there’s nothing special about the way our skin looks. There are different kinds of predators— such as those that attract, and those that blend in. We’re the blending kind. We’re those who hide in plain sight and you don’t see coming. Tell me, Jamie, which do you think is more dangerous?”
“The kind that blends, I guess.”
“Right, like a chameleon,” said Ryker. “Anyway, stakes through the heart will kill us, but only because our hearts still beat. How else would the blood that we drink circulate throughout our bodies to sustain us? Decapitation, fire, those kinds of things will kill us, too, just like they would anyone else. Bullets, however, cause little damage, especially if they hit an organ that doesn’t work, which is just about everything other than our hearts. Garlic, crosses, holy water, sunlight—all myths. We can also walk on hallowed ground, and we definitely don’t turn into bats.
