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Chapter-21- This is War

Wednesday, September 1, 2049 - 11am Tokyo, Japan ...

Tamamo placed the teacup down. She smoothed an errant wrinkle in her kimono and lifted her gaze to Dr. Usagi. "That is why 2014 was such a difficult year for Sinopa."

"I don't understand," said the doctor. "Why was there a Celestial War in 2014? Nothing catastrophic happened here on Earth. At least nothing of which I am aware."

"A great many small things happened here that year. But they were all small things, separately. Things that the deities of the humans were unable to fix. There was a hard winter in some regions. A hard summer in others. Australia had a hot summer while America and Canada had a frigid winter. Enormous holes showed up in Siberia. Wars broke out in Syria, Ukraine, Iraq, Gaza ... a volcano erupted in Japan. I could go on, but there is little point. We were unavailable to humanity."

"Did Sinopa know she would be recruited to fight before leaving?"

"Yes, she most certainly knew. She spent her summer mornings in Washington DC while Jonathan worked at the Smithsonian Institute - a famous museum in that city. The then-largest found dinosaur had been constructed in the museum and he wished to steal it bone-by-bone and move it to his island vault for proper storage. Fabrication of replicated bones took time, and he had to swap them out; he worked as night security at the museum that summer."

"Go on. What of Sinopa?"

Tamamo folded her hands as she spoke. "Before every sunrise, Sinopa would spend about an hour watching the eastern skyline. She watched as the planet Venus rose from the horizon just before the sun. We know the neighboring planets have no Celestial purpose to our kind, but the one named Venus was named for a Roman Goddess that stands as a symbol of femininity. Sinopa watched the planet rise every morning as if praying."

"For her future?"

"She wished to one day return and be reunited with her children. I secretly wept for her because I knew that our superiors wished to use her in other ways should she ever return to Earth. But she prayed. Low and behold, ten years later she was reunited with her children. Sometimes I wonder..."

Usagi tilted his head a bit. "Wonder?"

"Sometimes I wonder if the One True Creator - the Almighty God of us all ... I wonder if He watches over us. I wonder if He has a plan, or if He answers our prayers on a case-by-case basis. I wonder if I could go through time and stop myself from praying for something ... would events still play out exactly? Or would things change because I didn't pray? Is there a design? A fate? Would my freewill to change one small thing have a ripple effect that would unseat the cosmos? Or am I just an actress playing a role in God's play? Did He write the script and am I just filling in a role that could easily be filled by someone else if I didn't exist? Or does he write the next episode based on an evolving plan?"

"You wonder if you matter over all?"

"I do."

"If you found out that your role doesn't matter, would you still star in that role?"

"What's the point?"

"Because the script still calls for the existence of that role," said Usagi. "No matter how small or large of a part, the story wouldn't be the same without you. Some things happen by design, some happen by fate. If a comet is created six million years ago, then it travels for six million years before one day that comet's track takes it right into a planet's surface. Whether or not that planet is populated, the comet's fate is the same."

"Mm, wise as always, Dr. Rabbit. But was it the design of the One True Creator that the comet would eventually strike the planet's surface? Or was it the freewill of the cosmos that allowed the comet to be created six million years ago? And, most importantly of all, if one hundred fifty million Shinto worshippers prayed for me to stop the comet from striking the surface of the planet, would I have the power to stop a fated heavenly body from colliding with Earth?"

"And what if the comet's fate was to strike Jupiter? A tree falls, alone in a forest, with no one around to hear it. Does it make a sound?"

"Of course it does," she said as if jumping on his question. "Whether or not someone is there to document the sound, waves are still created."

"Exactly. So the comet still thunders into the surface of, say, Jupiter. The effect is unimportant, but there was still the fact that the comet hit Jupiter. The tree still fell in the forest, and still made a sound, which can be measured by sound waves, proving it made a sound regardless who heard it. Perhaps the falling tree startled an insect or animal in the area. Why question God's plan? It is far too great to understand, because we are but simple creatures in His plan. We have but simple roles in His script."

"What if I made a decision out of the blue? Is it fate or freewill? God's gift to us is freewill, but if everything is part of a script, then that gift is a lie."

"So make a rash decision, Tamamo-sama. Prove to yourself that his gift to you - that of freewill, still exists."

Tamamo stood up from her chair and bowed to the doctor. "I will travel to America to help Sinopa-chan."

"Right ... right now?"

"Yes," she said with a nod and another bow. "Right now. I am making a rash decision with my Godly-given gift of freewill."

"Excellent, Tamamo-sama. Will you return to me one day?"

"Perhaps so," she told him with a smile. "Perhaps it was fated for you to ask these questions to make me think, but it was freewill upon which I acted."

"Ah, yes. Perhaps so. I like to think that God is writing the script of our lives in real-time. It wasn't planned out a long time ago. He is acting and reacting as the world turns. He only considers certain plot points in advance, but lets the story of our lives take shape without overly deep consideration."

"Ah," Tamamo smiled a bit and said, "Perhaps that is how He would give us both fate _and_freewill. He would have a plan for us yet allow us to be free thinkers, and have some measure of control over our lives. Again, Dr. Rabbit, you are very wise."

"Are you still leaving right now? This very instant?"

Tamamo smiled. "Yes. I only just came up with this decision seconds ago. I would like to act on it." She came around his desk and bowed again then took his hand and shook it. "The European greeting has always amused me."

He returned the handshake. Again, they both bowed. Tamamo turned about and walked out of his office in silence.

X

X

Washington State...

Ulfey paced the floor in front of a small room of people. Two FBI agents, SSA Brad Daniels of USPRI - a stocky man who looked the Government type, and the chief of the Native American village - a man affectionately known as Wolf Tamer.

Three werewolves sat on the left, and Cybil J. Powalski sat at the far end, using his left thumbnail to clear out dirt from beneath the fingernails of his right hand.

"I have seen these men," said Ulfey. "Dakota and Jackson travel as a pair during a hunt. The other four terrorists also pair-off. Now, our intel comes from Rufus. We don't know the identity of the other four terrorists."

The USPRI agent, Brad Daniels, raised his hand. He waited for Ulfey to gesture him to speak, then said, "My people have had drones searching the area. Nothing. Are we sure the other four exist?"

"Yes," Ulfey replied. "I've asked friends from Alaska to assist us. The six men believed to be a part of the terror cell derive their pleasure from killing off my people. They are very, very apt at this task. We shouldn't judge their small numbers. The cell's half-dozen members are capable of killing us all if we let our guard down."

No one spoke. Not even Cybil.

Ulfey glanced at the chief and nodded. Wolf Tamer stood and approached her at the front of the room. He was younger than Rufus expected from a chief, somewhere between thirty-five and forty years old.

He leaned against the wall at the front of the room and crossed his arms, looking over the small assembly. He wore a business suit but decorated the accents with handmade Native American jewelry, polished stone cufflinks, and a handmade tie-clip. His hair was about shoulder length, and elegantly styled.

When he spoke, his voice was calm and surprisingly baritone - a voice of authority from an average-built man. Rufus decided the man could have been a singer if the man so wished.

Wolf Tamer said, "Our village has always been small and of the best stock of intelligence and warrior skills. We do not associate with other People of the Large Lake. We have served as guides and company for the People of Lupis and Fenris. We trace our ancestry to the late 1700s. We split from the hah-choo-AHBSH, or as some call it, the Xacuabš. We Split from the doo-AHBSH. Yet we sought out their best and brightest and integrated them. We have maintained our silence, even to our fellow Native Americans in the area. Until 2011, with the birth of USPRI, we were known only to the People of Fenris, and a handful of members of the Esoteric Council. We are chartered with the council, we are officiated through the Government of this land.

"We do not see in white or black. We do not see in tan, or yellow, or red. We only see two people - flesh and fur. The good and bad flesh; the good and bad fur.

"The tiger ambush are migrated from Africa. Some are black, some are white, due to crossbreeding with English and German settlers in the 1940s. They are powerful. They are dangerous. They are motivated. They are not related to the lion people of Northern Africa. They do not make peace. They are predators. They are racist. They have spread their lineage with force by mating with human women they consider as worthy to their stock. They cannot be reasoned with. They lie and smile with ease.

"They are leaches. They are parasites. They take what they want and sully the land with no respect for the bleeding spirit they leave wounded in their wake. Take every horrible story you've ever heard about Europeans and Colonial White Settlers - multiply that by a hundred fold. The tiger people burn things in their wake to feel powerful. It is a sign of their greatness in their minds. It is part of their culture.

"The reason there are so few is because their kind were hunted by the Esoteric Council throughout the 1900s. It was a matter of preservation. Today, less than fifty tigers exist. Less than fifteen live in America. Only six live in this region. They are fiercely loyal to one another, due to their racist outlook against all other beings. But they are too proud to be humbled. No defeat will redeem them. If you allow one to live, they see it as a weakness. They will exploit your weakness by killing you - simply for being too weak to kill them first.

"We cannot ask for help. We have had a treaty with the Esoteric Council leaders since 1909. We have had a treaty with USPRI since 2011, when they formed. We are honor-bound to keep secret the existence of Esoteric beings in any form. But our primary directive has, and always will be the protection of the Lupine of Fenris. Ever since our founder made peace with a werewolf three centuries ago, we have been committed to Fenris.

"Now, as some of you may know, the only backup we will receive is from a village of werewolf warriors coming down from Alaska. They are the largest remaining village of Fenris left in existence. We are the second largest since 2023. Werewolves once populated Ireland, Iceland, Greenland, and most of Scandinavia.

"Today, less than ten werewolves live in Norway, which once had the highest population. According to werewolf belief, when the last of their line falls, a beast named Fenris will awaken. It is said to be the first sign of the coming apocalypse. So, if you cannot find it in yourself to fight for the lives of the majestic wolf people, then find it in your heart to fight for the preservation of the world.

"By definition, a preservative is an additive that prevents spoil. It is something man invents or uses to preserve something of value. Preservatives can be natural. Some can even be healthy. We are all here to preserve the Lupine survivors to prevent Fenris from escaping and devouring Odin. Whether or not it is real doesn't matter. Perception is reality, and perception is the belief that what you perceive must exist. Deities, spirits, gods - they exist because the human soul wills them to exist. And if the willpower of the human soul can create beings, it can inadvertently will the world to end.

"This is why we exist. But the tigers see us the way many of us see preservatives in food - as unnatural additives interfering with the natural cycle of life. They will attempt to cut us out with extreme prejudice.

"Now, as a leader, I am a cultural historian. I am not a highly trained warrior. Some generals become politicians, but not all politicians become generals. Most aren't. Perhaps I wouldn't live up to the code of my ancestors. But the world has changed, and the needs for this tribe has changed. So, I am here as a spiritual advisor. I am here to ensure we have warriors and education because I am a powerful motivator, I have influence, and I am a cultural historian. I hope that you do not think any less of me for my inability to fight with the same gusto as those of you who are assembled here today."

Wolf Tamer went back to his seat and folded his hands. "Rufus?"

Rue ran his hands up over his face and rubbed his eyes. "So yesterday, some of you didn't know about werewolves. Some of you didn't know 'bout people wit' supernatural abilities. And by nightfall, you got to see yer first lycanthropy transformation, and now you're sittin' here, being told you done been selected to fight in a battle you didn't sign up for."

One of the Native Americans looked around the room. "I understand you are speaking to us now, and the werewolves in a separate meeting?"

"Ayup, that there is right true, but only because we're workin' in shifts to keep the village safe."

"You do realize that this village has been around longer than you've been alive, yes? Some of us are related to some of the werewolves here."

"Not me," said another. "I fought a man with supernatural powers who attempted to hurt people in a public place using his abilities. Next thing I know, FBI agents take me in for questioning and ask me to relocate to this village. Until an hour ago, I didn't know werewolves were real. I have no idea what I'm fighting for. But if I die, who is going to take care of my sister? She has a learning disability, and she'll be 18 next year. I can't leave her to fend for herself."

Rufus held his hands up. "A'ite, y'all. Everyone just calm down. These tigers are comin' to attack our way of life." He glanced up at a clock on the wall then nodded to the two FBI agents and SSA Daniels. "Okay, boys. Shift rotation. Send in the other FBI agent that's got gate duty."

Daniels stood up and nodded towards the door. He left with the other two agents.

Rufus sighed and stretched. "Okay, y'all. This here's a pep-talk. The targets ain't the village. The targets are the werewolves. Y'know how Dakota kills so many werewolves? Because we don't officially exist. Especially if he kills us in our werewolf form. The EC won't allow an autopsy on our kind to take place. So they kill our kind, no problems."

The younger of the men, the one who mentioned his sister earlier, looked back at his chief then forward towards Rufus. "So if I'm killed, these attackers will go to jail for homicide. So they only kill werewolves, because they can get away with it? What if I fight them? Won't they defend themselves against me?"

"Not likely," Rue said. "They'll knock yer ass out with a backhand swipe of their big ole paw, sure. But they won't kill ya'."

Another Native American man shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Rumor has it our enemy might use explosive ordinance."

"Naw," Rue said. "You ain't gotta worry about that. Sure, they'll attack the village to soften us up. But that there's why the women, children, 'n fathers are down in the caves, protecting all the family-types. Worry about yer house all you want, you got home owners insurance, son. But after they take their pot shots at us, they're gonna wanna come in and fight the ole' fashion way. Hand-to-hand. Claws, fangs, all'a that."

"And you want all humans to fall back for an ambush when they come into the village and make it look like we're running away?"

Rue nodded. "Ayup. That there's Ulfey's idea. It's a good one. They won't come at 'cha, unless you're wielding a flame thrower 'n killin' tigers left and right. Truth is, they don't think of y'all as a threat."

"Foolish of them," Wolf Tamer murmured.

Rufus shrugged. "Truth is," he paused and looked up.

One of the FBI agents came in through the front door and sat down. "I just came from gate duty," he said.

"That's all right," Rue said. "Now, as I was saying, the truth is, these tigers look at unarmed humans like a burglar looks at a lil' ole Yorkie dog. You're an annoyance. You yap, you might even nip at their ankles, but you're otherwise harmless. If they can be traced back to killing a human, they get on the radar of people who might pose a threat. So, they'll ignore y'all and come after us - the wolves."

No one spoke.

Rufus glanced at the clock again. "A'right. Time to walk yer rounds, everybody. Those of you who were on shift last night, go get some rest. You'll need it. Those who just woke up, start patrolling the woods just outside the village. It's a big ole bit of countryside out there. If you spot anyone who don't belong, you call in. You use the buddy system and you keep someone on the phone when you approach anyone."

Wolf Tamer cleared his throat and said, "I want to remind you that the FBI has been working with the state government. There is a perimeter set up. No one should come anywhere near this village. No hikers, no tourists, nobody. The state let everyone know the casino is closed for maintenance. There is no reason anyone should be up here. But you know how hikers can be. So if you spot someone, don't attack them. Simply question them and make sure you call in."

Rufus nodded firmly. "That's gonna keep us alive, y'all. Now, nobody knows the only way to access the caves is through the casino basement. That's not even in the public archives. Your friends and family members are safe, and they got air, through artificial vents that are located in unassuming places. If y'all stick to the plan, everyone will be fine. Only the wolves're in danger. A'ite, shift change. Go get some sleep. The rest of you, good huntin'."

The younger man from earlier stood up as did everyone else. He approached Rufus and asked, in a softer voice, "So, if the rest of the world isn't allowed to know your kind exists, and I'm here because I fought someone who isn't supposed to exist, who the hell is going to be our backup?"

Rue gave the man's shoulder a firm pat. "What's yer name, hoss?"

"Elliott Patkanim. I was never really rooted in the whole Native American culture, but after the attack, I was asked to relocate here. The government offered money to help my sister, and my mom was dying of cancer. So I saw it as an opportunity."

"Yeah? Way to man up, hoss. What people?"

"Stillaguamish. But I can't speak Lushootseed. Just a few words I learned as a kid. But we didn't even live near the Tulalip Reservations or anything. When I fought that guy with the powers, I lived clear across the state, in Spokane. That's just west of the Idaho line. Now I feel like my sister is in danger. I've seen what one supernatural person can do. It was scary. I don't think we can fight six of them."

"These boys have a twisted code of honor. They won't hurt you unless you got a tail 'n ears," said Rufus with a grin. "Tell you what, though. Your sister is right safe in that bunker. How about you have an important job that's far away from the battle?"

"I'm not a coward," Elliott said.

"I never said you were. I need a man that can fight and beat a supernatural man for this job, but it's nowhere near the fighting. You'll come back and take care of your sister without worrying if you's gonna die."

Elliott thought about it for a moment. "What's the job?"

"You head east and find Rama and his girl, Aimee. Tell them I'm alive. Tell them I'm with his mother. Tell him to wait up and stop lookin' for me. If he waits up, I'll catch up with him."

"I know Rama. He's your son? You don't look all that old."

Rufus grinned. "One out of every five of my kind age real slow-like. Sad, though, less than thirty werewolves left in the Americas. Of them, four only just manifested this year, meaning they're prolly too damn young to fight. We're endangered. I need someone real capable-like to find Rama. How well you know'em?"

"He was attacked at a diner a while back. I was part of his protective detail, here in the village. I didn't know he was a werewolf, but I thought he was a good guy. Where's he going?"

"Talk to Ulfey. She'll point you in the right direction. He's headed east to try and find me. But I ain't over on the east coast no more. Can you catch up with him for me? Cybil, the crazy guy, is an oracle. He said Rama's gonna become some sort of leader that'll help bring the werewolf population back from the brink of extinction. I just want to make sure Rama survives."

"I'll go," said Elliott. "I need to find my sister first and talk to her. But ... I'll go. I liked Rama. He and Aimee make a nice couple. We weren't close or anything, but I considered him a friend."

Rufus took Elliott's hand. "We'll keep your sister safe. And you not being on a battlefield helps make sure you come home to her, a'ite? We're helping each other out."

"I appreciate it."

X

X

San Francisco...

" I wish all of you would come," said Conner. "But I understand why you can't.

"Sorry," said Karla, acknowledging his eyes on her. "You guys have fun, though, playing in your time-locked hyperbolic chamber."

"Here we go with you and your big words again," Conner said to Karla. He handed out several boarding passes to the rest of the room, including Reno, James, and Dawn with her new name printed on the pass - Rachel.

Conner turned and gave the final boarding pass to Raul. "We do it the old fashion way, then take a boat. Everyone okay with that?"

Karla grinned at the boy. "I'll be waiting here for everyone else to show up. I have Sinopa to keep me company." She tilted her head at Conner, as he sat down behind a desk at the other end of the room, like a play-king in his play-throne room. With him sitting behind the desk, she decided he looked more like a teacher. "Hey, teach, can I have a pencil?"

Conner, trying to be snarky, said, "I don't know, Karla - can you?"

The succubus replied with a sour face. "I hate that saying."

"You're the one who asked - so, can you?"

She grimaced. "Yes. I might add that colloquial irregularities occur frequently in any language. Since you," she waved her hand outwards, "and everyone here understood my intended meaning, being particular about the distinctions between 'can' and 'may' is purely pedantic and, arguably, it's being pretentious. You think you're the leader here? Fine, think what you want. But don't be pompous, because I will vote you off the island with a flick of my wrist."

Connor brushed his tongue against his front shattered tooth and sighed. "There you go again, trying to sound smart with big words."

"I am smart. I usually act blonde so people feel comfortable around me. But I'm not going to let you pick on me every chance your get. You're a teenaged bully, sometimes. I know you have a lot on your head; a lot on your shoulders - you need to treat the rest of this team with some measure of friendship, trust, and appreciation. I know you don't respect me. But we have to make this whole thing work. I, for one, am willing to try if you are willing to work with me."

Kalen cut his gaze to Reno who said nothing. He shifted his eyes over to Sinopa, expectantly.

The kitsune shook her head. "You're both being childish. Equally. You're both letting your emotions get the best of you. The only reason either of you act this way towards one another is because you're not in the right state of mind. Get it together, both of you. Respond with positive reinforcement and kindness."

Karla frowned. After a brief pause, she offered Sinopa a smile. "You're getting better with contractions."

"Don't change the subject," said Conner.

"I wasn't," the succubus replied in a scolding voice. "I was doing as she asked - using positive reinforcement. For a world-class thief, you have a way of being a total turd-burglar - there, was that easy enough for you to understand? I wasn't using ostentatious wording, just now, was I?"

Reno grinned at the exchange of banter. "I know I shouldn't be laughing at this because we're all going to die and we'll never see our loved ones ever again. But, damn, you two are a trip. It's like Laurel and Hardy."

"Who the hell is that?" Conner asked in a pointed tone.

"Never mind that," Kalen cut in. "If I awaken Natalia to lead this group, she will be upset that I wasted her time. At this point, there is no group to lead. Conner, in some countries, up until fairly recently, thirteen years old was considered manhood. I know you're a long way from being an adult, but you're also older than thirteen, now. This ... this is the reason I'm not going to the island. I would be much happier if I stay here, productive, and in a few days, with any luck, you will return healed and more mature than you are today."

Conner sighed. "I'm sorry. I am. I'm all keyed up and I don't know how to handle myself right now. I'll work on it while I'm on this sabbatical."

James and Dawn looked at one another. Raul crossed his arms over his chest.

Kalen glanced at his watch and said, "Has there been word from Tamamo?"

"Hai," Sinopa replied. "She will be landing an hour before Conner's chartered flight leaves."

"Well let's get this fuckin' party started," Karla announced.

Conner eyed her. "You know ... it really is unattractive when girls swear. That's not very..."

Karla threw her hands up. "I hate when guys say it's unattractive and un-ladylike. You know what, ya little fuck? It's not attractive when you scratch your hairy-fuckin'-nuts in public. Bitch."

Conner froze and looked down, realizing that he was fiddling with the crotch of his pants. "The cloth caught on one of my stitches." His voice became more confident as he turned the situation back on her. "An injury I sustained when you didn't shield us from that roof falling on our heads."

Karla groaned. "I'm just fucking with you. For fuck's sake."

Conner sighed. "There's a special place in hell for you."

"It's called a throne," she retorted. "Psychologists suggest that we only tease people we like. Else we wouldn't waste our time talking to them at all. So, everyone, you all see how much I really like this kid, right?"

Conner glared in response. After a moment, he asked, "What do you want me to say to all that? Do you want me to be nice to you? Do you want me to suck up to you like everyone else seems to do? Do you want me to ask, 'Oh, did it hurt when you fell from Heaven'?"

"Did you just call me Satan?" Karla replied. She smirked. "See? I told you my special place in hell is a throne."

"Stop, both of you," Kalen said. "Karla, I've never seen you act this way."

"If he treats me like a child, I'll act like a child because I know it pisses him off." She shrugged. "Look, I'm just going through a lot, okay?"

Reno shook his head. "We're all going to die. I'm going to be thrown into an unmarked mass grave with the lot of you."

Karla grinned. "You know you love to be part of this little hug-box, Reno. Everyone loves you in this room. And we're not going to die."

"How do you know for sure," asked Conner, adding, "because I need to know you're not going to sell us out ... again ... are you?"

"Okay, I deserved that." She held her hands up, as if to defend herself from his words. "So, is that what your problem is with me? You found out I chose family over war? Because I didn't turn on anyone. I rescued Rufus, Eric, my daughter, and I simply left. I went home."

No one spoke.

Karla continued, "OH! And for the record, I took your parents with me. I kept them all alive. We had a fairly big team and nobody else won the day - who's to say I'd have made a real difference?"

Still, nobody said a word.

The succubus prattled on. "So if selling out means I had to walk off the battlefield, then you should be upset with Evan, too. He broke bones when we arrived, and couldn't fight. And I don't hold it against him. Why didn't the rest of the team pick up the slack? Have you ever asked yourself that?"

"Okay, okay," Conner said with a sigh. "Yes, I held it against you. I found out my mother called you an enemy to this family. I've been trying to give you a chance, but all you do is argue with me and act like a child."

She replied in a sing-song voice. "Takes one to know one!"

"Okay," James said in a commanding voice. "I've been listening to this, quietly, and I've kept out of it. But it's going too far. We're all a team. We're a family at this point. We're talking about fighting together, and dying together. So all of you, either get your heads out of your asses, or leave. I refuse to risk my life, let alone the life of my fiancée, if I don't think we can win. And if you keep arguing, we'll never win this thing. So cut it out."

Reno sighed and rubbed his face then ran his hands up through his hair. "We need someone to help keep us from arguing with each other. We need Evan. We need the Parker siblings. We need help."

"Well, it's nice to be appreciated!" The voice came from outside of the room, causing everyone in the room to turn around. Stepping into the doorway, forty-five year-old Evan Balmoral waved.

"Holy..." Karla trailed off.

"Don't finish that sentence," said Evan with a grin, adding, "And I think I can help you with the Parker Siblings bit, too." He stepped to the left and gestured to the doorframe.

Carmen walked into the room, taking off her large-brimmed red hat and matching overcoat. "God, it feels _great_to be home!" Her eyes landed on her brother. "Conner!" She approached the dumbfounded boy, looking him over. "Damn, you look like hell."

"Carmen?" he whispered, then hurried towards her and wrapped his arms around her. "Oh my God, Carmen!"

They hugged. No one spoke. After a moment, she relinquished the hug, gave him a gentle yet reassuring pat and walked over to Kalen. They embraced. The silence remained.

Conner pursed his lips together but said nothing.

Reno approached Evan and thrust his hand into the middle-aged black man's grip. They shook. "Damn, brother, look at you. All grown up, wedding ring; the works. I was just about to gripe that with all the gods in the sky, we don't have a single one looking out for us. But I'm about ready to argue that _intelligent design_might be real after all."

Karla grinned and came over to hug Evan. "Hey, you. You look great for your age!" She turned to Reno, adding, "No intelligent design huh? Then why are boobs so awesome? Checkmate, atheists."

Evan laughed and hugged Karla. "Same old succubus. It's good to see you."

"You're not mad at me?" she asked, as though surprised.

"No. I did the same thing. I put family first. It wasn't until my family talked me into trying again that I decided it was time to figure things out. I've missed you guys. Reno, I thought you were gone. It's really good to see you here, but you haven't aged a day. Not going to lie, it's pretty weird."

"I just woke up a few months ago. I was in cryogenic stasis."

Evan nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I understand Fox and Topaz made that possible. They put a virus on Falcon's computers, which attacks the security protocols that keep suspended animation people in a coma. That's the upside. The downside is that their enforcer can't sleep in her nutrient bath thing. She's awake all the time, now, and that means she'll be a pain in the butt when we try to return to the city."

"Who is the enforcer?" asked Kalen, resting his chin on Carmen's head.

"Nichole Parker," Carmen chimed in. "And she's scary in a fight."

"She's not so tough," Karla replied, releasing Evan from the hug. "Just a total..." she paused, looked at Evan, cleared her throat, then said, "...witch."

"Alright, alright," Reno said. "Let's not blast her behind her back. We don't know what her situation is. I want one more chance to talk to her before I make a decision."

"She's a scary person," Evan confirmed with a frown. "Really scary." He turned back to Karla and changed the subject, not wanting to upset Reno. "So, I see you've not changed - everything you say is still an internet meme."

"Touché," Karla said with a grin. "But you gotta admit, I'm right - boobs are awesome. And now I'm ready to be the hero."

"Oh, you're the hero, huh?" Reno said with a smirk, glancing from Karla to Evan.

Karla returned the smirk. "Of course I am. Remember all those teen-hero movies from, like, 2005 onwards? Harry Potter, and Twilight, and Hunger Games, and all that jazz? The prettier the hero with high cheek bones, the more they'd save the day. Well, I'm hot, and I have high cheek bones. The higher the cheekbones, the mightier the hero. And that, boys, makes me the star."

Reno grinned. "Okay, you can stop now."

Carmen eyed Karla for a moment and shook her head. "Mom thought you were the greatest person she ever knew, but I bet you drive my brother up the wall."

"She does," Conner said, adding, "And mom had an argument with her before going to find you. How is she, anyhow?"

Carmen turned away from Kalen, eyeing her brother. "What? What do you mean 'coming to find' me? She came to New Atlantis?"

Evan turned from Reno and said, "Carmen, I told you that she and Fox put a virus on Falcon's computers."

"I figured they could have done that from anywhere. I wasn't really thinking straight. Mom actually made it to the city? They actually got in?"

"Yeah," said Evan.

Sinopa approached Carmen and took her hand. "I cannot wait any longer. Carmen, I am your grandmother. I was Jules' wife. I was married to Jonathan Parker many years ago. Your mother and uncle went to find you much to your brother's chagrin. They never returned." Sinopa cut her eyes to Evan, asking, "You saw them?"

"I did. Recently, too. Rumor has it that they were captured, but they're not dead. I don't know all the details, only that Nichole Parker was the one who brought them in. Last I heard of her, Nichole went to the surface and never came back."

"She's up here?" asked Reno. "Still?"

"I've had run-ins with her," said Karla.

"Mm, we both have," Sinopa added.

"Okay," Kalen announced in a clear tone. "Everyone calm down. We're all going a million miles an hour, and we need to focus." He turned to Carmen and said, "I promise we will catch up soon, love. But first, this group needs to focus and finish their business here." Kalen lifted his head and said, "Conner, you were about to take people to the island for training." The vampire nodded towards Raul, "You were going to go with them," he nodded to James and Dawn, saying, "and both of you."

No one spoke.

Kalen looked around the group. "Is anyone else going to the island? Reno? Have you made a decision?"

"Evan should come. I'll go if he goes. Karla, Kalen, you two should stay here and keep this place safe. Carmen, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm your uncle by marriage."

Conner turned to his sister and asked, "Did you know Fox is my father?"

"I..." Carmen frowned. "Does everyone here know?"

"Yes," said Conner.

Carmen closed her eyes and shook her head. "You weren't supposed to know."

Sinopa placed her hand gently on Carmen's shoulder. "My husband and I felt it was time for him to learn the truth. Jules was killed trying to keep Conner safe."

Carmen frowned. "I always liked him." She gently drew Sinopa into a hug, showing empathy. "I'm sorry he's gone."

James approached and offered his hand. "Jaye Parker."

Carmen took his hand and pulled him into a hug. "Uncle James. I've only met you a few times when we were younger, but I heard you're an artist. Are you still doing that?"

Dawn grinned. "He made a comic book out of his artwork. And guess what it's about?"

Carmen laughed. "Seriously? Is the Esoteric Council pissed?"

James shook his head. "I started writing about it before I found out about myself. It just came to me like a calling." He paused then said, "I remember you now. You were pretty young when we met."

"That I was," Carmen said with a nod. "I grew up."

Conner reached for her wrist, pulling her away from the vampire. "You don't really ... with _him_do you?" asked the boy, nodding towards Kalen. "Isn't he dead?"

"Undead," Carmen said with a firm tone and sharp eyes. "Don't judge, young man. He's made me feel more alive than any tension rope or heist, ever."

Conner held his hands up, walked away with his brows arched, and mouthed the words, 'Don't ... wanna ... know.'

Raul pushed off the wall and stretched. "Okay, everyone is being all happy, and is now done with the reuniting. We should be sticking to the plans we've made, si? So let's finish with the hugging, and the kissing, and start putting our bags in the car. Dios mio, I don't know why we cannot just displace ourselves through time and space, so we would be simply arriving there. Why all the theatrics and the silliness?"

Carmen looked Raul over and asked, "Displace time and space?"

Conner turned back towards his sister and announced, "He's a time traveler, no lie."

"Holy shit." Carmen stared at Raul with a blank expression.

Evan shook his head but ignored the comment.

Carmen approached Raul and looked him over. "So, what, you're going to take half the team to train, out of phase with time, and bring them back ready?"

"Si. I see you're the one with the imagination, sister," said Raul. "I'll un-entangle them from the timeline and we will live away from the rest of the world and practice, at least until Señor Parker's wounds heal."

"Wounds?" Carmen asked, concern in her voice.

Conner pulled his shirt up and showed her the stitching where the cane had been shoved through his abdomen. He turned around so she could see it had gone clean through him. "Best battle scar ever, huh?"

"Jesus Christ, Conner!"

"I'm fine!" he announced. "Just calm down, Carmen. I'm fine. See? I'm here, I'm good."

"And you're going to take all these people to our family's private island? Are you sure that's wise?"

"I've given it lots of thought. I locked it down. Nobody can break in - at least not easily. And I'll lock the door behind myself before coming home."

"So why are you going there," she asked. "And why not take this guy up on his offer to teleport?"

Conner shook his head. "And you guys say I have no imagination. It's simple, we go there via normal travel. If someone is watching us, they see us heading out to the Pacific together. But they won't see us come back because we'll teleport home when we're ready. That gives us the element of surprise."

Carmen gently pinched the bridge of her nose like her mother always did. "You really think we're being watched?"

"You don't? Reno escaped from Falcon. Now you and this guy," he said, nodding to Evan, "also escaped from that Falcon jerk. The mansion isn't exactly private."

Kalen adjusted his left cufflink. "Those who are going should leave tomorrow. That will give everyone a chance to meet one another; Conner and Carmen would undoubtedly like to catch up." He glanced at his girlfriend and asked, "Will you be accompanying them to the island?"

Conner offered his sister a pleading look. "You can help me train James, and you can help me finish my training. Please?"

Carmen shrugged. "I was planning to go there anyhow. I wanted to get myself ready. So how long will you be there?"

"Two months," said Raul. "But it will only last two or three actual calendar days. Truthfully, we will stay until Conner is healed, and the team is ready."

Evan looked around at the group. "As awesome as that sounds, I'd lose my mind. I promised my wife and daughter I would come up here, get a team together, and come back for them. I don't know if I could be away from them for two months. I'd lose my mind."

"You'll be too busy," said Reno. "Hero school, man. All of us on this rich island surrounded by gold and fancy stolen art and stuff. You'd love it."

Carmen turned to Evan. "Didn't you leave a submarine beneath the beach in an enforced glass birth? I'm told it was armed with torpedo tubes. The one we stole to get out of New Atlantis was designed to haul cargo. We'll need the attack sub."

Conner frowned. "Shouldn't we just purchase a newer one?"

Carmen shook her head. "A new submarine? That can be tracked, traced, and ... the one on the island is one that we can outfit with new gear."

"I cannot displace a submarine," Raul said in a matter-of-fact tone. "It's wise, though, to have a way to the Atlantic. Perhaps some of you can return here in the submarine, and the rest of you can displace with me, when we're finished."

"We'll figure it out," Conner said, taking the reins again. "If Carmen is going with me, we can catch up there." He glanced at Kalen. "Are you coming?"

"I cannot," Kalen said. "I have to leave for a flight to Washington. I promised Rufus I would help him stay alive."

Carmen turned to Kalen and said, "Let's go catch up. I'd like to talk with you before I leave."

Karla smirked. "And by 'talk' she really means she wants Kalen to nibble on her palm."

"Awkward," Carmen murmured.

"Yeah, very," Conner said, not sure if he should glower at Karla or Kalen. "Don't bite my fucking sister, man."

"Hey, now," Evan cut in. "That isn't necessary."

"I need to get my point across," Conner said. "That dude is going to stick his dead-ass teeth into her skin. That's disgusting and creepy and..."

"Stop," Carmen said firmly. To everyone's surprise, Conner stopped speaking. Carmen turned to him and kissed his forehead. "We're in love. Respect that, please. This is why I didn't tell mom. She'd have been weird about it." She pinched the bridge of her nose again. "I can't believe mom came down there looking for me and now she's gone. It's my fault. I should have found a way to get the message out that I was okay. I was just laying low. Now they're in trouble." She shook her head, sighed, and turned back to Kalen. "Let's go."

Evan approached Conner and nodded towards the doorway. "Let's go talk. I have a feeling you've been the one taking charge lately right?"

"Yeah, you know it," said the teenager.

"Great. And how'd that make you feel?" They walked away together, Evan still talking.

"Like I was destined to do this stuff."

Evan nodded in understanding as they started down the hallway, their voices carrying back to the room. "Hero-to-hero, let's have a talk. I'll explain to you why it's important to treat everyone on your team with respect. Trust me, it goes a long way." Their voices faded as they continued down the hall.

Reno grinned to the rest of the room. "See? That's why we needed Evan. Now we actually have a shot at getting through this mess. We've got some Parker siblings again. We got a heroic mediator. We got super powers. We got a goddess, a hellion, and a time traveler. We're going to kick ass and take names."

Raul smirked. "I'm not in on this mess with the rest of you. I'm just here to watch. I cannot get involved, it would complicate the timeline."

Karla folded her arms. "If the world ends, linear time becomes irrelevant. Then you're out of a job."

"Clever girl. How about a kiss?"

"Fat chance, pervert." Karla rolled her eyes and walked out of the room, behind Kalen and Carmen.

Reno scrunched his brows. "Damn, got turned down by a succubus. Harsh."

"She has her reasons," Raul replied with a chuckle.

Reno paused and frowned. "Hey ... isn't she, like, your niece?"

"Yeah, so? She's hot." Raul chuckled again.

Reno shook his head and walked out of the opposite door that Karla used. He followed Conner and Evan out to the main section of the mansion.

James cut his eyes over at Sinopa. He interlocked his fingers with Dawn's hand. "Sinopa, will you be joining the rest of them on the island?"

"Iie, James-san. I will protect the mansion while Kalen protects Rufus, and while the rest of you prepare for war. Also, Tamamo asks that I take an artifact to Egypt and give it to her friend. So ... there is that."

"Stay safe," said James.

"I shall. I have Kuda and Karla to help me."

"Kuda ... about him - is he, uhm, sentient?"

Sinopa replied with a mysterious smile. "If you're asking if he is capable of contemplating his existence ... he is too busy contemplating all of ours."

"Wait, what?" asked Jaye.

Dawn gave his hand a squeeze. "She's saying the little fox is too busy worrying about the rest of us to worry about himself."

Sinopa smiled. "Precisely, Rachel-san. Are you excited to go?"

"No," she said in a soft tone. "It will be strange to see Tamamo in person, even if she is in someone else's body. But it's for the best. Two months of total submersions. I suppose I'll grow to become complacent with all of this stuff after two months with her." She gave James' hand another squeeze. "You promised to show me the car garage."

James grinned. He bowed to Sinopa, waited for a reply bow of respect, and then guided Dawn out of the room.

Sinopa shook her head and sat down on the desk at the far end. She swore softly in Japanese.

Kuda hopped up on the desk and stared at her. She frowned at the little animal and said, "They are all children. Even the ones who have grown a bit, such as Evan-san. It is why we were unsuccessful the first time. It is why we have no chance to win this time."

Kuda replied with a sneeze.

X

X

Washington State...

Ulfey turned away from the overhead map on the wall. She looked down at the laser pointer in her hand. "Maybe we could just use these to distract the cats. If only it were that easy, huh?" She looked back up to the room. Same as last night, Wolf Tamer, two FBI agents, and an USPRI supervisor, Brad Daniels. Rufus and Cybil sat off to the side.

Today's attendance consisted of only three Native American humans, one of which was the village chief. The rest of the men in the room were werewolves in their human forms.

Ulfey stretched a bit and pocketed the laser pointer. "Rufus, I've got nothing left. I was on watch last night. I'm exhausted. Why don't you take over?"

Ulfey walked away from the front wall and slumped into a chair with a sigh.

Rue ran his hands up over his face and rubbed his eyes. "So, our last meeting here was all Native American humans. Now there are just a few of y'all, and the rest of us are wolves. So I got to hear the chief's speech about preservatives twice."

There were a few soft chuckles, but no one spoke.

Rufus leaned against the wall, next to the map. "Until last night, most of the people from our earlier meeting didn't know about werewolves. Most of them didn't know about folks with supernatural abilities. So, to recap, last night, the village men who volunteered to protect the village ... they got to see their first lycanthropy transformation."

Silence.

Rue looked up at the FBI agents and the USPRI guy. "I hear you three got to see your first werewolves last night, too. Was it exciting?"

SSA Daniels sighed. "Mr. Darken, do you know anything about battlefield tactics, or what war is like? Do you know anything about warfare on home soil?"

Rufus stared at the man for a moment. "You want my take on war on the home front, Brad?"

"Sure, Darken. Why not give us a little speech on what you think you know about war. I served two tours, and you're not supposed to exist, so there's no way you could sign up to be a soldier. So, yeah, please, enlighten me on what you think you know about war. Because we've got several highly motivated killers out there in the woods, waiting to attack. They're heroes in their own minds, and they're going to fight tooth and nail doing something they're apparently very, very good at. They're not just terrorists, Mr. Darken. They're six organized serial killers, who have been working as a team for a while now. They know these woods, and they know their enemies. So, be like the village chief and make a speech about preservatives. Please, by all means, give us a little speech about what you know about war."

Silence. Wolf Tamer appeared offended.

Ulfey sighed and brought her palm to her face.

Rufus smirked. "Now, I ain't no good at speeches. And I dunno nuffin' about preservatives, because I use good ole' fashion salt." Rufus paused to think then shrugged. "Earlier, Wolf Tamer told us he ain't a marksman. But ... well, you don't gotta be no marksman to fight for what'cha believe in. Wolf Tamer calls 'imself a spiritual advisor. I agree.

"I seen battles. Lots'a battles. My first one, I was a little boy. William Sherman ripped Savannah to shit just 'afore Christmas in 1864. I was plum little. And I remember my daddy sayin' Sherman's infant son died before William ever got to lay eyes on the boy. At the time, I remember feelin' happy - I remember thinkin' it musta been God's way of punishin' William Sherman. But God ain't wrathful - not anymore. Not since the Old Test. God evolved when He had a Son, and so did I.

"That there lil' boy with tears in my eyes, watching Savannah burn ... I reckon he grew up a whole-damn-lot since 1864.

"Now, I said I agree Wolf Tamer is part of this-here battle, regardless of his ability with a weapon. Drums were an important part of the battlefield, once. Ain't nobody ever died from drums, but they lead the march of soldiers. Wolf Tamer is our drummer, y'all.

"I ain't never laid eyes on my own son just yet. And if them tigers get their way, I never will. Now, the South still hates Sherman with a passion. And I seen his work in person. But you know what? Sherman was only the bad guy to some. You remember the attacks against supernatural types, twenty-five years ago? That was led by a guy named Aris Falcon. Falcon was a lot like Sherman. A hero to some, a villain to others.

"Twenty-five years ago, these tigers' fathers saw Falcon's people attack supernaturals and werewolves. The tigers wanted to help and some of them even enlisted to help with occupations in Africa. These tigers think they gonna stop Ragnarök by killin' off our kind, cause tha's what Falcon put in their head. So these tigers think they're doin' a job.

"So Falcon, like Sherman put his emotions away for a while and did a job. Falcon was a bit crazy, and totally outta line, but he believed he was doin' a job to please his masters and keep his country together. He's a sonnuvabitch, that's for damn sure, but he wasn't tryin' to be a villain. He was tryin' to do his job. He even condemned a promotion outta loyalty to General Grant. These tigers saw Falcon in that same light - a hero. Some of these tigers were kept as slaves by African kings. They were freed during Falcon's march against supernaturals.

"Sherman's march happened to free a lotta slaves. He never asked them to join his army. But they marched with him by then tens of thousands. They treated Sherman like some sorta Moses figure. He wanted slaves to read 'n write. He tried workin' out a deal with an abolitionist from Massachusetts, in an attempt to get freed slaves forty acres 'n a mule, even though Andy Johnson shot it all down.

"When Columbia were burnin' full blaze, Sherman 'n his men worked through the night to get the fires under control. That's right, Sherman, the asshole that marched through the south, tried putting out fires. I was plum-surprised by that.

"But right now, just like Columbia, Savannah, and Atlanta - we got Anchorage and Seattle on the line. Cultures, histories, and ways of life are in danger of bein' burned, just like they was in Ulfey's village, in Iceland twenty-five years ago. Falcon's people told the tigers they were stopping the end of the world. When Falcon's people disappeared, the tigers took over the job. Most don't even know where their information comes from, just that their fathers' told'em werewolves gotta die.

"Now, Sherman once said he was sick of the fighting. He said the only people that cry for more blood and vengeance, are those who have never heard a shot; never heard the shriek or the groans of the wounded. And you know what? Falcon said the same-damn-thing. He said he was sick of the fighting, and he fled to his little water park under the sea, and disappeared.

"But, like Sherman, the fighting inspired more fighting. It inspired hate and arguing. So these tigers are carrying on Falcon's work, even though most of them who are left have never met Falcon. Hell, they probably don't even know he exists. Falcon planted a seed of hate, gave it some water, and then he left; weeds overran the field in his wake.

"I, for one, have seen too much fighting. Heritage be damned, I'm sick of it. I don't give a hoot that we're backed in a corner. And many of you don't wanna be part of this-here fight, either."

Silence. Rufus took a deep breath and pushed a lock of his shoulder-length black hair over the backside of his shoulders. After a moment to compose himself, he licked his lips and continued.

"But the only thing that stands 'tween me and my son is six men, defined as terrorists. So, those of you who don't wanna fight? Look deep in yourself and find something _you_believe in. Then reach for a weapon and get ready to protect whatever it is you hold dear. Because I looked in the eyes of these bastards. And whatever it is you hold dear, they wanna burn it. They think that's the only damn way to ensure some sorta victory. So cling to yer ideals. Cling to yer family, or yer heritage, or yer way of life. Cling to your land. Cling to your self-righteous belief that we can ... make a difference or save the world. And make that the reason you fight these bastards.

"That's it, y'all. Speech over. If the wolves of Anchorage show in time, we might get through this. If not, it's up to us to hold the line 'till they arrive."

Someone clapped their hands.

Rufus looked around but didn't see who it was coming from. He followed the sound to a small hallway leading to the backdoor of the building.

Standing in the shadows was Kalen Kincade. A grin spread slowly across Rue's face. He snatched Kalen by the wrist and pulled him into a hug. "C'mere, you pale face ankle-biter, you."

Kalen, half surprised by the sudden embrace, stood there for a moment, then reached around Rue and gave him a firm pat on the back. "Touching. I didn't know you were older than me. You certainly don't act it."

Rufus gave Kalen a playful shove and laughed aloud. He turned about and said, "Everyone! This'a here is Kalen Kincade. He's a vampire. Legit undead blood-suckin' corpse, this one is. And he's here to fight with us." Rue lowered his tone and asked, "How long you been here?"

"For more than just _your_speech," said the vampire. Kalen looked around at the eyes of the group and told them, "I'm proof that not all naturally-occurring preservatives are good for your health. But, more importantly, I'm even more dangerous to the health of your attackers."

SSA Brad Daniels leaned back in his chair, eyeing the pale man in the lamb-leather black jacket. "If the threat even exists. We cannot verify an enemy we cannot find. There is no proof, there is no electronic chatter - nothing."

"These people are practically Luddites, who have virtually no online presence," said Kalen. "I spent the last two hours hunting a pair of them. Guess where I found them? Outside your village. They have sniper rifles. They have explosives. They have mortars. Frankly, I have no idea why they haven't attacked yet."

Daniels' smirk disappeared. He pursed his lips together for a moment. "We've had rumors they might be armed with explosives, but Rufus said they would only use them to soften up the village before attacking hand-to-hand."

Kalen nodded. "I agree with that assessment. They were sharpening their claws, too. Literally."

Rue frowned. "How many did'ja count for sure? Just the two?"

Kincade answered the question loud enough for everyone to hear him. "There are apparently six here in Seattle, but they have satellite phones. They seem to be in contact with others of their kind. To what end, I don't know for sure."

Rue grinned. "It's a good thing you're here, hoss."

Daniels stood up and approached Kalen. "A vampire, huh? I've been with USPRI for a few years. I've seen a few supernatural beings. But vampires were always an urban legend. A legend that was never proven. The sun is up right now, yet you're here and you're not..."

"The sun is an irritant," Kalen replied. "It can kill a wounded vampire the way an incoming tide can kill someone injured or unconscious, while lying on a beach - it takes a while at best, but is harmless to a healthy, uninjured vampire who takes the proper precautions."

Daniels looked Kalen over and folded his arms over his chest. "Last night, I saw my first werewolf transformation. I'm a man of science. If I see it, I'll believe it. Where's the proof you'll be of any help?"

Kalen sighed. "Once upon a time, everyone was a heathen unless proven innocent. I was always glad I was born after those times because I thought those people must have been very narrow-minded. Funny how it's the exact opposite, now."

Daniels narrowed his gaze slightly. "Are you a vampire or not? Are you going to be helpful, or aren't you?"

"Very well." Kalen held his left hand out, palm up. "Such small bones in the hand. It always hurts to sustain an injury there, but it's less of a mess. Go on. Put a bullet through my palm."

Daniels blinked. "What? You're serious? You want me to discharge a weapon in here? You want me to shoot you?"

"Clean through the hand. Use a silencer if you have one. It's best not to deafen a room full of people with animal hearing." Kalen reached with his other hand into his jacket and withdrew a plastic blood bag, packed with whole blood. "Then I'll heal the wound." Kalen smiled. His incisors pushed downwards from small tendons in his gum line. The fangs protruded slightly, until they stood out from the rest of his teeth. "Any time you're ready."

Daniels shook his head and walked back to his seat. "Show me on the battlefield."

"Very well." Kalen tucked the pouch of blood back into his inside pocket. He counted heads then frowned. "Only three government agents here? And one at the main entrance to the village? Rufus, you made it sound like a serious war, but it looks more like a street gang brawl is about to take place."

Rue shrugged. "These guys are no joke. Say, son, how you keep that blood in your pocket like that? Won't it go bad?"

"Anti-coagulant, Rufus." Kincade looked over at the others, not sure which voice spoke earlier. "Which one of you is the baritone who gave that speech about preservatives? That's what I put in this whole blood. It makes the blood useless to humans needing a transfusion. But I eat normal food in order to make myself throw up the remains of the anticoagulating agent. Now that you've had a little education in how vampires live, pardon the pun, let's talk about a strategy for defense. It appears your 'friends' are waiting for nightfall. They're just outside making ordinance by hand, so that they have things to shoot at you."

Wolf Tamer frowned and glanced at Agent Daniels. Brad turned to the other two FBI agents, wearing plain dress-casual clothes, but easily identified by their badges on their belts. No one spoke.

Ulfey sighed. "Cybil, tell them about my son."

Cybil Powalski blew raspberries. "Rama is going to be the leader of the surviving werewolves. And trust me, we're not talking about many. He's going to single-handedly revive the species. For that to happen, the shitting fucks are all fucked and..." He held his hands up as if to apologize for his outburst.

Rufus cleared his throat. "What he means is the rest of us probably die today. Rama carries on our bloodline, yippie," he said in a tone void of emotion. "But for Rama to lead the last of our kind into some sorta golden age, the rest of us gotta bite the dust." Rue glanced at Kalen, adding, "That, there, analogy ain't for you."

"My kind takes that saying a little too seriously, Rufus."

Ulfey placed her hand on Rue's right shoulder blade. "I finally get you back in my life, and we're both slated to die."

Rufus turned back to her and arched his brows. "Cybil didn't say we're all gonna die. Just that Rama's gonna lead the survivors. Don't be so damn negative, girl."

"I'm just glad our son left before the attack."

Kalen began pacing. "Cybil, can you confirm something for me?"

"You live," said Powalski with a shrug. "You already know Natalia wakes up in a few days. You're the only one who knows where she's sleeping, so you're the only one who can wake her prematurely."

"And Rufus?" asked Kincade. "Does he live?"

Cybil shrugged. "Yes and no."

"Pardon?" Rufus offered a bemused expression of confusion. "Wha's that mean? A part of me dies inside or some metaphorical shit like that?" His eyes widened with the realization of a possibility. "Wait, Ulfey dies?"

"GOD, were-mutt! You're being just like when we met! You're jumping to conclusions!"

"So what's the outcome?" asked Rufus.

Cybil folded his arms. "I told you I see two forks. What should happen, and what does happen. The timeline was fractured twenty-five years ago. You should've won against Falcon, making everything different."

"What'cha see about my future?"

"Your sister buries you in one of them. I don't know which."

Rufus licked his lips. "Shit."

Ulfey appeared concerned. "What is it?"

"My sister's dead, Wulfey. I guess that means she survives in that there other fork."

Daniels gestured to the two FBI agents. "Let's go and do a threat assessment of the area. We're obviously wasting our time in here talking about nonsensical crap." He side-nodded away from the two, adding, "With me."

Both FBI agents got up and followed Daniels to the door. The three left together, without another word.

Silence.

Cybil scrunched his brows. "Was it something I said?"

Wolf Tamer stood back up. "I fear you've lost credibility with them."

Cybil frowned at the chief and said, "That's not fair, Joseph. I was being honest."

Wolf Tamer nodded in reply. He cleared his throat, adding, "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to help them perform a threat assessment. I know this village well, and I can be helpful. Funny ... never thought I'd be glad to have the help of the United States Government."

Rufus grinned. "It's easier, now, that we got a Native American president, ain't it?"

"Not really. Like you just said, Mr. Darken, heritage isn't important to you. Just your son. It isn't important to those three agents out there. They want to go home, even though none of the three of them have families. But for me, and for all of my people here, heritage is all we have. It binds us. It is our past and our futures. It ensures we survive. It's respect for ourselves, our routines, and ... never mind." Wolf Tamer walked to the door and glanced over his shoulder. "I hope you see your son soon, Mr. Darken. I hope my sons live through tonight to see their own sons one day." He left the room.

Rufus started towards the front door. Ulfey stopped him. He glanced back at her with an expectant look.

Ulfey sighed. "I've known him since I moved here from Greece. He offends easily, but he's always quick to get over it. You don't have to apologize - he sees an apology as a sign of weakness, and prefers we all stand by our words and our actions to begin with. The fact that you're here and willing to risk your life is respectable."

"What'd I say?"

Ulfey offered a wry grin. "He doesn't care for the current president."

Rue blinked. "Why not?"

"Because he feels the President's Native American blood is just that - blood. The President only started acting like Native culture had any importance after becoming President, as if it was just an act. The guy only cares about his approval ratings at the polls, not what it takes to get there."

"He ain't a bad president. Made a few good changes recently."

Ulfey shrugged. Her grin widened, amused by the situation. "That's because Congress majority is now the same party as the President. They get more done. The United States of Partisanship."

"The Partisan States of America," said another of the werewolves, sitting nearby. "Some people think the President orchestrated a series of events that led to Congress becoming majority party in order to set things in motion that would later get the guy's polls up. Whatever he's doing, now, is working." The wolf stood up, nodded in respect to Ulfey and smiled. "My son and daughter have told me that Rama would make a good leader. If your friend," he nodded towards Cybil, "is right about Rama's future, I'd like to think we're in good hands." Without another word, the man walked out of the room.

Then, one by one, the other werewolves in the room quietly stood up and walked out of the room. A moment later, only Cybil, Ulfey, Rufus and Kalen remained.

Cybil shrugged. "Was it something Rufus said?"

Kalen grinned. "Obviously they don't care for the current President because the village leader doesn't like the guy. Americans voted in a Native American president because they thought it would be historical and novel."

Rufus scoffed. "Dude ain't no Uncle Tom."

Kalen smirked. "I might be the only one here who is old enough to get your reference, Rue."

Cybil shook his head. "I'm educated. I get the joke. It just wasn't funny."

Rue glanced at a clock on the wall and sighed. "Okay, y'all. If this shit happens at nightfall, let's all get some rest."

"Now that is a leadership idea," Ulfey said, adding, "You should show Kalen where he can stay. Meet me at my place when you're done." She nodded to Cybil and walked out of the room.

Cybil stood up. "One doesn't need to be an oracle to see that Rufus is going to get laid. Please try and get some sleep, were-mutt." He nodded to Kalen. "Ankle biter." Cybil walked out through the back door at the far end, passing Kalen on the way out.

Kalen shook his head. "We're doomed."

"Prolly so."

The group parted ways with Rufus and Kalen crossing a quiet street. They both paused and looked at one another. "Kalen?"

"You hear it too?" asked the vampire, looking up. He shielded his eyes from the brightness of the overcast sky, searching. "You better sound some sort of alarm."

Rue groused softly. "Where the Sam Hill is it comin' from?"

"I can't quite make out..."

A gas station directly across the street erupted into flames. The force of the explosion threw Kalen into Rufus. They spilled across the ground.

Rue shoved Kalen off and rolled over with a groan, unable to hear anything. His vision was distorted, his ears were ringing, and he was unable to get to his feet due to a lack of balance.

Flecks of debris, ranging from concrete chunks to burning bits of snack food rained down around him. A singed pastry landed adjacent to his hand, the plastic packaging was melted to the mushy glob of junk food. Or was it several?

Slowly but surely, the multiple images blurred together, becoming one Honey Bun, singed, with its shrink wrap melted around the food. A foot away, an empty brand-name cola cup landed on the pavement, singed and dirty.

Rufus was suddenly aware of hands on his shirt. Drowned out by the ringing was someone shouted at him but he couldn't make out what they were saying.

Kalen stood adjacent, pulling Rufus to his feet. Rue's vision began to clear. He saw a rebar pole jutting from Kalen's stomach but the vampire didn't appear fazed by the injury.

Two pale hands came to either side of Rue's face. Words began to have meaning again as the ringing subsided. "...Rufus, snap out of it! We're under attack!"

Rue blinked, staring right through Kalen.

Kincade picked up a dented bottle of water, snapped off the cap and splashed Rue in the face with it.

The southerner grunted in displeasure and wiped his face. Everything became clear as if waking up from a dream. He blinked again then looked down at the rebar sticking from Kalen's gut. Rue lifted his gaze. Glass shards were embedded in his chest and face. Kalen took the brunt of the explosion, shielding Rufus from virtually any injuries.

In the distance, another mortar shell exploded, followed by the whine of a car alarm. Somewhere further away, a horn sounded rhythmically, beeping at an offbeat cadence to the other car alarm.

The shock began to wear off. Kalen's voice faded in and out, briefly. The vampire kept his hands on Rue's face. "You need to transform. Take a deep breath and get it together, Rufus. You hit your head when I was knocked into you. Shake it off and get your head in the game!"

"Yeah, I'm ... yeah." Rue backed up a few steps and kicked off his shoes. "God damn it. I was gonna get laid."

"You still can later. Now transform!" Kalen reached down, closed his hands firmly around the rebar and tried to dislodge it from himself but the pole was too slick with blood.

Rufus clenched his teeth and pulled his tongue back, mashing it against the roof of his mouth so as not to bite it. His jaw elongated into a maw, and his nose shifted forward into a snout. Thick black fur pushed up out of his pores and his ears shifted upward on his face, coming to stop atop of his head.

With a groan of pain, Rue arched his back and tightened his arms, causing them to stretch the sleeves of his shirt. It ripped at the seam. He clenched his eyes and opened his hands. His nails took the shape of claws. His body doubled over, onto all fours as his feet began to reshape and arch. His ankle shifted upwards as his foot elongated. His thighs changed in shape.

And, all at once, the pain stopped. Clarity shined in his eyes. Rue reached for Kalen, placing one enormous paw on the vampire's shoulder, and the other on the rebar. He yanked it free and threw it to the ground. It clattered on the asphalt; Rufus could hear every sound in the immediate area with pinpoint accuracy.

Kalen drew his bloodbag from his jacket and smirked. A piece of glass had pierced it, causing blood to dribble down from the side of the plastic pouch. He brought the bag to his lips and pushed his fangs through the plastic. His wounds began to heal. The glass pushed out of his face and chest, falling to the ground.

"What're you gonna do now, if'n you get injured?"

"Drink the blood of my enemies. Never tried tiger before. Should be interesting. Are you alright?"

Rufus ran his velvet-padded palms over his forearms where a glossy sheen of mucus-like fluid was in the fur. "I hate changin' quick-like. Let's go fry these bastards."

"Go, check on Ulfey. I'll make sure Cybil is safe." Kalen looked around the area. The mortar shelling stopped and an eerie silence hung over the city. "The attack stopped. What's going on?"

The sun started to show through the partial cloud cover. As soon as sunlight covered the city, the sun went dark, like an eclipse.

"What the hell?" Rue said, looking around as the area became cast into darkness.

Kalen looked around himself. "It must be someone from the House of Loupe," he said, pronouncing the word like 'loop.'

"Eric's dead," Rufus said aloud. "Cain't be him."

"I don't know who it is. But only a handful of people in the world have the ability to manipulate shadows like that. They do it by controlling dark energy, which cancels out rays of light, the way Vincent Nevada controls radiation. Think of it as the antithesis to Vincent's power."

"Shit's about to get real. It's gotta be Justus, then."

"Or Natalia woke without my help. She was Donovan's sister, and possessed the ability before willingly accepting the vamperic curse. She's powerful enough to darken the sky this way."

Rufus squinted, looking around the area. The burning gas station was sealed inside a dome of shade, cutting oxygen to the flames until they went out. "You get Cybil, I'll check on Ulfey. Meet me at the gates in five minutes, then we're gonna hunt those bastards down and rip'em apart."

"See you soon. Stay alive, Rue." Kalen turned about and dashed down the street.

Rufus dashed down the street towards Ulfey's house. He hurried up the front steps and saw the door was open but the knob was broken. The frame was cracked.

He hurried into the living room and froze. Ulfey, still in her human form, stood over a human man with a gun in one hand and a kitchen knife jutting from his armored vest. He slumped to the side and drew his last breath.

Ulfey lifted her gaze to Rufus and licked her lips. "He just kicked the door in and rushed me, shooting his gun. I grabbed for the dishes, drying on the counter and stabbed him with the knife."

"I thought we were up against tigers?"

She shrugged. "They must have hired help for the attack."

"Shit."

She walked back into the kitchen and came out into the side hallway, fully transformed. She kicked off the threads, which still clung to her ankles, and pulled her shirt up and off, tossing it aside. "They came directly to my house, so they obviously did their homework before the attack. Let's..." she trailed off and approached a window. "It's dark outside. How did it become dark?"

"Negative energy magic stuff. Shadow magic. Complicated shit, darlin'. You ready to fight?"

She approached Rufus, put her paws on either side of his face and kissed him firmly. She grinned against his lips then drew her head back and said, "Now I'm ready to fight."

A grin tugged at the corner of his maw. "Well, all right then."

"I'm going to check on the others and I'll meet you out at the main entrance to town."

Rufus nodded at her and offered a flirty wink. "See you soon."

He hurried out of the house and dropped to all fours, galloping down the street. A white man with an assault rifle came out from behind a van as if trying to ambush Rue. Rufus brought his paws out and swiped at the attacker in passing.

The werewolf continued down the road. He glanced over his shoulder quickly, seeing the man drop to the ground like a sack of potatoes. Rue continued down the street, passed the burnt-out gas station, and turned onto Main Avenue.

He saw the gates up ahead. A group of men were fighting with werewolves, hand-to-hand combat. Only one tiger was amongst the group, and, from what Rufus could see at a distance, the werewolves were somehow struggling against the feline.

Upon approach, Rufus caught a hint of scent on the wind and recognized it immediately. "Dakota," he muttered, charging towards the battle.

Rufus rushed up to the group and launched himself up, over an attacker's shoulders, and went claws-first at Dakota's throat.

The tiger closed his fist around Rue's face, spun around, and smashed Rufus into the ground. An involuntary grunt came from Rue's throat, winded from the force.

He looked up at Dakota, who drew his claws back and thrust them down towards Rue's neck.

"Son of a..."

Just as Dakota's claws began to make contact with Rue's Adam's apple, Dakota was suddenly launched upwards by a swath of shadow. The tiger sailed clear across the street and dropped through the roof of a house on the corner. A cloud of dust billowed from the windows of the top floor.

Rufus sat up and reached for his throat, thankful to have it intact.

The shadow swirled around him, cutting Rue off from the rest of the fighting, like an enormous black, hollow pillar. Darken looked up, able to see the sky again. His eyes lowered, coming face-to-face with Eric Loupe.

Rue blinked, jaw agape. "Oh, shit!"

"I ought to kill you for fucking my wife."

Rue felt the blood rush out of his face. "Oh ... shit."

X

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CATCH THE CONCLUSION OF ACT 1 HERE: ** http://www.sofurry.com/view/770332**