I tapped my chin, “I think I did.” Phil grumbled, “What did Kade need?” I replied, “My help.” Gage grumbled, “You’re not going to tell us what for.” I agreed, “I’m not. My parents know more than I do, and they are all over the problem.”
Phil waved dismissively, “Know that it pains me not to have answers, but I’m changing the subject. You have your I’m pouting over Melanie face on. Not to be buzzkill, but if Cheyenne ever figures out that’s what that face is life will NOT be worthliving.” I frowned, “I thought she liked Gage based on that touching less than sixty seconds ago.”
Gage groaned, “I told you he was helpless, Phil.” Phil hummed, “Not helpless, just clueless. She wanted you to be jealous. Which you were not, hence her pout.” I waved him off, “We are just friends.” Gage laughed, “Good one.” I replied, “We are.”
Phil sighed, “To you.” I confirmed, “Yes, to me. Which makes us just friends. Chey has never made a move.” Gage admitted, “That’s true, but that woman wants you. There is no denying that.” I argued, “There is absolutely an argument that she wants me. She doesn’t. We are just friends. I want Melanie.” Gage grinned, “Lovely. We got to the Melanie of it all. Can we tell people that yet?”
I growled, “No.” Phil told me, “You know we agree she’s yours.” Gage nodded, “Definitely. I personally can’t wait to see the Luna spar with you. It will be show stopping. Speaking of fighting.” I growled, “Were we?” My pants were getting tight thinking of sparring with Melanie.
Oden purred, “We could show off for mate and pin her under us. I bet she’d feel amazing.” I shouted, “You are NOT helping.” He purred back at me, undeterred. Gage said, “I heard rumblings of a great fighter.” He stopped talking.
I rubbed my temples, “Was that the end of that sentence?” He replied, “I’m trying to get in better with the contacts because the chatter shut down. I passed it on your Uncle Gunner, but it was like they sensed me there. It was very annoying.”
I jolted, “You mean a good fighter in the Undergrounds? The real ones.” He agreed, “I do. I got into a chatroom for all of thirty seconds before it was shut down. There was someone they called a sure thing. A Female fighter.”
I asked, “Did you get anything else?” He hummed, “Said fight is a Werewolf. Possibly unshifted.” I shouted, “A PUP?!” Henodded. I snarled, “How fucking dare they! Did you pull missing pups from packs?”
Phil jumped in, “We both did. No one matches. I looked over the messages before it all got shut down and your Uncle is trying to recover it all but they crashed it hard.” I had no idea what that meant but if anyone could uncover it, it was Uncle Gunner.
I asked, “How can you narrow down the age?” Gage said, “We both got the sense this she wolf was close to sixteen.” I snorted, “So, what? They think it’s perfectly fine to have unshifted pups fighting?” He said, “Well, not like a pup pup. She’s almost shifting age.” I growled because not only was I fuming Oden was furious.
He snarled, “How dare they do this!” I said, “I’ll go talk to EJ about this.” Phil handed me what they had. I popped to my older brother. He said, “Fancy seeing you here.” I sat the file down. He flipped it open and snarled, “Son of a bitch!” I agreed, “I feel that sentiment wholeheartedly.”
He grabbed my hand and popped to Uncle Gunner. He was heads down typing and cursing. I asked, “Uncle Gunner?” He held up his hand, “Just a second.” He typed some more then shouted, “GOT YOU FUCKER!” I asked, “You got in the chatroom?” He snorted, “They shut down the chat, but I got some more of the logs.”
We came around and read the screen. I rubbed my face saying, “This is bad.” EJ said, “We knew the Undergrounds were.” I snarled, “But pups?!” Uncle Gunner said, “She’s almost sixteen.” I growled, “And? We don’t know how long she’s been fighting. Someone able to beat up older people should flag for us. How do we NOT know who she is?”
Uncle Gunner admitted, “I don’t know. With the level of training she has to have, we should.” Exactly. I ground out, “Do we have anything?” He replied, “Well, I have a tip for an old Underground site.”
I asked, “Tip from whom?” He asked, “Isn’t that the question? Information has been funneled to your dad, me, your Hackura Uncles, your grandpa, and even your Uncle Aiden. More so in the last year and half, almost two years, than ever before.”
I asked, “Who is doing it?” He said, “I think it’s the same person.” I jolted, “How? Is it coming from the same place?” He admitted, “No. They are doing it how I would. It’s coming from different locations all over the world. I’ve tracked them back and it’s not someone hiding in a central location. I actually wrote a paper almost ten years ago about this.”
I said, “Then it’s someone who knows a Fairy, Demon, or Hackura.” EJ argued, “A Hackura would just tell us.” I pointed out, “Telling our Uncles, Grandpa…” I trailed off, “Wait, what about the women of the family?” He stood and shut his door quickly.
He told us both, “You didn’t hear it from me but all the women in the family have gotten information too.” I asked, “Why didn’t we hear that from you?” EJ said, “Because mom has gone off and killed people without telling people who her source is. All of them have.” I shrugged because I didn’t give a shit about bad people dying. Also, they clearly told Uncle Gunner. So, someone knew.
I said, “Not to mention the people coming off the buses.” Uncle Gunner said, “Your mom has gotten several coordinates herself. The worst of what we’ve seen ALWAYS goes to your mom.” I reasoned, “Someone knows us well.” Which grated since we didn’t know them.
I asked, “Who could copy you so well?” He snorted, “If I knew that, I’d know who it was. They have my attention that’s for sure.” I asked, “What has been given to Uncle Aiden?” He said, “I’m sure that’s something you should ask him.” He wouldn’t tell me, but I had a dead Uncle who just might.
I questioned, “Does this go as far as Uncle Lief?” Uncle Gunner snorted, “Yeah, it does. He’s gotten a few tips and thinks it’s hilarious.” I knew where I was going then. I nodded to my brother who sat down to talk to Uncle Gunner more.
I popped to Uncle Lief’s house. He greeted, “Alexander, what a surprise.” I admitted, “My day has been somewhat of an anomaly. I came to ask about the tips you’ve been given.” He grinned, “And what interesting tips they are. You know they originate in places I cultivated sources.”
I replied, “I did not know that.” He chuckled, “Everyone’s do. Giving the appearance that they are different people.” I prodded, “But you don’t think so.” He winked, “I know it’s the same person. The language of the messages are the same. I argue it’s similar to a message we got four years ago.”
I asked, “What about?” He grinned, “Good question. I’ve been told it’s crazy and not possible, but this old crazy man thinks it just might be. I’d bet your mother would agree.” He should tell her then. I snorted, “Since when do you talk in riddles?”
He grinned answering, “When you get to be my age you have to make your own fun, nephew. If I could prove it, you’d be my first call.” I clarified, “Me?” He nodded. I questioned, “Of all people, I’m who you’d call first?” He winked.
Oden asked me, “Does he think Melanie is doing this?” She wasn’t a hacker. Oden argued, “She could be.” I retorted, “In what spare time? Even if she was, could she be good enough Uncle Gunner couldn’t nail her down?”
Even as I said it, it rang true. Melanie was a genius. She could absolutely do anything she wanted, but she was super busy with school. I had thought about it once after her accident but ultimately dismissed the idea. Oden agreed, “We are being silly.”
Uncle Lief cleared his throat, “Yes, you. Often the tips are about you.” I asked, “Me? What about me?” He shrugged, “All different types of things. Maybe look into some clean upmissions we’ve done in the last year and half. See if you notice a pattern.”
I pointed out, “Uncle Bjourn would ask me to look at them if he wanted.” He chuckled, “Yes, well sometimes the younger folks don’t listen to those of us that have been around the block.” I shot back, “Maybe come around more often. You guys keep to yourselves a lot.”
