“Just that their grenades are what kill them best. Ironically, they’re carrying weapons of their own destruction around their belts. But under no circumstance should they be allowed to use them on the wolves or any of the townsfolk. You understand? Right now, the five of us are going on a rescue mission to save Alexis’s best friend and an invaluable resource to us. Her name is Maliha, and she has been kidnapped by one of those soldiers,” I said.
“Will…there was something different about this one. His eyes were glowing orange, and his veins were fit to burst. It was almost as if he had gone crazy. He had no control over his movements either!” Alexis said.
“There are five of us. If two of us could take down sixteen last night. I am certain that we can take down a lot more today,” I said. “Let’s move out!”
***
For the next half hour, our group waded through the forest, picking up the scent and the footstep trail of the soldier who had taken Maliha. It was not an entirely fruitless endeavor. We eventually found his trail, which led us right to where we were all standing right now.
At an encampment.
There were ten soldiers at this camp that they’d set up in the forest. A fire was burning on one side of the tent. Five ATVs were parked along the side of the tent. As for the tent itself, it was not very large. It was just big enough to hold three people.
“There’s been something wrong with Agent Bert,” one of the soldiers said. “He disobeyed direct orders and went to retrieve the body on his own. Even now, we’re unable to subdue him.”
I looked around to see if the rest of the group had heard what one of the soldiers said. They were not wearing their helmets right now. Instead, they were gathered around the fire, sitting there and eating from their MREs. It was one of the strangest sights I’d ever seen in my life. All of those soldiers had been morphed into something that didn’t resemble humans. They looked more like aliens, and yet here they were, being civil, sitting around the fire, talking, eating.
“I guess Agent Bert’s just a little overzealous. Wants to get into Blair’s good books,” another soldier said. “Besides, they didn’t just inject us with all this stuff so that we’d be docile and obedient. They want us to behave like this. Isn’t that what you want too? To crush some wolf skulls and burn up their homes?”
“Aye, but those are not our orders. Our orders are to capture the Alpha and bring him back to Blair,” another soldier responded.
I surmised that it would be a good time for us to talk with them. Maybe this whole thing could be resolved without fighting? So I stepped out into the clearing, my arms up in the air to show that I meant no harm. Behind me, the rest of the wolves followed.
“Come a step closer, and we’ll blow your head off, wolf,” the soldier nearest to me said, quickly picking up his rifle.
“I just wanted to talk, seeing as that’s what you’re doing. I take it from your dialects and accent that you were all military men. Well, I was a military man myself once upon a time, and I believe in the military code of conduct. Do you as well?” I asked.
They nodded, lowering their guns.
“Very well. Then let’s parley and discuss this before we let it escalate,” I said. Behind me, I could see that Alexis and Vince, and the others were becoming restless. This was a very nerve-wracking situation that I had to somehow balance with the utmost sensitivity.
“There’s no point talking to them,” Alexis said.
“Yeah, Will. Let’s just get this over with. Do you think these jarheads are going to listen? They’re fucking doped up!” Vince whispered.
“Hey, I heard that,” one of them said, pointing his knife at Vince. “And for your information, we’re not doped up. We’re chemically enhanced. There’s a difference. A difference you’ll be able to tell when I fucking kill you!”
“There’s no need to kill anyone,” I said, stepping forward. At my stepping forward, they all raised their guns and aimed them at me.
“You killed sixteen of our good men,” another soldier said. “That precious military code of conduct you talk about states that we do the same to you and your lot.”
“We did that in self-defense,” Alexis said, coming up behind me. “We were ambushed.”
“Yeah, princess, cuz that’s what the mission was!” the soldier standing nearest to us said. “We were sent to capture you both.”
“Instead, you captured an innocent human being,” I said. “I’ve come here to talk about her release.”
“It’s simple, wolf,” the soldier said. “You come with us, and the girl goes free. You don’t come with us, we’ll kill the girl, and then we’ll kill you.”
“Listen, now, I’ve been very patient with you up until now. If you so much as mention killing again, I will see to it that you have a very painful and prolonged death,” I said slowly. “You think you know pain? I will drag you myself to the lowest circle of hell and ensure that you burn there for an eternity if you even think of harming anyone close to me. That includes my entire pack and that girl you’ve got in that tent.”
“Is that so, wolf? Why don’t we see how strong you really are? Let’s have at it, you and me,” the soldier said.
“Sure, come at me without all that armor, and we’ll see what’s what. Don’t think I don’t know that all your strength comes from your armor and those weapons. Without them, you’re nothing but a drugged-up junkie.”
“And what are you without everything?”
“Without everything, I’m still a werewolf at the end of the day,” I said.