Maria walked onto the condo balcony with Noelle. They noticed the trees had started to sway more than usual. Maria sighed when Noelle looked at her and asked what was wrong. She explained the tropical storm, which was supposed to make landfall up in Daytona Beach. But it took a slight detour and was heading lower down the east coast than was initially anticipated by the weather stations.

“What does it mean?”

Maria shook her head and said they needed to move before they thought. If the storm hit Sanders it could have a clear run into Mexico, and by the time they got there it’d be goodnight to Drake.

“We’ve got to tell Declan. We’ve got to get ready,” Noelle yelped, now full of panic.

“Noelle. Relax, we’re ready. It means we need to pull our schedule forward a day or so, that’s all.”

“I’d still like to put some urgency into telling Declan. Then I might relax a little.”

They turned to walk back to the apartment while a car horn honked from the parking lot. They were back from the hospital. Kelvin was in high spirits (he’d been lied to), and the others were somewhat sedated but acted like normal. Declan looked up and noticed the concern on Noelle’s face. He saw Maria looking at the sky, so he craned his neck up to glance at the tops of the palm trees.

“Dustin. It’s coming.”

Dustin said everything was ready; all they needed to do was inform the transport they’d be early and have a pack meeting. It’d be a case of monitoring the weather. First and last chance to leave would be sunrise in the morning, and the high tide.

Declan climbed up the stairs to Noelle and Maria. Maria explained the storm gradually curved and swung lower and was heading for the northern tip of the Bahamas and would hook a left if it made landfall there.

“It’s okay. It’s better to be chased by a storm than to run alongside one like Sanders will have to do,” he commented. “Pack meeting at nine, we’ll run through the final details before heading off.”

Declan walked over to Noelle and put his arm around her shoulder. They walked back to their apartment and she sensed by his grip there was something he wanted to tell her. She closed the door, and Declan sat on the couch, now pushing the palms of his hands against his eyes.

“I don’t fucking believe it.” He sighed. He kicked off his boots and leaned back on the couch. Noelle curled her leg under herself and sat at his side.

“What’s wrong?”

“In simple terms, it’s another fucking hurdle to getting Drake back safe and sound,” he muttered. “We’ve found out those headaches of Kelvin’s are because of a brain tumor.”

“The poor guy, how’s he taking it?” she asked.

“How’s he taking it? FUCK me, Noelle, we lied to his face and said it was nothing. Three of us. We deserve to be damned for that.”

“No you don’t, and don’t ever think that way,” Noelle replied in a serious tone. “Kelvin would understand, he’s a tough cookie, you know that, of all people.”

Declan opened his eyes and tears flowed down his cheeks. “That’s what makes it so bad. We’ve wronged him by not telling him.”

“Declan, now you listen to me. We’ll find a way; a pack can always find a way. It isn’t the end of the world,” she said. “When is he going for treatment?”

Declan laughed. “He isn’t, he’s coming to Mexico.”

He carried on explaining how Sascha had asked around, and there was some medication he could take which might slow the growth of the tumor. As soon as everything was over, Kelvin was the first priority. Kelvin was unaware Sascha had given him eighteen months to live. Maximum.

“I need a rest for a while. I’ve got to think.”

Declan spun around on the couch and closed his eyes. His mind ran a rampage, and he couldn’t live with himself for lying to Kelvin. It didn’t matter if it was the right thing or the wrong thing to do. Kelvin was part of the pack and as good as family too. It wasn’t only him who felt that way, all of the others showed a similar view of the crazy kid. Declan thought the worst and wondered what it’d be like if Kelvin wasn’t there. The thought made no sense, and he couldn’t imagine it. Maybe it was a sign it’d never happen. Maybe.

Noelle said there’d be a way, and they always found a way. Declan mentally crossed his fingers and fell asleep.

Noelle shook Declan to wake him up. He mumbled and rolled over.

“What is it?”

“Wong’s here.”

“How did he know where we were?”

Noelle giggled. “I asked him the same thing, and he said something about tracking your cell.”

Declan sat and swung his legs off the couch. He muttered something about Wong being a sneaky fucker and walked to the bathroom to splash water over his face.

“Where is he?”

Noelle said he was outside vaping. Declan shook his head and walked to the door. A vast cloud of strawberry-smelling smoke filled the hallway. He wafted his hand in front of him and spotted Wong sucking on what looked like a battery. He let fly with another sickly-sweet-smelling cloud of fruit-flavored vape.

“Can you stop for a minute?” Declan asked. The vapor vanished, and Wong stood with the book in his hand.

“The codes. I figured it out,” Wong said, with a massive grin spread across his face. “I’m a couple of hours late, but I did it.”

“You’d better come in, and don’t get filling the apartment with crap.”

“It’s only water vapor,” Wong said in his vape’s defense.

“I don’t care if it’s bottled water. One whiff of strawberry in there and I’ll shove your vape thing right up your ass.”

Wong took Declan seriously. He pushed his vape machine into his back pocket and stepped inside the apartment. Declan offered him a seat on the couch. It was still warm from where Declan had laid a few minutes before.

“Tell me, what are the codes?”

“Safe houses. They’re all coordinates of safe houses.”

“Government safe houses?” Declan asked. “How the hell did you find that out?”

“They aren’t the government, or not like we know it. It appears to be for whoever wrote this book that put them into place.”

Declan was stumped. Why would Tiffany put safe houses in place?

Wong pulled out his laptop and said there was something else more interesting. It was the location of the final one. His laptop started, and he went to the maps and entered the last coordinate. The map zoomed in, and once it cleared Declan spotted what Wong was about to tell him.

“She’s got one in Mexico,” he said. “It’s like she’s trailing us.”

“Or Sanders.”

Declan had no idea why they’d be tailed by Tiffany. He knew the government monitored Sanders previously, but she’d vanished out of sight, and it seemed she was carrying on with what was already started. It made no sense, and Wong was at a loss to explain anymore. He filled Declan in about the messages he’d received about Megan being in the mine and Sanders saying to release the beasts. The Creek would have a horrendous couple of days until the creatures withered away and died. If Sanders intended to use them for anything, he’d fall well-short on that one without even realizing.

“Wong, I appreciate all you’ve done, but we’re heading off in the morning. We’ve no need for any more services, but if you find anything else out, let me know.”

Wong said he’d continue monitoring the cell messages. The girls needed to meet back up with Sanders, which was the final bit of information he could see that could be of use.

“Wong, you’re a good kid. I’ll search you out when we get back.”

“You think you’ll make it back?”

Declan grinned. Wong looked into his eyes. It was the second time in thirty minutes he believed that what Declan said was completely correct.

“I always come back.”

We have the gas, and the beasts have been released. That was the message Megan sent to Sanders. The message Megan received wasn’t one she wanted to read.

It’ll take us a good fifteen hours to get to Houston to meet you. Hang around the Creek until tomorrow.

“That’s charming,” she snapped.

“What now?”

“He’s not even moved from Miami, and we need to hang around here until tomorrow. He said fifteen hours, but if you add in the day time. Shit. We can’t leave this dump for almost twenty-four hours.”

Tanya said they’d have to sit tight. The things they’d let loose would be roaming the streets, and the way they tore through the soldiers, well, it didn’t look pleasant.

“I’ll go freakin’ crazy sat in a motel room for so long. I’m gonna have to go out at some point,” Megan said.

“I know of one place, but we’d have to make sure they still think we’re wolves,” Tanya replied.

“Where’s that?”

“The bikers bar. They became pretty tight with Gabriel. We can’t let them know I’m no longer with him.”

Megan said she was up for it. She could do with a drink (or three) to numb the boredom. There might even be a chance to find a hunk of a guy who took a fancy to her. Bikers weren’t offended by an eye patch, and she’d seen a few wearing them before.

They lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. They carried on chatting and much of it was about Sanders and what his world would be like once the daywalkers were created, and the shaman who made them invincible. Eternity and living forever was a very tempting thought to both of them. Megan said it was tempting on the premise she didn’t have to come back to the Creek. There was nothing there which interested her in the slightest.

The clock ticked past seven. Megan sat and stretched to loosen her muscles. Tanya still dozed. Megan walked to the window and pulled open the curtains. She peered up at the sky. The moon fought to light the ground below it, while a haze of green defeated any attempt it made. She turned once Tanya woke.

“Wash your face then we can get going.”

Tanya splashed around in the bathroom and checked herself in the mirror. She remembered back, and none of the bikers had seen her in her wolf form. And as long as either of them refrained from changing, they might get away it.

At least we’ll be safe from the beasts that were released.

They walked the three blocks to the bar. It still looked the same, and the same bikers leaned against the wall, smoking joints. The bikers whistled while they approached the door to the bar. Megan wiggled her ass and smiled. The music belted out from the jukebox when the door opened, and they stepped inside. They approached the old wooden bar and rested their feet on the old, brass, tube footrest.

A young kid walked up to serve them. He glanced at Megan and then turned to Tanya. “You look familiar,” the kid said.

“Sky, isn’t it?” Tanya asked.

He pointed his finger at her while he remembered. “You were with the human. What’s his name? Like an angel. Gabriel,” Sky said.

Tanya said it was right, apart from the fact that Gabriel was no angel. He asked if he’d be joining them, and Tanya explained he was out of town. It was her and her best buddy, Megan.

“Two beers and your best whiskey,” Tanya ordered.

She leaned on the bar and spun to cast a glance over the tables. All the bikers looked the same as she remembered. None of them seemed to recognize her, which was a good thing. Sky slapped the ice-cold bottles on the bar with two empty shot glasses. He pulled the bottle from behind him and topped them up.

“What’s been happening around here?” Megan asked. “We’ve been out of town for a while.”

Sky explained it was quiet until the hospital got ransacked. Megan grinned as it was her who had made that happen. He then explained about the ambulance (Megan again), and how now the mine was spewing out green shit and filling the sky. The TV behind the bar was showing the news. It was Billy, the local police officer who was speaking.

“Can you turn it up?” Tanya asked.

The reporter held the mic toward Billy. He looked directly into the camera without blinking.

“Terrible events unfolded earlier today at the mine. The new sheriff met his untimely demise. Something attacked him from behind. As they say, when this happens… he never knew what hit him,” Billy said.

The reporter cut to video footage and explained a vehicle was seen exiting the mine at a rapid rate of knots. Tanya and Megan stared when they recognized the driver and the passenger who was peering over the passenger seat.

“That’s us,” Megan whispered.

“If anyone can identify these two, we’d like to speak to them concerning the events inside the mine. It was unfortunate, it wasn’t just the sheriff who met his maker, but also a handful of army soldiers who were attacked by some assailants. And it appears they were these creatures which have been made by this green smog which is hanging over the Creek.”

The reporter cut back to herself and Billy was pushed off to the side of the screen.

“You can turn it down now,” Tanya said to Sky. He muted the TV when it cut to the adverts. He turned back to Tanya and Megan.

“That was some driving; they came out of the mine like a bat outta hell.” He gestured with his hand as if the vehicle was flying. “Whoever the driver was, hats off to them, that’s all I can say.”

Sky hasn’t recognized us.

One stranger at the far end of the bar recognized Megan. An eye patch wasn’t enough to hide who she was. He never knew Tanya; he arrived when she’d gone to the dark side. It’d been a while since he’d made contact but now seemed an opportune moment to do precisely that. He lifted up his cell and held it like he was taking a selfie. It focused on the two girls who sat a few empty stools away from him.

Say birdie.

He pushed the button on the phone. He lowered his cell and checked the picture. Both heads were in the shot, and both were in focus too. He opened up his email app and scribbled a message and attached the pic.

Long time no speak. Nothing much to report from the Creek. All’s well with the business. I’ve bumped into an old friend in the biker bar. Check out the photo. I’m not sure how much it helps you, but at least you know where they are. I’ll see if I can hear what they talk about and fill you in with any useful info.

Stay safe, and speak soon.

A.

“My feet never touch the ground as I move among the night. Everyone steps aside when they see me coming, as they know I’m running wild.”