It’s quieter now.
The briefing room is mostly empty after Maury decided to send the other agents away. Probably for the best, but I can’t decide whose pride he’s trying to save by doing so.
Not that it matters.
Only the G7s remain, a handful of agents from other teams I know to look at but not to hold a decent conversation with.
Alpha, as the smallest and most elite team within this branch of SPEAR, has only one leader. Maury.
The others watch him as he stands in the centre of the small space, commanding attention simply by standing. I have to give him credit for that; he certainly knows how to draw and hold the attention he requires to get the job done. He always has an air about him that demands obedience or at least respect, something that Quinn always lacked.
It’s a shame that I need to go against him now because I’ve no intention of losing.
He faces me, one hand fisted against his hip, the other pointed my way. “What you just pulled is grounds for disciplinary, Karson. What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“My job.”
He bristles.
I talk right over him.
“I’ve no idea what your problem with me is, but we can’t let it get in the way of our jobs. Jack—Mr. Cobé—asked to see me this morning to specifically request that I lead any units investigating this werewolf issue. I agreed and now I want to make sure it happens.”
“You can’t simply waltz in and claim a task like that. SPEAR is about protecting the people, not glory-hogging and ego-stroking.”
“Is that what you think this is?”
He snorts. “I’ve read your files, Karson. My predecessor left some pretty full and damning reports about you.”
“Wait, Quinn? Are you talking about notes from Quinn?”
“You’re still an agent through luck alone, and it’s only a matter of time before that runs out. How many times can you get City Hall to yank your arse out of the fire? Hmm? Especially when you were the one to put it there.”
Norma shifts on my head. She had been sleeping, lulled to rest by monotones and monotonous conversation. But mention of Quinn brings her back to full waking and sets the barbs of her tail quivering.
I pat her back and whisper soothing nonsense to her until the scales on her body lie flat once more.
“I don’t know what Quinn wrote about me, but you must know that there’s a certain level of bias where she and I are concerned. Besides, this is nothing to do with glory-hogging. Hell, if I could, I’d leave this to you and go back to the pixies we found in the sewer system last week. They need to be removed and rehomed before they start damaging the pipes. And let’s not forget the naga living in the spire of that abandoned church near Harmony Rise. Someone has to get that thing before it snacks on any more unsuspecting bachelor types stumbling back from the pub.”
“Then why not do that?”
“Because like it or not—and for me, some days it really is ‘not’—I am best qualified to deal with werewolves right now.”
There are a couple of angry mutters from the other G7s. One of them, a short Asian woman with her hair caught in a thick braid down her back, lifts her hand. “What makes you better qualified than any of us?”
More mutters, these ones of agreement.
“I’m not talking about skill. We’re all skilled agents here. We have to be or else we wouldn’t be here. I’m talking about relationships with the edanes in question.”
Another woman, this one taller, paler with freckles and frizzy red hair, moves forward from her seat at the far end of the table. “Shacking up with a vampire doesn’t make you any more qualified than us, Danika.”
Ugh.
While I knew that would eventually come up, the fact that it did still hurts. And irritates.
“Oh, come on. Rita, is it? You know that’s not what I’m talking about.”
She cocks an eyebrow. “Then what do you mean?”
“The wolves trust me. They named me a pack-friend. They’re more likely to talk to me and mine than any other agent in the place.”
“You can’t—”
“It’s true.” I cut straight across her, impatience finally getting the better of me. “For whatever reason, I have a working relationship with the edanes of the city, which makes it easier for me to talk to them and work with them. It’s been that way for years. If there really is a new pack rising, doesn’t it make sense to send someone who is already trusted by other wolves of the city? Someone who can go in peacefully and without appearing as a threat? Someone just wanting to find out what’s going on?”
The first woman speaks again. “But why can you do that better than us?”
“Because I don’t need to carry weapons when I travel into pack territory.”
Silence.
Seems I’ve got them there.
“It sucks—believe me, I know it sucks. I originally told Jack to stick it up his arse.” Several surprised gasps follow that comment but I press on regardless. “But he made the same point I’m making to you now. As a pack-friend, I’m protected when I travel into their territory. They can’t attack me without starting some sort of riot. Which means I can go in more easily and more peacefully than you. It just makes sense.”
They’re thinking it over. I can see them. One or two even begin to nod slowly, and the knot in my chest begins to unfurl.
“Karson, what happened to your car?”
Ah. Shit.
The unfurling stops and flows in reverse.
Slowly, I turn my attention to Maury. “There was an incident this morning and—”
“We analysed some of the damage to your vehicle. Given your current claims about pack-friendship and non-violence, the findings are pretty interesting.”
“I didn’t ask anyone to check my car.”
He shrugs. “No, but when you bring in a vehicle so obviously damaged by edanes it’s our duty to check it out. For your safety.”
Bull. Shit.
“You had no right to touch my car.”
“It was only an external examination. No one opened it or disturbed it in any way except to investigate the potential causes of such extensive cosmetic damage. We have a few ideas, but it would be interesting to hear, in your own words of course, what you believe could leave six-inch claw gouges in the side panels of your vehicle. Oh, and what could be heavy and powerful enough to dent your roof in so many places.”
They’re all looking at me now, and just like that, I’m losing the battle.
Damn it, where’s Noel now that I really need the backup?
The door to the conference room flies open with a crash. Through it tumbles an agent I vaguely recognize as a G3 from the Beta team. Blood pumps lazily from a gash in his forehead and several tatters of cotton show where his right sleeve once was.
“I’m looking for Danika Karson.”
Oh, for crying out loud.
* * *
Maury shoots me a furious glance. “I’m Maurice Cruush, Alpha team leader. What seems to be the problem?”
With the door open, I can hear yelling and thumping coming from below.
I stand but a warning grunt from Maury stops me dead in my tracks.
The agent looks to me, then Maury. “We have a werewolf here for questioning and—”
“What the hell is it doing here?” Maury’s voice rises several octaves. “You should know better than that. We have containment units for that sort of thing.”
Again the agent looks at me. This time when he speaks, the words are certainly directed my way. “We had to. It—I mean he refused to go to a holding unit. He insisted that he knew Agent Karson and that he be allowed to speak to her.”
This time I ignore the looks shot my way and step around the tables to meet the agent. “I’m Danika. What’s happening?”
“The werewolf. We were told to bring him in on suspicion of unlawful lupine infection, but he resisted.”
Eye roll. “Of course he did. No wolf wants to be accused of that. But why bring him here?”
“He said he knew you. He said he was set up and that he’d only come without a fuss if we brought him straight to you.”
I can all but feel Maury’s death glare boring into my back.
A quick whistle through my teeth sets Norma airborne again. “Go check it out, baby, tell them I’m on my way.”
“Ka-ka-karson.” She flies off at once, through the open door and out of sight in a flash.
The agent, I point in the opposite direction. “You go see Omega, right now.”
“But—”
“If that’s a werewolf wound then you need to be checked for infection. Do it now. Just tell me who this wolf is before you go.”
“Um.” The bemused agent fingers his forehead, seemingly surprised at the blood on his hands. “We don’t have a name, only a description. But he’s kinda old with this crazy big beard, all bushy and wiry. Dark hair, lots of clothes, like in layers—”
Well, shit.
I don’t wait to hear the rest.
Instead I’m shoving past him and dashing down the stairs, with furious yells from Maury still ringing in my ears.
* * *
It’s chaos downstairs. As to be expected. With most agents out or still in morning briefings, there are few left on the main floor to deal with this mess. Those that are have clearly already been out in the field, kitted out with guns, knives, utility straps, and belts.
Most have their guns free and aimed at the scene in the centre, but none of them are willing to take a shot. Halfway down the stairs I realize why.
Noel stands toe to toe with a huge, shaggy werewolf in hybrid form, his arms spread wide as if to form a shield. He’s talking softly, but urgently and, for the time being, holds the complete attention of the furry beast. On the other side, Norma darts in daring circles, yelling at the top of her tiny lungs with several other chittarik joining her in a deafening chorus.
It’s enough to save that wolf in the centre, but not for long.
Instead of taking the last few steps, I vault over the banister and hurry toward them.
The wolf notices me before anybody else does and immediately thrusts his hands into the air.
“All right. Don’t shoot me, you piss-poor human reprobates.” His voice is gruff and feral, almost lost beneath the growl that rumbles deep in his furry chest.
But I know it well.
I stop in front of him, pausing to give Noel a brief, but grateful pat on the shoulder.
He sighs. “Gao, Dee-Dee. What have you done this time?”
“Would you believe I actually have no idea?”
“No.”
Yeah. Can’t say I blame him.
I face the hybrid wolf towering a full two feet above my eyeline. “What’s going on, you filthy mongrel?”
The misshapen mouth, caught halfway between human jaw and lupine muzzle, forms a poor approximation of a grin. “Hi, little meat sack. You took your time.”