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Apparently Wade has been spending half of his days keeping track of when the pack hits and where they hit most often. While Danny and J.D. disappeared with that Montgomery fellow and the guy in black, I've been shown the map of the city. Wade seems a bit leery of me, which is to be expected seeing as I can end him with a single strike of the claws. Not that I'm thinking about doing that, but if I had to, I can. That's my point. Kale is on Violet and Daniel, not letting anyone really come too close. I'm glad for that, I would hate for there to be any misunderstanding in reaction to our quiet nature. We are far from pushovers when we have a purpose. From what I can gather from the map, the pack likes to hunt the shoreline. And they do hunt people, there's no mistaking that. From what Wade has been able to find from the locals at least twenty people have gone missing in the past six months. That doesn't count how many may have gone unreported. Before that there were maybe three or four a year. Life here had been easy and calm. They knew that Jimmy was somewhere in the area on and off over the years, but he had stayed out of the way and out of sight. They didn't make much fuss about him. He hadn't broken any of their laws. That's how it worked in the separated states. The Marshalls stuck to their areas. Only Bounty Hunters, like Danny, crossed lines for a criminal.
“What's down here at the docks besides the forgotten people of this city?” I ask as I study the map. The pins are in clusters that spread across the coastline.
“The ships used to come and go, there are storage containers. A few warehouses, some fishing cottages. Things like that. The fisherman kept their markets there before everything went to hell. Wade pointed out the various places, putting little pins in for the different use buildings.
“I'd say that they must be hunting close to wherever they are laying their head. What do you think, Kale?”
My brother looks up from Violet and the baby. “What's that?”
“I said, that they must be hunting close to wherever they are laying their heads.”
“Sounds about right. Do they ever come into town since they terrified everyone?”
“Once in a while, they come on the moon, as wolves. Snarling and attacking everything that moves. We only know it’s Jimmy because he announced himself as the King of San Francisco. We never dreamed any of the stories were actually true. But there they are and here you are.”
***
“OLLY! OLLY! COME OUT! Come out! Wherever you are!” A deep gravelly voice breaks in through the broken windows. Kale is snarling and hunkering down in front of Violet. His form already beginning to balance shift.
I hop over the table to protect Wade. I can smell the wolves outside. Hear the horses screaming. I run to the window to see three men in transition attacking the horses. Tearing into them and generally making a mess of the whole carriage...
“We can smell the bitches,” The man calls out looking up.
Wade curses. “Charlie tell me you locked the doors?”
“Of course!”
“Orion, meet Patrick Callahan. Jimmy Straights' right arm.” Wade's voice is filled with sarcasm yet I can smell the fear rolling off him.
“Marvelous intro, Marshall Hayes. Glib as ever. I'm here to extend an invitation to the wolves and collect the Hunter called Danny Johnston. Seems he's killed one too many of us. Got the blood of my brother on his hands! Don't make me come in there!”
“That's not gonna happen.” I snarl memorizing his features. He has short black hair graying at the temples, a long hawkish nose and thin emotionless features. His eyes flash yellow as he stares up through the windows.
“We've already taken hostages this week. If you'd like them back you'll appear before the King and deliver the Hunter by nightfall. Otherwise.”
He makes a throat slicing motion before turning away from us. I lunge to chase him but find my way blocked by Kale. Then we hear his voice once more.
“While you’re at it, might as well have the defective mutt deliver him. That’s right Jakey boy! We haven’t forgotten your sweet scraggly ass!” They hoot and howl as they run off.
Kale refuses to budge as I snarl at him. “There are four out there now, but we have no way of knowing how many are around the corner. We're downwind from his positon. Think before you run out there to get killed. We are all here and safe behind these bars. Let's get a plan together so we can stay that way.”