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Katana spent the rest of her day ironing out changes within The Red Riding Hood business with Lenore and Arald.
Jacques was in a deep sleep, according to Lenore, and wouldn’t be needing her for several hours.
They decided the need for wolves to hunt alongside the hunters could be relaxed. Between the three of them, they all agreed that either trained dogs would replace the wolves or if shifters wanted to do the job, they could do so; and receive a wage like any normal job. They would, however, retain their right to shift between forms.
When the Council seized control of Katana’s family home, they found Gregory’s remaining hybrids in the lab. All of the microchips were detonated, ending the existence of eighty-three innocent people—including Ashley.
“Are you not upset?” Katana said to Lenore, wondering why the woman wasn’t in floods of tears over the death of her adopted child.
Lenore gave a sly smile. “I can guarantee you that Ashley is not dead.”
Katana frowned. “But we’ve seen for ourselves on the map where they all were when the button was pressed. His last location is up in Galloway Forest Park—where me and Jacques last saw him.”
“Yes, that’s where the chip is located.”
Katana raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying he cut it out?”
“I’m saying I know my boy and I know he isn’t dead. Call it a mother’s intuition.”
“But, Lenore, if he isn’t dead then that puts us right back in the same spot as before. If the Council find out—”
“They’re not going to find out. All they care about is the fact that the microchip has done its job and reported back that it detonated.”
“Ok,” Katana said, letting out a breath. “What if he wasn’t the only one who took out his microchip?”
Arald cleared his throat. “Ashley only knew about his because we saw Gregory put it in the hybrids. If it hadn’t been for that spy-cam, he’d be none the wiser.”
“So none of the hybrids knew about the microchips in their bodies?”
Lenore shook her head. “Only Ashley.”
“Are you not worried about him hurting people? He thinks he’s immortal, Lenore. If he walks around like he’s invincible, he’s going to get hurt, die, and then eventually never rise as a human again.”
Arald reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out a small bottle full of a red liquid, and pushed it across the table. “That is Ashley’s original DNA. Gregory had done the same thing for all the hybrids as he did for the shifters.”
Katana gasped. She covered her mouth with her hand. “But then that means we could have saved all of those people? I’m guessing it just needed a quick injection, like Jacques?”
Arald reached over the table and covered his niece’s hands with his own. “Katana, I know you feel responsible for those people, but you mustn’t. Yes, we could have re-injected them, like Jacques, but could you have seen any of them keeping quiet about their ordeal down in that lab?”
“So they’ve been killed to be silenced—is that what you’re telling me?”
“Sometimes a great sacrifice is needed for the greater good. This is one of those times, sweetheart. I’m sorry.”
Hot tears welled up in Katana’s eyes. “But I’m sure a spell or something could have been done to erase their memories—like my mum did with me and Erica?”
Lenore shook her head. “To erase that amount of memories would have been near catastrophic, Katana. It’s one thing for a witch to be able to erase memories of a few hours here and there, it’s easy to ‘fill in’ the gaps because there’s not a lot to fill in. However, when you’re talking about nearly two years worth of memories, that’s impossible. There’s nothing to replace it with. The people have all been reported missing or presumed dead by their families. It’s a huge mine field to wade into and to do it with over eighty of them? It’s too high risk for the supernatural world to be exposed. I’m sorry, Katana. This way was for the best.”
“But some of them were supernaturals too—witches.”
“Yes, we know,” said Arald. “But the risk of them talking and leaking inside information back to their covens was again too great. The Red Riding Hoods have a reputation and an image to uphold. This world we live in is a cruel one but it’s a basic premise that every supernatural being understands.”
Katana sighed and nodded her head. “Ok, I get it. I’m not saying I agree with it, but I understand. They had to die to save the world. It’s not a bad cause to die for I guess.”
Lenore smiled. “It’ll become easier to live with as you get older and learn more about this business, trust me.”
Katana looked at the clock and sighed. “Our conference call with the Council is in two minutes. Are we ready?”
Right on cue, the old-fashioned looking phone in the middle of the table rang, making them all jump with its shrill tone.
Katana picked up the red-handled receiver, pressed 777 into the keypad and watched in awe as the phone transformed into a mini-projector screen.
All seven Councillors sat in the courtroom Katana had called them to five days previously. The guards were all stood behind them, an ominous omen to what was coming next.
“The Council have come to a decision,” said Councillor Bembridge, chairing the call. “Upon reading Gregory Kempe’s notes and diaries, we’ve come to agree with one of his perspectives regarding population control.”
Arald and Lenore exchanged glances.
Katana gasped. “Population control? Is that his excuse for creating this virus? And you agree with it?”
“Miss Kempe, regardless of the fact we live in a world dominated by the supernatural, we still live within the modern confines of a human society. Anyone can see that housing, jobs, unwanted pregnancies, food shortages—it’s all a direct result of the population growing too large for the economy we currently have to support it. All seven of us Councillors are in agreement that we have the power here to do something to help that problem.”
Katana let out a long breath. “Ok. What are you suggesting?”
“Having spoken with Mr and Mrs Ainsworth, the Master and Mistress of the Amethyst Coven, they’ve agreed to aid us in our task. With immediate effect, the Amethyst Coven will now control the turn of all werewolves with magick. Science is strictly off limits, and magick for anyone without Amethyst Coven approval is also prohibited.”
“Ok,” said Arald. “But how are you going to regulate and decide who turns? There’s nothing stopping the Ainsworth’s from picking and choosing who they want dead.”
“The Ainsworth’s are currently producing an elixir. This elixir will be fed into the main’s water supply, firstly around Nottingham, and then gradually introduced around the country, and then into mainland Europe. In particular, this elixir will target those humans who are weak to the emotion of lust.”
“But you’re just doing exactly what Gregory was aiming for,” Lenore said, dumbfounded. “I don’t understand?”
“Not at all, Mrs Kempe. From what we’ve uncovered so far of Gregory’s work, Gregory had keyed the virus to take effect regardless of emotion. It was only the hybrids who were sensitive to the emotions. Anyone else would have been turned immediately from a simple bite. We’re not doing that.”
“So now you’re going to turn people anyway but only if they’re weak and give in to their lust?”
“Mrs Kempe, we’re not sure exactly what you were expecting from us but keeping The Red Riding Hoods in business is something of great importance to the Council.”
“At the cost of innocent lives! You’re supposed to protect humans as well.”
“And we are. We’re protecting them from making themselves extinct. Did you know that the daily birth rate is twice that of the daily death rate? How do you propose the population is kept in check, Mrs Kempe?”
“Natural selection,” Lenore said, snorting in disgust. “Not with supernatural help.”
“So you’re saying the organisation you originally founded over eight hundred years ago you now want shut down completely? Bear in mind here that the Council has let your indiscretions slide by.”
“Excuse me?”
“Until this last week, we were under the impression that werewolves had been a natural animal, not that your magick had turned them all the way through the centuries. By all rights, Mrs Kempe, you should be attending your own trial, too.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“No, Mrs Kempe. We’re merely pointing out that we are willing to overlook your early transgressions and deceit in order to help things move forwards more positively. So, I shall ask you again. Are you saying you want this organisation that you founded shut down?”
Lenore pondered her answers for a moment. Maybe it was worth hearing them out. Not just to save her own ass from jail but to see what they had in mind. “No,” she finally said. “I don’t want it shut down. It’s just a shock, that’s all. I didn’t expect the Council to back up Gregory’s work.”
“Mrs Kempe, let me reassure you that is not the case. The Department of Health relies on our werewolf numbers for nearly two percent of their mortality rates. That’s a lot of deaths that suddenly won’t happen if we shut The Red Riding Hoods down.”
“Ok,” said Katana. “So how will it work?”
“The elixir is keyed in to their deepest, darkest desires. We’re going back to the basics of why the very first werewolf was ever created. I’m sure that’s something you can get on board with, Mrs Kempe.”
Lenore paled. “What are you saying?”
“Think serial killers, rapists, paedophiles—they are our targets. We’re morally cleansing at the same time as controlling the population. It’s not like they give in to the craving of a chocolate bar and suddenly turn—that would be Gregory’s level.”
Katana smiled. “The scum of society being turned into werewolves that we can then hunt and kill? I’m game.”
Arald and Lenore laughed. Lenore sighed and nodded her head. “Ok, that sits well with us. When does this take place?”
“The elixir will start being fed into the water supply from tomorrow morning.”
“Excellent news,” Arald said. “Thank you, Councillor.”
“One last thing before we end today’s meeting. The trial was initially set to be next week, but we’ve brought it forwards to tomorrow. We’re very aware of how much everyone wants this to be over. We have all of our evidence so there’s no point in delaying it any longer.”
Katana’s heart dropped to her feet. A tremble of nerves took control of her body. She hadn’t been to see her parents since they’d been taken into custody. She couldn’t bring herself to admit that she was the cause of their current situation.
“Ok, thank you, Councillors,” Arald said. “What time?”
“Ten a.m. Please wear your official uniforms.”
The call ended.
Katana, Arald, and Lenore looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.
“Well, I guess we’re still in business at least,” Arald said.