《Longshot》


 Prologue

    The loud rumbling of the truck keeps me awake, the constant jolts from the bumps in the road making the trip anything but pleasant. The forest surrounding us is dense, an ever constant reminder of just how isolated we are at the moment. I close my eyes, trying my best to expel the uneasy feeling resting on my shoulders. The mission briefing was straight forward: secure and destroy the suspected Sarin gas production facility. The truck comes to a stop and with a quick glance at everyone, I nod and gesture for them to get out of the truck before hopping out. After checking that the squad is ready, we don night vision goggles and get moving, making our way into the forest towards the direction of the building, a rather old warehouse built in the ¡®60s for a nearby decommissioned lumber mill.


    ¡°Phoenix Team, be advised, we are seeing ten signatures outside of the building.¡±


    I key my radio. ¡°Phoenix Lead copies.¡±


    I gesture for my squad-mates to follow before moving deeper into the forest. Even with the night vision goggles, we continue to move slowly, carefully choosing our next steps across the uneven terrain. A snapping branch makes us stop suddenly. I shoulder my rifle, looking towards the source of the sound. Time seems to stand still as I strain my ears, listening for additional noise. The wind is not in my favor, blowing upwind, carrying any possible scents away from the group. Not hearing any further noise, we continue to make our way up a slight hill, more alert than ever. We reach the top of the hill without any issue, being greeted by an excellent view of the facility.


    ¡°Phoenix Lead, we have eyes on the facility.¡± I speak into the radio. A few meters to my right, two of my squadmates settle onto the ground, one setting his weapon, a powerful sniper rifle, onto the ground, supported by a bi-pod. The other settles on the ground, pulling out a range finder.


    ¡°Roger. Power cut in ten minutes.¡± Is the response from command. I check my watch, making note of the time.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± I nod at the six other members of my squad. I look at the sniper. ¡°Keep us updated Kaiden, yea?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± He grunts. ¡°When have I not?¡±


    ¡°You barely remembered to polish your boots in training.¡± Marie, his spotter, remarks in a joking tone. He responds with grumbling while settling down on his stomach. I lead the others down the slope, nearly slipping a few times and just barely saving myself from tumbling down the hill. We reach the chain-link fence surrounding the property. I gesture to a squadmate, who pulls the bolt cutters from his backpack and cuts into the fence, forming a hole big enough for us to crouch through. I glance at my watch. Thirty seconds. As promised, ten minutes after going down the hill, the brightly lit grounds are bathed in darkness, eliciting surprised shouts from the terrorists. We quietly crawl through the hole, using the darkness to quickly run over to a nearby truck trailer.


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    ¡°Get the back up generator running!¡± A voice shouts from nearby.


    ¡°Johnathan, that connard, is already on it.¡± Someone else grumbles.


    I peak around the corner and see two men standing a no more than six meters away, sub-machine guns in their hands. I look back at the squad, informing them of the two enemies with hand gestures. I gesture for Eric, a short, stocky Frenchman, to help. Together, we peak around the corner again, raise our rifles, and gently squeeze the triggers. A muffled crack is the only sound our guns make before the two terrorists collapse to the floor, bleeding from their heads. The two of us quickly make our way over to the two bodies, dragging them into a dark corner, light mostly obscured by a catwalk above us. Creaking metal makes us freeze in place.


    ¡°Lead, this is Archer One, there¡¯s a sentry on the catwalk.¡± Kaiden says as I look up.


    ¡°Take the shot Archer One.¡± I murmur. I watch as the guard lights a smoke, taking a long drag as he stares out towards the other end of the facility. As he lets out a puff of smoke, his head snaps forward, body pitching forward and over the railing, landing on the floor in front of us with an audible thump. I wince, but lunge forward, grabbing the body and dragging it into the darkness.


    ¡°Confirmed kill.¡± Eric mutters into the radio. The two of us move to the double door, marked by a faded ¡°Employees Only¡±.


    ¡°Phoenix, form up on me. Archer, take care of the rest out here.¡± I order as I crouch next to the door. I nod at Eric, who carefully tries the door knob. He shakes his head, silently letting me know that it¡¯s locked. The rest of the squad splits up and take cover against the wall on either side of the door, watching our surroundings carefully.


    ¡°Archer copies.¡±


    I gesture to Eric to pick the lock. He extracts the lock pick from his pack and kneels in front the door, gently probing the keyhole. After a moment or two, the lock clicks quietly and Eric gives a thumbs up.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move in. Check your corners.¡± I murmur, getting confirmations from the rest of my squad. The point man gently pushes the door open with his shotgun at the ready. We file in behind him and begin clearing the warehouse.


    * * * *


    ¡°Hope this isn¡¯t your favorite shirt.¡± The medic jokes, cutting open Eric¡¯s t-shirt. The soldier in question rolls his eyes, remaining still as his wound gets patched up.


    I chuckle at his disdain. ¡°You should¡¯ve checked your corners.¡±


    ¡°Ah, tais-toi Matt. How was I supposed to know there was some fucker in that corner?¡± He protests in his thick accent. (Shut up)


    ¡°I thought not checking corners was Kaiden¡¯s thing.¡± Marie jokes as she arrives, her partner scowling as he catches her words.


    ¡°Again, that was a one time thing.¡± The brown-haired man complains.


    Jordan, the explosives specialist with my squad, arrives, ending our banter. ¡°Explosive charges are in place Matt. This place won¡¯t be making Sarin for much longer.¡± He grins. ¡°Thermite is one helluva powder.¡±


    I nod as the trucks we arrived in pull up. ¡°Alright everyone, pack it up. Let¡¯s go home. Jordan, hit it.¡±


    Jordan nods and clicks his detonator as everyone climbs into the back of the trucks. It¡¯s quiet for a moment before a brilliant orange glow fills the windows. A muffled hissing can be heard from the building as the thermite powder consumes the materials stored inside. A loud explosion tears the through the building as flames burst through the windows, the heat from the pyrotechnic powder shattering the glass. The trucks start driving as the wooden structure groans for a moment, the exterior seeming to sag before it collapses. Smoke and fire consume the rubble as another explosion throws debris into the air.


    ¡°Overlord, this is Phoenix Lead, the Sarin facility is neutralized.¡± I inform my superiors.


    ¡°Roger that Phoenix Lead. Report back to base.¡±

 Chapter One

    ¡°Thank you for choosing Kazair, Kasmar¡¯s national flag carrier. We hope you¡¯ll enjoy your time here in Brairwood.¡± The flight attendant continues the usual spiel as the aircraft, a seemingly ancient Boeing 737-500, pulls into the parking stand. ¡°We kindly ask that you remain seated until the disabled and elderly disembark the aircraft first.¡±


    The aircraft jerks to a stop and the engines are shut down, the rumbling fading away as they spool down. After a minute or two, the seatbelt signs are turned off with a chime and the doors are opened. Thankfully, the flight is mostly empty, being a red-eye flight from Oakridge, across the strait. I unbuckle my seatbelt, standing up and stretching with a groan. I look down at Kaiden, who is still asleep, surprisingly. With a sigh, I shake his shoulder.


    ¡°Wake up Kaiden.¡±


    He groans, shifting a little.


    I glance behind me at Eric, who has an amused grin on his face. ¡°Kaiden. We¡¯ve landed.¡±


    His eyes open slowly, gaze glazed over with exhaustion. ¡°Hmm?¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°Yea, wake up. We need to go home.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± He stands up slowly while I extract my duffel bag from the overhead bin. I hand him his and we make our way down the aisle, offering thanks to the flight attendant next to the door, who returns a tired smile. We carefully make our way down the narrow metal stairs attached to the aircraft. The cold air nips at my exposed arms as we walk across the tarmac to the terminal building, yet the wind blowing across the airport is a nice relief from the stuffy interior of the aircraft. We quickly hurry though the terminal and drop by baggage claim, picking up our remaining luggage - in my case, another duffel bag. My phone rings and I hurry to answer it while we walk towards an exit.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m outside Matt.¡± Theo¡¯s voice brings a small smile to my face. We step into the cold night once more. I look up at the sign above us.


    ¡°We¡¯re at exit four.¡±


    The voice on the phone grunts. ¡°Alright.¡± The call ends and a moment later, a familiar car pulls up. The three of us head over to the car and pop the trunk, throwing our bags into the hold before climbing into the car.


    ¡°Hi Dad.¡± The seventeen year old in the driver¡¯s seat gives me a cheeky grin. His hair is messy, as if he had just rolled out of bed. I roll my eyes while the other two chuckle.


    ¡°How have you been Theo?¡± Kaiden asks from the back.


    Theo shrugs as he navigates the car through the one-way roads. ¡°I¡¯ve been alright. School is a bit- Fuck!¡± He slams on the breaks as a car cuts across in front of us, speeding down the on-ramp recklessly. Theo lets out a few more curse words much to our amusement as he resumes driving.


    ¡°Calme-toi un peu.¡± Eric laughs. (Relax a little)


    ¡°Tais-toi,¡± Theo mutters, much to the man¡¯s amusement. (Shut up)


    I reach over and fiddle with the radio. After a few minutes of it, Kaiden groans with annoyance.


    ¡°Just hand me the aux cord.¡± He complains. I cock an eyebrow at him, but comply. He plugs it into his phone and scrolls for a moment before settling down on a song. The familiar beat of an old classic rock song fills the car as everyone settles down for the ride home.


    * * * *


    A gentle shaking awakens me from my slumber. ¡°Dad, wake up.¡±


    ¡°Go away.¡± I mutter, turning away from Theo.


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    ¡°We¡¯re home.¡±


    That gets me to open my eyes slowly and look around. Eric and Kaiden are already moving their luggage inside the small two story house. The exterior is a mix of brick and white wood, clearly inspired by detached houses in the United Kingdom and contemporary suburban homes in the United States. It did make some sense though, considering the North Island was initially colonized by the British. Only after the Second World War had the South Island fallen under Kasmar¡¯s control.


    ¡°Give me a moment.¡± I motion to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    Theo nods and heads inside. I rub my eyes before collecting my stuff and making sure the car is locked. Walking up the steps of the house, I stop at the front door and turn around, looking around. The street we live on hasn¡¯t changed much since the last time I was home six months ago. It¡¯s a nice change of pace from the hustle and bustle of military bases. Serene and peaceful. Picturesque. Some of the houses are small one stories built in the 60s, stylized after the American mid-century suburban houses of the time. Others are similar to ours. But each house has a neat, well-groomed lawn with various amounts of work. A rose garden, simple hedges, a few trees - the street has plenty of variety. I take a deep breath before entering the entry way and closing the door, locking it behind me. Half the entryway is taken up by wooden stairs heading up to the second floor where all the bedrooms are located. Straight ahead is the living room, containing a large TV, a well-used game console, and two white couches. To the left is the kitchen, fitted with granite counter tops and fairly new stainless steel appliances. In the corner of the house between the living room and kitchen is the dining room. The right side of the house is dominated by the garage and a bathroom.


    I head up the stairs and walk down to my room at the end of the hall. I open the door and flip the light switch, bathing the bedroom in a soft yellow light. I frown. I need to change that bulb. The room looks the same as I when I had left. A clean room with a black-framed queen bed in the back corner of the room, accompanied by a matching end table. There¡¯s a dresser and a small shelving unit filled with boxes of small items and souvenirs. On the opposite side of the room, a desk piled with books and a computer fill the space with a bookshelf right next to it.


    I sigh as I drop off my bags next to my bed. I¡¯ll unpack everything later¡­ I change into a large t-shirt and comfortable shorts and walk over to Theo¡¯s room. Kaiden¡¯s door is closed while Eric is busy unpacking - as expected. I peak into Theo¡¯s room. He¡¯s lying on his bed, scrolling through his phone. I gently knock on the door, drawing his attention. ¡°Can I come in?¡±


    He nods and sits up. I sit down on his bed, looking around. A few more posters have been added since. Evidently, I¡¯m taking too long because he impatiently grumbles, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he whines, drawing out the end of ¡®fine.¡¯ I offer a sad smile. I remember as if it had happened yesterday - waking up to Theo screaming in the midst of a night terror. It always took a while to calm him down, but over the years, it seems to have calmed down for the most part.


    ¡°Marie taking good care of you?¡±


    He nods. ¡°She checked on me weekly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± I look up at the ceiling. ¡°Any cool house parties while we were gone?¡±


    ¡°Just with friends.¡± He admits.


    ¡°Any alcohol?¡± My gaze returns to the teen, who awkwardly avoids it.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I laugh at him. ¡°Just as long as it was responsible drinking and no one went home while drunk.¡± I lift a questioning eyebrow. ¡°Did anyone drive home drunk?¡±


    He shakes his head. ¡°Nah, I didn¡¯t let them. Besides, it¡¯s usually nothing hard - just a few beers or something.¡±


    I nod in approval. ¡°At least you¡¯re sensible.¡± I tease.


    He rolls his eyes, an amused smile on his face. ¡°You expect me not to be? After having to deal with your drunk ass?¡±


    It¡¯s my turn to roll my eyes. ¡°That was once.¡±


    ¡°One time too many.¡±


    I chuckle and check my watch. 01:33. I pat his leg. ¡°You should get some sleep. You still have school tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, it hasn¡¯t even been an hour since we got home and you¡¯re already nagging.¡± He complains.


    ¡°As a guardian should.¡± I joke. The brown-haired boy just rolls over with an exaggerated huff. I can¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Alright, good night.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    I get up and turn off the light on my way out, gently closing his door.


    ¡°Est-ce qu¡¯il va bien?¡± (Is he alright?)


    I look at Eric, who is in his doorway and staring at me with curiosity. I nod. ¡°Oui.¡± (Yes.)


    ¡°C¡¯est bon.¡± He rubs his eyes, obviously tired from the flight as well. ¡°Je vais dormir maintenant. Bonne nuit.¡± (That¡¯s good. I¡¯m going to sleep now. Good night)


    I nod and bid good night before retiring to my own room, climbing into bed, drifting off to sleep, the traveling-induced exhaustion rearing it¡¯s head once more.


    * * * *


    Waking up to cold sweats was definitely not part of the plan, considering it¡¯s the first night home. Yet, it¡¯s the situation I am in. My heart is still pounding as I try to reign in my breathing. The door opens and I flinch.


    ¡°Matthew? Tout va bien?¡± Eric¡¯s slow, concerned voice calms me down. (Are you okay?)


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± I take a deep breath, exhaling slowly. ¡°I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡± His thick French accent makes it slightly difficult to understand. He enters the room. ¡°T¡¯es s?r?¡± His eyes roam over my form. ¡°Tu es tremp¨¦.¡± (Are you sure? You¡¯re soaked.)


    I nod, but don¡¯t say anything. My heart rate has returned to normal by now. ¡°Je vais bien. Promis.¡± (I¡¯m okay. Promise).


    A frown etches itself onto his face. With a sigh and a shake of a head, he enters my room and closes the door behind him. He rolls the office chair from my desk to the side of my bed, settling down into it. He leans forward a little. ¡°Do you want to talk about it?¡±


    ¡°What are you? My therapist?¡± I laugh a little too forcibly.


    He answers with an unamused gaze.


    I shake my head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡± About the bullying. My hand clenches into a fist. Pack means family. Ha, as if. Those assholes.


    ¡°Hey.¡± I look up at Eric''s words. ¡°Go back to sleep. I¡¯ll be here.¡± He settles back in the chair, propping his feet on my bed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay.¡± I mumble, shifting so I¡¯m lying on my side. I stare at him and he shakes his head.


    ¡°Bonne nuit.¡± (Good night.)


    After a minute or two of staring at each other, I give up and down look at the bed. ¡°You don¡¯t have to sleep in the chair you know.¡±


    He grins. ¡°Oui, I know. Tu bouges beaucoup, donc je passe.¡± (You move around a lot, so I¡¯ll pass.)


    I roll over. ¡°Je ne bouge pas beaucoup.¡± (I don¡¯t move around that much.)


    He laughs and silence falls between us. As much as I refused, his presence offers me comfort and I find myself falling back into the embrace of sleep fairly quickly.


    ¡°Thanks.¡± I mumble, falling asleep before he even replies.

 Chapter Two

    I let out a loud groan as I turn my body, pulling my blanket further up to block the sunlight bathing my room. I should¡¯ve closed those blinds. After a moment of soaking up the warmth of my bed, I open an eye. Eric¡¯s gone and the chair is back in it¡¯s proper place. My phone pings, making me sit up. Weariness seeps into my bones as I pick it up from the bedside table. It lights up, the single notification being for an e-mail informing me that my ID badge is at the reception desk. The clock reads 07:34. Too early¡­ There¡¯s a knock at my door. My gaze travels to the door as it slowly opens. Theo pops his head in.


    ¡°Matt, can you drive me to school?¡±


    I frown at the teen. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Do I need a reason?¡± He rolls his eyes. ¡°Come on, be a good guardian. Besides, it¡¯s your first day of work.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not even for another two hours.¡± I sigh and sit up, throwing my blankets off to the side. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll meet you at the car.¡± I grumble.


    He lets out a quiet cheer and runs down the stairs. I head to the bathroom, noting Kaiden¡¯s door is closed. Eric¡¯s door is not fully closed while Theo¡¯s has been left wide open. After brushing my teeth and washing my face, I quickly change into a t-shirt and jeans. I glance at my closet again, eying the burgundy hoodie adored with the logo of a nearby national park - a moose standing on a rock, which sticks through the middle of a ring with the words ¡°Georgetown National Park¡±. After a second of indecision, I grab it and shrug it on, finding comfort in the one-size-too-large sweatshirt.


    I head downstairs, pausing to grab my wallet before heading out the door. Theo is huddled in the car, sheltering from the cold winter air. The car shifts as I get in. Theo hands me the keys and the car sputters to life as I start the engine.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get you to school I suppose.¡±


    Theo nods as he reaches over to the console and turns on the heaters, flinching as he¡¯s blasted by a stream of cold air that slowly warms up.


    I shake my head with amusement. ¡°Should¡¯ve started up the car while waiting.¡±


    He mutters a few choice words as we drive to the school, much to my amusement. The drive is short with the radio filling the otherwise quiet car. We pull into the drop-off zone in front of the school.


    ¡°Thanks Dad.¡± Theo unbuckles his seatbelt as I reach over and ruffle his hair.


    ¡°No problem kiddo.¡±


    He groans with mock annoyance. ¡°Stop it old man.¡± He scrambles out of the car and closes the door, waving goodbye with a small smile on his face.


    I return his wave and watch as he walks down the path towards the front of the school, stopping to talk with some other students near the door. I pull away from the curb and drive down the road.


    My stomach grumbles and I sigh, checking my watch. 7:53. ¡°Guess I should eat¡­¡± I mumble to myself, navigating my way to a nearby diner. It¡¯s a nice little building, having been built recently. The bottom half of the walls are made of brick, with the upper half a white plaster. Several large floor-to-ceiling windows reveal the interior of the building, filled with several tables and chairs, along with a long bar facing the kitchen window. There¡¯s a few customers in the diner already. I get out of the car and lock the door before hastily entering the building to escape the cold. The bell on the door rings as it¡¯s jostled. A familiar red-head pops around the corner. ¡°Matt! Long time no see.¡±


    I offer a grin as I sit down at the bar. ¡°Hey Marie. How have you been?¡±


    She shrugs as she walks over with a menu, notepad, and pen. ¡°Same old, same old. What can I get you?¡± She slides the menu in front of me.


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    I glance at the menu. ¡°Think I can get a steak this early?¡±


    She rolls her eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll ask, but I don¡¯t think you will.¡±


    ¡°Come on, for an old friend?¡± I tease.


    ¡°Yea, now it¡¯s a definite no.¡± She replies dryly, amused smile on her face.


    I laugh and gesture at the menu. ¡°Can I just have the ham and eggs benedict with hashbrowns on the side?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Anything to drink?¡±


    ¡°A coffee, thanks.¡±


    She nods and tears the ticket out of her book and slides it over to the chef. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back with your coffee.¡± She grabs the menu and disappears into the kitchen through a set of swinging doors. I glance around the restaurant, taking in the wooden chairs and the matching wooden tables scattered about the room. There¡¯s enough seats to comfortably fit forty or so patrons.


    A mug sliding across the bar top grabs my attention. Marie grins at me. ¡°Liking the place?¡±


    I nod. ¡°You and Jordan have really outdone yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Yea, it was a lot of blood sweat and tears poured into this place.¡± She leans on her elbows. ¡°How was the flight back?¡±


    I shrug. ¡°It was alright. Kaden was actually quiet for once.¡±


    She snorts. ¡°Yea, I bet. Red eyes suck for anyone but him.¡±


    I wrap my hands around the mug of coffee, savoring the warmth of the ceramic. ¡°Anything new?¡±


    ¡°Well, the council is discussing with surrounding packs.¡±


    I look up in surprise. ¡°What?¡± There¡¯s a sinking feeling settling at the bottom of my stomach. ¡°You¡¯re joking.¡±


    She shakes her head. ¡°I wish I was, but the council is under a lot of strain right now.¡± She sighs. ¡°People are leaving Matt. That¡¯s leaving us in a vulnerable position. That¡¯s just how a small shifter town is I suppose.¡±


    ¡°So-¡± There¡¯s an edge to my voice. ¡°- we¡¯re just going to hand our land over to a pack? What about the people? Where will we go?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re discussing integration.¡± She turns around as a chef rings the kitchen bell. She grabs the plate of eggs benedict and deposits it in front of me.


    I bite the inside of my cheek, no longer feeling hungry. ¡°Do we know which packs at least?¡±


    There¡¯s a battle inside her, a conflicted expression on her face. ¡°Well, it¡¯s most of the surrounding packs. Including-¡±


    ¡°Nattedyr.¡± I finish her sentence with a quiet breath. ¡°Christ.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for the best.¡± There¡¯s a small, reassuring smile on her face. I groan and run my hands through my hair.


    ¡°That pack isn¡¯t prone to change though,¡± I argue.


    ¡°That was almost thirteen years ago. You haven¡¯t seen them since.¡± Marie sighs. ¡°Besides, from what I¡¯ve heard, Nattedyr and the two other large packs are only going to supervising the whole negotiation between us and the smaller packs.¡± The door chime goes off again, drawing her attention. ¡°Finish your food. Don¡¯t want to be late on your first day.¡± She grins at me before hurrying to attend to the new customer. My eyes track her as she moves across the room gracefully before my gaze slides to my cup of coffee, which is now cold. With a glance at my watch, I quickly start shoveling the food in my mouth before paying my bill and leaving to return to the school.


    * * * *


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened!¡± The teacher, an older woman, is distressed. ¡°I was getting my lesson ready this morning when it just froze and restarted.¡±


    She leads me over to her desk in the front corner of the room, next to the whiteboard occupying the wall at the front of the class. The bright red background with a message on a white box on the center of the monitor catches my attention.


    ¡°Oh.¡± I can¡¯t stop myself from reacting. ¡°Hmm, this is not good.¡±


    ¡°Can you fix it?¡± She asks, slight desperation in her voice.


    I shake my head. ¡°Unfortunately, this isn¡¯t fixable. Did you save all your files on the school network?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Not all of it.¡±


    I grimace. ¡°That¡¯s a problem that we can¡¯t fix. What were you doing when it happened?¡±


    ¡°I was checking my e-mail.¡± She frowns. ¡°I think right before it broke, I was trying to open this document that was in an e-mail from my bank or something.¡±


    I blink owlishly at her, mind trying to comprehend what she just told me. ¡°Was this your school e-mail?¡±


    She nods and then stops with realization in her eyes. ¡°That¡­ That wasn¡¯t a real e-mail, was it?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°It was, but the file-¡± I gesture to the computer. ¡°- was a virus. I¡¯ll have to delete all the files on the computer.¡± I offer a small smile. ¡°At least you¡¯ll be able to use your computer by tomorrow.¡±


    She nods with a frown. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s what I get for not being cautious enough. Thanks so much for taking the time to explain it to me though.¡±


    I nod. ¡°No problem.¡±


    The bell rings and students start flooding into the room and taking their seats. The teacher clears her throat as the students find their places. ¡°Today¡¯s schedule is going to be a little different than from what the board says since I¡¯m having computer issues.¡± She offers a smile. ¡°But, we¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get to it.¡±


    While she continues on with teaching her class, I pull a USB stick from my bag and plug it into the computer after restarting it. I sigh quietly. This is going to be a long process.


    * * * *


    ¡°Matt!¡± Someone jumps onto my back, making me grunt as I shift my weight to avoid falling over.


    ¡°Theo.¡± I chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t you have class?¡±


    ¡°I have lunch.¡± The teen says, hopping down. ¡°And then study period.¡±


    ¡°Mmm, lucky you.¡± I grumble, stopping in front of a storage closet. I dig through the keys hanging off my lanyard before finding the right one and unlocking the door. ¡°What do you need?¡± I cock a questioning eyebrow at the teen. There¡¯s a shit-eating grin on his face.


    ¡°Can I have $20?¡±


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°I want to go to the movies with my friends.¡±


    I sigh and dig my wallet out of my pocket. ¡°Here,¡± I say, handing him two twenties. ¡°At least get some popcorn or something too while you¡¯re there.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Dad!¡± He wraps his arms around me in a hug before dashing off, most likely to tell his friends of the news. I turn back to the storage room with a small smile on my face and head in, digging around till I found what I needed - a projector, albeit an older model than the ones that currently occupy the classrooms. I place the projector on the cart in the room and retrieve a few cables before rolling it all into the hallway, closing the door behind me. It¡¯s a miracle the projector didn¡¯t hit any kids.

 Chapter Three

    ¡°-and I told him to fuck off with that dumb excuse.¡± One of my colleagues, whose name I¡¯ve forgotten, says with a chuckle. I glance at my watch, eying the time as if I¡¯m still a student waiting for class to end. ¡°Oh, he was not happy with that. The guy demanded to see my manager and everything.¡± The older man has an amused gleam in his eye as he retells his ¡°Karen¡± story.


    My supervisor, Rick, rolls his eyes. ¡°This has to be the fifth time I¡¯ve heard this story Gary.¡±


    ¡°Third time!¡± The other man protests with a grin. ¡°I keep track of it. Usually.¡± He turns his gaze to me. ¡°So, Matthew, how has your first day been?¡±


    I shrug. ¡°Not too bad. Besides having to deal with ransomware and a projector falling from the ceiling, nothing to write home about.¡±


    Gary gawks. ¡°My first day was nothing like that!¡±


    Rick snorts. ¡°Well, you were also hired before the school bought laptops for school use. And way before they even added wifi.¡±


    Gary waves a hand dismissively. ¡°Details, details. Back then, I had to help teachers fix problems with spreadsheets or something.¡±


    I laugh. ¡°When was that? The ¡®90s?¡±


    ¡°Ah, so the newbie does have humor!¡± Gary claims with a loud shout, jumping up with a grin. ¡°But no, this was like, 2006. They still used overhead projectors to teach.¡±


    ¡°You mean the ancient stuff that¡¯s in the closet next to A wing?¡± I cock an eyebrow in curiosity.


    Gary nods. ¡°Yep! Printed on the transparencys and everything!¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen one in ages.¡± I laugh.


    Rick groans. ¡°Don¡¯t even get him started, the damned dinosaur.¡±


    ¡°Hey, if I didn¡¯t reject my promotions, I¡¯d be where you are right now.¡± He crosses his arms and pouts like a child.


    I shake my head in amusement while standing up. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to go clock out now. Theo¡¯s not going to be happy if I forget to go grocery shopping.¡±


    ¡°Alright, see you tomorrow!¡± Gary waves goodbye as his computer pings, drawing his attention.


    ¡°Bye Matt.¡± Rick smiles at me, waving as well. ¡°Drive safe.¡±


    I roll my eyes as I walk to the clock in/out machine. ¡°I doubt people even go eighty down Main.¡± I tap my ID against the RFID pad, which beeps. I tap the screen next to the scanner and it responds, letting me know that I¡¯ve clocked out at 12:04. Bidding goodbye again, I leave the room and walk down the empty locker-lined hallway. Exiting the building, the sunlight warms my skin - a contrast to the cold temperatures inside the school building. The walk to my car in the staff parking lot is relatively quick, given the small size of the lot. I get into the vehicle and check my phone quickly before storing it in the cup-holder in the center console. I start up the car and back out of the parking space before driving down the, unsurprisingly, empty main road to the grocery store.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    * * * *


    ¡°Matthew!¡±


    I look up at the elderly man calling my name. He¡¯s a short man, being 5¡¯5¡± with white hair and deep wrinkles around his eyes. A cane is hooked on the handle of the shopping trolley that he¡¯s pushing, some of his weight settled onto the handle bar of the metal cart.


    ¡°Marvin,¡± I reply brightly. ¡°Long time no see.¡±


    ¡°Indeed! When did you get back?¡± Marvin asks with a warm smile. He pulls me into a tight hug for a second before separating.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again Marvin.¡± I return his smile. ¡°I flew in last night. Red-eye.¡±


    ¡°Are you finally out of the military?¡±


    I nod. ¡°Yep! I¡¯m working at the school now, actually.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ve heard!¡± He sighs. ¡°It feels like only yesterday, you were the new arrival with Theo in tow.¡±


    I chuckle. ¡°Eight years sure does fly by, doesn¡¯t it.¡±


    ¡°It truly does.¡± His eyes have a far-away look. ¡°The council housing got torn down two or three years ago.¡±


    ¡°Yea, Theo mentioned that.¡± A small smile works its way onto my face. ¡°It¡¯ll always hold a place in my heart.¡± Multi-family housing units are uncommon in town - even more so when we had first arrived. At the time, the only apartment in town was owned by the local government, offering extremely cheap rent to low-income families and individuals. It was also used, unbeknown to the few unsuspecting humans in town, to temporarily house wolves who had fallen on rough times. Those wolves would eventually either settle down in town or continue on their journey.


    Marvin nods. ¡°Of course. By the way, the missus would probably like you to report for dinner.¡± He grins. ¡°All four of you.¡±


    ¡°Aww, you¡¯re just causing trouble,¡± I joke. ¡°Theo might be at the movies tonight, so we probably won¡¯t be seeing him.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the joys of being young.¡± His eyes take on a far-away look for a split second. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve got to go. Can¡¯t keep the missus waiting.¡± He puts out his hand. ¡°Was nice seeing you again. I¡¯ll see you all - minus Theo - at six.¡±


    I laugh. ¡°It was nice seeing you too Marvin.¡± I shake his hand and he leaves. I turn back to the shelves, debating over what cereal to buy.


    * * * *


    I carefully pull the car over, parking on the side of the street. Taking a deep breath, I look at others with a small smile. ¡°Let¡¯s get this party started.¡±


    Eric rolls his eyes while everyone gets out of the car. A cold winter wind whips down the road, making me shiver and wish I brought a thicker jacket. Snow gently drifts from the sky, blanketing the ground in a thin layer of white fluff. We walk up the stone path leading up to a small cottage. It¡¯s a quaint structure, being a single story and built out of wood and brick. A brick chimney rises from the roof, smoke puffing from it. Light spills from the large bay window overlooking the living room. Stopping before the door, I grasp the frigid door knocker and give three firm knocks.


    ¡°Marvin, get the door!¡± is the muffled response with shuffling before the door swings open, revealing Marvin, still in his clothes from earlier in the day.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the squad!¡± The elder cheers, a teasing smile on his face.


    ¡°Aww, shut it old man.¡± Kaiden says jokingly, pushing past me to wrap him in a big hug. There¡¯s laughter as Marvin tries to push Kaiden away.


    ¡°Marvin.¡± Eric grunts with a nod.


    ¡°Eric! Quick, m¡¯aide!¡± Marvin says with a groan. Eric cracks a smile as he reaches over and pulls the man out of Kaidens¡¯ grasp and into his own quick hug - much to Kaiden¡¯s complaints. (Help!)


    I pat Marvin on the back with a chuckle. ¡°Should¡¯ve known Kaiden was going to do that to you.¡±


    ¡°KAIDEN!¡± Thelma barrels from the kitchen, wrapping her arms around the brunette and almost knocking him over. Kaiden yelps, barely stabilizing himself as he returns her hug.


    ¡°Have mercy Thelms.¡± The man pleads, breaking free with a laugh.


    Her husband ushers everyone inside, loudly proclaiming, ¡°That¡¯s karma for you!¡±


    The inside of the cottage is blessedly warm. Stepping into the house, the clutter of the living room fills my view, pictures of their family lining the walls and other knick-knacks on the tables and in the display cabinet on the far-side of the room, next to the two doors leading to the bedroom and bathroom. To the left of the front door is the kitchen, the sink filled with pots and pans and a dining table covered with food, ready to be served family style. It isn¡¯t long before we¡¯re all settled at the table, loudly talking and piling food onto our plates.


    ¡°So, Matt,¡± Thelma starts, patting my hand. I sit on her left, Marvin on her right, and Kaiden and Eric across from us. ¡°How have you been?¡±


    I shrug, getting a light, reprimanding smack on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy. I started my job today. Nothing special.¡±


    ¡°So, I heard that some pack was coming over.¡± Eric mentions, staring at me. I return his gaze, cocking an eyebrow.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Marvin laughs awkwardly. ¡°Where¡¯d you hear that?¡±


    ¡°Les personnes.¡± (People.)


    Marvin sighs. ¡°Well, I guess it was bound to come up eventually. The town¡¯s been growing a lot recently and that caught the attention of the packs. First it was one or two of the smaller packs, but we worked out those. Then it was¡­ Errmm. Who was it¡­¡± He pauses, thinking hard.


    ¡°The Lunar Fang Pack.¡± Themla offers with a gentle smile. I groan. Hard to forget a name that generic. Though, a fairly nice bunch.


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s the one.¡± Marvin returns a loving smile to his wife, clasping her hand in his. ¡°Anyways, they brought up their concerns with the council instead of bothering to talk to us. The council approached us with two options: either we disband as a village and absorb into a pack or agree to be run under the packs as a neutral zone.¡± He snorts. ¡°Assholes.¡±


    ¡°What other packs are attending?¡± Curiosity grips me, along with an uneasy tingle, slithering down my back.


    ¡°Well, Luna Fang, obviously, Democratic Crescent Moon Pack, and¡­¡± Marvin takes a deep breath. ¡°The Nattedyr Pack.¡±