As everyone inside the Anderson house was getting ready to start moving, Maggie Lawson pulled up outside. Though her husband told her she’d be safer at home, she was NOT about to let something else happen to her daughter. Not at the hands of another Bower.
Spencer, the only one downstairs, heard a car pull up. Spencer peeked out the window and was relived to see it was her mom. She opened the door, and Maggie immediately embraced her.
“Are you alright?” she asked, burying her face in her daughter’s furry shoulder.
“I’m okay right now Mom. But I won’t be if you break my spine.” Spencer said. Maggie released her, and looked at Spencer’s face.
“I’m just glad you’re okay.” she said with a tear running down her face.
“How’s Dad?” Spencer asked, at the home t more concerned about his welfare than her own. Despite their differences, he was still her dad.
“He’s fine. He’s got the guys to look after him. Derek sends his regards.” Maggie said smiling. Seeing as Evan’s brother was dead, Derek served as his best man at their wedding. He was a nice guy, didn’t have a family of his own yet. By all standards, he was young.
“That’s nice.” Spencer said as the Andersons came downstairs, and Samantha and Francis reentered the room. Samantha takes Maggie aside to tell her what’s what, while the others get ready to go.
There’s another knock at the door, and Officer Connor was soon inside the Anderson house. In his human form, he was much less threatening. He almost looked like an older version of Nate; short brown hair, hazel eyes, and on the short side for a man.
“The van is just around the corner. We’re keeping things on the smaller side. Besides myself, your brother Ms. Twist, Officer Carter, will be going with us. Three other officers, part of the Were team, will be stationed around your houses.” Connor said.
“Where should we go?” William asked.
“I’d suggest you come with us. Since the scent trail leads here then the attackers might try and track you. We’re doing our best of cover it, but better safe than sorry. Ms. Twist you are…”
“Going to Town Hall.”
“Then I’d say we’re all good to go. If things go well, we should have you back by dinner time!” Officer Connor said with a smile. Spencer, Maggie and the Andersons went into the garage to leave. But Connor pulled Samantha aside to tell her something.
“We’re coordinating with two of the SEALs in Evan Lawson’s platoon. He sent them back to the base to get things started. According to them, Evan ad the other three SEALs are getting ready to track Bower and his group.”
“God help them. How did Bower Sr. even get here? Martin said he put an eye on the airports, but they didn’t show up.”
“They drove like the madmen they are.”
“From Virginia? Even without traffic, that would take at least two days!” Samantha pointed out.
“No point in wondering how they got here. They just did. But I’m guessing they broke about half-a-dozen speed limits. The police in Virginia went to Bower’s place after Evan tipped them off. Apparently quite a few weapons are missing from the house, as is Bower’s Ford.”
“Let’s hope Evan and his friends find Bower before this turns into something worse. I don’t think we’re prepared for a fire fight.” Samantha said, glancing at her friends.
Eric and Spencer were standing close together, while Nate was asking Spencer all kinds of questions about her being a hybrid. Martha and William were talking to Maggie, no doubt about their two children and the blossoming relationship. A casual observer wouldn’t think anything strange or stressful about the scene.
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Somewhere in deep in the forest…
Evan, Derek, Peter Russo, and Ken Newman were running under the cover of the thick foliage. It was the day before Thanksgiving, so the park was technically closed. There wasn’t another soul for miles. The four werewolves shifted and started hunting Bower Sr. and company.
Evan knew his scent the best (it was only a bit different from Jeremy Bower’s). He took point, a the others flanking him. On their backs were bags carrying changes of clothing, and their weapons. Evan stopped them after a while.
“No word from base yet?” Evan asked.
“They’re still combing through footage. But they’re guessing Bower and his accomplices are going to approach from the north east. Last place they were spotted was a rest stop along i-90.” Derek said.
“Alright. The quickest way to Seattle is down i-90. Let’s keep going down, maybe we’ll get lucky and catch them as they’re coming into the city.” Evan said. He worried they would be too late. That Bower and his men had already made it past them, and were tearing his family and who knows who else to bits as he pushed himself to go faster.
This was one of those moments when Evan wished he was built like Spencer. She was born to run. He was built to tear people into tiny shreds. And e intended on doing just that if he found Bower’s father, and whatever company he had with him.
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Back to the moving party…
Samantha and Francis departed to their house to pack a bag for Ben, then head for Town Hall. Officer Carter said a quick hello to his sister before backing the van up to the garage door. The Andersons quickly piled in first, which smelled like cinnamon and maple syrup.
“Literally just poured cinnamon all over the floor, and emptied a few bottles of the sticky stuff into that.” Samson explained, pointing to a small bowl closer to the driver’s and passenger’s seats.
Spencer lay across the van, then her mother and Officer Connor got in last. Samson pulled out and drove like nothing was wrong. But there was something seriously wrong. Spencer peered out the back window and saw a werewolf come out of the woods near her house. A shiny police badge on his arm, he watched the van drive away before opening a bottle of something.
“Something to mask our scents,” Spencer thought, sitting back down. Her arm twinged a bit, but Spencer suppressed the pain. She was far too worried about her father to feel anything. Eric, who was sitting between Spencer and his brother, started idly petting his girlfriend’s fur.
“Girlfriend. Ya I guess she is my girlfriend at this point,” Eric thought happily. He noticed as he continued to stroke Spencer’s fur, her tail started to wag again. Spencer was staring off into space, not aware of what her body was doing. Eric couldn’t help but smile at that.
The ride to this “secure location” was quick. Ten minutes at most before Samson Carter said they were pulling into the garage. Connor waited until they stopped to open the doors. Spencer didn’t know where they were, but Nate did.
“The school?” Nate asked, as they clambered out of the van. They’d pulled into the garage the high school used for their mechanic classes.
“Ya. Best place to hide out. Security cameras at all entrances, and there’s zero chance they’d think to check here. Dragging everyone out to some cabin in the woods is just too predictable, and too overdone.” Officer Connor said.
Connor lead the group upstairs, and to what Eric, Spencer and Nate knew was the teacher’s lounge.
“I’ll be outside with Officer Carter. If you need anything just holler.” Connor said.