Monday 10am Eastern Standard Time in New York; at Knight Industry’s headquarters. Benton’s business partner a non-were with a balding head and a spread that makes him at risk for a stroke at his age was monitoring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Nervous at the rumors he heard all through the weekend; he observes as blocks of stock for Knight industries is being bought up by several traders and consortiums, he looks at the phone in dread. Benton’s partner has to call up the one man he dreads.
7am Pacific Time in Moon Lake; Benton has been up for an hour drinking coffee. Having a fitful night’s sleep after the injuries his wife sustained from her Hookworm infection and recently being diagnosed with Bi-Polar Disorder, Benton was silently watching his daughter eat cereal as she is about to start her day for school. His phone rings; seeing it’s his partner in New York, he answers.
“What’s the emergency,” Benton almost barks.
“Someone is buying up Knight Industries’ stock as if it was a going out of business sale at Macy’s,” The partner nervously responds.
“What about the voting stock,” Benton fully awake; “What subsidiaries are being bought up.”
The partner gives Benton a list of what is being bought up; it takes the were-panther a second to figure out who might be behind it.
“Jack or Joseph Crawford,” Benton grumbles.
“Who,” the business partner asks; “who are they?”
“Gnats,” Benton dismissing the question; “get on the phone with those selling their stocks. Make sure to remind them that I have first right of refusal if they are selling their voting stock. Make it clear that since they are selling their stock, they are selling to me.”
“Alright,” the partner answers; “When are you making your way back to New York? The board has questions. Questions they demand you answer.”
“Not for a while,” Benton grumbles; looking at his daughter as she sees her father still in his fursona talking on the phone. “I have a minor medical issue that needs addressing. Suffice to say, it is best that I deal with this for the sake of my health and for my family.”
“But what do I say to the board,” Benton’s partner pleads.
“Tell them that I have the first right of refusal to their voting stock if they so much as try to oust me,” Benton hangs up. Looking at his daughter; “hurry up and finish getting ready. You don’t want to be late for school.”
“Can I drive the car father,” Frieda grinning.
Benton laughs, “The day you drive my Lamborghini Venona, is the day hell freezes over and the devil gives free sleigh rides.”
“So in two years then,” Frieda getting up; before her father can respond, she stick out her tongue and runs out of the kitchen.
It takes a moment for Benton to register that comment; he shudders at the thought of his daughter with a driver’s license driving his multi-million dollar car. “She better be happy with a BMW or a Rolls Royce,” Benton is shaking his head; “because no force on this planet will get her behind the wheel of my Lamborghini.” Looking back at the phone in his paw; Benton dials a number he thought he would never have to use. Calling it he gets no response but a voice mail; Benton grinning, because he didn’t want to talk to the person just leaves a message.
‘You may have caught me with my pants down Jack or Joseph; either Crawford makes no difference. By the end of the day you may be a shareholder in Knight Industries; but when it comes to the voting stock; that will forever be out of your gasping paws. Oh and good luck trying to wrest control of Crawford Computers, I’ve made sure that will forever be out of your reach. And one more thing as of now you are expelled from the were-panther pride here in Moon Lake; since you failed to show up for the last gathering your membership is revoked.’
Benton hangs up; whether it was the medicine he was taking to combat his bi-polar disorder, or the heady feeling he gets when he torpedoes a foe’s plan right in front of them, Benton was in a good mood for a change. Smiling, he head to his dressing room to de-fur and put on a suit.
*****
Eric Anderson a fourteen year old boy would became a were-panther was sitting in the back seat of his brother’s car; Nate Anderson a sixteen year old werewolf was driving the vehicle. Ever since this morning, Nate has been silent; barely uttering more than monosyllable to the questions he was asked. Nate had Liv Robinson and Jean Talbot on the mind. Two extremely sexually active weres that he had his very first three-way last Friday; Nate had the same nightmare he had the last time; where he was rutting with one as they morphed into another. Each telling him too choose between the two; morphing into Kenya Adaeze as he is about to climax. Nate was wondering if this was one of those prophecy dreams he heard of; unsure of who to talk to, he has kept it to himself, even after being roused awake from his father to get up and get ready for school.
“Why did you sleep on the sofa,” Eric asks as Nate is driving to the Lawson’ to pick up Spencer.
“Because my room is next to mom and dad’s and I can hear it when they are rutting,” Nate answers.
“It never bothered when you became a werewolf,” Eric answers; “why now?”
Nate doesn’t answer; he sees his younger brother with his green eyes and wearing new thread from Awareness from his rear view mirror as he pulls up to the Lawson house. Watching Spencer getting in and immediately starting kissing and making out with Eric; Nate just answers in his own head, ‘because I’m jealous that you found your soul mate(s) and I am still having girl troubles.’
*****
Spencer Lawson’s day started with her waking up to an empty house; her mother still at the hospital pulling a twelve hour shift, her father already at the base; and her grandfather passed out on the sofa still in his werewolf fursona. She saw him hit the sauce hard last night. Whatever Mike and Evan discussed must have been emotional for the retired army marine; Spencer never seen her grandfather drink nearly half a bottle of bourbon before. Wanting to talk to him; Spencer wasn’t able to wake her grandfather as Nate Anderson pulled up.
Leaving the house; Spencer gets into the back seat of the car and spots Eric wearing some of the fancy clothes they all got yesterday. Smiling, she begins kissing her future husband as Nate looks on and silently gags as he drives them all to school.
“Oh you sexy cat,” Spencer kissing Eric; “If this wasn’t a school day, I’d tear those clothes of you and jump your bones.”
“Not in this vehicle,” Nate coughing; letting both know he was watching the two from his rear view mirror. “Kissing is all you two will being doing for the time being.”
“Spoil sport;” Eric kissing Spencer, but directing his comment to his older brother.
Nate just snorts as he stops at an intersection to let a school bus drive past to complete its route. Continuing on he pulls up to the school parking lot; both Eric and Spencer get out and they see Frieda also getting out of her father Lamborghini. Once again everyone taking photos of both Frieda and the sleek car that every boy could only dream about having. All three gathering together, they see Brian Walker approach wanting to talk to the tree regarding Julie Stovall’s latest online antics.