The emergency meeting at the council building went on for hours. Several of those in attendance were already worn out from all the back and forth debating; with no solution in sight, a few were nervously muttering that the secret would soon be out. The subject in quest was Jack Crawford; everyone getting word of his arrest by the FBI was akin to a dam beginning to fail.
Tachibana was the first to get word of Crawford’s predicament; a cryptic phone call from a lawyer passing on his client’s message.
‘Make this go away or the cat is literally out of the bag.’
It wasn’t long after that the elder were-vixen was making phone calls, summoning the council for an emergency session soon after. Listening to several council members advocating that the man should be made to disappear. Tachibana sighed; she knew that would not work. The man was well known in the business community and currently in the public eye. To make the man vanish; it would look as suspicious and open up new avenues of investigation. Investigations, that would inevitably reveal the existence of weres. Currently Tachibana was letting the council talk this out; preferring to let them come to the same conclusion she arrived the moment it was suggested.
Lance Knight was sitting in a darkened alcove of the inner council chamber. The black furred were-panther had another matter on his mind then Jack Crawford’s arrest. Lance was at home getting ready for work when Tachibana called him. The phone call was a welcome break from listening to Lila spending the morning in the washroom heaving up her guts. Taking the phone call outside in the back yard for a little privacy after hearing that is call was for his ears only; elder council business Lance heard. Lance just listened as Tachibana informed him of the call she received; asking him to report to the council building ASAP.
What was on Lance’s mind, was having to leave Lila at home with no way to get to work. Being three months pregnant, Lila had to put her motor bike in storage and use Lance’s Prius to get to and from to work. Since both worked at the Gazette; him as editor and chief and Lila in accounting. While their home was only a few block from the building, Lance was unsure if Lila would be well enough to make the walk. Having to leave a hastily written note for her in kitchen; Lance knew his wife was dealing with a bout of morning sickness. A common side effect from being pregnant; according to the obstetrician they visited a few weeks ago.
So lost in thought, Lance didn’t notice the large figure standing in front of him as he sat on the marble floor.
“Penny for your thoughts?”
Lance looked up to see a large were-lion staring at him. Knowing it was Leon Talbot, the were-lion rep for the elder council.
“You look lost in thought,” Leon continues speaking as he sits down next to Lance; “how come you have chosen this corner to think, instead of a chair near the center of the room?”
“Because the nonsense being spoken in the center of the room,” Lance still able to hear the ideas on what to do with Jack Crawford; “is drowning out what is on my mind.”
“And what would that be,” Leon asking.
“Lila,” Lance answering; “I woke up to hearing her in the washroom sounding sick. She is three months pregnant.”
Leon didn’t respond. It however did bring up thoughts of his family. Waking up in the morning with his wife wrapped around him. Somehow they managed to take their fun from the living room to the bed room sometime last night. Leon wasn’t about to try and figure out how. He did however wake up to a quiet house; that quiet didn’t last long though. With his restoration garage next door and his children both with mates; the house was soon assaulted with noises that quickly woke Regina up.
Knowing she was going to get up to get breakfast started, Leon was up soon after. Seeing Jean and Nate already up; Leon was surprised that Peter was still in bed with his mate. He was about to open Peter’s door when he heard some roaring and giggling; hearing the bed creaking told him all he needed to know, neither Peter or Helen had any intention of getting out of bed. That was hours ago.
“What I can remember,” Leon thinking of when Regina was pregnant; “is morning sickness is something to expect with pregnancy. You just got to deal with it.”
“What of your thoughts then,” Lance looking at the were-lion; “what are your opinions on what to do with Jack Crawford?”
“I don’t know,” Leon responding; “after what happened last night, I was hoping that this would go away. Or at least the circus that is the press,” Leon sighing; “would run off to the next big story. No offense,” Leon realizing that Lance was the owner of the tow’s local newspaper.
“If my brother was still the were-panther rep,” Lance getting up from the cold floor; “he would have an idea or two. When it comes to Jack Crawford; Benton is the expert in dealing with the man.”
“Yet he has refused to help us,” Leon getting up as well; “why is that? You are the expert in how your brother thinks.”
“Ha,” Lance scoffing; “I’m about as well versed in how my brother thinks as a one legged man is skilled in a butt kicking contest. But if you want an answer as to why he won’t help,” Lance rolling his eyes; “it’s because it doesn’t benefit him. Despite the fact that he has changed of late; Benton only cares about his business and his family. Since the elder council’s problems do not land in either circle,” Lance looking at Leon; “Benton won’t lift a paw to help.”
“Even if it means the existence of were’s is revealed?
Both Lance and Leon see Tachibana approaching as she proposed her question.
“Like I said before,” Lance shrugging; “I’m not an expert in how my brother thinks. But I do know a few things.”
“So him helping with Samantha fund her election campaign,” Tachibana looking confused; “was that because he was feeling generous?”
“Business,” Lance answering flatly; “Jack Crawford was clearly ruffling Benton’s fur the wrong way with matters pertaining to the new elementary school. After finding out his wife was running for Mayor, Benton jumped in just to piss off Jack and get back at the man. The whole escort expose, just added to watching the man squirm.”
“Now that Kenya has dropped out,” Leon thinking; “will Benton back out in funding Samantha Twist’s election campaign?”
“No,” Lance answering; “Benton will continue to do that. He never backs out on a promise. That I know clearly.”
“That is a small comfort,” Tachibana thinking of the next crisis; the one involving Chester Brown and his determined efforts to have his restaurant Grrrrrrr open despite the were-alert in effect. The were-fox filing his candidacy at the deadline; the man had the nerve to distribute leaflets of his restaurant opening for lunch service that day.
Putting that thought aside for the moment; Tachibana left the were-panther and were-lion and headed to the center of the room. Standing on the dais and raising her paws into the air; Tachibana was able to get everyone to stop talking and take their respective seats.
“With the news of Jack Crawford’s arrest,” Tachibana speaking; “we must begin to come up with a plan to ensure were’s the world over are not exposed. Despite the man’s actions; if Jack spends any time in prison, it will only be a matter of time before he either shifts into his fursona or our longevity is discovered as he ages at a slower rate compared to a normal person.”
“We can’t just knuckle under to his threat,” some one shouting; “he declared war on us!”
“I already explained that to Jack’s lawyer,” Tachibana speaking; “when the man called to pass on Jack’s message. I also re-iterated in a coded fashion that we had nothing to do with this. Making it clear that his threat holds no water,” Tachibana pausing to let that sink in; “but that doesn’t mean we sit on the side lines and do nothing. If Jack is being framed for what happened to Frederick parker,” Tachibana looking exhausted; “then we must discover this and lead the federal authorities to the same conclusions. Fortunately,” Tachibana adding; “FBI agent Brooke Reed is like us and knows what is at stake. She will more than gladly accept whatever help we can provide.”
“As long as she takes the credit for it,” the same person shouting.
“Put your ego in check,” Martin Stovall shouting in return; “we all risk exposure if we do nothing. More so with our children,” Martin adding; thinking of his newborn son and daughter and dreading what might happen if the existence of weres caused Dawn and Joshua any harm.
“Well put,” Tachibana nodding; “the time has come to work not just for the good of our town, but for all the were communities. We must show them that despite our differences we can work together for a common cause. This is our darkest hour; we must the light.”
There was a loud applause as everyone rose from their seat, yet Tachibana waved everyone down so she can continue speaking.
“I have listened to some of your ideas as we took a brief break,” Tachibana speaking strongly; her vulpine tail swaying slightly as she adjusted her stance on the dais. “Some of them were ridiculous to put it kindly. Anything that will cause harm or potential death to Jack Crawford is not something we are going to do. Despite Jack Crawford in thumbing his nose at us by leaving town after being summoned by the council,” Tachibana speaking; “we will help him. But only as far as to get him out of this mess he is in.”
“What if Jack refuses our help and opts to go it alone,” Randolph the werewolf rep speaking up; “I for one am all for watching him dig himself a bigger hole to get buried in.”
“There are two were-tigers,” Tachibana thinking of Kai and Far Hojin; “they will see to it that Jack does accept our help. Failure of that,” Tachibana looking serious; “the Luna brotherhood will step in to help protect us from exposure. Let’s hope they don’t have to,” Tachibana adding; “the Luna Brotherhood is our nuclear option and I'd rather not use it.”
“We still have to deal with Jack afterwards,” Leon speaking; “we can’t just let him get off scot-free. And what do we do with Frederick Parker? He is still in a medically induced coma at the hospital after getting shot.”