Jack look at the scroll he was just handed; snarling as he crumples the paper, he glares at the three men who are standing before him. A large man in a plain black suit and tie, with two Chinese men behind him; one wearing saffron colored robes, indicative of a Buddhist monk. The second looking miserable as he keep tugging at the tie of his ill-fitting grey suit; a suit clearly out of date fashion wise, its flared collar and fat short tie. A suit that would normally been seen on an actor in mob movie based on actual events; Jack just stared.
He recognized the scent of the two Chinese men; they were the same white were-tigers that broke into his condo back in December. Making it clear to him that the Wang technological corporation would not help him in ousting Benton Knight; going so far as to actively block any attempt to rock the boat that is Knight Industries. The man that handed him the scroll; Jack could tell by the scent he was picking up that he was a werewolf.
“Get out,” Jack snarling; fight back the desire to shift into his fursona. Mindful of the ankle bracelet; a condition of his bail as he suffers through what he believes is a frame up regarding the attempted assassination of Frederick Parker.
“Not until I make things perfectly clear to you,” the man responding. “The Luna Brotherhood is well aware of your threat to expose the existence of weres the world over regarding some issues you have with Moon Lake’s elder council. We are aware of the feud you have with Benton Knight,” the man continuing; “and the Luna brotherhood is not taking that threat lightly.”
“And let me make things clear to you,” Jack roaring; “you come into my home, with two men that already broke in in tow and expect me to cow to you? Go fuck yourself,” Jack’s face turning red with rage.
“I can do more than that,” the man glaring. “In case you are bereft into who I am,” the man not backing down; “I am not just a representative of the Luna Brother Hood, I am the head of the organization! All the way from Hungary,” the man snapping back at Jack; “so don’t think I can be easily intimidated. As a former KGB agent that operated in communist controlled Hungary, I dealt with many people who thought they could act all cock of the walk. You know what happened to them,” the man not afraid of Jack; going so far as to invade his personal space and get right up close to him. “They disappeared. Their families not knowing what happened, getting stone silence from the local constabulary. Now imagine that happening to you; and you under investigation for murder. The Feds will assume you fled the country,” the man watching Jack’s face turn white with fear; “your guilt all but assured. Your assets seized. And what they can’t discover, you can be assured my organization will route out and confiscate the rest. All the while you are sitting in deep dark hole that no one knows exists. An oubliette in the words of the French; and then perhaps after a few years after your stay in the Luna Brotherhood’s care, we’ll toss you somewhere and make sure you are summarily arrested by the feds. Because that is what is going to happen if you do not abide what is written on that scroll.”
“Now we are done,” the man looking at a cowering Jack Crawford; “oh and we will be keeping a very close eye on you. That ankle monitor the feds had placed on you? That is nothing compared to eyes that will be watching you.”
Sitting in stunned silence as the trio leaves Jack’s condo; Jack doesn’t see Kenya enter the room. Easily hearing the raised voices as she was in her fursona; the wer-panthress sees the crumple paper on the floor. Picking it up and reading its contents, Kenya is floored as to what it reads.
‘Jack Joseph Crawford, the Luna brotherhood is aware of your current legal issues and are worried that you are at risk of revealing our existence to the world over. As the self-appointed protectors of all were’s; regardless of species, we cannot allow you to walk about unchecked. As such, conditions are hereby placed upon you as you deal with the courts regarding the attempted murder of Fredrick Parker.
1. You will abide with the bail conditions placed upon you while your lawyers fight the charges placed upon you.
2. You will refrain from issuing threats (be they for bluster or actual); more so if those threats are regarding the existence of were’s. We are aware of the one you levied towards Moon Lake’s elder council and are not amused you would go that route just to avoid having to explain your actions in their jurisdiction.
3. When your legal issues are resolved (and we know they will) and the truth of how you were duped is finally revealed. You WILL submit yourself into our custody and be escorted to Moon Lake to face the questions Tachibana and the rest of the council wish to put you through.
Failure to adhere to these conditions will result in severe consequences. Consequences that the Luna Brotherhood representative will have undoubtedly inform you of. The Luna Brotherhood will protect its brethren, even it if means having to punish those who actively try to evade justice just because they have the means to do so. As such we will do what we can (in conjunction with the Elder council) to ensure you and your lawyers have the evidence (legally obtained) needed to prove your innocence in these trying times.’
Kenya looking at the bottom of the crumpled scroll, seeing a simple logo of a wolf howling at a moon; a ring of small letters around the simple image in a language she was unfamiliar with.
“What does that say,” Kenya looking at the ring of letters.
“Its Latin,” Jack speaking; “brothers and sisters under the fur. I take it you heard everything?”
“Every word,” Kenya responding; “the part of you being made to disappear, they can’t do that can they?”
“To be honest,” Jack slowly getting up; “I’m not too keen on finding out.”
“Why did you have to threaten our existence,” Kenya asking; looking at her husband as he slowly makes way to his study.
“It felt like a sound business decision at the time,” Jack leaning over his desk; “the chapter of the Luna brotherhood here in Seattle was wiped out thanks to them murdering a wer-mer in cold blood* it would take them time to try and stop me in case I had to carry out that threat.”
Kenya looked at her husband coldly as he turned around to face her. Faster than he could blink a black furry paw blurs his vision and a sharp sting across his right cheek could be felt. Growling as she glared at her husband, Kenya marches out of Jack’s study and into their bedroom.
“Kenya,” Jack following her; more stunned at her reaction then in pain. Before he could open the door to the bedroom, Kenya come bursting out; nearly knocking the were-panther down. Out of her fursona and wearing a red dress hastily put on; Jack watches as Kenya carrying a suit case, storms out to the private elevator.
“I’m heading back to Moon Lake,” Kenya waiting for the elevator; “I need to be somewhere I know I’m going to be safe.”
“No, please stay,” Jack following her; pleading as she had her back to him. “Your still in heat,” Jack trying to reason with her; “I may not be able to satisfy properly because of this dam bracelet, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help you fulfill your biological urge to be pregnant.”
“Really,” Kenya turning around to look at her husband; seeing him looking ragged and defeated. Jack was a pale shadow compared to what he was in the morning. “After what we have been through today, what I just read in that scroll, you want continue to try a knock me up? I need some space from you,” the elevator dinging and the door opening up; “plus I don’t want to be whisked away to some secret prison just because you are running your mouth at those you think can intimidated just because you have money.”
“but, but,” was all Jack could muster as Kenya enters the elevator.
“I’ll call you in a few days,” Kenya shaking her head; the elevator door closing; “assuming of course you can maintain your composure.”
*Alyssa Cooper was coldly murdered by the Luna Brotherhood as reprisal for Julie Stovall’s refusal to be hunted like common prey. At the time, Julie was on the run after escaping the Elder Council. Both were in the custody of the organization after Alyssa’s were-cat friend from Seattle informed them of Julie’s location.