In Seattle, Tom Herald's work day ended in much the same way it had ended over the past few days, since he'd gotten the assignment to look into the safety of the state with regard to criminal issues, which was something that was likely to be used in connection with the coming elections in the following year. Normally, a reporter's job would go for most of the day, and potentially even far more than the eight hour work day that most other people had, and there was the potential that this could also include "odd" hours, as no one could know for sure when something "breaking" would happen. This could mean very early starts and late finishes.
However, with the present story that Tom was assigned to cover being more research based than anything else, Tom had been given a degree of flexibility that he normally wouldn't get and was being kept away from some of the other stories that might come in to the "Seattle Times" that didn't relate to his present assignment. It had its frustrations as many local police units that were well away from Seattle hadn't responded quickly to his interview and information requests that went in line with the assignment he'd been given, and with the responses he did get, many of them seemed to hint at while some of the events that triggered the assignment had their oddities to them, they weren't representative of things across the entire state. Some of this was done in interviews and the most recent responses were by email. And if that remained the case, Tom had the freedom to work under more flexible hours than he might normally work.
The one plus was that for the moment the flexibility of his present assignment was that it gave him the ability to put some focus in other things that were needed, and the big reveal being chief among them. It had created its own sets of fears, and Tom was greatly worried over what might happen to his fiancée, Alice Stevens, particularly over the actions of those that opposed the big reveal that he had in mind. But at the same time, based off of the connected events that had sparked his present assignment for his paper, Tom also knew that weres couldn't keep relying on the were secret to just stay a secret. If it hadn't have been for his editor believing what the FBI had said what Lionel Ulysses' tail was, Tom had the sense that he might have ultimately exposed weres in a way that wouldn't have benefitted them. And that was only with one incident.
Tom was fairly certain that there had to be other incidents that were similar in the past and the potential for more in the future in other areas. As such, Tom was certain that the were secret was more a liability for weres now than anything else and that the only thing that would let weres live freely would be to be open with regard to the secret. It could mean some major civil rights battles, but Tom was certain that could be handled and was optimistic that those things would be handled relatively easily. The real trouble was in getting Moon Lake's weres to accept it, and as he drove to Moon Lake, those worries were on his mind... particularly with regard to the safety of Alice Stevens and her parents.
He was glad to see that things were quiet as he reached Moon Lake and drove up to where the Stevens house was. He found Alice had already returned and was unpacking a few things and looked like she'd done a little grocery shopping before heading back to Moon Lake, which Tom supposed made sense. So long as those two secret agents were out there stoking fear over the big reveal to try and prevent Moon Lake from helping him fine tool the plan, which Tom was sure he would need to make it work, the two had moved from Seattle to Moon Lake. It was likely that Gustavus Amehr and Quintus Fives wouldn't arrange for some kind of assassination attempt on himself or Alice in Moon Lake, as it would betray to their own supporters that their ideas were dishonest. Thankfully, Alice's parents, Harold and Lucy, were more than happy to put up with them, as it was the home that Alice had grown up in before moving to Seattle.
"Hello, darling," Tom said to her as he shut his car door, "Need any help?"
"With some of the bags... yes, please," Alice answered, "after all... if we're staying here until the threat from those two spies has passed... the least we can do is pull our share of the responsibility for food and other things."
Tom nodded and looked around again, remembering the threat that the two Luna Brotherhood members had made to him. It was clear that the two didn't like the reveal and made their demands in a way that came off like something out of a James Bond novel. In all of it, Tom couldn't be fully sure as to who they truly represented or how they could operate in the manner in which they did. If he hadn't given his word to Moon Lake's City Council that he wouldn't reveal matters related to the big reveal until after the big reveal was carried out, the behavior the two men was enough to warrant a report to the Seattle Police, given the fact that Tom did feel threatened by the two, but he had given his word, and thus would have to endure the problems that came from it.
He came forward and found a few bags that were still in the trunk of Alice's car. He picked up a pair of them and then moved to follow Alice into the house. He glanced around as he did so, and found things fairly quiet on that late Wednesday afternoon. At present there weren't too many people out and about on the streets, and the only ones that Tom could see, were Yoshiro and Ichiro no Tachibana, the Skulk's security personnel assigned for the moment to serve as bodyguards for him, Alice, and her parents. Their presence was something that helped give Tom some degree of security, given some of the stunts he'd expected that Gustavus and Quintus had been up to, some of which had even made it to the Stevens' front lawn.
"I trust that things were calm with you?" Tom asked, hopeful for a positive answer. His bond to Alice was firm and fresh, and much of his reveal plan was there so she could be free, and while Tom understood it might be an uphill battle to get all of Moon Lake's weres, or at least a clear majority, that didn't mean he wanted to see Alice hurt.
"Pretty much," Alice answered, "as I've told you... most of my business is actually done in September and October as people get ready for Halloween. I do have some other party supply type items... and occasionally some places will hold costume parties, usually closer to Mardi Gras, though... but they aren't as common. In this... it's the time of year where a lot of my business slows down."
"No strange visitors?" Tom asked as Alice reached the front door and opened it with one free hand.
"None," Alice spoke, "given that we're here for the moment... and their games have already brought protestors here... I wouldn't think that either agent would really have reason to go into Seattle to deal with the issue if they have some devious plan to kill it. For ultimately the issue is here."
Tom nodded, remembering the conversation with Alice while he'd been in Spokane on one of the in person interviews for his paper's assignment. A group of anti-reveal protestors had gathered on the Stevens' front lawn and the sidewalk in front of it and berated Alice and shouted their slogans until police were called in to disperse them. That represented the base threat that he felt that Gustavus and Fives posed, that they would organize and instigate chaos, and would likely take advantage of it when they felt that things were large enough that they could get away with it. After all, if their intentions were purely peaceful opposition, they would have had no reason to threaten in a public diner in Seattle.
"Maybe..." Tom sighed as he followed Alice through the house, passing Lucy who was seated on the couch watching television as they came in. Alice's mother switched it off and got up to follow them as they made their way into the Stevens' kitchen. "That doesn't mean I don't worry... the meeting I had with them gave me a lot of vibes that were not on the level in any real way. And until things go through and turn out as I expect they will, I probably will always worry. As while the truth... and the reasons for a reveal are important, I wouldn't want to lose you."
"And you won't," Alice answered, thinking to what she was sure had to be a prophecy dream, "and while those that are against this may be frightening... and they are... that doesn't make them right. And from your reasoning... I'd think you're ultimately on the right side of the argument."
"Though, he could be right to worry, dear," Lucy said to Alice and rested a hand on Alice's shoulder, "Not only does that demonstrate his loving bond to you... there is some good reasoning behind it. The people that protested outside our house may not have been violent... but when compared to Moon Lake's population, it was rather small. But that doesn't mean they are the only ones at the moment protesting."
Tom nodded, "I'll get the rest of the bags. Was there any interesting mail?"
"None... and thank you," Alice nodded as Tom headed out.
She then stood silently with her mother for a few moments. Neither woman said anything until after they could hear the door shut. Once it did, Alice turned to Lucy.
"What's going on, mother?" Alice asked, "Did someone..."
"No one has made any threat to me, dear, or to your father, thank goodness," Lucy Stevens said to her daughter, "but you should know that this reveal plan is controversial in Moon Lake."
Alice nodded, remembering the protest that had been in front of the Stevens home, and essentially being called a slut by some of the protestors. Something she really didn't like, as her relationship with Tom was fully loving and with a functioning bond between them. There was also the fact that all of Moon Lake's weres had a higher libido than normal humans and it didn't take that much for a were to be interested in sex. Weres had other interests too, from hunting, to exercise, exploring... often to see if anyone new came to town and joined were society...and sometimes just testing to seeing what they could do... Some, particularly long married couples simply enjoyed being together, but sex was one of the top things that weres enjoyed. Thus the weres that called her a slut because of who she bonded to likely enjoyed just as much sex as she did.
"But things will get better..." Alice insisted, "they have to..."
"And they probably will," Lucy assured Alice, "some of the things that Tom and the Deputy Mayor commented on the regular City Council Meeting yesterday seemed to have had some effect... as Moon Lake was a lot quieter today and a lot more at ease over things than it was over the past weekend and the start of the week. That is good news..."
"But..." Alice said slowly, detecting how her mother's voice trailed off toward the end of the comment.
"But that doesn't mean that those that are opposed to the reveal aren't going to stop and that the issue will still be tense, at least for awhile," Lucy spoke, "I've had some rumors go around that with tonight being the first reveal planning session that there are two sets of protests planned to go on outside City Hall... since the meetings are closed door meetings. One group is supposed to be anti-reveal and the other pro-reveal. I can't say on how many will be there... or how rowdy either crowd will be, but with opposed groups... essentially on opposite sides of the street... it will still be tense, and I'd bet that the police will likely have eyes on the crowd to make sure that no one causes trouble. The Skulk's bodyguards for you and your husband will probably tag along to assist the police in crowd control where they can."
"Hopefully things go well," Alice spoke, hopeful that the dream she'd had was a prophecy dream, as it would give her some assurance that things would ultimately turn out well.
"They probably will," Lucy gave a confident smile, "but it never hurts to be prepared and to respect the tension that is there... And your father has been reasonably good with that, and from what I've seen of your fiancé... I'd think he may have the wits to be able to respond to that too."
Alice made a small smile at that as the door opened again, and the voices of Tom and her father in fairly friendly conversation drifted to hers and Lucy's ears. With that the two set about organizing things with the groceries that Alice had bought on her way "home."