Quintus left the hotel to let Gustavus get to sleep or at least get some sleep. Weres might recover energy quicker and easier than normal humans, but that didn't mean they didn't get tired. And their present assignment in dealing with all of the assorted fallout from the arrest and ultimate death of Lionel Ulysses was a tiring one, particularly with Tom Herald turning it into a campaign to expose weres. It was tiring in many ways, and partially because there was the very real potential that Herald was actually right. Quintus agreed with Gustavus that rogues needed to be stopped, as those rogue weres, however rare they may be, were what perpetuated the myths about all weres. And right now, Gustavus had wore himself out worrying over the issue and on how his view on it related to it.
However, if Tom Herald was to be considered a "rogue were," he was different from any rogue the Luna Brotherhood had ever encountered. Most rogues they'd dealt with tended to turn to crime for the same reasons normal humans did, though their means of going about it would be different and played to the strengths they had as weres. In this, those rogues would be the sort that would risk the reveal being included in the crime committed and that would in turn justify a negative response. But Tom Herald hadn't advocated that kind of reveal, and a part of Quintus privately felt that some of the argument the new werefox had made wasn't without merit. But Quintus was the junior partner to Gustavus's senior partner and thus he had little control, and thus Quintus went along with his more senior partner.
Quintus found the streets relatively quiet as he came out from the hotel room and slowly began to make his way north along the road that would take him into the parks that made up Moon Lake's center in order to give Gustavus the time to rest and rest comfortably. After passing a few buildings, he pulled out his cellphone. For the moment he had service and thus dialed a familiar number. It wasn't long before he got an answer.
"What is the update, Amehr?" was the question that came over the phone line. It was firm and authoritative and actually got Quintus to jump a little. The fact that he was referred to as Amehr, which was Gustavus's surname, was a surprise, as technically Quintus had used his own phone and both he and Gustavus had different numbers. But he supposed that since Gustavus had done much of the contact work with the rest of the Luna Brotherhood, they might be expecting the senior partner to make the call.
"This is Fives, actually," Quintus said softly as he walked along and tried to show that he had no concerns in the world at the present time, "Agent Amehr is otherwise unavailable."
"So... you got Herald and Moon Lake caught Agent Amehr..." was the answer.
"No, sir," Quintus answered, "this is just a progress report... though as it relates to Agent Amehr... I would say that he is exhausted by the case, at present."
"I would imagine," the voice replied, "your partner has been with the Brotherhood for quite a while. Even by our standards, he doesn't show it... but he's been around for awhile. Thus with a rogue wanting to deliberately reveal everything... that isn't going to sit well with anyone, let alone those like Amehr, who has seen it all. So... what is your present status."
By this point, Quintus had made it into the park and he walked along one of the paths toward where there was a park bench. Things were quiet enough in the early morning hours that there wasn't too much going on, but Quintus felt it best to stay in an area where it would be hard to really listen in on him. From the reports Charles had given him and Gustavus the previous evening, it was clear that any plan to remove Tom Herald would be lengthy and complicated. The Luna Brotherhood already knew that and had even told Gustavus that much. However because Gustavus's ultimate intent was to kill Tom Herald, the attention that the two had gotten in Moon Lake wasn't going to help them, and thus Quintus couldn't afford anyone listening in.
The call might be on a secure line, but the Luna Brotherhood had enough hidden dealings with law enforcement and military agencies that Quintus also knew that those contacts could be listening in. It was something that meant that any reports on weres and rogue weres could be just as coded as anything else. Sometimes it wasn't, but that was more due to either confidence in the security of the connection or the individual giving the report. Quintus was a bit more conflicted, and in multiple ways. Thus his walk to one of the park benches was careful and quiet, even with few other people being in the area. It was only when he was sure that there was no one to overhear him in the park that Quintus began to actually answer the question.
"The present status hasn't changed too much... Herald's plans are continuing and he's even got some supporters IN Moon Lake," Quintus reported, "In this... I'd find it unlikely that any of Agent Amehr's plan to isolate Herald will work in the near future. We will work to see that some local protests are organized to at least keep those opposed to Herald's plan energized and angry... but based on what's gone on... it may take awhile to really get Herald in a position of vulnerability."
"That would be troubling," the voice said in a low voice, "particularly given the nature of the threat that has been presented..."
"May I speak candidly on this?" Quintus said slowly.
"Something troubles you, I take it?" was the reply.
"Well... yes," Quintus said slowly, "don't get me wrong. I'm all for removing rogue weres and protecting weres from being persecuted again... but from what contact Agent Amehr and I have had with him... I don't think he is rogue... I don't think he's actually out to hurt weres... even if that's what his plan may do. And from the contact we have had with him, he could probably make a strong case that many things related to the were secret are not working as well as they used to."
"The internet and all the cameras, I take it?" Quintus's superior asked.
"And all of this goes back to what happened with Lionel Ulysses... the rat showed a tail, the cops let it out to the press and Herald jumped on it with the correct assumption that something WAS going on," Quintus spoke, "and we only JUST got that story dropped by planting evidence that "confirmed" what the FBI and the Seattle PD had wanted Ulysses tale to be. It shows that the world is changing and faster than anyone could have thought."
"And so you'd agree that this fox's plan should go forward...?" came the question in response.
"I really don't know, sir," Quintus answered, "I wouldn't personally go out openly as he is... but... there is the real possibility that he's right and that killing him will only kick the can down the road and we will be facing the same problems we're trying to prevent now regardless... but under circumstances that would be less than ideal. Maybe we'd be better served to advise on the matter... bring in other voices from outside Moon Lake on the matter. The Brotherhood would have the resources and connections to do so. It might help better gauge the reaction to us or to the plan that Herald is working on. It may help stop him without killing him..."
"Which would run counter to what your partner wants to do... and in theory what the Brotherhood's policy is on rogues that seek to reveal our secrets," the voice answered, the firm tone back again.
"But Tom Herald is not a typical rogue... he's not a drug addict with a criminal history a mile long like Ulysses... he's not a private vigilante like Dymixious Drake... and he certainly isn't a violent psychopath just killing for the thrill of it," Quintus spoke, "the timing may be wrong and the consequences might be worse than he thinks they will be... but he isn't a typical rogue, and the more we treat him as one... the HARDER I think we'll make the job for us. For the Moon Lake police aren't going to help here... much of the plan that Agent Amehr has... while it could work... it could also push Moon Lake into a civil war between weres, which would also defeat Moon Lake's purpose."
There was a silence on the phone for a few moments, and Quintus thought he heard a series of soft "taps," which made him guess that the person he was talking to was drumming their fingers on something while thinking.
"And you haven't said anything like this to Agent Amehr?"the voice asked.
"I'd think he's already made up his mind... and we've put a lot of his plan into motion," Quintus answered, "likely with the thought that things would be quick in Herald being intimidated into backing down. But that hasn't worked out... and as it stands I'm not sure it will work out. But I'm not sure that I could convince him... After all... he's been around the block more than me... he's been in the Brotherhood longer than me... I don't think I would have the clout to get him to consider something else. Thus I was hoping that going up the chain of command might influence things... at least before Moon Lake tears itself apart over the issue."
"I see..." the were on the other end of the line answered, "I'll need to discuss some of your details with the other Alphas... see what their ruling on this is. For the moment keep working with Agent Amehr's plan... it has its flaws and there is concern, but for the moment it's the only plan available."
"Of course, sir," Quintus answered.