"So they're holed up in a Motel 6?" Officer Howard sighed as I gave him my father's confirmation that these Pit Bull people had some connection to the gang that had struck Leona's lab.
"That's what one of the two women said," I answered.
"How many entrances does the hotel have here in Columbia Falls?" Officer Howard asked.
"It's a fairly old one, sir, and only one floor," Officer Barnes answered, "I'm pretty sure there are only three entrances. One main entrance and two side entrances to be used only in the case of fire."
"We'll need blueprints of the place and conformation that they are there," Officer Howard sighed, "but getting these guys is going to take everyone... if they killed three cops in Peoria and wounded another, they were probably ruthless before their transformation. If they're all Pit Bulls, that may be even heightened... given how much people, especially lowlifes fight that breed of dog."
"I can take them," I growled confidently.
"And if we can guarantee that all they'd use were teeth and claws, I might agree," Officer Howard replied, "if that was all they used, Leona probably would have mauled the lot of them... but they attacked with guns, and one being a shotgun. For now, you and Officer Barnes are to observe the hotel from a ways off. See if thy come and go or if those two were lying through their teeth when you questioned the two women."
"And if they are there?" Officer Barnes asked.
"I'll be working to get your backup organized and ready and the desk officers will deal with the necessary phone calls," Officer Howard answered, "though, we can't move until we know they're there."
"We'll be ready," I answered, "and I do have the specialized vest that had been built for me."
"Good to hear," Officer Howard nodded, "but remember, you two are on stake-out duty until we can confirm they're there. Now let's move. Let's try to get this done before tonight."
Officer Barnes and I nodded and headed out. Before climbing into the back seat, I opened up the trunk and pulled out the bulletproof vest that had been made for me to wear.
"Remember our instructions are only to watch," Officer Barnes reminded me.
"I won't put it on till I need to," I told him as I tossed the vest into the backseat, "but in case these guys are violently against animal people, I'm not going to let myself get caught without it."
"I doubt that's the case if they've all turned themselves into Pit Bulls," Office Barnes reminded me.
"Just in case... you can never tell with some people," I reminded him back.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The Motel 6 was in the main business area of town which included some of the more mainstream businesses that commonly made sure their buildings were in areas where people driving through to other places could see them from the street. Officer Barnes pulled into the Hardees that was across the street from the Motel 6.
"We're stopping here?" I asked.
"This is as close as we can get without drawing attention," Officer Barnes shrugged, "besides, it's lunch time now. That would give us legitimate cover if they do spot us. We're here to have lunch."
"Other then the fact that we can't both go in," I shrugged from the back seat, "I'll bring you something..."
"Ask them if you could get a pound or two of hamburger patties," I told him, "they can put it in the boxes if they want, but... you know..."
"You can't digest the bun, I know," Officer Barnes nodded, "I'll also bring you some water. I'll be a minute."
Officer Barnes then lowered all of the windows a little bit and then left the car. I followed him until he made his way into the building and returned my gaze to the hotel across the street that I was to be observing. For the moment, nothing was going on. A couple of cars went in and went out, but none of the people who had gotten into the car or got out of them had been turned into animal people. They were all normal people.
About ten minutes later, Officer Barnes returned.
"See anything?" he asked.
"Nothing big," I answered, "no dog people."
"Well, if they're right we'll find out if they're there eventually," Officer Barnes commented, "they have to have come here for a reason, and I doubt it's to take over a hotel chain."
He handed me four boxes that I could smell the meat in. Once I had them, he shut the door while I settled down to eat.
"You'll owe me, by the way," Officer Barnes quipped, "it's why I don't come here all that often. It's far too expensive for a quarter pound of meat, if you ask me."
I slowly nodded, the chain did overprice their burgers, but while Officer Barnes preferred the small drive in diner that largely survived on the people of Columbia Falls eating there, I had been sold into McDonnalds and Burger King's sale of fast food... though my present digestive system probably changed what I could specifically eat anyway. What I had was easily downed in the backseat, even while maintaining a gaze toward the Motel 6. While I ate, Officer Barnes placed the radar gun in a specialized compartment on the dashboard that would allow it to take readings without someone holding onto it.
We sat there for about thirty minutes of nothing happening when the car's radio came to life. Officer Barnes was quick to answer it.
"We're here," Officer Barnes reported, "not much is going on."
"Well, we've confirmed the report that they're there," the dispatch officer answered, "they're in room twenty. The manager's been receiving complaints about excessive noise in there last night. I don't want to know what they were doing..."
"I don't want to hear a guess," I said quickly, "what about their entrances and exits?"
"Just the one main entrance and two fire entrances on each end," the dispatch officer replied, "Officer Howard is getting your backup ready."
"I trust you told the manager not to let them know that we know they're there?" Officer Barnes questioned.
"Yup," the dispatch officer answered, "are they in there?"
"Not that we can tell," Officer Barnes answered.
"Don't forget to report in when you see them," the dispatch officer responded.
"Roger."
When then sat quietly for a while longer. No one came in or out the hotel that indicated they were connected with the gang. We were about to reach the point where we would give up our part of the stake-out and turned it over to a different officer when I picked up a conversation coming toward us.
"I still say we shoulda capped the lady, man," said the first.
"Boss said not to have a shootout at the school," said the second.
"What does he know 'bout cappin' people?" the first grumbled.
"Not much," said a third, "but 'e's promised us BIG bucks if we do it his way. So, we do it his way, make big bucks and leave."
I turned my head to see three male Pit Bull people walking along the street. One was a cream furred male with a white chest, in relatively loose and baggy clothing. The second was black and white and was wearing a tee-shirt and rather baggy pants, while the third was white with a black spot over one eye and was in tighter fitting pants and a loose shirt.
I then ducked by head down in the hopes that they hadn't seen me and realized that we were on to them.
"Why's the cop checkin' speed's here," the first wondered after a moment.
"Cuz like all pigs, he's stupid," the second answered.
"So, how do we get 'em, now that we're sure the school is out," the third wondered.
"They live outside'a town," the second answered, "we'll get 'em there tonight. We'll shoot 'em up and burn 'em to ash... and give the boss their ears."
I could see Officer Barnes eying them. The three of them were doing little to control the volume of their voices, and I was sure that Officer Barnes had heard them. Once they made their way into the Motel 6, Officer Barnes spoke.
"Looks like they were here for you and Molly specifically," Officer Barnes commented and activated the car radio, "Dispatch this is Officer Barnes. They just went in. Meet us there."
"Ten four. Don't enter the building till backup arrives."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
We eventually moved into the parking lot of the Motel 6 and then waited for our back up to arrive. They arrived about ten minutes later with the lights flashing, but the siren was silent. Backup was an additional four officers including Officer Howard who had come to supervise the operation. As they arrived, Officer Barnes and I got out, I put the bulletproof vest on as I got out.
"No one's come out of the building, sir," I reported while Officer Barnes retrieved his own vest from the trunk, "at least not since they've gone in."
"Their room is on the other end of the building, you and Barnes will lead two officers directly to them, guns ready," Officer Howard instructed, "the last two will watch the choke point at the hallway doors, and I will coordinate from here."
"Right," Officer Barnes and I nodded.
Barnes was quick to pick the two people that would go with us while I readied the weapon made for my fingers. The other two were quick to head toward the wings of the building.
"We've got the arrest warrant in a cooperative effort claim with Peoria," Officer Howard answered, "be careful. All of you."
Those of the officers going with Officer Barnes and I nodded. We then made our way toward the motel. The manager was at the front desk as we went in.
"They're ALL in the room," the manage spoke softly, "all of them."
"How many?" I questioned him before heading to the hallway.
"Three males two females," the manager answered.
"Let's go," Officer Barnes nodded and took the lead.
We then went down the hallway that went toward the room. Once we reached the door with a brass number twenty on it, I could hear noises coming from inside the room. I could also smell something that did not smell good. I gave a slight groan at that and and readied my weapon. Officer Barnes put himself in front of the door. Once there, I raised one hand to count. Once my third finger came up, the action began.
"Freeze! Police!" Officer Barnes shouted as he kicked the door in, breaking the frame.
The room reeked of sex and urine, as if none of them knew how to use a toilet, or didn't care. And the scene we came on was not the best of them. Seated on one of the beds was the black and white male with his pants down around his ankles with both females also naked and licking at his erect member and fingering themselves. The other two males were arm wrestling at one of the tables in the room. They were both fully dressed. One of the females recognized me right away.
"We ain't done nothing!" the first shouted.
"We ain't done nothing!" the second answered.
"We aren't here for you," I growled back and pulled the first female back and set her on the floor at my feet. I then advanced on the naked male Pit Bull, "where is Leona's serum?"
"We don't know no Leona," he spoke.
"The lioness you shot and beat in Peoria," I growled back while Barnes and the other two officers went about putting the other two Pit Bull males in cuffs.
"What'd you care for?"
"You broke the law, pal," I growled back and pinned him with one hand, "THAT'S why I care. You're under arrest for the murder of four police officers in Peoria, Illinois, assaulting a fifth, assault with a deadly weapon, and fleeing over state lines. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."
Holstering my weapon, I rolled him over and wrestled his arms back to place cuffs on him. They didn't do much to struggle, probably wanting to avoid being shot by one officer who had his gun drawn while Officer Barnes and the third officer in the room frisked the other two males. The two females cowered nervously on the floor.
"Get dressed," I growled to them.
All I got was a whimper in response. The naked male then stood up nervously. He gave a growl at first, but found himself looking at the barrel of the forth officer's handgun. I took his pants and began going through them to make sure there was nothing in the pockets. I ended up pulling out a knife and a handgun out of one of the pockets, and they were tossed onto a pile that Officer Barnes was watching over. Once he had no weapons, I pulled his pants back on.
"Now move," I growled at him once his pants were on. He began to slowly walk out. As he did, I glanced to Officer Barnes, "I'll be back to help you with their weapons and see where they hid Leona's serum."
"They got a duffel bag over here in the corner," Officer Barnes replied, "it has several syringes and a shotgun in it."
"That'd be what we're looking for," I nodded and moved the crook out.
The two females, now fully dressed followed behind nervously.