4: Jack - In The Pack Read online

  “Yes. Your increased appetite and desire for red meat is only a preliminary symptom. We’ll keep you here while you work through your adjustments.”

  I laughed. “You mean, before the month is out, I’ll be running with the big dogs?”

  Giselle didn’t find that all too funny. “Actually, if you don’t get up to speed, and quick, they’ll put you down.”

  So, I choked on that half-chewed chunk of beef. Nearly expired on the spot. She had to get up and chop me on the back a few times.

  When I got it down the right tube and had taken a few drinks to help ease my burning throat, I said, “You’re telling me that they want me to...what?”

  That question confused her, probably because she thought she’d already answered it. “To...what?” She repeated back to me. Then she got the question. “Oh. Yeah. They are looking for the cream of the crop. There is no way they’re going to turn you loose if you can’t think rationally in crinos, or--”

  “Wait. In crinos?”

  “You know, fully shifted--werewolf.”

  “Oh. Okay. Just trying to get all the terms straight.”

  “This would be so much easier if you’d ever read White Wolf, played M.U.S.H. or Furry Muck.” She seemed frustrated, but not half as much as I was.

  “Wait. White Wolf, you mean the gaming system?”

  “Yes. We marketed that to help smooth the way.”

  “I’ve only heard of it. Never looked into it. Sort of a roleplaying game or something, right?”

  “Yes.” She smiled, a big, toothy grin. The light glinted off her eyeteeth, and wiped the smile off my face.

  Not that I realized I’d been smiling. But she does have an engaging way about her. She’s perfect for her position within the company. I don’t think any man could resist her, if she applied any charm their way at all.

  “Are you feeling all right?”

  “As well as can be expected.” I dug back into my steak, thought about asking her to order another. Chalked the appetite increase up to the wild sex. Too much protein juice let go. Needed to refill the tanks, ya know?

  “So, what’s this mush you mentioned?”

  “Internet roleplaying. You pick a world, create a character and interact online.”

  “Hm. Never heard of it.”

  “Well, you’re in a minority, then. Next time you get near a computer, just do a search on World of Darkness. You’ll be fascinated.”

  I didn’t want to burst her little bubble, but I had no plans to delve further into their little games, not beyond that conversation, anyway. “And this furry muck. What the hell is that?”

  “Again, just do a search. It’s another tool, in game form, to get the concept of shape-shifting across, to acclimatize people to the possibility.”

  “And then what? When you think enough people are cool with it, you’re going to come out of your closet?”

  She set her napkin aside, smoothed it out, and said, “Jack, if you’re going to be snide, I can stop explaining things and let you find out for yourself, but I can tell you from past experience, education is your best friend. You need to open your eyes.”

  Easier said than done. They still felt red, heavy. It was an effort to keep my eye on her.

  “Are you getting sleepy yet?”

  “Yes. No.” I breathed heavily, set my fork and knife down and rested my elbows on the table. “You drugged me again.”

  There was a little apology in her expression. She said, “You don’t understand what your body is going through. The night is going to be wretched if you aren’t sedated. Even if you are, you’ll probably have nightmares for a long time.”

  “You know what? Why don’t you shoot me and get it over with?”

  She looked stricken. She blinked and drew back in shock.

  I said, “Go ahead. What’s it take? A silver bullet?”

  Giselle put a hand to her bosom. “Don’t...don’t even say that.”

  “God,” I laughed. “Don’t tell me that old movie crap is true.”

  She worried her lower lip.

  “Fuck.” I slapped the table, made her jump. “And so, the whole full moon thing...?”

  “Those things only apply to unnaturals.”

  “The movie werewolves.”

  “Yes.”

  “So a silver bullet won’t kill you?”

  She flinched.

  “Ah. It hurts you just as bad as it does me. Good.”

  She hated that. She got up, stomped toward the door. “You’re a bastard.”

  Reflexes enhanced. Movement returned. I beat her to that door. Surprised the shit out of her. Slapped a hand to the wall in front of her and asked, “And you’re a bitch.”

  That had her swinging her head, tossing her pretty hair around, lifting her chin. “Don’t make me angry.”

  “What? You gonna show me what a bitch you really can be?”

  Her throat worked. I know she bit back a retort.

  Over the intercom, Hood said, “Giselle...”

  She rolled her shoulders, visibly worked to relax. I saw her fingers flex--and noted that her nails had become more claw-like, that there was a change to her face. The bone structure around her nose and jaw had stretched.

  I’m sure my eyes widened upon the realization. I joked, “So, isn’t that a line from the Hulk?” When she didn’t respond, I said probingly, “You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry...? I’m sure he said that.”

  It took some effort, but she finally worked through her irritations. Her jaw sucked back to normal. She smiled. And I thought, they surely had their team in on the special effects squad at Universal studios. I’d seen graphics just like her mini-change--in the movies.

  I gave her a minute to compose herself before I asked, “I was that close, wasn’t I?” I held up my thumb and forefinger, very close together, to illustrate my point.

  She nodded.

  Hood said, “Everything all right in there?”

  We both looked up, found the camera at the same time. I said, “Turn off your camera.”

  He chuckled. “I don’t think that would be...in your best interest.”

  “What? Leaving me alone with Giselle isn’t safe?”

  I glanced at her. She seemed fine now.

  Except her ears had gotten a little pointy.

  Maybe I was feeling a little suicidal. Too much info. Too many stretches to my imagination. I reached up, tucked her hair behind her ear, and took a look.

  She ducked away from me, saying, “Don’t.”

  “What? You’re sensitive about your ears?” I didn’t really see why. They were kind of cute--like an elf’s, except smaller.

  I heard Hood cluck, “Careful. Touchy business there.”

  Giselle reached up, covered both her ears, closed her eyes and, I think, willed herself to shift back to full human. I actually heard a squeak or two, as if the skin sucking back into the tighter formation of a human had gone quickly.

  Now, I didn’t know this at the time, but Giselle was bitten, like me. So, these mutations she did in that room--those were drug, or genetically, induced. Hood had her on some freaking experiments so other garou wouldn’t realize she was an unnatural, and had been bitten herself.

  Yeah, think about it. The whole thing was twisted. So, her ears--that was a defect in the mutation. Her one real shame as a werewolf.

  “I don’t believe any of this.” I went to the sofa, dropped onto it, kicked my feet up on the far end and closed my eyes. “Okay. I’m going to wake up and this will all be over.”

  Believe it or not, I woke up in a fucking zoo.

  Oh, I’d slept for some time. Probably a couple of days, kept under sedation until my body had writhed through the worst of the initial shift process. My nightmares are horrific. My body aches all over. At least, it did once the painkillers wore off. I guess I should be thankful that I was taken to Lobos, or brought to Lobos. I understand that the first subjects suffered through the change without benefit of medication. I can’t even i
magine how that went. And I thank God--now--that Hood is as brilliant as he is. Never sleeps. Always working on a way to make the change easier, less painful. He’s absolutely obsessed with it...but I’m not sure why.

  So, like I said, I woke up in a goddamned zoo. Honest to God, it was an arboretum or something. The first sounds I heard were a waterfall, and birds chirping overhead.

  I wanted to laugh.

  I, of course, asked myself, “Where the hell am I?”

  And then I told myself, “You sure as hell aren’t Jack Barton anymore.”

  I knew that was true because my strength was all gone. Although, I didn’t feel any muscular atrophy, I did feel incredibly weak, terribly hungry and unbelievably thirsty. I had to drag myself toward the sound of the water. And when I got to it, I didn’t look around, I just bellied up to it and scooped handfuls of it into my mouth. Then I sluiced it over my head, splashing my eyes repeatedly with it.

  “So, you finally joined the living again?”

  My head came up fast. I looked around. I couldn’t see anyone. But that voice...sounded familiar. I realized then that I was in some Oz wonderland where the colors were brighter, the noises more clear, and the scents more sharp than anywhere else I’d ever been.

  Birds trilled, insects buzzed, and my ears actually hurt.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement. My head jerked. I spotted a wolf slinking through the trees on the other side of the water. After a quick look-see and the pleasure of noting no alligators or crocodiles or other water serpents, I slid into the lake, pond, whatever it was.

  I was naked.

  The water was warm.

  But all I could think was I’ve got to get out of this place. They’re messing with my mind. I wondered if it was some sort of government program, to test the strength of mind in an Olympian psyche. Surely it was all made up? You see, I still didn’t believe it.

  Putting the wolf out of mind, and the nagging thought that I knew that voice, I told myself, “This isn’t real. It’s a virtual reality. You’ve seen it a dozen times in the sci-fi movies.”

  My friend chuckled. I know he was behind the bushes, but his voice, the sound of his amusement seemed way too loud, like he was on speakers attached directly to my ears.

  It was my lawyer. My old friend. The turncoat wolf that had lined me up for the experiment, if Giselle was to be believed. I asked, “Where’s Giselle?”

  “I think she’s flown the coop.”

  “Come out in the open, where I can see you.”

  “Sure you’re ready for that?”

  “Just fucking show yourself.” I had no patience. If it was real, I wanted to get over the shock.

  “Would you like bubbles?”

  “What?”

  A second later, the pond started to boil. At least, it looked like it. “Ah,” I said, realizing I was in a man-made Jacuzzi. “All part of the illusion, huh?” I was game. “Okay. What’s your next trick?” I was looking up at the ceiling, over at the waterfall, around the planted foliage. It sure looked real.

  My friend appeared, only he didn’t look like my friend. As a wolf, he was a mangy sort. And I had to wrinkle my nose. He smelled.

  I’d never noticed that odor on him before. Well, maybe underlying his usual cologne. I’d always thought he had shitty taste in after-shave. Now, I understood, instinctively, that this was his male scent. He’d probably been urinating all over his own legs, on the trees.

  “Jack.” The wolf dropped to his belly. “How’s it hanging?” Amused, he said, “Get over the rawness yet?”

  Under the surface of the water, I felt my dick. It seemed fine. Maybe a little sensitive. “I’ll live.”

  That hoarse dog laugh came out of his mouth, a sound I’m beginning to recognize more and more, to hear from mouths of strangers on the street. Yes, eventually I got free of that place. Once I’d been educated and integrated.

  “You’re lucky, you know.”

  I ran some water over my arms, sunk down and let the bath soothe my muscles...found a spot to sit, and stretch out. Not too close to my ex-friend. He was on my shit list. And soon as I could figure out how to tear him a new asshole, I was gonna do it. “Oh? Why’s that?”

  “I’d give my eyeteeth for a few hours with Giselle. She won’t give me the time of day.”

  He licked himself, drawing attention to his teeny weenie, and so I figured it was fair game for conversation. I mean, shit, why didn’t he jack off in front of me, too? I said, “Small wonder.”

  That made him stop. His head came around quick. “You’re a son of a bitch, ya know that?”

  “Nah. But I’m pretty sure you are.” I smiled. I stayed put. But I had a sudden urge to leap out of that water and rip his throat open.

  He stood up, wrinkled his nose, showed me his fangs and said, “You need to get a little respect, Jack.”

  I laughed that off. “Who the fuck do you think you’re talking to, shit for brains?” I got up out of the water, then, started walking toward him.

  Remember, I did have a half ‘go ahead and kill me’ thing going on. If it was true, I wanted to test it all, find out. If I was meant to die, I figured I would. And good riddance. I mean, shit.

  “What...what are you doing, Jack?” He backed up a step.

  “What the fuck does it look like I’m doing?” Going after you, you little dumb-fuck.

  I didn’t jump, run or falter. I just kept moving through the water toward him. And he kept backing up, looking up. I slapped a bush out of my way and yelled, “What? You thought I’d roll over and wag my new tail?”

  Fear made its way over his back. His hackles started to rise. He said, “Don’t back me into a corner.”

  “Don’t back you into a corner?” I couldn’t believe he’d said that, Mr. Set Up Your Best Friend. Bullshit. I did exactly that.

  What I hadn’t realized is that I’d undergone a total shift change under the new moon--while asleep and restrained. That they’d set me in their little ‘habitat room’ for an experiment.

  Now, I was walking upright, gaining energy with every step--not realizing I was in crinos. A towering, menacing specimen of the garou unnatural. The bitten werewolf monster that you see in the movies.

  Except, I wasn’t out of control. Call that hormone therapy. Call it good genetics. Call it my buddy’s freaking good luck.

  Well, actually, I don’t think he would have gone in there, if they hadn’t had the injection collar on me. Never noticed it at the time.

  But I rose up over him, my hulking, hairy arms bulging. My thighs--the size of small tree trunks, bent a little where they met my knees--gave my shadow the appearance of a looming monster. I went to swipe at him, grab him by the scruff--about the time I saw my image on the fake boulder behind him.