Chapter XI: Betrayal


Back at the Traver’s house, things were steadily going from bad to worse. Bad meaning Terrance in one bed was burning up with a high fever, breathing shallow and weak breaths. Worse meaning in the other bed, Omega wasn’t moving at all, but common sense would tell them that he was dead, Night and Fang knew better as they continued to put damp compresses on the two though it did nothing at all to affect Omega. There was a grim irony, that at one moment they had been so used to seeing Omega do something miraculous, and now it was they who had to do something, anything to revive him but with no change as they worked into the night when Harold and Helen arrived from the hospital. When they saw that Fang was in the same room as Night, Harold ran for his shotgun.
“Whoa wait man, don’t shoot!!” said Fang while Night stood between him and both barrels of the shotgun as Harold held it straight.
“Git outta the way Night! I said I’d blast this punk if he comes into my house!” Harold yelled.
Night stood firm in spite of the threats.
“No Papa, he’s on our side, Fang’s been helping us this whole time!!!” Night retorted hoping it would drive the point across to which Harold looked to her, then Fang and back to Night again and lowered the gun slightly.
“You better not be lyin’ to me girl!” the old man warned
“Look man, I’m not ask’n for no trouble...it’s the boss...he’s...” Fang said as he backed away from the entrance of the room as Harold and Helen moved into the room to see the two beds...Terrance and....Omega?
“They’re both sick...they’re in those beds...because of me...”Night said as tears came to her eyes. She then began to tell the two everything that had happened while they were gone, the Beast’s return, Terrance’s death and Omega bringing him back to life...only to fall and hasn’t gotten back up since.
When she finished, they both were in shock. They were not gone for seven hours at the hospital and in that time the worst had happened, their nightmares had returned. Omega had tried to warn Harold what was going to happen and he almost believed Omega’s story...he was almost convinced. Now in this tragic paradox that only now did he truly believe...only now it was too late. Guilt ridden tears brought the old man to his knees, so set in his ways to be unwilling to compromise and now this small savior laid on the bed...dead for all he knew and he was powerless to help. He wasn’t sure which was worse, that he in his pride and arrogance had refused to give his blessing in giving the help Night needed or that Omega selflessly saved his wife of 46 years from a heart attack with no thought of thanks. In all that time Harold had long thought Omega a hypocrite, a collector of rare specimens, a spoiled brat in a fancy suit that got everything he wanted and was unwilling to work hard as he, or Night for that matter did...he’d never been so wrong as he was now. The rifle fell to the wood floor with a loud clatter...he crawled over to the bed to where Omega laid and clutched the sheet, his tears dotting the sheet as he sobbed.
“I’m sorry! You tried to help me and I threw it in your face!! I’ve been nothing but a stupid selfish, cowardly old cuss, not fit to live!!! Please...Please wake up...Please!!!” Harold sobbed bitterly as he fell face first to the floor, cursing himself in his heart over what he had done...then he felt something warm on his shoulder...a compassionate hand clasping his shoulder. The black fur of her arms rubbed against his face to try and soothe his aching heart that hurt far more than any ache in his body.
“I know you had your differences papa...but this isn’t your fault...I knew that someway or another this was going to happen sooner or later, with or without Omega...The Beast...she was waiting for him just as much as I was...so in a way it was destiny.” Night said as she continued to try and comfort Harold to who soon got up and sniffled...he had grieved bitterly but began to regain his composure.
“I know...but if I knew then what I know now...I’d have let you go from the first day. But instead I just took him for granted, we all took him for granted...I guess we wondered why he thinks so little of us...we should’ve realized just how little we thought of him.” Harold said as Night held onto him, both hoping and praying that Omega would soon wake up.

Laen looked from behind the tree she was hiding, the two wolves she saw were still moving...good, lead the way...
Laen had suspected ever since the pack had been reorganized that not everyone liked the idea of Fang in charge. After all, Fang was soft, he tended to buckle under pressure especially when it came to Omega, and though it was an improvement, the various members of the pack felt that the whole humanitarian idea wasn’t what they signed up for. There were those that still remained in some way or another loyal to Talon and had placed themselves in Fang’s gang as spies to report on activities, perhaps to find a weakness...which in this case Laen had that bit of leverage as she looked back once again...the two were gone...her cover was blown!
As a huntress however, she wasn’t without contingency plans in such an instance when the hunter became the hunted...she’d have to hide naturally but with camouflage...fortunately in this forest there were plenty of rocks and with her beige fur, she could hide amongst them if she moved quickly and stealthily, another of her special abilities as a feline as she kept low...only it was too late when she was yanked by her tail and gave out a yowl, growling in pain as she unsheathed her claws to attack her assailant...which she nearly missed one of the two wolf spies, a tall, lanky looking wolf, very athletic as he smiled smugly at her.
“Well, well, pretty kitty out on the prowl...” one said to the other, a rather muscular wolf.
“Yeah, big bad wolves just love kitties...” the other replied with sinister intent as his tongue lolled out hungrily...which at this point Laen sarcastically thought in spite of herself how great it was that she just so happened to be caught by two idiot spies and to top it all off, it was lunchtime...she needed to get a way out of this...fast!
“Yeah, glad you’re such big fans...but here’s the thing, I don’t think it would be such a good idea to put little ol’ me on the menu...because if I go, so does the special information about the alien your boss would just die to hear and lets be honest, I think we’d all want to look good for Talon, am I right? Just think of it, you take me to him unharmed and I just may convince him to send a big fat promotion your way.” She said hoping they’d be smart enough, or in this case, dumb enough to accept the bargain as the two began to brew over the idea, whispering it over between the two, then they turned to Laen.
“Yeah we’ve been around Fang long enough to get a good look at the Alien and we just so happened to be on our way to tell him about the little incident with that boy at the Zippy-mart when lunch suddenly arrived...so yeah, that’s bad news for you babe. Heh...”The wolf chuckled wickedly with a hungry growl to which Laen had to think quickly as she slowly backed away from the approaching two until she could move no longer, her back pressed against a tree.
“Wait...that’s it?! How can I not get a say when you don’t know the full story, not like I do!” She protested to which they stopped for a moment, their heads tilted with a degree of curiosity.
“I’ve been around him, up close and personal and I know how he thinks! So tell me how Talon would feel if he found out that someone had first-hand information and that someone was gone. Take that one strategic advantage away and I can bet there will be two wolf pelts on his floor! Take me to him, let him decide what to do with me afterwards, but let me have my say!” Laen said, looking at the two wolves through a brave face though the smell of adrenaline stank of fear...they once again conferred with one another and then looked to her.
“Fine, but you better have something good because if not...you’ll wished we got a hold of you.” He both turned to lead the way, it was too late to run now, she’d gotten herself into this...now she only hoped she had enough to get her out.

The evidence that Talon had fallen from his lofty perch was clear, from an abandoned bar to camping out in the woods. There were tents everywhere made from anything they could find: tarps to bed sheets; plastic and wood, they had been roughing it since they had lost their turf to Fang. There were wolves everywhere eying Laen, fresh meat walking into their camp, she might as well had a sign that said “eat me”. In the center of the encampment was an abandoned cabin, obviously Talon’s quarters as he ranked the highest. One of the wolves knocked on the door.
“Ugh...come in!” replied Talon who sounded very unwell and as the door opened, it revealed him to be even more so. Empty bottles of cheap liquor was either lying or shattered on the floor, there was the stench of booze infused vomit in various places which then lead to Talon, reduced to drunken beast that lifted his head as the sunlight glared at his eyes and groaned as he lifted his hand to block out the light, his head obviously pounding from the horrible hangover.
“You woke me up, so you better have a damn good reason!” he said growling at the two who looked at Laen and pulled her forward.
“Ow hey! Could you try to be a little less rough?!” she exclaimed.
“Yeah, she wants to talk to ya, says she’s got information about the alien.” One of them said.
Talon grumbled and wiped his face...come to think of it, he knew that face...her face.
“Heh, oh yeah, I remember you. One of those brats I had kidnapped...now that’s funny how one of the few people that had ever escaped from me, decides to come back. I’ll give ya this much kid, you’re a tenacious one.” Talon said with half praise, half mockery to which Laen pulled her hand from one of the wolves in annoyance.
“Yeah, well as a rule, I try not to associate with low lives...but we both know the police won’t really be any help, they wouldn’t believe me anyway.” Laen said to which Talon smiled.
“Right...” he replied as he looked to his two henchmen.
“You two can go now.” He said when one of them approached him.
“Actually boss, since we did bring her to ya, I thought maybe we could get...oh I dunno...a promotion?” He asked timidly when Talon slammed the bottle in his hand on the table.
“You’ll get a promotion when I’m damn ready to give one! Now get out!” he roared as the two ran out the door. Talon sighed and rubbed his forehead.
“I swear good help is hard to find these days...I suppose you’re not in the mood for a drink?” He asked offering a bottle of whisky.
“I’m seventeen...what do you think?” She asked with scornful sarcasm.
“Thought not...” he replied as he took a big swig that followed a sickening gulp to which he wiped his lips, breathing out a sigh that reeked of alcohol which absolutely revolted Laen as she cringed and nearly gagged on the stench.
“So, if I was to take a wild guess and assume that since you had no other alternatives open to you, there was only one taker left who’d believe you...Me.” Talon sneered in self-adulation at this interesting turn of events.
“Uh-huh...right, let’s just cut the crap and get to business because frankly I want this over with as soon as possible. Now then, first thing, I need you to tell me how much you know about the alien. The more you know, the less time I can spend trading info and the sooner we can get going.” Laen said, cold and professional, but it didn’t take a whole lot of insight for Talon to see the disgust in her undertone.
“Sure...but first let me ask, what’s in it for you...no, let me rephrase that...Why would you betray your friends, Hm?” Talon asked with a curiosity that seemed to cut Laen...is this she was doing, betraying her friends? It seemed like it, playing a Judas Iscariot for her own reasons. But she didn’t have to explain herself, especially not to Talon!
“Look I have my reasons...though I will say that I feel like that alien is dangerous...but that doesn’t matter. Not when I’m sure you still have a score to settle with him right?” Laen countered.
Talon looked at her for a moment and then chuckled slightly.
“Good point and you are so right, if he were any other person, sure, I’d close my jaws around that puny little neck of his...” he said when he suddenly looked somberly at his hands.
“...but then he isn’t any other person is he? I held him, right in these hands. I-I tore him in two, nobody survives that...but him...no, it wouldn’t matter if I tore him to a hundred pieces...it would’ve been the same. I wanted to drink his blood, but there was nothing there...except my reflection.”Talon said, he appeared vulnerable.
“There is no blood, he doesn’t even breathe...he...” Laen paused, it was weird, for someone who didn’t want anything to do with Talon, here they were suddenly finding a sort of kinship...how messed up was that?!
“...that’s why he scares me and by the way you’ve been acting, I’m sure he scares you too.” She finished, if there was to be any middle ground between them, she was going to make sure she had the advantage of knowing more, so long as she had that, she had some degree of control over him...at least she hoped so.
“I’m not scared!” Talon shot back with a growl, but for a moment before his face softened. “But you’re right, he is dangerous, probably even more than me which frankly I can’t have that on my reputation, I’m not losing face to that pintsized freak!” he growled and then looking at the door. “So I guess we do it your way, got any suggestions?”
Laen had him; she just had to give him enough, a free sample of information, and the rest she could use as insurance in case he decided she was of no further value.
“Well as I said before, we need to compare notes, tell me what you know and I’ll fill you in on the rest.” Laen replied, only ready to give a small portion of information for now.
Fang sighed as he looked at the bottle for any stray drops he could find and threw it away in disgust.
“Well...shit...where to begin, by my reckoning, he’s made of some strange metal, we both know, and he can mold himself, split himself he can make himself dense too. He knows a thing or two about how to make good on his threats, heard about that earlier today when that thing forced-fed himself down Fang’s throat and threatened to make mincemeat out of him...from the inside out. He can do stuff to the body, make your hair fall out and can somehow get inside your head, do things...crazy things. He’s stronger and tougher than he looks, you can’t use the usual means to break him like I did with some of my other cohorts and deadbeat clients...he’s not something you can just fight.” Talon said as he then looked back to Laen.
“Anyway your turn...spill it girlie!” he barked, ready to hear what she had to say and from seeing her with him, she’d have plenty to cough up, maybe something useful.
So that was all he knew...good, now that she knew what he knew, she had plenty to work with.
“That thing he did to mess with your body, I think I heard him call it biohacking.” She said somberly as if she too were a victim to perhaps pull him at the heartstrings.
“From what he once told us, if he comes into contact with someone, anywhere his body can make contact with yours, he can tap directly into the nervous system and then into the brain where he can do things to your body and what he did to you is just a small taste...he can do anything with it...I’d even go as far to say that he could probably kill instantly with a single touch. So for future reference, if you wanna live, it would be a good idea to kept some distance between you and him.”
Talon only thought at this for a moment only to be annoyed.
“Tell me something I don’t know...like weaknesses. I wanna know how to hurt him, Now!” he demanded.
“Or maybe you want me to crush that pretty little neck of yours!” Talon added as his massive hands reached toward her, which of course she knew something like this would happen which lead Laen to use that vital point of information.
“Wait, I was getting to that part! He has a weakness!” She cried out to which Talon stayed his hands, but only just...if he didn’t like what she had to say, she’d have very little to say with his massive hands around her throat.
“Fine, talk, tell me everything...If I like what I hear, I just might let you go.” He replied as Laen panted in terror, part of the plan sure, but she’d be lying to herself if she didn’t feel a little anxious. In this dangerous game, there were too many factors to simply pass through without a little forethought and a good degree of caution.
“Just recently he passed out, which occurred to me that if he doesn’t react to pain or damage, physical hurting him wasn’t the key, so maybe there’s an area of weakness that has to do with how much energy he can exert at a time, he has to have a limit.” Laen surmised, knowing that she didn’t want to give away too much of her bait, not until it became relevant. She had to make something up, something plausible as a bargaining chip.
Talon suddenly smiled when he heard her analysis, there it was, the chink in that runt’s armor.
“So, all he needs is to be worn out.” He said, musing at the idea and getting a few ideas himself.”
“Yeah, maybe you can let your boys out to play with him a while, wear him out. Then he’ll be all yours for the taking.” She smiled, playing him to her side, good, so the plan was working so far. This was the true Laen, the one nobody would have known about, a true mastermind, playing all the angles, pitting both sides to fight one another, she could pare both down to a point where neither would be a threat. It didn’t matter who was left standing, because despite whatever the outcome would be; it wouldn’t be an easy or fast fight for either side, and even Talon’s wolves were substandard compared to Omega and his powers. And if she was right about Omega, then even he couldn’t hold out forever. She also took into consideration that whether or not Omega was conscious yet, there was still Fang and his wolves for Talon to deal with; an unfortunate aspect on Fang’s part, but not unexpected. After all, they followed Omega’s lead so blindly, so it wasn’t hard to factor them into the equation. Premeditating the battle and the several outcomes that could play out, she knew that in the end, Talon wouldn’t be strong enough to bother anyone, Omega would be too exhausted for her to figure out what to do with him, and Night would have nowhere else to go. Things would continue to go as they always had, yet there was also the Beast, but she’d attend to that problem all in good time. The best part was while this was going on, Night wouldn’t know anything about what was to transpire later on and so Night would remain, Laen would graduate and take over, and then she’d see about working to make things as they should be, a world without alien influences or vicious gangs, a world where she wouldn’t simply be taken for granted as she had been in the past. Everything would go back to how it was, the old-fashioned way; the way it should have been all along.
“Alright, so now we’ve got a plan on how to deal with the twerp, so tell me where they’ve got him stashed.” Talon said satisfied with Laen’s co-operation.
Laen was happy to comply, things were falling into place.
“They’re at the Traver’s place, about a twenty miles walk, east from the Hunter’s association building.” She said as she turned away towards the door.
“Anyway, that’s my bit. I’d love to stay, but I have things to do y’know, let me know how it turns out.” Laen finished as she opened the door, only to have two wolves blocking her way. “Hey Talon, tell your boys to move over...I...” She paused when she looked to Talon smiling.
“And leave without your reward? Now I can’t have that, not without showing you my gratitude.”Talon replied smiling callously.
No, this isn’t supposed to happen, this wasn’t how the plan was suppose to go!
“No, no, It’s perfectly all right, I mean taking care of that runt will be thanks enough so I really should be on my way before I’m missed.

“Yeah well, that’s the point, especially when you proved just how invaluable you are, I think we have room enough for someone else to bring something to the table.” Talon replied as he looked to the two wolves obstructing Laen’s exit. “Go get her a vest, and not the grunt kind, I think she’s earned her place by my side as one of my lieutenants.” Talon smile as the two wolves smiled back as if knowing some hidden context as they left.
“You should feel privileged since nobody really gets this high up, not unless I spot special talent, and it’s not often I find someone with enough smarts to not only infiltrate my pack but have good working knowledge of my enemies. Though don’t get me wrong, this isn’t really for your benefit, in fact the real reason I’m making you one of my lieutenants isn’t because of your smarts, really it’s because I want your friends to see you for who you are...a traitor. I want them to get a good look at you standing at my side and know that it’s all because of you that they’re suffering. You didn’t think I’d really fall for that little stunt you’ve been playing at, it didn’t take me long to figure it out. You thought you were duping me when actually I’ve been duping you. Can’t you just taste the irony; you thought you were so clever, weaving your plans and plots like a web, trying to catch us all in with nobody the wiser. You thought nobody would notice your plan, but I did. So now you’re tangled in your own little web of deception, and now you’re down to only two options. You can join me and watch as I kill your friends one by one, or you can leave through the exit. But just so you know, if you leave, then you’ve declined my offer and my protection, and my boys out there are very hungry. And after they’re done, we’ll go and kill your friends anyway. So on one hand; you’ll live the rest of your life in regret as your friends will see you on my side. On the other hand, you won’t have to worry about it because your problems, if you have any, will be over. A hard decision I know, but either way you choose, there won’t be a happy ending and the only one living happily ever after will be me.” Talon mused as Laen looked at him horrified, barely aware of the two wolves slipping the vest on her with vulgar intentions to which Talon growled at the two to back off before they had a chance to go any further.
Laen was devastated, finding herself at a loss for words. Everything she had done, had tried with well planned schemes proved not only useless, it was going to reveal to Night that she had betrayed her trust, perhaps in this case it was rightfully so, because Laen didn’t give that trust to begin with, and now she was going to pay the price...that was unless she could find a way to salvage the situation and work around this little juncture, she still had information and that would be enough maybe to keep her safe until she could work something else out. There was a slight glimmer of hope, but she couldn’t let Talon know, she appeared defeated as her eyes closed head lowered in reluctant submission, her ears tucked back as she mutter out desolately, “Where do I sign?”
And so it begins, she had become like putty in his hands, though he had to admit that she was a lot tougher than her looks gave away. It took some degree of work, but in the end she would begin yielding to his whim, now he could mold her to whatever his ambitions took him.
“You don’t have to sign anything, hold out your arms.” He said calmly, though with the slightest hint of satisfaction.
Laen looked to Talon, if she thought that she would completely trust him, then he was dumber than she thought.
“Not until I know what you’re planning to do with me, I need to know why.” She retorted.
Talon smiled as he continued to toy with her; after all, it wasn’t any fun breaking someone in unless they showed some resistance.
“Alright, here’s what you need to know then. You will do exactly as I say without question, and I mean exactly. Because if you choose to do otherwise; those doors are the only thing separating you from my pack just outside. They’re low on rations, they’ll take any scrap of meat I throw their way, and they won’t think twice to tear your pretty little face to shreds. That’s all you need to know. Any questions?” Talon asked with a bit of threatening malice in his voice as he stroked his finger across her chin, a cue Laen knew went along with that threat.
“No, no questions.” She said reluctantly obeying to his wishes.
Talon flashed that arrogant grin again, she hated it, but there was nothing she could do at the moment.
“Good, then let’s try this again, arms out.”
She lifted them up, much in the way one does when they are under arrest. Talon’s massive hands rubbed slowly upwards until his hands reached her shoulders. Then abruptly he sunk his claws into her shoulders and ripped swiftly down her arms to which she yowled painfully, backing away with a jerk as her arms were bleeding with the deep cuts from his claws.
“What the hell was that for?!” She screamed back with tears of pain from her eyes as the air hitting the fresh cuts stung and burned fiercely, she had disobeyed the order of questioning, but Talon was going to allow this one for his own amusement to explain.
“It’s my mark, you belong to now. If you don’t believe me, look at every other wolf, you’ll see the same scars. You should be thankful that I don’t forget my debts. You saved my life from the alien, so now I’m saving yours from my pack.
When they see those scars, they’ll know not to touch you, you belong to me now, just like the rest of them do. Welcome to the family, Laen.
Laen looked to Talon, she didn’t want this, and she could only hope that if Fang escaped, then maybe she could to. It was all about timing. But for now she needed to comply with Talon if she was going to save her friends. Perhaps in the end, her brief time as a traitor would be worth it if she could bring him down from the inside. That remained to be her last hope, or else she’d die trying.