I like it!  It is nice to see the other side of the mirror.  We usually see things from Dep118's perspective, now we see it from someone a different point of view.  Good stuff!  Keep going!

Punx, feel free to print away. I will always and invariably hope to receive any feedback you can give me. Heck, if a fellow passenger needs some reading material, that's okay too - as long as you get the copies back from them, of course. I also thank you for your interest in this beginning. I hope the rest meets up to your anticipation.

  Thanks for mentioning the difference in perspective, Wolfsong; I thought it might be an interesting change, since almost all the other stories were told from Chris' standpoint.

  Here's a bit more, but I'm not sure I'll keep it. I entreat all readers: if you feel ill at ease with any aspect of this next part please let me know - I think there may be some character conflicts here, among other bad things. Also, sorry in advance for the length. Just FYI and all.
-----------------------------------------------

  The agents led Kate to an old fashioned ground-bound vehicle: a four-door car painted white with blue trim, and with an open cargo area in the back. The female agent, Rachel, took the driver’s seat. The male agent, Chris, led Kate to the door behind Rachel’s seat. After Kate climbed into the implied seat, Chris walked around the vehicle and took positioning the seat to Rachel’s right. After starting the vehicle and roughly piloting it down the road, Rachel made a comment to Chris to ‘ask Shannon about borrowing her craft next time instead of Dad’s old relic.’ Apparently, she was borrowing the vehicle from her father. And as she smiled at the comment, Kate found herself exhilarated by her assignment instead of being nervous around the two agents, like she was expecting.

  As they continued, Chris naturally started a conversation by asking Kate what she knew about Earl Tippowitz.

  “Only a little bit,â€� she started. “I know he’s a scooper like me, one of the more stable ones. He has a big family north of here. He only stays here in the hopes of someday getting some answers, but he makes regular visits to his family.â€�

  “The report says that’s where he was heading when he saw what he saw,â€� Rachel commented.

  “So do you guys really think he saw a werewolf?â€� Kate asked sheepishly.

  Chris shrugged. “Stranger things have happened, believe us. We won’t know until we get more facts. Forgive me for prying, Kate, but you said that Mr. Tippowitz was a ‘scooper’ like you. If I may ask, what’s a ‘scooper’?â€�

  Kate paused as she forcibly refrained from rolling her eyes. This guy works for Dep:118 and he doesn’t know what a scooper is? He must have been really new.

  “It’s slang for an alien abduction victim,â€� Rachel explained.

  “I see,â€� Chris said thoughtfully. “May I ask when you were abducted?â€�

  “Sometime when I was a teenager,â€� she explained, “Shortly after I left Serendipity.â€�

  “You mean the isolation colony?â€�

  “Yeah. My mom moved there after the Empire kicked her out of some mutation development project that she was a part of. It was good for her; she wanted out of imperial life anyway. She joined Serendipity and eventually had me and my sisters. We were raised there. Personally, I hated it. Before I even turned 18 I kept saying that my destiny wasn’t going to be in Serendipity.â€�

  Chris huffed. “That’s ironic.â€�

  “Yeah, I thought so too.â€�

  “What about your father?â€�

  “He’s still in Serendipity, but on the other side of the colony somewhere. The council wouldn’t allow him near my mom or my sisters or me after I turned six; he was being a jerk and a half.â€�

  “Sorry to hear that.â€�

  “Yeah, well, you can’t pick your family.â€� Kate began to stare out the window, watching the scenery as they passed it by. “Anyway, I started having dreams of being abducted after I made my way to a place called Aisleton. I met an imperial counselor that put me in touch with your Department. Two of your people interviewed me and recommended I come here to Loughlin for support.â€�

  “Two of our Agents?â€� Chris asked.

  “Scott and Emily,â€� Rachel informed him.

  “Ah. So how long have you been living in Loughlin?â€�

  “About two years or so.â€�

  “You must know a lot of the locals.â€�

  “Yeah, I guess. I know Earl because he was in one of my support groups from early on, but I know Riley only by reputation. He’s an old coot that almost never comes in to town. He scares away visitors, hunts his own food in the mountains, has his own arsenal, that kind of thing. You know how Ollie was worried about a riot coming from all the paranoia?â€�

  “Yes.â€�

  “Well Riley would probably be one of the starters. He keeps his house like a bunker, but he’d spread the word like crazy if he thought the end was coming.â€�

  “Is he an abduct– I mean, a scooper – as well?â€�

  Kate shrugged. “Not that I know of. In fact, he treats all the scoopers like we’re spies for the aliens.â€�

  “Ah; hence Sheriff Taylor making sure that you stay away from him.â€�

  “Yep.â€�

  Chris turned to look at Rachel. “He’ll be a fun one to visit, kinda like the Owens case; remember that?â€�

  “Don’t remind me,â€� Rachel replied, focusing on her driving.

  Kate paused for a moment, uncertain about the wisdom of asking the next question forming in her mind. However, she had to find out something, and so far the information exchange was proving to be only in one direction. She tried to think of some other question to ask, but her mind kept returning to the same one. Before too much time passed, she reinforced her confidence and posed her question.

  “So, you guys get a lot of werewolf sightings being reported?â€�

  “About one every other month,â€� Rachel answered.

  Kate was taken back; they had reports of other werewolf sightings! It wasn’t often, apparently, but regularly enough for them to consider the issue with callus.

  “Do- do you guys find any?â€� she stuttered. “Werewolves, I mean?â€�

  She watched as Chris looked at Rachel for a moment obviously asking permission but only with his eyes. Rachel responded in kind, only with a look. Kate was not in a position to see her expression, but the reaction from Chris indicated a negative response.

  “We can’t go into any detail at this time, but we have made some… undeniable discoveries.â€�

  This was far beyond anything Kate could have expected. These simple, unexcited answers spawned a flood of more questions in her mind. Were there actually others out there? Where? What did they do with them? What did they find? Was there any way to lift the curse? And yet once again her fear tempered her excitement, for the answers could bring terror as much as they might bring ease. She would have to wait and see how these two handled the case, and perhaps it would expose how they would treat any werewolves they found.

  And hopefully their intentions would manifest soon. Kate was already in the habit of staring at the calendar on her desk, and more so as every day came closer to completing the lunar cycle. Her calendar listed tomorrow as the night of a full moon.

  No matter how she looked at it, she only had a limited amount of time, and what time she did have was steadily running out.

TYVM Wolfsong!
Here's some more. I don't know if this scene works - I haven't written anything like it before. Feedback would be appreciated...
Again, sorry about the length.
-------------------------------------------------

  Earl Tippowitz lived in a simple apartment complex, neither gated nor painted nor otherwise maintained. Each of its three buildings were two stories tall, and at least five apartments long. It was a complex that did not aspire to set itself out as different from any other, and such was the case for most of its residents. Chris commented that it reminded him of his old place in Romberg, which was a large imperial city to the Southwest, closer to the coast. When he mentioned the city of Romberg, something buried deep in Kate’s memory tried to stir. There was some reason that Romberg caught Kate’s attention years ago, but she couldn’t quite remember what, or why. Kate decided to pay it no mind and focus on matters at hand.

  She pointed out the apartment which Earl Tippowitz called home. Rachel parked the vehicle in the visitor parking, which was thankfully in the shade of a row of trees. The heat of summer was beginning to make its presence known on a daily basis, but it had yet to reach the point of discomfort. In line with the conditions Ollie set upon her, Kate stayed in the car as both agents approached the apartment. Kate watched intently as they knocked on the front door and Earl answered it, looking bemused for a moment until the agents introduced themselves.

  At a certain point Earl invited them inside and closed his door; and it was at that point where Kate unbuckled her seat belt and made herself comfortable as best she could. She may be waiting for a while, for all she knew. She stretched herself out along the back seat, resting her head on her folded arm, and gently closed her eyes.

  She started thinking about her family back in Serendipity, wondering if there was any way for her to obtain a visitation permit through the Sheriff’s office. It would be nice to see her family again, if only for a day or two, but the Empire was not indulgent when it came to any dealings with isolation colonies. As a result, Kate settled for imagining their well being, picturing her mom being the referee as her older sisters fought over a boy, and her younger sister looking on with glee. She thought about their traditional places at the table, ready to eat a meal that Mom and at least one of her older sisters prepared. And once again her mind entertained the idea of a visit; but as it did, her conscious gave way to her subconscious, and she began her journey into the land of dreams.

  Her dream was simple enough; it was the thought of driving a rented vehicle along the old highway on her way to see her mother and sisters in Serendipity. She turned on the radio and heard an old folk song about country roads taking the singer home, and it brought a smile to her face. She looked on ahead into the night, noticing that the headlights of her vehicle were very well complimented by the abundant light of a full moon.

  It was so bright, in fact, that she was able to see a deer in the middle of the highway, slowly crossing to the right, but not fast enough to make it before her vehicle arrived. Kate tapped the brakes to allow the deer enough time to notice her vehicle, and also allow her to swerve around the animal if it became necessary. Suddenly, she felt the back of the vehicle sink, but her speed was hardly affected. It was like something jumped on the back of the truck. She peered into the rear view mirror on the left, but saw nothing. She used the mirror on the right, and saw a shadow hanging onto the back of the truck!

  Reinforced with knowledge of possible deer in the highway just ahead, Kate instantly slammed on the brakes. She looked ahead just in time to see the deer look up and then run into the woods along the right of the highway. And then, after the truck had come to a full and complete stop, the back raised of its own accord, indicating that whatever had hitched a ride back there just disembarked. She leaned toward the right rear view mirror, trying to get a better view. In the bottom corner of the mirror she saw a shadow move.

  Without warning a face popped up from the outside of the door and glared at her. It did not make more than a growl as a sound, but the abrupt appearance made Kate vault to the other side of the cab, slamming her back against the driver side door. The figure still glared at her with angry hazel eyes, and had rustled gray fur upon its lupine face. Its jowls began to rise, exposing white fangs among its teeth.

  Kate shut her eyes as hard as she could. “Go away!â€� She cried out.

  After a few moments of nothing happening, Kate took a chance; she opened one eye slowly, and then the other. The face that glared at her before was no longer in the passenger window. Ever so gently she pulled herself up to look over the hood of the truck, and saw nothing in the headlights. She peered into the moonlight, and again saw nothing. She exhaled her breath in relief.

  And that was when a furred arm crashed through the windshield and grabbed her shoulder.

  Kate screamed out loud, but soon heard another voice contrasting with her own. She took a moment to listen to the voice.

  “Kate! Kate! It’s all right! You’re okay! I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to startle you.â€�

  Kate looked around and found herself in the back of the agents’ car. She looked up and saw Chris holding his hands up in concerned alarm; he was apparently reaching back from the front passenger seat to wake her up.

  “Must have been some dream,â€� Chris commented.

  Kate shook off her bemusement and responded. “Yeah, just a bit of a nightmare.â€�

  Chris nodded and put his hands down. “Were you remembering your abduction?â€�

  It took a few seconds for Kate to realize that Chris asked her a question. “What? Oh; no, I haven’t had one of those dreams in a year and a half. This was… this was something else.â€�

  “Wait a minute,â€� Rachel said as she looked back over her shoulder from her position in the driver’s seat. “You haven’t had any recurring abduction dreams for over a year?â€�

  Kate thought about her question for a moment while attempting to gain some orientation. “Yeah, that’s right. Why?â€�

  “Did you report this?â€� Rachel asked sternly.

  “Well, no. I thought I was cured. I didn’t think anything more of it.â€�

  “What’s the problem?â€� Chris asked.

  “Scoopers don’t just up and stop having their dreams,â€� she stated to Chris, and then looked back at Kate. “Did you stop going to your support group too?â€�

  “Well, yeah. Ollie suggested once that I take a break from the support group thing, so one day I did. That’s when I stopped having the dreams, so I just… never went back.â€�

  “And that didn’t seem the slightest bit significant to you?â€� Rachel demanded.

  “No, not really.â€�

  “Rachel,â€� Chris interrupted, “Calm down. What’s the big deal?â€� Chris asked her.

  “Think about it, Chris. Kate was having the dreams, then she left the group and the dreams went away. What if the support groups are prolonging the dreams for others too; others who want to be free of them?â€�

  “Well, wouldn’t we need to get more facts before we jump to that conclusion?â€�

  “Absolutely,â€� Rachel confirmed, “and we could have been getting those facts a year ago if Kate reported it.â€�

  “Right; now it’s time to back off, Rachel,â€� Chris warned, with an air almost as stern as Rachel’s. “If you think this needs further research, we can inform Scott and Emily when we get back – with Kate’s permission, of course. But in the meantime you’re here to investigate a possible werewolf sighting, not a cured abduction victim, and I’m here to confirm any findings. Now, let’s go and see what we can find out from Mr. Banks, shall we?â€�

  Rachel stared at Chris for a moment, and Chris stared back. It was a silent battle of wills, each trying to further make the points they had each already made. Finally, Rachel broke the silence.

  “Whatever,â€� the agent said, and then started the car.

Last edited by Grayle (2009-02-25 18:41:36)

Blasted Typos! Thanks again for pointing that out for me, wolfsong.
I took the last few paragraphs of the previous post and added them to this post, for the sake of congruity of the story. Judging by the replies, I think only wolfsong may be in danger of getting confused, in which case I apologize in advance, buddy.
Here we go. 
---------------------------------------------


  “So, um, did you guys find out anything more from Earl?â€� Kate asked, desperate to change the subject.

  “Not really,â€� Chris replied. “He pretty much told us everything that was in the report, except added a little more on what the creature looked like when it glared at him. But since it’s been nearly six months since it happened, there’s the possibility his memory of the event is not as clear as it used to be.â€�

  “Well, don’t sell him short,â€� Kate said as she returned to her view of the passing scenery. “He’s a scooper, like me. A lot of us got training to hold on to details of our dreams as clearly as possible. Earl signed up for the training; I didn’t.â€�

  Chris nodded. “That’s a good point to keep in mind; thanks for letting us know.â€�

  “No problem,â€� Kate offered indifferently.

  She tried to let the rest of the trip continue in silence, staring out the window at the familiarity of Loughlin. She tried to keep the awkwardness at bay, but it was the unique nature of this new dream that disturbed her, not Agent Blackwood’s implication of Kate’s mistake. With all her other dreams she saw things from the point of view of herself as a werewolf, trying to ensure her home was safely secured, bounding over a fence or running off into the forest. This dream was different because the werewolf was outside of her self, and she was playing the role of the victim.

  Why did she have this dream? Was it some hallucination, or some trick of her conscience, trying to give her a guilt trip by putting her in the shoes of her victims? That didn’t sound right; she didn’t kill Earl or Riley. In fact, she hadn’t killed any human being according to <THE> reports and the town’s population – surely a missing person would have been reported by now.

  So the question persisted: why? Why this dream? Why did she view herself in the same kind of vehicle and in the same kind of situation as what she read in Earl’s report?

  Earl’s report; ah, that must be the answer. She was taking the agents to Earl’s place, she had read the report herself, and her subconscious reacted to the tension by adding some of the events to her dream. What a cruel, heartless trick for her subconscious to play! 

  It was a relief, to be sure; at least she could explain away this dream. But the lingering lack of explanation as well as the recurrence of her lycanthropic nightmares caused her no comfort, and only fertilized her apprehension. Along with that, the presence of these two agents provided the water to nourish her unease. Fortunately the personable nature of Chris Hansen was providing some solace to her discontent. He was rational and willing to listen, even acted with her well-being in mind. It was not enough for her to trust him with the secret she held, for he could be acting out of principle, but it did provide her with a measure of hope, and at this point in her life, she could use all the hope she could get.


  A one-story home with little more than a roof and walls served as the home of Riley Banks – at least, that’s what it looked like from the outside. Ollie has had to send deputies out here more than once, and they all testified to the reinforcements that could be seen through the windows, as well as glimpses of a large and varied arsenal. Although the quantity of the arms raised alarm for many, Riley always had the appropriate licenses and certificates, and kept them up to date as well. If there was ever an invasion, nearly everyone in Loughlin would try for Riley’s house.

  The problem was that Riley was not at all fond of unannounced visitors. Now that she remembered that fact, Kate silently hoped Ollie called him in advance to let him know they would visit today.

  As the car came to a halt in front of Riley’s house, Chris looked back at Kate.

  “Kate, does Riley know you at all?â€�

  Kate shrugged. “He’s seen me once or twice, I think. I don’t know if he’d recognize me, if that’s what you’re asking.â€�

  Chris frowned in thought. “Still, things might go a bit more smoothly if he saw a familiar face with us. I know we promised Sheriff Taylor that you’d stay in the car, but how would you feel about coming with us on this one?â€�

  “I’m not sure. He doesn’t like scoopers, remember?â€�

  Chris looked up at the ceiling, acknowledging the point. “Right. Well, this time it may take a bit longer; you may be in the car for a while. I was just offering, because-â€�

  “Because of a bad dream?â€� Kate asked abruptly.

  Chris looked at her and nodded slowly, his expression caught between concern and apprehension.
Kate flashed a weak smile. “Well, it would be nice to get out and stretch my legs. I guess we can give it a try.�

Last edited by Grayle (2009-02-26 17:04:32)

Wonderful to hear from you, Punx! I'm very glad it meets with your approval so far. As to plot twists, I may have at least one in store - a major one, but it's much, much later. Right now, let's continue with the investigation.
-----------------------------------------

  Chris gave her a smile of thanks and the three disembarked, making their way to the front of the dilapidated home.

  “That’s far enough!â€� they heard from inside the house. They were still several paces away from the front door.

  “Mister Riley Banks?â€� Rachel called.

  “Who wants to know?â€� was the reply.

  “I’m Rachel Blackwood from Department 118 of the American Empire. This is my associate, Christopher Hansen, and this is Kate Crenshaw, our escort from the Sheriff’s office.â€�

  “Ollie said you’d be coming by,â€� he called out. Looks like Ollie did call ahead for them. Good old Ollie. “Whadda ya’ want?â€�

  “We’re here to ask you some questions about your wild animal encroachment.â€�

  “No you’re not; that’s Dep:41. You’re Dep:118. You wanna ask me about the werewolf.â€�

  “That’s absolutely right, Mr. Banks,â€� Chris said. “We’re here to get as many facts as we can and let the facts speak for themselves. We’re not here to prove or disprove anyone or anything because we don’t have enough facts to support a conclusion. Can you help us with getting more facts on the case?â€�

  “It’s all in the report.â€�

  “That’s not true,â€� Rachel replied. “The report mentions prints on the ground and scratches on your door, but no pictures. We also want to get the story from your own words, not translated through a deputy that might have a bias. Now do you want someone to finally take you seriously, or not?â€�

  Kate was astounded; how could Rachel Blackwood have so much aggressiveness and so little tact, and still be in a job dealing with the public? Yet even more to her surprise, Riley’s front door opened and he emerged, a shotgun held with both hands but pointed toward the ground in front of him. He peered at each of the three in turn, obviously uncertain on how much leeway to grant them.

  “You read the report,â€� he said to Rachel. “What do you think it is?â€�

  “I think you were visited by an unexplained creature,â€� Rachel said. “Whether it was a werewolf, Bigfoot, or some other creature remains to be determined.â€�

  “I know what I saw! It was a werewolf!â€�

  “Then the scratches and prints you found should confirm that,â€� Chris added. “May I see them?â€�

  A minute passed by as Riley seemed to slowly dissipate his suspicion. “Follow me,â€� he finally said, and walked around the left side of his house.

  Kate watched Rachel and Chris look at each other. Rachel rolled her eyes and shook her head, while Chris merely shrugged and began following Riley. Kate and Rachel followed as well. They came to a small shack made from cinder blocks, much newer than the house. After Riley disarmed or manually set off several of two dozen traps surrounding access to the shed, they safely approached the door.

  “What do you keep in there?â€� Rachel asked.

  “My hunting spoils. This is where I clean the meat and prepare it.â€�

  “That would explain interest in the building,â€� Chris commented as he took a closer look at the metal door and its locks.

  “According to the reports, the first visitation ended with the creature crashing through the door to get inside.â€�

  “Yeah, that’s right.â€�

  “So is this the same door?â€�

  “No, the first one was wood; it was ruined. I replaced it with this one and reinforced all the locks. The second time it came around it tore the outer latch off, but couldn’t get past the deadbolts.â€�

  “Looks like you got a shot at it,â€� Rachel said, pointing a discolored indentation in one of the cinder blocks on the corner.

  “Yeah, I got a few rounds off but I never hit it,â€� Riley confirmed.

  Chris stood from inspecting the markings. “Mr. Banks, what do you see when you look at these scratches?â€�

  Riley shrugged. “Slash marks.â€�

  “I think you’ll be happy to know that there’s more to see,â€� Chris said, and pointed to the area around the locks. “Whatever did this slashed the door only after trying the locks first. A common wild animal couldn’t know to try the locks first, so a wild animal is pretty much ruled out.â€�

  “What about Bigfoot?â€� Kate asked curiously.

  “Those don’t have claws,â€� Rachel answered. “And they’re herbivores.â€�

  “So this creature is intelligent, has claws, and eats meat,â€� Chris summarized. “It doesn’t isolate it to a werewolf, but it narrows down the possibilities. What about the tracks you reported?â€� 

  “It’s been a month,â€� Rachel commented. “They’d be useless by now.â€�

  Chris shot Rachel a look that seemed to encourage her to hold her tongue; at least that was how Kate interpreted it. Chris returned his attention to Riley. “Mr. Banks, could you show me those tracks?â€�

  “This way,â€� Riley said, and took them behind the shack twenty meters to the tree line of the surrounding forest. He looked around to get his bearings, and led them to an area with disturbed grass. “They were around here somewhere; you’ll have to look around.â€�

  Chris and Rachel both began looking for any of the tracks, and it was not long before Chris found some. He squatted to examine them and then looked deep into the wood area, probably following an imaginary direction with his mind.

  “It went into the forest…â€� He said thoughtfully, and then looked at Rachel. “Rachel, is my backpack in the car?â€�

  “Yeah.â€�

  He stood and exhaled. “I’m going to follow these tracks as best I can, but it’s going to take a while; I’m probably going to lose them a few times, they’re pretty old. You might want to drop Kate off and head back to the motel. I’ll contact you if I need you to pick me up.â€� 

  “Wait a minute,â€� Riley interjected, “You’re just gonna waltz out there into the woods with no protection, following the tracks of a werewolf?â€�

  “Mr. Banks,â€� Rachel said to get his attention. “Three things: first, the tracks are at least a month old, and likely won’t lead back to the creature’s lair. If it does, Chris knows what to do. Second, there are things in his backpack to provide protection. Third, it’s still daylight and the moon isn’t full yet. Rest assured, Mr. Banks, we know what we’re doing.â€�

  “But how is he going to contact you?â€� Kate asked.

  “I’ll make my way to town and borrow a vidphone, probably,â€� Chris explained. “Don’t worry, I do this all the time. I’ll be just fine. In the meantime, Rachel, why don’t you go over the events with Mr. Banks, and you can go over them with me when I get back?â€�

  Rachel turned to Riley. “Would that be alright with you, Mr. Banks?â€�

  “Yeah, I guess,â€� He agreed as he looked at Chris suspiciously.   

  “Okay then, I’ll go get my backpack and start on my way. Thanks again for your cooperation, Mr. Banks,â€� Chris said, offering his hand to Riley.

  Riley accepted the hand and shook it. Then, with a smile upon his lips, Chris walked toward the car, leaving the other three to discuss the details of Riley’s reports.

Thanks, Wolfsong! I'm really happy that the character of Riley came over so well - I was hoping he would.
As to Chris, he keeps a lot of things in his backpack - but for all we know he could be wearing that loincloth under his current clothes, like Truug does, you know? Anyway, since the story focuses on Kate and her grappling, it's not really anything I can put too much detail into. 
Here's some more. I'm not too sure I'll keep the product placement in here. Let me know what you think
------------------------------------------------

  When Rachel’s abrupt personality and Riley’s paranoia met across the table, it didn’t take long before their deliberations broke into a heated debate, and then became a flaming disaster. After verbally attacking Riley’s paranoia outright he demanded they leave.

  Rachel kept quiet all the way back to the Sheriff’s office, and Kate secretly appreciated her silence. She didn’t mind talking with Chris, but Rachel was like a ticking smart bomb, seeking out the weak links in a person’s defenses and liable to strike when they least expect it. She just wasn’t the kind that encouraged trust. However, Chris was that kind, and he obviously trusted Rachel. Perhaps Rachel was simply one of those people who took time to acclimate. Whatever the case, at least she’d be gone soon.

  The past day was filled with worries and bad dreams, and it took its toll upon Kate. She clocked out at work, went home to change, and then headed to the local tavern, knowing that some of the office personnel would likely be there. In this town it was just about the only place to go when a person wanted to unwind, besides reading some second-hand books at Gary’s unofficial newsstand. For Kate, the tavern was the best place to let go when the sun began to set.

  She sat at a table with Ollie and a deputy named Fred, each enjoying a bottle of beer along with each other’s company. The tavern stuffy but not smoky, cozy but not cramped, offering any traveler a feeling of welcome. It had a wood décor, and was heated by a fire radiating its heat from inside a pot-belly stove. There’ weren’t very many occupants in the tavern this night - considerably less than usual, even though it was the middle of the week. Yet even with the small number of attendees there was a low murmur of mingled voices humming in the air. As Kate sat there, sipping at her beer, both of the men at her table began prodding her about her experience with the agents from Dep:118.

  “They’re taking everything about it seriously,â€� Kate reported, “and they seem to be objective about it too. At least Agent Hansen is; he investigates, but the other one interrogates.â€�

  “Agent Blackwood,â€� Ollie confirmed. “Yeah, she’s always been that way every time I’ve seen her. It’s been a long while since she was last here, though; I was hoping she changed, but guess not.â€�

  “Good cop, bad cop,â€� Fred said with a matter-of-fact tone. “It’s a classic.â€�

  Kate shook her head. “But they’re not playing it like that. It’s more like she clears the obstacles and then he goes in to find answers.â€�

  “Well is he finding any answers?â€� Ollie asked.

  “I think he is. He ruled out wild animals at Riley’s place.â€�

  “How’d he do that?â€�

  “Now’s your chance to ask him,â€� Fred said, causing Ollie and Kate to look at him. Fred gestured with his eyes to the bar.

  Walking up to the bar was Chris Hansen, looking around timidly as he approached. If Kate didn’t know any better, she would say that his full head of brown hair seemed a bit longer than it was earlier in the day.

  “That’s him, right?â€� Fred asked. “He’s not a local.â€�

  Kate looked at Ollie, her eyes inquiring if he was going to approach the agent.

  “No thanks,â€� He said, holding his palm upright, declining her silent enticement.

  “Alright, fine,â€� Kate said, and took the last swig from her beer bottle and then stood. “Then I will.â€�

  Ollie looked at her as she scooted her chair under the table, his eyes wide with surprise. Kate gave him a wink in response as she left.

  She approached the bar on the right side of Chris, barely hearing him confirm with the bartender that they had Anchor Steam on tap. Delighted with the affirmative answer he ordered a glass, and Kate immediately asked for one herself. Steve, the bartender, left to retrieve both drinks. She looked over to Chris.

  “Hey,â€� she greeted.

  “Hey,â€� Chris responded with a smile in his dark blue eyes as well as on his lips.

  “I didn’t expect you’d be back so soon.â€�

  Chris shrugged. “It only took a few hours. I lost the tracks a dozen times, and didn’t find much more than a month-old carcass.â€�

  “Was it from the, um, creature?â€�

  “It was too decomposed to tell, but the marks in the bone indicate something big fed on it.â€�

  “A werewolf?â€�

  “Could be.â€�

  Kate tried to put on a false face, scoffing in disbelief. “So you really think werewolves are real, don’t you?â€�   

  Chris nodded and looked her directly in the eye, a knowing smirk barely making its presence known on his lips. “As real as aliens,â€� he responded.

  His sincerity coupled with his slippery response unnerved her. As Steve provided the drinks and collected the tender, Kate thought about what Chris divulged. Chris was obviously aware that he was talking to a scooper, reformed or not. That meant he realized Kate would believe aliens were real. What's more, he worked for Dep:118, so there was no telling what strange, unexplained things Chris knew about. It became clear to Kate that Chris was saying he believed that werewolves existed – no, more than that, he knew they existed. It's just that he didn't say it in certain terms. But if they truly existed, then why such secrecy? And yet an even more disturbing question: What did they do with them once they find them?

Thank you very much, Edo! I felt that visiting the world from another person's perspective might help enrich the world in the mind of the reader, as well as mine.
Here's some more.
----------------------------------------------


  “H-Have you caught any werewolves?â€� She stuttered.

  Chris sighed. “I’m sorry, Kate; I can’t tell you that.â€�

  “Why not? I mean, if they’re real, don’t citizens of the Empire have the right to know?â€�   

  “Certainly; in good time.â€�

  “What? You need to wait until they’re ripe?â€� she jested.

  Chris let out a weak laugh. “No, but we don’t want to cause a panic either. Look, it took almost two centuries before we had definitive proof that Bigfoot exists. You know what happened when they announced that? Everybody made a mass exodus to the forests and tried to catch one for a pet. The Empire had to step in and put some heavy restrictions in place; they even had to use the GORE a few times. If we prove werewolves exist and make the announcement the wrong way, we’ll get the same thing, only this time guns and pitchforks will be involved.â€�

  Kate conceded the point. It made sense, but it still boiled down to the government withholding information, in her opinion. Even so, the tone of his explanation indicated that he did not want werewolves to be hunted or eradicated, regardless of any nature toward monstrosity. It gave Kate comfort that maybe there was a chance of survival.

  “So, why are you on this case, anyway? I haven't seen you here for scoopers before. Are you some sort of werewolf expert?â€�

  Chris laughed again. “Oh, I wouldn’t say expert; specialist, maybe.â€�

  “But you’re more than just an enthusiast for werewolf rights, huh?â€�

  Chris once again looked her in the eye for a moment, and then returned his gaze to his drink. “Yes,â€� he confirmed.

  Kate was more curious than ever about this man, and more importantly, about his knowledge and intentions. But it was curiosity for certain, not fear or worry. He was hesitant and reclusive concerning his knowledge, but something in his dark blue eyes said he wished it didn’t have to be that way. Suddenly a theory came to mind that silently linked Chris to this issue and to werewolves as a whole. She had to find out. There had to be a way to ask the question without asking it.

  “It’s personal, isn’t it? Something happened to you, something that deals with werewolves, didn’t it?â€�

  Very slowly, Chris picked up his drink and forcibly imbibed, taking as much time as he could. He set the glass on the bar, looking down at the surface of the wood. His expression hardened for a second, and then his mouth began to open. Kate was frozen in time, eagerly anticipating the words that were about to emerge from his throat. Suddenly Ollie’s face emerged from the other side of Chris.

  “Agent Hansen,â€� he said, “you mind telling me exactly what your intentions are toward Kate?â€�

  Chris looked up at Ollie. “I-I’m sorry; intentions?â€� he stuttered.

  “You heard me,â€� Ollie said in a lowered, almost threatening tone.

  This just wasn’t fair. Kate stepped in before it was too late. “Back off, Uncle Ollie; everything’s okay. He’s being the perfect gentleman.â€�

  Chris glanced at Kate, and then retuned his attention to Ollie. He put up his arms in a disarming fashion. “Look, I’m only here for a drink, and Kate came up to me and started a conversation. I honestly have no intentions toward your niece, Sheriff.â€�

  Ollie leaned in toward Chris, a malicious smile upon his lips. “She’s not my niece, Agent Hansen.â€�

  No, no, no; this wasn’t right! Ollie was ruining it at just the wrong time! She had to win back Chris’ confidence and get answers.

  “He means I’m not his niece by relation,â€� Kate explained, and gave Ollie a warning glare. “Ollie and his family took me under their wing when I first got here. I became an estranged member of the family, so I call him Uncle Ollie.â€�

  Chris raised his eyebrows in understanding. “Actually I can relate to that,â€� he said with a nod, and then took another gulp from his drink.

  Kate raised her head behind Chris’ back and addressed Ollie directly. “Everything’s okay, Uncle Ollie; we’re just two people with mutual respect having a pleasant conversation, and if it makes you feel any better I promise to go home alone, alright?â€�

  Ollie smiled and perked up. “Good. See you tomorrow, Katie dear.â€�

  “Yeah, thanks,â€� She said, uncertain if the sarcasm could be heard in her voice. “Say ‘hi’ to the family for me.â€�

  Ollie gave an affirmative grunt, continued in saying farewell to the rest of the occupants, and left out the door. When Kate looked back at Chris, he was staring at Ollie's departure with his brows furrowed. Kate leaned in toward him and spoke consolingly.

  “Sorry about that; he gets a little overprotective at times. Besides, I think he just wanted to ruffle your feathers for fun.â€�

  “Then you’ll understand if I start molting,â€� Chris replied.

  Kate laughed.

  Chris drained the last of his drink and swallowed it down heartily. “On that note, I think I’ll call it a night.â€�

  Damn; she was so close! She tried desperately to think of some way to repair the conversation, but to no avail. But there was no doubt now that this man had confidential information on werewolves, and his explanations showed he wanted to understand them, not eradicate them. She had to find out more; unfortunately it would not be tonight - not without looking like she was coming on to him, and she wasn't about to take that route.

  “So are you guys leaving tomorrow?â€� She asked.

  “Ah, no; not until the day after, at the soonest. Tomorrow night’s the full moon; that’s why we came here when we did.â€�

  Oh, he just had to remind her! “Okay, well, if there’s anything else I can do to help…â€�

  Chris smiled. “I’ll definitely let you know. And I thank you for all the help you’ve already provided, Kate. It was a blessing.â€�

  Kate smiled meekly. “Anytime.â€�

  With one last sincere look Chris turned and exited the tavern, and Kate spent the rest of the night grappling with forgiving Ollie freely.

Last edited by Grayle (2009-03-05 14:18:20)

Wow! Thank you so much, Punx!
  Uh-oh; I may have already given away the ending. If I may ask, Punx, what leads to your hypothesis of Kate's involvement? Was it something I said?
  I'm very glad to hear that the characters and dialogue are so easily accepted. Rachel has her own adventures in dealing with the Lords of Orwin, of course, but this is the first time I've written her in a prominent role with Chris. As a result, I'm very glad her tenacity came out in this story as well.
Here's more.
-------------------------------------------

  D-day. D-day. The phrase wouldn’t leave her head, and kept pounding away at her resolve in tune with the beat of her heart. In line with the morbid terror she felt, Kate realized the full moon tonight would bring out less than civilized qualities currently laying dormant deep within her. She considered tying herself up as she did once before, but last time she woke up on the floor with the restraints severed, and dirty paw prints leading into her house through the sliding glass door in her bedroom. Locking herself in a closet had a similar outcome, confirming the futility of restraint. Chris was right; she was pretty intelligent as a werewolf.

  If only there was a way to control it, to be conscious as a werewolf, then maybe she could make decisions for herself. But as far as she knew there was no taming the beast.

  Yet that was only as far as she knew. Chris Hansen, and probably all of Dep:118, knew much more.

  At first, she felt all she could do was await the agents to make an appearance at the office. Then she began to think that if she could come up with an excuse, or contrive some false report to get them into the office sooner, then maybe she could find out more of what they know. At that point despair started to settle on her thoughts, and she even considered simply turning herself in, but she still didn’t know what their intentions really were - despite Agent Hansen’s conservative nature.

  The two agents finally arrived in the building in the late morning and went directly to Ollie’s office. Kate didn’t even try to feign an excuse to listen in; she went directly into the office as innocently as she could, trying to hide her agitated nerves. Ollie, of course objected to her presence; it was both typical and expected.

  “Come on, Ollie, you already let me help once,â€� Kate protested.

  “Once is enough,â€� Ollie replied.

  Chris looked at her, analyzing her silently with his dark blue eyes, and then he spoke.

  “Budding interest, or bored behind the desk?â€� he asked with a smirk.

  “The first one.â€�

  Chris continued his gaze.

  “Honestly,â€� Kate assured him.

  His gaze did not falter, and his smirk was accompanied by one raised eyebrow.

  “Alright; mostly honestly,â€� She finally admitted. “It’s both.â€�

  Chris brightened his smirk into a smile.

  Kate turned to Ollie. “Can’t you let me stay in the loop just this once, please? Pleeeeease?â€�

  Ollie put his hand up to brace his forehead. “I’ve created a monster.â€�

  “Monsters are people too, Sheriff,â€� Chris added.

  Ollie looked up at Chris for a moment. He then sighed and looked at Kate. “Alright, you can sit in. But no more field work,â€� and emphasized his second point with his finger.

  “Thanks, Uncle Ollie,â€� Kate said, and gave him a big, embarrassing hug.

  “‘Uncle?’â€� Rachel rhetorically repeated in a hushed tone.

  “He’s the Raymond Collins of the Sheriff’s Office,â€� Chris explained quietly.

  “Lovely,â€� Rachel said, not trying nearly hard enough to hide her annoyance.

  Chris unfolded a map across the Sheriff’s desk. He explained that they wanted to try to lure the creature in a way that could at least verify its identity if not allow them to capture it. He pointed out two ridges and an imaginary line that needed to be sprayed with a special organic chemical to simulate wolf boundaries. The boundaries would surround the area that included the werewolf sightings, and created a singular travel route: directly into the property of Mr. Banks.

  “We’ve already discussed the issue with Mr. Banks, and he agreed to assist – if for no other reason that to prove he isn’t crazy,â€� Rachel reported.

  “We’ll need the manpower to spread the chemical, but once that’s done we can take care of the rest.â€�

  Ollie continued to stare at the map. “You really think this will work?â€�

  Chris shrugged. “It’s worked in the past, it should work this time too – unless the creature has become self-aware.â€�

  Suddenly Kate was pleased that she took the chance at being in attendance. This was almost too good to be true! “What do you mean?â€�

  “Well, a lycanthropic change isn’t tied to the full moon, but that’s what all the stories say anyway. The average person believes a person who’s a werewolf will turn into a mindless, raging beast on the night of a full moon, and go around ripping people’s throats out. So if they actually do become a werewolf, they submit to that idea. Their conscious mind retracts and their subconscious takes over, dominated by wolf instincts. But they never become a mindless, raging beast, because that’s not a wolf’s nature.â€�

  “So you’re saying they’ll act more like a wolf, not a monster?â€� Kate asked.

  “Yes, as long as they aren’t self aware. Once they learn to invoke the shift on their own, they become self aware in their werewolf form, and therefore responsible for their actions. If this creature is a werewolf and has become self aware, then it’s going to see right through this trap. If it’s still primal, then this will work.â€�

  A flood of possibilities threatened to overtake Kate’s mind. It was definitely possible to be in control, to be self-aware in her werewolf form! She just needed to know how to accomplish it. Surprisingly, it was Ollie who asked the question for her.

  “How do they start the change?â€� He asked sincerely.

  Chris looked at Rachel. “They’re interested. And they’re taking it seriously.â€�

  Rachel looked at him almost with disappointment. “It’s your funeral. I’ll get the door.â€�

  As Rachel closed the door, Chris leaned in toward Kate and Ollie, who both responded in kind.

  “What I’m about to tell you is considered confidential, but it won’t really mean anything to you unless you’re a werewolf, so I’m willing to tell you. Even so, I need to make sure you won’t repeat it to anyone.â€�

  Kate nodded in full anticipation, and Ollie did the same.

Last edited by Grayle (2009-03-06 13:12:07)

Thank you again, Wolfsong! Sorry if I'm adding updates too often - I can slow down if preferred.
Chris doesn't shift at this time - but he has this love of informing and educating others about his people. Once he starts talking about them, he'll answer any question his audience may have. Rachel's had to rein him in a few times during their months together on other cases. He's doing his best to keep his enthusiasm under control during this story, though.
I guess I could just continue the story and show you what I mean...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  “Alright. First off, werewolves prefer the term ‘Hybreed.’ It’s kind of like how people are called humans instead of primates; ‘Hybreed’ is the name of the species. Now, hybreed can listen and adjust the internal workings of their own bodies. They can hear the frequency at which the molecules making up their bodies vibrate. That frequency is different for each form they can take. All they have to do is find that frequency, think of the one they want to change it to, and their entire body will follow suit by changing form.â€�

  “Then why do they change on the full moon?â€� asked Ollie.

  “That’s because their conscious mind doesn’t know that it can do it itself, let alone how. Their subconscious mind knows instinctively. When the full moon rises, the person surrenders their conscious mind simply because they think that’s what’s supposed to happen. Their subconscious takes over and invokes the shift. Once they learn to control the shift, however, their subconscious doesn’t take control of the shift anymore.â€�

  “So they get to be themselves in a werewolf body?â€� Kate asked.

  “In a hybreed body, yes. A self aware hybreed would have every chance to lead a full and productive life, even in the Empire – as long as they’re careful with their ability.â€�

  The well of hope in Kate’s heart was flowing freely, watering the rest of her existence, nourishing the possibility that she could be in control, and maybe make something useful out of her secret.     

  “So, that means there could be self-aware hybreeds walking among us right now,â€� Ollie commented.

  “Uh, ‘hybreed’ actually works for singular and plural, Sheriff; no need for the ‘s’ at the end. But you’re right; there may be an unknown number of hybreed walking among us, and we’d never know about it unless they wanted us to.â€�

  Ollie leaned back in his chair, rocking slowly as he pondered the revelation. “What about silver?â€� He finally asked.

  Chris narrowed his eyes. “Why would you ask that, Sheriff?â€�

  “Precaution,â€� Ollie replied sternly.

  Chris sighed. “Sheriff, this hybreed isn’t a danger. I mean, look at the facts so far: it’s only been sighted by two people and it didn’t attack either one – even though it had plenty of opportunity. It went for the deer instead of Mr. Tippowitz, though Mr. Tippowitz was an easier target. It went for Mr. Banks’ food cache twice, probably knowing what was in that shack from being told in human form, and only went for it as a last resort.â€�

  “That’s all fine and dandy, but I’ve seen wild animals when they’re cornered. If we're going to try and capture it, we need to take precautions.â€�

  “We use tranquilizer rounds only,â€� Rachel interjected. “No exceptions.â€�

  Kate interjected. “But silver-â€�

  “-Is not an option,â€� Chris replied in an uncharacteristically darkened tone. His resilience on the issue was obviously unmovable. He turned back to Ollie. “I want your absolute word on that, Sheriff.â€�

  Ollie nodded, looking at Chris with an indefinable expression. “No silver.â€�   

  Chris sighed in relief. “Thank you. Now, a shipment of our chemical should arrive in two hours, and we have sanction to use it on forest vegetation. We’ll need to get it in place by sundown. Can that be arranged?â€�

  Ollie gave a slow, silent nod. “Will an old crop duster do?â€�

  “That should work. The chemical will dissipate over time, and it won’t hurt the vegetation.â€�

  “I’ll call Paul Krauss; He’s got a duster he doesn’t use officially anymore, but he keeps it maintained just in case. I’ll get him to do it.â€�

  “Thank you, Sheriff,â€� Chris said. He nodded to Kate and turned for the door.

  “One more thing,â€� Ollie called out, causing Chris to stop and give back his attention. “If you capture this… ‘hybreed,’ then what happens?â€�

  “That will be up to them,â€� Chris answered. “We can teach them what they need to know about being a hybreed; we can even introduce them to other hybreed. But if they decide they want to be a monster instead, then that’s exactly how we’ll treat them.â€�

  “The choice will be theirs, not ours,â€� Rachel added. “We’ll take appropriate action according to that choice.â€�

  “If that’s all, Sheriff, we have a few other things to do before tonight.â€� Chris added.

  Ollie nodded slowly. “I’ll get in touch with Paul.â€�

  Chris thanked him once again and said farewell, and then followed Rachel out of the office.

Last edited by Grayle (2009-03-07 16:29:43)

Thanks, Wolfsong!
  Just so you know, Kate doesn't die in this story. I try to shy away from death in my stories; If you need to kill people in order to make your story a good story, then something is deficient in your storytelling talents. People keep saying "Well, that's the way life is! Death is a part of life! It's reality!" But readers of Sci-fi and Fantasy are trying to get a reprieve from the realism of life, not a reminder of how dismal it may be! MEH!
       There. I said it. I feel better.
  And that's not saying death shouldn't be a part of any story - Shakespeare's tragedies wouldn't be nearly as thought-provoking if everybody lived.
  Alright, alright - I'll get off my soapbox and carry on...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Kate looked over at Ollie who was staring at the office door that the agents closed behind them as they left. His expression was hardened, but his thoughts were clearly deepened. Considering his last question, Kate ventured to conclude that she knew what was going through his mind.

  “You’re wondering who it is, aren’t you?â€�

  Ollie looked at her for a moment, and Kate was surprised to see a look of worry in his usual rock-like composure. There was a twinkle in his eyes, and something was hidden deep within that twinkle. It was something like a parent with deep terror of losing its child; but it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

  Ollie nodded slowly before answering. “It could be anyone; it could be Fred, or Harold, or Steven… Or Janet; it doesn’t have to be a guy werewolf. Hell, it could even be Riley, and his sightings are just meant to cover his own tracks. There’s just no telling who it is. But what really worries me is that if it turns out to be someone from town, there’s no telling how the rest of the town is going to take it.â€�

  Kate sat down in a chair in front of Ollie’s desk. “Well, these guys seem to know how to keep secrets. They know a whole lot about werewolves, but nobody else does. And most of the town doesn’t know about this anyway; maybe the agents have ways of making sure they never find out.â€�

  “That scares me too. Keeping a secret like this is going to affect how people involved live their lives. This is the kind of thing that changes your life forever. What if they don’t want their lives to change, you know?â€�

  It bothered Kate to hear Ollie speak in such uncertain terms. When she needed the comfort of a sounding board, Ollie was always there for her. For what seemed like an eternity she considered telling him her secret. After all, if they did catch her, he’d certainly know at that point. Yet despite her desire to bear her burden, she could not bring herself to implore his confidence. She decided it would have to wait until Ollie saw her change for himself, so he could not deny it. She resolved to let things turn out the way they would, simply because she believed it wouldn’t be that bad.

  “I know how you feel, Uncle Ollie, but I really believe that these agents know what they’re doing. I know that, whatever happens, it will be okay. Whoever it is will get to learn how to cope with being a werewolf, and maybe even meet other ones. I mean, think about it this way: we already know Dep:118 supports scooper communities. Maybe they have werewolf communities somewhere as well.â€�

  Ollie lifted his eyes from wandering around his desk and looked at Kate. “Yeah,â€� he said thoughtfully, "yeah, maybe they do.â€� He reseated himself in his chair, and his usual rock-like composure was restored as he changed the subject. “Katie, I don’t want you there when they catch this thing, it could still turn out to be dangerous. However, I promise to let you know what happens after it’s all done, and I’ll tell you who it is – if anyone.â€�

  Katie smiled; boy, did Ollie have a surprise in store! “I understand. Just whoever it is, go easy on them, okay? They’ve been doing their best not to hurt anybody, you know.â€�

  Once again Ollie smiled. “Unless it’s Fred; if that’s the case then we’re all going to have some fun before they take him away.â€�

  Kate smiled as well, and then left the office. D-day. D-day. The phrase returned to her head, but somehow changed from a death sentence to a launching point for a new adventure, a new life.

Thanks Wolfsong; for now let's just say that his eventual reaction is... extreme.
Here's some more. Not to give away the plot or anything, but this is where things start to go wrong.
-----------------------------------------------------------

  At the end of her shift, Kate locked up the drawers of her desk and looked at the contents sitting upon it. She smiled contentedly at the model Tyrannosaurus Rex that Ollie and Nichole’s son, Tristan, built for her using paper mache. It stared back at her with big pasted-on yellow eyes, and smiled a very toothy smile at her. She patted it on the head and nudged its lower jaw with her finger. Finally she stood and made her way to the entrance, waving a farewell to Ollie through his window on the way.

  Outside the air was comfortably warm, the sun sinking under the mountains along the western horizon. She scanned the sky to see if she could find any sign of the full moon, which no longer held any grip upon her fears. Though it did not yet present itself, this was the first time she looked forward to seeing it for many months. She decided to go home and explore listening to the internal workings of her body, and perhaps she would find the frequency that Chris mentioned. If she could do that tonight, then she could be self aware and avoid the trap. It sounded ornery, even mischievous, but nonetheless fun.

  As she made her way out of the parking lot, she glanced to her left and noticed the ground-bound vehicle that the agents used for transportation. It seemed odd to her that their car would be here at the office when she knew they left earlier. She decided to head back into the office to see if something had happened; the more she knew the better.

  Cautiously she re-entered the building, slowly making her way through the hall and the lobby, trying to get a view of Ollie’s office. As she passed through the lobby she was able to catch a glimpse of Ollie’s door, which was open, and Agent Blackwood was standing just inside having another heated discussion with Ollie. Kate decided to cut through the back hallway on the way to the kitchen, that way she would not be detected and she could sneak up on the conversation.

  Kate made her way down the hallway and turned right, traveling through an alcove with doors on wither side. She silently opened the far door and made her way around to the opposite side of Ollie’s office, which also had a window.

  “She had plenty of chances, Sheriff,â€� Kate heard Rachel tell him. “If she wanted to come clean she could have, but she kept it to herself the whole time. We know that kind of hybreed she’ll turn out to be, and we have to take action.â€�

  Oh, no!

  “You don’t know for sure!â€� Ollie shouted. “You’re just making predictions. She could have had plenty of reason for not saying anything!â€�

  “We know what we’re doing, Sheriff. We’ve had to do it before. The only reason I’m telling you is because Chris felt you should know since you’re so close. She now knows what she is, and it’s only a matter of time before she uses it. People haven’t been hurt because she wasn’t in control. Once she’s in control, she’ll use it, and she’ll use it the wrong way.â€�

  Ollie shook his head vehemently. “No; no, not Katie. She’s not the one. She just can’t be!â€�

  “Well, she is. We know what has to happen, Sheriff, and we know what will happen if we don’t take her down.â€�

  Take her down, she said. Take her down. Could it possibly mean they intend to kill her? But what about everything Chris had told her, and had told Ollie?

  “Look, Sheriff; once she’s self-aware, she won’t be afraid anymore because the control mixed with the primal freedom will intoxicate her. She’ll feel unstoppable, and she very nearly will be. She’ll test her abilities by going into town and creating havoc, which is what you were worried about in the first place. We’ve been through all this before. If we can’t capture her tonight, we have to destroy her. And remember what I told you about the importance of cooperating with me.â€�

  Ollie glared at the agent with a savage fierceness in his eyes that Kate had never seen before. It frightened her, but apparently had no affect on Rachel. 

  “I suggest you look for a new clerical assistant, Sheriff. Kate Crenshaw won’t be a member of this community for much longer.â€�

  The glare from Ollie could have left burn marks on the wall, yet the agent appeared immune it. “Get out,â€� he commanded with a cold voice, every syllable dripping with menace.

  Agent Blackwood stood her ground for a moment, then relented and left.

  Kate could barely think over the pounding of her heart reverberating in her head. She thought for certain that there was hope, and that she could deal with this challenge; but Agent Blackwood just said that the control would intoxicate her, make her drunk with power. There had to be a way to stop it. There had to be a way. There was only one person she could think of that might know for sure, but with what Rachel just told Ollie, there was no way Kate could trust him now.

Well that's something I wasn't expecting!

Very nice part! I did think that while Kate was thinking about deliberately transforming she'd be a little more nervous about it. What if it would fail and she'd not be in control? Just a small thing...