G.H.O.S.T. Teams (Book 2) Shifters (11 page)

I found myself a bit impressed with Danny. Maybe he did it because Vector was here and he didn’t want to look bad in front of an outsider. Or maybe it was my fault. I’d removed them from combat and let them sit in the car while Erika and I handled all the dirty work. Perhaps that was driving him to attempt to impress me at every opportunity. If Danny started heading into danger as if he had something to prove, bad things would follow. I met his eyes before I spoke, watching his facial reactions.

“Why did you do that?”

He sighed heavily and shrugged his shoulders before he replied, “I just want to do my part.”

“Were you in danger?”

There was a long pause as he thought about his answer. His eyes were locked onto mine and he was clearly searching for the right response.

“No more than you put yourself in,” he stated.

I wanted to snap at him, but I didn’t see the point. I’d learned what I wanted to know. He needed to feel useful or he was going to try and show me what he was made of. As this case moved forward I was planning to do my best to make him feel included. Hopefully that would curb his danger instinct. Otherwise, things could go really badly.

Everyone was sitting there, not sure what to say next. I’d been thinking about the pack bond and the way it was affecting Erika. It struck me as odd that aggression was driving her into heat. I really wanted to talk to her about it, but I knew I’d have to wait until later. She’d made it clear that Kara and I were the only two who knew about that bit of dirty laundry. As long as I was sure no one else was in danger, I was happy to keep her secret. But later, when we had time, I was planning to find out a bit more. Right now, there were other things I wanted to know. Since we had no clue why they were fighting, I figured we could at least talk more about the situation we would be walking into.

“So, where is this meeting? Are we providing security? How many wolves are we talking?”

“Yes, of course, the meeting,” Freddy started, “Ancient pack bylaws will be followed and six lycanthrope will be in attendance, three from each pack. The pack leaders, the alpha male and alpha female, will each be accompanied by a beta wolf.”

“Okay, and the beta wolves are like, what, their bodyguards?”

“Not exactly, but that is as suitable a moniker as any. One might say they are the champions of their packs. While not practiced very often today, ancient packs would settle their disputes through combat. This warrior was normally the strongest that each pack had to offer and they would be called upon to fight should a contest be needed,” he said.

“Okay. Are there also kappa and delta wolves that I should know about?”

Erika snickered briefly, but didn’t respond. Freddy gave her a friendly smile before continuing.

“While it is not impossible that other Greek letters are used to denote rank in the pack, it is rare to find anything beyond alpha, beta, and omega,” he said.

“So, pretty much like a normal wolf pack?”

“Not exactly. Natural wolf packs are often led by the breeding male and female. Due to the nature of the sporadic awakening of lycanthrope, a family system like this is not very plausible. Rather, the werewolves choose their packs and bond themselves as an adopted family. But whereas alpha and beta are simply titles in the natural world, they have meaning among the lycanthrope. Alpha wolves, as you have learned, are often the most dominant and powerful of the lycanthrope. They
possess the most control of their shifting and they can call upon the full strength of their animal even while in human form. When describing a lycanthrope pack however, the term alpha can be confusing.

“The terms alpha and dominant are often used interchangeably. There are normally several dominant wolves in any pack. They
possess the most control over their beast, each one a potential alpha. While all alphas hypothetically possess the strength to lead, not all are given the chance. The pack leaders, an alpha male and female, are the strongest, smartest, and most respected of the wolves. The other potential alphas in the pack have to make a choice. They can leave the pack and live the life of a lone wolf, search for another pack to take over, or remain in a subservient fashion. Some of those that stay are just young and hope to one day rise to the role of leading the pack themselves. Others have no desire to lead and simply enjoy the family nature of the pack bond. But it is out of these dominant wolves that a beta will emerge. The position is considered a great honor and they are essentially the second in command of the wolf pack,” Freddy said.

“So, the six most powerful werewolves in the DC metro area are pissed off at each other and we are going to be standing in the middle. Wonderful. And where is this meeting taking place?”

“They have requested to use The Circle,” he smiled.

There were murmurs from everyone. Even Vector’s ears perked up at the mention of the place. I raised an eyebrow and waited for more. Freddy let a wide smile cover his face. Since no one else was going to, I asked.

“The Circle?”

“Yes. The Circle,” Freddy said in awe.

His entire face lit up when he said it. It was clear that I was about to learn more about The Circle than I ever wanted to know.

“The Circle is a meeting place of great power,” Freddy started, “Constructed in 1960 deep under the field of Robert Francis Kennedy Stadium…”

“You mean RFK? Where the ‘Skins used to play?”

“The very same. In secret, the finest Dwarven craftsmen worked to build the structure under the very foundations of the stadium. They brought in marble from mystic places within the Veil, using ancient techniques and designs. While just over fifty years old, this temple, for lack of a better word, is on par with some of the greatest places of power around the globe. Like Stonehenge or the Pyramids of Giza, every piece of The Circle was exactly aligned with a specific purpose in mind. The very stones themselves radiant peace and calm,” he smiled.

“Okay, so they built a friendship circle. Why are we all so amazed by this?”

Everyone glanced my way. Even Vector raised an eyebrow in my direction. I shrugged and waited for Freddy to do his thing.

“Perhaps I am not explaining myself properly,” Freddy tried, “This is the only place of power, of this magnitude, to be constructed in the modern day. By the sixties it was becoming clear that
America as a world power wasn’t going away anytime soon. So, realizing that future generations might need the proper place to settle their disputes, the Dwarves volunteered to do something that hadn’t been accomplished in millennia. They built The Circle.”

“If this place is so powerful, why didn’t they use it for Morgana?”

“Ah, a fine question,” Freddy smiled. “While The Circle is a place of tremendous energy, that power is strictly defined. As I stated earlier, the dwarves were very specific in their design. The temple’s calming effect severely limits its uses.  It wouldn’t be good for much more than a meeting place. The power is completely focused in this manner. Once we enter The Circle, they say you can feel its aura wash over you.”

“So, you’ve never been there?”

“No. This will be my first visit,” he said.

I could tell from the faces around the room that it would be everyone’s first visit. Suddenly, I was concerned with how much useful tactical information we had on a place that no one had seen in real life. I figured we should get there a bit early to look things over. In the meantime, I would have to settle for the info that Freddy had. But, I did want to know how reliable his
intel was. 

“Having never been there, how sure are you of the accuracy of your knowledge?”

“Well, The Circle has been written about extensively, so there are numerous sources to draw upon. Prior to the formation of our team, GHOST Team Five had attended several meetings in The Circle in order to mediate disputes. Their reports verify all of the information I am sharing with you,” Freddy said.

“Okay, so tell me about this place? What’s it like inside?”

Freddy’s smile widened and he opened a book in front of him for reference as he talked, “Well, the room itself is a perfect circle with a diameter of one hundred royal cubits. That’s fifty-two and a half meters for our friend from overseas and about one hundred and seventy-two feet here in the states. Located exactly one hundred royal cubits below the surface, it has a ceiling ten royal cubits high.”

“You’re really enjoying saying cubits, aren’t you?”

Freddy giggled, “Sorry, it is not often that one references ancient Egyptian measurements. Did you know that the origin of the royal cubit is in fact…”

“Another time, Freddy. I still want to get to this place early so that I can check things out for myself.”

“Very well,” he frowned, “As I was saying, the roof is ten royal cubits high with brass concentric circles embedded in the ground as you approach the center of the room. Pillars are placed throughout, and while they might seem to be spaced at random intervals, I assure you that they are strategically located. Upon each column, four different runes are engraved, one each to the North, South, East, and West. These runes are part of how the energy flow is directed around the room.

“At the center of The Circle is an enormous table of green marble. Carved from a single stone, they say that the veins in the marble pulse in time with the mood of the room. Below the table sits a small pool of water, out of which grows thick vines that grip the bottom of the marble and hold it in place. This same vine will grow an appropriate number of seats for the attendees sitting at the table. While their descriptions sound quite odd, it is said that they are very comfortable. Similar to ergonomic chairs, which provide support at key points along a person’s body.”

I gave Freddy a strange look, but just nodded. I’ve seen and sat in my share of weird chairs designed to only hold you at specific pressure points. They are often a far cry from comfortable. Although, it probably wouldn’t matter, since I doubted that I would be doing much sitting at this event. Freddy continued on once he was sure that I didn’t want to ask anything further.

“There are rumors that the vine itself is actually a cutting from Yggdrasil, the world tree. This could also possibly mean that the pool itself is in some way related to Mímisbrunnr, the well of wisdom,” Freddy glowed.

“Of course it could. And I’d love to hear more about Norse mythology another time. But for now, perhaps you could tell me about the entrances and exits in this place?”

Freddy smiled wide, his hand almost petting a picture of a tree in the book he had open, as he continued, “The entrances, yes. The Circle has four entrances, like the runes, one in each direction. Traditionally the two parties in disagreement will enter from the East and West, respectively. As mediators, we are to enter from the North and all parties, assuming an accord has been reached, will exit together through the Southern door,” he said.

“Okay, you said there are numerous writings about this place. How easy is this information to obtain? I mean the bit about how we leave?”

“The Circle, like most of the supernatural world, is fairly secret. However, if one was motivated to find information, I do not believe it would be very difficult. As I stated, The Circle is a very big deal. There have been numerous scholarly works on the subject,” Freddy nodded.

“Okay, so this place is far underground. Do all those doors use one central stairway down or are there multiple entry points from the surface?”

“A fascinating question,” Freddy smiled, “Often referred to as the corkscrew, each entrance has its own set of stairs. They twist their way up, maintaining a pattern that fits the circumference of The Circle itself. Because each stairway starts at a different part of The Circle, they are basically tunnels winding one above another all the way to the top. Like a corkscrew.”

“And where is the entrance to these stairways?”

“They are each accessed from a central sub-basement below the stadium.”

“Right. So, if someone wanted to hit us all at once, they could attack us in the southern stairway on our way up?”

“I suppose. Do you believe that someone is planning to attack this meeting?” Freddy frowned.

Kara and Danny also looked my way, each sad enough to make you think they lost their puppy. It took me a moment to realize why they might be worried.

I sighed heavily before responding, “Don’t worry, you can all go down to the meeting.”

There was a series of sighs and smiles as they relaxed. Heck, the more Freddy told me about The Circle, the more I was starting to think that it might be the safest place for any of them, especially with its calming wards. Plus, if I left them up top without me, I had a feeling that whatever foul beast was after us would just take them out while I was busy down below. Better to keep them in my sights. Still, I didn’t like the idea that all of us would be cramped into a single tunnel on the way up. 

“So Freddy, do we all have to come back up the Southern Stairs? Is there some dishonor or insult if we head up another way?”

He thought for a moment before he answered. I looked around the room while he did. Kara and Danny were still smiling and waiting for Freddy to continue. Erika was clearly distracted by her own thoughts, but she kept her gaze forward. Vector met my eyes when I looked his way.

“Anything to add so far?”

“Nope,” he shook his head, “Just getting a feel for how you all work. I’m just a guest here.”

“Right.”

Freddy was flipping pages, reading a bit here and a bit there, nodding his head as he went. I waited as long as I could before I got bored.

“Okay, what happens if we don’t reach an agreement?”

Freddy looked up and adjusted his glasses, “Then we each leave by the same doors that we originally entered. But I hope it will not come to that.”

“Me too, just exploring options. There are no issues if we leave a few guards at the top are there?”

“Of course not. Although I do not believe that will be entirely necessary. The dwarves, as an unaligned party, will be there in force to keep the peace and protect the room from outside interference. However, should you feel the need to add additional guards, it should not be perceived as an insult. But, we do not wish to take too many people down into The Circle with us. They will tolerate the team, as that has been the protocol in the past. If we attempted to bring additional people down with us, I am not sure how they would react,” Freddy said.

“Okay. So, since magic enjoys its oddness, how is this cave lit?”

“Cave hardly seems an appropriate moniker. The Circle, in wondrous fashion, is lit from the brass rings set into the floor. Once the first person enters the room, the rings start to glow. The furthest ring from the center will ‘turn on’ first, with each consecutive ring following suit. They will remain that way until the very last person leaves The Circle. At that point, they will reverse the process and start turning off from the center. It sounds brilliant,” he smiled.

“Yeah, very exciting lights.”

“If it is not too much to ask, perhaps I could be the first to enter the room. I would very much like to witness the effect,” Freddy hoped, his eyes pleading.

He was like a little kid ready to run downstairs on Christmas morning. I didn’t want to take that away from him. But, letting Freddy run point meant that he would be the first in danger. I needed to understand a bit more about this room before I made that deal.

“Are the rings a foolproof system for knowing if someone is in the room? Is there any chance that the room will be dark if someone is inside?”

“I do not believe so,” he replied.

“What about if someone uses a robot or zombie or something that wouldn’t necessarily register as alive?”

“Even if that were the case, I believe The Circle would register the presence within it and activate its lighting system.”

So, assuming that I trusted magic, which I do not, Freddy should be completely safe. I tried to pretend that the thought gave me comfort.

“Fine, you can go in first. But I’m right behind you.”

“No need to worry, Mr. Chang… Bruce… the stairway can easily accommodate two people abreast, we shall enter together,” he smiled.

“Okay. That makes me feel a bit better. Let’s just hope for your sake that the wolves don’t beat us there.”

I gave Freddy a wink and his forehead wrinkled as he pondered the idea for a moment. Then, giving his head a slight shake, he clearly decided that it wouldn’t be a problem and the broad smile returned to his face.

“Now, is the southern stairway also wide enough for two?”

“Oh no,” Freddy started, “The southern stairway is much broader. In order to accommodate both parties after the agreement, and in order to make sure that no one would need to take a subservient position behind the other, the stairs were carved much wider. They say that six large men could easily walk abreast up the southern stairs.”

“Well, tactically that makes things a little better. How high are the ceilings?”

“They are also ten royal cubits high, which is about seventeen feet. This higher ceiling was designed in order to accommodate all manner of species into The Circle. To date, the tallest race to use The Circle was the giants of…” I cut him off.

“Another time, Freddy. Are the stairs lit in the same fashion as the room?”

Freddy gave a small sigh before answering. I was getting the feeling that he really wanted to be able to run wild on his tangents. I was sure he’d attempt to make up for it on the ride over. Have I mentioned how happy I am to ride in my own car? Well, mostly. I wasn’t sure I could take another rendition of “Bruce and Erika sitting in a tree.”