The Lure of the Pack (22 page)

It was nearly time to track down new, human prey. For
clothing and money!

Both Were knew where their separate hunting grounds were
located, but this time the kills would have to be different. This time there
could be no evidence, no spilt blood and no ripped flesh. Growling, the overly
large, magnificent wolves separated as both loped steadfastly towards the
German city of Dusseldorf. 

“You’re just a guinea pig aren’t you, only this time for
trials on psychic warfare?” The knock at Piper’s door had come as a surprise,
but he had a good idea who it was, and he was right. “They’re using you…again,
the Commander and Colonel. They don’t give a damn about you Ash, they’re
throwing you back into another battle, and once again you’re unarmed.”

“I was unarmed in the Ardennes Jeanette, and I didn’t do too
badly there, did I?”

“Don’t be flippant, you know what I mean!”

“Yes, I do know what you mean and I greatly appreciate your
concern, really…I do!” It was a look that would have melted the heart of any
woman, Piper’s blue and amber eyes being unable to mask the tenderness he was
starting to feel for Jeanette Descard. For a moment neither spoke as they held
each other’s gaze, then Piper slowly, assertively walked past her, into the
corridor.

“Where are you going?”

“The firing range, I’ve got to keep myself busy.”

“What time’s your flight to Dusseldorf?”

“19.00, tomorrow evening. My final briefing with the
Commander and Colonel is at 13.00. Don’t worry Jeanette, this will work out
fine.”

It was late afternoon. Otto Von Kurst had finished two sales
meetings and was talking to Bernhard Steinhoff, the production Director of
VKE’s Dusseldorf site.

“I don’t blame you Otto, we all need a holiday at times and
you have worked hard on this project, the break will do you good!”

“My thoughts exactly, Bernhard,” Von Kurst sighed, it was a
tired look that sat on his face, albeit a deceitful one. “Yes, I am ready for a
holiday…a complete break!”

“Good for you! As we have discussed, I will liase with
Wilhelm if there are any urgent queries during next week. Of course, I don’t
want to overly trouble him; he will be busy enough with his sales meetings at
the other sites.” Steinhoff hesitated, “oh…how I would love to go to Rome
again, even just for a couple of days. Rebecca and I thoroughly enjoyed the
city, how I envy Wilhelm!”

“He isn’t going for pleasure Bernhard, it’s strictly
business!”

“I know Otto, but I’m sure Wilhelm will find some way of
entertaining himself whilst he’s there!”

Von Kurst smiled, “oh, knowing Wilhelm…I’m sure he will.” He
turned around and began walking towards his office, “remember Bernhard, as from
Thursday evening I will be away for approximately two weeks.”

“Fine Otto. Right, I’d better get back to production.”

The two businessmen went their separate ways as Otto Von
Kurst, with powerful strides walked into his office and sat down in his chair.
He reached for his internal telephone and dialled 03.

“Yes Otto!”

“Helga, it is time for our discussion!”

“Of course, I’ll see you in a few minutes.”

Von Kurst replaced the handset and without thinking quickly
looked down at his powerful hands. A low growl emitted from his vocal chords as
he slowly curled his strong fingers into what could only be described as mock
claws. So, Bernhard wants to visit Rome again, does he? He smiled again and
threw his head back, laughing. Just don’t be there a week on Sunday, he
thought!

“That’s a perfect score Sergeant, well done!”

“Thanks Pierre.” Ash Piper prepared to load another clip of
ammunition into his favourite handgun, when the internal telephone began to
ring.

“Is Sergeant Piper with you Pierre?”

“Yes, he is sir!”

“Put him on!”

“It’s the Colonel.”

Piper nodded and handed back the USP45 as CEATA’s Chief
Armourer passed over the phone. “Colonel?”

“Sergeant, make your way to Commander Hertschell’s office
immediately, Level One priority.”

“I’m on my way!”

“Trouble?” asked Pierre.

“I think so!”

“MY TWO DAUGHTERS WERE KILLED IN THE LONDON EXPLOSIONS. IT’S
TIME WE HIT BACK. I AGREE WITH THE RIOTERS, KICK THEM ALL OUT!”

Tempers were at boiling point in the British Broadcasting
Studio’s Television Centre in London. It was a special two-hour show, a live
airing involving politicians and senior members of Muslim and ethnic immigrant
councils, with a live audience asking questions and expecting sensible answers
with reference to the recent series of terrorist atrocities.

“HOW CAN YOU SAY SUCH A THING MADAM? INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE
SUFFERING BECAUSE OF SUCH CALLOUS WORDS!” Doctor Yazir Assam of the British
Federation of Muslim Councils had a very strong argument. What he was saying
made sense, but a great many people across the UK and Europe itself were
running out of patience.

“ALRIGHT LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CAN WE JUST CALM DOWN
PLEASE!” Christopher Williams had a headache. The show’s presenter was becoming
increasingly angry, especially with one man, a man whom he had begged the
producers not to invite!

“I AGREE WITH THE LADY WHO TRAGICALLY LOST HER DAUGHTERS!
LET THE BRITISH PEOPLE SPEAK OUT, TAKE UP ARMS IF YOU NEED TOO, IT’S TIME TO
FIGHT!”

Oh shit thought Christopher, this is all I need, “MISTER
WHITE, PLEASE, YOU ARE INCITING MAJOR RACIAL TENSION ONCE AGAIN. THE SITUATION
IN MANY OF OUR CITIES AND TOWNS IS ALREADY, INCREDIBLY VOLATILE. HOW CAN YOU
JUSTIFY SUCH COMMENTS? PEOPLE ARE DYING ON BRITAIN’S STREETS!”

 “Switch this off Nick, I’ve seen enough!” Jeanette
Descard’s face was sullen.

“Yeah, I know what you mean.” The large screen went blank as
Nick took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.

“Are you alright?” asked Jeanette.

“Yeah, just tired. You know me Doctor, I don’t need much
sleep, but I’ve hardly had any over the last forty eight hours or so, I feel
like my brain’s fucked!” The phone to the side of Nick suddenly rang, “yeah…oh
hi Colonel…yes, she is…sure thing.” As Nick replaced the handset he turned to
Jeanette, his eyes still bleary, “you’re to report to Commander Hertschell’s
office, sounds like something interesting’s come up, Level One priority!”

Otto Von Kurst’s right index finger gently pressed the ‘DO
NOT DISTURB’ button. His face was ashen, with not a hint of emotion. “The time
is near, Helga.”

“I know Otto; I can feel it in my veins. The wolf speaks to
me all the time.”

Von Kurst nodded his head slowly, “the hunt is upon you my
love. So tell me, how do you feel…about killing?”

For several seconds there was silence in Von Kurst’s office.
Helga was deep in thought. “I have no problems with it. The hunt must begin. I
need to taste living flesh, not just packets of meat from a butcher’s shop.”

“Agreed, and your thoughts on the prey itself, how do you
feel about gaining sustenance…from mere humans.” It was the look in Helga
Zeist’s eyes that made Otto Von Kurst suddenly feel very uneasy, concerned.

“There is one I wish to stalk and hunt Otto…one human!”

Von Kurst eye’s narrowed. Yes he thought, she is changing,
becoming powerful. But there was something worrying him. He began tapping the
fingers of his right hand on his desk. Of course, the lone one he thought, she
wishes to hunt the lone one. “So Helga,” Von Kurst was pleased, “whom do you
wish to hunt?” Again there was silence, “well my love, I await your answer.”

Helga Zeist’s defiant roar took Otto Von Kurst completely by
surprise as she quickly stood up, leaned over his desk and placed her face
close to his.

“LANA,” she yelled, “I WISH TO HUNT LANA! I WANT HER FLESH
OTTO, I WANT TO KILL HER!”

“These arrived from the FSB just a few minutes ago. Study
them carefully.” Commander Maurice Hertschell passed around a selection of
photographs, copied from a set of JPEGs he had received by e-mail.

“Oh God!” Jeanette Descard looked thoroughly repulsed as she
gazed at the violent images.

“Sorry Doctor,” muttered the Commander, “I know they are not
pretty, but these photographs are very, very important. Sergeant Piper, your initial
thoughts please!”

Ash Piper slowly flipped each image into view as the hairs
on the back of his neck became rigid. “My initial, gut instinct Commander,
tells me these people, these…victims for want of a better word, have been
ripped apart by some sort of animal.” Piper looked hard at the Commander, then
the Colonel. He knew exactly what had caused the terrifying injuries.

The Commander continued, “according to the police
authorities in St Petersburg, the unfortunate people in these photographs are supposedly
victims of a recent series of Mafia contract killings.”

“That’s bollocks,” Piper shook his head, “contract killers
don’t rip people apart like this. I think we all know what caused these
injuries.”

“Precisely.” The Commander’s brow furrowed, his anxiety
apparent for all to see, “think carefully everyone. Wilhelm Oratz arrives in St
Petersburg on a business trip for Von Kurst Electronics. His host for the
visit, Vitali Menkov, is a Russian entrepreneur who formerly worked in Rostov.
The man’s eye colours are brown…and amber.” There was a hushed silence in the
Commander’s office as a feeling of considerable tension stifled the room. “I
think we can all assume this is not mere co-incidence. Yes, the facts speak for
themselves. I honestly think we have just found out the true identity…of the
Rostov Ripper.”

The sound proofing in Otto Von Kurst’s office was proving
very useful, so too, was the ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ sign. Von Kurst roared, his eyes
blood red with anger.

The male and female Were faced each other across the desk,
both standing, both still in human form…but only just. They snarled at each
other, their breathing heavy with adrenaline and the control required to
restrain their transformations, their blood red eyes radiating violent
disagreement.

“OUT OF THE FUCKING QUESTION!”

“SHE IS NO USE TO YOU ANY LONGER, OTTO!”

“LANA WILL BREAK THE LONE ONE, THAT IS IMPORTANT! WE NEED TO
KNOW WHO HE WORKS FOR AND HOW HIS ORGANISATION THREATENS US!” Von Kurst was
seething with rage at the way his secretary, his lover, had so blatantly defied
him. “LANA WILL MAKE THE FUCKING BASTARD SUFFER, AND SUFFER HE WILL! NO HELGA,
YOU CANNOT HUNT LANA!”

Helga growled again as she sat back in her chair. She was
not happy, but knew for the time being she would have to accept Otto’s orders.
“Very well Otto, but you know the time is coming, the time for change. It all
fits so perfectly. The war your grenadiers are waging, the violence in cities
and towns and of course, the further destruction your men have yet to unleash.”

Panting heavily, Von Kurst slowly sat back in his chair. He
was sweating. What the hell is happening to you Helga, he thought?

“The two of us will lead the Were to greater levels of
existence Otto. You and I! The Pack’s new alpha male and female!”

It was true! Once again Otto Von Kurst could sense within
himself a strong, volatile inner power, a feeling of breaking free from the
confines of human form. “Forget Lana for the time being,” he said, his voice
assertive, dominant. “Jurgen and Fritz are due here tomorrow, at twelve noon. I
have an important task for them to complete on Thursday evening. Once that is
finished, I have instructed them to take you out on the hunt.”

“Oh?”

Von Kurst paused and leaned forward, his eyes boring into
Helga’s, “yes my love, and I will be hunting with you!”

“So, is it your usual Tuesday evening then?” There was a
hearty smile on Rolf Merten’s face; he knew what his friend’s answer would be.

“Of course, why don’t you come with me Rolf, you know how
you enjoyed yourself last time.” Hans Grasser’s smile was even heartier; he was
greatly looking forward to a few ice-cold beers, then his usual two-girl
massage.

“Mmm, it’s been a long day Hans, but…okay, just the beers,
I’m too tired to stay out very late and we’ve another busy day tomorrow.”

“That’s fine; the first round is on me!”

The two business colleagues laughed aloud as they left their
workplace in Dusseldorf’s inner city. It was 5.55 p.m. and Hans Grasser had
just over six hours left to live.

“I know the theatre has been cleaned, yes…it is, seemingly
spotless, but I want Ann to clean it again, tomorrow!” Doctor Lana Franke
walked into her large, ornately decorated bedroom, her mobile phone close to
her ear, the hot, steaming shower having refreshed every inch of her beautiful,
overtly sexual body.  “Good, I will be out most of tomorrow, then I am leaving
for Dusseldorf in the evening. Yes…good, now listen Maurice, very carefully…”
Lana sat on the king sized bed, gazing at her naked reflection in the large
mirror on the wardrobe in front of her. “I have a new patient arriving in the
early hours of Friday morning, yes…that’s right. This patient will be staying
with me for a long time…how long…oh?” she smiled as she flicked her wet hair
around her head, “days…weeks, possibly months, who knows?” She giggled, her
schoolgirl giggle, “therefore I want you and Ann to hold off from finding me
anyone else…yes, certainly for the time being. WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN, WHAT
ABOUT YOUR LOST EARNINGS? SHIT!” Lana Franke had no liking for the Parisian
couple who secretly preyed on lone backpackers making their way through Paris.
According to her, they were low life scum, only useful for one thing, that
being the kidnapping of her new patients. “ALRIGHT, STOP FUCKING MOANING,” the
beautiful physician took a deep breath, exhaling slowly in an effort to calm
herself. “I will still arrange for you to receive your payments. No, from
Friday onwards Ann’s services will not be required again until I notify you. I
will keep the theatre clean myself. Do you understand? Good!” As she closed her
eyes, Lana Franke thought of the pain and pleasure she would begin inflicting
on her newly arrived, hapless patient from Friday onwards. Slowly, Lana lay
back on her bed, the fingers of her left hand gently massaging the moistness
between her legs. She kept her eyes shut tight, not daring to sigh. “Maurice, I
need you to attach extra restraints to the table, yes…for spreading the
patient’s legs and arms out that little bit further, oh…and some sort of device
to help secure his head. Can you do that for me? Wonderful! Very well…that’s
all.” Lana finished the brief conversation, dropped her mobile phone on the bed
and began to moan, her hips bucking up and down, her body racing towards an
ecstatic orgasm.