She moaned, not able to really talk but at least she started to sit up. Missy spun around to deal with the two guys who were both heading straight at her. She hadn’t been taking those martial arts courses these past several months without knowing exactly where she could hit a guy and she wasted no time. Both guys were suddenly lying on the floor, out cold, without ever knowing what hit them. Missy picked up the girl’s bra, grabbed her shoes and helped her off the bed. Together, they walked towards the door with Missy yanking one of the blankets from the bed as they went. She wrapped it around the girl and said, “Nancy, can you just wait here a minute? I’m going to find Evelyn and then we’ll go, okay?”
Nancy was still in a daze and just stood there, nodding her head. Missy went out and closed the door behind her, quickly pushing her way past two couples who were very drunk, groping at each other’s clothes, and a third couple taking turns snorting coke. She could hear sounds coming from another bedroom and knew that had to be Evelyn, sobbing hysterically. She pushed her way inside. Evelyn looked up and said, “My friend Nancy is getting raped. And, I’m next. We couldn’t stop them …”
The guy who had been snorting coke was suddenly blocking the doorway behind her and said, “Welcome to the party, pretty girl with the red dress on! You’re going to be …” His words stopped right there because Missy simply knuckled him with a blow behind the ear and he went down, out cold, just like the first two guys. Missy continued moving very fast and no one was really aware she was doing anything. Towing Evelyn, she went back to where she’d left Nancy, opened that door and pulled her out. Evelyn was still mostly dressed, clutching her purse. Missy asked, “Where’s Nancy’s purse? Evelyn only shrugged, so Missy pushed the two of them forward toward room 323. While they stumbled their way into that room, Missy went back and searched both bedrooms. Nancy’s purse was lying on the floor in the room where Evelyn had been crying.
There were some others now starting to crowd into these back rooms but Missy was already slipping through them and joined Nancy and Evelyn in room 323. She led them forward and then stopped to confront two guys blocking the way out. One she recognized as the guy who’d let her enter, just a few minutes ago. He was definitely a lot older than these high school kids who were all being so rowdy. Most of them were pretty stoned on something but he was quite sober. She could smell a lot of coke in the room, now that she’d seen it being snorted and knew what it was. There were a few other scents she didn’t recognize but knew these were also drugs, since many of these kids were just reeking with them. She reached over and turned off the lights. That stopped everyone and she guided Nancy and Evelyn right around the younger guy at the door. She then cold cocked the older guy, like she had the others, with a quick hit behind the ear. Suddenly they were all standing outside the room. She closed the door and then led the girls down to where their friends were waiting. She’d gone in, silently knocked out four guys, and was back out with the two girls in less than five minutes. She hadn’t even messed up her dress.
Since there’d been no noise or commotion, no one quite realized what had just happened. Missy told the group to text their friends to send the cops up and then she had everyone get on the elevator. She stayed behind to wait for the police. Twice the elevator opened and some guys with their dates started to get off. Missy told them the cops were on the way and they probably didn’t want to get off at this floor. They all agreed and let the doors close; the elevator went back down with them still inside. When the cops finally came, there were two of them and more would be on the way when these two called for backup. Missy quietly stepped aside and they hardly even glanced at her. She watched them head down the corridor towards room 323. Then she stepped into the elevator they’d just left, hit the button for the lobby and went down to join her friends.
-----
There was a lot written up in the local newspapers about the big drug bust that night, with several high school teens all arrested. There were also some sexual assault complaints by a few girls but no one was willing to actually testify to anything, so those charges were eventually all dropped. The older guy, who had been found unconscious when the police walked in, was identified as a known drug dealer with several prior convictions. He was not released on bail and was going away this time for several years. No one seemed to know anything about why this guy had been unconscious. Or, why three high school guys were also found out cold in the back bedrooms. It had been a wild party which had gotten out of control, so it was assumed there’d merely been rough housing amongst the guys to explain this. When people were faced with things they didn’t really understand, they let the only plausible explanations somehow be the ones they ended up believing.
No one arrested ever mentioned Missy being there. A few of them did remember seeing a girl with a red dress, but several girls had been in and out and this wasn’t considered significant. None of the guys Missy had knocked out had really gotten a good look at her and hadn’t seen what hit them. Even the two cops didn’t recall seeing Missy. They’d been focused on getting to room 323 and only vaguely recalled there being anyone in the corridor, waiting for the elevator.
Nancy and Evelyn had both been very drunk and didn’t really remember much either. They were not able to explain how Missy had managed getting them out but Evelyn thought she’d seen Missy hit that one guy who had been keeping her in the bedroom. She really hadn’t seen what Missy had done but had seen the guy just suddenly collapse. Things had been pretty dark, even before the lights had gone out. Then, they’d found themselves standing outside the room with their friends waiting for them further down the corridor. By some miracle, they both still had their purses, wallets, cell phones, keys and everything else they’d gone in there with. Nancy had been able to go home, fully dressed, with her shoes on and wearing her bra. Her gown had unfortunately been badly torn in a few places. Neither one ever mentioned anything to their parents about having been up to room 323, even though their dates had ended up in jail that night.
Marcia Newton was especially upset since her boyfriend was one of those arrested and her night had been ruined. She and a few of her friends ended up blaming Missy for causing all the trouble. Rumors circulated long afterwards and word of mouth spread a lot of negative things about Missy McCrea.
Missy’s friends, meanwhile, didn’t really know where she’d disappeared to after she’d asked Claire to go back without her. She’d appeared twenty minutes later, had rejoined their happy group and had never said anything about where she’d been. When word of the big raid by the police began to circulate, she didn’t say a thing.
The evening had ended well enough at a little past one in the morning, with the limo then dropping each of them off at their own home. Jeff was a little disappointed he’d not been able to do much more than some kissing and heavy petting with Missy. He wasn’t getting past first base with her, but the touching and fondling had gone a lot further than ever before.
-----
It was only when John was approached by a few of the girls in school, three days later, that he learned Missy had gone up to room 323 that night. They wanted him to tell his sister how much they appreciated what she’d done, rescuing their two friends. They didn’t know how she’d managed bringing them out like that and neither Nancy nor Evelyn seemed to know much. Evelyn was now saying Missy had to have done something to that one guy, because she’d seen him go down. Was it true what they’d heard that Missy was taking karate? They’d even heard she might be going up for her black belt sometime soon. Was that true?
John assured them he’d let Missy know and, yes, his little sister was indeed going for her black belt next month. She was quite the athlete, wasn’t she? When he came home and asked her about it, she admitted she’d gone to help a couple girls that night. Before the police raid. No big deal. Hadn’t Claire told him?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jul 2016
Missy knew it was time. She needed to explain to her family she was a werecat. She had put this of
f but it really couldn’t be postponed any longer. She’d wanted both Heather and John to know by this summer and definitely before they went off to college in the fall. And, she’d wanted to finally tell her parents all her secrets.
Her sixteenth birthday two weeks earlier had been another huge family event, with all the relatives coming over for the big celebration in the back yard. Mom and Heather had done their usual great job, both with decorations and all the food. Hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken and steak tips had all been cooked up on three grills with the guys all taking turns. Cake and ice cream, of course, with everyone cheering and taking photos while she blew out all the candles. She couldn’t believe all the presents she got, but everyone kept saying this was making up for the two years she hadn’t been there.
Then her Dad drove up the driveway in a car, a low mileage 2013 Toyota Corolla, and told her it was hers. White with red interior. A big red bow on the roof. Happy Birthday. Wow, she was so shocked. She was only just now getting her learner’s permit with her driver’s license still six months away, but her Dad wanted her to have her car now. She’d worked so hard this past year with her homeschooling and he said she’d earned it. She still had a lot of work to complete before September and it was now obvious there were a few subjects which would even take a couple months after that. But the school had already agreed with her tutors that all her tests and papers so far showed she’d be ready. She could enroll as a junior and go back to school. She’d be finished with her tutors before Thanksgiving and would then be all caught up.
Her family was really proud of her and, once again, her heart was bursting from all the emotions she felt inside. It was time she explained things. They deserved to know. She waited until Patrick left; he was staying overnight with one of his friends. He wouldn’t be told yet; that could wait a couple more years. But, Heather and John were both home and she told them to go get Mom and Dad. It was early afternoon on a Saturday and they were both home. She had something important to discuss and they all needed to hear this.
Once everyone was seated in the living room, Missy stood up and started her story. “A year ago, I was finally able to leave the mountains. I was finally able to Change and be human again. For two years, I didn’t know if that would ever be possible. And I was terrified, worried if I didn’t stay up in the mountains, no one here would be safe. Safe from me. I couldn’t risk it. I didn’t know if I could control myself. You have to understand that because it’s why I stayed away.”
“But, Missy,” said Julia, “you’re not making any sense. You have to know we would never judge you. Whatever you had to do …”
“Mom, I know you think I was grabbed by someone. You and everyone else think that. And, you probably believe that person is dead now; maybe even dead because I killed him. I apologize for letting you all believe that. I know it’s what Mr. Ulrey at the FBI must be thinking and I know you’ve talked to him about this.” She could see by their facial expressions and body language it was exactly what they believed. “There was no one. My being human again is about my changing back from my other form. In my other form, I’m a cat.” There, she’d told them. She stared at each of them.
“What?” “Huh?” “What do you mean?” Everyone was asking at once, looking at her like she was crazy. “Don’t be silly!”
“I’m a werecat. I can Change forms, back and forth. Only, when it first happened to me, I didn’t know I could Change back. It just happened to me. That night at soccer camp. And, I didn’t know what else to do. So, I went into the mountains,”
“Missy, you’re not making any sense at all. Please, we can find someone who can help.” Her Mom was trying to find words but Missy held up her hand.
“Please, everyone, just listen to me! I knew you wouldn’t believe me unless I showed you. And, I intend to show you. So, be patient. Give me a chance, okay?”
“You mean you’re going to show us how you’re a cat?” asked John.
“Yes. Only, I don’t want to do it here, in our living room. You have to understand that once I Change …”
“Why not?” John insisted. He clearly didn’t believe her and she didn’t think any of the others believed her either.
“Because once I Change, I have to wait at least three hours before I can Change back. And, even though I now know I can control myself, do you really want to have a huge mountain lion in here? What if anyone comes over? I can’t take any chances. No one else can know about me. Okay?”
“Wait a minute,” said her Dad. “Are you serious? This is ridiculous, Missy.”
“Oh, I’m perfectly serious, Dad. I’m a werecat. I can Change forms anytime I want, as long as it’s been at least three hours. Back and forth. And, when I’m in my cat form, I’m pretty sure that’s the best way to describe me. I’m still me but anyone seeing me is going to believe that I’m a mountain lion. Or, a cougar. Or, maybe a puma. A big cat. Much too big not to be inside a cage.”
“Does it hurt? When you Change? Like, in those werewolf movies when all your bones … you know …” Heather was looking at her and trying to figure out whether or not to believe any of this.
“No, it doesn’t. There’s a big burst of some kind of energy and I just Change forms. You’ll see. You and Mom. I’m going to ask Dad and John to not watch me actually Change since I’m going to be naked when I do it. Bring a blanket you can hold up when I get undressed. Oh, and those steaks I put in the fridge earlier? Those are for me. I get really, really hungry when I do this.”
“Where are we going? You really are serious about this, aren’t you?” asked her Dad. “I can’t believe I’m actually letting you talk me into taking you anywhere.”
“Can we go to the State Forest over in Andover? It’s just over a half hour away. I haven’t been able to really enjoy myself that much the few times I’ve been able to Change since last October. I can hide well enough in the Lynn woods or a few places around here, but it’s not the same, you know? We can talk more on the ride over.”
They continued making various comments and asking her questions but she told them she wanted them to really see with their own eyes so they wouldn’t have any further doubts about any of this. Missy already had the blanket ready so they grabbed the steaks and all went out to the family car. Soon, they were on their way. Missy was a little nervous but mostly very excited. She’d dreamed of doing this for a long time.
-----
Once there, Missy walked them into the woods a little ways and stopped at a small clearing. She could scent they were well away from any others and she knew they were out of sight. “You have to keep all of this as our secret. I don’t know if I’m the only werecat but I definitely don’t want to become any government specimen. My theory is we have something in our genes and, in my case, it came out. Maybe I’m a throwback. I know I was born this way. And, I know none of you or Patrick or any of my cousins are werecats but the genes are in our family. So, it’s possible there might be more like me. That’s why I want John and Heather to understand all this. Someday, one of your kids might end up like me.”
“Oh, now you’re really talking crazy,” said John. “Are the rest of you really buying into any of this?” He looked at Heather and then at their parents.
Heather had been thinking a lot during the ride out. “This really would explain a lot of things, Missy. The way you can eat so much. And, why you’re so good at karate and stuff, right?” She wasn’t skeptical anymore. She’d always known Missy had some special abilities no one else seemed to have.
“Oh, you have no idea how much I’ve always been holding back, hiding what I can do and what I am. I was so afraid. It’s such a relief to finally share my secrets with each of you.”
Missy’s Dad asked, “All the martial arts stuff, sparring and everything? Our signing those waivers for you? I thought you needed that because you never wanted to be vulnerable again. You know, to avoid whatever was done to you during those two years, all the stuff you refused to tell us about. Even though you somehow came b
ack still a virgin …”
“Dad! Please!” Missy looked over at her brother. “Too much information, here! How would you even know anything about that, one way or another?”
Julia said, “My fault, Missy, I’m sorry! But, I did explain to everyone what they told me. The doctors and nurses at the hospital last year. They all knew. No one thought much about that until they found out you’d been missing and probably kidnapped for those two years. Doctor Walker told me. They noticed when you first came in. You were unconscious and …”
“Okay, okay, I get it! Jeez, can’t a girl have anything private?” She watched the way everyone was rolling their eyes and started laughing. “To answer your question, Dad, I needed the martial arts and the sparring because I have all this stuff inside that I need to let out, somehow. I wasn’t able to Change very often so getting in the ring helped. And, I held back. I didn’t hurt anyone too much. And, I never let them lose face. I was careful about that.”
They had all watched her spar, usually coming back early to pick her up after dropping her off earlier. John said, “You were holding back out there? Is that why you were always bouncing off the walls? You were letting them do all that stuff to you?”
“Guilty. Dad, you mentioned those waivers we signed? I kept thinking how it was the guys who should be signing waivers. If only they knew!” She started laughing and soon the rest of them joined in. “Please don’t tell on me,” she said. That broke them all up laughing even more.
Missy had removed her necklace, rings and earrings and now put all her jewelry into a pocket. “It’s Showtime, guys! Once I Change, I won’t be able to talk so either ask me something now or wait until I Change back in a few hours. I’ll stay here for a few minutes at first and I want you to take some pictures for me, Mom. I intend to have a couple of them blown up nice and big and hang them in my room.”
Missy the Werecat Page 14
