Hibbard ran forward and leapt over the small hedge, landing with a roll before sprinting to the larger hedge that bordered the Stadlers property. There was a hole at the bottom of the hedge, clearly created by a dog or a fox, but it was big enough for Hibbard to wriggle through.
He was now in the Stadlers’ garden, looking down at the house. It looked dark.
He touched his throat mic. “No sign of anyone.”
“Can you get closer without being seen?”
“Yes, sir.”
Hibbard ran across the open garden, covering thirty feet in seconds. He pressed himself flat against the wall by the back door. The top and bottom of the door had patterned glass, designed to give the occupants some privacy. Hibbard peered in, looking for moving shapes behind the glass. Nothing. He slowly opened the door and stepped into the kitchen. It was cool inside, but the air was still. The house felt empty, but smelt odd. Not a new baby odd, something else. Leading off from the right of the kitchen was a door to another room. Hibbard looked through the doorway and could see the corner of a sofa. The living room. He could recall that there were two sofas, a coffee table and TV inside. Was there a bookcase too? He couldn’t remember that detail on the tactical map that Knowles had put together for them. There was definitely an old inglenook fireplace as he could see it. Hibbard gently pushed open the door and gasped.
Red stained everything. Blood covered the walls, carpet and both sofas. The coffee table had small lumps of flesh on it, morsels that looked as though they’d been spat out. Bloody footprints led through the carnage and out of the opposite doorway. The trail clearly didn’t belong to the foot that sat on the sofa like a discarded toy.
Just a foot. No leg.
“Sir, I have a body.”
“Hibbard. Wait one. Hold your position. We're on our way.”
2
Knowles ran with Taylor and Williams just behind him. They sprinted out of the field and onto a road. Knowles knew that they had to move fast and make sure all exits were blocked. If the wolves were here, then they had to make sure that no-one else died. Hibbard was currently alone in the house, or at least, he thought he was.
Knowles could hear the engine of an approaching car and increased his pace. The top of the Stadlers’ street was only yards away now, but if possible he didn't want them to be seen. The car was coming from behind them, so with luck it would pass once they were off the main road.
They turned into the street. Williams and Taylor had their weapons out in front of them immediately and slowed down. Knowles glanced back over his shoulder, watching the road they had just left.
The car whizzed by at the top of the street and Knowles let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. They had not been seen. Knowles had been amazed at how quiet Huntleigh was when he had last been here. You could walk around in the middle of the day and be lucky if you saw another person. He was grateful for that now. I have no idea how I'd explain this if someone saw us.
Taylor nodded at Knowles. The street was empty. In the distance, Knowles could see two cars parked but other than that the street looked deserted. Wolves or people working? Knowles buried the thought. The wolves could easily have decimated this street, but it was unlikely. What would they gain from it?
Now they moved quickly again,
“Kick the door in,” Knowles told Taylor. The other man nodded, their earlier animosity forgotten whilst on mission. Knowles touched his throat mic. “In position sir. Entering in three... two... one.”
3
Knowles felt sick, whilst Taylor actually was. His hard man act disappeared as soon as he saw the remains in the living room and he bolted back outside to vomit noisily.
“Is that Katie Stadler?” Williams asked. Knowles didn't bother to reply. The black foot should have been clue enough. Williams left to search the rest of the house, Cockbain close behind.
“Call it in,” Raymond said. “Let’s get the local force on this.”
“This isn't Jack,” Knowles said.
“Why do you stick up for him?” Hibbard snarled.
“I'm not. Just stating a fact.”
“How do you fucking know?”
“Easy, private,” Raymond said.
“Jack can control it, remember? I've seen him in action, first hand. This isn't him.”
“Why not?” Raymond asked.
“This is his home, sir. This is all he ever wanted. No way he came in and ate someone, tearing them apart like this. He has never done that to anyone.” Not true Knowles, you know that. Remember that thug, the one they found in the churchyard? He said nothing.
They heard a shout from upstairs, and Knowles and Hibbard ran up, taking the stairs two at a time. Williams was in a small bedroom with a cot in it, Cockbain next to him with face pale and lips thin. Teddy bear wallpaper lined the walls, and a pile of toys sat undisturbed in the corner. There was blood in the cot.
“What?” Knowles said.
Williams didn’t say anything, but pointed at the bedroom next to this one. Knowles pushed the door open and they saw the blood on the walls.
“Shit,” Hibbard said.
“Yep,” Knowles said with a nod. “Told you it wasn't him.” He photographed it with his mobile and then the three of them returned to the living room. Knowles showed Raymond the picture.
Taylor was back in the room, looking sheepish. “Sorry, sir. Won't happen again.”
Raymond shrugged. “It happens, Mark. You don't want to get used to it.”
Raymond handed Knowles' phone back. “So, the million-pound question is where are the Stadlers now?”
“Sir, this message has basically told Katie that her husband is alive,” Knowles said.
“If she believes it,” Raymond said.
“If she’s even seen it,” Taylor said. When the other two men looked at him, he cleared his throat and said, “If she'd walked into this, she'd be in bits, sir.”
“Fair point,” Knowles said.
“Still doesn't tell us where she is.” Raymond looked around the room again, searching in vain for a clue as to where Katie Stadler had gone.
Knowles walked back into the kitchen and started opening cupboards. In a tall larder style cupboard, he found a folded up pushchair. “Sir, look.”
“Congratulations, Knowles, you'll make a family man yet.”
“Sir, the baby is not even six months old. She can't have gone far if she hasn't taken the pushchair.”
Raymond nodded, his lips pressed thinly together. “She must be close, then.”
“Maybe she’s gone to the village. Maybe she doesn't even know about this,” Knowles gestured around the room.
“Are you suggesting we walk around a village in full combat gear, sergeant?”
“This village is small, sir. Everyone knows everyone, just about. I reckon we could get up to the square without being seen if we're careful.”
“The square?” Raymond said. “That’s where the pubs are, correct?”
“Yes sir,” Knowles said. “The pubs are basically next door to each other sir, about fifty metres apart, no more than one hundred. I reckon we can scope both easily even dressed like this.”
Taylor was already moving back to the breakfast bar. He unfolded a map of the village and pointed to two roads. One ran parallel to the main road through the village, running east to west. It linked to a second road that led to the main square. The other road ran north to south, ending in a path that led through the churchyard.
“Sir, one team goes this way,” he ran his hand along the east-west route, “and the other this way. We keep in mic contact.”
“Make it happen,” Raymond said. “Cockbain, Hibbard, with me to West Street. You three through the churchyard. West Street is Red One, the churchyard Blue One. Square Blue Two.” He pointed at the map, indicating various positions on it. “King’s Arms will be King, Seven Stars, Star. Clear? The church can be Green One and it might give us eyes on Blue Two. Knowles, judge that when you get there. Stay in comms
at all times. Watch your fives and twenties. Inform me of contact. Any contact. Make no mistake, what we are dealing with is extremely dangerous.” The grim faces looking back at him confirmed that his men already knew that. “I want no-one bitten. I do not want to be calling your families tomorrow. No-one else dies today, but especially not Katie Stadler and her little boy. Remember, you must not be seen - clear?”
“Yes, sir!”
Chapter 22
1
“Do you even know where she lives?” Jenny asked. Bryant scowled at her, and she rubbed her neck without realising. She could still feel the press of his fingers there. What am I doing here?
“I need a drink,” he said and pointed at a sign that said 'Kings Arms 200 yards'. Underneath was the usual stuff about good food and beer, although that was unnecessary. No pub ever advertised itself as bad beer and worse food, regardless of the truth. Joe and Henry exchanged a look and Jenny shrugged. We've come this far.
Bryant walked down the road that led to the village square of Huntleigh. He was trembling and kept clenching and unclenching his fists. What the hell was wrong with him now?
Jenny jogged to catch up. “Bryant, we don't need to do this you know.”
“I know.”
“So let’s go. We could be somewhere hot by tomorrow night, forget about all this.”
He shook his head. “Stadler will help me. I know he will.”
“Help you how, Jamie?”
“He controls it, Jenny. Controls the-” Bryant stopped talking. He didn't need to finish the sentence.
“He’s very different to you.” He’s not an animal.
“That’s what scares me.”
They rounded a corner and saw the village square in front of them. It was rectangular in shape, but small: a quintessential small village centre. Two rows of houses ran the length of the rectangle, with a shop and Post Office at the furthest end from them. In both rows, the houses were identical, with doorways that looked small and windows to match. Cars were parked on the left-hand side of the street, with the pub opposite. White washed cottages stopped in line with the end of the pub and a wide lane narrowed as it ran from the square to the church. Jenny could see the church tower, the stained glass glinting in the evening sun. She looked back towards the pub and gasped. The square was full of people and they were all kneeling.
“What the-” Bryant whispered, just as a familiar face stepped into the square.
“You asked me for proof,” Michael roared. “I give you the Original!”
“No,” Bryant moaned.
“Jamie-” Jenny started.
Bryant’s voice was changing, as his face contorted. “No,” he said, his voice not quite his own. “I'm the Original.”
2
“Get up,” Jack said. “Please, get up.”
No-one moved. Michael beamed at him. “This is it, Jack. Your pack. Your people.”
“I don't want this,” Jack said, sweat breaking out on his brow. He frowned suddenly then he turned his head to the left and stood stock still. “Oh no,” he said.
Michael turned to follow his gaze and the smile disappeared instantly. Bryant was running towards them, changing as he ran. He bulldozed into the kneeling wolves, throwing two into the air with the speed of his impact. He changed back to a man and punched a further two who were rising, then changed his arm and sliced a third open with no more effort than gutting a fish. Five people lay dead in as many seconds.
The other wolves scattered, but Bryant lashed out, cutting down those who were way too slow. The remaining wolves stood at a distance, but still surrounding him. Bryant stopped and looked at Jack. Blood covered his face and torso and he was breathing hard.
“This ends, Stadler.”
No, I want you to help me.
Too late, much, much too late. Only one of us leaves here today.
No-
Jack felt the change coming, both his own and Bryant’s. “Katie, run!”
The words were barely out of his mouth before the Wolf burst out of him and he launched at Bryant.
3
“I can't put him through this again,” Joe said, pushing his brother back, towards the alley that led to the church.
“Go, get out of here,” Jenny said, with a nod.
“What about you?”
“I want to see who wins.”
Joe shook his head but then started jogging down the alley, half dragging his brother behind him. They reached the gates to the churchyard and then Henry stopped dead. He raised an arm and Joe looked to where he was pointing.
“Back, let’s go back,” he yelled and turned away from his brother. “They might know who we are.” Joe had no idea what the soldiers were doing there, but he had to assume they had descriptions of all of Bryant’s pack.
“No,” Henry said, the first time he had spoken for days. He turned back to face the men walking through the church yard. They were moving from gravestone to gravestone or keeping flush with the building. One of them noticed Henry and made a strange gesture to the others.
“Run, Joe, run,” Henry said. He was smiling and suddenly Joe couldn’t remember the last time he had seen his brother smile. With the sudden words and the smile, Joe felt that his twin was coming back to him – returning from the almost fugue state he had been in for weeks. But then Henry turned away from Joe, turning back to the armed men.
“No!” Joe shouted, but he knew it was too late.
Henry threw back his head and bellowed at the sky, then he started to run towards the soldiers, changing as he went.
Joe ran away as the bullets rained into his brother, tears falling down his cheeks.
4
Knowles stopped, holding his hand up. He touched his throat mic. “We just bagged a wolf, sir. Blue 1, proceeding to blue 2. They're here.”
“Copy that, Knowles,” Raymond said. “How’s Green 1? We need eyes on Blue 2.”
Knowles scanned his immediate environment. The church rose behind him, ancient and carrying a history all of its own. He looked at Taylor and nodded at the tower. Taylor nodded back and tried the door to the church. It swung open.
Country folk.
“Sir, Taylor and Williams are heading for Green 1. It’s pretty high. Should give us a view of Blue 2 and possibly King.”
“Excellent, Knowles. We are at Red 1 moving to Blue 2, approx. one minute out. Stay in comms.” Raymond was travelling down West Street, heading for the square.
“Sir, the wolf wasn't alone. There was another one who ran when it saw us. He will have warned the others.”
“You are assuming there are others, sergeant.”
Knowles bit his tongue. Of course there are others, you utter moron, they are pack animals.
“Gone firm at Green 1, sir,” Taylor said. He’s at the top of the tower already.
“What can you see?”
“I can see part of the High Street, sir,” Taylor said, “eyes on Blue 2.”
Knowles shook his head. High Street. Jesus. Taylor needs to get out more. At least we can now see the square.
“It’s full of people.”
5
“You're not going anywhere,” Sally said and stood in front of Katie. Michael reached to take Josh, and Katie turned away from him.
“Don't touch me!”
“Katie, I can kill you and take him, or I can just take him. Your choice.”
Katie looked into his eyes, saw the intent there and handed Josh to him with a sob. She saw Jack land on Bryant, both as wolves, both snarling and snapping at each other.
Michael followed her gaze. “He’s doing well,” he said, although it was not clear which Wolf he was referring to. The other people in the square, those still alive, were watching the fight intently.
“What happens if Bryant wins?” Sally said.
“Then we follow him instead. Don't worry, whatever happens here will be good for us.”
The Wolves continued to fight. Both were cut in several places, blood splattering the
concrete around them. Suddenly one of the wolves stopped and looked around. Katie followed its gaze, towards the church. She saw a man running towards a pretty woman.
For a second, Jack’s face appeared through the fur and blood. “Knowles,” he said. The other Wolf twisted then, pinning Jack under it. Jack had fully returned to Wolf form now, just in time for the other to tear a large chunk out of its chest. Jack whined and howled and the Wolf bit down again. Jack stopped moving and the Wolf stood, turning back to human. Blood covered the large man.
Bryant stared at Michael, eyes full of hatred. He spat a chunk of meat into the road.
6
“People?” Raymond said.
“Sir, eyes on Bryant.” Taylor’s voice had gone up an octave: he was excited.
Knowles pictured Taylor in the church tower, binoculars sweeping the square.
“Do you have a shot?”
“No sir,” Williams said.
“Sir, I also have eyes on Katie Stadler.”
“What about Jack?” Knowles asked.
“There is a large wolf on the ground next to Bryant. I think its Stadler sir, just, God, well, it’s huge sir.”
“What’s he doing?”
“Nothing. He’s just lying there. Blood everywhere sir. I think he’s dead.”
7
As soon as Bryant charged, Jenny slid into the shadows of the alley to the church. She watched the one sided fight, chewing her lip and running through her options. They were limited. Stay and re-join Bryant, run after Joe and Henry or just leave.
The Original's Return (Book 2): The Original's Retribution Page 19
