The Lure of the Pack

by Ian Redman

  RED HAZE: THE LURE OF THE PACK

  BOOK 2 OF: THE RED HAZE CHRONICLES

  BY

  IAN REDMAN

  Cover design by Carole Stevenson

  DEDICATION

  I dedicate the second of Ash Piper’s adventures to seven very special people who gave me so much support with reference to my very intensive studies of the grey wolf throughout the 1990s.

  RED HAZE: THE LURE OF THE PACK is dedicated to Diane Boyd, Lu Carbyn, Steven H Fritts, Jim Hammill, L David Mech, Will Waddell and Adrian Wydeven.

  Author’s Note

  Dear Reader

  Thank you once again for trusting me to entertain you.

  I would like to take this opportunity to thank Carole and Neil Stevenson for their very special, valued and trusted friendship over many years.

  As I previously stated in my first novel I am writing The Red Haze Chronicles as a series of ongoing, open ended werewolf novels that will always leave the reader on a knife edge of tension at the end of each individual story.

  When you start reading this novel will you please promise me one thing? Do not rush through it! Give yourself time to relax and then immerse yourself into Ash Piper’s world.

  I do hope you will enjoy these adventures as much as I am enjoying creating them.

  And now…

  PREPARE FOR COMBAT!

  THE HUNT…CONTINUES!

  CONTENTS

  PROLOGUE – CLAWS AND STEEL

  1 – LET US PREY!

  2 – CHAOS THEORY

  3 – HATE

  4 – WHITE SWAN

  5 – WAR

  6 – BLUE?

  7 – A PURCHASE IN ST PETERSBURG

  8 – EASY PICKINGS

  9 – THE LURE OF THE PACK

  10 – BLOOD RED!

  EPILOGUE – THEATRE

  GLOSSARY

  ABOUT IAN REDMAN

  “Know your enemy!”

  SUN TZU

  “Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned.”

  FROM: THE MOURNING BRIDE BY WILLIAM CONGREVE

  (MODERN TRANSLATION)

  “Oh Wolf I look long for you, but you know how to hide, your scrawny hide, behind the darkest wind.”

  OLD CHOCTAW INDIAN POEM

  PROLOGUE

  CLAWS AND STEEL

  With the German Shepherd dogs swiftly gaining ground, Ash Piper ran towards the razor wire. COME ON DAMN IT, he thought, RUN, RUN! Further gunfire erupted around Piper, only just missing him! Tactfully, the CEATA agent lowered his body as bullets from the guards’ MP44s smashed into the ever-looming rear wall, the wall he desperately needed to get to. Snarling, growling, the dogs snapped at his heels, they were practically on top of him! JUMP he thought, JUMP!

  With every ounce of energy in his body Ash Piper leapt upwards and over, clearing the first set of razor bladed wire, but the dogs were not so fortunate. With a piteous yelping they ran straight into the lethally sharp barrier. NOW, THE SECOND SET OF WIRE! More gunfire rattled behind him as Piper flinched, a shard of red-hot tracer slicing across the skin of his neck, narrowly avoiding a critical injury. He jumped again, his body scything through the air, the feeling of dampness from the cold night coursing through his wild veins. NOW THE WALL he thought, his panting breath sounding more and more like a wild dog’s. With the sounds of chaos echoing behind him Piper jumped again, his body slamming up onto the flat of the perimeter wall. It was a leap only the wolf could have made! With perspiration pouring from his body, Piper quickly prepared to climb out of the Von Kurst Electronics Warehouse Facility.

  “Did you see that,” said one of the guards, “did you see how he jumped? No man could do that!”

  With a hint of wanton retribution rooted deep in his eyes another guard appeared, aiming his sniper rifle at Piper’s head, “leave him to me!” Increasing the magnification of the weapon’s optical sight directly in line with his target, the guard shouted at the top of his voice, “HEY SHITHEAD, EAT THIS!”

  Then…he fired.

  The wolf spoke, danger, DANGER! Too late! Piper yelled in pain, lost his grip and plummeted over the wall, hitting the ground with a gut-wrenching thump.

  “ASH!” In CEATA’s Communications Room, Jeanette Descard shouted out in pitiful anguish as a senior medical officer checked Piper’s life signs on the computer next to him. “He’s been hit,” he said.

  “Red Haze to Control, do you copy?” Breathing heavily, his head spinning, Piper looked down at his left shoulder; his blood oozing from the wound where the sniper’s bullet had passed through it. That was too damned close, he thought as the main viewing screen in front of CEATA’s senior command team relayed the reality of his situation.

  Charles Mann looked piercingly at Maurice Hertschell who gave a very slight nod of his head. The Colonel understood; it was a sign between the two men. It was time to test Red Haze to the limit of his endurance. “What is your situation Red Haze?” said the Colonel, his voice filled with gritty determination.

  “I’ve been hit in my left shoulder. I’ll move to the retrieval area utilising night vision, over.”

  “He sounds fatigued,” said Jeanette.

  “THAT’S A NEGATIVE RED HAZE…”

  Jeanette Descard could not believe what she had just heard. “Colonel, what the hell are you talking about? We have a retrieval team ready to pick Ash up, GET THEM IN!”

  The Colonel raised his right hand, palm open, the meaning being obvious. Keep quiet!

  “Say again Control,” replied Piper.

  “You are on your own Red Haze. No retrieval is available at present. I suggest you take immediate action to secure your safety.” For a few seconds only the sound of static could be heard as Jeanette, Nick and Jean-Paul gazed in shock at the Colonel.

  “Very well Control, I’m making my way into the forest to secure better cover.” Piper winced as searing pain cut through his shoulder. Just what the fuck is going on, he thought?

  “Nick, I want a full operational view of the warehouse facility and Piper’s location, QUICKLY!” Charles Mann was in no mood for arguments.

  “Yes sir!” Nick shook his head in disbelief, the look on his face telling of mistrust as his fingers typed urgently at his keyboard. Just what the hell is happening, he thought.

  Angrily, Jeanette Descard walked purposefully over to the Colonel, “Colonel, what is going on, Ash is wounded and…”

  “CUT THE BULLSHIT JEANETTE,” Charles Mann’s raised voice made CEATA’s Chief Criminal Psychologist reel back in shock, the deep-rooted look in his eyes spelling trouble.

  “Yes Herr Standartenfuhrer, he is wounded but has managed to escape, he won’t get far.” The burly security guard, standing with several others around him spoke earnestly into his mobile phone, “of course Herr Standartenfuhrer, yes…of course, we’ll get him, he won’t get far. I will call you as soon as we have him.”

  “Well?” Another guard waited for his colleague’s reply.

  “We take the shit alive if possible; get your men ready, we’re moving into the forest, I WANT AS MANY MEN AS WE CAN SPARE!”

  Within minutes further guards appeared, their modified MP44s at the ready. “He has night vision, so he has an advantage,” said one.

  “No he doesn’t…” the burly man smiled as he prepared to give further orders to his men. “GET THE TIGER UP!” he shouted.

  With his senses reeling, Piper collapsed in the dense foliage of the forest and opened up his torn drop suit. Gently, he checked the hole in his shoulder and was surprised to see it had ceased bleeding. Carefully, he scanned the surrounding forested terrain through his NV goggles whilst assessing his current situation, then glanced again at his shoulder. The blood had already congealed inside the wound, the wolf DNA in his body
assisting rapidly with the healing process. As he pulled himself up, Piper’s lupine hearing registered shouts in the distance and the barking of dogs. He smiled, a cold, venomous smile, a smile that spelt of violence…and death! Right you bastards he thought, if you want a fight, you can fucking well have one! “Red Haze to Control.”

  “Go ahead, Red Haze,” Nick sounded anxious.

  “I am moving further into the forest, when is retrieval expected, over?”

  “At least another hour Red Haze,” replied Colonel Mann, “however you have permission to engage the enemy if the situation requires it, do you understand?” There was silence for several seconds as Charles Mann’s heartbeat started to race. “He’ll know what we are doing Maurice. He’ll know we are testing him.”

  CEATA’s Commander in Chief fixed his steely gaze firmly on the Colonel, “of course he will Charles. But let us not forget, Sergeant Piper knows what we expect of him. If his survival requires bloodshed…then so be it!”

  Jeanette spoke quietly, calmly, “so you’re going to use Ash as a guinea pig, that’s right isn’t it?”

  “Jeanette,” the Colonel sounded irritated, “as I said before, cut the bullshit. You know why we have brought Ash into CEATA. He is one of ‘them’, one of those…creatures, half human, half wolf. God knows how many of them are out there, it may only be a handful, then again, there may be hundreds, even thousands.” The Colonel paused, as if letting his powerful vocalisation sink deep into Descard’s thoughts.

  “Go on Colonel, make your point!”

  “The fact is Jeanette, the Rostov video footage and the further pieces of evidence we have studied, prove conclusively the existence of these creatures. We know they are a possible threat to humanity, now…we have a chance to learn more about these human wolves.”

  “These werewolves, you mean?”

  Descard’s tone seemed patronising, making Charles Mann feel angry. “Now we can learn how they fight, how they utilise their senses, how they use their surroundings and we can watch and record all of this by satellite.” The Colonel folded his arms.

  “So in other words Colonel, as of now, you and the Commander are throwing Ash into combat?”

  “Correct Doctor.”

  “Tiger One to Central Control, we are approximately six kilometres from your location, what are your instructions, over?”

  “Tiger One listen carefully,” the man sat at the radio console in Building Three of the VKE Warehouse Facility replied quickly to the static laden voice heard through his headset. “We have been infiltrated by a covert operative. We need to find the bastard and bring him in for interrogation; it’s up to you to locate him. He is wounded, so he can’t have gone far.”

  “Confirmed Central Control, will use thermal imaging to locate the target. I presume we have backup closing in on the intruder?” Over the voice of the Tannoy a low thumping sound could be heard; the thumping of rotor blades.

  “Affirmative Tiger One, however the target has moved into the forest, just keep him in check. If he moves any further, fire warning shots, over!”

  “Affirmative.” The pilot of the Eurocopter Tiger belonging to Von Kurst Electronics smiled as he spoke confidently to his colleague, the helicopter’s navigator and weapons specialist, “this should be fun Franz, arm the cannon.”

  “Ha! You bet!”

  “Tiger One will be with you in approximately eight minutes, they have been given their orders.”

  “Good, we’ll keep watch for them, over.” The burly security guard replaced the radio handset on the backpack of another member of the VKE security staff. Hurriedly, he spoke to the assembled men around him, “alright, the Tiger is on route, they will flush him out like a rat in a trap. Remember, we must take him alive!”

  There was muttering between the men, the guard dogs around them whining steadfastly as tension mounted, “what do we do with the dogs?”

  “Keep them with us for the time being. OKAY, LET’S MOVE OUT!”

  Piper vomited. He felt dizzy, weak and sick. He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of images of a woman, a frightened woman as he continued to move deeper into the forest. What the hell is wrong with me, he thought? Already his breathing was heavy, his pulse racing as adrenaline kept his senses working overtime. Then he heard it, far beyond the reach of human ears, the hammering of rotor blades coming from the east, “Red Haze to Control.”

  “Go ahead! We’re monitoring you all the way Red Haze.”

  Piper smiled to himself as he heard Nick’s voice through his Com-link. The young computer genius was trying hard to sound calm and relaxed, but was not succeeding. In reality, Piper could sense Nick’s tension. “I’ve got company, moving in from the east. It’s a chopper, no doubt about it!”

  “We will confirm Red Haze, keep moving.” Nick turned to the Colonel, “permission to obtain an enlarged operational overview sir?”

  Charles Mann nodded his head, “permission granted.”

  The cockpit of the Eurocopter buffeted with turbulence as its navigator spoke calmly through his headset. “We should be in position in two minutes.”

  “Good, I’ll report in.”

  “I’m arming the cannon and preparing to go thermal.”

  “Very well, Tiger One to Central Control…”

  “We have confirmed identification Red Haze! You have a Eurocopter Tiger approximately two kilometres from your current position.”

  “Presumed hostile no doubt,” Piper’s reply was full of sarcasm, “can you confirm weaponry on the chopper Control, over?”

  “Messrs Von Kurst and Oratz never cease to amaze me Charles,” Commander Hertschell cast an inquisitive glance towards Colonel Mann as Nick frantically enlarged the satellite image of the helicopter swiftly bearing down on his friend. “There are no signs of missile attachments Red Haze; it’s most probably just a recon scout.”

  “No way Control, the chopper will be armed and if memory serves me correct, most probably with a thirty millimetre cannon. Shit, that’s all I fucking need!”

  “COLONEL, WHAT CHANCE DOES ASH HAVE NOW?” Charles Mann seemed visibly taken aback by Jeanette Descard’s outburst of anger and emotion. “FOR GOD’S SAKE, IF THIS HELICOPTER IS ARMED WITH A HEAVY CALIBRE CANNON, IT COULD RIP HIM APART.”

  “Calm down Jeanette.” It was so obvious, so very bloody obvious he thought! This woman has feelings for Piper, and as far as I’m concerned…that’s bad news!

  “I can confirm visual identification, one man, half a kilometre ahead, he’s in a pretty dense part of the forest, but we can flush him out.” The navigator of the Eurocopter was pleased with himself; his training in the West German Army had been of paramount importance before he had joined the grenadiers and their wholesome task.

  The burly security guard replied, “we are already making our way into the forest Tiger One, drop flares so we have a better visual on your position.”

  “Affirmative.” The modern lightweight attack helicopter continued on its course, a course leading directly to Ash Piper.

  “Red Haze to Control,” Piper’s heart was racing, the thumping of the Tiger’s rotor blades drawing ever nearer.

  “Go ahead.”

  “I can confirm visual on the chopper, it’s impossible for me to break away from their flight pattern; they will just harass me until the security guards move in.”

  “So what are you suggesting Red Haze?” This is it thought the Colonel; this is where CEATA’s key agent unleashes his inner self.

  “I am going to take matters into my own hands; it’s the only way I can survive.”

  “Very well Red Haze,” the Colonel paused as everyone stared at him, “good luck!”

  Maurice Hertschell viewed the mission screen intently, his eyes awash with exhilaration. He spoke quietly, “well Charles, let’s see what our weapon can do.”

  Nick suddenly leapt out of his chair, “OH SHIT, THEY’RE FIRING AT HIM!”

  Cold dread swept over Jeanette Descard, “RUN ASH! FOR GOD’S SAKE, RU
N!”

  The branches of the trees around Piper erupted into flame. Diving to the ground he rolled as shards of timber exploded all around him, the Eurocopter’s thirty millimetre cannon ripping everything in its path to shreds as daylight seemingly erupted across the tree line. Flares, thought Piper, they’ll illuminate the whole damned area and lead the bastards straight to me. Then he heard it, a metallic voice over the raging din of the rotor blades, a man’s voice, shouting to him. Piper threw off his NV goggles and gazed steadily at the machine hovering in mid air, just ahead of him.

  “HEY MISTER,” the metallic voice said, “DO YOU FANCY A GAME OF CAT AND MOUSE?” There was laughter, stifling laughter coming from the helicopter’s loudspeaker. Piper aimed the USP in a two handed grip and fired at the cockpit, but to no avail. The Eurocopter roared overhead making a low sweep across the treeline.

  “HERE WE COME, GET RUNNING MISTER!”

  As he watched the cannon under the cockpit swing into position, ready to fire, Ash Piper prepared to run for his life.

  “HERE WE COME MISTER,” again the laughter echoed from the loudspeaker as the cannon opened up, its red-hot tracer flying around Piper as he ran zigzag through the treeline. He was panting heavily, his thoughts on fire as branches smashed to the floor around him. With the whirring metallic roar of the rotors drawing ever closer and the terrifying destruction of the cannon’s high velocity rounds enveloping his senses, Piper leapt to the left and rolled as the Eurocopter flew over the decimated tree line.