The Wolves of London Book 2: The House of Striker

(Chapter song ‘How You Remind Me' by Nickelback)

AVERY

“Damn it!”

I slam the keyboard keys and slump back in my chair. I scrub two hands up my face and into my hair as I sit forward and lay my elbows on my table.

I stare at the mainframe I’ve been trying to hack for a week now. Whatever defenders they have in there, they’re good.

“Got ya, again?”

I roll my eye to Mastiff. A burly man with a bald head. He’s tatted to his neck with piercings and whatever else. He’s jacked for a wolf and always wears leather. He'd be scary at night if he wasn't such a pussy most days. He's also an incredible hacker. Except on this job.

I heave a sigh and drop my hands to the keys. “Yep. Zander, 100. Avery, zilch.” I groan as I look for another way in.

“Try the service door.” He suggests.

“I tried it 5 times. The access keeps changing. I’m spinning in circles until the defender kicks me out.” I watch my lines roll up and files fly across my screen. “There has to be something.”

He types on his keys as he attacks from the other side. “Hey. When are you going… you know.” He ticks his head.

“I’m not.” I grumble.

“Ok. But you were worried she was hurt.” He says as he gets up for coffee.

“I was, but I checked her status at the hospital. She’s fine.” I watch my fingers type and look for any changes.

He drops his coffee cup on the table. “So you’re just going to make her think you died in the explosion?”

“She wanted me gone. Why not?” I shrug. “Besides. Miranda’s watching me now. I can’t involve her.”

“What about the lab?” He eyes me.

“As long as Zen stays with the Highs, they can’t get her. I’m not saying I’m off the board, but for now...” I lean forward. “What’s this?”

“What?” He gets up, walks over and leans on my chair and table.

I glance at him. “Recognize the code?”

He smiles. “Ollie Manchester. That guy’s still alive?”

“Apparently and look.” I point to the screen.

“The fucker will eat from anyone.” He snorts.

“Miranda did say she’d find someone else. What do you think?” I turn his way and arch a brow.

“Let’s see what the Brit’s up to.” He claps my back as I type.

Like he’s laying bread crumbs, I follow him through the confines of the internet and eventually, into the heart of the Maximus mainframe. Bytes and codes whiz by as we travel through the doors Ollie opens. Once in, it’s like an amusement park of information.

We both lean to the screen. “Whoa.” We both say at the same time. The lists of thousands upon thousands of files… of everything and everyone on the planet. “We thought the government was bad.”

“Pull that one.” He points to a file labeled A. Kirkland.

I pull the file and it’s mine. “Oh. Ok.”

“Geez. He has everything on you except your bathroom schedule." He leans closer.

“Not anymore.” I send my file the oblivion of the web to be eradicated.

“Good call. Find mine.” He claps my shoulder.

We go through all the files of everyone in my group and destroy them all.

“What’s that?” He points to a file labeled ‘New Class'.

I open it up and information floods my screen. “Holy shit!”

“You’re fucking shitting me. Angels?” We both drop our jaws as we flip through biology reports, news, chemistry. Space observations, sightings. Everything’s here. All the evidence I need to get Miranda off my back. We view maps and watch news reports of the fireballs. We read correspondents to presidents telling them the dragon is eating them. There's multiple photos of the destruction and angels themselves.

“Those Mofos are wicked. Scary, but wicked. Look at the wingspan.” Mastiff smirks.

I pull up a report. “Read that. It’s the official notice of war. ‘Return the ark, or else.’ Ark? What’s that?”

“Or else what?” Mastiff says as he reads.

I pull the pictures of flattened cities around the world. “My guess? Or else that.” I motion to the screen.

“They'll destroy the planet?” His brows go up.

“Looks like it.” I nod.

“Hey. I hope you guys had your Wheaties.” Razor walks in.

I stand and watch her take off her black jacket. She pulls her hair up, then adjusts her t-shirt.

“What’s up?” I ask.

“We got a Rogue.” She lifts the remote to the TV hanging on a far wall of the underground catacombs we set up shop in. We tapped into the cities power grid and made a nice cozy hideout. It’s made of white stone and the archways marked the way to travel tunnels and parts of a rudimentary sewer system. Now, this area is cut off from the modern systems.

A news clip shows on the big screen. It shows a black dragon that’s being badly video taped by some farmer in the states. He screams at the reptile to leave his cattle alone.

‘The animal was spotted in four different locations across the country and has attacked countless farms. So far, attempts to stop the creature have failed. Scientists are baffled and believe we could be seeing an evolutionary miracle. They won’t know for sure until the beast is captured.’

My phone rings and I put it to my ear as I watch. “Kirkland.”

‘Are you watching?’

“Yeah. Let me guess.” I turn away and walk to my computer. I click buttons and download the Angel file. I pull out my USB stick and put it in my pocket. I motion to Mastiff to get us out.

He nods and takes my chair.

‘It’s not what you think.’

“You don’t want us to capture a fucking dragon for your freak show?” I watch as Razor flips through station after station. Everyone is on this.

‘No. We got all the dragon blood we need. No. This is a little more personal.’

I listen to her, then look up at the TV. I stare straight ahead. “Zen.”

‘You know she’s seeing this, Avery. You know she can’t stay away. She's probably on her way right now.’

“No. Fuck you! Forget it!” I growl into the phone.

‘We need her, Avery. You’re watching what this world is coming to. I wonder how she’d feel if she found out you were in the way of her birthright.'

“No!” I grit under my breath. “She doesn’t know a damn thing about it. Whatever is in there died with William. Leave her the fuck alone.”

‘Humans are losing. Zen was almost killed. Do you think she’d be happy knowing you were sitting on the greatest weapon in humans possession. You. A shifter. Not even human turned. Just a bad genetic, dysfunctional shifter who spent years pretending he was human. How do you think she'd take that?’

I jut my chin out and breathe through my nostrils. She’s right. Zen would kick my ass. But is it worth opening the door?

“What do you need me to do?” I clench.

‘Draw her out. Separate her from the group during the fight. We'll do the rest.’

I look back at my friends and think about how this one move will fuck them and all the Supernaturals over. “Where?”

‘Based on the creature’s travel path, I’ve sent a list of coordinates. There’s also a link that will patch you into the Highs communicators. You'll have to go in alone.’

My phone dings and I look at the package she sent me. “Got it.”

‘Good. Safe travels. And Avery… tell her about our plans and I’ll bust your ass wide open.’

My brows stitch up at the thought of the council knowing my secrets. I’d go to prison forever.

‘Have a wonderful day.’

She hangs up and I stare at my phone.

“Hey.”

I turn to Razor.

“Who was that?” She motions to my phone as I pocket it and walk to her.

“Wrong number.” I smile. “Listen. I’m… I’m going to see Zen. With that thing out there, I need to make sure she’s not getting herself hurt. She was pretty banged up.”

“Sure. We'll be out there, too. This thing isn’t tearing up the world.” She nods to the screen.

I nod in a agreement and leave as quickly as I can. I need to get to Zen and get her out of there before Miranda and her idiot gang show up. If she’s not there, they can’t touch her. We'll disappear.

There’s got to be somewhere on this rock we can hide.

****

Four hours later, a plane skips and skids across the landing tarmac of Heathrow Airport.

With fire on my heels, I book it to the entrance and grab the first cab I can. I pay the driver extra to step on the gas to the Striker mansion. Hopefully, I’ll catch her before she leaves.

I’m telling her everything. I don’t care if she hates me. She can only understand if I tell her the truth.

The cab revs up the driveway. I pay the driver and rush out. I take the steps three at a time and hit the door.

“ZEN!!” I pound on the door with my fist.

It opens and I almost bean Harry in the nose. He juts out of the way with surprise on his face.

“Mr. Kirkland?” He scowls.

“I need Zen.” I push past him and quickly stride across the foyer.

“Sir!”

“Zen?! ZENNIE!!” I call upstairs and into the other rooms.

“Sir! Miss Striker is no longer here!” Harry barks.

I spin around. “Where did she go?”

He lifts his chin. “The Maximus private airport… Sir.”

“How long?” I rest a hand on his shoulder and question his eyes.

“An hour, Sir.”

I look to the floor, then look up. “Where were they going?”

“I don’t believe that’s any of your business. He says smugly.

I purse my lips and glare at him. Without taking my eyes off him, I reach into my pocket, pull out 200 euros and hold them up in my fingertips.

He looks, snatches the money and pockets it. “Tennessee, sir.”

“Tennessee. Where in Tennessee?” I ask.

He raises a brow.

I press my lips harder, reach into my pocket as he holds out his hand and I slap another 100 in it.

“Nashville.” He answers as he snaps the bill and puts it in his pocket.

“Thanks.” I turn and run into the back of the common room where the offices are.

“SIR!!”

I slam into Zen’s office door, open it and run to her desk. I open her top drawer and push her pen tray out of the way. I grab a set of keys and look them over. I grin and fist them.

Slamming the drawer, I run out of the office, hit the foyer, and run to the front door.

“WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?”

I throw money in his face as I run by and he struggles to catch the crumpled bills. I jump the steps, hit the driveway, and run to the garage.

I jump in Zen’s Miata, hit the garage door opener, and when it’s open, I hit the gas. My tires peel out and I book it back to Heathrow. If they haven’t left yet, I can beat her there.

I buy the first cancelation ticket for the next flight which was leaving in 20 minutes.

After running the fastest marathon of my life to the boarding area, I heave breathes as I sink into my seat. If things go right, in 12 hours, I’ll be on another plane to ‘Never to be seen again town’ with Zen.

I get comfortable and look out the window as the plane starts to take off. This plan will work if I can survive how pissed she’s going to be when I tell her I’ve lied to her every minute since I met her. This is going to be fun.

I look forward and blow out a long, nervous breath while I scrub my hair.

Yep…loads of fun.