A/N -- peeks out IM SORRY! I meant to update earlier but this week has been quite literally hell. I've been doing the work of two people because my co-worker had to go and get himself committed. THAT'S RIGHT! I SAID COMMITTED!
As you can tell, I'm a little bitter --- WARNING: BLOOD and GORE IF YOU CANT HANDLE THAT SKIP THE PARAGRAPH AFTER THE BOLD WRITING!
Thanx again to all of my reviewers – honestly, without your support I don't think I'd had enough energy to update. Though I still have no idea what the angel dude reviewer is talking about most of the time.
Special thanx to Wolfheartx for reminding me that wolf-Buffy is kickass, and for caribear for reminding me how much I hate Snyder. This chapter is for you guys!
Chapter 8 – Understanding
The First One walked handcuffed between the two orderlies, just behind Dr. Hathaway and Principal Snyder (who wanted to see Buffy being taken away in person). The doctor was smug in his victory, as evidenced by his careless display of his back to the First One. And because of that, he didn't see her feral grin.
Outside the school, they gathered in front of the Institute van, off in a secluded area of the parking lot. Since class was in, and all the truant students were long gone, there wasn't a soul in sight.
Perfect.
Dr. Hathaway turned towards the slayer with a smug grin.
"Well, now, Ms. Summers, since you have been cooperating nicely I don't think we'll need any constraints on the trip but…"
He was interrupted by a chuckle from the girl in handcuffs.
"What do you find so amusing?"
"You. How someone as dumb as you got this gig -- and made it work – has to be the work of some higher being, I swear."
"And what makes you think that?" he asked in a condescending tone. The girl smiled at him and brought his chained wrists up to eyelevel.
"This."
With a sharp pull, the handcuffs broke. At the same time, the rest of the pack launched themselves at the orderlies. The two guarding Buffy attacked, but both had their necks were snapped before they could land a punch. Terrified, Dr. Hathaway opened the back door of the van – only to fall to the ground under the weight of another dead orderly as it fell. Before he could catch his breath, two pairs of arms grabbed him and launched him to his feet.
In front of him was the Pack.
The First One began to talk to the doctor, but her attention remained on the quivering figure of her principal.
"I honestly can't figure out how you managed to succeed with us. I mean, god, don't you understand anything about us? First you were confused when we began to form packs. Hello! Wolves! Now you think you're going to capture me by threatening the rest of the Pack? If the strongest of the pack is captured, it makes the pack weak."
With that she grabbed Snyder by the neck. The little man shook with fear.
"We have a very simple philosophy – see the enemy…"
The First One, with her hand around the principal's neck, drove her hand into his chest. Pulling out his heart, she dropped the man and strolled towards the doctor. Holding the heart inches from his face, she crushed it.
"Crush the enemy."
Dr. Hathaway looked at the dead men around him.
"You'll never get away with this! The Institute will send someone after you! The military will never let you live. You're only chance is if you come back with me and continue on with my – our work!" he squeaked in a high-pitched voice.
Buffy appeared to think it over, and the doctor's hopes rose. But they were dashed when by her sigh.
"The pack is tired of hiding – and not being able to kill – and it would be easier to work with the military than against it. I would take you up on your offer – if it wasn't for the fact that last night four members of my pack were sent to L.A. with explosives. The Institute should be in flames right about," looked at her watch, "now."
The doctor sagged between the two pack, knowing that the First One wasn't lying.
"What are you going to do with me?"
All around him the teenagers grinned.
****************************************
General Craig smoked his cigar by his limo as he watched the building slowly burn. Screams could be heard inside as the patients and orderlies were burned alive. Due to a mechanical error – at least, that is what he'd say in the paperwork – the automatic shutdown was initiated and there were no exits available and no way to override.
Project Full Moon was officially dead.
Now, the only people left alive who knew about the project were either under orders to remain silent, dead, or a product of the project. And of course, there was Dr. Hathaway…
"Have we received word on the Hathaway situation."
"Yes, sir. Surveillance teams confirmed that the First One rebelled against Dr. Hathaway as you suspected and killed his crew as well as the local high school principal. The team is asking if you want standard disposal procedures regarding the bodies, sir."
"Yes, I don't want any trace of them left. They all died in the fire today. Tell them to destroy the principal's body as well, I don't want anything tied to Ms. Summers."
The screams had finally died, and a few shots were heard as a few who had managed to escape died 'in the building'.
"And what of Dr. Hathaway?" the general asked.
"We don't know, sir. The Pack took the van, along with Dr. Hathaway, and escaped surveillance. Apparently, they were aware of their presence the entire time."
General Craig laughed.
"Of course they were aware. Sergeant, you are making the same mistake that Dr. Hathaway did. These teenagers may appear human, but they are not. They are wolves, Sergeant, and wolves know everything that happens in their territory. Contact me as soon as you have confirmation on Dr. Hathaway's status."
General Craig turned away from the burning building and entered his limo.
"To the airport, I have a meeting to attend."
*********************************************
The general stood in a busy hallway as he waited. His mind wondered back to his plane ride. While on route, he had received a communication from his surveillance team. They had managed to locate Dr. Hathaway – at least, what was left of him.
The man had been placed in the headquarters of the surveillance team; a not-so-subtle reminder that the Pack had been aware of the surveillance team since the beginning. The computers had been wiped and all photographs of the Pack were burnt. A foreign laptop had been left at the scene, with a message printed on the desktop.
WE ARE PACK AND WE ARE STRONG
WE WONT HIDE AND WE WONT RUN
IF YOU WANT US COME AND GET US
BUT YOUR TO BLAME FOR THE MESS
Craig had earned his stripes the hard way, working himself up through special ops. He had seen and done terrible things, but the pictures of Hathaway's body sent to his laptop would give him nightmares for some time. The man had been hammered to the wall naked with arms and legs spread. Delicate claw marks were burned into his skin using acid. His tongue had been ripped out, along with his genitalia. The skin on his fingers was sliced off. Though he could have died from the shock of any of these wounds, it would have been the disembowelment that would have killed him – eventually.
This elaborate staging was a message. The Pack could kill instantly and professionally; they could detect the best surveillance; they were professional tortures. And they were willing to use any method against someone they considered an enemy.
It was a resume.
A young woman came up to the general, disrupting his thoughts.
"General, he is ready for you now."
General Craig was led to a guarded door and walked into a large office. The man seated at the desk rose and shook hands with the general.
"Logan, it's good to see you. What did you want to discuss with me?" the man asked.
"Well, Mr. President, I have a specially trained team of soldiers codenamed the Pack that I think you might find useful."
TBC