It was a night the following week that their first plan was set into place. Jake had to admit this was a lot more creative and enjoyable than what he had been doing before. It was an effort to keep him calm. Laura had stressed the importance of calm control. The kind of control that he had before the change. He was determined not only to pull this off, but to prove himself to his new sire.
Before the change he had been a hard, cold hit man. He was good at what he did. Since the change he had found himself more emotional than he was used to. He was quick to anger and calm again. Laura, his new sire, had been good to him. She had hunted alone for that first while bringing him food he had thought was repulsive yet yearned. The first night had been raw rabbit. He had yet to change, she said it would come upon the full moon. But in hiding from both sides, she also stressed their need to move in order to survive. He didn't quite understand why hide from other Lycan when she spoke of them like an extended family, but to approach it brought her visible pain. He could see in her eyes she yearned for the same answers.
Two large men in black leather guarded the back entrance to the nightclub. He was fairly sure that they were heavily armed, but wasn't about to find out. His newfound sense of smell was powerful he found. They smelled like worn leather, as if they had worn the same thing for a decade. He didn't get close enough for them to do the same. According to his sire, they had been trained for centuries on torturing and killing his kind. The reasons she had yet to be able to tell him.
As planned he waited by the corner. Pretending to be a clubber waiting for his buddies. He kept a careful eye one the door. The sign was not long in coming. A huge bang on one of the rooftops. Most mortals on the street didn't even notice, but to his senses it was like the explosion was right next to him. The death dealers had heard it too. The checked to see if anyone was about. Seeing him they began to scale the fire escape to check it out. He was slightly disappointed; Laura had said they were able to climb straight up walls. The slight hope of seeing this feat left as he ducked into the front of the bar.
Many people recognized him. That was the plan. Let them know he was here. The mercenaries that served unknowingly as informants and bodyguards for the vampires within let him by without issue. And why not? He was after all one of them. He was a hit man hired to kill a list of people. It was just a case of who got that headfirst. There was a little fortune on each head.
With confidence he strode to the back of the club. The place was crowded with partiers and drinkers. He simply mixed in with the crowd as he made his way back. He weaved through the crowd, a zigzag route just in case someone tried to notice a difference. When he reached the back he found it unguarded. No surprise. Laura's distraction had called away most of the death dealers. He had no idea what she did, and he had a feeling he didn't want to.
On the other side was a partial room. The makeshift wall didn't rise to the high ceiling. The windows had been covered by heavy black fabric. No one could see in or look out. As well as the place being heavily guarded. Laura had speculated that there was probably a sewers exit too. He had never seen one, but there were a lot of boxes and such in the supply room. The boxes and shelves lined the walls. A small table in the back was where several figures stood, one sitting. They all looked ominous. The sitting figure was a handsome man, light complexion with dark wavy hair. Jake had long ago speculated he was Italian bred. Not that it mattered.
Rigel smiled at him as he approached. "Jake," he said rising. "We thought you might be dead."
"No," he replied easily, "Just a run in with one of our list members."
Rigel frowned. With a wavy of his hand he dismissed everyone in the room. "Leave us."
They waited for everyone to leave before regarding each other again. This time there was a dangerous smile on his face. "How did you survive my friend?"
Jake watched him closely. Laura had told him what she knew of this figure, she had also speculated on his motives and reactions. "With the skin of my teeth."
Rigel rose and walked around the table. Taking his time in approaching the new Lycan. Jake tried to hide his wariness. All he had to do was step into the right position. "How close to the skin of your teeth?"
Almost there. Jake took a step back, a pretend step in wariness. Now Rigel was close enough they could smell one another. He could smell the worn leather Laura had told him about. The smell that seemed to have a slight rot to it from age. It stung his nose. "Close enough. Where do you think I've been for the last few days?"
Rigel smiled again, a deadly charming smile. "I think I have an idea."
The music masked the sound. The only indication anything was wrong was the shocked look on his face. The vampire stumbled forward as a bullet sank into him, right about his ear. Without waiting, Jake pulled out the short sword Laura had given him, that had been easily hidden in his coat. With one swift stroke the vampire's head rolled to the floor. He couldn't believe how easy it was. He had thought that she was joking when she said it would be a breeze. It seemed too easy, especially with such a simplistic weapon. The dead vampire fell to the floor, blood spilling everywhere.
Grabbing the papers off the table he shoved them roughly into a bag. The bag was easily concealed under his jacket as he left the room before the others could return. He closed the door behind him and headed for the exit. Several mercenaries were at the bar, sharing a drink. They took one look at his grim face and stiffened.
With a well practices growl he walked right up to them. It wasn't like anger was hard to come by these days. "Did the bastard pay you?" he demanded. Another obstacle planned. She was a thorough person.
"Of course man. Why? Whets going on?" Asked Rave. The weasel of a man dwarfed among the others. Jake produced a wad of cash from his pocket. A little give she had given him. Another thing he wasn't sure he wanted to know where she had obtained it.
"With this crap?" he demanded throwing it on the counter. "Its fake. We've been getting crap."
With those words he left them with the counterfeit money. They could examine the stuff themselves. Get mad, cause trouble. He walked angrily out the door avoiding the death dealers that came running back in. Of all the things he had done in the years, killing, hunting, but this was his first time playing people. And it was rather easy. He commandeered a motorcycle and sped off. Before anyone could stop him. He stopped long enough to collect the small sniper. A proud smile on her face as she climbed on behind him. "Let the heads roll" she cheered.