Chapter 7 - The Middle of Nowhere

The next morning, after Joss forced John to eat some breakfast, they followed the directions Finch gave them to the out of the way area were Matt Ellison's truck was consistently parked at night for several hours at a time.

They discovered that Finch was right, it was the middle of nowhere. They found themselves on an old logging road that had not been used in a very long time, except for the occasional hunter. The road was in such poor condition that their rental car was barely able to negotiate the deep ruts and rocks that covered the road. It was a densely wooded area, perfect for Wolves; if they had been looking for a good place to run in Wolf form this would be it. John was beginning to wonder if he might be wrong about Matt Ellison, if maybe he just came out here to run when a Fish and Game Warden pulled up.

"Can I help you? Are you lost?' The warden asked cheerfully. The man was about five ten with a bald head and the air of someone who knew how to handle himself. While the warden's demeanor was friendly, John did note the strap that held his gun in his holster was unsnapped and the warden's hand casually hovered near the weapon.

To diffuse any apprehensions the warden might be having, John gave him an amiable smile and pulled out the Federal Marshall badge he had taken off Brad Jennings a couple of years ago.

"I'm Marshall Jennings, and this is Detective Carter of the New York City PD." John paused while Joss showed the warden her badge. "We're right where we want to be; we just don't quite know where here is," he said affably.

The warden checked both their IDs and then visibly relaxed, "How can I help you then? Do we have a fugitive running around out here?"

John shrugged, "You might. The GPS in a car the man drove indicated he has been out here. Have you seen any suspicious activity around here lately?"

"Plenty," the warden replied. "We're only a couple of miles from the Canadian border, so this area is a hot bed of smuggling activity. Think that's something your fugitive might be involved in?"

John looked thoughtful, "I wouldn't put it past him. He's Wolf, have you heard of any Wolf smugglers operating in the area?"

"Oh yeah. The Border Patrol has been tangling with a gang of Wolves for over twenty years. They wear those packs like you use when you take your dog hiking and the dog carries it's own supplies. Some of 'em seem to be able to go Wolf even on nights when the moon isn't full. Border Patrol has seen them on occasion, but has never been able to catch any of them. The Canadians haven't had much luck either. As you can see, this territory is perfect for Wolves."

Joss nodded and looked around, "A Wolf smuggling ring would be impossible to catch in this terrain."

The warden pulled out a piece of paper and a pen and wrote down a number, "This is the phone number for an old drinking buddy of mine, Border Patrol Agent by the name of Barry Kirkland. He can give you more information on the smuggling operations. Tell him Warden Jefferies sent you."

John took the number. "Thanks, you've been a big help, warden."

The warden shook their hands, "Good luck with your investigation. Hope you catch the guy."

"Thanks."

They drove back into town and called the number Warden Jefferies gave them. A short while later, they were escorted into the local office of the Border Patrol to meet with Agent Kirkland.

Kirkland was nearly as tall as John, with a military inspired haircut and built like a bull. "So, you're interested in Wolf smugglers, eh?" He asked.

John nodded. "We are working a case and one of our top suspects is a Wolf who has been out in an area the Warden Jefferies tells us is a very active area for smugglers. What can you tell us about them?"

Agent Kirkland looked sour, "I'm embarrassed to say not much despite the fact that they have been active for many years. We can't get close to them. We have cameras along the border in several places so we have a few pictures. But that's it. They know this area like the back of their paws. Even when we brought in some Wolf agent,s they couldn't get close. The Wolves are fast, smart, and know the terrain too well."

"Did any of your Wolf agents have tracking skills?" John asked, tossing a look in Joss's direction,

The Agent nodded, "Couple of 'em had scent tracking skills, but they weren't fast enough. Following a scent just isn't a very fast way to travel. One of the Wolf agents did get lucky, if you can call it that. He got close to them, but he was alone and got jumped by the group. Wound up in the ICU for a week. We were lucky to find him before he bled out. They really tore him up bad."

"So they're violent?" Joss asked. "That's unusual for smugglers. They usually just try to run."

Kirkland grunted, "Like I said we haven't gotten close very often, but when we have, they have been very violent. It is unusual, the agent they tore up said it was like they were enjoying it."

Joss looked thoughtful. "What do they smuggle?"

Kirkland shrugged. "According to our informants, anything they get paid for that is small enough to fit in their packs. Drugs, currency, stolen goods, weapons. They may have even guided fugitives into the US. They are free-lancers, willing to work for anyone who will pay their price. And they charge a lot. Word on the street is that they are the most reliable couriers around. They have never failed to deliver a package. They're smart, too. If we get too close they suspend operations for a while. After they put that one agent in the hospital, there was no activity for a couple of months. Usually criminals get greedy and that's when we nail 'em. Not these guys."

Realizing that they had gotten all the information they could out of the Agent, John and Joss thanked him for his help, shook hands, and left.

As they were leaving the building, Finch rang them.

"I found something quite interesting. I took a look at Mr. Ellison's finances. His shop is not making enough money to stay open and it hasn't for quite some time. Years in fact. But I found a Caymen Islands account with a quarter of a million dollars in it."

John and Joss looked at each other. The pieces were beginning to fall into place.

"So Ellison may be a smuggler," Joss said. "Both Kirkland and Jefferies said that the smugglers have been active on nights when the moon wasn't full, so who in the pack can change on a non-full moon night?"

"My parents could," John said softly as he stared down at the steering wheel of the car.

Joss reached over and placed her hand over John's on the steering wheel, "They must have found out about the smuggling ring and were killed before they could talk to Berke. The sheriff mentioned that your father had been in the station to see him that day, but Berke was in court, so they never got a chance to talk. And then the killer must have killed various pack members as they found out about the smuggling to keep it quiet."

"Or wanted out of the ring," Finch said. "I checked on some dates. The LeBlanc family was killed two days after the Border Patrol Agent was injured. Mr. LeBlanc may have been part of the gang, but wanted out after they got violent, so they killed him and his family."

"Thanks, Finch."

Joss's brow furrowed as John rang off the call, "We'll have to ask Everett who in the pack can change on nights when the moon isn't full."

John nodded and dialed Everett. "Everett, we may have a lead, but I have a question, who in the pack can change on nights when the moon isn't completely full?"

"Mark and Marie can change at night if the moon is half full or more. Dad can change for a few nights on either side of a full moon, but not many. That's it."

"How many of the dead Wolves could change on non-full moon nights?"

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. "You may be on to something there, Stan LeBlanc, Jackson Holt and Karen Rodriquez all could. What are you guys onto?"

"We're not quite sure yet, Thanks, Ev. We'll let you know when we have some evidence you can use."

Joss checked an app on her phone, "John, tonight is a three quarters moon."

"I know. Feel like a run?" He looked at his mate with a big smirk on his face.

Joss grinned wolfishly, "I thought you would never ask!"

That night Reese and Carter drove out to the area where Ellison's truck had parked, leaving their car a little further out on a different road so the smuggling ring would not see it. They took their clothes off and hid the duffle bag with their clothes, ID, phones, and car keys under a thick bush a couple hundred yards away from the vehicle.

John turned to his mate, "You take the lead, using your abilities. I don't want us to get close enough for them to detect us. I don't want a fight tonight."

Joss nodded, "Got it. I'll try and keep us fifty to hundred yards away and downwind."

"That should do it."

"Do they know you can change anytime? Do you think they will be expecting us?"

"Yes, there's a good chance they know about my ability; it was well known in the pack that both my parents could change at will. But they won't know about you and your Wolf sense. Even if they are looking for us, you can keep us far enough away that they won't know we are there."

"Ok, let's do this." Joss vanished and the black Wolf was in her place.

John followed suit and morphed into the large salt and pepper Wolf.

They ran through the forest to the spot where the Ellison truck was parked and settled down in a place where they were well hidden in the shadows of the trees. They lay quietly with their sides touching, waiting for nightfall to see if Ellison would show up.

Sometime later, well after it had gotten dark, they watched silently as the truck was parked on the logging road and two people got out, a man and a woman. Joss couldn't see who they were, it was too dark and they had to remain far enough away so the smugglers could not sense them. The smugglers morphed into Wolf form and slipped on carrying packs. Using their teeth they tightened the straps on each other's packs and took off through the thick vegetation.

Joss was going to assume that they were somewhat more sensitive than average Wolves, just to be safe. She waited until she judged they were far enough away that the smugglers wouldn't detect them. Then she leaped to her feet and began silently following them, with John right behind her.

Tonight, John would be blind and completely reliant on his mate to keep them on course and avoid a confrontation with the Wolf smugglers. His abilities to sense other Wolves were not nearly as good as hers, but his trust in his mate was so strong he followed her lead without hesitation.

As they trotted through the thick Northwestern forest, John kept looking over at his mate. She was completely focused on her task, tracking the smugglers without getting too close, with all the intensity that she showed in her police work. Her eyes were focused ahead of them and John could feel her intense concentration as she tracked their prey.

They ran through the forest and, with a start, John realized just how much he had missed the Great Northwest. The brush they were running through was perfect Wolf terrain and there was plenty of it. Sadly, he remembered many happy nights with his parents running through this same forrest. He realized that he missed them; he never knew how much until this minute. It caught him off guard.

John suddenly realized that Joss was slowing down to look at him, and he knew that she must have picked up on his pensive mood. He jerked his head in the direction of the Wolves they were following and growled softly in his throat to let her know that she needed to keep her attention on them and not on him.

The look she shot him in response plainly said we will talk about this later. John decided that was OK with him; he had never told her much about his parents and it was time he did. Their murder had had a profound influence on the direction his life had taken and it was time he shared it with his mate. It had been buried too long.

After they had traveled for several miles, John judged they were across the Canadian border. Joss suddenly stopped and stood completely still with her ears full forward and nose slightly up, testing the wind. John realized that their quarry must have stopped up ahead and he assumed the same posture, trying to detect any Wolf scent in the air, listening intently for any sign that would indicate they had been detected. Slowly and carefully, so as not to make a sound, Joss cautiously picked her way forward, with John following just as cautiously behind.

After about twenty-five yards, they came to the edge of a small road. A short way down, they saw the Wolves standing next to a car while men filled their packs with small bundles.

John and Joss hid in the shadows and watched as the Wolves' packs were filled. "That's all of it. Larkin will meet you tomorrow at the usual place and time to collect the goods," one of the men told the Wolves as he zipped up the last pocket. The Wolves nodded and turned to leave.

John held his breath as the smugglers passed by within several yards of his and Joss's hiding place, but the other Wolves did not detect them. Apparently none of these Wolves had abilities anywhere near as powerful as his mate's. For that, John was grateful; he didn't want a fight tonight.

The men left as soon as the Wolves vanished into the woodlands and John and Joss were left alone by the road. Joss waited for a few minutes, focusing her concentration again on the smugglers. Once she judged that they were far enough away, she began following them with John hot on her heels once again.

The smugglers took a different route on the way back; one that was less direct. They carefully avoided any roads or homes. That part was easy; this area was sparsely populated. Joss expertly tracked them and they arrived back at Ellison's truck in time the see the Wolves remove their packs and morph back into human. Again, they didn't want to get too close, so they remained far enough away that they couldn't visually ID the smugglers once they were in human form again.

They watched as the smugglers dressed and climbed back in the truck. They hid in the shadows once again as the truck passed by on its way back out onto the main road. Then they turned and galloped to where they had left their car.

As soon as John was human again, he turned to his mate. "Looks like Ellison has a nice little lucrative business smuggling goods across the border and he's been killing the other Wolves of the pack as they either find out or try to separate from his operation."

"That theory fits all the facts we have so far," Joss agreed as she pulled her clothes on. "But we don't have anything Everett can use for an arrest, much less a conviction."

John growled, "If we don't get some evidence, we can always take matters in our own hands."

Joss shot him a dirty look as she helped him button up his shirt, like she always did after a Wolf run. "It's premature to talk like that. We know so much more than we did before. We are making good progress. We will solve this case, John." For emphasis she kissed the hollow at the base of his throat when she finished the last button.

John closed his eyes as she planted her kiss, words could not convey just how much he loved it when she did that. In reply, he kissed her forehead and embraced her tightly. "I know. I'm glad you came."

"I belong with you John, wherever you go."

John led her back to the car and they drove to the hotel mostly in silence. They changed clothes and crawled into bed when they got to their room. When Joss was comfortably settled with her head on John's chest, she asked the question that had been puzzling her all night.

"Back in the woods, I felt you go really sad for few minutes. Care to share what was going through your head?"

John gently ran his long, elegant fingers up and down her spine while he answered, "Running through the woods tonight reminded me of running with my parents. It brought back a lot of memories."

Joss lifted her head so she could make eye contact with her mate. "I'm sorry John," she said softly. "That must have been painful for you."

John kept stroking her back while he stared up at the ceiling. "It actually was cathartic. I have never really dealt with my parents' murder or the betrayal of my pack afterwards. I ran away and tried to forget the whole thing and that decision had a less than positive impact on my life."

Joss placed her head back down and snuggled up to his side "Tell me about your parents," she urged softly.

"They were good people, good Wolves. They were both Born Alphas, both from the old European bloodlines. They taught me my whole life that as a born Alpha it was my responsibility to protect and care for others."

Joss smiled a little at that, "You certainly learned your lesson well."

"They lived it every day; I had a good example to follow."

"What were they like?"

"They were good parents; I felt very loved growing up." John paused for moment. "They would have loved you," he said tightly.

Joss turned her head and pressed a kiss into his chest.

John continued, "My mom is where I got my love for sweets. She used to fix a batch of cookie dough and she and I would eat most of it raw, instead of baking it. She was a terrific cook and taught me how to get around in a kitchen. She had a wicked sense of humor.

"My dad was quiet. He was a doer, not a talker. I don't think I ever once heard him complain. He was a strong Alpha; Matt Ellison was terrified of him. They were quite happy when I joined the Army; they thought it would make me a better Wolf, a better Alpha, and they were right."

"Not everyone agreed with them, though, did they?"

John shifted uncomfortably under her, "No. A lot of the pack thought I should stay here. They never forgave me for leaving them."

"So when your parents died, they were ready to believe the worst about you."

John shrugged, "Losing such a strong Alpha pair must have scared them badly. I guess it made it easier if they thought the person who did it was run out of town."

"You are being a lot more forgiving than I would be. What they did to you…you rejected being a Wolf, everything you were."

"That was my own decision, not theirs."

Joss sat up and glared down at her mate. "Don't tell me they had nothing to do with it! After what they did to you, what else could you have done?"

John sat up and took Joss' face in his hands. "Listen to me; I take responsibility for my decisions, especially the bad ones."

"John…" she started to protest, he interrupted her by placing his fingers on her lips.

"I know. I started dating Jessica because she wasn't Wolf, but she still was a connection to this town. Part of the reason I loved her was that she wasn't Wolf. Then I realized she couldn't handle what I really was. It wasn't fair to use her like I was, even if I did love her. So I cut her loose."

"So you were ready and willing when the CIA came calling…"

John bowed his head, "Again, my decision, my responsibility. I had nothing left. It seemed like a good way to continue to be part of something important, and to continue protecting my country because that was all I had left."

"John, don't you see, all those awful things that happened to you, it all started when a bunch of small-minded assholes rejected a grieving son in his hour of need. They ripped your support network out from under you when you needed it the most. What did you think was going to happen? They put you on that path." Joss felt the tears starting to sting her eyes.

"And I could have gotten off that path at any time, but I didn't," John said firmly.

Joss turned so her back was to him and swiped at her eyes. How could he be so forgiving? But then it was John, and she should have expected nothing less from that big generous heart of his. But she could not get that picture of a young John being accused of familicide by Matt Ellison in front of the entire pack at that awful Pack Night and having the pack pointing accusing fingers at the man who should be their Alpha. She could vividly see the look of pain and loss on John's face as he realized he had not just lost his beloved parents, but his entire pack as well.

John gently encircled her with those long muscular arms of his and pulled her to him so her back was pressed against his chest. He lovingly kissed her shoulder and nuzzled her ear. "Hey, hey, don't cry, it all worked out; I have you, Taylor, Finch, the numbers and our pack now. I could not be happier. It was worth it, all of it, as long I have you."

"Oh John," Joss turned in his arms and buried her face in his neck, holding him tightly. They sat like that for several minutes, just holding each other. Then they settled down to sleep, holding each other all night long.