Chapter 79: Mission
What they found were two werewolves dressed in full winter walking garb, from boots to gloves to parkas that covered their faces. One whiff told the sisters they'd never met these mutts before. They had, however, smelled them—or traces of them, earlier tonight, in the cottage.
When Tesler told Eddie that they needed to call their men in, he didn't mean bring them back to Alaska. They were already here.
"Fucking Eddie thinks he is such a fucking hotshot. Thinks he fucking runs this outfit."
"That is where you always get into trouble, Marko. You still think it is Travis in charge. It is Eddie… letting his brother think he is leading."
"Travis would have let us steal a snowmobile."
"And that is why he is not in charge. Eddie is careful. Two stolen snowmobiles are enough."
"Because it is enough for the two of them. We have to walk through the fucking snow, looking for a fucking werewolf girl and a Slayer they let escape."
"You can be sure it was not Eddie who let them both get away. You are just angry because we did not find them, which is good, or you would be in more trouble than you were when you killed that hiker."
"I just wanted a poke."
"You think Travis would not notice? Would not smell you on them?"
"I have condoms."
"You think that would cover all the smell?"
Buffy, Savannah and Nick were crouched behind bushes, keeping their distance.
"If they get to the cabin…" Nick whispered.
"It doubles the odds in their favor. We should take them out," Buffy said.
Neither Buffy nor Savannah were in top-notch shape, and Nick was fresh and raring to go. With the element of surprise, they could take them. Nick slipped back to cut across behind them and come up on their left.
Marko was still complaining.
"I don't know why we had to come back from the city. We'd have found the hotel, caught this husband and wife, brought them back…"
"If Eddie is right, which he usually is, they are already here. You just wanted to stay in the city. You always want to stay in the city."
"Why not? It's warm. The beds are warm. The girls are warm. This—" He gestured at the surrounding forest and swore in Russian.
"Enough complaining. If you do not like it—"
"The money I like. Eddie, I don't. Always ordering us around. Come to Alaska. No, go back. No, come again. Back and forth, back and forth."
The other man told Marko to shut up before someone heard.
"That's why I'm talking so much," Marko said. "If these girls are out here, they are alone, afraid. If they hear a voice, they'll come running."
Buffy signaled Nick, who swung out into their path. One of the men leapt out of the way, whistling as he did, but Marko, caught in mid-rant, just stood there, mouth open until Nick shut it for him with a line-drive upper cut.
Buffy and Savannah caught Marko and slammed him to the ground. Buffy glanced back only long enough to check on Nick. He didn't have the other man yet, but he'd backed him into the thick bushes. The other man whistled again.
"That's not going to bring anyone running," Buffy said. "Your buddies just sat down to breakfast."
Beneath Buffy, Marko tried to twist and bite. So, Buffy broke his arm. Neither she nor Savannah were in the mood for threats. They would have killed him already, but if they needed information, he was more likely to give it than his friend. They could do without the shrieks of pain, though, so they shoved his face into the snow to stifle them.
When he shut up, Buffy wrenched his head back and hissed in his ear, "I hear you like killing humans, Marko. You're on American Pack territory, and do you know how we treat man-eaters here?"
He swore in Russian. She smashed his face into the snow again. Buffy made a simple gesture and Savannah nodded.
Savannah made her way around the other man. She could see he was ready to fight and if Nick moved, he would fight and fight hard.
"Tesler summoned you boys' back the minute he got a whiff of trouble, didn't he?" Buffy asked. "Figured he and his brother weren't enough to take on three Pack werewolves? Poor excuse for tough guys, if you ask me. Did you do any man-eating while you were in the Lower 48?"
"Is that where we were?" Marko turned his head and smiled up at Buffy through the blood streaming from his nose.
"I don't really care where you were," Buffy said. "I'm just making conversation."
"Oh, you'll care. You'll care very much soon."
Savannah was about to make her move when she stopped short, gaze shooting behind her mother, lips parting. "Mom!"
He twisted and lunged at Buffy. The other man grabbed him. As Buffy shot up off Marko, a shadow passed over her and she caught a whiff of werewolf scent. She wheeled to see a strange mutt, with two more behind him.
"Now do you want to know what we were doing?" Marko said. "Bringing fake passports to the rest of our pack, and escorting them here."
It was a short fight.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
Marko kicked open the door and shove Buffy and Savannah through with his good hand.
"Anybody home?" he called. "We brought you two presents, Travis."
"Three presents," said the other man, who they guessed might be Ukrainian by his accent, pushing Nick in. Two other mutts followed. "I don't know if you wanted this one alive, but I guessed you did."
"And if you don't, I'll take him," said one of the newcomers, a paunchy, graying brute with only traces of an accent. His grin was a picket fence of missing teeth. "He's pretty."
Buffy let out a low growl as the men laughed.
When Tesler walked in from another room, he saw Buffy and grinned, her pulse barely jumped. He strode over, took both her hands and held her at arm's length for a once-over, like a groom checking out his arranged bride.
"All that and she still looks good," Tesler said. He then proceeded to give Savannah a once-over also. "You both do. You two hold up well. Too bad you both are not going to look so good when I'm done with the two of you."
He pulled Buffy closer and slid his hand under her parka, squeezing her ass. She heard a scuffle behind her, and glanced back to see Nick struggling against his captor, glowering at Tesler. When Buffy shot him a look, he stopped. They needed to play good hostage or Tesler might decide he only needed her and Savannah.
"They killed Andrej," the Ukrainian said.
When Tesler frowned, Eddie leaned over and whispered to him, "The big Romanian. Joined up just before we left."
Tesler's expression didn't change.
"Paul? Stefan? Tie him up," Eddie said. "Marko, let's get that arm set. Gavril—"
"Can I eat, please?" Gavril—the chubby guy with the bad teeth—whined. "I haven't had anything since the plane."
Eddie waved him to the kitchen. "Get something and come back. Clayton and Dawn could show up any minute and I want to be ready. This is our big moment, guys."
"We're going to wipe out the North American Pack," Tesler said.
"No, we're going to replace them. And you guys are getting in at the start." The others lit up like ground-floor investors about to watch their company go public. "You've worked hard and it's all going to pay off now. By summer, we'll be out of this godforsaken wasteland, living in California, Texas, Florida… We'll have a whole damn country to choose from."
They nodded, true believers at the revival, the Promised Land shimmering before them.
"Anyone who opposes us goes down. Anyone who wants to join up will be welcome, as long as he's willing to pull his weight and understands that you guys are at the top of the heap. You were here first. You'll get the best territory, the best girls and, most of all, the best-paying jobs in the operation."
As he preached, Buffy and Savannah plotted possible escape routes. They liked the big picture window a few feet from them. Of course, they'd like it even better if they could see some familiar werewolves slipping through the forest to surround the house…
"And remember who got you here," Tesler said. "Me and Eddie, we did all this for you guys."
"We have to give Marko credit, though," Eddie said. "As mad as I was about him killing that guy out here, he gave me an idea. Kill a few humans on Pack territory and look who comes running." He waved at mother and daughter.
As long as Eddie was basking in the sound of his own voice, though, it was giving the others time to get here. Just keep yapping…
"Enough of that," Eddie said. "Time to get ready for our guests. Paul, get Mr. Sorrentino tied up while Marko holds him still. Be careful, though. I'm sure those manicured nails are sharp. And we don't want him trying to rescue his packmate. Gavril! How long does it take to grab food? Bring some for the rest of us. And, Travis, how about you take your prize into the bedroom and finish up with them? Do what you want. Just keep them alive."
Eddie tensed, ready for the Buffy or Savannah to fight. They didn't. They had a better chance of beating Tesler alone. The challenge would be defeating Tesler and getting Nick free. As they pondered that, though, Tesler took a good look at them, noting their lack of mortal terror.
"I'll wait," he said.
"For what?" Eddie said. "No. Don't even suggest—"
"You want to rile up her brother and his wife? What better way than for him to watch while—"
"No."
"Why not?"
Eddie leaned in, lowering his voice. "Because I don't want to rile them up. I'm holding hostages to keep them calm. Now take them in the bedroom or you're going to lose your chance again—"
"Too late," said a voice behind them.
They turned to see Antonio in the kitchen doorway.
"You guys really need to be more careful with security," he said. "The back door was unlocked, and I found a guy raiding your fridge. Don't worry, though, I took care of him for you." He glanced over his shoulder at the floor, presumably where Gavril lay. Then his gaze traveled over their faces. "Oh, was he one of yours? Damn. I'm really sorry about that."
While he spoke, the only person who moved was Eddie, backing up toward Buffy and Savannah, guarding the prize. Everyone else stared, as if trying to figure out what was going on. Finally the Ukrainian ran at Antonio. Antonio barreled forward, meeting his charge.
A figure slid from the opposite hall entrance, behind Nick, still held by Marko.
"Marko!" Eddie shouted.
Marko only frowned at Eddie, as if wondering why Eddie wanted him to go help fight Antonio when he only had one good arm. The other mutt figured it out, shouting a warning and gesturing at Reese, who'd slipped in, armed with a fireplace poker. He swung and hit Marko in the side of his head.
Tesler pulled Buffy against him, arms pinned behind her with one hand, the other forearm at her throat. Savannah frowned and looked at Buffy who indicated with her eyes that she agreed. Any notion of fighting stopped as Eddie backed up to Buffy and Savannah, protecting the booty as his soldiers did battle. Savannah couldn't take them both on, not as long as Tesler held Buffy. Though with Eddie staying out of the fight, the odds were in their favor anyway.
Antonio killed the other newcomer. That left the Ukrainian, pinned to the floor now by Nick, and Marko, easily held by Reese, who had only to twist his broken arm to keep him on his knees. Buffy motioned for them to hold fast. Kill these two and they lost their negotiating power.
When Antonio stepped toward Buffy and Savannah, Eddie grabbed Savannah. "Take another step and I break this. And that's just for starters."
Antonio stopped.
"I do believe this is what we call a standoff," Eddie said.
"Not much of one," Buffy said. "Savannah and I are the only prize worth holding. Notice we're not even asking for a trade? You'd never go for it—they're just cannon fodder."
Marko and the Ukrainian tensed, Marko looking to Tesler, the Ukrainian to Eddie.
"I'd like my men back," Eddie said quietly.
"But you won't turn us over to get them, will you?" Buffy asked. "Two for two, an even exchange. That's quite a deal. Savannah and I won't even ask you to walk away. You let us go. They let them go." She twisted to look at Eddie. "Game on."
Neither man moved.
"Guess not," Buffy said. "Sorry, guys. You aren't worth it, apparently."
"No, I'm just not taking the offer seriously, considering where it's coming from." Eddie turned to Antonio. "You don't let a woman talk for you, do you?"
"Usually. They're better at it."
Reese chuckled.
"I'd suggest you start taking this a little more seriously," Eddie said. "And tell me who I'm negotiating with. I know you don't let her speak for the Pack."
"No, we let the Alpha-elect speak for us," Nick said. "She just did."
"You think this is funny?" Eddie lifted one of my fingers. "Maybe you'll find this even funnier."
Eddie snapped Savannah's finger. Nick winced as did Buffy. Savannah didn't. Savannah wouldn't say she didn't feel it, only that she saw it coming and bit her cheek against the pain.
"Sure, you can do that," Buffy said. "But a word of advice? The worse shape either of us is in, the harder it'll be to get Dawn and Clay to come to our rescue. After all guess who is next in line to be Alpha. My baby sister that's who. Clayton will stay with her to protect her."
"Not giving yourselves much credit, are you?" Eddie said.
Buffy shrugged. "I'm practical and so are they. They'll come for us as long as we're reasonably healthy, but ultimately, Savannah and I are replaceable."
A shadow passed over the picture window behind them. Then it exploded, glass flying, as Clay and Dawn leapt through. They landed on their feet with a thud. "Nah, Buffy, you and Savannah are definitely two of a kind," Clay said with a grin.
Dawn elbowed Eddie knocking him back from Savannah just as Clay grabbed Tesler by the shirt and ripped him off Buffy. Across the room, Nick and Reese struggled to hold their hostages, waiting for a sign from Buffy before finishing them.
Eddie bounced back as Dawn and Savannah advanced on him. Beside them, Clay and Buffy were advancing on Tesler.
Savannah looked at her aunt. "I got him," she said.
"I'm here if you need me," Dawn said seeing the glint in Savannah's eyes. She instantly knew the Slayer within wanted to come out and play. So, she backed up.
Savannah sent a roundhouse kick at Eddie\s chest.
Buffy held up her hand to Clay. "I've got him."
Clay looked at Buffy and saw the fury in her eyes and despite his nature he backed off. Buffy wanted to take down Tesler alone and he had to agree it would be fun to watch. "Okay, Buffy. But if you need me. I'll be close by."
Buffy nodded as she grabbed Tesler and pitched him into the wall beside the broken window. As she bore down on him, Tesler scrambled up… and leapt right out the window. She leapt out the window followed closely by Clay.
Savannah's gaze only flickered from Eddie for a second when she noted her mother and Clay were going after Tesler, but it was enough. Eddie followed his brother's lead and ran the other way. Antonio tried to cut him off, but he was too far away.
"Out of the way, Uncle Antonio," Savannah called and he saw the glint and instantly knew what it meant as did the whole pack. They had all been at one time or another been on the receiving end of Buffy's Slayer fury. She ran after Eddie.
Dawn waved at Antonio. "Finish them first," she instructed as she chased after her niece.
They all knew that Dawn would be Buffy's Beta and that Clay would be their enforcer. So, they proceeded to do as she ordered.
0 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0
As Savannah and Dawn chased Eddie, they heard a distant yelp from Tesler, followed by a growl of frustration from Buffy, meaning she'd caught and lost her prey. When they heard the sound of a motor, they smiled. They were coming to a road. Once Eddie realized that, he'd change direction.
He picked up speed. Ahead, Savannah and Dawn saw a truck barreling down a road, snow sluicing up chest high on both sides. It passed before Eddie reached the edge, so he didn't need to check his speed to cross.
By the time Savannah and Dawn reached one edge, he was past the other and zipping back into the endless forest. The road was empty, but pitted with enough tracks to suggest it was what passed for a major artery out there, probably the road that linked to the highway.
Dawn and Savannah crossed and followed Eddie into the forest. Before long, Dawn caught the faint whiff of exhaust. Sure enough, they'd circled around and were heading back to the same road.
Eddie ran less than twenty paces past the road, then circled through the woods and headed back toward it.
What the hell was he doing?
The answer hit with the buzz of another motor. Eddie was trapped. Eddie was smart. Eddie had no intention of risking his life to fight Savannah—he was interested in survival, not belt notches. So what would he do? The same thing Reese had done in Pittsburgh: take refuge with humans.
But again, he dashed onto the road in front of the car, then made no effort to stop it, just disappeared into the forest. Eddie continued running into the woods. And as could be predicted by this point, he didn't stay there, instead circling wide and heading back for that road.
Savannah smiled as she realized what Eddie was doing. The same thing his brother had done, the 'hop on the train' trick. "Aunt Dawn," she said. "Wait. Block his path. I'll chase him to you."
"Why?" Dawn asked.
"He's waiting for the right vehicle to hop onto."
Dawn nodded as Savannah ran on. She heard another vehicle—a pickup truck this time—and, as Savannah had said, Eddie looped around, coming out right behind the passing truck. He didn't find an open pickup bed in his path. He found a werewolf/witch hybrid waiting instead.
"Kali, Hera, Kronos, Thonic. Air like nectar, thick as onyx. Cassiel, by your second star. Hold mine victim as in tar," Dawn chanted and Eddie found himself suddenly unable to move. He felt a hand grab his shirt. As he was turned around, he saw Savannah who smiled.
"Just so you know," Savannah spat. "I am not only the daughter of a werewolf. I am a Slayer. You and your brother pissed off the wrong people." She hauled Eddie into the forest. There while he was still immobilized by Dawn's spell, Savannah did her duty as a Slayer and she snapped his neck. She dragged his body a little deeper into the woods, covered him in brush, made a note of the spot to bury him later, then she and Dawn ran back to find Buffy, Clay and Tesler.
Once Savannah and Dawn was back in the forest, locating Buffy and Clay was easy—just follow the sounds of battle. As they drew closer, they realized it was more a struggle than a battle—one struggling to start a fight and the other struggling to avoid it. First came the thump of a blow. Then a grunt. Then a scuffle and a curse. Then the pounding of running footsteps. Another thump, grunt, scuffle, curse.
Sure enough, Savannah and Dawn found Buffy and Clay hot on Tesler's heels. Buffy'd catch up enough to punch him, maybe grab a hold of his shirt, but Tesler always scrambled free and started running again. Or he did, until he found Savannah and Dawn standing in his path.
Buffy smiled at Savannah and Dawn. "What's the matter, Travis? I thought you were just itching for this. Eddie's plan worked. Dawn and Clay are right there. Go ahead. Have some fun. Or did you forget your camera?"
"Was that the plan?" Clay said. "Let me guess. Lure us in. Carve us up. Take photos. Pass them around to prove what badass motherfuckers you are." He shook his head. "Mutts. Not an original idea in their thick skulls. But sure, we can do that, Travis. I'll even send Buffy and Savannah back to get your camera. Just step on over here and you, Dawn and I'll get started."
Tesler's gaze shot to the side, checking and rejecting escape routes. Then he looked over Savannah and Dawn's heads.
"Your brother isn't coming," Dawn said.
"Well, you sure as hell didn't kill him," Travis said. "He'd have left a mark, and I don't see any, except that broken finger on your niece from earlier."
"They broke your finger?" Clay said as he looked at Savannah.
"Yes, while you and Aunt Dawn were outside preparing your dramatic entrance," Savannah said.
"Shit. Sorry, Savannah."
"It's alright, Uncle Clay. My Slayer healing will fix it," Savannah reminded him.
"Your brother is dead," Dawn said. "And I'm not the one who did it either. I just cast a spell to keep him from running."
"I killed him," Savannah said taking over the explanation. "I did my duty as a Slayer. Talk about embarrassing, I'm a sixteen-year-old human girl with enhanced strength of a Slayer and I still managed to kill a mutt. I could take you also. And guess what for everything you did not only to me but to my mother, I would relish in the kill." She looked toward Buffy. "But I think my mom is relishing in the kill much more than I am."
Buffy stepped around Tesler and in front of Savannah and Dawn. He eyed Buffy. Then he wheeled, snapping off the nearest branch and lunging at Clay. Buffy leapt forward. Clay leapt back. Neither of them was fast enough. Tesler plunged the jagged stick into Clay's chest. Then he ran.
Dawn raced over to Clay as he staggered back.
Savannah and Buffy took off after Tesler. They chased Tesler as he ran straight for the nearest snowmobile shed. They caught him trying to start one. Savannah stayed back knowing her mother deserved to do this alone. After all it was a matter of revenge, not only for herself but for Buffy herself as well. After all, even though Savannah wasn't a wolf, the wolf in Buffy still saw her as her cub.
Buffy and Tesler fought. He was the only one who felt pain when her punches connected—but finally she hauled him out of the snowmobile shed. Tesler charged Buffy, and charged her again, not even bothering to change angle, let alone tactic. She sidestepped and wiped blood from her nose, the droplets spraying the snow. As Tesler recovered and wheeled, Buffy noticed that Dawn and Clay ran up behind Savannah. She glanced at them. They had their arms crossed, faces immobile, only their eyes betraying their concern.
"I've got him," Buffy said.
"We know," Dawn said.
"My only request, mom, is make it painful," Savannah added.
"Done," Buffy agreed as Tesler charged again. She sidestepped. This time, though, her left foot slipped and, had Tesler been quicker, he would have spun and taken her down. As it was, he tried, but she managed to dance out of the way.
Buffy's heart thumped. Not fear. Exhilaration, both the Slayer and the wolf within her was enjoying the fight. Tesler was still standing, but she had him, and he knew it. She could tell by the set of his jaw. The wild look in his eyes. The desperation in each charge. He was a wounded bull making his last stand.
When Tesler charged again, Buffy started to dance out of the way, then shot out her foot and tripped him. She jumped onto his back, grabbed his hair and ground his face into the dirt and blood-streaked snow.
Then Buffy thought of all the ways she could kill him.
Clay had killed that mutt years ago to cement his reputation. If Buffy was worried about being accepted as Alpha, here was a way to solve the problem. She thought about doing what Clay had done to that one mutt years before. But she knew that would turn her into a monster. And she didn't want to become one.
Buffy glanced over at Clay. "Do you want him? You did want to make an example of a mutt again."
That got Tesler's attention. Until now, he'd been still. Not surrendering, Buffy was sure. Just resting as she contemplated her next move. Now he bucked. But she saw that one coming, and easily kept him pinned, grinding his face into the ground again for good measure.
When Buffy glanced at Clay, Dawn and Savannah she thought she saw a smile on at least Savannah and Dawn's faces. "Nah, too much bother. I just want to go home," Clay said.
"So, do I," Dawn and Savannah added.
Buffy grabbed Tesler's hair, ready to snap his neck.
"Wait!" he said.
Buffy leaned over him. "Got a few last words, Travis? Unless they're 'I'm sorry,' I don't really want to hear them."
"Sorry?" He sneered. "Is that what you want from me? An apology for hurting you?"
"No, not particularly. I've had those. They don't do much good," Buffy said.
Buffy thought about Spike and his attempted rape. Yes, he had redeemed himself later. But the memory had always made her stomach clench. The time the memory didn't. She knew she had long since forgiven Spike.
"Then your daughter?"
"I don't want an apology from someone like you," Savannah snarled.
"What I'd like an apology for is the others," Buffy said. "For Dennis, who never did a damned thing to you. For those girls, whose only mistake was looking for a little fun. And for all the other girls you raped and murdered before you came here. I'd like to hear an apology for them, but I know you won't give it and I know they wouldn't want it. So, we're going to skip those final words—"
"I'll join the Pack."
"What?" Buffy asked.
"You need recruits. I heard that. I'll join."
Buffy couldn't help laughing. "And what makes you think we'd let—"
"I'm a damned fine fighter. I'll fight for the Pack and you'll own my ass. That's the price I'll pay for my life."
"How … noble. Really. Only one problem," Buffy said. "That damned fine fighter part. You're good, I'll give you that. But I still beat you."
"You had help. I could have taken you. Back in the cabin, I had you beat until he showed up."
Savannah laughed and then she disappeared in a flash of green, his eyes widening. She reappeared kneeling in front of him, staring him in the eyes. "No, you never had us beat. We chose to wait." She looked up at her mother. "Right, mom?"
"Right, honey," Buffy agreed. She looked Tesler. "But even if we hadn't chosen to wait, you only had us as leverage to make sure neither of us tried anything. Without Eddie, you'd have been screwed. In the end, it didn't matter either way. You were outsmarted, outlasted and outfought. As much crap as you pumped into your body, it didn't change the fact that at heart you're a coward who likes to beat up helpless humans."
He bucked and snarled. "That's not about fighting. It's—"
"About sex? Hell, no. It's not about sex, Travis. It's about dominance. And, apparently, the only women you can dominate are helpless ones. Put you up against a female of your own species and look what happened. Outmatched." Buffy leaned down, and lowered her voice. "And outclassed. That said your brother was outmatched and outclassed not by a female of your own species. But by a Slayer, a teenager, a human. Talk about embarrassing."
Buffy snapped his neck. And in that instance, she felt all the anger she had been holding for herself, for him washed away by his blood. She looked up at her daughter and saw the same thing flashing across Savannah's face and pulled her daughter into her arms.