Brutal Asset, page 20
I took a deep breath, the sound of which was lost in the sudden noises and voices of the rest of the room as they got their first look at a were.
“This, ladies and gentlemen, is an actual lycanthrope….a werewolf!” the young scientist said.
Voices of doubt and instant derision started to sound, cut short by the President.
“Quiet! This is real! Deadly real!” he said. “Now pay attention and remember…none of this leaves this room!”
The doctor nodded at the President’s image, then continued.
“This specimen weighs three hundred and thirty-seven pounds. The body, when upright, stands at just shy of seven feet. Musculature is three times denser than human muscle. The heart is oversized as are all the major blood vessels. The brain has an enlarged olfactory nerve cluster, and the eyes have a hundred times the number of rods as a human eye. Also, this organism has a DNA code that matches human DNA to ninety-eight percent.”
“Thank you doctor! Gina, perhaps you could fill us in on this specimen?” the President interrupted. Dr. Gatsenburg looked first surprised, then irritated.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Gina Velasquiz is my Official Advisor on Anomalous lifeforms which include weres. She was present when this particular werewolf was taken,” the President explained, his voice catching a little on the word werewolf.
Gina glanced at me for a second, gauging my reaction, then after a sad nod, she stepped up to where the now curious doctor had been standing, turning to face the audience.
“The subject’s name is George Lassiter. He was bitten by a werewolf twenty-eight days before he Changed to this form. Weres have three possible forms, human normal, full animal form or this one, which we call beast-man form. Most weres can only go directly to their animal form which is a pretty close match for the standard animal, only much larger. With time and experience weres can learn to stop at the beast-man form, which can be advantageous in combat. Weres must change during a full moon, but experienced weres can change at will.”
A four star general in the front row raised his hand, then spoke. “You keep saying ‘their animal’, am I to understand that there are other types?”
She glanced at the President’s image on the monitor and he answered her unspoken question.
“Go ahead Gina, you are cleared for full disclosure,” he said.
“The answer to your questions is yes, General. There are werewolves, bears, tigers, cougars, other big cats, weasels, and several others, although rare. Wolves are the most common,” she said.
An admiral raised his hand and addressed the President.
“Mr. President, you said, Ms. Velaquez is your advisor on anomalous lifeforms? What else is there besides these weres?”
“Good catch Stan, but I’m afraid we’re gonna have to hold off on that discussion for now,” the Commander-in-Chief said.
A Marine four-star asked the next question. “Ma’am, can you tell us what killed him?”
Gina glanced again at the President who shook his head. “Sorry Stan, I’m sure the doctor can explain the causes of death. The actual circumstances are highly classified. Doctor?”
Gatsenburg perked up and launched into a lecture.
“The subject suffered massive trauma to just about every major organ in the thoracic region,including a crushed heart, punctured lungs, spleen, liver and stomach all ruptured, six broken vertebrae, a shattered sternum, collapsed trachea and a broken jaw. Not to mention lesser breaks in both hands..ere..paws as well as the right forearm. However, the actual cause of death was a puncture wound to the lower cerebellum. Entry wound is in the base of the skull,” she explained, pointing out each wound as she went. “Analysis of the wound channel revealed trace amounts of silver.”
There was silence for a few moments, then the Marine general spoke up.
“Jesus! He was beaten to a pulp! Then stabbed with a silver.knife?”
“A spike or more like a long needle or dart,” the doctor supplied.
“Who…or what could do that to monster like that?”
I wasn’t watching anymore, instead leaning my head on my hands. I felt eyes on me and looked up knowing Gina was watching me, but I also noticed the old guy and his were assistant watching me as well. The gent was curious, the assistant unreadable.
“We have an asset,” the President said, finally answering the question. “Which brings me to chain of command. This operation will be headed by General Creek, who heads the Directorate of Anomalous Activity. Whether you’ve heard of DOAA or not, they are tasked with protecting our citizens from these ‘lifeforms’ as well as the others we won’t be talking about tonight.”
“Mr. President? If I may, this appears to be a situation that will require military action within the borders of an ally nation. I’m not sure the General’s team is necessary to conduct air to ground strikes on a covert basis,” an Air Force four-star spoke up.
“We won’t be utilizing cruise missiles or bombs. One of the details we haven’t disclosed yet is that the weres that struck Santo Diablo took hostages. Deputy Director Clarke? If you please,” the President said.
A little over six feet tall, Deputy Director Clarke of the FBI was built like an aging football player who’d lost his hair.
“The area traversed by the attackers is also ground zero for the drug gang warfare that’s occurred recently. As a result we have a large number of undercover assets in that vicinity. Two separate agents witnessed the motorcycle convoy pass by. Both agents indicated that they were carrying female hostages,” he said, pausing to let that sink in. “Municipal records for Santa Diablo indicate there may be as many as thirteen children unaccounted for, all teenagers, all female. In addition, at least one motorcycle had a heavily loaded trailer behind it. Santa Diablo is a mining community. The village housed the workers for a local uranium mine. We canvassed the mine and found tracks of several motorcycles, one of which had a small trailer. The only thing disturbed at the mine was one container of high grade pitcheblende.”
He stepped back. The President spoke.
“So they have hostages, why we don’t know. They also have a measure of uranium ore, again we don’t know the purpose of. It’s been surmised that the ore could make a dirty bomb, but I’m told it wouldn’t be the best choice. Gina, do you have any thoughts?”
“Not at this point, Mr. President. The last group of Loki’s Spawn eliminated in this country had two children as hostages, but we haven’t figured out their purpose yet,” she said.
I actually had a working idea going, but I wasn’t about to voice my rather wild theory here and now without more evidence behind it.
“Regardless of the reason for the hostages, the fact remains that they are there. So it will be a direct assault,” the President continued.
The four-star Army general spoke up. “Mr. President, Delta’s ready to go!”
“I’m sure of that, Jack, but Delta’s not quite ready for these particular adversaries. Tobias, please explain.”
Creek stood up and moved to the podium. “The average werewolf weighs between three and four hundred pounds in either wolf or beast-man form. Werebears can range to well over twelve hundred pounds. Cat types approach eight hundred. All are much faster than humans, can see in the dark better than our best night vision gear, with the hearing and sense of smell of their natural counterparts. Experienced weres can shift in as little as fifty seconds. Loki’s Spawn have all types of weres in the gang, all are heavily armed with automatic weapons and at least some RPG weapons and grenades. Weres are extremely resistant to physical damage. Mr Lassiter here was a first time changer, hence his malformed shape. Nonetheless, his remains show that he had sustained four times the damage he died with…he simply healed from the early beatings.”
The Marine general spoke at Creek’s pause. “Wait, you’re saying he healed from that amount of damage four times?”
“Yes, in fact his spine was broken at one point early on and it completely healed in moments.”
“How is that possible?” the Marine asked.
Creek looked at Gina to field that one. “General, we believe quantum physics plays a huge role in the supernatural world. The current working theory among experts is that weres harness either quantum particles or Dark Matter or something similar to increase their mass when changing from human form. It also allows them to heal most damage almost instantly.”
“What experts are you referencing?” Doctor Gatsenburg asked, clearly unhappy with the idea of scientists with more firsthand knowledge than herself.
“Gina has strong connections to the supernatural community. The scientists she refers to are members of that group,” General Creek answered.
“You know weres?” the doctor asked, incredulous.
“Yes, I have good relations with several important groups,” Gina said with a nod, then launched into further detail. “Lycanthropy is caused by a virus, which is know as LV, or Lycan Virus. Silver is instantly deadly to the virus. The virus changes the host’s mitochondria and that’s what allows the use of the quantum particles. Silver damage is therefore permanent damage,” she said.
I sure hope not, thinking of Tanya’s eyes.
The admiral interrupted. “You’re saying there are other gangs of these killers loose?”
“Admiral Roberts, there are many, many groups of supernaturals living within every society on this planet. There are actually many weres in the military, as they tend to thrive in that environment. Ninety percent or more are law abiding, extremely productive citizens who raise families, attend church and vote for school budgets. Like any population, there are elements that choose, for whatever reason, to break society’s laws,” Gina replied.
Deputy Director Clarke spoke. “You keep saying ‘supernaturals’? What else is there besides weres? Zombies? What?”
The President sighed. “Without going too much off track, there are also vampires.”
The room was really quiet now.
“Mr. President, is this for real? Werewolves and vampires? Come on...er. Sir,” said a Homeland Security type.
The President had been emoting a contained sort of anger, calm, but deadly serious. Now he exploded.
“If you can't handle the truth sitting in front of you on that gurney, then get out!” he all but shouted.
“That goes for any of you that think this is some kind of joke! Deal with it or get gone! And if you choose to leave you better treat this as Above Top Secret information with all the penalties that carries with it!”
The army general gave the DHS guy a disgusted glare then spoke up. “Mr. President, I understand the sort of threat this group represents, which is why I still feel Delta should lead on this one, Sir.”
“I don't think you do, Jack! I'm not sure how you could, just from looking at the dead body of a baby,”the President responded.
“A baby, Sir?”
“Gina, would you explain?”
“Yes, Mr. President. General, most supernaturals are converted or transformed from basic human stock. Weres, however, can be both born or transformed. The transformed supes, like vampires and bitten weres, count their age mainly from the time of transformation, particularly vampires, or Darkkin as they call themselves. Both types gain in strength and speed over time, but more so vampires. Mr. Lassiter was a brand new werewolf who went through his first Change without the guidance of an older wolf. The basic human psyche is poorly equipped to handle this kind of complete change, alone and unguided. The subject usually goes...well...essentially, insane. Mr. Lassiter was no exception and so he was put down. Natural born weres can handle the change on their own, but ironically, they are usually the most likely to have help,” she concluded.
“So you're saying that hulk would be even bigger if he was older?” the Admiral asked, ahgast.
“No, but much better refined. Mr. Lassiter showed unique ability to reach this intermediate state, rather than the full animal form. He was most likely attempting to hang on to his humanity,” Gina said. “Given help and guidance he might have made a good werewolf.”
My stomach felt like I was going to hurl chunks, except my body doesn't ever waste food anymore. Old George had been trying to control himself and I had beaten him to death for sport! Gina glanced my way after saying that, then hastily amended her statement.
“But he was ultimately unsuccessful and if left alone would have killed at least two people,” she said, as if that helped.
General Creek spoke. “Jack, my first-in guys are all recruited outta Delta. They train on some very special simulators and we use weapons and tactics carefully crafted for weres. Our best casualty rate on the simulators is still fifty percent!”
“Are you saying you haven't improved?” the army guy asked.
“Oh we've improved. Our initial scores were ninety-five percent casualties.”
“How would you know your simulations are accurate? Have you ever gone up against these things?” Jack the general asked.
“Currently my unit has approximately one hundred kills, but those were for one individual. That same individual calibrates our simulators, so they're accurate.”
“You’re telling me that a single person has killed a hundred of these...these monsters?” he asked.
“Actually, that individual has killed in excess of three hundred weres of various types as well as several vampires,” Creek said, factually.
“Let me guess, same guy that killed the Lassiter thing on the table?” the Marine asked.
“Why do you assume it was a guy, General?” Gina asked, curious.
He blinked a few times. “A girl did that!”
“No General, the individual in question is a male, but there are females that could match him, or come close,” she said.
No shit! I could think of three instantly. I glanced at the old dude and his were girl to see how they were taking this. The old guy was looking amused and interested, but not shocked in the slightest. He was leaning forward, both hands clasped on the walking stick in front of him. The assistant was watching me, her gaze speculative. I still didn't know what she was. I just knew she wasn't a wolf, and likewise, she didn't give me a hint that she was a cat or bear. Not shifty enough for a weasel, too formidable. Something different.
“So what's he use, a tank?” the army general asked, half joking.
“Mostly his hands and feet, sometimes a gun with silver loads, or in the case of Lassiter, a silver dart,” Creek answered.
“A human being can kill something like that with hand-to-hand?”
“Nobody said our guy is human!” Creek said with a nasty grin.
“So what is he?” the Admiral asked.
“Gentlemen, that's classified even above your levels,” the President interjected. “But regardless, our guy will be going in on this one...am I right Gina?” he asked, looking at her for confirmation. She let her gaze float over me as she turned to look at the President’s image. I nodded as our eyes met briefly.
“Yes Mr. President, he will be.”
“Excellent!” he said. “Get it done! General Creek has command of this operation and I expect full cooperation by every and I mean EVERY department and asset we have, am I clear?” he demanded.
The room chorused “Yes Sir!”
“Then let's get to it.”
Chapter 27
The President signed off and after some long speculative looks in Gina’s direction, the majority of big shots went to look at Lassiter's remains, which were steaming in the warm air. Poor George would need to be refrozen soon. Gina headed my way, while Creek talked with his fellow generals.
“How you doing?” she asked when she got close.
“Well, I never expected any of this when I got up today...er.. yesterday. So George was trying to stay human?”
Gina sighed, then covered my hand with her own. “Most likely, based on guesses by Brock and Afina, but he couldn’t have stopped it and couldn’t retain his sanity. He would have killed Stacia and her boyfriend.”
She watched me for a moment then added. “This is a stupid question, but...are you hungry?”
I just stared at her and she laughed which caused more looks our way.
“I told Creek you would be, so he's got an aide coming to take us to a cafeteria or restaurant.”
Said aide, in the form of a Marine First Lieutenant, told us the options for restaurants, then, at my request took us to the Dunkin' Donuts in the Main Food Court.
