The Many Regrets of a Cyborg Werewolf

Lazarus - XVIII

"Alaska?" Mercer asked incredulously.

"Right in the middle of buttfuck nowhere," Luke slammed the fridge door closed. "Miles from civilization."

"I'm just gonna say it," Mahi sighed as he leaned onto the kitchen island they all crowded around, glancing at the map placed in the center, "this sounds like a long shot. Who's to say CB will even go after them?"

"They want to make golems," Erin said, "and so far they've proven they'll go to any lengths to get what they want. Even travel abroad, like they did for Joan's descendants."

"Speaking of," Luke glanced at Mercer. The doctor shook his head. There'd been no word on her recovery yet, and Erin could tell Luke was still anxious, even if he was good at hiding it.

"Why would they want to make golems, though?" Mahi scratched the patch of hair on his chin. "They don't seem to fit the MO. I mean, you can't genetically engineer a clay statue, right?"

"Six months ago I'd have said the same about merfolk," Luke popped open the bottle of scotch he retrieved from the fridge, "and three years before that I'd have said, flat out, you couldn't make werewolves in a lab, either." He took a long swig from the bottle before taking his seat, "imagine what we'll think they 'can't' do next?"

"Even the most pedestrian of uses is foreboding," Mercer tapped his chin. "A golem is a nigh-unstoppable force, but if it were somehow weaponized it could be as dangerous as any fake."

"Problem is," Luke pointed to the location of the coordinates, "I'm out of my element. Even if we could get there, I'd have no idea what to expect. Humans who have mastered the art of golem creation, but for what, my contact didn't say."

"What if we could get there, though?" Erin asked. "Like, what if we fly?"

"Rent a plane?" Mahi asked, "would anyone be willing to go that far even if we paid them? There's no airstrips on the map."

"We could parachute," Mercer rubbed his temples as he wracked his brain for answers, "but that would only get us in, not out."

"There has to be a way," Erin said, "how would anyone join this group if they couldn't get there? Where would they get supplies and stuff?"

"It doesn't matter," Mercer sighed. "There's no way we could get there in a timely manner. Assuming Celestial hasn't been and gone."

"Or it could be like Four Rock," Mahi added, "maybe they're already there, picking them off one by one for their screwed up experiments?"

"You know something, don't you?" Luke asked, and Mercer looked up in surprise, only to find he wasn't looking at him. Luke's eyes were on Erin, and soon everyone else's were, as she seemed to mull something over to herself.

"I might be able to get us a plane," she finally said. "It's a maybe, but I know a guy who owns a small plane that could take us there... discreetly."

"We'd be crossing a border," Mercer added, "and we don't even know if there's a landing strip. Would your 'guy' be willing to risk that?"

"Possibly," Erin said. This earned dubious looks from the others, and she put her clasped hands on the counter, "if I explain the gravity of the situation, yes, he will."

"I suppose we could-" Mercer was cut off as Mahi stood suddenly, his eyes fixated past them all and at the front door.

"Someone's here," he said, and a tension fell over the room. Erin heard it, too. Footsteps, coming from down the hallway. The only one who didn't seem surprised was Luke, but his gaze was still on the door as was everyone's. A few moments passed before the footsteps stopped. Everyone but Luke nearly flinched when the knocking came. Erin couldn't help but recall the last time they had an uninvited guest. Without speaking Luke left the kitchen, strolling towards the front door. He stopped at the peephole to confirm, then opened it. Erin felt a tugging mix of confusion and anxiety, followed by immense relief at what came next.