The Hunt

Chapter 18

Darren:

"Billy, get to drivin'" Mike says.

"Yes, sir." Billy says and eases the car forward into the trees. He moves at a slow pace, following the directions of the navigation system.

"What's all that about?" I ask Mike. "The wolves. What are they doing here? Where did they go?"

He says nothing, not meeting my gaze, staring out of the window. I look at the others, but none of them say anything.

"Mike?" I say, raising my voice. I can't understand why there would be wolves coming to HQ. And I'm pretty sure they went in, there must have been an entrance somewhere by the fence for them. Where else could they have gone? But it doesn't make sense.

Mike is still quiet, saying nothing. "Billy. Take us back there." I say. "I want to know where the wolves went. We might need to warn them at HQ."

Billy shifts uncomfortably in the driver's seat, but doesn't turn the car. Damn it. I'm supposed to be in charge of this group. "That was a damn order!" I shout at Billy.

He flinches and I feel the car slow slightly. He doesn't stop.

"Leave it Darren." Mike says. Finally he's saying something. "We're not goin' back, and it'll be wise for you to leave it to rest."

"Leave it to rest?" I say, angry. "What aren't you telling me?"

Mike looks at me. "Leave it. You learned the same as the rest of us, we don't touch the wolves, we don't interfere with their wanderin', we leave 'em be." He says. His voice is quiet, threatening. There's a look in his eyes that gives me pause. Something dangerous.

Jack puts an arm on my shoulder. "Leave it Darren. Let's do what we're supposed to do and get back in one damn piece." He says.

Something doesn't make sense. And Mike knows something, hell he seems to know a lot of things. The others might know something too by the looks of them. They're all director's guards after all. I'm going to leave it for the moment, but I take a mental note to ask again, when the time is right.

I look out through the front window, the UV lights are shining alongside the headlights, illuminating our path through the trees. The rumbling engine drowns out most of the sounds from outside. The car is bouncing up and down as we drive over the rough terrain.

"So Billy, how long have you been here?" I hear Jack ask.

"Four years." Billy says, not taking his eye off the road.

"And how'd you end up in the director's guard?" I ask, turning my attention to Billy again. He glances over his shoulder at Mike. I don't catch the look that passes between them.

"Billy was picked." Mike says. "Picked for his loyalty, his hard work and his belief in the cause." He smiles at me, that sarcastic smile back on his lips and his cold eyes gazing at me.

I say nothing. What's he getting at? Is he hinting something? Loyal to what cause?

"What about you Mike, how long you been here?" I ask, holding his gaze. I'm feeling a reckless courage born of my anger and frustration.

"I like your courage." He says, after a thoughtful pause. "You got spine for sure." I don't take my eyes off his but say nothing.

"I've been here since it began... captain." He says.

"Since what began?" I ask. I'm not sure what he's talking about. He's not old. Older than me, sure, older than the others perhaps. But not old.

"All of this." He says, waving his arm to indicate his surroundings. "Everything you see. One day I might tell you about it." He turns away. I can tell that's all the answers I'm getting for now.