In Shadow - Ch 32 - The War Goes On

"Are you sure you're OK?" Corrie asked.

"I'm fine, really," Genie said with a smile.

It had been a couple of weeks since her confrontation with Uncle Max in the Harbor, and her arm was healing nicely. Etta, having looked at it, had assured her it was a "through and through" as if having a bullet pass completely through her arm was a good thing. It turned out it was, given the alternative of shattering bone or severing an artery. The doctors were confident she would be fine, but her arm still hurt.

"Have they caught Max yet?" Jenny asked. 

Jenny had been annoyed that Genie had left her behind, going off to confront Max 'alone' (ignoring the fact that she'd had Etta, Jake and the Evergreen Harbor werewolves with her). Genie 'getting herself shot' only proved to Jenny that she should have been there. It added to the list of reasons the actress was eager to see her ex behind bars. 

"No, they're still searching for him," Genie replied. She had no doubt her uncle had made good his escape. 

"I saw on the news they've picked up Marco Tennari. He was trying to get out of the country," Orange said. "They've arrested a lot of senior Alto guys now."

"... and, did you see were they're arresting a bunch of guys in the National Police," Corrie added enthusiastically. "I said the Altos owned the cops."

"Yes, you did," Genie replied, inwardly torn between being pleased to see Corrie's confidence grow as she was proved right, and feeling sick at just how deep the corruption among the police, who were supposed to be protecting them all, had turned out to be.

"I read your article," Jenny said. "Pretty amazing, seeing it all down in print like that. You made me sound like some kind of hero."

"Well, you are a hero," Orange said, beaming at her. The undefined something between him and Jenny had really come into focus after the events at Mill Lane. "You all are."

"We all are," Corrie corrected. Turning to Genie she added, "Oh, did I tell you... Jenny got me an audition! It's just a small part but..."

"There are no small parts," Jenny smiled.

"That's great," Genie said. "Have you found a place to stay yet?"

"Well, Jenny says it's OK for me to keep staying here," Corrie said.

"Yeah, well, I've been sleeping over at Orange's..." Jenny smiled, leaning against the big man.

"Oh, do you sleep?" Orange teased.

"Hush you," Jenny purred.

Genie smiled. Things were really working out for her friends.

"Um, Genie... we didn't see anything about your mom in the article," Corrie said. "I don't mean to pry but I thought you said there would be something."

"My editor cut it," Genie sighed. "There's no evidence of her involvement with the Altos."

"But the ledger?" Jenny said, pulling herself away from Orange.

"There were pages missing," Genie said. "I asked Anthony and Gabbie and they agreed. Someone had torn out whole sections of it before we got hold of it."

--------------------

"Well, I could hardly have let Marco have that evidence to hold over my head, could I?" Luna Elderberry said coolly. 

"Lucky you managed to remove the pages just before your daughter stole the ledger," Betty Bow smiled acidly. 

"Honestly, I had no idea what that foolish girl was planning," Luna said. "It was obvious that Marco was in trouble... and I have no doubt he planned to use the proof of our business arrangements to force me to help him stay in power. The meeting with the Families was my best chance to get to the ledger and remove that leverage."

"Your daughter obviously had the same thought," Representative Friend mused. The idea held a particular fascination for him. "You must be very alike."

"Oh yeah, they are," Rohan Elderberry grinned.

"We are nothing alike," Luna huffed. "Genevieve is full of these foolish idealistic notions. I blame the influence of Miranda Goth. I never should have encouraged Genevieve to pursue a friendship with her. That was obviously my mistake." 

"Fortunately, I was able to remove the evidence of my connections, along with the evidence of Axis's ties to the Alto family, in time," she continued. "The organization is protected, even if Genevieve's foolishness has disrupted our plans."

"Removing Marco Tennari and dismantling the Alto Family was always part of the plan," Mr. Friend replied. 

"Would have been better to do it after the election of course," Rohan said. "We were really playing up the whole 'crime wave' angle and now that's shot." 

"The timing is inconvenient," Mr. Friend agreed. 

"What about our associates in the Dark Court?" Luna asked, turning to Lady Bow.

"Complete chaos," Betty smiled. "Most of the major Houses have lost their agents in the National Police, as well the men they were positioning to take control of the Alto Family. Naturally, they're all blaming each other and they, and the lesser Houses, are taking the opportunity to settle scores. They have centuries worth of old grudges, vendettas and petty jealousies to deal with. By the time they notice anything we're doing, it will be too late."

"How are things going with your Mr. Grey?" she added.

"He'll still take a little convincing," Luna replied. "His first loyalty has always been to the Alto Family... but I think he'll come to see that working with us is the best chance to serve them, just in a new form."

"The benefits of bringing order to organized crime seem so clear," Mr. Friend mused.

"Grey will come around," Luna assured him.

"What about the election?" Rohan asked. "Unity is getting the credit for taking down a major criminal organization. After our whole 'crime wave" rhetoric, it's a problem."

"The revelation of corruption within the National Police can be used against them," Mr. Friend replied. "My people will have a speech for you in time for the morning news. We have a whole team of psycholinguistic experts working on it. Our socio-historical projections still show Axis gaining seats in the House, and only a slightly slimmer possibility of winning a majority. Meanwhile, we have been able to accelerate the work of placing our agents in the key positions within the National Police and the Agency. 

"Soon, my people will be able to bring order and security to Republic, and your assistance will be rewarded," Mr. Friend smiled.

In Shadow - Ch 31 - Heroism is Contagious

Content Warning: Violence

"Genie-bean, you don't write. You don't call. I'm hurt. Almost makes me think I'm not your favorite uncle anymore," Max V sneered.

Looking at her uncle, Genie thought he looked as confident and comfortable here, in this rundown part in Evergreen Harbor with its bags of trash and graffiti, as he did everywhere else. Standing with his henchmen, he certainly appeared unconcerned with the group of people between him and the house on the corner.

"Well Uncle Max, you're a lowlife gangster who threatened me and is trying to hurt my friends, so..." she shrugged.

"Dog," Crowe snarled, nodding at Jake.

"Leech," Jake nodded back.

"You know Genie, you could have saved me a lot of time and trouble if you'd just told me where Miranda and Mariah were when I asked," Max said, surveying the house behind her.

"You could have saved us all a lot of trouble by staying under whatever rock you've been hiding beneath," Etta put in. 

"Claudette? Is that you?" Max laughed. "I hardly recognize you. It's the shorter hair and, I have to say, your wardrobe has taken a turn for the worse. I was just thinking about you the other day. I never imagined you'd be hanging with this crew."

"They're called friends, Max," Etta countered.

"Right, friends," Max laughed harshly. "Tell me, Genie, did Claudette here tell you about her friends? Did she tell you have she was such a very close... intimate... friend of your buddy Miranda... right up until she betrayed her to me? Did she tell you about how she then turned around and betrayed me? Really, are there any friends you don't end up betraying, Claudette?"

"You and I were never friends, Max," Etta snarled.

"Is that what you tell yourself?" Max sneered.

"You're not going to win here, Uncle Max," Genie said.

"Why, because you have some werewolves between me and your little friends?" Max countered.

"That's one reason," Jake grinned.

"It could get bloody, I admit... but am I really supposed to believe the great heroes Miranda and Mariah are going to let others do their bleeding for them?" Max said, his voice pitched loudly enough to be heard inside the house. "Come on out, girls. Have the guts to face me yourselves."

"You think they're in the house. They're not," Genie said with a smile.

"I smell the witch's blood," Crowe snarled.

"You smell an enchanted doll," Jake grinned. "A lure Etta here made to bring you here, to literally throw you off the scent. This is a trap and you walked right into it."

Etta just smiled at Max.

"Witch," Max snarled. "So what happens now? We fight and you think you'll come out on top?"

"I was more thinking we keep you talking until the police get here," Genie replied. "Should be any second now. Oh and in case you didn't know, your pal George T and his goon are already in custody. The Agency has the ledger. They're probably picking up Marco as we speak..."

"Damn, kid," Max laughed. "I underestimated you. You really are your mother's daughter, aren't you?"

"It's over, Uncle Max," Genie said hotly. "Give up."

"Not my style, Genie-bean," Max smiled back.

She hardly saw him move, pulling the gun from beneath his jacket in one smooth, almost graceful motion. 

To Genie, everything seemed to be moving impossibly slowly and unbelievably quickly. She was aware of the vampire, Crowe, lunging forward and Jake, still in his human form, rushing to meet him. She was aware of Uncle Max's henchman, Wolfgang, reaching for a weapon of his own. 

Mostly, she was aware of the gun, the cold dark metal of it and the gaping cavernous barrel, aimed lethally toward its target. The one person among them Max considered the most dangerous to him.

Etta.

The gun roared. Heat and light and sound and pain. 

Such sudden, shocking pain. 

"Genie!" Etta screamed. 

"What did you do?!" Etta demanded.

"Couldn't let him shoot you," Genie said, smiling. 

Stepping between Etta and the gun had been as natural and right as anything she'd ever done in her life. She even hadn't thought about it, hadn't even considered the consequences.

She felt cold. Was she supposed to feel cold?

"Damn it, of course you could," Etta snapped. "He was right about me. I told you who I was and what I've done. What were you thinking?"

"You saved my friend," Genie said dreamily. "Couldn't let him shoot you. It's not what Mariah would have done."

"Mariah would shoot me herself," Etta muttered. "You're going into shock. Tenebrae Externae... he hit your arm." 

"That's good, right?" Genie said.

"Not if he clipped an artery," Etta said. "Let me look at the wound."

---------------

"Is she going to be alright?" Jake asked.

"I think so," Etta sighed. "I've got the bleeding under control, but she needs a doctor."

"Nice look," Genie said, looking at the rags hanging off Jake's body.

"This is why I hate shifting in clothes," Jake grinned. "Thank you... for saving Etta. That was pretty heroic of you."

"Couldn't let him shoot her," Genie repeated. It had become her mantra against the pain.

"Max got away, didn't he," she added.

"Yeah, he did," Jake nodded. "Had a getaway car close by. The police are looking for him."

"You don't think they'll get him," Genie said. It wasn't a question.

"No," Etta sighed. "But we stopped him here."

"We won another battle," Jake nodded.

"The war goes on," Etta smiled bitterly.

In Shadow - Ch 30 - After the Battle

Content Warning: Partial nudity

"Damn it, damn it, damn it," Jenny snarled. "If he's really hurt, I'll kill him!"

They'd spent the night with friends of Aadi's in the City. Genie was amazed and grateful for people who were perfectly willing to shelter strangers, much less strangers on the run from the mob, solely because they were also 'friends of Aadi.' Genie had expected her nerves would keep her from sleeping at all, but instead she'd been out as soon as her head at hit the borrowed pillow.

Fortified by sleep, quick showers and quicker breakfasts, and dressed in fresh clothes, willingly gifted to 'friends of Aadi,' they had made a dash for the station. To Genie's frustration, they'd missed the first train to Henford. 

As the next train approached the sleeping country town, they'd gotten Aadi's call saying they'd "missed all the fun." George T and Damien were in police custody and the Barovs (whoever they were) had been run off. Orange and someone called Demarco were hurt, but Aadi was sure they'd be fine.

Genie was pretty sure that the only thing Jenny had heard was "Orange was hurt." She'd hit the platform at Henford station running, before the train had even fully stopped. Genie found herself racing through the countryside trying to keep up with the determined and surprisingly fit actress, while desperately hoping her borrowed jeans didn't slip off her hips.

"He's not a fighter," Jenny ranted as they finally approached the sprawling farmhouse. The fact that they'd missed the turning twice hadn't improved her mood. "He knows it. He said it. He's an athlete not a brawler. What was he thinking?"

Genie, still breathless from the run, said nothing while wondering if heroism was somehow contagious. If it was, had Orange caught it from her like she'd obviously caught it from Mariah and Miranda?

"Hey, we're here," Jenny called as she pushed in through the front door, not bothering to knock. "I mean it... if he's seriously hurt..."

"I'm sure... he's fine," Genie panted.

"He'd better... YOU!?" Jenny bellowed, rocking back on her heels at the sight of a fair-haired young woman coming down the stairs. "What are YOU doing here?!"

"Hello Jenny," the fair-haired woman, who Genie thought had to be Etta based on Aadi's description of their 'house guests', replied.

"Where's Orange?" Jenny snapped. "If you've hurt him, I swear to God..."

"He's upstairs," Etta said mildly. "I set his finger and wrapped his ribs. It wouldn't be a bad idea for him to see an actual doctor, but I think he'll be fine. He's resting."

"You... he..." Jenny stammered, her flash of temper fading. "He's OK? What was he thinking?"

"I'm sure he'd be pleased to see you," Etta said. 

"I..." Jenny said, looking suddenly uncertain.

"Well, go," Genie smiled, nodding toward the stairs.

As Jenny dashed up the stairs, Genie stepped up to the fair-haired woman and extended a hand. "Genie Elderberry."

"Etta Blackwood." She returned the handshake. "I recognize you from the news."

"... and I take it you've met Jenny," Genie ventured.

"Long story," Etta sighed. "One I don't feature well in. Come on through. Aadi and Corrie are in the dining room. Jordan has gone into town, making a police report, and Jake is out scouting."

"Genie, you made it," Corrie said with a relived smile.

"How are our patients?" Aadi asked Etta as they took seats at the table.

"Doing well," Etta replied. "Orange is resting. I patched him up as best I could."

"And Demarco?" Aadi asked gently.

Genie caught a flicker of worry in the fair woman's eyes.

"Mostly pissed Kiril got under her guard," Etta replied with a false smile. "She's sleeping now. She should be back on her feet in a day or two. She heals fast." 

--------------

"... and then Candi stunned the guard and we ran for it," Genie finished.

Aadi and Corrie had already filled her in on the events at Mill Lane, and she'd been repeating the story of what happened to her and Jenny after Orange and Corrie made it out of the Alto's penthouse.

"Brilliant," Aadi laughed.

"Wait, Candi's a spy?" Corrie blinked, stunned.

"I mean, that's the brilliant part," Aadi grinned. "Your whole escape plan was to be rescued by an Agency spy hidden in the Alto's inner circle."

"I didn't know she was a spy," Genie said.

"Girlfriend, I don't know which god has your back," Aadi said, a hint of seriousness in their eyes, "but I'm sure glad they do."

"I hear you," Genie sighed.

"Candi's a spy?" Corrie repeated. "I mean, I knew she was nicer and smarter than she pretended to be but... she's a spy?"

"I seem to have missed an interesting story," a shirtless, barefoot man said, coming into the dining room.

"Genie, this prime specimen of masculine wolfy-ness would be Jake," Aadi said with a grin.

"Hi," Genie said, while telling herself firmly that she was not staring at Jake's muscular scarred torso. "Genie Elderberry."

"Candi's a spy," Corrie repeated again.

"Anything?" Etta asked Jake.

"They've cleared off," he replied. "I tracked the Barovs for a while, heading into the mountains. I don't think they'll be back. The abandoned house they used as a base is empty. No sign of Crowe, Max or Wolfgang. I think they left not long after the others came here. Their scents headed toward town."

"Town." Aadi seemed a bit more excited then worried. "Should I call Jordan? Warn them that Max V might try a jailbreak?"

"He won't," Etta said confidently. "He wouldn't risk himself for anyone. Max knows when to cut and run."

"He's not running," Jake said.

"What are you thinking?" Etta asked.

"I found a train timetable in the abandoned house," Jake said. "Opened to the page for trains to Evergreen Harbor."

"Why would he be going to Evergreen Harbor?" Genie asked, a chill running down her spine. "Is he... Did he find..."

Jake's silence was all the answer she needed.

"Etta?" Jake said after a moment.

"It was meant for the Barovs, but it should work on Crowe," Etta replied mysteriously. "The blood scent is part of the whole."

"I'll call the Evergreen pack," Jake nodded. "Tell them to expect us."

"I'm coming with you," Genie said. 

Jake just looked at her for a long moment. Genie was gathering her arguments in her head when he simply nodded. 

A short while later, she found herself back in the farmhouse's entry hall. 

Aadi had agreed to continue to hold down the fort, and fill Jenny and Orange in on things... after Genie had gone. Corrie had given her a quick hug, wordlessly thanking her and wishing her luck. Jake had gone out to "find the rest of his clothes," which had Genie wondering about the practical aspects of lycanthropy... and wondering how her life had reached a point where she just accepted these things.

Turning, she found she was alone with Etta. The fair-haired woman giving her a considering look.

"OK," Genie said, deciding to take the dive. "So, I gotta ask... who are you and how do you know my Uncle Max?"

In Shadow - Ch 29 - Taking A Stand

Content Warning: Misogyny, Profanity, Violence

It was a stupid thing to do, Orange admitted to himself.

He was a soccer player, not a boxer, and certainly not someone who got in life-and-death fights with gangsters. Still, he couldn't run. It just wasn't in him. 

Someone once said to him: sometimes, even when everything's overwhelming and you don't think you can do it, you have to take a stand. It wasn't until he turned the corner of the old farmhouse and saw Jake, Etta and Demarco waiting for him that he remembered it had been Miranda who'd said it. That fit, he supposed.

"Look, I know I'm not a serious fighter," Orange said when he got close enough so he wouldn't have to shout, "but I was in some pretty rough matches. I can take a hit. I... I want to help.  I need to be here."

He expected Jake to argue. Instead, the other man  just exchanged a look with Etta. The fair-haired woman nodded knowingly. 

"Good to have you," Jake said, clasping his hand. "Stick close to Etta. Keep your wits about you... and try not to freak out over what's about to happen."

Before Orange could ask what was going to happen, Jake was leading the four of them out of the yard.

"None of you seemed surprised to see me," Orange said, falling into line next to Etta.

"It's who you are," Etta replied simply. "Like you said, you need to be here. Sometimes, there is only one possible choice."

"Right..." Orange said. "Anyway, what's the.... ummm... wha'? Why are they taking off their clothes?"

Even as he stammered out his question, he found himself watching Jake and Demarco quickly and confidently stripping totally naked in front of him. 

Before he could do much more than stare, the pair were engulfed in a blinding flash. Within that burning light he could just barely see their bodies contorting and changing. With piecing howls, two monstrous shapes emerged from those chrysalises of light.

"The... they... they're werewolves," Orange gasped.

Some small part of Orange's mind insisted, for one last time, that this could not be happening. This final objection made to the impossible but undeniable reality in front of him, that part of his mind gave up and disappeared behind the much larger part of his mind that was telling him he should be running right now.

"We did tell you that," Etta said gently. 

From somewhere nearby came an answering howl. Even in his shocked state, Orange instinctively recognized the new cry as a challenge. The grey-brown werewolf that stood where Jake had once been howled again, answering the challenge with one of his own.

"They're werewolves!" Orange repeated.

"Yes," Etta said. "And so are the Barovs, so be glad we have Lux and Jake on our side."

Bone deep instinct was screaming at him to run, to hide, to escape. He realized that he'd already taken several steps backward, cowering at the sight of the two monsters who had once been Jake and Demarco. It would be so easy to just turn and run. 

"If you're going to freak out and run, I'd appreciate it if you did it now," Etta continued, calmly. "Honestly, I'll understand and I won't hold it against you. It'd just be easier for me to know where we stand."

"Stand," Orange said softly, half to himself. Then, with more confidence, "I'm taking a stand. I'm good. I'm with you."

Still stunned, he watched as the two werewolves... freaking werewolves! ... dashed down the path ahead of them. He found himself glancing over at the surprisingly neat piles of discarded clothes and then looked back to Etta.

"I'm not taking off my clothes," she said. 

"OK," Orange nodded. "Me neither."

"That's too bad," Etta said, deadpan.

"Should we be trying to catch up to them," Orange asked as Etta set off, almost leisurely, down the path after Werewolf Jake and Werewolf Demarco.

"Trust me, you don't want to get in the middle of a brawl between werewolves," Etta replied. "I expect our opposite numbers know that too."

"You mean..." Orange started.

"Those guys," Etta nodded.

The familiar forms of George T and his henchman Damian emerged from the woods ahead of them. Orange felt his blood boil at the sight of the drug dealing scum who had tormented Corrie and so many others. As he had once before, he focused on his breathing, focused on keeping control.

"I got this," Orange said. Werewolves might be beyond him, but George T wasn't.

"Orange," George snarled in his rough voice. "What did I tell you, boy. I said - Don't. Piss. In My Fucking Pool!"

"We're taking you down," Orange said confidently.

"You're taking me down, boy?" George laughed harshly. "No, I'll tell you what you're doing. You giving me back what you took! You're gonna give me back the ledger and that little bitch Corrie, and then I am going to beat you until you show me some fucking respect."

"Corrie isn't a thing," Orange snarled. "She's a person, and one more worthy of respect than you are."

"She is nothing but three warm holes to fuck," George scoffed. "But now you've got me curious... Which one was your favorite?"

What Orange did next wasn't a plan. It wasn't even rage. 

It was, like Etta had a said, simply the only possible choice.

----------------------------------------

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Struggling to rise, Orange spat out a tooth, along with a mouthful of blood. It hurt to breathe. He was pretty sure he had a cracked rib. He'd probably broken at least one finger against George's face but that, he thought, had been totally worth it.

George towered over him, looking more furious than triumphant.

"Give me the fucking ledger," the gangster panted.

"No," Orange said defiantly.

"I am going to fucking kill you," George snarled.

"George, stop!" a woman's voice shouted.

"Corrie, you stupid bitch," George snarled. "Do you have any idea what you've done?!"

"Yes, I do," Corrie snapped back. "I've gotten away from you... and I'm taking down you and the Altos... and then..."

"Corrie, enough!" George commanded. Then his voice changed, becoming softer, gentler. "Give me the ledger, babe, and come back with me. I can fix this for you. I can still make you a star."

"I can't give you the ledger," Corrie said. "We don't have it."

"What you fucking mean you don't have it?!" George demanded, all pretense of charm abandoned.

"It's going to the proper authorities," Corrie said confidently.

"You stupid bitch," George chuckled. "We own the police..."

"I know," Corrie said. "You told me. So we didn't give it to the police. Orange gave it to a friend... one who happens to know that lady on the news... Representative Bridges. You know, the one who used to be in the Agency. She has the ledger and she'll know the right people to give it to."

"You... you couldn't... you can't..." George stammered. "You can't do that."

"We already did," Corrie said. "You're going to jail, George. You're going to jail for a very, very long time."

"You can't do that!" George shouted.

"Oh also, babe, I'm totally breaking up with you," Corrie said. "Bye. See you never."

"George Tobar," called a man, running up the path at them. "You're under arrest."

"What?" George blinked, finding himself faced with two uniformed police officers. 

"I thought we didn't trust the cops," Orange whispered to Corrie.

"Generally we don't, but Officer Scott is Jordan's brother," Corrie replied.

Faced with the pair of police officers, a stunned George looked around for the support of his lackey, Damien. The unfortunate henchman lay in an unconscious heap on the ground. Etta, standing over him, just smiled.

"You're under arrest," Officer Scott repeated. "You are charged with assault, terroristic threat and criminal trespass. I understand additional charges are pending from the Crown Prosecutors office."

"You can't arrest me!" George shouted. "Do you know who I am?!"

"Yes, sir, I do. That's why I'm arresting you," Officer Scott said firmly. "You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defense if you fail to mention when questioned anything you later rely on in court."