Chapter 31
The room now held the entire STRT team, Declan, Stacia, and Vesta, Toni and Gina Velasquez, the Arcane doctor, and a new pair of individuals. The newcomers consisted of an old, white-haired, white-bearded man with a cane and a much younger woman of perhaps indigenous origin.
“Okay, here she is,” I said as Agents Allen and Mahar took Caeco from me. The doctor stepped up to give her a once-over, and I found myself wrapped up in a very tight hug by a smiling Vesta.
“Nine minutes,” Declan said to me, one brow up.
“Sorry. They were spread over two floors,” I said, not certain of his meaning but maybe a little defensive.
He laughed and so did his wife. The lean oldster with the Southern colonel look was staring at me, fascinated, but the female was registering hostile. And possibly she was a were but not a wolf. Something else. Exotic maybe. Dangerous definitely.
“Um, hello,” I said, nodding at the old dude but turning to face the hostile were stare head-on.
“Have I done something to you?” I asked her, my face blank, my eyes in full stare.
The old guy glanced at her, then stepped sideways to block her behind him. “Please don’t take offense, Mr. Blackmore. Adine is very concerned for my safety, and you are a very dangerous young man.”
“Yes,” I said, knowing I wasn’t being exactly clear on what I was agreeing with.
“Craig, this is Nathan Stewart and Adine Benally,” Vesta’s dad said. “Nathan is the director of Oracle and Adine is his right hand.”
“Oracle as in the cofounding entity of this school?” I asked.
“Yes,” Gina answered, giving me a direct look that seemed to indicate I should maybe behave.
“And the expectation is I’m going to attack the people who have given me sanctuary?”
Several people started to talk but Vesta help up her hand, eyes locked on me.
“You really think that? Look at her,” she said.
I studied the woman’s intent carefully, then felt a fool. “Shit. My bad,” I said.
“What do you see?”
“She’s… extremely anxious about my abilities, about the speed of my attack. And she’s a… wolverine, maybe? Or honey badger?”
“Wereverine is the term,” Director Stewart said.
“I’m not sure if we have any wereverines on Greenacres,” I said. “But nonetheless, I’m sorry. I take challenges seriously.”
“I have read about that. In fact, I’ve read many very interesting reports about you,” Stewart said.
Of course, between Gina and Caeco, there must have been a dozen write-ups on the kid from Golf Alpha.
“Understandable, sir,” I said. Turning to his assistant, I kept both hands in front of my chest where she could see them. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Benally.”
“Sure,” she said, posture still tense.
“So, Agent Jensen is dehydrated and heavily bruised with some bones broken in her right foot,” the doctor suddenly reported. Her name tag said Mina Dexter, MD, CHW.
We had covered some of the supernatural specialty abbreviations, so I knew that CHW stood for Certified Health Witch.
“The mud on her foot seems to be there by design,” Doctor Dexter said.
“Because it was,” Jensen said. “His mother put it there.”
“You saw her?” Stacia asked.
“Saw her, talked to her, recorded all of it,” Jensen said. “Omega should have it by now.”
“Correct, Caeco Jensen,” Omega said, appearing suddenly. The doctor jumped a little and the two Oracle representatives twitched slightly. “But perhaps we could take time to allow Agent Jensen some basic recovery while we gather the rest of the interested parties.”
“I should clean my weapons and return them to the armory,” I said. Everyone was watching me like I was the armed flash bang waiting to go off.
“Craig,” Vesta’s dad said, catching my attention. “You’ve faced more in two days than most law enforcement and military face in their full careers. It’s okay to just sit back and feel.”
“Yes sir. Sixteen in two days,” I said.
“Because they won’t stop coming at you,” Vesta said. “And because people suck.”
“Not all,” Stacia said, giving her daughter a glance. “But many, like the frat guys, are just idiots.”
“Omega and I are looking into that Theta Beta Theta frat,” Declan said, a glint in his eyes.
“Um, if I could suggest restraint,” Gina said.
“Just looking, Gina. But rape isn’t okay. Ever,” he said.
“The campus has been upended by Vesta and Craig’s exposure. The school’s upended by the vampire attack, And then Craig beat up the frat, so maybe we could let things cool off?”
“I didn’t beat… they ran into each other… mostly,” I said. “Slapped one kid but otherwise it was me dodging and them being morons.”
“Sure, sure. Let’s just see if we can let things die down,” Gina said. “Why don’t you check in with the armory and we’ll get everyone together for a debrief.”
“Okay,” Vesta said, taking my hand.
“Hey Craig,” Caeco suddenly spoke up. I turned back to her. “Thanks for the backup.”
“Of course. I said I would, so were you in doubt?”
She held up one hand, thumb and index finger a millimeter apart.
“Oh. Well, you’re welcome,” I said, as Vesta towed me out of the room.