Chapter 4 #2
He appears to think about that. “It’s pretty clear that something’s going on in Beker County, and having two, possibly five, hellhounds from that area involved in the recent attacks weighs heavily that the something is connected to Tish.
” He hesitates. “We assume that people are leaving the area because they feel threatened, but what if it’s not that?
What if over the years, Tish’s people have just excluded everyone else?
We rely heavily on each other within the community—very few feel safe surrounded only by humans.
If you didn’t feel welcome and included amongst others of your own kind, what would you do? ”
I blink slowly, turning the idea over in my head. “Move somewhere else. But you’re talking about hundreds of people over decades. Could they really maintain a non-aggressive ‘please leave’ campaign for that long? Hellhounds as a group tend to be warm and welcoming.”
He grins. “We are loveable, aren’t we? The point is, though, that if a vampire or a cat moved to the area, the first people they’d reach out to—or expect to reach out to them—would be other vampires or cats.
They’d happily mix in with the community at large, but if their own species was just politely distant, they probably wouldn’t feel inclined to be rebuffed by other species. ”
It's astounding, but he might be right. Community members are very much dependent on each other. If they’d moved to an area as sparsely populated as Beker County and found humans to be the only truly welcoming people, they’d probably be inclined to leave.
Especially a family. Our young are quite vulnerable.
“By that reasoning,” I say slowly, “almost every community member in the area is involved with Tish.”
His grin is long gone now. “That’s my bet.
I can’t say for sure, of course, but I think we need to treat the area as hostile and proceed with caution.
” He chews on his lip, drawing my attention to the reddened flesh.
“I don’t know why the area skews so much toward hellhounds, though.
I didn’t think we as a subspecies were so susceptible to being recruited by a madman. ”
I tear my mind away from its daydreams about Alistair’s lip and say, “Remember that they may not know the whole truth. Some likely do, but most newcomers and the younger generations are probably being seduced with the idea of higher fertility rates and not being told exactly how that’s happening or what Tish’s end game is. ”
“Maybe.” He doesn’t seem convinced. “They do know that our leadership and government are selected by the magic, though, so— Hey. How did they react to you personally? Not the leaders, but the regular pack members?”
I’m not quite sure where he’s going with this, but I obligingly cast my mind back over the interactions I had.
“It’s hard to say,” I finally admit. “Obviously, I didn’t meet all of them, just those with close connections to the two lads in custody.
Some of the younger ones seemed a little intimidated and…
surprised? But I put that down to them not being used to dealing with people outside their pack; plus, I am the species leader.
” It’s hard not to sound like a douche while saying that, but it’s true.
Most people don’t ever get to have a one-on-one discussion with their species leader; it’s natural for there to be some discomfort, if only because it feels odd to them that they should be so instantly comfortable with me. A contradiction, but true.
He’s quiet for a minute, and I’m reminded again why he’s a member of Percy’s senior investigative team.
Hellhounds have a (deserved) rep for being rambunctious and outrageous.
They definitely have more energy and melodrama than any other species, but that doesn’t mean they’re less intelligent or lack the ability to be serious and ruthlessly incisive.
“I have a theory,” he says at last. “It’s… not a great one. I mean, if it can be proved, it would be bad. The theory itself is actually pretty ingenious.” He sounds simultaneously unhappy and proud of himself, which is quite a feat.
“Hit me with it.” I mentally brace.
“Revolution or insurrection is so rare in the community because our leaders are selected by the magic, yeah? And if any leader begins to abuse their power, the magic takes it from them. Existential magic, as far as we can tell, is devoted to protecting all species and this planet.”
I nod slowly. “Right.”
“So if you were planning to revolt against CSG and the lucifer and all the species leaders with an act that would upset the balance between species and endanger one or more of them, how would you convince others to join you?”
“Personal gain.” It’s the obvious answer, but… “Except not everyone you need to convince will be swayed by that. Something that seems more selfless and beneficial for the community, like improving fertility rates.”
“Yes, but if someone came to me and said they could improve fertility rates and needed my help, my first question would be why they weren’t reaching out to the lucifer and CSG for support.
If it truly benefits everyone and does no harm, the government selected by the magic to protect us would support it, right? ”
It hits me suddenly what he’s getting at. “Unless you don’t believe the government is selected by the magic. Or that the magic is actually devoted to our protection.” Fuck. Fuck . “You think they’re subverting the children.”
“The hellhounds who were with Tish were young. Thirty-five, forty, right?”
“One was nearly fifty,” I correct, but he’s right, damn him. Tish’s research would likely have been well underway when those hellhounds were old enough to learn about our society.
“We’ve been focused on the idea that Tish would need to wait for his research to play out and then implement it across the community and wait again for the birth rate to increase and then those people to grow up before he could raise a force sufficient to take on the humans.
We’ve been convinced that because he’s been patient with his research that he’s playing a really long game.
And we’ve always had the safeguard that people would need to buy in to his research, to allow him to change their genetic structure.
Many within the community would take the word of the lucifer—who is selected by the magic—over his.
But we didn’t consider that he might already be building an army.
All he has to do is convince his followers to change how they educate their children. ”
“How many members did the CCA have?” I ask, feeling sick. The young… we should always be protecting our children. How could they do this? I know the CCA—Coalition for Community Advancement—is basically just an anti-human cult, but I didn’t think they’d go this far to advance their cause.
Alistair grimaces. “In this country? The information we confiscated from their compounds says a little over half a million. If you add in underage children, that number gets closer to a million. Around the world, including children, maybe eighteen million or so.”
I sigh. “So, comparatively not that many, but still too many. And you think they’re teaching their kids that Percy and I and the rest aren’t actually selected by the magic?”
“Maybe.” He shrugs. “I could be completely off base. But historically, organizations like the CCA would die out after a generation or two, or they’d have the occasional surge in membership, but mostly be low-key.
Research showed it was because as children matured and were able to make their own decisions, they’d leave the cults and rejoin mainstream society.
It’s hard to believe the government is the enemy when you’ve been taught that the existential force that guides and protects us all has selected the government.
The CCA has been slowly growing over the past century, and none of our analysts could work out why.
That they’ve been brainwashing their kids makes sense. ”
I rub my forehead. “We need to call Percy when we land, have him and the rest of your team look into this possibility. I suspect he should also start looking for other small communities where the species numbers are skewed.”
Alistair seems startled by that. “You think it’s not a case of hellhounds being more susceptible to his plan, but rather some sort of…
intra-community speciesism at the CCA?” Revulsion crosses his face, and I can’t blame him.
While it’s natural for each species to congregate and feel more comfortable amongst themselves, we’ve always lived side by side and supported each other.
Community isn’t just a word for us. The idea that the CCA is segregating species is abhorrent.
“I hope not, but I fear so. It doesn’t seem right that Tish and the CCA would be targeting only hellhounds for recruitment—and it doesn’t play out in their numbers.”
He’s quiet for a moment. “Do you intend for us to go directly out to Beker City from Portland?”
I had, but now I’m second-guessing that plan.
“I thought we’d take our time driving out and stop in a few other places along the way to talk to other pack members, but honestly, now I think our best bet is to set up base in Portland for a few days first and see if we can confirm any of your hypotheses. That may change our approach.”
“I agree.” He nods. “If I’m even close to being right on any of it, it’s not safe for you to go back there.”
Whoa. What?
He must see my surprise, because he adds, “We have to assume every community member in that area is associated with Tish and the CCA and would see your presence as a threat. Even with your abilities as species leader, there’s no way you could hold your own against that many—nobody could.
If you decide to go back there at this point, I would have to pull rank and forcibly detain you. ”
Is he joking? He’s completely straight-faced, but that doesn’t mean he’s not joking. Right?
“You don’t have that kind of rank,” I point out. I’m the one who’s a species leader, after all. His species leader.
His smile is smug. “Oh, I do. As one of the lucifer’s senior team, I have the authority to take any action needed to protect the lucifer or any other magically invested person, including all species leaders. If the situation warrants it, I’m in charge.”
I make a mental note to check that—it’s genuinely never been an issue before—but outwardly, I merely smile back. “What a lovely thought. Do you often like to take charge?”
The second the words are out of my mouth, I regret them. They sound far more suggestive than I’d intended. It wasn’t supposed to be an innuendo at all.
At first he seems shocked, then he goes a little pink—lucky bastard. If I blush, it’s always flaming red—and then a wicked grin stretches his pretty mouth.
Feck. I’m in for it now, aren’t I?
“Oh, I like to take turns at being in charge. It’s nice to be the boss, but sometimes I just want someone else to… drive… me.” He stares directly into my eyes.
I swallow. Is it warm on this plane?
“That’s… nice.” Change the subject. Now.
Before you say anything more idiotic. “Regardless, we’ll stay in Portland until we can work out more details.
Maybe a few day trips out to smaller cities and towns, but we’ll avoid Beker County for the time being.
” I look everywhere but directly at him.
“It would be a good idea for you to get out and about as much as possible. You’re the only person in the know who has smelled an elf and might recognize the scent again. ”
“I’d definitely recognize it if I smelled it again,” he asserts. “Trust me. It’s very distinct. Especially if they happen to be using their magic, or whatever they call it.” He seems a little miffed that I’d question his ability, and I stifle a smile, regaining my composure.
“Excellent. I think we can agree that finding an elf would mean finding Tish and his associates.” And hopefully there aren’t an army of them.
I’ve heard Noah’s report on how the one at CSG was getting through the wards.
If there are many of them capable of subverting our defenses that way, we’re screwed.
“Yes. So I guess we’ll need to find somewhere to stay in Portland.” There’s a heavy edge of doubt in his voice. I get it. We need somewhere secure, and hotels usually aren’t.
“Jun might have room, but that probably won’t give us the privacy we need.
Is your phone secure? Can you try to find a short-stay executive apartment or something?
” A house would be better, but since we’re not planning to be here long—days, a week at most—that might be trickier to get so last-minute.
“My phone is secure, and I’m going to text Sam right now and have him find something for us,” he says, tapping his screen. “He’ll be able to solve this issue in about a quarter of the time it would take me.”
“Ask him to set up a meeting with Percy and the rest of your team too,” I say. “As soon as possible after we land.”
“Got it,” he says, and bites his lip.
I really wish he’d stop doing that.
More, I really wish I could stop wanting to be the one doing it.