Chapter Thirteen
The scanner/printer was as good as Jacqueline had promised it was, and it only took me an hour to figure out how to use it.
When it was done, I had a paper copy of the Book of Tales as well as an electronic one.
I shot out a quick email to Thomas with all my social media credentials. I really hoped that was not a mistake.
I took a quick second to wash off my makeup, threw on a hoodie I had stolen from Thomas’s closet, and walked out of the office building.
I hailed a cab to take me to the east side.
I rode the cab until I got about a couple of blocks from Lycos’s junk yard, then took to walking.
By the time I arrived at the Hell Pack’s headquarters, it seemed like there had been a change of ownership.
A host of people covered all the ways in and out and not one of them looked like they were of the wolf clan.
I walked up to the front gate with my hands wide open.
A Samoan with gills on his neck stepped forward.
I had really stirred the hornet’s nest. They were not making much of an effort to hide.
“We’re not open for business at the moment.”
I pulled my sweatshirt’s hood back and looked him in the eyes. “I am here for council business. I know who took the Book of Tales.”
“You do?”
I dropped my backpack from my shoulders and pulled out a flare, which I struck against the ground, igniting it. Then, I brought out the book. I held the two items close but not close enough to do any damage.
“Yeah, me.” Instantly all the people within earshot snapped to attention.
The Samoan pulled out a handgun the size of a cannon, and I moved the book a little closer to the flame.
“This is a really old book. I bet it would go up like a matchstick.”
The Samoan looked at the book then at me then at the flame.
“Listen, let’s keep this easy; call your bosses and see if they want to talk to me.”
He seemed to be torn for a moment but then pulled out a cell phone with one hand while the other kept the gun on me. After a few moments of conversation, he motioned to the guys at the gate, and they opened it.
“They said they would see you.”
I gave a nod and indicated he should go first, and he walked into the junkyard.
I sensed several bodies moving behind me, so I did a quick turn and swept the flare close to the book.
They took the hint and backed off. I walked slowly through the yard, and when I reached Lycos’s office, a massive gathering of people was waiting for me.
Lycos had a large number of guns pointed at him, a sight that gave me no small amount of joy.
“You,” he hissed. I know he’s a wolf, and there is no “s” in that word, but he hissed it. I blew a kiss at him and surged forward, only to be brought up short when everyone cocked their weapons. He held his hands up and took a slow step backward. Dominique whispered not to push it.
The group parted, and the old man who had been in the library stepped forward to meet me. He only had eyes for the book.
“You must not destroy that.”
“I don’t intend to.”
He looked intently at me and, after a moment, said, “I believe you, but you want something.”
“A few things, actually.”
“Don’t give her anything but a slow death,” Lycos hissed again. The old man looked at him, and he shut up.
“I am Thoth. I am the voice of the council and the Scribe of the Book of Tales.”
“I am Sah Williams.” That seemed too short, so I added, “Of the clan of the snow leopard.”
“Greetings, Sah Williams. It has been a long time since a member of your clan has been seen in this region. If you put out that flame, I promise you will not be harmed while we are talking.”
“Actually, I will do you one better.” I dropped the flare and took three quick steps. I sank to my knees and held out the book to him.
He took it from my hands reverently. “I thank you, but now you have nothing to bargain with.” Several of the guns were now pointing in my direction.
I took a step back, shrugged off my backpack, and reached in. Suddenly, all the guns were pointed toward me, but Thoth waved his hand, and they were lowered slightly. I pulled out the printed copy I had made of the Book of Tales. “See, I have my own copy.”
Thoth’s eyes narrowed, and for the first time, he looked genuinely angry. “That is forbidden.”
“I thought so. So, I figured if I was going to do a little time, I might as well break all the rules and publish it to the World Wide Web.”
Thoth said nothing, but I could see his thinking, working through all the angles to see if he could order me shot, and that be the end of it. I pushed all my stress and worry to the back and matched his gaze.
“What do you want?”
“Well, first off, I want Lycos to release whatever hold he has on my sister.”
“A wolf needs a pack.”
“I have read plenty of National Geographic articles about lone wolves doing just fine in the wilderness, and even if what you’re saying is true, I am sure there are other packs in the United States.”
Thoth seemed to be considering that, so I moved on. “Two, Lycos is going to release Valeria Lawton of the Jaguar clan from captivity; any issues he has are with me, not her.”
A small group of people in the crowd turned their guns on Lycos again. I guess the cat clans were represented.
“I was not aware she was being held. She will be released immediately.”
This time, Lycos had the good sense to cease hissing.
“And lastly, the council will negotiate a blood price for the wolf clan members I was forced to kill in self-defense, which does not require me or anyone close to me to face harm.”
“And what happens if we do not accede to your demands?”
“Oh, that is easy. If I don’t leave here, then the book gets emailed to everyone who signed up for my author newsletter. That’s about one hundred thousand addresses. I am not Stephen King, but I do have fans.”
“What if they just think it is one of your books? A book we will claim is a violation of the copyrights we have on the Facade game.”
“You would not want to do that. I would say a good third of the people on my list believe in Chupacabras, aliens being entombed in Area 51, and that the Illuminati are secretly controlling the United States government, and they would make it their life duty to poke into every part of your affairs. You would be exposed and not at a time and place of your choosing.”
Thoth took a deep breath and nodded once. “But this will not be our last discussion on this matter.”