Chapter 63 #2
He's Jessop's most trusted. He's also a weapons specialist and expert combatant and has a reputation for being ruthless."
"More than Jessop?" Asher queries, pointing to the projector screen. The level of brutality captured in those crime scene photos come to mind again.
"Jessop still has boundaries," my father supplies in explanation, "limits he won't cross. Kalligan holds no such perspective. Man, woman, elderly, or newborn, he'll show no restraint. If you cross paths with him, if you're not prepared to fight for your life, run.
Because Kalligan won't show mercy and he will enjoy every second."
"If he's so dangerous," I say, "why is he walking about freely? And how come we've never heard of him?"
"He went underground when Jessop was imprisoned," Beta Chad returns. "He's been careful to remain hidden, managed to evade local and regional law enforcement. Including the Council's S.W.A.T. specialized units."
That is a problem. This man sounds like real trouble.
"So, if he's resurfaced," I muse, and Beta Chad nods.
"It may not be long before Jessop's plans escalate," he finishes for me.
"This is bad timing," Dale pipes up, "but should I cancel our weekend plans? It doesn't seem safe to leave town in light of this new information. Not if Jessop is targeting Jace and Sky."
"No," Commander Rick interrupts. "Go. It's your birthday, after all. But canceling might tip Jessop off."
"He already knows," I counter. "You saw Sommers' corpse. The message. That's because Sommers yapped and now we know what Jessop's end goal is. Dale is right."
"Then how about we use the trip as an opportunity?" Carter pipes in, speaking for the first time since the meeting started. He's still slouched in his chair, eyelids droopy, a fist propped to his cheek. There's almost a bored quality to his voice.
Beta Chad raises an eyebrow. "Elaborate."
"It's not a guarantee," Carter begins in a lazy drawl of words.
"We don't know how many Weres are in Jessop's arsenal. But he's got lives to waste. Maybe we can change that. Cut those numbers. And use the trip to do it. If he's targeting Jace and Sky, this is too good a chance to miss. They're out of town, in foreign turf. They'll be vulnerable. Or at least,
that's what we want him to think."
"That's not a bad idea," Alpha agrees.
"Ezra's already agreed to go with us," Jessica supplies.
In order for this trip to happen, Dale had to agree to certain conditions.
One of them was having a chaperone but after the attack at Lativa, Alpha wasn't comfortable letting Dale and Jessi wander out of town, into Berkel County's wilderness for a camping trip on his son's birthday. Naturally, Ezra agreed to go.
And he's walking with an arsenal.
"But it won't hurt to have more tails," Jessica elaborates. "Units in plain clothes. We can communicate via comms as long as we stay within range of each other. Even if nothing happens, this is a proactive measure to make sure we come back unharmed."
There's a beat of silence as Alpha and Beta Chad exchange glances, an order communicated without words.
"I'll get right on it," the latter announces.
DAD'S BEHAVIOR IS WORRYING.
When Steven Daniels gets quiet, typically, that means the current state of affairs has brought on enormous pressure. When that happens, he retreats far enough into his mind that I can't tell what he might be thinking.
But I know this much: He's deliberating. Plotting.
I wish I knew what because he's wrapped so tightly in his mind that he doesn't notice our pack mates on patrol who greet him as they pass by. He remains that way, silent beside me even as we turn the corner and our house comes into view.
A distracted Gamma is a vulnerable Gamma.
It's a lesson he's drilled into me for years following Mom's death. If he's so out of it, when it takes a lot to throw this man off his game, I'm not sure I want to know what terrible things are rolling around in his mind.
I'm not sure I will agree with the big picture he sees.
Still, I'm curious. Because an uninformed Gamma is also vulnerable.
"Is everything all right?" I ask, finally breaking the tense and awkward quietness this walk home has proven to be.
Dad snaps out of his reverie. He blinks slowly; turns to look at me, and it takes a moment for him to realize that I've spoken, and what I've asked. His eyebrows even out.
"I'm all right."
"That doesn't sound very reassuring."
His mouth presses into a thin line, a tight-lipped smile that hardly moves a fraction. I expected him to shake off the remark, perhaps laugh it off. To make light of it and give me a reason not to worry.
To my disappointment, he does no such thing.
"Sorry," he apologizes. "There's a lot on my mind." I want to ask; to prod until he gives me something but he's swift to change the direction of conversation.
"How's Jace?" He points a finger the way someone might as if remembering something. "You took him on a date. Yesterday, right?"
I only manage to nod.
"I heard you took him to the shooting range," he continues, clasping his hands behind his back. "Is he a good shot?"
"He's better than expected."
"He's a quick study, then?"
I shake my head, the corners of my mouth turning upward in a prideful grin. "More like reacquainting himself. His mother taught him a few years back."
Dad nods in approval. "That's great. He'll need that. What about you? Have you thought of how you're going to tell him what you are?"
I haven't. The more I think of it, and the more others mention it, it's beginning to feel as though I'm pressed for time.
Now, with Sommers dead for betraying Jessop, I really may be running out of time.
The sooner Jace knows the truth about what crawls about Jasper Falls, what controls more than half this town – and the county at large – the safer he will be.
If only I can find the courage to get it over with. Whether he stays with me or leaves pales in comparison to the severity of his safety.
Dad exhales quietly beside me as we reach the house. We step through the pedestrian gate and continue up the path winding through the lawn up to the porch.
"You can't delay this any longer, buddy. He's your family now and it's your job to take care of him. Part of that means not keeping him in the dark."
"I know." I push a bit of confidence into the words so he can't tell how put-off I am by his advice.
There's something more – almost grim – about the way he spoke of Jace.
Because he didn't say Jace is part of the family or our family.
He said Jace is my family.