Page 95 of Wolf Bound

“I never realized how structured your organization is,” Fisher said. "So why wasn’t anyone in the room with you, Kira?”

“Oh, what role did you play?” Demetria asked. “When Martin said you would be helping us, Everett and I figured right away you would be assisting your mate.”

“I was the bait,” Kira said.

Demetria and Everett chuckled.

“My guard had been complaining about stomach issues and so he told me he had to put a gag on me just so I wouldn’t alert Fisher where I was and that I was in trouble, which would have been silly because I was supposed to be the bait. When the guard left to go to the bathroom, several rooms away, I heard Fisher enter the room, or at least I thought it was him. Unless of course it was another guard. I was so proud of Fisher for making it as far as he had in such a short time. I told him to leave me behind, but he wouldn’t think of it. But I didn’t help him with his mission.”

“Unless he had needed assistance.” Demetria ate some more of her lasagna.

Kira smiled at her.

“They were testing the two of you in that situation,” Everett said.

“That’s what we figured.” Kira ate another bite of delicious haddock cooked to perfection. “To see how we worked together in a difficult scenario while under observation.”

“Where will the next part of the mission be?” Fisher asked.

“You’ll have to take Parker out of the facility. Once you reach the door that leads out into the woods, you’ll find your way to a safehouse. Fourteen houses are located on the grounds, rock walls concealing the bad guys, tunnels that can be watched or someone could be waiting there for you,” Everett said. “We haven’t been given our roles yet. I’m sure the trainers knew we would be talking about the course so they wouldn’t want anyone to let anything slip during the lunch break.”

“But you know the layout? Kira said they’ve changed a lot of things since she had gone through this last,” Fisher said.

“Yeah,” Demetria said. "Inside, they change it up every year. Outside, they make some temporary changes—but the houses, forest, major water features, and rock walls have been there from the time they first built the whole outdoor area. We don’t know which of the homes is considered the safehouse this time. A map shows the area that you’ll be traversing, and you’ll have to memorize as much of it as you can before you leave the swimming pool room.”

After they finished lunch, Fisher and Kira hugged and kissed, then Kira and Demetria left for their prearranged tasks. Everett escorted Fisher back to the changing room.

“David messaged me to tell you that you’ll take the shortcut path you used to get here,” Everett said to Fisher as they began undressing. “You’ll need to take the door to the north of the pool where Parker was being held hostage. He’ll be there, waiting for you, still in his human form. You’ll have to find the safehouse. All organization members who are involved in the mission will be given this information. The house is red with a metal roof, and you’ll see it in a southeasterly direction on the map. The property consists of ten-thousand acres of jaguar land. But of course, the safehouse won’t be that far away.

“You’ll want to make your way there as quickly and safely as possible. You have five hours to accomplish the mission. If any of us catch you, the boy would be taken hostage again, and you would be eliminated—in a simulated way. Water obstacles—rivers, streams, lakes, rocky hills, forests, meadows, and houses fill the landscape. Active patrols will be watching for the two of you. When you’re on your own, it’s easier to keep yourself from being seen. When you must guarantee the safety of a civilian, you never know what to expect. Just a warning, Parker is going to give you some difficulties—just to show you what some freed hostages can be like in the real world—so you’ll have to figure out a way to move him without him giving the two of you away. That’s about it. Hydration stations are available for the two of you. When you reach them, you can rest, and no one will come for you there. But remember the exercise is timed and you’ll need to get Parker to the safe house as fast as you’re able to safely. Be sure to study the map in the swimming pool room and pick the way you want to go. It’ll show the forest, river, creeks, bridges, trails, roads, and the houses—including the safehouse you need to reach. Good luck, Fisher. We’re all rooting for you.”

“Thanks, Everett. See you soon, but after the mission, hopefully not on the course.”

Everett laughed and the two of them shifted. Everett exited through a door to the left, while Fisher headed through the passageway that took him back to the swimming pool where Parker was waiting for him.

Fisher shifted. “We’re headed for a red house with a metal roof in a southeasterly direction.” He felt it was important to share everything he knew with the teen to make him part of the mission to get there safely. “At all times, watch for my cue. No talking whatsoever unless you whisper. Think of this as you being in training and testing just like me. We work together as a team, and I’ll get you to the safehouse safely. At the same time, you can help us accomplish the mission.”

“But I’m supposed to talk, complain, fuss about going in another direction, and even do so, forcing you to make me behave,” Parker said.

“Right. But if you think of this as a test to help us get safely to the house, you’ll have the advantage when you go through the training when you’re the right age to be a special agent also.”

“Oh, okay.”

Fisher smiled. “We’re going through that door. If you smell the enemy or see one of them and I miss a cue, signal to me. But no talking, or just whisper.”

“Yeah, okay.” Parker seemed eager to follow the new instructions and be like Fisher rather than try to sabotage the mission like an unruly kid. So far, so good, if it all worked out and Parker didn’t go back on his word.

They studied the map first and saw where the house was located. Fisher said, “We won’t discuss how we’re going to go until we get outside.”

Parker glanced at one of the security cameras and nodded.

Fisher shifted into his wolf, and they headed to the door, it opened, and they peered out. He suspected nothing would happen right away, not when they were just exiting the building and they needed to check out their surroundings. Rocky hills, tall wildflower meadows and a river encompassed the area. The river ran from north to south, a forest along the eastern boundary, and extending northwest and a couple of hundred yards due south of the building they were in. A one-story log cabin was sitting in the woods, the front door and patio facing them a few hundred feet from the river to their east.

Fisher pointed in the direction he wanted them to go, and Parker nodded, but before they moved, Parker began removing his clothes. Fisher hadn’t expected that, but he figured it might work out better for both of them if Parker was running as a jaguar. No one told Fisher that Parker had to remain in his human form.

As soon as Parker had removed his clothes, he shifted into his jaguar form. Then the two moved low through the wildflowers blooming from goldenrod to purple and white asters and magenta ironweed toward the river. Unless anyone was sitting high above in one of the giant live oak trees scattered all over and could see them, Fisher thought they would be safe. Once they reached the bank of the river, they didn’t move to the rocky bank just yet. They listened, smelled the air, and watched for any signs of anyone patrolling the area.

Unlike when he went after Parker to begin with, he was taking a more direct path this time to reach the safehouse. The river turned and headed in a southeasterly direction. The currents could carry them close to the red house, but they would be more exposed while they were in the water. Though he hadn’t planned to explain to Parker about his intentions or reasonings, he thought it was a good teaching experience and he wanted to give the boy options to help them find their way.

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