Silent Heroes: Wildcat

Chapter 43: A Change of Plans

The taxi was quiet all the way back to the hotel.  I found myself gazing out the window, watching streetlights glide past.  The complete silence was almost disorienting after all the excitement a few moments ago.

I was feeling calmer now and, frankly, I was also feeling a little surprised at myself.  It wasn't like me to get so angry and confrontational.  Yelling at Danielle like that, arguing with Deanna. Not to mention terrorizing someone who was basically helpless to fight back.

My actions had been drastic, to say the least, and I could only imagine what the consequences would be.  A lot of it depended on how my victim and his wife or girlfriend—whatever she was—would react.  If they kept quiet out of fear that people would laugh and dismiss their claims about a huge, unrecognizable wildcat crashing through their kitchen window, then the whole thing might blow over.  But, if they decided to talk well... that's when things could get messy.

I wrung my hands nervously.  Everyone else in the cab kept shooting me brief, furtive glances.  In the passenger seat, Deanna was talking quietly on her cell-phone.

Overall, the short drive seemed to drag on forever.  The cross-country trek from rural South Carolina into Charleston had felt shorter.

But, in spite of the tense, rigid atmosphere.  Despite the fear that bubbled like acid in my stomach, I could not bring myself to regret my actions.  I could not bring myself to feel a single ounce of guilt for what I had done.  In fact, I still experienced a powerful surge of satisfaction every time I imagined that jerk cowering on the ground like the vermin he was.

We pulled into the hotel parking lot.  Deanna snapped her cell phone shut and paid the driver.  I hesitated before getting out of the cab.  I had a feeling that everything was about to change. 

Deanna came around and pulled my door open.  "Out you get, Eve.  Come on."

Was I imagining the sharpness in her voice?

I stepped into the sultry night air.  Deanna shut the door behind me and the taxi sped off.

We headed inside.  Through the front lobby, up the stairs, and down the carpeted hallway, not saying a word.  Shane was the first person to speak.

"Who was that on the phone, Deanna?"

"Isaac.  I thought he should know about this."

"What did he say?"

"Not much.  He's going to meet us here in half an hour."

"Half an hour?  It took us all morning to get here."

"Yes, well he's flying, Shane."

There was a pause.  When Deanna said that Isaac was flying, I doubted she meant by airplane. 

"Is that... safe?" Shane asked.

"He knows how to be discreet, don't worry.  He wants to come and talk about this in person.  We have to figure out what we're going to do here."

If possible, my nerves doubled about a hundred times.  If there was one person I didn't want upset with me, it was Isaac.  I imagined his silver eyes glaring at me, the quiet anger in his voice that was somehow worse than any amount of shouting.  I felt nauseous just thinking about it.

"All right," Deanna stopped at the room she was sharing with Danielle, slid her key-card in and shoved the door open.  "I want the four of you to stay right here.  Keep it down and don't leave for any reason, okay?  Shane and I are going to meet with Isaac in the lobby.  We'll be back soon.  Eve," she looked right at me, "please try and stay out of trouble."