Chaos

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

What in God's name are they doing here? My left hand shot out and grabbed the nearest boy. I hauled him close to me, putting him in the shifters' line of view of me. I flashed the boy, who looked like a younger version of George Clooney, my most winning smile. His look of shock changed into a mask of complete male confidence. If I didn't need him to block me, I'm pretty sure I would have laughed in his face. As I and young Georgie danced, my mind ran through all certain scenarios as to why they would show up to Bahookie Bar, when a shifter only bar was a couple blocks down the streets.

Logan, dressed in hip hugging jeans and a plain blue shirt, leaned into Kade and said something. Kade was dressed in black leather pants and a gray buttoned down shirt. Kade looked up and then nodded his head in agreement. Logan patted Kade's back. After Kade headed towards the bar, Logan and Braden, who wore worn black jeans and black duster covering a black shirt, weaved closer to me and young Georgie.

Frantically, I clutched my dance partner closer, dropping my head into his chest, rubbing my hands up and down his arms. He grasped my hips, dragging me even closer to him. Misreading my acceptance as permission to continue, young Georgie kissed the side of my temple. When he received no further objection, he trailed kisses down my neck. Once Logan and Braden passed us, I pushed young Georgie off me, excusing myself to the bathroom.

With my head down, I fought through the growing crowd with elbow jabs and pushes. I was almost at the door when I heard Rick shout my name. My head whipped around landing on Rick and a customer. The customer turned with three beers in his hands. Kade. Pur-fect.

I turned hurriedly, now throwing people out of my way. I heard Kade shout something, alerting Logan and Braden to my hasty retreat. Once I vaulted myself out of the door, I turned left down a skinny alley, towards the fire escape. I jumped up and caught the first rung of the ladder. Using my upper body, I pulled myself up to the landing. I continued to climb up the escape route. I was almost on the roof when I heard the bar's doors bang open. I scrambled as fast as I could onto the roof. I fled to the other side of the roof and hopped over the low wall separating the next building's roof.

"Up the ladder. She went up," boomed Braden's voice. I could hear the scraps of their boots. I ran towards the roof access door. I forced the door open and flew down the steps. I caught a glimpse of Kade's head just clearing the wall a second before the door clicked shut. I ran down the first flight of the steps and exited through a door to my right. I forced open a window and began scaling the building. About five feet left to climb down, I dropped. I jogged out of the alley. Across the street, my trusty Volvo was waiting patiently.

I reached the car and casually slid in. I turned the car on and waited for a break in traffic. I thrummed my fingers against the steering wheel, antsy to put as much distance between me and the boys. I saw a break and I took my chance. Pulling out of the parking space, Kade came bursting out of the alley. I wangled my fingers as I drove away, a smug smile spread across my lips.

*** 

Kade

I let out a sigh of annoyance. Braden and Logan casually rejoined me. I raised an eyebrow at Braden. He shook his head. Damn. I was hoping he could have been able to get the tracer on the car.

"And you?" came the rough reply from Logan.

"She was driving a Volvo. No plates."

"Damn." sighed Logan. Braden, Logan, and I walked back into Bahookie Bar. As we crossed the street towards the bar, I asked, "What do we do now, Logan?"

"We question the bartender. He seemed to know her. Or at least a name."

Logan walked through the bar's door and headed to the bartender. He looked every inch of the lion he was. Each step shouted predator. Braden flanked Logan at his right, and I at the left.

"Rick"

"Logan," Rick nodded his head. He lowered the glass he was cleaning and walked towards the backroom. We followed Rick, filling into a small brown room. A circular wooden table filled most of the room. Grey folding chairs surrounded the table. A poster of a female in a bikini holding a Bud Wiser beer bottle hung on the far wall.

"She came in here around 6:30," commented Rick, walking over to the mini fridge under the poster. "She danced some. Had a few shots. She kept scanning the room. I thought she was looking for an easy lay." Rick placed three Bud Limes on the table. He then folded himself into the chair. He twirled his bottle in his hand. He let out a sign and took a swig of beer.

"We talked and she mentioned Albearo in a ditzy little teenage voice. I didn't even think twice about it. She said he was a 'friend.'" He used air quotation on the last word, his mouth screwed up into a grimace.

Braden sat quietly in his seat; His beer untouched. Logan looked thoughtful. I opened my beer and play with the cap.

"Her name?" asked Logan

"Samantha, prefers to be called Sammie, or so she said."

"Did she talk to Albearo?" questioned Braden.

"Yeah. She had a beer or two. Now that I think about it. She had a lot of alcohol. Anyway, Albearo nodded to the upper room and took her up there. After about twenty some minutes she came down. And then you know the rest." Rick shrugged his shoulders.

"Did you see Albearo come down?" I asked still playing with the bottle cap. Logan leaned back into his chair, arms folded across his chest.

"I didn't suspect anything until after she booked it out of here," heaved Rick. "After she left, I sent Tig to check on him. This girl is good. Not a print, strand of hair, or any DNA in that place. Not even on Albearo himself. He was out cold on the bed. Looks like drugs."

We all sat in silence. If Tig didn't get any prints we were screwed. Tig was trained by the best to obtain samples. If he didn't get anything, then no one could. The silence kept going, growing. Rick fidgeted in his chair. Silence is one of the many tactics that shapeshifters can use. Humans are creatures that are always on the move. Shifters, however, are part animals. We're all predators. We can sit and wait all day. We can out wait our prey any time.

"I didn't id her. She clearly looked under 21. I should have ided her, but she was cute. And cute girls bring in the guy customers who pay for alcohol," muttered Rick.

Logan continued to sit in silence. Braden opened his mouth, but was interrupted when his phone went off. He quietly excused himself to answer the phone.

"Sorry, Logan," whispered Rick.

"Sorry doesn't cut it Rick. You almost fucked up this mission. You're lucky Albearo is still alive," answered Logan as he began to walk out the door.

Once we were out of hearing range, Braden rejoined the group. "That was Tig. He wasn't able to get any prints from the room, so he hacked the traffic cams. He was able to follow the car all the way to the highway before losing it. But he was able to freeze frame the video. He's sending the photo to the Den."

Logan nodded his head. "We really don't need this right now. Especially after Chaos came calling earlier this week."

I nodded my head in agreement. Chaos has been a pain in Logan's and everyone else's ass for some time now. She's like that annoying little sister. Trying to show off how tough, how cool, how awesome she is. Each of her plans work for her, just not for everyone else. She doesn't think about consequences. Yeah, she's breaking out shifters and causing major damage to the Agents. But she is also causing problems within the government. And then the trouble falls into my lap for me to fix. Pain in the ass, if I do say so myself.

So, what did you think? Please comment and tell me your opinions!