Hammers in the Shadows

Part Two: Hammers in the Night - Chapter Fifteen

Adam and Brook nodded, surprised, and flipped through the notebook, "That shows that not only was he rogue, he was also a traitor before he decided to leave. Do we know if they were just using Cats, or were there other Weres that were part of the groups?" Adam asked.

I reached over to the printer and grabbed a sheet of paper and handed them the sheet of paper with the names and locations of the known Hammers. "If you will take a look at that you can see that the Crimson Hammers are made up of both wolves and cats." I said grimly, "It details where they are from and what species they are."

Adam sighed, "We are going to need to keep an eye out for them, then. It looks like they were all from communist-block countries, and while I have a few that were, I think part of how we are structured, the fascist ways Russian Communist Party and those that supported it, wouldn't survive in the way I have it set up.

I nodded my head, "I feel pretty much the same way Adam, Anna and I have worked hard to remove any sign of the former organization that we used to have and instead offer a current system that is more equitable." I told him leaning back in my chair. "However, the risk is still there, and I don't want to underestimate what they can do. I'd rather overestimate and find that I took too many precautions rather than underestimate and find out afterwards that I should have done more to guard against them." I told him, "Shanna, Olaf, and Vladimir's younger sister Vera all felt that the Crimson Hammers presented a clear and present danger that wasn't to be scoffed at." I finished.

"We're going to keep an eye out, but not let it be suspicious of our packmates. Doing so would just lay into their hands." Brook stated, "There is nothing more than watch for unusual behaviour to be dealt with."

I nodded, "That is probably for the best, we can't let ourselves be pushed into doing something that we wouldn't normally do." I sighed for a moment as Anna came in and said down in her own chair before sliding it over to mine. "We're also working with Vera to move some of her most vulnerable young people here in order to escape the threat, though we've yet to receive word from her as to how many will accept our solution." I stated while I caught Anna's hand in mine and I couldn't help but smile.

"Gah, Mark can be such a stubborn cat sometimes, but I do love him." She said, "He also thinks too much about the threat posed by those old radicals. While we have more pressing concerns, such as restarting our income and getting the help our cats need."

Adam smiled and nodded, "I know Mark can be, but he's been getting better." Giving a sigh, "Well, I think we've thrashed that topic; have anything else, something happy?"

Anna smiled, "Well we could show you the entire Pride house but first," She opened a drawer in her desk and pulled out a decently sized box and handed it to Brook. "For all you've done for us I commissioned our Master Jeweller to construct this. He had a hand in the originals that were made more than a hundred and thirty years ago."

Brook grinned, "It's lovely. You make more, and they would fetch a fair price. You could offer to make 'replica' ones of the old ones, and many museums would happily pay for them."

"Look in the box Brook, you deserve one as much as Adam does, and they are new, reflecting our new Pride name and location." Anna said, her excitement hard for her to contain, I had to remember that she was still eighteen years younger than I was and sometimes she still had the enthusiasm of youth.

Brook opened the box and gasped at the two new Pack Friend necklaces. She passed the masculine one to Adam, and pulled on the other one, "Thank you!" It was their first one, but they were very valuable, as they were very rarely given out.

"That egg is very special, I think Mark had it commissioned, since he feels that strongly about how much you've assisted us." She said happily before standing up and giving Brook a tight hug. "You have done so much to assist us in getting established that there is no thanks that we can give you that can possibly repay that debt."