Of Wolves and Spies

Chapter 19

Link's sudden interruption caused everyone to swivel their chairs in surprise.      "What's impossible?" "What's going on, what in the blue blazes is he going on about?"                 "Wonder what's got his nickers in a twist."

Jared, tired of all of the interruptions, growled out through pinched lips,                      "Be quiet."

At any other point in time, Elizabeth would have allowed herself to be amazed at just how quickly everyone quietened down but right at that moment she was more focused on Link's intent gaze.

"Beth, have you read this?" Even though she had known that there was no other logical explanation for the data presented in that folder, Elizabeth couldn't help but breath out a sigh of relief that she hadn't gone completely insane.

Although, how werewolves are a logical explanation I have no idea.

Not wanting to give her own suspicions away until he confirmed them, Elizabeth decided to keep her answers as succinct as was possible. Nodding her head, she simply said,

"Yes, I have."

Her response caused Link's cheeks to turn a whiter shade of pale and that was all the confirmation that she required.

She was correct.       Elsen's science project was founded on his knowledge of the existence of werewolves. Werewolves exist.       And they have Ava.

Whether that comforted Lizzy, she couldn't quite tell.

On the one hand, if Elsen had had Ava then this whole debacle would have been over with already, and she and Mike could have finally had the time to discuss how their little family was going to work. And she knew that it would work, with time and patience and hard work. But finally having their family together would be more than worth the effort it would require to make it work in the long run.

But on the other hand, if Elsen had gotten his grubby little hands on Ava, there's no telling what he might have done to her. Lizzy knew that Elsen was, clinically speaking, insane. He exhibited all of the classic signs of a psychopath, his lack of remorse over his imprisonment and experimentation on innocent people, his apparent grandiose sense of importance, his sense of entitlement over these people, that he is superior, and this makes him extremely unpredictable. His need for power over people, to inflict harm for his own perverse pleasure, means that if he had Ava in his possession, then she was in a great deal of danger.

It is because of this that she was praying, with all of her heart, that her daughter had been taken by the werewolves. At least they seemed to lack the desire to hurt a child, if Elsen's notes are anything to go by. It was one of the things that he despised in them, their lack of desire to harm someone who had not wronged them, that they didn't hurt or kill just for the pleasure of it, there was always a purpose.

"How in the heck is this possible?"   I haven't got a clue, Link. But I'll let you know once I figure it out

"I don't know, all I know is that it's true."   "Yes, the proof is undeniable, but how is it possible, and how did Elsen find out?"

"Those are some excellent questions Link, but as I said before, I haven't a clue as to how any of this is possible or how he stumbled across them, I can only conclude that he saw one or more at some point. Did you read the last page?"

The most damning piece of evidence in that whole file. My own unwitting complicity in this catastrophe... I should have known

As if Mike could sense the rabbit hole her thoughts were heading towards, he quietly stretched out his hand and gently placed it on her thigh. In silent thanks for the comfort he unconsciously provided, she coyly took his hand in hers and gave it a light squeeze.