When Sophia had seen the news reports last night and realized what had happened to all those people Cecelia had been keeping in the mine she had thrown up. Then had spent an uneasy rest of the night trying to sleep with four snoring wolves sleeping in various places around the room. They had let her have the bed but she hadn't felt comfortable enough to sleep. After check out time at the motel they had piled into Thomas' Jeep and drove back up the mountain parking a little below the mine in a cluster of trees that hid them from the patrolling authorities. As Cody said, 'We can always just say we're camping.'
Now, Sophia sat in the open door of the Jeep with her chin braced on her hands. The fading light of the sunset gilded everything with golden light. She stared at the crazy group of men standing in front of her. They were all grinning like idiots at their brilliant plan.
"Aw, come on, Sophia! It'll be fun." Thomas begged her again.
"I don't see this as fun," she shook her head. "I see this as illegal."
"Desperate times, Sweet Cheeks!" Philtzer grinned at her.
"I'm not that desperate."
"Oh come on. You wanted to help." Thomas reminded her.
"And you're the only one of us that has been in the mine." Hamilton offered.
"You don't even know if your friends are still in there." She shook her head.
"If Madraeus hasn't made contact with us then he is still in the mine." Thomas crossed his arms.
"Come on, please...pretty please...with ice cream? Pretty please with ice cream and cherries," Philtzer pleaded grinning, "and me on top?"
"Eww!" Hamilton groaned.
"Dude!" Thomas shook his head.
"Seriously!" Cody shoved Philtzer.
"I don't care what you put on top!" Sophia laughed, "I'm not going in there!"
"But, Soph, if you come with us then there's a chance we Won't get caught." Hamilton tried again for logic. "If you don't then we'll be blundering around forever."
"That may be, but I don't think I can lie to the cops down there to you get you in."
"You won't have to," Philtzer knew he was gaining ground. "We'll do all the talking."
"That won't help!" Sophia cried, "Just looking at my face they'll know! I'm a terrible liar."
"What if you went as the police dog instead of Cody?" Hamilton shrugged.
"Then if I have to shift, I'll be naked!" She shook her head.
"Don't worry," Philtzer grinned, "we won't mind."
"I will!"
"We promise not to look," Hamilton said while punching Philtzer.
Sophia sighed. She was running out of arguments, but then she had a sudden thought. "You don't have a police uniform!"
"Ah ha!" Thomas grinned and bounded to the back of the Jeep. He dug around for a moment and then produced a police uniform.
"Where did you get that?"
Thomas grinned stupidly, "Don't ask."
"Come on," Philtzer prodded one more time, "It'll save a life."
"A couple of lives," Hamilton added.
Sophia looked from face to face. Then rubbed her forehead. "Alright."
"YES!" Philtzer bounced forward and kissed the top of her head, "Thank you!"
"So who gets to wear the uniform?" She asked as she stood.
"Either Phil or Hamy," Thomas tossed the uniform to Philtzer. He shook it out and held it up then started to put it on.
"It's a little tight." He complained trying to close the buttons.
"Give it here," Hamilton held a hand out. He pulled the shirt on and fasten them with no trouble. Then pulled the pants on.
"See," Thomas grinned, "you are the size of a girl."
"Shut up," Hamilton growled.
"Flashlight." Cody said tossing it Hamilton. He flicked it on and off again to make sure it worked.
"Alright," Philtzer started to pull his shirt off. Thomas and Cody followed suit. "We'll stick to the trees around the edges and be ready for you. Sophia, if you wanna shift, we'll put a leash on you. Then you and Hamy can walk up to the shaft house."
She looked around awkwardly.
Philtzer grinned. She was still shy around them. "Come on boys. Give the lady some privacy." He herded the guys to the back of the Jeep to finish striping. After few moments Sophia appeared at the back of the Jeep in wolf form.
Thomas whistled appreciatively when he saw her. Sophia's ears flattened against her head.
"Sorry." He apologized.
Philtzer held out the collar and leash he had rummaged out of the back. Reluctantly she stepped forward. Sophia's soft brown eyes stared up at him.
"It's only for a little while," he said softly as he buckled it around her neck. "You'll be back and free before you know it."
Hamilton picked up the leash and looped it around his wrist. Then straightened his borrowed uniform. "How do I look?"
"Here put this on." Cody handed him a jacket. "I'll hide the fact that you don't have a gun belt."
"That better?" Hamilton asked pulling the jacket down to hide his missing belt.
"Good enough. I hope." Philtzer grumbled then shifted.
"Ladies first," Hamilton bowed and gestured toward the shaft house.
They picked their way down the mountain in the fading light. As they neared the clearing in front of the shaft house the three wolves faded into the trees. Hamilton and Sophia waited a moment. She looked up at him then back at the police cars parked around the building.
"Don't tell, Thomas," Hamilton whispered, "but I'm as nervous as you."
Sophia whined softly then together they stepped out into the yard. They slipped under the police tape and moved out into the open. She took a winding route around the cars to avoid most of the officers. A couple of men glanced up as they approached the building but otherwise no one seemed to be paying attention to them. She led him to the elevator and they descended into the darkness below.
"So far so good." He breathed.
At the bottom of the elevator shaft he flipped on the flashlight. Then she led him down a series of tunnels to where she remembered finding the cells full of people. There were several people in forensic clean suits working in different areas of the tunnel. Quietly they moved past them trying to act as if they belonged there. Sophia started sniffing the floor of the tunnel searching for a scent she barely remembered. She stopped for a moment and glanced at Hamilton. He was watching her closely.
"Can't find his scent?"
Sophia whined.
"Alright." Hamilton looked around and walked her a little farther down the tunnel. When they were out of site he shifted into wolf form and shook off the police uniform. He ran back and forth across the tunnel until he picked up their trail. He looked to Sophia and growled softly. She trotted forward and sniffed the place he had indicated. She had it now.
Hamilton shifted back into human form and quickly redressed. Then he picked up her leash and they ran down the tunnel following Madraeus' scent.
They crisscrossed back and forth through tunnels. A couple of time they had to slow down and pretend to be a K-9 Unit again when they came across other officers searching the tunnels. They found an underground lake and passed tunnels containing more cells that were being inspected by forensic units.
Sophia shook her head and growled softly when they started back along a tunnel they had already been down.
"Are we lost?" Hamilton shined the light around.
Sophia sat down and looked up at him. She whined.
"You're gonna have to be a little more specific." He shined the light at her.
She snorted and cocked her head.
"I know you're annoyed with me, but I only speak wolf when I'm a wolf." He shrugged.
Sophia stood and paced around behind him. He watched her until she growled at him. He faced away from her.
"I said," She whispered from behind him, "I have never tracked someone like this and I'm not even sure about their scent."
"Oh." Hamilton shifted feeling embarrassed. "You wanna switch? I know who we are looking for."
"I guess." Sophia huffed and started to unbuckle the collar. "Otherwise we are going to be at this for the rest of our lives."
Hamilton started to shift but they heard someone coming down the tunnel.