Scott drove his Mustang into downtown Hibbert's Corner unusually slowly, as he was being followed by the merry band of sasquatches, then parked along the curb near where the others were assembled. He stepped out of his car and smiled when he saw Zed sitting on the curb, surrounded by the other two vampires, Bernie, and Jane. Bernie was overjoyed when he saw his crew, who had all survived and were none the worse for wear. He bounded up to them, hugging them and congratulating them for having triumphed. Dawn got out as well and embraced her sasquatch friends. Scott walked over to Zed, who rose from the curb, the blanket wrapped around him. He threw his arms around Scott and embraced him.
"Oh man," Zed said, "thank you. Thank you for saving me."
"It's all good, Zed. You woulda done the same for me."
"And it doesn't matter that I'm a werewolf and you're a vampire?"
"Hell no! You're my friend, and that's what counts."
Jeremiah then approached Scott. "I am glad you survived, my friend. And what's more, I wish to apologize for the tone I took earlier with you. I was angry. It was wrong of me to behave in such a manner."
Scott embraced the big vampire. "I deserved it, big guy. How the hell can I do this life without your wisdom and guidance?"
Elizabeth cleared her throat. "Don't even think about hugging me. I'm still pissed at you. Only now, I'm pissed at you for being right."
"Well, would it sweeten the pot if I told you who the mole at the House was?"
"What? Seriously? How did you find out?"
"Direct confession. Right from an outlaw vampire. And I don't think she was lying, at least not this time."
"Was her name Natasha?"
"How did you know?"
"Lucky guess. So, who's the traitor?"
"Adam."
"I told you it could be him!" Jeremiah said. "And did you listen? No, you wished to blame Phaedra who, it turns out, is completely innocent!"
"Shove it, old man," Elizabeth groused. "Anyway, you're right. It's confirmation. Now, to sign out a death warrant. Thanks, Scott."
"You could thank me by being nicer to me, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth thought about it for the briefest moment. "Naw, that ain't gonna happen."
"It was worth a try."
As Elizabeth started to head for her Hummer, she suddenly stopped. "Wait a minute! I hear helicopters!"
"What?" Jane said. "I don't hear anything!"
"Yeah," Scott agreed, "and I also am hearing some large vehicles on the road, heading this way. Sorry, Jane, it's a vampire thing."
But soon, an all-black UH60 Blackhawk roared low over the town, out of which ropes dropped and black-suited commandos fast-roped down. An older but equally black Huey landed at the opposite end of town, and as the commandos began securing the town two men jumped out of the Huey and walked toward the group. One of them was a distinguished looking grey-haired gentleman, wearing a long trench coat and a bespoke suit. The other, Scott recognized as Detective Kevin Ellis of the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.
"Who are these guys?" Jane asked.
"These," Jeremiah answered, "are Ministry."
"Ministry?" Elizabeth said. "A little late to the ball game, don't you think?"
Jeremiah went to greet the older of the two. "Walsingham!"
"Correct," the older man responded in a distinguished British accent. "It is good to see you again, Jeremiah. May I introduce one of our new operatives..."
"Ah, Kevin Ellis."
Kevin extended his hand, which Jeremiah shook. "Nice to meet you, Jeremiah. I've heard a lot about you."
Walsingham nodded toward Scott. "And you must be Scott Campbell, the supposed foretold one of vampiric prophecy."
"Aw, gee," Scott replied. "I guess!"
"So, you Ministry boys are here to clean up the mess and take the credit, as usual?" Elizabeth asked.
"Elizabeth," Walsingham said, kissing her hand, "charming as ever."
"Mr. Walsingham, is it?" Jane Klein asked as she stepped forward. "Jane Klein, reporter for the Hibbert's Corner Community News."
"Ah, a mundane? And a reporter at that. Quite inconvenient."
"The truth is never inconvenient."
"Sadly, it is often inconvenient. You didn't by chance happen to take any photographs of this incident, or of any of these other creatures, did you?"
"No, I was kind of preoccupied."
"Even so, we will need to examine your cellular device, and any cameras you may own. You must understand, we have a need for operational security. It is our task to protect the human race from things they don't think exist. Because if they found the truth, entire governments would fall. Religions would be shaken. The entire fabric of civilization could well be ripped asunder. And nobody wants that."
"So, what exactly are you guys doing here?" Dawn asked.
"And you are?"
"Dawn. Dawn Rhinebeck."
"She's with me," Scott said. "Kind of. In a friend sort of way."
"I see. And where is the being that started all this rot? This 'Mayor Knight' fellow?"
"I nailed him."
"You did not just say that," Dawn said.
"Well, it's the truth!"
Bernie, the sasquatch, walked up to Scott and fist-bumped him.
"And I see we have sasquatches here, as well!" Walsingham said.
"Yup!" Bernie responded. "Me and my posse. My crew. My bros."
"So," Scott asked, "what are you guys going to do about all the former wolves who were freed when Knight bought it? There are a lot of those guys up there in the dell, lying around."
"And they're naked!" Dawn squealed.
"Well, we will process them."
"Process them?" Jane Klein asked. "What the hell does that mean?"
"If you must know, the former werewolves will be taken to a government black site, where they will be rehabilitated. Then, after their memories have been purged, they will be assigned new identities and reintegrated into society."
"Oh, that doesn't sound like a whole lot of constitutional violations, now, does it?"
Walsingham chuckled. "Dear Ms. Klein, you really have no concept, no clue, as to what's going on here."
"Enlighten me."
"Oh, there is much that I can tell you, but then I'd have to kill you."
"Funny."
"Not so much." Walsingham then turned his attention to Zed. "Ah, Zed Mitsubishi. Or Fenrir, in your former iteration. Unfortunately, you were not turned into a werewolf by Schwartzknecht's dark magic, as were the others. You were turned in the wild. Which means, sadly, you are still a werewolf."
"Yeah, I guess so," Zed said, still weak from his ordeal.
Walsingham then motioned to Kevin. "Mr. Ellis? If you would be so kind..."
Kevin reached under his suit jacket, drew his SIG Sauer P220 from a belt slide holster, then walked toward Zed.
"I am most sorry," Walsingham said. "As Zed is still a werewolf, the danger is not over for him. There is, unfortunately, only one solution."
"What?" Scott roared. "Do you mean what I think you mean?"
"I am sorry, Mr. Campbell. Zed must be put down."
Jeremiah restrained Scott as best he could. "Walsingham! What about us! We're vampires! We're monsters, too!"
"Right, but we can have an understanding, a rapport, with the vampire community. Not so with werewolves. They are bloodthirsty animals, with no discretion. They cannot be reasoned with, they cannot be bargained with. And there is no sure way to control them."
"There's gotta be a way!"
"How, then? Would you have us lock Mr. Mitsubishi up in a cage for the rest of his life? Hide him away from his friends and family and all he holds dear? What kind of life would that be?"
Bernie and his posse would have none of it. They all stood around Zed, forming a shield.
"Uh-uh!" Bernie said. "Sorry, dudes, but if you want the little dude here, you gotta go through us!"
The sasquatches all grunted in agreement as they crossed their arms and looked down upon the Ministry operatives. Walsingham simply nodded toward Kevin, who stepped forward.
"We have contacts in the Drug Enforcement Administration who would be interested in—"
Bernie threw up his hands. "Say no more!" The sasquatches parted, and Bernie looked down at Zed with his large, sad eyes. "Sorry, little dude, but they got us. What can I say?"
Zed looked around, at all the creatures and all the men, and at Scott, who was still restrained by Jeremiah. "No, I get it. And I'm okay with it. Really, I am."
"How can you say that, Zed?" Scott cried.
"Look. The guy's right. I'm a monster. I've already killed people. Do you know how that weighs on my conscience? On my soul? There is no way to control what I've become. And so, maybe it's best this way."
Kevin lifted his pistol and pointed the .45 directly at Zed's head. He then looked back at Walsingham. "Are you sure we gotta do this?" he asked.
"Yes, Kevin," Walsingham replied. "We have to do this."
"'Cause, I don't know, I'm not feeling it. I mean, he's kneeling there, unarmed. I don't know about this."
"Kevin, you know it must be done. Get it over with already."
Zed looked up at Kevin, tears in his eyes. "It's okay, man. Do it."
Kevin cocked the hammer of his SIG, trying to amp himself up for the kill, then lowered the gun again. "I dunno. There's got to be a better way."
"For the love of Christ, Kevin!" exclaimed Walsingham. "Do it, already!"
"There is a better way," Emmett Redfern said as he came among the assembled humans and creatures, back in human form and thankfully fully clothed.
"Oh," sighed Walsingham. "What is it, and who are you?"
"I am Emmett Redfern, medicine man and skin-walker. And I am telling you, I think I know of a better way."
"Well, if you do, I'd like to hear it."
Emmett went over to Zed and placed his hand on Zed's shoulder. "As a skin- walker, my spirit animal is the wolf. But the wolf and I, we have an understanding. A mutual respect. As such, I can control the animal within, and I have for years. I think I can teach this young man the way of the skin-walker."
"You think that will work, Emmett?" Scott asked as he calmed himself down.
"Maybe. Perhaps. But it is worth trying." Emmett glared at Walsingham, his eyes narrowed to a squint. "You, you white men, with your governments and your rules, you take what doesn't belong to you and destroy what you do not understand. You think the way of force is always the best way. I am telling you, it is not. Sometimes, there are better ways. I will assume Zed's instruction; I will assume the risk as well."
"Can you guarantee that Zed will pose no risk to the public?" Walsingham asked.
"I can guarantee nothing. Life has no guarantees. But I am sure this can be done," Emmett looked back at Zed, "if it is agreed to."
Zed, wide-eyed, nodded vigorously. "Yeah. Oh, hell yeah. It's definitely agreed to."
"Then it is settled. Come with me, my boy. Come and learn the ways of the skin-walker."
Zed stood up and allowed the old Indian to lead him from the scene. "Do you think I need, like, pants, though?" Zed asked.
"You definitely need pants."
"Well," Walsingham said, "that resolves that. Now, for my next issue, the status of our reporter, Jane Klein."
"You aren't going to silence me," she hissed. "Not for all the money in the world!"
"Right. And how will anyone react to you reporting on sasquatches, vampires, and werewolves? Exactly as they have reacted to anyone else who has investigated such things. You will be dismissed as a kook. And you will never get a serious job in journalism ever again."
"Damn. You've got a good point."
"However, we are willing to help you find a new career direction. Or, maybe even an old one: how would you like your old job at the AP back?"
"Seriously?" Jane gasped. "You can do that?"
"I can make the call right now, if you'd like."
"Well, I'd have to say goodbye to Hibbert's Corner, then."
"You'll have to say goodbye to it anyway. We will be contacting the EPA and having the entire area declared a superfund site. Hibbert's Corner will disappear from the map forever, and the events that occurred here will be labeled an extreme case of mass hysteria."
"You have a cover for everything, don't you?"
"Don't we just." Walsingham turned one more time to Jeremiah. "We're done here. It was good to see you again, though under such negative circumstances. Indeed, I do hope we shall meet again under better ones."
"I should hope so. Take care, Walsingham."
"Kevin? Won't you please join me?"
Kevin Ellis, who had been talking with the sasquatches, snapped to attention, then ran to join Walsingham, as Scott caught his attention.
"Wait, Kevin!"
"Yeah, Scott?"
"You still work at the sheriff's office, right?"
"It's, like, my day job."
"Grace is in trouble. Vampire trouble. Real vampire trouble. Her name is Natasha, and she's out for blood."
"Natasha? We've been tracking her. Looks like we may need to up the urgency, though. I'll definitely keep an eye on Grace. Thanks, Scott."
With that, Kevin headed for the Huey and joined Walsingham as the chopper lifted from the earth.
"Well, it looks like my work here is done," Scott said. Jane went to Scott and took his hand.
"Thank you, Scott, for everything. I can't say it's been an entirely pleasant experience..."
"But it has been an experience?"
"Very much so. I never thought I'd meet an actual vampire, let alone a sasquatch or a werewolf god, but as far as vampires go you're all right."
Jane leaned in and kissed Scott gently on the lips. The kiss was interrupted by Dawn loudly clearing her throat.
"Scott?" Dawn groused. "We need to go now."
"Oh, yeah! Well, best of luck, Jane Klein!"
"See you in the funny pages, Scott Campbell!"
As Dawn and Scott headed towards his car, Bernie once again approached Elizabeth as she began to load up her Hummer.
"Hey there, Elizabeth."
"Hey there, Bernie."
"So! This was fun!"
"No, it wasn't."
"Yeah. Anyway, what do you think about... interspecies romance?"
"Uh, what are you suggesting?"
"I was thinking, you know, would it be cool if, you know, a vampire and a sasquatch could, you know, hook up sometime. I mean, you and me."
Elizabeth looked away in disgust. "Dear God, no."
"Just thought I'd ask."