Read Online In the Werewolf's Den by Rob Preece - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rob Preece
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be repeated."
She didn't ask what she was supposed to do about normals who crossed over the line looking for trouble. Yes, sir was the only possible answer—and she gave it.
"All right.” He nodded crisply. “We won't discuss that any further."
Thank goodness. She had a sneaking suspicion that he did know she was involved somehow and was giving her the only warning she was likely to get.
"Back to your current job. Dr. Harriman is important.” He lowered his voice. “Washington thinks that he might be able to come up with a cure to the return of magic. Not just an inoculation, but a full-fledged turn-the-disease-around cure."
Bad news. If Washington thought Carl was important, that meant that she'd be herding for a long time.
"That's what he claims,” she admitted.
"But what do you think?"
"Harriman is smart,” she said. “And he's committed."
Joe nodded. “Don't let him fool you, though, Danielle. Whatever else he is, he's impaired. They don't think the same as people, don't have the same loyalties."
He stood, closed his office door, and sat closer to Danielle, lowering his voice as if afraid of being overheard. “Don't get me wrong, I've got plenty of capable herders here in Dallas. But I've been watching Harriman. He's smarter than any of them. A few weeks and he would co-opt them. I need someone in place who can see through the story he spins and,” his breath was hot in her face, “I need someone who won't hesitate to terminate him if that's needed for the people's safety."
Her face flushed at the compliment, but she knew she hadn't earned it. She knew Carl was smart, but she'd thought about it in terms of being a scientist. She hadn't really thought about how his intelligence meant he could manipulate people around him. Even trained people like Warders. Even suspicious people—like her. She'd tried to be careful, but Danielle was honest enough to face reality. At some level, Carl had gotten through to her. He had manipulated her. She'd been way too careless and if it hadn't been for Joe's warning, she wouldn't even know it.
She promised herself that she wouldn't let up her vigilance: that she'd live up to Joe's confidence in her.
"I understand, sir,” she told him.
"I'm still Joe,” he urged her. He rang his admin and called for coffee, then got down to business.
"Headquarters is always willing to try some scheme that's guaranteed to end the return forever. Of course, they make darned sure some remote district office is stuck holding the bag with any failure. And guess what? It's been ten years and we still have the impaired. Every single plan has failed. They just don't seem to get it that we're stretched thin out here. We need you hunting, not babysitting a tame werewolf.
"I'd like to do what I'm trained for,” she admitted.
"The Academy trained you for anything. What I figure is, if they're going to let an impaired do research, at least we'd give him a herder that he couldn't shake off. Can you imagine what would happen if he was untended? Hell, he might just decide that the magic plague hadn't gone far enough. I'm no scientist, but I'm willing to bet that it would be easier to infect the rest of us than it would be to cure those already impaired."
Joe was right. Danielle nodded grimly. She'd needed this warning.
"I won't let you down, Joe."
"I know.” He paused, then rushed ahead. “I'd like to get you out of herding and into something worthwhile right away, but Washington insists on this project and you're my best hope to keep it from blowing up.” He took a sip of his coffee and leaned forward across the table. “Once the job is over, then we'll get to work on your career.” He chuckled. “Hell, with your grades from the Academy, I won't be surprised to wake up one morning and find out I'm working for you."
Danielle shook her head. She didn't see that happening.
His smile faded. “But first, we've got to get through this mess. If you see any danger, it would be your job
She didn't ask what she was supposed to do about normals who crossed over the line looking for trouble. Yes, sir was the only possible answer—and she gave it.
"All right.” He nodded crisply. “We won't discuss that any further."
Thank goodness. She had a sneaking suspicion that he did know she was involved somehow and was giving her the only warning she was likely to get.
"Back to your current job. Dr. Harriman is important.” He lowered his voice. “Washington thinks that he might be able to come up with a cure to the return of magic. Not just an inoculation, but a full-fledged turn-the-disease-around cure."
Bad news. If Washington thought Carl was important, that meant that she'd be herding for a long time.
"That's what he claims,” she admitted.
"But what do you think?"
"Harriman is smart,” she said. “And he's committed."
Joe nodded. “Don't let him fool you, though, Danielle. Whatever else he is, he's impaired. They don't think the same as people, don't have the same loyalties."
He stood, closed his office door, and sat closer to Danielle, lowering his voice as if afraid of being overheard. “Don't get me wrong, I've got plenty of capable herders here in Dallas. But I've been watching Harriman. He's smarter than any of them. A few weeks and he would co-opt them. I need someone in place who can see through the story he spins and,” his breath was hot in her face, “I need someone who won't hesitate to terminate him if that's needed for the people's safety."
Her face flushed at the compliment, but she knew she hadn't earned it. She knew Carl was smart, but she'd thought about it in terms of being a scientist. She hadn't really thought about how his intelligence meant he could manipulate people around him. Even trained people like Warders. Even suspicious people—like her. She'd tried to be careful, but Danielle was honest enough to face reality. At some level, Carl had gotten through to her. He had manipulated her. She'd been way too careless and if it hadn't been for Joe's warning, she wouldn't even know it.
She promised herself that she wouldn't let up her vigilance: that she'd live up to Joe's confidence in her.
"I understand, sir,” she told him.
"I'm still Joe,” he urged her. He rang his admin and called for coffee, then got down to business.
"Headquarters is always willing to try some scheme that's guaranteed to end the return forever. Of course, they make darned sure some remote district office is stuck holding the bag with any failure. And guess what? It's been ten years and we still have the impaired. Every single plan has failed. They just don't seem to get it that we're stretched thin out here. We need you hunting, not babysitting a tame werewolf.
"I'd like to do what I'm trained for,” she admitted.
"The Academy trained you for anything. What I figure is, if they're going to let an impaired do research, at least we'd give him a herder that he couldn't shake off. Can you imagine what would happen if he was untended? Hell, he might just decide that the magic plague hadn't gone far enough. I'm no scientist, but I'm willing to bet that it would be easier to infect the rest of us than it would be to cure those already impaired."
Joe was right. Danielle nodded grimly. She'd needed this warning.
"I won't let you down, Joe."
"I know.” He paused, then rushed ahead. “I'd like to get you out of herding and into something worthwhile right away, but Washington insists on this project and you're my best hope to keep it from blowing up.” He took a sip of his coffee and leaned forward across the table. “Once the job is over, then we'll get to work on your career.” He chuckled. “Hell, with your grades from the Academy, I won't be surprised to wake up one morning and find out I'm working for you."
Danielle shook her head. She didn't see that happening.
His smile faded. “But first, we've got to get through this mess. If you see any danger, it would be your job
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