"The drivers are bailing and running for the vans following them," Jon said, "and the backs are opening and lycans are just pouring out."

  "How many do you think we have down there in Lockwood?" Jon called out on the intercom.

  "Five or six hundred," Dirk called from the back.

  "Drop us off over there, on the high ground," Jon said to George and pointed to a spot. "Then start shuttling people up here to support us."

  "What about the other group?" George asked.

  "They're probably headed to Sean's. These are either headed to Claudia's, or worse yet, Reno."

  George swore. "If they get into Reno, we're all in trouble."

  "What the hell was with that van? And who were those people who ran off?" Kev asked.

  "Maybe they pulled out their magic users?"

  "Dear lord, I hope so!" Brandt called.

  "Wilma Two, drop your magic users with us," Jon called over the radio. "We need to deal with this bunch NOW!"

  George came down fast to a hover and they all jumped out, and Jon closed the door behind him as he leapt down to join his men. They had the high ground, but there were only twenty of them against a force thirty times that.

  Wilma Two came in a lot more carefully. It took the magic users a couple of minutes to get out, then it took off, also racing back to their base to start getting troops.

  "Who's in charge here?" an older gray-haired man asked. Jon recognized him immediately.

  "I am, Arthur!"

  "Is that all of them?"

  Just then another small explosion went off in the distance, over by the concrete plant where the rest of the trucks were.

  "No, but these are the ones we're most worried about. Can you tell if they have any magical support?"

  Arthur looked down into the small community. The sounds of shooting were starting to filter up.

  "And please, Sir, take cover?"

  Arthur and the others quickly dropped down to their knees as Arthur started to order his people, one of whom immediately started to cast something.

  "What are they shooting at down there?" one of the mages asked.

  "Locals," Brandt said as his squad got set up. "Apparently the locals got spooked by a couple hundred armed men and women showing up in town. So if you can do anything to slow 'em down until more of us get here, we'd appreciate it."

  #

  Sean looked down at the map as he listened to the reports of the helicopters coming in over the radio. He'd wanted to go out and lead the attack, but both Roxy and the First had warned him that it wasn't his place and there'd be consequences if he didn't listen.

  He wasn't sure whose threats worried him more. Probably Roxy's, as the First could only kill him once, while Roxy's anger could last a hell of a lot longer.

  "They're fanning out and shifting into wolf form!" Granite called on the radio, his team was one of the first that had been deployed.

  "Falcon One, where are they headed?" Sean called on the radio.

  "Northwest, and they're really legging it! I think you're gonna have company here real soon!"

  "How many?"

  "Damn, I dunno! A thousand? More?"

  Sean swore and looked at the map. There were a lot of terrain features between here and there that would help to slow them down. That was a good thing.

  There was also a rather large neighborhood and a couple of smaller ones. That wasn't such a good thing.

  "Oak!"

  "Yes, Sean?" Oak asked, poking his head back into the office.

  "Get the artillery uncovered, break out the machine guns." Sean looked at the map. "I want machine gun crews here, here, and here," he said, pointing to a few of the hilltops to the southwest of their expected line of advance, "along with all the snipers we got. Get them running out there now, we need to try and herd them towards us and keep them out of Sun Valley, or there's gonna be hell to pay. Go!"

  "What are we going to do when they get here?" Roxy asked.

  Sean shook his head. "Let's worry about getting them here first." Sean keyed the radio, "Falcon One, Falcon Two, do you think you can keep them from getting too spread out and herd them here?"

  "I don't know, there's a lot of 'em, Sean."

  "Do what you can! Don't let them get into Sun Valley. See if you can't steer them around any of the larger neighborhoods. Granite!"

  "Yes, Sean?" Granite came back on the radio.

  "Where are their magic users?"

  "There aren't any!"

  "What?"

  "I checked with Claudia's people, they all pulled out as soon as they dumped their wolves!"

  "Where are Claudia's people?"

  "Lockwood, about a third of the attackers got dumped there. They got Sapientia's magic users working some kind of big-ass sleep spell. They're trying to put everyone on the edge of town to sleep or something. I didn't quite catch it, but they think they can take out the majority of them before they get into Reno."

  Daelyn looked up from the phone she was using to talk to the other lycan leaders. "Chad's wolves, Jorge's boars, and the rest of Claudia's forces are racing there as we speak to block them off from town."

  "Roxy, better call your father and give him a heads up," Sean said and went back to looking at the maps. "How the hell do we stop a thousand wolves without killing all of them?"

  "Hell, how do you kill a thousand wolves?" Roberta asked.

  "Artillery, of course," Sean sighed and shook his head. "We're not going to be able to keep this quiet."

  "Why are they attacking us?" Cali asked.

  "Huh?" Sean asked, looking at Cali.

  "Why are they attacking us?" she asked again with a smile.

  "Because they were ordered to! Why else?"

  "But don't lycans have to be forced to do something like this? And didn't Granite just say their magic users all left? Who's forcing them now?"

  Sean blinked. "It couldn't be that easy."

  "I'm sure it won't be," Cali smiled, "but you're a god, right?"

  'Dad?'

  'You won't get all of them, but you may get most of them.'

  "Might as well give it a shot." Sean keyed the radio again, "Falcon One and Two, see if you can't herd them here without killing any of them. Granite and Roy," he called to the two strike teams that had been dropped by the helicopters, "try and use your teams to pick up the stragglers. If you can, let them know we got rid of their mages, they're on their own now."

  All four of them acknowledged his orders.

  "Someone make sure our teams out on the hilltops know about that. Peg, Jo, Rob, I'm gonna need your help. Philo!" Sean called out, "I need you too! And find Markey and see if he wants to help."

  "What are you gonna do?" Roxy asked, looking up from the phone she was now talking to her father on.

  "See if we can't get them to surrender. Not like anyone's cracking the whip on them now, right?"

  "But they don't know that!"

  "Yup, and it's our job to tell them," Sean said, nodding his head.

  "And just how do you plan on doing that?"

  Sean shook his head. "One thing at a time, Rox, one thing at a time."

  #

  Lucas sat behind the driver of the tour bus. The others had messaged him that they'd dumped the wolves, gotten in the vans, and were hightailing it out of here as fast as they could. Apparently Valens had discovered them and had opened fire on their trucks, killing Jake and Henry, who'd been in the lead vehicles. So they were getting away while Valens' people were now occupied with the lycans they'd released.

  According to the revised plan he'd been given by Adams a few days ago, which he'd had to pass on to the others, the wolves they were releasing were all now just a diversion. The Prime team was going to be the ones to ambush Valens from behind, while all of his forces were dealing with the wolves' attack on Reno and his home. This was why they were being let go so far from the actual target location: to create mayhem and to draw off as many defenders as possible.

  That was all a lie, of course. Adams had called him on the secure magical phone they'd been using early this morning. The wolves were a diversion, but they weren't there to let the Primes ambush Valens. No, they had a more important target: the president of the United States.

  Adams had it on the highest level that the president's jet would be landing in Reno, at a National Guard airport to the north. All the wolves had been ordered to infiltrate Reno and the area surrounding the airport. The president was due to land at exactly two-thirty. At three-ten, all the wolves on the 'diversion' team were to shift into their hybrid forms just outside the base and start their attack.

  The Primes would have already spread out to several key areas around the base before this, and once the others attacked, they'd use that diversion to go after the president. Only Lucas and the Primes knew the president was going to be there. The others had all been told that their target was in a house just to the north of the airfield. Lucas was a little worried about the timing; if those idiot wolves showed themselves too early, the president might not land.

  And then there was his own personal survival to worry about. Adams had promised him a large reward if he pulled this off successfully, getting the Primes in position and at the very least making it 'look good', as Adams had put it. To do that, Lucas had to be here on the bus right up until they deployed. The bus would have to stay here, just to the west of the airfield, as it housed the repeater for the team's radios.

  So this meant he'd have to walk out of here on his own two feet. Lucas had no doubt that everyone in the area would be rounded up and questioned after the assassination of the president, even if it failed. He'd have to find a ride out of the area the moment the attack started so he could be well away when the aftermath hit.

  "We're here!" Wals, the driver, called out.

  Lucas looked at his watch; it was a quarter after two. He gave a sigh of relief and looked around the bus as the team members all got out of their seats and prepared to file out the front door. Their clothing was varied, and some carried backpacks, while others had messenger bags. No two looked the same. None of them appeared to be carrying any weapons at all.

  "Before you go," Lucas said and picked up the heavy box that was sitting on the seat besides him, "I thought it only fair to pass these out beforehand, as you won't be returning to the bus."

  "What's that?" Streak, who was first in line, asked.

  "A small token of appreciation from Mr. Adams himself," Lucas smiled despite his own personal feelings. To be wasting this kind of money on these pampered animals was a crime, but orders were orders, and Adams had been quite clear. Pulling out one of the bars, he handed it to Streak.

  "Is that gold?" Streak said, looking up at him.

  Lucas nodded. "Five ounces. They're small, so they're easy to carry, but each bar is worth over five grand. Mr. Adams didn't want any of you to think that your years of service weren't appreciated by him."

  "Wow! Thank him for us when you see him next," Streak said and, taking off his pack, he stuck the bar in it, shook hands with Lucas, and headed out the door.

  Lucas was surprised that each member of the team shook hands with him and thanked him when he handed them their bars.

  Lucas turned to Quick and his second in command, Tank, as they came even with his seat. They were the last two off the bus.

  "Good luck," Lucas said to Quick as he stopped and turned to him.

  "We don't need luck," Quick snorted, and Tank laughed. "We've got skill. But there's one thing I wanted you to know before we left."

  "Oh?" Lucas asked, curious despite his low opinion of these animals.

  Quick moved quickly, as his name implied, grabbing Lucas' right hand with his left as Tank seized Lucas' left with one hand and his neck with the other. Using his thumb, Tank pressed down hard on Lucas' Adam's apple to keep him from speaking.

  "I've never liked you, and well, Adams told me this morning that he'd need someone to take the fall for him, and guess what?" Quick smiled at him. "That's you!"

  Pulling out a revolver with his right hand, Quick pressed it into Lucas' hand, and then slowly forced the barrel of the gun up until it was under Lucas' chin, keeping Lucas' hand wrapped around the pistol's grips.

  Lucas struggled, eyes wide with fear. But there was no way he could fight off one of these animals, much less two; physically he was no match for either lycan. His magic was his only weapon, but with his hands and voice restrained, there wasn't a damn thing he could do.

  "Don't worry, it'll be fast, you won't feel a thing," Quick said as he pressed the barrel hard under Lucas' chin, and both he and Tank leaned away as Quick forced Lucas' finger onto the trigger and then pressed down on it, the loud sound of the pistol discharging making their ears ring.

  "Damn, give me a wet-nap," Tank bitched, having released his grip just as the gun went off. "I got his blood all over my left hand.

  "Just don't leave any prints," Quick warned, "or evidence."

  Tank snorted. "Please, this isn't my first time, you know that."

  Quick laughed and pulled out a package of towelettes. "No, it isn't. I'll meet you outside."

  Tank nodded, took the package, and carefully cleaned his hand off, making sure not to leave any bloody fingerprints behind.

  "Oh, don't want to forget these!" Tank said as he stopped to grab one of the two remaining bars out of the box Lucas had dropped.

  "Grab mine too; I'll get it from you later."

  "Sure thing, Quick," Tank said and, picking up the second bar, he tossed them in his pack and left the bus.

  Quick took a small magical device out of his pocket and, pressing the button on the end, he pointed it at Lucas' still twitching corpse, blood flowing from both the entry and exit wounds. The corpse and everything around it suddenly went still. The spell would last about two hours, so when the body was finally found, it would look like Lucas killed himself shortly after the attack when he realized he couldn't get away.

  Smiling, Quick pocketed the device and followed Tank outside, stopping to lock the doors of the bus. They wouldn't be coming back here. Adams had told him personally when he'd spoken to him this morning that if they did this, their reward would be their freedom, that they'd never be called on again. Quick knew a lot of them would probably die today; taking down the president wasn't going to be an easy mission. But the prospect of being free once they'd completed this final task had all of them more than willing to take the risk.

  Some would live, some would die, but the pack would go on, and it was all about the pack, after all.

  #

  "So, what are we going to do?" Roberta asked as they looked out to the southeast. Off in the distance you could see the helicopters doing their best to try and herd the mass of wolves heading their way and drawing quickly closer.

  "Still thinking," Sean said and looked around at what he had to work with. Roxy and Oak were organizing a skirmish line to either side of him and the others. They were all standing at the top of the hill, so the wolves would be coming up at them from below.

  Roxy stopped what she was doing and came up to him.

  "Granite just called on the radio," she said with a worried look.

  "What's wrong?"

  "They managed to stop a couple of the wolves and told them about their mages being gone, but it doesn't matter."

  "Why not?" Sean growled.

  "Because they're all wearing bomb collars!"

  "What the fuck?" Sean swore. "Bomb collars?"

  "Yup. They have to get to your place, then attack when given the signal. If they don't, their collars go off. If they don't get to your place fast enough? The collars go off. If they head in the wrong direction, the collars go off, and so on and so on."

  "But there's no mages here! Who's going to trigger them?"

  "They said the Primes would do it."

  "Who the hell are they?"

  Roxy shrugged. "No idea, but they are wearing collars and there's a little flashing light on them as well."

  "Contact Claudia's people, let them know." Sean turned to the mass of people forming up. "Anyone here know anything about bombs and explosives?"

  Daelyn raised her hand.

  "You do?"

  "Well, duh! I'm a dwarf. You think we just used pickaxes to make those tunnels?"

  "Call your uncle, ask him for help, then get over here and let's see what we can do."

  "What about their silver pellets?" Peg asked.

  "Anybody got an inventory on how many extra collars and tags we got?" Sean asked, looking around.

  "Eighty-six," Roxy said. "I told Minnie to gather them up, and I've got Tracer and the other Vesti wolves we picked up forming teams to handle processing."

  "Why them?"

  "Cause they're all from the places these wolves came from. Maybe they'll know enough of them to calm them down," Roxy said.

  "She's got a point," Peg pointed out, "I can't think of anything scarier than a blinking light on a bomb wrapped around my neck."

  "Why the hell did they put bomb collars on them?" Sean grumbled and turned to look at the approaching dust cloud.

  "Because silver's no longer a threat, obviously," Daelyn said, rolling her eyes. "Now, what do we do about that?" she asked, and pointed down the hill.

  "I need to make them all stop and listen to me so I can try and influence them." Sean noticed the leading edge had reached the bottom of the rise. "I'm totally open to suggestions."

  "Oh, well then!" Markey said. "Do you think a fifty-foot tall glowing lion in a sea of darkness just might slow them down?"

  Sean blinked and looked over at Markey, who was standing there in his fedora, smiling.

  "Go for it," Sean said and shifted into his full lion form.

  "Peg, if you would be a dear?" Markey asked and held out a hand to her.

  Peg smiled at the big rabbit. "Always a pleasure!" she said and took his hand, grabbed Roberta's with her other hand, who then grabbed Jolene's, who put a hand on Sean's back.