Warslave

Chapter 12: The Coven

The Wolf

Most of the briefing passed by Wolf without him really picking up on it. He knew the important parts: no tech support and he wasn't allowed to wipe out the Coven. He had placed his sword against the side of a table, still in its scabbard, and his hand kept a firm grip on the weapon.

He didn't need the briefing. He didn't need someone to tell him what not to fight and who not to kill. He needed to know the ones he could kill. That was his job.

He'd figure that out when he and the surgeon would speak to the Coven in question. First he had to get his gear checked though, a moment that Max made eager use of to hand him some extra supplies.

"I finished that projector. The Coven's probably heard what happened last time you ran into a wraith, so there's odds they keep one as a backup in case shit goes south. Now, you're unlikely to use haywires, so I took the liberty not to pack any, and made an accidental error to have them replaced with some extra mercury shots."

"Thanks. Anything non-standard?"

Max nodded.

"Gift from a friend. Said she had a favour to return, and you'd find this... well, not useful, but calming. Maybe."

Wolf looked at the wooden box Max put on the table.

"Knives? I've plenty of those."

"These are for cooking. Cost a fortune, apparently, but Aurora said she owed you a big one."

"Oh, that."

"I had a question about that though. Just curiosity really, but I couldn't help but notice Aurora was absent after you beat Whirlwind. I'm not gonna pry too much, but my guess is that was deliberate on your part: why?"

Wolf shrugged.

"Caracal was about to get in a fight."

"That's it?"

"Those two are gonna have to talk about their respective positions on killing. And preferably not in a heated argument because they have clashed over it. So... I had her leave before Caracal killed anyone."

"... You are spending way too much time thinking about this, you know?"

"Fully aware, yes."

Max sighed as Wolf put a notebook on the table.

"What is this?"

"All the intel Caracal will need for her date. We put a lot of work into this."

"We?!"

"Everyone's strangely supportive about this."

"I mean... good on you. But also what the fuck?"

"You know us."

"Stupidly thorough?"

"I was thinking overprotective and incredibly meddlesome, but sure, that works."

"Definitely. Now get your stuff and get going."

"Sure. Keep an eye on the others, alright?"

"Always."

Wolf suspected that Weiss had them set up in Phil's bar so that he could personally check the place, and probably threaten the bartender while he was at it. It mattered little. Phil wasn't dumb enough to do anything stupid, or so Wolf hoped, and Wolf would barely be at their base.

He would meet up with Iph somewhere in an abandoned building. It was a testament to the kind of place Hellpit was that the building was new, and already in disrepair, with no one looking after it. Wolf found himself looking for small rocks, throwing them at whatever bugs he sensed around him.