The Dark Edge Chronicles - Hardwire

Chapter 27: Shadow of the Beast

"Silvermane," Mordecai ground out between tightly clenched teeth. This couldn't be happening at a worse time!

"Might as well get out of the car. It won't do you that much good to stay in there, anyway," the voice that Mordecai had indicated belonging to somebody named Silvermane went on to say. "My pack could drag you out in short order."

"Pack??" Duffy echoed in confusion.

"Pack," Mordecai confirmed hoarsely, staring hard first through the windshield then out his window. "We're currently surrounded by werewolves, Duffy."

"W-werewolves?" Duffy stammered, looking confused.

"That's right, old man," Another male voice, harsher than Silvermane's, snarled as Duffy's door was jerked open without warning. He was then unceremoniously dragged out of the car to be roughly pinned against the side by a young man that couldn't be more than 17, unshaven and wearing long, shaggy hair that tumbled to the shoulders of his battered old army jacket. He wore a hard look on his sallow features.

"Werewolves," the young man growled, baring lupine fangs as his eyes glowed softly in the low light cast by the overhead lamps.

It was a measure of Silvermane's respect for the big man that Mordecai was allowed to climb out of the car by himself. Still, as soon as his second foot was down on the pavement and he was standing, he found himself surrounded by no less than a full dozen young werewolves, all as equally bedraggled and worn looking as the one that had pulled Duffy out. And equally as grim as they stared hard at the big man.

The familiar form of Silvermane, dressed almost identically to what Mordecai and Jeriko found him wearing several months ago, quickly pushed through his untidy group of followers. A cocky grin was on the young werewolf's face as he came to a halt in front of Mordecai, looking up into the big man's face.

"I can tell by the look on your face, psionic, that this is an unwelcome surprise," Silvermane said in a light tone, hands pushed into the pockets of his faded jeans and his knot of followers all laughed softly. A quick glance revealed that there were at least thirty in total, if not more.

"Well, you know me and unwanted guests, Silvermane," Mordecai replied in a low, even voice, pushing his uncertainty to the back of his mind. If these wolf pups wanted a fight, they would get it, in spades.

"Hey, Silver, look what I found!" the young werewolf that had dragged Duffy out of the car said as he held up Duffy's Walther. "The old geezer was packing!"

Silvermane snorted in open derision.

"Shouldn't have bothered, old timer. That thing wouldn't have hurt us anyway. Ain't that right, psionic?" The young pack leader turned his attention back to the big man in black. "Why don't you tell your friend there how our extra bone armor and redundant systems combine with overall system robustness, increased muscular strength and durability to make werewolves virtually unstoppable?"

"Too bad the mutation that made you into lycanthrops didn't do anything to increase your brain size. Or your good looks for that matter, along with your muscle," Mordecai flatly replied. Silvermane's face darkened as his smile evaporated.

"Not a wise thing to do, pal," he hissed tightly. "Since you got bitch slapped by your ass lover, Ravage, you don't have the wattage to light a fuckin' candle!"

Mordecai's answer was a tight smile.

"You okay over there, Duffy?" he asked over his shoulder. Duffy quickly nodded.

"Other than having this ruffian's filthy paws all over my best jacket, I seem to be unhurt," the old detective muttered, his mind whirling wildly. First the men with the incredible powers. And now werewolves? What was next? Vampires?? He swallowed noisily, knowing that if his knees shook any more, they'd be knocking together. He had never been so scared in his entire life! At least, not that he could remember ...