Wolf’s Bane

Hero remained standing, his expression now back to being unreadable, but he did slightly bow towards his now amused boss. “Thank you, Sir, and your commands are as good as done. I guarantee it. Now, if you will excuse me, I will need to rest now.”

“Oh, aren’t you going to ask about why we’re celebrating tonight?”

“Well, I’m not sure if I should ask but I am definitely curious, Sir.”

“We are having this party because it seems that The Right Hand has been proven to be very much alive!” his half-clothed master gleefully announced.

Hero waited for a bit before allowing a surprised expression to spread on his handsome, clean clean-shaven face. “What? Why that IS a good reason to celebrate, Sir since it proves your theory to be right all along! Do you want me to go search for him now?”

“No, I already have someone else doing that for me. However, I need you to complete your search for more of your former leader’s hidden properties. And make sure that you legally process them to be transferred under my name.”

This was another way of the governor saying that Hero should sort out these so-called “legal” proceedings through their corrupt and under-the-table methods, which Hero was expected to complete easily and swiftly.

That’s one off their “Freedom Plan” checklist…

“As you wish, Boss. However, despite the very valid reason for this special occasion, I will still insist on going back to my room and sleeping since I have travelled quite a long way away. Please allow me just this once to do so,” Hero pleaded, shifting back to the subdued tone that he had used very effectively a while ago.

“Oh, suit yourself, then. But what about your Katana?” asked the governor, his shrewd sadistic smile back on his face. “Do you want it back?”

Hero then used one of his very efficient tactics to get what he wanted from the governor, without being too obvious about it…

“I only took that sword because it’s worth a fortune if offered to the right buyers. I was hoping that you would allow me to keep it so I can sell it, eventually. However, do feel free to decide what you want to do with it. Other than the money I can get from it, it means absolutely nothing to me.”

So far, this is the most award-winning performance the Right Hand had presented that night, hands down…

And it worked!

“Keep the trinket, then Hiromoto. If it’s only worth the money, then I’m not interested. It’s easier to find buyers for my slaves. And yes, you are free to go, my dear Hero-san.”

The Left Hand ignored the hidden innuendo that he could read in the governor’s tone at his last statement, forced a small grateful smile, and then took the sword from his boss along with the scabbard on the sofa. He then sheathed the weapon in a fake haphazard fashion, then bowed slightly at his very gaunt and pale superior, who then slowly stood up and strolled with a Grinch-like grin back into his bedroom.

As Hero was walking towards his own suite, he made a mental note not to make any calls or messages before he swept the room clean of possible bugs. Before, he was sure that the governor never did put these kinds of gadgets in his room because Ed intended to keep their searches of his room a secret.

Now, there was no more hiding the fact and he must react accordingly…

“Congratulations on your Oscar-award-winning performance, Hero,” praised the rough voice in the Left Hand’s head. “Eron would be proud!”

“Yes, and let’s keep using his alias when we talk inside the mansion, shall we? I don’t want to mistakenly use his real name in any conversation here. When we’re with the governor, he’s Aaron Keizer. Remember that, Lyon,” replied The Ogre as he unlocked his front door and entered his massive room.

“Noted, human. Now, let me out so I can sniff out those bugs. I’m already counting two nearby,” his wolf informed him with a growl.

+++

“Hey, Max, how are you now?” The lumberjack boss asked as he walked into the room where his injured foreman was recently moved to after his check-up and doctor’s diagnosis.

“Oh Jack, good to see you. Well, man, I thought something could have happened to you on your way here…”

Jack paused mid-step, not understanding what he had just been told.

“I don’t see what you mean… Uh… Max, you’re the one who was in an accident, so you know what do you want to tell me? What could have possibly happened to me in the few feet that I walked from my parents’ house to here?”

“Oh, well, you know, when you’re near wolves, you never know what could happen to you. Unpredictable animals those are,” the squirrel head stated ominously as he smirked with a sombre, penetrating look that took Jack aback for a bit.

“Ooookaaay…. Note to self, talk to the doctor as soon as I leave the room, and ask if this guy hit his head, too,” Jack whispered to himself, since it was obvious to him that Max wasn’t making any sense with what he was saying…

Or was he?

“Are you talking about werewolves, man? Why would I be near any of those things? Especially without noticing it. What the heck are you saying, dude?”

“I’m just mentioning that there are a few things that I can’t explain myself. Besides, I never said werewolves, though, it was you who said it. And I’m now wondering why you did. Tell me, have you ever been near… a werewolf, Jack?” the hospitalized male asked, his tone becoming mysterious and as serious as his overall look.

Also, Max’s dark brown eyes were now slightly red and wide open as if they were about to pop out of their sockets. Add to that, those deep and swollen dark shadows under his eyes that weren’t there before the fall were now very visible.

And with each pause he made, his volume decreased, almost becoming a whisper as he moved his head closer to Jack’s face. Admittedly, this so-called conversation was becoming too weird to continue with that line of thought, so Jack shifted to another topic. The original one that led them both here…

“So, you said you fell… right? From a tree?”

“Yes, I was up that old oak, when suddenly something hit my forehead. I guess it was a pine cone or something. Because of that, I lost my balance and fell. I was lucky that it wasn’t too high. The doctor said that if I really don’t move my arm and do as he says, I’ll recover sooner. At best, it will be around two or three weeks, he said. But of course, I’m worried about who will help you with the lumberyard.”

Suddenly Max’s tone and face were back to his usual arrogant and self-absorbed look. It was actually so abrupt that Jack started wondering if he had imagined what his team leader said before this moment!

“Don’t worry about that for now. But tell me, what were you doing up in a tree in the first place? Where did that happen?”

“Oh, I was trying to reach something that the wind blew up some high branches. I was just there in the middle of the village and I walked past the tree when it happened. I then thought this item might belong to someone, so I decided it would not harm to get up there and bring it down, you know?”

“Riiight… Okay. I’m glad you called me and also relieved that it wasn’t anything worse. Like I said, don’t worry about anything work-related for now. You have a few days off that you can use and your leave will be paid. And even if this wasn’t a work-related accident, or occurred on lumberyard premises during official work hours, I think the company can help you with your medical bills. I’ll ask Pat what we can do for you, and will see you when you get discharged from the hospital.”

“Sure thing! Thank you, boss. I appreciate the visit too. And be careful as well with the wolves…”

And there he goes again!

That weird, sombre expression… With those words and tone that got inside Jack’s mind against his will, and started to mess with his thoughts. The lumberyard manager couldn’t think of anything to say to that, so he just got up, nodded at his injured employee, and walked out of the man’s hospital room.

“Yeah, werewolves…” Max furiously mumbled. “That would explain a few things about you, Prince Charming! The more reason to get rid of you. And even if that kills me, I’ll make sure that everybody in Mendez knows the monster that you really are, pretty boy wonder!”

A nurse was about to walk inside his room to check on the injured lumberjack foreman and give him some medication for the pain when she heard maniacal laughter coming from the bed’s area. She threw the door open to see where it was coming from, but she saw no one else but the bedridden patient.

And he was pretty straight-faced when he looked at her!

“Oh, good evening, Miss Angela. Pleasant weather we have today, don’t you think?” Max greeted with an innocent smile, as the eyes of the nurse roamed the room looking for a possible source of what she just heard.

The nurse forced a smile, but no words came of her mouth. She rushed to do whatever she had to do in the room, then pretty much ran out as soon as she had the chance.

When she got to the nurse’s station, Angela hurriedly drank a glass of water while a few other co-workers questioned her.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“What happened to you, Angel?” one of her friends asked.

“Yeah, you look pale. Do you feel all right?”

“I don’t know… I might be too tired…”

“You look like you just saw a ghost! You weren’t like that a few minutes ago when I saw you in the hall. Come on, tell us please.” begged another fellow staff worker.

“Well, I just came from room 204 and…” Angela began, then proceeded with her story while everyone listened to the end and they were quite surprised.

But what was more surprising was that she wasn’t the only one that heard something like that…

“Oh…” the other nurse beside her started. “When he was admitted, I had to fix him, I mean, help him change. But when the doctor left his room, I was supposed to immobilize his arm and give him medication, so when I was about to enter his room again after the physician had already left, I heard him talking to someone. As if there was really someone there with him and they were fighting, even yelling and laughing. But when I opened the door, there was no one inside the room with him. That guy really gives me the creeps!”

“Judith, are you mocking me?”

“No! No no no, I swear Angela. And I don’t want to go into his room either.”

The whole hospital was talking about Max in no time, especially since in that small village, everybody knew everyone.