Chapter 4 Sunday

Rom looked in the rear view mirror. They were all there and buckled in: six fidgety scouts, five in the back, and Kit in the front passenger seat--with Rom as the only presumed adult.

"OK, OK, we're going," said Rom, as Kit held his arm in front of Rom's nose and pointed at his watch..

Chaba came up to the driver's side window as Rom started up the van.

"It's good you're going now," said Chaba. "It's been confirmed. There are two FBI agents here and they've narrowed their search to the Vet School."

"I'm really sorry about all this," said Rom.

"What's done is done. You haven't done it again, have you?"

"No sir."

"Good. Now get out of here."

"Do you think we should report this?" asked Sam from behind the wheel of the car.

"Yeah, sure. As if anyone would believe us" said Elliot. "Anyway, we don't have any evidence of him being the computer hacker, and as far as I know, It's not a federal crime to be a werewolf." Elliot pointed as the van they were following pulled on to route 81 south. "Watch it. Don't follow too close. No. I wouldn't tell anyone yet. I'm not even sure why we're tailing him. This isn't the way you look for a hacker."

"Forget the damned hacker," said Sam. "This is much more useful."

"What do you mean, 'useful'?"

"Come on. You're the friggen animal lover here. Wouldn't you like to be a werewolf."

"What are you talking about?"

"If they bite you, you turn into a werewolf. Isn't that the way it goes? Just think," said Sam, "you could hunt and kill with no remorse. God. What a power."

"Sam. I didn't think you were so bloodthirsty."

"Aren't you?"

"No." Elliot laughed. "You're not really thinking of getting yourself bitten, are you?"

"I don't know. Just a thought," said Sam. "And I'm not married, so I wouldn't have to tell any wife or kids."

"Ah, Sam. You should have married. Marriage is a civilizing influence."

"Married to the agency," said Sam. "Happily married for forty years. But you should talk."

"What? Because of my divorce? What's the old saying? It's better to have loved and lost than never to have lost at all."

"Very funny." Sam followed the van as it turned off onto the Clark's Summit exit.

Elliot grew thoughtful. "But yes, I've got to admit it would be interesting being a werewolf - to be an animal, experiencing the forest with super hearing, smell and sight. What an experience that would be."

"You're a romantic bunny-hugger, Elliot. The animal world is only hunter and prey. A wolf is a hunter, and that's my nature as well. That's why I joined the Agency."

Driving around Clark's Summit, Rom searched for, and found, a Burger King. The cubs needed lunch and a few of them desperately needed a bathroom.

After trying unsuccessfully to get their hamburgers raw, Rom and the Scouts brought their food to the tables.

"By the way, Cat," asked Rom. "Did you give the vial to your dad?"

"Vial? You mean that little package you gave me at scouts?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, gosh. I forgot. What was it? Was it important?"

Rom put his hands around Kit's neck and pretended to strangle the boy. "Your dad wanted it for his conference in Budapest." He released his grip. "I guess he'll get along without it."

"What is it?"

"Lycanthrozine."

"Oh."

Sam pulled their car into the Burger King customer parking area. Elliot leaned over for the briefcase on the back seat. 'Covert Kit number one', he called it. Most of the devices were not FBI issue, but toys Sam had bought with his own money. Even though he'd rarely used the kit, he liked having it in the car. 

Sam rummaged through the foam-fitted case, ignoring the night-vision binoculars, the phone tap, voice activated recorder, and sub-miniature camera. He pulled out the radio tracking bug and its receiver. "I've always wanted to use this."

Sam got out, casually walked by the rear of Rom's van, dropped his newspaper, bent to pick it up, and popped the magnetic-mount, radio beacon on the inside of the Van's bumper.

At the motel that night, Rom finally managed to get the kids to stop jumping up and down on the king-size bed, and settle down into their sleeping bags. Looking at the kids, he felt overwhelmed with the responsibility Chaba had given him. Rom scanned the sleeping faces. They were good kids, at least while they were sleeping. He let his glance fall on Kit, and saw the boy's eyes snap shut.

The little stinker. He's just pretending to be asleep. I wonder why? Just excited, probably.