Were in the City Ch. 20

"Yes, I understand."

Jessie nodded and let go of his hand. "Do you know where things like tranquillizers guns, stun batons and silver collars are kept?"

"Yes, there is a storage area by the cells with those things."

"Good, show that area to Liam and Jacob after you free them. Go to the cells now and release Liam and Jacob de Vries."

Tim left again. Jessie got Beth up on the bed and looked at her hand. Unable to do anything to fix it right away, Jessie ripped up a sheet to make a sling to keep it from further damage.

"Will you be able to move around?"

Beth nodded, "I should be good."

She looked at Beth, "Ok, we clear the house and look around."

It took them about 20 minutes. It turned out that having a prisoner boldly walk up to them startled people just long enough for Jessie to get her bare hand on some bare body part. The expression on the man they found in the shower was especially priceless. When they were done there were seven men and two women sleeping in various rooms.

"Beth, wait here inside the front door for the twins. I'm going to go wake up Jack and find out more about who else is around."

Jessie returned to her room and grabbed Jack Richards' hand. "WAKE UP BUT LIE STILL. OPEN YOUR EYES AND BREATHE." Once his eyes focused on her, she said "You will answer all my questions truthfully." She'd never felt someone as strong fight her command as hard as Jack did, but she knew she was stronger ... and her command worked. She shuddered at the hatred, the desire to hurt her that radiated from him.

"We found nine people in this house. How many others are in the area and where would they be right now?"

Fury in his eyes, Jack answered, "About 35 I think. In the house, the cells, the warehouses, and the checkpoints."

"How many are due to return from Ontario, and when are they coming back?"

"Twelve. They are supposed to return tomorrow afternoon."

"Which Richards are with them?"

"Joseph, Peter, and Frank."

Jessie laughed softly, "Wonderful. I'll get my hands on everyone but the senior members. I think you are starting to get an idea of what that means, aren't you?"

Jack choked out a "Yes."

"When are Mark and Stephen due back from their trip?"

"Next week. Monday."

Jessie sighed, "So which of you was going to be my baby's daddy? Had you all decided yet, or were you going to draw straws?"

Jack tried really hard not to answer. Jessie wondered if the veins in his neck were going to pop before he answered, but he finally groaned and said "We were all going to give it a go and let chance decide."

Liam's voice from the doorway said what Jessie was thinking before she had a chance to say it out loud, "Fucking hell!! What a bunch of twisted assholes! Find me a knife Jacob. I'm going to geld this son of a bitch right now!"

Jessie shook her head, "No Liam. We need him as is for now, to be able to lure the others in tomorrow." She looked up to see her twins step into the room and gasped. They had been badly beaten, all the fingers on one of Liam's hands were broken and Jacob had a broken arm.

Damn it, I knew you were hiding how bad it was from me!

Jessie looked back a Jack and growled, "You will not have a quick death. You will pay for all you have done and planned to do for many years to come, I will see to that. GO TO SLEEP."

Everybody sit down.

Tim and a very nervous young man carrying a heavy duffel bag came through the door after Jacob and Liam. "Who is this?"

Beth answered, "This is Bobby. He is responsible for my capture ... but only because his family was threatened."

Bobby looked like he was going to cry, "They said they had my parents and my little brother. I had to do what they said or my family would be killed."

Jessie sighed, "Its ok, we understand. Will you help us now? I think I know where your family are, and we'll help them." Bobby nodded and Beth gave him a hug.

"Bobby, will you accept me as your Alpha temporarily, I'm sure Jenkins will understand." Bobby said "Yes, I will" and the link was made.

Jessie looked at Jacob, "How many people did you put out of commission to get here?"

"Eight. We didn't have to kill anyone -- we used batons and tranquiller guns."

"So that leaves about seventeen more according to Jack Richard -- in the warehouses and at boundary checkpoints. We have to deal with them quickly. Did you manage to reach Helen?"

Jacob shook his head, "No. Couldn't find a cell phone or land line anywhere. Is that weird? Nobody with a phone?"

Liam shook his head, "Maybe not. Phones are a security risk. If everyone here shares a pack bond then you don't need them. There's got to be a phone somewhere in the house though."

Beth nodded, "Jack had a cell phone earlier today. Tim, go find a cell phone and bring it back here right away."

Jessie moved to the window and looked out at the buildings in the distance. "I don't think we need to wait for help from Helen. If I'm right, we have people who can help us very close by, we just have to get to them and hope they are well enough to help." She shook her head, glancing at the twins, "Do you know what's going on in those warehouses?" They both nodded.

Liam sighed, "Yes, we know what businesses the Richards conduct through this place. How do you know?"

"I got some very good impressions from Jack while I was holding his hand. He's a repulsive man! He doesn't care at all. Apparently the cages are full right now. Full of people, werewolves and other Were that they traffic for profit."

Jacob nodded, "Helen and others try to intercept as many shipments of people as they can, but they don't get them all. We've slowed it down over and over through many years but have never been able to stop it."

Jessie exclaimed, "Well we are going to stop it now! A whole lot of things are going to change now, damn it! We've got to finish taking over this place and then we've got to set up to take the other three Richards when they come back tomorrow. I know exactly how I'm going to deal with the sons and grandsons of Mark and Stephen Richard ... and then we go after the last two. It doesn't matter whether I end up as Alpha of this territory one day or not ... I'm not even sure I want it ... but I won't stand by and let any of this shit continue."

Jessie looked at her small pack -- a scared young man, an injured elder, two badly worn and damaged men who looked like hell. Nobody on earth would think they had any chance at all, but their Alpha -- a furious, inexperienced gryphon - believed they did.