The Chosen One Ch. 02

Dawn and Ken, great as always. Thanks everyone for making chapter 1 my best start ever. To a very special helper, there are no words for how much you're teaching me; thank you Julie. Please enjoy chapter 2 and I'll get more out as soon as I can.

As a precaution, Adam followed Kevin and Laura home. After pulling into the parking lot of the condominium, Kevin hopped out and scanned the area. After he motioned to his fiance it was safe to exit, she opened the door and joined him in searching the area. Kevin snapped his head to the side as he heard a car door open and watched Kristine step out.

"Adam said he needs to talk with you. I'll stay with Laura while you're gone so we can go over baby names and wedding plans," she said as she walked over next to Laura.

Kevin looked at Laura as she nodded her head for him to go. "I'll try not to be gone long, sweetheart. Make sure you lock the door and put the chain on."

Kevin strode to Adam's car and climbed in, but the two SEALs stayed put until the two women were safely inside. "Okay, what gives, Boss? We could have gone inside and had this discussion."

"If my suspicions are right, we're going to need the ladies out of the way, Kev," Adam said as he pulled out of the parking lot.

When he reached the stop sign, he checked for oncoming traffic and then noticed the white BMW parked just down the street. "Yep, right where I left you."

As he pulled out, he checked his rear view mirror and watched as it too pulled out and followed them at a safe distance. To reaffirm his hunch, Adam took a right turn towards a bad section of town. When he saw the classy car follow, he laughed aloud.

"Are you gonna let me in on this; or am I here as moral support for your shitty driving?" Kevin asked.

"Check your side mirror, little buddy, we got a white BMW doing loose trail on us. Been there since leaving the beach. I didn't tell Kristine because I hate it when she starts freaking out."

Kevin looked in the mirror and saw the car but couldn't make out the two people inside. "You think that might be the blonde girl who tried to have us beat up?"

"Can't say for sure, but I have an idea on where to take them for some fun."

Kevin checked the mirror one more time and then looked at his team leader. "Are we ever going to get a break from work?"

Adam laughed. "The only easy day was yesterday."

Jackie's Runway, Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Adam and Kevin stepped out of the car and headed for the entrance to the strip club. They both knew that the place wouldn't have many customers this time of day and if a woman was tailing them, she'd have second thoughts about entering.

Kevin reached the door first and held it open for his friend. As Adam passed him, he spotted the white BMW pulling into the large parking lot. He didn't want whoever was following them to know their cover was blown, so he patted Adam on the back with a big smile and followed him in.

Since it was early, there was no cover charge and both men headed for a corner booth in the back, near the runway. Adam noticed a petite brunette lying on the stage shifting her lean legs from side to side, displaying her white thong covered sex to an older gentleman who was tossing ones on the stage in front of her.

As they sat down, an attractive dark haired woman strolled up with a serving tray in hand and took their orders. She studied the two muscular men for a brief moment before moaning to herself and then walked away.

The two men studied the room with a trained eye as they waited for their drinks. The low lighting added an ambiance for the patrons and a natural setting for the two men who were used to doing their jobs in the secrecy of darkness. It was easy to study every other man in the room with such few customers, and even easier to study the three women working on this sunny Saturday afternoon.

The waitress arrived with their drinks and Kevin couldn't help but look at her large breasts only partially encased in her tiny bikini top. The Daisy Duke shorts and slim hips started to give him ideas for when he got home to his lover. "Nice outfit. I can see why they hired you."

"Thanks, handsome. My name is Marsha and if there is anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to ask." Then she leaned closer to Kevin and licked her lips. "Really, just ask."

The pair of SEALs watched as she walked away, swaying her tight cheeks to the beat of the music. Adam shook his head clear and looked at his friend. "I'm too tired to think about shit like that."

"Fine, let's talk about something else, like what the hell are we gonna do now? We could always just invite whoever is out there inside for a beer and discuss this like grownups. After that, we can beat the shit out of them and head for the barn."

Adam smiled and took a drink of his beer. "We'll save that for plan B. Right now, let's see if they want to make the first move and check out what we're doing inside. We might as well sit back and enjoy the eye candy."

Kevin and Adam acted normal as they watched the dancers do their routines and then exit the stage for breaks. Every so often one of the dancers would walk around offering lap dances, but they each declined. They were just about to order another round when Kevin turned his head toward the door as a well-built man walked in.

Eduardo took his sunglasses off while shaking his wavy black hair. Both the bartender and Marsha sighed as he approached the bar. The caramel toned man ordered a rum and coke as he leaned against the polished wood and smiled at the busty server.

The newcomer sniffed the air and found the young woman's scent enticing, but he had little time to flirt with the woman he had aroused. After he received his drink, he headed to a small table just opposite the man he wished to study further. When his eyes caught Kevin's, he saw a look of recognition in them.

Eduardo knew he had to make it look like he was just passing through, so he looked around the bar, then headed straight for the two SEALs. As he stood with a casual stance in front of the two, he extended his hand towards Kevin. "My apologies if I have made you nervous."

Kevin's eyes remained locked on the man in front of him. "It's an open bar and everyone is allowed in. Have a nice day."

Eduardo pulled back his ignored handshake and returned to his small table. After getting comfortable in his seat, he sat back and enjoyed the dancer on the stage. Taking a deep breath, he could sense his target's apprehension to him being so close.

Throughout the whole encounter, Adam sipped his beer and maintained a casual appearance. He knew this man was the one following them. "Well, what do think, little buddy? Are we going to have to call a squad here to clean up the mess, or was that little display for show?"

Kevin took a drink and set down his beer. "Can you even fathom how fucking tired I am of other people like me? Either these assholes are drawn to me like flies or I have the worst damn luck in the world."

"Christ, not again!"

"Afraid so, Boss. We just can't catch a break can we?"

Adam got a quizzical look on his face and then stared hard at Kevin. "I have a question. How do you know that he's..."

"He can hear us," Kevin muttered.

"Okay, new tactic. Do you think there'll be much traffic on the way home?"

Kevin kept his eyes locked on the other werewolf. "Hard to say; this time of day there could be a million cars or just one that shouldn't be there."

"I think we should find a better place to play. Maybe there are more girls at the next stop."

Kevin saw the man's head move just a bit. "I know one stop you've never been to, right down the street. You drive, I'll buy." Then in a louder tone, so the other man couldn't help but pick it up. "With any luck, some people will get the hint to leave us alone."

**********

Candrea Lacson sat in the now hot BMW waiting for any sign of her colleague, as she watched the two targets walk to their car. The two men never even looked her way as they climbed in and pulled out of the parking lot. "Now where are they going?"

Just a few brief moments after they left, she saw her partner, Eduardo, exiting the strip club and looking around the area. He leisurely strolled towards the white sedan and climbed behind the wheel.

"You better have some damn good intelligence on him after making me wait in this fucking hot car," she said.

"Two things my Australian friend; you chose not to go inside a strip club, and I think his friend knows about him; or a least what he is."

"That's impossible, you moron. We only tell humans who are our true loves, and unless he's – you know – batting for the other side, I can't see how that's possible."

Eduardo chuckled as he listened to her. "I can't be sure; it's how they talked to each other. I just have this feeling that he knows; rules or no rules. I think we better call it off for a while until we talk with Franklin."

One week later, the home of Adam and Kristine Dawson.

At the knock on the door, Adam rose from the recliner and opened the door just enough for the chain to catch. When he saw Kevin holding a case of beer and Laura a bottle of wine, he closed it and unlatched the chain.

The two lovers walked in and headed straight for the kitchen to put away their beverages, although Laura would only be having water for a while. After getting what they needed for the moment, the two of them walked hand in hand into the living room.

"Any problems getting here?" Adam asked.

Kevin took a sip of his beer as he snuggled close to Laura. "Not that I could spot. Anything on your end?"

"Nope, I haven't seen shit for a week. I think our imagination has gotten the best of us. I mean we've been chasing bad guys and shit for what seems like forever. The best thing that could happen to us is getting some time off so we can remember what it's like to be normal."

Kevin leaned forward and smiled at Adam. "You mean normal like, 'Don't touch me; no I want to be touched; I'm going to look ugly; is it too hot in here?' Yeah Boss, I'll take bad guys any day of the week over pregnancy."

Kristine entered the room and walked over to Kevin. She slapped him in the back of his head, and even with her small frame, towered over the SEAL. "You watch your mouth, Mister! If I ever hear you make a comment about my Godchild again I'll slap you senseless!"

Kevin leaned back as he rubbed his head in mock discomfort. "Down girl, down. I was just trying to inform my team leader here about what to expect when there's a little Adam on the way."

Laura squirmed in her seat as she watched the playful confrontation between them. "I don't mean to be such a bother. It's just my whole world seems confused. I have feelings, and then I don't. It's like I'm two people all at once."

Kevin pulled her close. "Oh sweetheart, I was just teasing. I love all your mood swings."

"It's natural to go through this Laura," Adam added as he sipped his drink.

Kristine shot him a glaring look. "And how many times have you been pregnant, Mr. Dawson?"

Adam knew he was fighting a losing battle as he stood up and smiled at his wife. "I'll just go check the grill now and see if it's ready."

Adam kissed his wife's cheek as he made his exit to the back patio. Kevin pulled his soon-to-be-wife closer to let her know he was just making fun and meant no harm. "I think I'll go see if the old man knows how to work a grill."

The air was as still as a sleeping baby when Kevin stepped outside. As he studied the back yard from the deck, he felt a twinge of jealousy of his friend. He had acquired a nice house, a loving and oftentimes playful wife, and he was soon to be the leader of a very special SEAL team.

Kevin slapped him on the back as he checked the grill. "I have to hand it to you, Adam. I always feel envious when I come over for a visit. You have made yourself one a hell of a life."

"If you think it's that great, you could always pick up the mortgage payments."

"Ha! I'd have about enough left over to buy a cup of coffee; you can keep it – Sir."

Adam returned the grill scrubber to its holding slot and picked up his beer. He motioned his point man to have a seat in one of the wooden deck chairs that adorned the well-kept deck. As he relaxed and allowed the grill to heat up, he reached behind his chair and pulled out a brown cardboard box which was lying against the wall.

He handed it to Kevin, who stared back in confusion as to why he had the box. "It's not my birthday so what's this for?"

Adam continued to stare out into the soft glow of the evening sun. "Oh just something I want you to keep around."

Kevin fumbled with the tape that sealed the top flaps of the box. As he spread them open, he saw the butt end of a pistol peeking out from the Styrofoam packing peanuts. Reaching in with care, he pulled the weapon free and directed a blank look at Adam. The last time he was issued one of the special Desert Eagles, he used it to take down another lycanthrope. "Tell me this isn't one from..."

Adam smiled back at him. "After that little meet and greet at the club, I asked Neil Hawkins if we could keep a few of the Eagles with us. He sent down a pair of them; and before you ask, yes, they have the 'wolf killers' in them," he said as he made quotation marks with his fingers.

Kevin checked the chamber of the .50 caliber weapon and found it empty. After ensuring the safety was on, he tucked it behind his back and fixed his shirt. "I'll keep it around but like I said before, since we weren't followed after that encounter at the beach, it might have just been a chance encounter."

"You're a Navy SEAL for crying out loud. I thought you learned, prepared is always better than dead."

The two men laughed at each other as the sliding glass door behind them opened and Kristine and Laura stepped out into the evening warmth. Kristine handed a cold beer to Kevin and laid the plate of steaks on Adam's lap. She then walked over to the grill and placed Adam's beer on the side table of the large silver grill.

Adam looked at his wife with astonishment. "Why did you put my beer way over there, but you gave Kevin his sweetie?"

Kristine placed her hand on her hip and raised her eyebrows. "Your job is to cook. You want a beer, get your lazy bones over here and get it."

Adam cast his friend a pleading look. "Kev, you're not going to let her talk to me like that are you?"

Kevin tossed his hands up. "Don't look at me, Boss; I'm on vacation."

Adam grumbled to himself and then reached into his back pocket. He pulled a yellow legal size paper out and tossed it to the trusted SEAL, then went to the now hot grill and threw the large pieces of meat on the black metal grate. He grabbed his beer and with his other hand, reached down for the silver tongs.

Kevin, meanwhile unfolded the paper and saw eleven names separated into two groups. Some of the names he knew from Alpha fire team, but some of his teammates' names were missing, including his own.

As he scanned the other list, some names he knew from Bravo but others were unknown to him. There was a large A and B over the respective groups and he soon realized he was looking at the preliminary list of SEAL team six members.

Kevin felt a small twinge of disappointment as he folded the paper up and placed it in his lap. "Nice to see you think that much about my talent, Adam."

Adam flipped the meat as Kristine and Laura paused in their conversation and looked at the two men. "I didn't want to place your name on there until I had a chance to talk to you and Laura alone."

Kevin shifted in his seat and glared hard at his best friend. "This is about the SEALs and it's doesn't involve Laura."

Adam spun around and returned the scowl. "The fuck it doesn't, Kevin! From here on out and for the rest of your life, everything you do; every decision you make till your dying day; has everything to do with her."

Laura leaned forward in her seat and studied the two men staring at each other. "I don't mean to interrupt your little session of hormone dumping, but this whole conversation is about what happens to Kevin, so it's only fair that he decides. You put me in the middle of it and I'll remove your nuts and give them to Kristine for grilling over an open fire."

All three heads swiveled toward the hormonal female as her face turned to one of bewilderment. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I don't know where that came from."

Kevin almost dropped his beer as he saw Laura lean back in her chair, her face turning a bright crimson color. "Why do I get the feeling our child will have an attitude?"

Adam turned to his trusted point man. "Since my nuts are on the line here, do you want to be my point man on a SEAL team that does nothing but suicide missions; the kind of missions that nobody can handle but a few select people with special talents? There aren't going to be any medals or awards. If you say yes, just remember, your – wife – will not be able to tell your – child – what daddy's job is in the Navy."

Kevin remained silent for a few moments and then took a deep breath. "With those kinds of missions, you wouldn't last two minutes without me. I also didn't see Bob Holiday or Carl Werner on there, and they're some of the best in the business."

Adam flipped the steaks and poured some of his beer on the now almost ready meat. "I left them off because someone has to build up a new Alpha team. I didn't want to deplete SEAL Team Two to a point where they would have to build a brand new team from scratch. I've already talked to them and they agree with me."

Kevin nodded his head in agreement, and leaned back in his chair. He knew the veteran SEAL was right on target as always and began to ponder the complications he and his friend would soon face at integrating a group of SEALs that had never worked together.

His eyes turned to look at Laura, as she and Kristine chatted about the pregnancy. He began to wonder if she would be mentally able to take the stress that was sure to come: the lack of information on his actions, the lonely nights with no phone calls, the constant worry of whether or not he would come home.

Out of the corner of her eye, Laura saw the love of her life gazing at her with a puzzled expression. She turned her head a bit as she listened to Kristine going on about baby names. She knew he was troubled with the decision he had just made, so with a soft smile, she nodded her head.

As Kevin smiled at her, he found a bit of relief in her comforting smile. He took a sip of his beer and knew they would have a long chat about life, love, and the future that lay in front of them.

**********

The shades were drawn in the hotel room, although small streams of light leaked in beneath the dark brown cloth. The room was chilled and the small ceiling fan circulated the cool air, which made it comfortable for the beast that lay on the soft carpet.

It stretched its limbs flexed the dagger-like claws with care. The female wolf had no intentions of leaving any signs that one of the most dangerous predators in the world had ever been there. As she rolled over onto her back, she allowed her head to loll to the side, her long snout rubbing luxuriously against the royal blue carpet.

Candrea was considered one of the rarest types of werewolves due to her brilliant white fur. Her mind flashed back to one of the previous meetings when one of her fellow council members suggested they mate because of his deep black coat. Even now, in her true form, she could feel her repulsion at his offer.

She sniffed the air as her long pointed ears turned to capture the sound of approaching footsteps. She sprang to her paws and glared at the wooden door with her bright golden eyes. She realized who it was from his scent and began to stand on her hind legs. In the blink of an eye, she switched back into human form and strode to the door just as Eduardo knocked. She had an evil smile on her face as she released the chain and opened the door.