A White Tiger and The Wolf Ch. 13

At the compound, the loud speaker system requested everyone who had been transported from Lazlo's report immediately to the medical centre. Inside the medical centre was chaos as people were flooding through the doors. Kay and other medical staff were scanning everyone in the side ward, and Nathan and Mason were doing the small operations to remove the devices they'd immediately discovered were, in fact, in each escapee.

As soon as Arthur, Lazlo's former lieutenant among the ranks of the escapees, heard that the tracking devices had been implanted into everyone who had escaped Lazlo, he had a very funny feeling that these were the same as the ones that Lazlo had recently had put in all his guards. But Arthur knew something Nathan and his medical personnel did not: if the devices were the same, the ones put into the elite guards were not just tracking devices, but explosive as well. Arthur watched them remove the device from his leg and nearly collapsed as his eyes confirmed what his mind had only feared, that these were the same devices that were put into the guards.

"Arthur, are you alright?" asked Nathan with concern, since Arthur was as white as a sheet and shaking.

"Oh god, Nathan these devices are not only tracking devices but they are also explosive as well. Lazlo had them put into all the guards so they would stay loyal to him. One of his guards did something that Lazlo didn't approve of last year and everyone was forced to watch as Lazlo pushed a button and killed the guard in front of us all. I can still see his body exploding from the inside out; it was terrible to watch. I had no idea that he had put them into everyone else though." Arthur still felt very unwell at the memory.

Nathan stripped off his medical gloves and left a young doctor to put in the three stitches to close the wound. He went into reception and found Bradley and told him what Arthur had said to him about the devices. He did not need to impress upon Bradley the fact that it now became a matter of even greater urgency, necessitating more nurses to help with the minor operations to get the devices out.

"Nathan I think the devices should be put in a lead-lined strong box to interrupt the signal for now, but locked up, and as far away from people as possible in case they are explosive as Arthur suspects", said Bradley.

It took nearly two hours to get all the devices removed and to settle people down. Just as Nathan was going back into theatre to retrieve the devices to take to be put in a strong box that was going to be put in the outer bunker well away from the main buildings, Ryan Crow burst through the door of the medical centre. Ryan looked like he was burning up and he was limping very badly.

Ryan Crow had only just been released into the main population of the pack and only because he had been subjected to a mindsweep and deemed safe by John and the elders to be allowed to interact with the pack.

Nathan rushed to him as his leg gave way. "Quickly, get me a scanner from the side ward I have a very bad feeling about this," said Nathan to a passing orderly. The orderly ran to the side ward and fetched the portable scanner used to scan Lazlo's former prisoners. By the time the orderly returned with the scanner, Ryan was really burning up and Nathan and Bradley managed to get him on a trolley. Both men assisted running it over Ryan's right leg. The leg was red hot and swelling. The scanner blipped and proved that Ryan definitely had a disc in his leg and by looks of it the device had been activated.

Nathan paused long enough only to gain the approval of his Alpha, and then wasn't taking any chances, running the gurney straight into the theatre. "Everyone out and stay out till I say," he shouted to the nurses and assistants cleaning up the theatre from the day's previous procedures, "if this device has indeed been activated, I don't want anyone in here." Nathan closed the inside doors as well as the outside doors to theatre two. If there was to be an explosion, Nathan was determined that only he and Ryan would be killed.

He prepped the site and made a small incision on the lower leg just above Ryan's ankle and removed the device. This one was slightly different from all of the others: where the devices he had removed from everyone else were grey, this one was red and glowing. Nathan removed it and carefully put it in a box used to dispose of hazardous waste and closed the lid. Nathan cleaned the wound and stitched it up. He dressed the wound and gave Ryan a shot of antibiotics. Nathan opened the inside doors and then the outer doors. "Take Ryan to the I.C.U and keep him under close observation," Nathan asked of a waiting nurse.

"Nathan was the device activated?" asked Bradley.

"It is different from the rest and it was glowing, so yes I think it must have been activated," replied Nathan.

"Where have you put it?" asked Bradley.

"At the moment it is in that small box we keep in theatre for HazMat waste" replied Nathan.

Bradley signalled Jason and the other the security personnel he'd called over as Nathan went back into theatre to retrieve the box. Nathan then went into theatre one to retrieve the other box containing the rest of the discs and handed them over to Jason and the security team, so they could go and put the in the outer bunker well away from everybody else.

Nathan finally took in and let out a deep breath.

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At the Compound.

It was closing in on midnight when Bradley and Kay left the medical centre and headed back to the mansion. They went into Bradley's office and found John talking to Jason within.

"Bradley I think we had better transport those recaptured devices back to Lazlo's tonight", said John.

"How do you think we should do that?" asked Bradley feeling really tired.

"Well, Connie has already been to Lazlo's, she can teleport just the box over there quite easily", replied John tentatively, knowing that the thoughts of his daughter's husband would immediately go where his, as Connie's husband, had done.

Bradley was also not comfortable with the idea of his mother-in-law getting near what was essentially an enormous bomb, but he couldn't see a better solution. "Fine, get Connie to do it now; I think it would be best to get those devices well out of the way as soon as possible", said Bradley feeling a little bit better to be rid of them.

"What is the urgency to remove these devices tonight?" asked Kay.

"Arthur explained that these devices are not only used for tracking but are also explosives as well. Nathan has just removed one from Ryan Crow's leg and it was glowing. I'm not taking chances with everyone's safety, I think that it could explode very soon as it is still glowing. I want that box off pack lands now", replied Bradley putting his arms round Kay.

"Oh my god, that Lazlo is pure evil, how can he do such a thing?" said Kay getting angry.

"I cannot believe what he has done to those poor people we rescued from his dungeon", said Kay she was leaning her head on Bradley's shoulder now feeling rather sad and shaking with rage. Kay could feel her tiger pacing in her mind wanting to rip Lazlo apart and answer for his crimes. Bradley was trying to think of a way of cheering her up and thought of an idea. He would have to wait till they were on their own and then he could put his plan into action.

John left to ask Connie to teleport the tracking devices back over to Lazlo straight away. Connie focused on the box and imagined it back in Lazlo's dungeon and the box disappeared.

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At Lazlo's Hideout.

Lazlo had not come back yet to his underground hideout, but the three guards Lazlo left there had just come round after Arthur Brownlow drugged them as he made his escape. Conscious, the guards were tied up in one of the main rooms downstairs, tied together in a circle around one of the central pillars in the main dinning room.

"Can you move?" one guard asked the others.

"No, my arms they are too tightly tied to this pillar, but I can move my legs", replied one.

"I can only move my legs too", said the other. All of them knew when the boss got back there would be hell to pay and most likely end up with their deaths.

"We have to get out of here before Lazlo gets back; otherwise we are dead men."

"That is a done deal but, you know as well as I do we all have these tracking devices in our legs and you know what happened to our colleague who angered Lazlo last year, don't you?"

"Even if we did manage to escape these bonds there is no way to escape Lazlo, he will just blow us to bits."

"Well, I guess all we can do is wait and pray he listens to us and doesn't kill us." Even as he said it, the guard knew it wasn't possible that they would survive, but felt he had to give the other two hope. Just then they heard the cars pulling up outside and then they heard the sound of booted men coming in the front door.

"BROWNLOW! WHERE ARE YOU AND WHY ARE THE MAIN GATES UNMANNED AND WIDE OPEN?"

Lazlo stormed in the dinning room.

"WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE?" he bellowed at the three tied up guards.

Their leader flinched, knowing what he had to say would only make Lazlo angrier. "Arthur drugged us and we think he has gone, the mansion is too quiet."

"Braddock take some men and search the mansion from top to toe and then report back here bringing all those that you find," Lazlo ordered.

Braddock and his team went out of the dinning room and ran up the stairs; they searched the rooms upstairs and in the servants' quarters but there was no one there. Braddock unlocked Lazlo's door as that was where the girl should have been tied to his bed but, she was not there either. Braddock had a funny feeling that everyone had gone. He hoped they hadn't emptied the dungeon; he had been thinking all day that he fully intended to have some fun with the girls locked in there.

On that thought, he went down to the cells and immediately saw that they were empty.

Braddock went down to the lower dungeon wondering where the five dogs that were his beloved pets might be. When he got down into the lower dungeon, he found his dogs in a cage in the corridor and then he realized all the cells were empty as well. The boss is not going to like this at all; they have even taken the mad tigerman that was locked in the end cell, he thought to himself uneasily.

Braddock met the men in the entrance hall. "Did you find anyone?" he demanded, only to have his subordinate report that they were unable to find anyone. With no small amount of dread, Braddock entered the dinning room and saluted his boss. "I'm sorry sir, but everyone has left, apart from these three," said Braddock., indicating to the three guards.

"Are the prisoners still in the dungeons?" demanded Lazlo.

"No sir. All are gone, even the mad tigerman and everyone in the lower levels."

"WHAT?" boomed Lazlo, "ALL THE PRISONERS HAVE GONE?"

"Yes sir," replied Braddock bowing before him, thinking about killing and being the messenger.

Lazlo pushed passed Braddock "Out of my way," he snarled, "I want to see this for myself." Lazlo went down to the lower levels and he could be heard all the way upstairs. He was not happy at all. Lazlo came back to the dinning room. "Release these men", he said of the still-tied guards, to Braddock.

The three men were just standing up and stretching their arms and legs out. None of them could believe they were going to live; they honestly thought they were going to die. Lazlo was so angry he went over to his desk in the corner and removed his gun and shot and killed the three guards before storming off to the control room only to discover it was totally destroyed.

"I will get my revenge on whoever foolishly thought they can escape me, and those who aided them. Escape from me? I don't think so," he added gleefully. Lazlo opened his briefcase and retrieved his laptop. He checked on the state of the tracking devices, but no signal. Lazlo knew the liberators -- who he strongly suspected were the Black Wolf Pack and its allies with help from Arthur Brownlow and the other missing guards -- might have destroyed the tracking equipment, but he could still access the explosives, on a different wavelength than the tracking mechanism.

Lazlo inputted all the names and tracking device numbers of the servants, prisoners and missing guards for good measure into his laptop and then pressed the enter key.

Lazlo waited for the sound of a distant explosion; instead, there was an enormous roaring detonation much, much closer. The whole mansion shook underground, and the central pillars started to crumble. Lazlo sat stunned, until Braddock jumped from the chair beside him. "Braddock where do you think you are going?" bellowed Lazlo. Braddock wasn't listening all could think about were his pets.

The explosion was in the lower dungeons. Braddock charged down the stairs but couldn't get down too far, as the stairwell had collapsed. He ran out into the compound and ran over to the punishment block and entered in the side door. The dungeon was in a state he could here his dogs whimpering amongst the rubble. The cage they'd been in was now crushed, with tons of detritus from the explosion. He knew from his earlier search that the dogs were in their cage, so he used his bare hands to remove the bricks and get to his dogs. Three were dead, but amazingly two of his beloved pets had survived. Braddock managed to get them free but they needed medical treatment now otherwise they would die. He re-entered the mansion carrying both his dogs in his arms. The dogs were a mess and needed treatment.

Amazingly, since he did not have the same regard for other people, Lazlo had always had a soft spot for dogs. "How are they?" he asked.

"They need to see a vet now, otherwise I will lose them both", replied Braddock sadly. Braddock too might treat humans and weres badly, but he loved his dogs.

"Salvage what you can and pack up everything in my office. Here is the key to the safe empty the contents into the briefcase you will find in there and put it in my car," demanded Lazlo. Everything was packed into the SUVs and then Lazlo set the automatic destruct device in motion. He and his remaining henchmen now had thirty minutes to clear the area before everything would be blown to bits. They left and had just crossed the bridge when there was a massive explosion and Lazlo's hideout was no more.

"We will go back to my castle and make plans there", said Lazlo.

They drove away and Lazlo thought to himself. I will find you Brownlow, and everyone that has escaped me and you will all be destroyed. I must bide my time for now, but I will get my weapon up and running, and then I will have my revenge.

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At the Black Wolf Compound

Finally, everyone was settling down for the night. The patrollers for the night were all in place and the compound was bathed in floodlights. Betas Riley and Eric had built a campfire just behind the mansion and Charlie had set up the BBQ with steaks and burgers and sausages cooking on it. Everyone that was still awake was sitting round it. Some were just chatting and unwinding while eating the late night snacks on offer. A few wolves and cats were hunting in the woods. Kay was lying with her head on Bradley's lap listening to the chatter going on around her she was still feeling tired from healing her Uncle's leg.

Bradley was thinking maybe it was time to retire to their room so he could put his plan into action to cheer Kay up; he was getting horny thinking about what he intended to do to her. He loved the feel of her skin and he was absently stroking her arm while thinking about what he wanted to do.

All of a sudden Kay sat straight up and started to glow red.

"Honey what's the matter", asked Bradley. He couldn't hear anything out of the ordinary. There were no strange smells as far as he could tell.

"Bradley someone is approaching the main gates, they are crying and bleeding", Kay said. Kay, by this time was getting worked up, her tiger was pushing through and then she changed very quickly. Bradley quickly removed his clothes and changed into his wolf form.

The pack that was sitting around the fire knew something was happening. The non-pack warriors and Betas all changed into their wolf or cat forms and followed their Alphas running towards the main gates.

Martyn check the forward cameras on the main gate and see whether you can pick up anyone there? Bradley asked through his mind to the security chief.

My Alpha, there seems to be two youngsters approaching the gates and one is carrying the other one, Martyn replied.

How far away? asked Bradley.

They are practically at the gates now, replied Martyn.

The pack and the Alphas came to a stop by the main gates. In the hut by the main gate, the guard on duty there commanded "Halt, state your business!" in a loud voice.

"Please sir, we need help. My sister and I were travelling to here in our parents car when someone forced it off the road", said the young lad in a shaky voice.

"Where are your parents?" asked Bradley, taking over the questioning.

"They are trapped in the car, our mom told me to take Katie and go get help", replied the kid.

Bradley could smell the fear coming off the young lad and he could also hear the little girl, Katie's, heartbeat getting slower. "Open the gate", said Bradley. The gate started to open and the young lad was grateful until he saw all the weres standing just behind the gate. He knew the black wolf was the Alpha, but it was the large pure white tiger that got his attention.

The boy was a were also and they belonged to Willy Carpenter's pride of black Jaguars.

There weren't many of them left in the pack; Willy was getting weird in his old age, and his pride was starting to drift away. There had been a fight this evening and many of the families left to seek refuge with other prides or packs in the area. The boy's dad had decided to go to the Black Wolf Pack and ask for help.

Bradley knew the two before him were Jaguar weres.

"Honey, he is a Jaguar and he seems to be a little scared of you", said Bradley to Kay. Kay glowed red for a bit and then changed into her human form so she could put the child's fears to rest. She made a robe appear and put it on.

"Jason take some men and go help this boy's parents," ordered Bradley.

"At once, my Alpha," replied Jason.

"This is my sister Katie", said the lad feeling a bit less scared now the tiger was gone.

"Let's get you and Katie in the medical centre", said Kay.

Bradley went towards the young lad and gently lifted little Katie out of the lad's arms. "What is your name?" asked Bradley.

"My name is Peter, sir," replied the lad.

"Well Peter, let's get you both checked out while my men help your parents from the car", said Bradley. Bradley then telepathically called to Nathan, Nathan, meet me in the medical centre and wake up Mason as well will you?

What's up, who is hurt now? Nathan sent back.

We have had a family come to the main gates asking for help and their car has been ran off the road just outside the compound replied Bradley in Nathan's mind.

Be right with you my Alpha replied Nathan. Nathan got to the medical centre and was just setting up a treatment room with Mason when Bradley walked in carrying little Katie.

"Ah, she is a Jaguar", said Nathan

They set up the portable x-ray machine and scanned the little girl's body. She had a broken arm and wrist on her right side and three broken ribs, as well a long gash down her left side. Nathan and Mason set to work.

Peter was in the other treatment room been looked at by Jane, the nurse.