213 First Try
Caleb had been gone for three days.
Fiona had canceled the war games on the first day, and Ashleigh had spent the entire day in the treehouse, just missing him. It was strange.
She had missed him before. She had rushed to Summer when she thought he was hurt. But this was different. It was as if the hollowness left behind by the suppressant was spreading.
Knowing he was out there, but she couldn’t feel him anymore was draining her of her energy.
Ashleigh forced herself to leave the treehouse. It was comforting to be surrounded by his scent, but it was only draining her more to focus on it.
On the second day, the war games resumed. Only this time, it was a very different experience. Through the challenge, she was kicked, stomped, punched, bitten, and thrown by countless wolves. And though the course was reset ten times, she did not even get close to Fiona once.
Ashleigh spent that night icing her sore muscles and wishing she could feel Caleb’s presence.
Now it was the third day. She lay in her bed, dreading the idea of getting up.
Her phone was ringing. It was going on the sixth or seventh ring now. She wondered how long it would take for whoever it was to understand that she wasn’t going to answer the phone.
The phone stopped ringing.
“Finally,” she whispered.
The phone rang again.
“Arrrgghh!!” she growled. Then, grabbing the phone, she brought it to her ear and shouted her greeting. “What?!”
“Not a morning person, alrighty then, just gonna note that down,” Clara’s cheery voice came through the line.
Ashleigh sighed.
“It’s early, Clara. Can you please take your cheerfulness level from ten to a two?”
“Hmm, not sure it’s physically possible for me to do that this morning,” Clara said brightly. “I went on a date last night, and it went really well.”
“Glad things are working out between you and Miss Stacey. I’m going back to sle–”
“Oh, it wasn’t with Stacey. No, that didn’t really work out,” Clara said. “You know she baby talks? Like all the time? I get that she works with kids, but is it necessary? I read that talking to children like you would an adult is actually very–”
“Clara!” Ashleigh growled.
“Oh, sorry,” Clara said with a giggle.
“I am going back to bed….” Ashleigh said.
“Sorry, Ash, but I really did have a good reason for calling you,” she said quickly.
“What is it?” Ashleigh sighed.
“Well, as you know, I still haven’t cracked the code of Alpha Cain’s partition, but I have been checking out the files that were left untouched on his computer. There were a lot, like I mean a lot.”
“I am waiting for the part that makes this phone call necessary,” Ashleigh grumbled.
“Wow, you are in a really bad mood….” Clara said quietly before continuing on. “I haven’t found a secret file labeled ‘Top Secret Bad Guy Evidence’ or anything. But I have found some strange files.”
“Define strange,” Ashleigh said.
“You said something about Alpha Cain studying genetics, right?”
“Yea, Caleb said he did a personal rotation in a genetics lab. He was researching the regeneration abilities of the wolves to try and synthesize something that could work for humans.”
“That’s a really cool idea… It could be possible. To a certain degree, anyway. Not full regeneration like we have, but there could be something to it. I mean, we are basically humans with puppy powers.”
“Yup, super cool… Clara?”
“Yes?”
“Why am I awake!”
“Ok, ok… sheesh. I found several files about genetic coding. I don’t understand a lot of it, but the weird part I definitely understood. They were Fae.”
Ashleigh sat up in bed.
“What was Fae?” she asked.
“The genetic coding.”
“What?” Ashleigh asked.
“Alpha Cain was researching the genetic code of the Fae!” Clara laughed.
Ashleigh thought about it for a moment. With his final comment about the Fae blood’s power, it made sense that he was researching their genetics. But she still didn’t understand why.
“Is there anything that tells us why? Or what he was looking for?” Ashleigh asked.
“I’m not sure,” Clara said. “A lot of his files were altered.” ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀꪶ
“What do you mean?”
“Have you ever seen those movies where there is a super-smart top agent in one of the special acronym branches of government? They get a top-secret assignment, but it’s all redacted when they look through the file, so most of the document is covered in black?”
“Uh… sure…?”
“It’s like that,” Clara replied. “Which is also strange, since he was the only one with access to his files, I don’t know why he would have hidden the information from himself. So, I’m guessing, either he was preparing for Snoopy McSnoopers like me, or he was making these reports for someone else and didn’t plan to give them the full lowdown on what he found.”
“Are you sure he was the one that blacked out the information?” Ashleigh asked.
“Yes, I can see the change log in the file information.”
“Is there any way to remove his changes?”
“Mmm… maybe, I might be able to work some of my restorative magic on this. But it will take time.”
“Was there anything else you found? Anything about Tomas? Or about the Fae mounds?”
“Sorry,” Clara said. “Most of what I’ve seen are the backup files for some of his advanced treatments. Like the Bond Suppressants and the synthetic blood infusions. But there are still more folders to look through.”
“Ok, well, focus on getting those files unredacted, and you’re still working on unlocking the partition, right?”
“Yep, I have a program running for it as we speak. It’s still going to take time, though.”
“I know, it’s fine,” Ashleigh sighed. “Oh, don’t forget to look through his paper files.”
“You think he would have hidden sensitive information in the open? The way his computer is locked down, I’m guessing any physical evidence would need a retinal scan and a DNA sample,” Clara sighed, looking around the office at all the filing cabinets. “This is going to take a while….”
“Sorry, I am doing my best to join you….”
“I heard you are having a hard time in the games….”
“Oh?” Ashleigh sighed. “What did you hear?”
“Well, it’s a mixed bag,” Clara said. “The wolves that have joined the games most recently aren’t being very nice… but the ones that have been around since the start have said that you are a worthy opponent. Though they have admitted your performance has fallen.”
Ashleigh let out an irritated groan.
“Maybe they should try running the game from my side and see how well they do….”
Clara was quiet.
“Clara?”
“I’m here,” she said.
“You got quiet… you aren’t quiet.”
Clara laughed.
“I was just thinking….”
“About?”
“Well… you said they should run the game from your side….”
“Yea…?”
“They have.”
“What?” Ashleigh asked, sitting up a little bit straighter.
“Actually, I have to.”
“What?!” Ashleigh shot forward in her bed. “What do you mean?”
Clara took a deep breath before speaking again.
“Fiona’s game is a standard test for Summer wolves. We are all required to do basic physical training and combat tactics. Therefore, the game is our final test.”
Ashleigh sat dumbfounded in her bed. She had assumed Fiona created this test to push her and play with her.
“How long did it take you to pass?” she asked.
“I don’t think it really matters how many times you have to run the test; what is essential is that you pass the test. So regardless of how long it takes or –”
“Clara!”
“I passed on my first try.”
“What!”