Penny glanced at me, then at Winifred, before she extended a shaking hand toward the robe. Once Penny held the covering, Winifred turned away from the camera and sprang back onto her hind legs. The transformation back took the same amount of time.
The stunned Penny didn’t cover Winifred’s exposed backside right away, and Winifred turned her head to glare her overly large human eyes at the woman. The look motivated Penny. She stepped close and held the robe up to cover the almost smooth skin and receding tail. But she left the covering lowered enough to show Winifred’s back.
After the fur disappeared, Winifred threaded her arms through the sleeves and cinched the robe before she turned and sat.
It took Penny a few moments to do the same. Her stunned expression had me grinning while Winifred waited patiently for the first question.
“Are you dangerous? How many of you are there? Was that dog attack earlier this year one of you?” The rapid questions flew from Penny before she took a calming breath then asked, “Why are you coming forward now?”
“I’ve come forward because we are all in danger. We are not the only species hiding within the human population. There is another species, Urbat, who are very similar to us in appearance but not in nature. They would see the human population devastated.”
“Urbat,” Penny said slowly as if testing the word. “Why do they want our population devastated?”
“Because your numbers are a threat to their goal. They want to rule. The population, the planet, everything.”
“What are we supposed to do?”
A very muted knock on the window startled Penny. Winifred and I both looked over and saw Gabby motioning for us to hurry up.
“Our time here is over. The Urbat are coming for us because we’ve shared what they didn’t want us to. Find Blake Torrin, their leader. Cut off his connections. He’s everywhere and has enough money to do much damage.”
Winifred stood and grabbed her bag.
“How are we supposed to tell you apart from the Urbat?” Penny said, standing.
“There isn’t much difference. Only the nails. Ours are grey, theirs are black. Good luck, Penny.”
Winifred stepped toward us, ignoring the cameras that followed her. Carlos opened the door, and I quickly stepped out. The emotions in the booth were thick. I pulled as much as I could.
“How close?” I asked Gabby.
“Two are in the building.”
“Isabelle, I need you to lead,” Charlene said. “I need to maintain my hold until we are out of the building.”
“Perfect,” I said with a nod. “Gabby, Clay, and Grey can ride down with Carlos and me. I’ll see you on the bottom, whole and healthy,” I said to Bethi, pulling away her fear.
She nodded.
Our small group struck out the door, the rest following. The people we passed in the halls and open workspaces watched us, but no one moved to stop us. The emotions were a blend of disbelief and curiosity.
When we reached the elevator bank, the main part of the group hung back near the reception desk while we took the first elevator that opened. As soon as Gabby was in, she ran her hand down the first twelve floors.
“Um...” I gave her a questioning look.
“They’re right here,” she said as the doors closed and the elevator started to descend.
“What do you mean?”
“They’re standing right in front of us. On one of the floors.”
I looked at Grey.
“Tell Charlene to hold the other elevators so the Urbat can’t jump onto one.”
“Done.”
I stared at the doors with Gabby as we slowed. Clay nudged her behind him. Grey made to step forward so he was at the front.
“Stay by Gabby,” I said. “There are only two, and I need the fight.” Too many emotions were floating around the building. As we descended, I absorbed mostly fear and suspicion.
The door slid open. Two people stood waiting.
“Not this elevator,” Carlos said, holding up a hand when they would have entered.
Puzzled, the man and woman stepped back; and the door slid closed.
We checked each floor down to the third. Before the doors glided open, I knew we’d finally found the two we were looking for. I felt the impatience and anger rolling off them.
“Get ready,” I said.
The doors slid open to reveal two men standing side by side. On the floor behind them lay a bloody security guard. The rest of the area near the elevators was empty.
“Hello, boys,” I said with a smile a second before I stepped forward and planted my fist in the right one’s face. His head snapped back, but he quickly brought it forward and growled at me.
“Which one are you? The dreamer or the fighter?”
I hit him again. The blow drove him back a step, spiking his anger.
“Which do you think I am?”
I ducked under his next swing and danced around him so he was further from the elevator. Not that he noticed. He dove for me, and I stepped back several more feet.
Carlos didn’t touch the other man. Instead, he dodged the blows and neatly maneuvered him away from the elevators as well.
“Let the doors close,” he said to Grey.