Underdogs The First Stories

Chapter Three, Junkyard Dogs

Dale was somewhere dark, cold, and dirty. She lifted her head and whimpered at the pain that shot down her neck. When she tried to reach up and massage the ache away, she discovered her hands were bound behind her back. She was curled on her side, knees tucked against her chest. She heard footsteps on wooden stairs behind her and twisted to look. The light at the top of the stairs were mostly blocked by her captor. The woman was tall enough, or the basement was narrow enough, that she had to bend forward slightly to avoid bumping her head on the braces that ran across it.

The sight of the woman reminded Dale of what had happened. She'd gone downstairs from the office for lunch and a woman, this hulk of a woman, had asked her where Morrison's Grill was. Dale turned to point. When she turned back, the woman had closed the distance between them. Dale had just enough time to be frightened before she was hit. Then a choking chemical smell, and nothing. She remembered the other woman asking her questions. Ari was in trouble. Somehow they had figured out who Ari really was.

"What do you want?"

"Right now, your clothes."

Dale tensed. "Go to hell."

"We need them to prove we really have you. Either you can give them to me, or I can take them from you. Your choice."

Dale rested her head on the dirt and closed her eyes. "My hands... I need my hands free."

The woman leaned closer and unlocked Dale's handcuffs. She put a hand on Dale's shoulder and squeezed until she yelped in pain. "Go ahead and try to escape. I don't like to threaten. I prefer to show people what I'll do if they cross me."

"I won't try anything."

Dale unbuttoned her blouse as quickly as possible, then twisted out of her skirt. She was left in her black bra and matching half-slip, feeling ridiculous in the fancy lingerie. She'd planned to meet up with Natalie after work. She tossed the clothes to her captor and then reluctantly presented her wrists to be handcuffed again.

"Ari's going to stop you."

The woman smiled. "Ari isn't in much of a position to stop anything right now. She's a good dog."

Dale watched her go and then dropped her head to the dirt.





#





Ari jerked away as Pen threw the shirt in her face. She didn't need canidae senses to recognize Dale's perfume. Sadie picked up the cloth and pressed it against Ari's face anyway, smothering her with the smell. She had been dragged from the kitchen and into the living room where she was currently tied to a desk chair in front of the couch. Sadie pulled the shirt away and Ari saw it was smeared with blood from her lip. "Recognize that? How's she smell? Good and afraid, I'll bet."

It was true. Ari could smell the stink of Dale's sweat and fear.

"Don't hurt her. What do you want?"

Sadie said, "What we told you in the kitchen. You're going to do in one night what it would take us weeks to do. You see, I'm just the leader of this particular pack. We have someone we answer to. And she has a... hm. Let's just call it an employee of the month program. Whoever makes her happy during the month gets a bonus. And I like my bonuses, Ariadne, but they're so difficult to get. Because there's a certain amount of risk involved. The greater the risk, the greater the reward.

"But now I don't have to worry about the risk. You're going to be taking the risk for me." She smiled. "Beck, Pen and I will reap the benefits. And you'll get your friend back unharmed. So everybody wins." She reached out and casually adjusted Ari's collar. "You're going to get us five hundred thousand dollars."

Ari scoffed.

Sadie raised an eyebrow. "Is your friend's life not worth that? I'm surprised."

"How do you think I'm going to get that much money?"

"That's not my problem. Rob a bank. Steal cars. Rob a mansion. Get creative, because I'd love to know what you would come up with. You're such a clever little wolf." She slapped Ari's cheek. "I want the money tomorrow night. We'll be in touch with the details. In the meantime, Dale Frye will stay here with us. And we promise, we'll be perfectly proper ladies with her. We won't gain her trust through false pretenses and then f*ck her." Sadie's nostrils flared, her eyes getting darker with anger.

Ari stared back. "If I do this, and Dale ends up hurt, I'll kill you all."

"Then let the games begin." She grabbed the back of Ari's head and pulled her forward for a particularly brutal kiss. When she pulled back, she gasped and shook her head. "It's a shame. You really were a great lay."

Sadie straightened and motioned for Pen and Beck to untie Ari. "Tomorrow night at nine. Either have the five hundred grand, or we'll let you watch Dale's first transformation live and in person. I wouldn't eat a heavy lunch if I were you, just in case. I promise it won't be pretty."

Pen grabbed the back of Ari's collar and hauled her to her feet. She was half-carried and mostly dragged through the kitchen and sunroom, and Pen hurled her onto the dirt of the backyard. Ari pushed herself up, digging her fingers in the dirt as she contemplated fighting.

"I wouldn't." Pen had anticipated her attack. "I give the signal, Sadie goes down to the basement and bites Dale. You think you can get there fast enough to keep it from happening? Just remember, Ari. You did this. You're the one who wormed your way into our group, you're the one who endangered your partner. None of this would be happening without you."

Ari spit into the dirt under her head, eyes closed.

"Clock's ticking. Get the hell out of here, you mutt."

Ari got to her feet and walked to the fence. She paused before going through, turning to face Pen while standing upright and untied. "If anything happens to her, it'll come back on you. Count on that."

Pen flipped her off.

Ari went out to her car, aches starting to make themselves known as she slipped behind the wheel of her car. Her first thought was what she was going to do, but that was a dumb question. Dale's life was at stake; she was going to do exactly what they told her to do. She rolled her shoulders and pinched the bridge of her nose. Five hundred thousand dollars. She didn't even know where to begin to find that kind of money.

For Dale.

Dale's face rose in her mind's eye, her easy smile and her laugh.

Ari would move heaven and earth for Dale. She started the car and pulled away from the house with renewed determination. If Sadie, Beck and Pen wanted to play games, fine. But Ari was going to play by her own rules.





#





Milhous smiled brightly when she came down the stairs. "Hey, Ari. Got anymore cigs you want me to take off your hands?"

"Yep. Here you go." She tossed the pack and it fell just short of his hand.

"Maybe you need to skip the drinking tonight." Milhous laughed as he bent down to retrieve them. His laughter stopped abruptly when Ari kicked him in the head.

He stumbled back against the brick wall, bringing his hands up to fend off her attack. Ari swept his hands out of the way, grabbed the collar of his shirt, and pulled him forward. As he fell, she kicked the back of his knee he dropped. Ari swung her arm around his neck and grabbed her wrist with the other hand, closing his windpipe.

"You're dead," he managed to gasp.

"Are you in on it?" She kept her lips right next to his ear.

The bar door swung open and Ari spun so that Milhous was blocking her with his body. The bartender took a step toward her, but retreated when he saw the situation.

"Go back inside, bulldog. This doesn't concern you yet."

He looked into her eyes and went back inside. When the door was closed, Ari pulled her arm tighter and Milhous gagged.

"Are you--"

"Am I in... on what?" His voice was little more than a croak, and his head was rolling loosely in the loop of her arm.

Ari bared her teeth. "Sadie Dillon, Rebecca Collier and Pen Hurst. Are you part of what they're doing?"

"I got no clue what you're talking about."

Ari released him and Milhous sagged forward. He rubbed his throat and then swung backward with one fist. He punched Ari in the thigh, then grabbed her knee and tugged. She went down, and he rolled his bulk over on top of her. He put his hand on her chest to hold her down and pulled back one fist. "Tell me why I shouldn't pound your head into the pavement right now."

"They took my friend."

Milhous kept his position for a second longer, and then his face softened. He relaxed his fist but didn't let her up.

"I don't know anything about that. This is a good bar, and we don't condone any type of criminal activity." He stood up and offered her a hand. "That includes beating up the bouncer."

Ari felt like she was hovering as he pulled her to her feet. She brushed herself off, then brushed off Milhous' shirt as a peace offering. "Sorry. I had to be sure, and I didn't want to try you in a fair fight."

"Probably smart." He rubbed his jaw. "What do you mean they took your friend?"

Ari sagged against the brick wall, letting it hold her up to take the weight off her legs. "They kidnapped her. Said if I don't get them what they want, they'll... change her."

Milhous narrowed his eyes. "Change her? But if she's--"

"Yeah."

He leaned against the wall opposite Ari. "Damn. I knew they were wild, but that's off the board crazy."

Ari pushed her hair out of her face and closed her eyes. She was counting on adrenaline and anger to get her through the next twenty-four hours, but thoughts of what was happening to Dale kept overcrowding her mind. She took a deep breath in through her nose and let it out though pursed lips. "I'm sorry if I hurt you."

"Been hurt worse. Usually by a lot bigger dudes..."

"They threatened her. I don't know how well my thinking is." She pushed away from the wall. "I'll leave you alone. Tell, uh, tell the bartender that I'm sorry for the disruption. I won't bother you guys again."

She was almost to the street before Milhous stopped her.

"You need me to do anything?"

Ari paused and considered the question. "Yeah. I do."





#





Beck was sitting in the kitchen with a cup of coffee, staring out the window, when Sadie found her. Pen was downstairs with Dale, and the house was almost oppressively silent. Sadie reached out and ran her palm down the back of Beck's head, stroking her hair. She stood behind Beck's stool and guided Beck back until her shoulders were against Sadie's chest. "Are you okay?"

"She lied to us. I actually liked her."

"I know."

Sadie moved her hands to Beck's shoulders for an impromptu massage. "I know you're not too thrilled about what we're doing here."

"No. She lied to us, and she put us in danger. I may not be happy about holding that woman in the basement, but Ariadne Willow should pay. If she gives us the money, I still want to hurt her."

Sadie smiled. "Yeah?"

"We'll let the redhead go, but Ari doesn't walk away in one piece. Promise me, sweetheart."

"I promise." She kissed Beck's ear. "When we get our money, we'll put her down."

Beck turned and kissed Sadie softly. Sadie was about to suggest moving upstairs when there was a loud pounding on the front door. Beck jumped, but Sadie just turned her head toward the sunroom. Her nostrils flared and she narrowed her dark eyes. "Milhous."

"The bouncer? What the hell is he doing here?"

They went to the door together and found Milhous pacing in the backyard. He was almost to the fence when they came outside. He heard the door open and spun around. "What the hell are you crazy bitches up to?"

"Watch your tone on my property, dog." Sadie stepped off the porch while Beck remained in the doorway. "What are you doing here?"

"That new bitch, Ariadne, came by the bar. Gave me this." He pointed at his swollen bottom lip. "She was crazy as hell, said that you guys were up to something shady. She wanted to see if I was part of it. She kicked my damn ass because of whatever you're up to."

Sadie remained calm. "I assume you told her the truth, so why are you here?"

"Because she's crazy, okay? I told her I didn't know anything, but she looked like she didn't care. I thought she was gonna burn the place down just to make sure." He pointed a finger at Sadie. "Whatever you're doing, keep it out of the bar. You hear me?"

"Get your finger out of my face." She didn't break eye contact with him. "The Bull and Terrier has nothing to do with this. I'm sorry that she hurt you, I'm sure that was a big blow to your pride."

"You just make sure you have your bases covered. Before she left she asked me about where she could get some weapons. I got the feeling she was going to come back here and make a statement."

Beck snorted. "She wouldn't be dumb enough to come back here and fight us."

Milhous glared at her. "She fought me."

Beck's smile faded slowly.

"Just watch your backs, ladies, because I didn't see reasonableness in her eyes when she left. Be very careful. And stay out of our bar until we get this all settled, you understand?" He turned and shoved the gate open with one fist, walking through before it rebounded off the fence and swung shut again.

Sadie watched the boulder of a man walk back to his truck with her arms crossed over her chest.

"You think she would be dumb enough--"

"Yes." She turned and brushed past Beck. "If she wants to take Dale back by force, she'll be in for a big surprise. Tell Pen we're moving. We'll take Dale somewhere that Ariadne doesn't even know about." She went upstairs while Beck went down to the basement. Sadie went into the bathroom Ari had used and breathed deeply, picking up the faint scent of her from the night before. She went to the shower, where the smell was strongest, and closed her eyes.

Bring us the fight, little wolf. It's been a long time since the pack had a real hunt. It would be my pleasure to track you down and teach you a true lesson.

She picked up Beck's scent before Beck spoke and announced her presence. "We're ready. What are you doing?"

"Arming myself."





#





Ari plugged her nose and hunched down deeper in the garbage. A wide alley ran behind Sadie's house, and all the houses on the block had set out their trash for pickup. Ari was in the largest pile, blocking her scent as she watched the house. She could see into the living room, and she watched Pen and Dale walk through the living room to the back of the house. It took all her restraint to stay where she was; as long as they were close enough to bite, Ari wasn't going to chance a fight. There were three of them and, even if she could take Pen and Beck at the same time, Sadie would be free to bite Dale.

She just had to watch as Dale was hustled out of the house. Sadie and Beck followed, and moments later Ari heard the doors to Beck's Jeep slamming shut. She waited until the sound of the engine faded before she left the garbage and jumped the fence. She stayed low and out of sight as she got onto the porch and tried the door. Locked, of course. No reason to make things easy for her.

After checking to make sure she was still unobserved, she went around the side of the house to the sunroom. Her scent was going to tell them she'd been there no matter how sneaky she was, so she might as well make her presence known. She picked up a rock and shattered the glass door with it. She thought about breaking as much glass as possible, but she didn't want to harm the plants.

She let herself into the house and grabbed a garbage bag from the kitchen as she passed through. The living room looked basically the way she had envisioned it in the dark, and she made her way to the roll-top desk. The mail had accumulated in a neat pile on one corner, with the personal correspondence taking up a special place in a cubbyhole. She went through it and deemed none of it worth her time to read in full.

Ari opened the bag and shoved things into it without pausing to examine them. She emptied the drawers, grabbed a handful of ledgers, added a few pens just to be thorough. She twisted the neck of the bag and headed downstairs to the basement. She could smell Dale's fear thickly in the narrow space, stoking her anger. She searched for Dale's clothes but didn't find them. She knelt next to the spot where Dale's scent was strongest and touched the dirt.

Dale had been thrown in the dirt, half-naked, threatened... all because of her. Ari choked on her anger and guilt before she carried her bag upstairs. She took some of Sadie and Beck's perfumes in case she needed to disguise her scent later and added some of their clothes to her bag. Every little bit helped.

When she decided she had enough, she headed back downstairs. She saw the dining room chair they'd tied her to and used the legs of it to break the living room window. She wanted them to know they were dealing with a mad dog, wanted them to worry more about what they would do to her than what they planned to do with Dale. She crawled through the window and hurried across the lawn, jumping the fence and racing down the alley to where she had parked her car.