Simon tried to ignore Col’s pacing behind him, focusing on the screens before him. With the clicking of a series of keystrokes, the program he created began spitting out hundreds of candidates, many of whom were wearing caps and sunglasses. The program had been optimized to extract only the clearest view of facial features, so he knew that these were the best images possible to look at. It had been a sunny day, but it was worth a shot. And if Col did spot the person or a near-candidate, there would be a chance that he had paid with a credit card, so that would help in giving Simon all the rest of the identifying information he needed.
“OK, are you ready to start looking at the photos that have been narrowed down?”
Col came over to the seat by Simon, and settled his body into it. It creaked in protest of his muscular build, as Col was larger than the inhabitants its ergonomic settings were adjusted for: Simon or Miller. Simon could feel the coiled energy next to him.
Maybe Merek was right, and Col needed a good session of wenching. Or something.
“Show me the images drawn up by your wizardry.”
Simon smiled. It never got old, the boys’ wonder at what he did with computers. He pushed his glasses back up, and gave the voice command, missing Jemima Danes’ voice in response.
An image of a man, enlarged to show his lined face and cleft chin, appeared on the monitor in front of Col.
Col leaned forward, studying it, before shaking his head.
“Nay,” he said, and Simon clicked an arrow key.
The screen filled with another face, this one wore aviator glasses and was pockmarked.
“Nay,” Col said. Simon sighed. There were only 1,189 more images to go.
Another man’s face flooded the screen, this one with a scruff, as if he were trying to grow a beard.
“Nay.”
Simon clicked the keyboard again, and thought about the call he was waiting for from the realtor, Blake, about the other person he had to track down.
“Nay.”
1,187 more to go. This was going to take awhile. Simon made the decision to go to Blake’s office in person the next day. Maybe even stop by Dr. Chuck’s veterinary clinic and thank him for his help with identifying the tranquilizer darts.
“Nay.”
Only 1,186 left to go.
* * *
“The attempts were unsuccessful?” TheVixar’s voice was quiet, his eyes watchful. Col nodded, his muscles tense. He was pacing in the living room, unable to sit still after the several hours of peering at the visages that came up. His head was throbbing, as much from the viewing as from the feeling of all his nerves firing at once.
“Yes,Vixar.Although Simon’s wizardry was powerful, there were many images of men wearing that strange head garb that yields little protection but offers much obscuring.”
“You mean a cap?” Miller tapped the one he was wearing. He had provided them with similar head garb, but Col could not see a use for it.
“Yes….a cap,” Col said. He had to watch his tone, the uncharacteristic irritability that crackled through him, ready to erupt into a fight. His senses were going awry again, his thoughts refusing to be constrained. They kept returning to…her.
He had to let his wolf free soon, and run some of this tension out. It seemed almost to scratch at him from the inside, wanting release. Perhaps in his wolf form, he could find some respite, some freedom from the turmoil engulfing him within.
“Go,” Tybalt said. “You must needs take the form of your Wolf, and pay heed to what your Wolf requires.”
Col stopped pacing and looked at hisVixarsharply.
“You are not being sent away,” Tybalt clarified. His handsome features were devoid of any censure.
“Unlike last night,” Barric said. Col growled at him, but Aylwyn immediately defused it.
“For fuck’s sake,” the blondWaryeorlaughed. “Tybalt is telling you to go get it out of your system.”
“I thank you for the colorful translation, Aylwyn,” Tybalt said drily, and turned to Col. “But yes, you need to allow your wolf form to run free, and indeed ‘get it out of your system.’”
“Or just get some,” Aylwyn hooted with laughter, and he and Merek tapped their fists together.
Col knew not what he was meant to get some of, but still, he crossed his arms and tapped his chest.
“As you say, so shall it be,Vixar.”
A pulse of energy emanated, and a large auburn wolf appeared where Col had been standing. Miller had quietly slid the door to the backyard open, and with a leap, Col propelled himself out of the house and into the nighttime air.
