The Axelridge Series Book 1 Finn's Slapshot

FINN

‘Six more teenagers have been reported missing in the last two weeks and authorities still have yet to find any clues. They have been quoted as saying they believe this new gang are in fact the missing teens.

‘We don’t know why or who is leading them, but we do believe this ‘Lost Boy Gang’ are the ones we are trying to find. They are organized and are trained very well in avoiding capture. Which leads us to believe there is a leader who is coaxing these kids out of their homes.’

When asked if they will be classifying the disappearances as kidnappings, the Chief only said that the evidence doesn’t support that as of yet.

Meanwhile, parents are desperate for answers and are looking to Alpha Trezner for them. Trezner has been silent on the issue for quite sometime, though spokespeople for the Security Unit Council had informed us they are doing everything they can to find the ones responsible.

More at 11.’

I close my phone and scrub my hand down my face as I drive to the Unit.

It’s been days of small uprisings everywhere. We’ve been fighting them back, but like ghosts, they appear and disappear just as quick.

Marcus and Griffin can track them in the riots, but when they disappear, they’re gone. Our scans can’t find them. Griffin seems to think they have blockers on them to screw with the imagery. My question is, where the fuck do teenagers get that kind of equipment?

The only thing we know is they go underground. Where is another question. Underneath this island is a maze, within a maze, within a maze. Some areas are cut off by water and are too dangerous to swim. Some have been blocked off as changes were made to the utility systems. If you didn’t know where you were going, you could literally die down here trying to find your way out unless you stick to the surface levels. Beyond that is a deep, dark void of levels that cover the whole island. It’s like an ant hill from hell.

On the ground, these are not kids. They’re strong, fast and unpredictable. They fight like military soldiers, but have the suicidal actions of crazed lunatics. They don’t give a shit that we come for them and are more than willing to fight back.

Pinning them down is becoming a huge feat. Once we get one, they seem to shut down. Go catatonic. You can’t question them. It’s like talking to a wall. Every once in a while, they’ll respond violently, but it’s like a crazed animal. No mind, just teeth.

Jax seems to think it’s a defense mechanism. He confirmed that what were seeing is a new version of Rogue. They’re more sick. Even more broken and tortured in their heads and all showing signs of Croak use.

Once the parents see their kids, they have to turn them away. It’s heartbreaking to realize your child is so damaged you can’t deal with it. We try to council them. Inform them that we’re looking for a cure, but for some, it’s not enough. They decide their children went rogue and that’s the end of it.

We are now holding these kids until we have some sort of breakthrough.

Once I got to the unit, I headed straight to the medical wing. We grabbed a kid last night and are now trying to find more answers.

I stop at a room to watch one of these encounters from behind the glass. It’s sickening and enrages me that this is happening to members of my pack.

14 year old Spencer Clauson. Missing for 7 months. Disappeared without a trace until Noah brought him in. It was a battle, but we managed to subdue him and get him locked down. We have a collar on him, but that isn’t stopping his wolf from lashing out at us or him. It’s rabid and it’s letting everyone know it’s not taking our shit.

The medic tried to restrain him when it was clear the wolfsbane wore off, but he overpowered them and now there’s a stand off.

Medics are trying to restrain him again and take blood. Spencer’s red eyed with his canines out. He’s covered in drool and blood from hurting himself on the equipment.

They’ve asked me to stay out, but that’s becoming harder as I watch the exchange.

“Spencer! Calm down, bud!” One medic says as he tries to hold him down.

Spencer’s growls shake the glass as he picks up and throws the medic across the room. I flinch as he hits the wall and lands on the floor.

“OK.” I pull off my suit jacket and shirt. I can’t watch this anymore.

I open the door and close it behind me. The teen is heaving. His clothes are torn and he’s backing into a corner.

I hold out a hand. “Spence…we gotta take blood, man. It’ll only be for a minute.”

He barks and drool flies from his lips. His claws swipe at me as I step closer. His chest rumbles and his small muscles flex. He’s only about six feet, but he’s strong enough to fight me. I just hope I can beat him back.

I call my wolf and my eyes glow blue as Spencer’s wolf threatens mine.

I take a few more steps and he grabs a small cabinet. He lifts it and throws it at me. My wolfs power catches it and tosses it away. I lunge at him and he claws my chest.

“Argh…” I fall back onto the floor holding my chest. My hand is covered in blood from the slash. I look at him and press my lips together.

Getting to my feet, I posture in front of him. His eyes glow even more red and his sickening roar fills the room.

“Come on, kid. Don’t make me hurt you.” I say low as I crouch for a fight.

He’s challenging me and I’m afraid that if I don’t stop him, I’ll have to make a difficult choice.

Please, God. Don’t make me have to make the decision to kill this kid.

He moves the side and I follow. Not taking my eyes off him for a second.

He’s looking at me with death in his eyes. I need to end this now.

He walks around to the other side of the gurney when I take the chance. I shove the bed hard and it hits him in the stomach. I shove him into the wall and hold him. He’s trying to slash me again as he fights the bed, but I get low and hold the legs underneath.

His wolf is screaming, howling and barking a dark gruesome bark.

“Tranq! Now!”

The medic aims his dart gun and fires. The dart hits Spencer in the chest. He shoves against the bed and my arms are shaking trying to prevent him from winning. His growls are deafening.

“AGAIN!” I yell as I give my all into pushing against him.

The medic fires another dart.

Spencer isn’t letting up.

“It’s not working!” The medic yells.

“KEEP FUCKING FIRING UNTIL IT DOES!” I order as widen my stance. The toes of my boots slip on the floor and I keep having to adjust. My back is aching, my arms are on fire as this 14 year olds strength tries to surpass mine.

The gurney shakes and violently rocks back and forth as the pushing battle continues. Spencer spits and roars, trying to get the bed off him.

Two of the wheels break off and the metal digs into flooring. I watch the linoleum tile shred as Spencer shoves back.

I slam my eyes shut and call more power. My wolf lets out a determined growl and I shove that fucker right back.

I feel the sweat start soak my back and just as I think I can hold it, an Enforcer runs in and the two of them fire five more darts into the kid.

I hold it a moment longer and then feel the pressure start to ease. I release the tension slowly and raise my head. My eyes breach the top of the gurney and see Spencer fall onto the top of it.

Still squatted, I bring my legs in and stand. I ready to continue the fight if he’s not really out.

The medic ducks in beside me and checks Spencer’s pulse. He rolls his head to me. “He’s out.” He breathes.

I stand up and wipe my forehead with the back of my hand. I turn to him. “Double the collars. Extra shots and don’t remove restraints until your absolutely sure.” I nod to him.

“Yes, Alpha.”

I clap his shoulder and leave with the Enforcer behind me. Picking up my shirt, I throw it on and face him. “No medic will be left alone with any of them. I want guards both inside and out.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

He leaves and shrug on my suit jacket. I glance in the room as they lay Spencer on the gurney and restrain him properly.

I’m burning up. Not just because of the fight, but because I had to do that to a goddamn kid. One only a year older than mine. This is fucking nonsense and I need to know what’s going on.

****

After cleaning up in my office, I burst through the Hub doors.

“Somebody please tell me what fuck is going on?” I say as I jump the steps and enter the circle.

“They seem to have declared some kind of war.” Griffin says as he turns on the monitors to news reports of fires and vandalism all over the city.

“They've broken into groups and our people are fighting back, but they’re have been several injuries so far and five deaths. None of them are these kids.” Marcus adds.

I stare at the destruction unfolding before my eyes.

“These are kids.” I mutter as I turn around. “How can we be beat by a bunch of kids?”

“That’s just it, bro.” Noah says as he leans on the inside of the circle table. “They’re kids, dude. Nobody wants to hurt kids.”

I rub my head and neck. “We got to do something.”

“Enforcers are using darts, but there’s not enough to go around. One or two aren’t cutting it.” Eddie informs.

“I know. It took seven for the kid in the hospital. Jax, please tell me you have the results.” I turn to him sitting at his spot.

He drops his tablet. “Only that this looks like a new form of Hyper Croak. Hits harder and faster without the two hour hang time of hallucinations. Ten minutes of flight and they’re ready to rock with new powers of strength and agility I’ve never seen before.”

He stands and brings up the composition of the drug on the floating holographic screen in the middle of the circle. “This is the regular Croak. This is the new Croak. See the difference?”

“What the fuck?” I say as I look between two. The new one looks way more beefed up chemically.

He stands on the other side and looks me dead in the eye. “I know this is what’s fucking with their heads, but I have zero clue how to stop it aside from hunting all forms of Croak down and destroying it.”

“Well, that’s next to impossible without knowing where it’s coming from.” I say as I cross my arms with an arched brow.

“There’s one other thing.” Griffin says.

“What?”

He nods to a screen and the city’s security feed pops up. “This was caught last night on the south bridge.”

I watch the entrance to the bridge. It’s dark and the water laps the shore. At first there’s nothing. I slowly walk to the screen when a dark wolf runs up the middle of the road and stops. He looks behind him and barks. I go up for a closer look. “That’s a rogue.” I say low.

“Aye. Keep watching.” Griffin grumbles.

He turns and runs across the bridge. It’s not a second later the entire entrance fills with rogues as the run out of the city.

My eyes widen. “What the fuck?!” I spin around. “That’s a fucking pack!” I point to the screen.

I turn back and there’s at least a hundred running fast until the last few disappear off camera.

I turn back around. “There’s a pack of rogues in my city?!”

Marcus stands beside Griffin. “No. If what we suspect is true, those are our kids leaving the city.”

“Aye. We caught another group three weeks ago. Then another last week. This group was the largest yet.” Griffin informs.

“Why am I just hearing about this now?” I growl.

“Because we weren’t sure if it was these kids in the streets or something else. Turns out…it’s something else.” Marcus folds his arms and eyes me.

“What?” I question.

“Each group left the city and never came back. Satellites were able to track this group and they stopped.” Griffin says.

I walk up to Griffin and Marcus. “Where?”

“Finn…They joined the lycan army.” Marcus supplies.

My jaw drops and I float my gaze between the two. “They’re shoring numbers with our kids.”

“Knowing full well we won’t kill them.” Jax joins the circle.

Noah and Eddie slowly join. “We’re fucked.” Noah says.

I place my hands on my hips and lower my head. “I need messages sent out to all levels of citizens. Red alert 7. Curfew is in effect. School, rec centers, anywhere where kids hang out, closed.” I walk to the outside of the circle to my desk. Typing I send out a statement to my Ops leaders. “I want the bridges closed tight all barriers. I want this island locked down.”

My phone rings and I pull it out. I put it to my ear as I send out more orders.

“April, baby, I’m sorry…I can’t talk right…” I stop and stand straight. “What?”

My eyes meet the guys as I try to process what she’s saying. “How long?...You looked everywhere…OK…Baby, it’s OK…Don’t panic…I’m sure this is just like last…”

My brows furrow. “He was what?...No…Ben wouldn’t…He is thirteen…where would…Ok…April…I’m shutting the island down. Stay inside and lock the door. Keep off the phone. He might try to call. Don’t panic. I'll come to you as soon as I can.”

I hang up and stare at my phone. My breath is shaky as try to make sense of it all. The air has completely left my lungs as horrific images fill my brain.

“Finn?” Jax ask.

I let out a breath. “Ben’s missing.”

“Fuck…”

“How long?”

“Last night…April woke up and he was gone. Jumped out his window.” I cough and stuff my phone in my pocket. “She went through his computer.”

“Finn? What did she find?” Marcus scowls with concern.

I press my lips together and look at my friends. My chest feels like it’s in a vice. “He’s been selling Croak to kids at school.”

“What the fuck, Finn?!” Jax growls.

I nod. “I think whatever is happening got my kid. The animal has my Ben.” I lean on my table and all of sudden can’t breathe right. My knees feel like they want to buckle as I fall to an elbow and hold my head. I want to cry, scream and kill everything. My wolf is going insane.

Marcus comes around to my side. “OK. We’ll find him, alright. We will toss this fucking island to find him. This fucker won’t get Ben.”

Jax elbows Eddie. “Call everybody in.”

“Right.” Eddie and him both dial and start barking orders over the phones.

“I’ll try to find him in the facial recognition.” Griffin slams himself down at his desk and furiously types.

I stand up and push past Marcus.

“Where are you going?” Jaxs asks as he hangs on the phone.

“I gotta see April. I’ll bring her back here and set her up. She’ll be safe here.” I say as I head to the door.

Just I get there an assistant comes in. “Alpha Trezner, Falcon is here.”

I stop as Bastian, Jake and some guy I’ve never seen before walk in.

My eyes narrow and I walk past him. They follow me out.

“Finn!”

“I don’t have time for you, Bastian.” I say as I run down the steps.

“I heard. Your son’s missing.” He says and I stop.

I spin around and get up in his face. “What are you doing here?” I growl as I stare him down. “I told you, no, I demanded you Falcon assholes stay out of my city.”

“We need to talk to you about the threat you’re facing.” He says in that smug tone I hate.

“You mean your threat. I told you dicks to keep your shit on your side of the map. Now, I have to fucking clean up your goddamn mess.” I snarl in his face.

“It doesn’t work like that, Finn. Like it or not, we share the map. Now, do you want to know what’s turning your people rogue or not.” He makes this face I’d like to punch right into the pavement, but I need to know what’s going on.

“What do you have?” I flick my eyes between him and Jake.

He leads me back into the unit lobby.

“We’ve dubbed it Croak-R. It’s a new form of Croak that induces rogue sickness.” He says.

“It’s a hundred more times addictive that regular Croak and a bitch to kick. Those we’ve had in our custody died from withdrawals.” Jake adds as he swallows.

“OK. How?” I ask.

“River found a chemical. A dangerous one that eats the barrier between the Alpha blocker and the virus. This drug literally unlocks the cage to Rogue Sickness whether the person wants it or not. Severing ties to the pack and turning them rogue.” Bastian informs.

“How do we stop it?” I mumble.

“We’re working on that. Right now, we’re trying the cures and it seems to slow it, but we’ve had less success on one’s more than six months old.” Jake says.

“Have you been able to talk to any of them? Found out who’s doing this?” I question.

“No, but someone found us.”

He steps aside to a man in a suit. His black hair and dark eyes tell me he’s old and not a shifter. His scent doesn’t smell exactly human, but does at the same time.

“Alpha Trezner. John Cheswick. Hunter for hire.” He smirks as he puts out his hand.

I look at him confused and with suspicion. “Hunter.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I haven’t hunted shifter in…oh…a hundred years or so.” He takes his hand back.

“Who?...” I start.

“Alpha. I am part of a long line of supernatural hunters. People hire us when they have a creature that is…out of hand. Sometimes, like right now, I come to you.” He stands tall as I eye him.

“Why?” Again, my question is full of suspicion.

“I believe I know what is infecting your city.” He informs.

“Yeah…it’s Croak…” I say slowly.

He shakes his head. “The creature who’s dealing the Croak.”

I tilt my head and look into his eyes. “What.”

I steps up to me. “I’m sorry to inform you, Alpha, but I believe you have a pied piper on your hands.”

I furrow my brow and cross my arms. “You want to say that again?”