24 MMA Bears Three - Part 2
Hesitating for a moment, Marlow then continued: "Finding information about the Cabal and its intentions towards Swiftclaw has not been easy. In fact, I suspect that the only reason they accepted me as an administrator is to try and keep a close eye on your plans, to see what I know, so to speak. Most of the information that comes my way, at least anything which pertains to our client, has been redacted. I look at letters, files, invoices; all of them have most of the information blacked out. I had to take things into my own hands to find out anything useful. After some research I found out where they keep most of the files on the Tournament. Two nights ago I was able to break into the place, after swiping an ID card from someone who had access and cloning it. Elder…" Marlow began coughing, the previous night's efforts and the wound on his hand which had come from his endless running, all having taken its toll.
"Maybe you should just rest," said Elizabeth.
"No," said the Elder. "We need to know what's taking place. I'm sorry Marlow, when you tell me what's going on you can rest for a while. The safety of our clan must come first."
"Of course," said Marlow. "I didn't have much time with the files, but I managed to find one letter which hadn't been redacted yet. In fact I doubt I would ever have seen the letter at all. In it, LoHawk was mentioned, and a number of meeting places where he's been handing information to Harold Whitmore, one of the higher-ups in the Cabal."
"I'm aware of who Harold Whitmore is. He usually announces the fights at the Tournament. A sweaty, stout man, and I'd trust him as far as I could throw him," said the Elder. He sat back in his chair and pondered for a moment.
Marlow then told him of his trip across the state to deliver this information personally to him.
"Do you have any idea who the boar shifters where who were chasing me?" Marlow asked.
"No," said the Elder. "In fact, the last boar shifting clan I was aware of died out a long time ago. "
"Do they work for the Cabal?" Elizabeth asked.
"I don't know, is the honest answer," said the Elder, "but we will need to find out. Something else might be in play here."
"Elder," said Marlow cautiously. "There's something else, something which worries me more than LoHawk simply trying to supplant you."
"And what is that?" said the Elder.
"On the letter, there were specific instructions which were to be passed on to LoHawk that you were not to be harmed. They said that you needed to be… Harvested first."
"That sounds horrific," said Elizabeth.
The Elder stroked his beard looking distantly at the wall.
"Are you still lying around, you lazy ass?" said a booming voice from the doorway.
"Gage!" Shouted Marlow, the sight of his brother almost rejuvenating him.
Marlow and Gage hugged each other. There was a deep bond between them, and a deep brotherly love. They rarely got to see each other because Marlow spent much of his time away from the clan, being educated in the ways of the wider world. Something the Elder felt was very important. And now, with his job working with the Cabal, Marlow was under strict instructions to not contact anyone in the clan unless absolutely necessary. Just in case the Cabal were listening. Phones, emails; none of them could be considered safe.
Gage was then told of all that had happened.
"I think I should come work with you, Marlow. Just make sure someone's got your back." Marlow smiled at his brother, who'd had his back since they were kids.
"I'm afraid that isn't possible," said the Elder. "Gage, you have a child to protect. You know how some around here feel about a half blood. You need to look after Lacey and little Sho, they need you more than ever. Your brother will be fine for now. Once he's rested, he can return to his work," said the Elder.
No one in the room was happy with this, least of all the Elder himself, but they now had to truly understand how the Cabal was operating, and why they were conspiring against Swiftclaw, it was best to have someone within the ranks of the organization Someone close.
Little did Marlow know that this decision would change his life forever, for good and for bad.
Erin was in a rush. She'd only been working in the office for a few weeks, and she knew that tardiness was not something they looked upon kindly. She was brushing her hair when she walked into the glass door. Rebuffed only by her nose.
"Dammit!" she said to herself, louder than she probably intended.
That door was becoming a bit of a nemesis for her. It was, of course, an exit, not an entrance. The door only opened one way. But, in many a day, Erin forget that and would use the wrong one, much to the delight of the receptionist. That stone cold Gladys, who seemed to have it in for Erin from day one. It wasn't her fault that her family had got her the job, but there were plenty who didn't trust her because of it. For them a place within the Cabal was something to be chosen, not inherited.
Erin now corrected course and went through the right door this time, she didn't even look at Gladys as she passed her, and made her way to the office on the fourth floor. As she walked through the door to the office she was in the process of chastising herself for staying up so late and binge watching her favorite TV show. This was the reason she had slept in.
There were a few disapproving looks around the office, but then that was nothing new. There were also, some smiles, especially from the men. Erin was likable More than that, she was quite, quite beautiful. Born in Glasgow, Erin had flowing red hair and rosy cheeks and a gleaming smile which shone through even the darkest day. Many of the men working in the office secretly desired her; she had a petite waste, but in her office skirt and white blouse, she curved in all the right places. It was true to say that she was desired by many, though attained by none.
It was only a minute later when she finally grabbed her first cup of coffee, that she made her biggest mistake. Looking down at her mug and not watching where she was going, Erin walked straight into the boss. The coffee, needless to say, went everywhere. The boss's white shirt and dark blue tie and suit jacket were instantly covered in brown liquid.
Erin was mortified.
"I'm so so sorry…" She attempted to pad the coffee stains with a napkin she had on hand, only managing to smudge it more into the white cotton fabric of the boss's shirt.
"It's fine…" the boss said, looking stern.
But Erin didn't feel like it was fine. She didn't know the boss very well, in fact she didn't know him at all. He seemed to keep himself to himself. He buried his head most of the time into books in his office, but there was something lonely about him, that's what drew Erin's attention the most. Like he was always reading, always learning, but somehow detached from the world he was reading about. She would watch him curiously. Not because he was handsome - he most definitely was - but more because she knew he was a shifter. That was something she'd never thought she would see, and if she was honest to herself and to others, in her deepest darkest thoughts she had a fantasy about shifters. She always thought about being with one. The firm grip, the muscular physique, having that body down on top of her, as she climaxed. In human form of course, she wasn't that wild.
But this was not the time for fantasies. This was a very real situation involving an employee, who was already late, spilling boiling hot coffee all over her employer.
"Please come into my office, Erin." the boss said, a faint growl almost audible in his voice.
Erin walked straight ahead, mortified at what happened. She felt she was in for an official reprimand as she sat down in the office, and waited to be told off.
The boss undid his shirt, pulled off his suit jacket and tie, revealing a rippling physique. Erin glanced at him for a moment then looked away, but deep down she wanted to touch him, and be touched by him. He then pulled another white shirt from a wardrobe at the side of his desk, and put it on, fixing himself in the process.
"Erin, you really need to stop being so late for work. This is the third time in the last two weeks. Everyone else plays by the rules, you're not above them. So, please, do your best and come in on time from now on, okay?"
"Yes, sir… Mr Swiftclaw… So…" Erin was unsure how to refer to him.
"Please, just call me Marlow, okay?" he said. "Oh, and can you send me over a list of all upcoming locations for the Tournament?"
"Yes, Marlow," Erin said with shyness in her voice.
"That'll be all, Erin. Thank you."
She turned around and walked towards the office exit, however something had bothered her. You see, Erin was always the first person in the room to show concern for someone, that was just her nature, but because she felt so intimidated by Marlow, she had held off on asking. It was like an itch which needed to be scratched, and so before she left she turned at the door, and said: "is your hand okay?"
Marlow looked up with a confused look on his face. He hadn't even thought about it when he changed his shirt, but Erin had seen his bandage wrapped around his wrist. It was still covering a cut from when he was running from those boar shifters. "Yes, thank you, I'm fine."
"If you need anything, let me know." Erin left the office.
But it was Marlow who was left with a lasting impression. There was something about Erin. He'd immediately regretted being so hard on her, she seemed so caring. She also seemed unsure of herself, and that attracted Marlow to her more than anything. It was clear to see that she was beautiful, but her humility, her humble nature, made her an enticing prospect, far removed from the type of women he'd known back in the Swiftclaw clan. He didn't realize it, but from that moment on, Erin would be in his heart.
He shook the thought from his mind, and turned it once more towards his clan's plight. He had to find out what the Cabal was up to, and to do that he was going to have to risk exposure. He was going to have to become a spy.
