Pack

"Ha? Ah... umm... I am sorry to hear of your loss." Jason silently congratulated himself for being able to finish his sentence without stammering. While trying to digest the information he had just learned, he looked around for something to help him stand up. Ignoring the ache of his ribs, he reached for the tree next to him. When he saw the old man in the torn outfit approaching, he gave up the effort to stand up and changed the position of his little knife so that it was out of sight but allowed to move when necessary.

''Let me help you, I guess I owe you an apology too,'' said the old man.

''Don't you need to go to the hospital or something? I'm pretty sure you fell badly when my car grazed you. Your blood is still flowing.''

The old man touched the back of his head. ''Do not worry about me. We heal faster than many other species.'' He held out his hand to Jason, who was still on the ground. After a few tense seconds, Jason grabbed the hand and let the man lift him up. The sudden movement took his breath away.

''So recent murder victims were semi lions,'' said Jason when he can stand again without help, ''But why didn't you identify them when the police advertise their faces?''

''My pack does not trust your laws. Do you know how many shape shifters live in our lovely city, Zmir'a, Jason?'' Rex, scar-faced man, said.

''I don't know. Maybe a hundred?''

''Over five hundred. Ah... Don't look at me like this. Surprisingly, shape shifters don't like being excluded from society, bullying towards their children, and getting fired because of a mutant virus in their blood. They pretend to be humans,'' Rex laughed like he said something funny. ''I was working for SCO just like you before I got like this. It happened in a border operation. The rescue team could not find me before shape shifter gang's Rex think that it is a funny idea to transform me into one of them.''

''Wait, firstly there is no way that the murders are hate crimes. All three corpses had claw marks. And did they fire you for turning into a semi lion? There is no rule that prevents shape shifters to be a part of SCO.'' Jason took a position so that he could see all four semi lions.

''I wish that there is a rule let them to fire me. My own teammates started to fear me, Jason. Do you know how being treated like a monster feels like?''

''No, I don't know how it feels like. Can we continue this conversation after sunrise, maybe with coffee and croissants?'' Jason wondered if he would have a chance to sleep tonight, looking at the moon starting to set to give her place to the sun.

Rex glared at Jason.''Am I boring you?''

''No, sir. Absolutely not. However, I still have no idea what you want from me. Also, I am tired and injured, which does not put us in very equal positions in the cooperation you want. In addition to that, there is nothing but your words that prove who you are. How do I know if you are the real killers trying to get information about the case?'' Jason said in the same breath and he couldn't help taking a defensive position while looking into Rex's getting thinner and thinner pupils.

''Do you doubt me?''

Jason got goosebumps. The old man whom he had forgotten he was there stepped forward and said, ''My Rex, this young man is right. The moon is setting and we are already late.''

Rex nodded. ''If you say so, Rajid. Come, follow me, Jason. We can give you the answers you want so much at the heart of the forest.'' He said, turned, and started walking.

''We really don't need to do this. Why don't you just get an appointment from my office to talk about what you want?''

''Don't piss off Rex, Jason. Just do what you're told.'' Rajid, the old man, whispered. Two people waiting in the distance began to approach. Rajid passed on Jason's right side, the side Jason kept his knife, the other one stood on his left and the last one passed him behind. ''Walk, Rex gave you an order and everyone is waiting for us.''

''Who is everyone?'' Shape shifter in his behind pushed Jason. He stumbled but did not fall. 'Whatever, there is no way that I can get over these three and reach my car. I am not even sure where I am.' Jason's hand holding the knife was getting tense. He put his hands in his pants pocket and started to walk.

'' 'Everyone' is pack. Of course not all of them. Murders scared everyone. Many of us locked ourselves up at home.'' Rajid answered his question.

''So three deaths is enough to frighten even shape shifters.''

''No, not three. We did not share the murders with the police at first. Five semi lions, two semi lizards, and one semi wolf murdered in the last three weeks.''

Jason inhaled deeply. ''Not just lions? Wait, are there lizards in Zmir'a?''

''Yes, there are and yes, not just lions. The largest shape shifter group in the city is lions but we are not the only group. Actually, there were three lion packs in Zmir'a thirty years ago. Our former Rex united three packs into one pack.''

Jason noticed eyes watching them through the trees. Their numbers were increasing with every step. ''Why did your former Rex retired?''

''Being Rex is not a job, Jason. You can't retire. You can quit when you are dead.'' Bright yellow eyes surrounded them and kept moving with them. Although Jason can't hear them he was sure the shape shifters heard their every word.

''Was he one of the five semi lion victims?'' The number of trees was starting to decrease.

''No, he died six months ago of old age. Our life span is relatively long compared to humans but we are not immortals, unlike vampires. The pack still couldn't get used to the absence of the former leader. As if these were not enough, there is a murderer hunting us now.''

A few shape shifter came out of the trees and started to walk with them. ''No wonder Rex was so nervous.''

''Here we are, the heart of the forest.'' They passed beyond the last tree and reached a wide clear area. There was nothing but tall grass that looked dark green in the night on the ground. There was a small lake in the middle of the clearing. Jason predicted that he could take a full lap around lake in twenty minutes. A dozen human figures were looking at them from the shore of the lake. Jason knew that none of them were human.

At the same time, on the coast there was a wet and shivering girl. She had opened the door after waking up in her cockpit and stepped into the blue ground without knowing it is liquid.