«Don’t worry, Maxim. While you are driving me, no camera will capture you.»
«How is that? Are you jamming the radar signal?»
No, but… well,» Kanny thought for a moment before answering, «yes, you’re right, it’s kind of like jamming a signal.»
«I shouldn’t tell him that my superiors can turn off any security camera,» the werewolf thought to himself.
«And he is a conspirator, evidently,» Maxim thought, glancing at his passenger through the rear-view mirror, and said aloud, «Apparently, you can’t give me this information, can you? As I understand it, if you work for who I think then I heard that these guys are almost ubiquitous. They can listen to any mobile phone, or get you even through TV, not to mention computers, or, for example, they can turn off the brakes on my car whenever they want.»
«And he knows something, looks as if he reads minds», Kanny thought. «I wonder if he is already at some level of initiation»?
«Do you think it’s real at all?» The BMW driver continued his inquiries.
«You have to be careful with him,» Kanny thought as he answered. «It seems to me that it is no longer a secret for anyone that every mobile phone is at the same time a listening device, and special services have the opportunity not only to hear all our conversations, but in general everything that is within the radius of a mobile phone at any point in time.»
«Even when it’s offline or turned off, right? And that he has an ultra-sensitive microphone, and the same is the case with the latest models of TVs and all without exception tablets, computers, and similar gadgets?» Maxim continued his questions.
«Do you want me to confirm this information, or are you just wondering if I know about all these points?» Kanny smiled back, looking at the driver in the rearview mirror.
«Yes… no… actually,» the driver laughed. «I understand that you won’t blurt out too much to me, and I won’t wait for a direct answer from you. And if for such a nondescript person like you, it was necessary to call a private government plane and turn off my car engine in order for me to answer a cell phone call… Of course, no one advertised to me that my engine was deliberately turned off. I was just driving on business, and did not want to be distracted by the call, and especially if the number was unknown. But when my car stopped, as if rooted to the spot, I had to answer. It turned out that you needed to be met, and moreover urgently. So… I understand that the choice fell on me not by chance, but because I was at that moment very close to that place, and I am one of those who are a little aware. This means that turning off security cameras on the road is also not a problem for you. So, you don’t have to answer. I am not a stupid person, and I am quite capable of building a simple logical chain from a sequence of events. Just wondering, who are these powerful people you work for? Masons? Illuminati?»
«You interestingly raised the question, as if YOU, taking me to the ordered place, do not work for these same people?» Kanny answered a question with a question.
«Hmm… you are right. But I only work indirectly, and you, apparently, directly. I was simply offered to meet you and take you to some godforsaken village for a good amount of money. I was told that my business would wait and I wouldn’t have any problem, showing a fair amount of knowledge about the deal I was going for. Moreover, I was assured that the deal would take place in any case, and I don’t even have to worry about it, because the immediate boss of the director of the company, to whom I was going to meet, is talking to me. Naturally, I agreed, who in my place would not agree? I was left with no choice. I understand perfectly well that a car like mine does not stall just like that. And what? I’m interested! I would like to get to know your superiors better. What do you say? Is it real? Or, when I take you, will I be paid what I’m promised and that’s all?»
Now it was Kanny’s turn to laugh. «You ask me as if I called you and turned off the car engine encouraging you to answer the call. If you hadn’t told me all this, I wouldn’t have known what happened.»
«Oh, so you are the wrong person to ask? Then… where should I turn to?»
Kanny thought for a moment before answering and said while still chuckling. «I think that after everything you have told me, following a simple logical chain, the conclusion suggests itself. You voiced your desire, and it was heard, because you yourself said that your gadget is also a great listening device. So, if you are interested in those whom you talk about, and they are in fact who you think they are, then an offer for cooperation will come to you from them by itself. But in any case, I have absolutely nothing to do with it.»
«Understood,» Maxim said disappointed. «Well, we’ve arrived. So, I did my part, and you didn’t tell me anything specific.
«I didn’t promise you anything,» the werewolf shrugged.
«Cunning!» Maxim thought and with annoyance said, «I agree, there’s nothing I can do. Well, it was nice to meet you.»
With these words, the driver stopped the BMW at the road sign that said «Antonovka’. At the same moment, a black Land Cruiser drove out of the forest and abruptly stopped next to the X6, door to door. The windows of both cars went down almost at the same time.
While Kanny was transferring, the man sitting in the passenger seat handed the limousine driver an envelope and said,» Mr. Andreev, as promised. You can count if you want. We will consider your wishes. Thanks for helping us.» The window closed and the Land Cruiser pulled away smoothly, picking up speed quickly and out of sight.
«Well, yes, I would also like to know who these „we“ he mentioned.», Maxim thought thoughtfully and, having counted the money, took up his mobile phone. Finding a missed call from the director of the firm he was supposed to meet, he held his breath and dialed his number, expecting to hear anything. However, after the first beep, on the other end answered the phone, and he heard a joyful voice:
«Maxim Ildarovich?»
«Yes. It’s me.»
«Yeah. I am glad. This is Konovalov… uh… Valery Petrovich.»
«Yes, Valery Petrovich.»
«Oh, yeah! Well, I got a call about you, so I’m in a hurry to announce to you that… uh… the decision on this matter has already been made. We will definitely work with you… yeah… and so, you can consider that our deal has already taken place. You just need to come and put your signature on our contract. And-and… take your time. The issue has already been finally resolved, so you can do it at any time convenient for you.»
«Hmm, some kind of fantasy!» thought Maxim.
* * *
During the entire journey, those two in front, the driver and the one who was next to him, did not utter a word. Kanny felt so constrained that he was afraid not only to say anything, but to make any sound at all, until the car stopped. It was as if words were completely unnecessary here in this black car. It wasn’t the first time. These men and others like them have always behaved in this way. The werewolf had no idea who they were, and what rank they occupied in the general system, and preferred not to interfere in their business. When they arrived at the place, the two remained motionless and did not even look in his direction when he got out of the car. As soon as he slammed the door behind him, the Land Cruiser moved away and drove back into the forest.
Kanny looked around. The red rays of the setting sun illuminated the tops of the trees, the weather was completely calm, and it was unusually quiet. This place was known to him from the very beginning, when he first experienced transformation. If he were now in the skin of a wolf, he probably would have flattened his ears and tucked his tail, so terrible were the memories.
«Probably, the master is already here and waiting for me,» he thought, and, moving on half-bent, went to the center of the circle, marked by several flat stones located along its perimeter. The feeling of the Spell was so obvious here, that he was ready to get on all fours without waiting for an order. Reaching the center, Kanny, as usual, stripped naked putting his clothes in a bag, lowered his head and froze. It is unknown how much time passed while he stood there. The concept of «time» was somehow lost in this place, and especially in the center of the circle. Five minutes could feel like an eternity, and vice versa, several days felt like five minutes. The evening was chilly, and Kanny was already freezing, when at some point the owner suddenly appeared out of nowhere and put a hand on his shoulder, making him flinch in surprise.
«Are you afraid?» the sorcerer asked in an ingratiating voice. That’s right. You need to be afraid. And even more so now, when we have some problems.» He made an impressive pause and continued with the intonation of the boa named Kaa from a famous cartoon, Jungle Book. «It’s a pity, of course, that we had to interrupt your vacation, but… this is partly your fault, little Kanny. Therefore, in order for us to correct the situation, you will have to stay here a little while.»
Kanny put his head between his shoulders and nodded like a little boy.
«This, apparently, is necessary so that your success does not inflate your head. Remember those two you left alive? So… they still give us problems, and I regret that I also did not remove them immediately because it has created this whole situation. But unlike you, I didn’t cancel them, because they have a relative from the special forces, and these guys are from a camp allied to us, and they need to be treated at a special rate. So, at first, I was angry with you, but then when I found out who their brother was, I was even glad and thought that we better clear their memory and everything, and deliver them to the edge of the field with your help, as you yourself know, otherwise he might come here, start prowling around and so on. We do not need that do we? Hm, yeah… and you know what? Now I regret not finishing them off. And that’s because one of them stole a special chip from my desk. You have one too, in order to keep you in touch with me. So… now, if he shows it to his brother, if he hasn’t shown it already, then they may suspect something, and return their memory to them by way of hypnosis. And they know how to do it in this fifth department of theirs.»
The sorcerer paused again, and spoke almost in a whisper into Kanny’s ear. «Anyway, listen to your assignment, kid. You will need to rush headlong into the village and kill these two. Everything should look like they were just torn to pieces by a wild beast. No suspicion or evidence. And one more thing, wolf cub… since you did an excellent job with the last task, there is a new order for you. You need to be raised one more level so that you become more independent, and you could now transform yourself. I would have done it before you took down this rebellious board of directors. Then you would have completed the task even better and, who knows, maybe you didn’t make this unfortunate mistake, but it’s not me who decides. So, what is, that is.»
The sorcerer fell silent, stroked Kanny’s head like a dog, and suddenly continued in a different, rather resolute tone.» So that’s what you’re here for. Today is your day, little wolf. I brought you here to initiate you into the next level. From now on, you will have the power to become a wolf, and return to a human again, whenever you wish. However, remember, I gave you this power, and I can take it away from you if you suddenly want to stop obeying me. So don’t forget that I need to continue to be afraid. Do you understand?»
Kanny obsequiously nodded his head, like a child, trying not to demonstrate his emotions, because what the owner said caused him great joy.
«Now get ready. Close your eyes and start casting the initiation spell. You still remember it, right?»
Of course, he remembered it. He had the feeling that he remembered it all his life. He obediently closed his eyes and began to recite the necessary words. As soon as he uttered the first sounds, the presence of the Spell enveloped his being in a dense thick fog…
Biting his lower lip with annoyance watching how the transformation of one creature’s flesh becomes another before his eyes, Alex thought, «How could I have made such a mistake? As if the mind was clouded. And after all, I pressed the same toggle switch. It is strange that he did not click to the end. Hmm… and Kanny… the puppy! It doesn’t look like him either. Remove three dozen bosses and slow down on two teenagers… Wow! Like some kind of obsession. It looks very similar to the machinations of the Enemy. The sorcerer spat in anger, and mechanically took a step back, because at that moment the werewolf was completely transformed, and he smelled of the sharp smell of a dog.
* * *
As Peter had said, as soon as they reached the wasteland, located at the very edge of the village, there was a noise of blades, the wind picked up, and a minute later a small military helicopter was already standing in front of them, rotating its propeller.
«Forward!» commanded Peter, and all three ran to the hatch of this reverently rumbling aircraft that opened its door in front of them. They jumped inside. Before the villagers could run to the noise, the helicopter took off into the air and disappeared behind the trees. However, none of those inside the air transport paid any attention to the man running after them screaming. Hoping to be noticed, he continued to yell and wave his arms until the helicopter was completely out of sight.
«Uh, what is it! That’s how! Didn’t I have time. That’s bad luck,» the man lamented, bending over and taking a breath.
«What, Uncle Venya, did not have time?» one village boy asked him, who, out of curiosity, also ran to the wasteland in the hope that he would have time to look at the flying miracle.
«I didn’t, you see. Ah-ah-ah, I didn’t have enough time,» Uncle Venya lamented, breathing heavily. He was dressed in a light khaki windbreaker, and on his head was a very real American hat, which cowboys have worn for years. Hunter Venya was very proud of this hat, because it was a gift from an real American who once, after visiting Russia, stopped by this place.
«What has happened, old man? Why were you running so hard?» asked his pretty blue-eyed neighbor Marianna, nicknamed «Dumpy», who had come up by this time.
«Well, is it… Strogin’s children who were found in a bale of hay? Now their brother has taken them somewhere.»
«To be honest, I don’t know, Venya,» the neighbor answered, straightening her blond curls, disheveled from fast walking.
