Missing Ch. 81 - End

"I told you everything was fine," I said as we walked back out to my car. Our ten-AM appointment with my OB-GYN had just finished. "A week of bed rest was more than enough."

"Your doctor also said this remains a high-risk pregnancy, and you need to get plenty of rest and avoid overexerting yourself," Leo replied. "I'm begging you to take it easy, honey. Don't take any unnecessary risks."

"I'll behave," I replied. Leo snorted, and I elbowed him. "What?"

"That would be a first." He opened the passenger door for me, and I slowly got in and buckled up. He closed the door and went around to the driver's side. He looked over at me. "Taking care of our son is more important than anything else. This isn't like your first pregnancy. You have a whole Pack around you, so you don't have to do everything."

"I'll try, but I won't sit around knitting and baking cookies." I loved Leo to death, but he'd been off the protectiveness scale all week. His constant hovering had become tiresome, and I was relieved when he returned to work. I was healthy and strong, and I hated when people treated me like an invalid.

"I'll settle for taking naps, eating right, and letting others bring stuff to you."

"Fine." He rolled his eyes at that, but at least he recognized it was time to stop pushing the subject. "Will you be all right if I go back to work?"

"I'll be fine." My phone started ringing, and I froze when I saw the number. "Pull over and turn off the car," I sent to Leo as I answered. "Master Cyprian, this is a surprise."

"It is, Adrienne. Did your appointment go well?"

"My son is strong and doing well, sir."

"Excellent. I need to speak with you urgently. I'll be arriving at the Red Wing airport at ten PM. My people will be waiting for me, and I'd like you to share my ride into Minneapolis. Your people can pick you up from the Four Seasons in Minneapolis."

"I don't trust him," Leo sent.

"Leo and I will meet you at the airport," I replied.

"No. Leo's reputation precedes him, and your pregnancy makes him more likely to go to violence. I personally guarantee your safety, Adrienne. No harm will come to you. I need information quickly before the next Master of Minneapolis is named."

"Why me? I'm no longer working for the Council."

He chuckled. "I don't trust anyone on your Council, so that is a point in your favor. You don't trust them, either. You shouldn't. The Council may be neck-deep in this mess."

"In on what, sir?"

"Let me say the timeline is a little convenient. I'm hoping you can answer some questions I have."

I turned to look at Leo. "I can't refuse to meet with him, Leo."

"Didn't we just talk about not taking unnecessary risks?"

"I will meet you at ten tonight, sir."

"Thank you, Adrienne. I look forward to seeing you again."

He hung up, and I turned to Leo. He wasn't happy. "You've agreed to spend an hour in a car with Supreme Vampire Master Cyprian Pontalba with NO bodyguard?"

"He won't hurt me, Leo. His sense of honor won't allow it."

Leo rolled his eyes. "I may not be in the car, but you WILL keep the link open, and I WILL have three cars with warriors ready to pull you out of there if it goes south. Cyprian said they are selecting the next Master Vampire. Does that mean the other Masters will be in town?"

I nodded. "If the other Masters aren't here already, they'll arrive tonight. Cyprian will be one of the last to arrive."

"Wonderful." His mood didn't improve as we went through the day. Thankfully, Fixer Jackson was visiting other Packs today, so we didn't have him reporting our meeting to the Council. We couldn't let the Council know of the call and not answer questions about why they wanted to talk to me.

We were in our car at the Red Wing Airport at ten, watching the private jet land. Next to us was a limousine with the Supreme Vampire's ground team of familiars. Leo and I got out as he came down the stairs. "Leo, Adrienne, thank you for meeting me on such short notice." He shook Leo's hand first, then took my hand and kissed it with a slight bow. "Shall we?"

"I'll be right behind you," Leo said to both of us.

"I would expect no less. My men are here to ensure no one interferes with our meeting or endangers my guest." He offered his arm to me, and I followed him to the door the driver held open. The single vampire inside was a striking twenty-something brunette in an expensive business suit. He helped me to one of the seats opposite her, then sat beside me. The limo started moving a moment later. "Luna Adrienne Volkov, may I introduce Mary Quantrill. Mary, this is Adrienne Volkov, former Werewolf Council Mediator and now the Luna of the Miesville Pack." I leaned forward to take her hand, and we each took in the other's scent. "Mary is the Vampire Council's Lead Investigator. She's leading the murder investigation of our Master Vampire."

I knew this could go bad very quickly. I didn't know how much information the vampires had about that night. "I don't know how much I can help. I was in the hospital the night that happened."

Mary nodded. "I know. When did you find out about the attack?"

"About eight that morning. Leo told me when he came to the hospital. My room didn't have a television, and I couldn't attend the Werewolf Council videoconference at six."

"What time did the Chairman send out the meeting notice?"

I asked Leo first. "He got the emergency page at five-thirty."

"And what did the Chairman say?"

I relayed what Leo said about the Vampires capturing and interrogating the Werecoyote leadership, neutralizing the threatened information release, and sharing the list of targets. "The Chairman said vampires and werewolves were working together to end a threat against both species. Leo argued that extermination went too far, but the Chairman ignored his objection."

"And the Packs acted immediately?"

"Yes. The Council had already assigned targets to nearby Packs, and the Chairman wanted it done by sunrise the next morning. Miesville wasn't assigned any targets."

"We know Bonnie Woods was in a Green Bay jail, but where was Clyde Lassiter that night?"

Leo last saw him at dinnertime at the hospital, and when checking with the Pack, he found out Clyde had departed between 7:30 and 8. "My son was traveling to see me, so Leo sent Clyde to pick up Bonnie when she got out of jail. If Clyde left by eight, he could make it there by one and get a hotel."

"He didn't arrive in Green Bay until six-thirty-seven in the morning. Any idea what he was doing between eight PM and one AM?"

"No idea," I said.

"Why was he traveling with a baby?"

Shit. "I didn't know Clyde had her that night. Leo scented the baby the next afternoon when Bonnie met him in Hastings." I didn't like where this was going. "Why are you looking into Clyde?"

Cyprian turned to me. "I think Clyde took the shot that killed Master Hans Andersen. I need to confirm it and understand why."

It hit me. "The werecoyotes at the scene."

Mary nodded. "Yes. We believe Clyde killed the Master in exchange for the deaths of the three people involved in the death of Bonnie's mate."

"What I need is confirmation of who ordered it and why. I can't execute a Master on suspicions," Cyprian said. "Master Ramesey of Montreal called a Council meeting at two o'clock Central time, not long after I heard of Andersen's death. He'd obtained a list of the were-coyotes and said the Werewolf Council had already agreed to exterminate them to end the threat. Since three coyotes were involved, the Vampire Council voted to join you."

That didn't make sense. "How did you find out? The police didn't release names until much later."

"Cassie Reynolds reported the attack to me. She said she only escaped because Hans made her wait at the gate."

"And Cassie is the leading candidate to lead the Minneapolis Coven?"

"Yes," Cyprian replied. "She will face challenges tonight. If she prevails, her elevation will follow."

"Not much time," I said. "Cassie has a motive. What about Ramesey?"

"He's feuded with Andersen for decades. He also covets my job, and Andersen has many allies."

I nodded. "Who benefits? Ramesey and Reynolds set up Hans for execution. Master Ramesey eliminates a rival, and Cassie gets a path to Master status. The Montreal coven captured the three coyotes in Canada. They brought them here to make it look like a drug deal gone bad and to gain Clyde's cooperation. If Clyde failed, the werewolves would get the blame. If Clyde kills Andersen, the coyotes get blamed. Either way, Ramesey was going to the Council with a list of people to kill, wasn't he?"

"I wouldn't doubt it. Master Ramesey has long advocated killing or enslaving inferior supernatural races. He's the only one who talked to the Werewolf Council, and we don't know the extent of Sanders' involvement and foreknowledge. Killing a Vampire Master would lead to a war of extermination, and they both wanted it."

I couldn't believe it. "Hundreds of innocents are dead because of this."

"Yes. I need to speak to Mr. Lassiter as soon as possible."

"I don't know if I can get him here tonight. Where should I send him?"

Mary handed me a card with her number. "Have him contact me, and I'll bring him in. We have to do this carefully; Ramesey and his allies will stop at nothing to kill him before he can testify."

"I already texted Clyde to call me," Leo said.

I tried another tack. "What if Clyde doesn't reply? Can you take down Cassie and Charles without him?"

"At best, I could get Ramesey for lying to the Council. It might not be enough to get the vote needed to remove and execute him since many of the Masters approve of what has happened with the coyotes. As for Cassie, she executed a half-dozen familiars before Mary arrived to interview them because they 'failed to keep their Master safe.' I have no other witnesses to the ambush. She would get away with it."

The limousine came to a stop at the hotel. "I'll do what I can. Thank you for talking to me first, Master Cyprian."

"Good luck," he said.

The driver opened the door. I stepped out, walking straight back to Leo's car parked behind it. "What a fucking mess," I said after getting in.

"Text the number to Clyde. He's on his way."

Ch. 88

Supreme Master Cyprian Pontalba's POV

Four Seasons Hotel Executive Conference Room, Minneapolis

The elite of the Vampire world gathered around the conference table, all seating themselves at my command. Master Vampires, each of whom leads a Coven in a major city in North or Central America. The average Master was three centuries old.

Each was powerful, beautiful, rich, and dangerous. Human politics is nothing compared to that of the Vampire world. Power is everything, and plots to achieve it span centuries. Navigating through the personalities and alliances was a continual challenge for me. My advantage was my strength; with age came power, and no vampire could stand up to me.

I'd waited for the last Masters to arrive. Now it was two AM, time to start our business. "I call the Vampire Council to order," I said as I sat down at the head of the table. "The first order of business is the status of our war with the Werecoyotes. Master Ramesey, the floor is yours."

"Thank you, Master Pontalba, and a thank you to the Masters who participated in this war. All dens assigned to Covens have been eradicated to the last dog. The Werewolf Packs have been nearly as successful; Chairman Sanders reports only one were-coyote has eluded death, and his Enforcers are actively searching for him."

"Who is it," one of the Masters asked.

"His name is Jerry, and that's all we know about him. He may be traveling with former Werewolf Council fixer Emily Jones. She may be seeking refuge with former Council Fixer Clyde Lassiter and his mate, Bonnie Woods."

"You're kidding me," I said. "Two Fixers and a Master Tracker are with this guy?"

Ramesey nodded. "That's what Sanders believes. He put a kill order out on them if found together. All Packs are looking for them. I recommend the Covens join the hunt. We cannot achieve a permanent solution if even one werecoyote survives to repopulate their vile species."

"What of the human reaction? Will we face any consequences from the dead and missing?"

"I don't believe so, sir. The skills of our respective kinds have limited the number of times Masters have had to intervene to remove memories. It helps that the smelly varmints were mostly migratory and didn't interact much with their neighbors."

"I have to be sure. Each Master who wiped out one or more Dens, please stand up." Thirteen Masters did so. "Swear by your Coven that you have killed them all." Such vows were uncommon, as they insulted the honor of those asked. I had my reasons, though.

"Is this necessary, Supreme Vampire," the Los Angeles Master asked.

"We have to be sure. I've heard rumors of werecoyotes being held captive for their blood. Such actions are unacceptable since our goal is to wipe them out." One by one, the Masters swore the oath, finishing with Ramesey himself. "Does anyone else have anything to add to the coyote subject? If not, we'll move on to the challenges for the next Master of the Minneapolis Coven."

Master Vampire Vincenzo Milan stood, and I gave him the floor. "It is with great sadness that I must rise with these accusations. Two of our kind conspired with a werewolf to murder Vampire Master Hans Andersen, then lied to the Council about it."

I smiled at my close ally as he tossed the truth bomb into the room. We were watching the other Masters for their reactions, as minimal as they might be. I let the outrage die down. "Who are you accusing?"

"Cassie Reynolds and Master Charles Ramesey."

"Very well. Guards, place Reynolds and Ramesey in custody and seat them at the other end of the table to answer these accusations." Their allies objected, but our laws were clear and proven. Requiring such accusations to be tried before the Council prevented wars between Covens. As the Supreme Vampire, I would run the trial under Vampire law. The accusers would present the case, then the accused could respond. The other Masters formed the jury.

At least 75% of the Masters present had to vote guilty to convict the two. The Supreme Vampire would assign punishment. If no Masters voted to convict, the accuser got the sentence instead. Vincenzo wasn't worried about that; Mary Quantrill used to be in the New York coven before joining the Vampire Council as our primary investigator. He knew how good she was at her job.

"Master Milan, present your case."

"Thank you, Master Pontalba and my fellow Masters. I call my first witness, Council Investigator Mary Quantrill." Mary was brought into the room and seated in the witness chair by my side. "Miss Quantrill, can you describe for us your current assignment."

"I'm the lead Council investigator on the Master Andersen murder case. The Supreme Vampire sent me to Minnesota within hours of the Council learning of his ambush."

"I see. The civil authorities ruled it a drug deal gone bad and blamed it on the three werecoyotes found dead at the scene. Is that ruling accurate, or did you steer the humans in that direction?"

"I believe the killers staged the scene to lead the authorities in that direction."

"Why do you believe that?"

She opened her laptop and connected it to the multiple video screens around the room. "I used Homeland Security credentials to gain access to the investigation. This photo shows the crime scene as seen from a drone overhead." She used her cursor to point out the locations of the Master's destroyed car, the three dead werecoyotes, and the firing position. "The kill shot was an RPG round fired from the top of this container. The coyotes died from rounds fired from behind the car, yet none of the shots they supposedly fired hit the front of his car. Investigators could not locate any bullets striking north of the car, despite the quantity of brass on the ground by the coyotes. What is most telling is that no one fired in the direction of the RPG shooter. The rounds that hit the car were all fired from this area," Mary said as she circled an area to the east.

"What does the evidence tell you?"

"The werecoyotes didn't fire a shot," she replied. "They were not behind cover, and they couldn't miss the vehicle with AK-47s at that distance. Toxicology reports do not show the presence of drugs, but I noted the blood loss of the victims was abnormally low. My conclusion is that they were partially drained, then killed after the attackers killed the Master and those in the car with him."

"Do you know who the attackers are?"

"I scented Cassie Reynolds here, by the gate. The remaining scents were human."

"And the RPG shooter?"

"That scent was obliterated by bleach." I raised my eyebrow at this piece of information. "A gallon of it was spilled on top of the shipping container, leading back to a parking area."

"Why bleach?"

"My conclusion is the person firing the RPG to kill Master Andersen is supernatural."

"I see. Shifting gears, how did the three werecoyotes get to the scene? The cook's last know location was near Quebec City."

"Immigration and Customs Enforcement has no record of them entering the country, but I have traced what I consider the likely means."

"Continue," Master Milan said.

"On Friday, June 19^th, a private jet registered to one of Master Ramesey's companies departed Montreal for Detroit. I accessed FAA records on this. The flight plan listed eight passengers, but Customs in Detroit only processed four passports plus the pilots. One of those was Master Ramesey. The plane then continued to Red Wing Airport in Minnesota with eight passengers, arriving around eight-thirty. The jet departed at one in the morning with four passengers, stopping at Orange Municipal Airport in Massachusetts at four-thirty. By five-ten, it was wheels-up, landing back in Montreal at six-ten. Customs processed the same four passports on entry."

"To summarize, Master Ramesey traveled to Minnesota and landed at an airport thirty miles from where Master Andersen died, arriving three and a half hours before the supposed drug deal. He smuggled four people into the United States who did not leave with him. On the way back, what is the significance of Orange Municipal Airport?"

"It's the closest airport to the Werewolf Council capable of handling his private jet."

"Wait a minute. You're saying that Master Ramesey met with Chairman Sanders at four-thirty, yet Ramesey told the Vampire Council hours earlier that the Werewolves were asking covens for assistance in wiping out the coyotes?"

"I'm telling you flight information. You'll need others to speak to the meetings."

"Fair enough. You assume that three of the four unknown passengers were the three dead coyotes?"

"Yes."

"Who is the fourth?"

"The fourth is a werecoyote baby given to former Council Fixer Clyde Lassiter by Master Ramesey at the Red Wing Airport before he departed."

The entire room erupted at that point, forcing me to smack my hand against the table to restore order. "You have evidence of this?"

"Yes, Master Pontalba. I accessed the surveillance cameras from the Red Wing Municipal Airport that night." She showed the first photograph. "Timestamp 2017 at the bottom. Facial recognition identifies the driver as Clyde Lassiter, and the car has New Hampshire plates in his name." She pointed her cursor at the back of the car. "Notice nothing is in the back. Now, here is Clyde leaving twenty minutes later. Notice the man in the passenger seat." She gave the man's name and showed his Canadian driver's license and military records.

"I know him," one of the Masters said. "He's one of Master Ramesey's familiars."