Pt. 3

Maddie wondered what this guy's bottom line was.  She knew she did not have much to offer,  but she heard that he was one of the best out there.  A series of haphazard hunts later,  she had found him lounging in a bar,  playfully cleaning his pool cue while others around him laughed,  played,  groaned when they lost and exchanged drinks and cash 

He'd raised his eyebrows in amusement to see an obviously underaged girl trying to be all serious and get his attention.

"I was told I'd find Eric Tan here.  That's you,  right?"

"Yes,  and you are?"

"Call me Maddie,"

"Well,  hello,  Maddie. It's nice to meet you.  I'd offer you a drink, but I'd rather not get arrested. So... Are you here for the game?"

Maddie had flushed at being found out for being underage still.  But she'd straightened up and    got right to the point. 

"No,  not for a game, Mr. Tan. I'm here to seek your help. "

"Help?"he'd asked,  eyes losing a bit of the amusement,  and becoming more serious,  more guarded.  "What kind?"

"The kind that I heard you're very good at"

He'd snorted,  at the wannabe mafiaspeak. This girl was well groomed,  her dress tasteful,  but too much for this place.  She was obviously not used to going out in town,  nor was she a commoner.  Is it somebody rich?  In trouble?  Money problems? Drugs?  A boyfriend?  A mate or a romantic?

"If a teenager is seeking me, out in a club in the middle of the night,  with obviously no permission or company, in the middle of a weeknight,  it can't be the straightforward kind.  If you're in some kind of trouble,  Miss Maddie, I suggest you reach out to the police."

Maddie frowned at his use of the "Miss", it was a little patronizing, but  when he got up,  she grabbed his sleeve.  She needed his help.

He turned around, glancing at her hand that grabbed him,  and then her face.  The fun left his face when he told her, "Go home,  Miss Maddie. Even if you need help,  there are people who can help you, way better than I do.  Besides, it's unsafe for a teenager to roam these parts at this time of the night."

"Mr. Tan, I came here obviously because I am in no position to go to these people. I'd appreciate it if you could help me out." Her voice was steady but held a seriousness with a touch of desperation.

Eric Tan considered her for a moment.  He then asked, "Did you get in trouble?"

"No,  of course not!"

"Romantic problems? "

"No! "

"Money?  Blackmail? "

"NO!"

"Looking to fool around? "

"Are you serious...  No! "

"Revenge? "

"No."

"Then what? "

"Help. That's what I can say at the moment,  without explaining in detail.  It's a long story,  Mr. Tan. One that I'd rather not go into in the middle of a bar."

"It usually is," he had muttered under his breath before putting his cue away and getting up.

"Awwww Tan,  not here to finish the game? " one of his rowdy pals shouted from the table. 

"No man, stuff to take care of," he shouted back, stretching and flexing his fingers. 

"Something,  or someone?" one of the other guys shouted back,  earning a glare and a middle finger from him,  as he grabbed a jacket and nodded at the girl,  indicating the door.

She responded and followed, gaze steady with as much dignity as she could muster, walking away from the men laughing at them. 

The two had stepped out into the dark alley.  Eric had looked around, and glanced back at her wonderingly.  Did she come to meet him with no company, no car, no backup? What was a kid doing here?

"Have you had dinner? " he asked. 

She shook her head.  "There's a small restaurant up ahead.  Let's eat there."

"Ok."

"And you pulled me out of the game,  so you're paying." She nodded in response,  and they trudged down the alley till it emerged out to a brighter street. Most of the shops were shut at this time of the night. Judging by how she was looking around,  she was a stranger to these parts. 

A few minutes later,  they turned to find a small diner,  with the wonderful smell of fried junk floating around in the air,  and some late night stragglers huddled around the tables,  post work and post-party haze across their faces.  They seated themselves in a small booth in a corner.  An elderly man came around to take their orders.

"You're usual, little Tan?" he asked.  Eric had nodded,  and asked her what she wanted.  "A strong cappuccino,  please,"

"Nothing to eat,  dear? " the old guy asked,  and when she hesitated,  looking at the menu,  Eric suggested their Aglio Olio, declaring it good enough to kill for.  Maddie nodded her thanks and asked the old man for a plate. 

A few minutes later, Maddie was nursing a steaming hot coffee,  staring in amazement at Eric's order.  He'd asked for hash browns, a stack of pancakes,  maple syrup,  hot chocolate, and a huge bowl of ice cream. "Isn't your ice cream going to melt while you have the pancakes? " she asked. 

Tan smiled. He was enjoying was having breakfast for dinner, and with a mischievoussmilw, "Watch!" he grinned.

He proceeded to pour the maple syrup all over the pancakes.  Then, cutting out a chunk,  he dipped them in the ice cream and swirled them around in the mush until the pancakes were coated with a chunk of ice cream.  Then,  taking a spoon,  he carefully dripped some hot chocolate onto the mixture speared on his fork,  and then shoved the whole thing into his mouth.  Maddie's eyes widened in amazement. 

What fun!

He looked less like an infamous lone wolf and more like a mischievous kid at a party as he grinned at her,  mouth full and ice cream dripping down his chin.  She then laughed and thanked the old man for bringing her a steaming bowl of Aglio Olio and dug in. 

Eric was right.  It was indeed heaven on her tongue.  Swallowing a warm mouthful,  she exclaimed, "It's so good it should be illegal! I'm surprised at how nice a dash of Schezwan seasoning tastes on this pasta!" The old man brought a muffin over,  laughing, as a reward, for she was the first customer in a long time who found out his spice mix in the first bite. 

Her request for help temporarily pushed aside,  she busied herself with her plate. Eric considered her quietly as he chewed.  She was obviously well brought up.  She was underage.  She looked like she had money.  And she spoke like an educated woman, well-mannered, with none of the street slang popular among other teenagers.  But all that maturity fell away in front of good food. Her youth showed in her unbridled enjoyment and how easily she became comfortable with a total stranger. 

And there was something else.  He wasn't sure if she was aware of it. But he would know in some time. 

  - - -

A good half an hour later, both were nursing full stomachs and sitting back sated when Eric brought Maddie back to reality with "Thanks for the date. Let's talk now,  yeah? "

Maddie smiled.  "Of course. Thank you, though,  for coming.  I hope you'll agree to help me. "

"That depends on what you're asking,  Maddie."

"Well,  to put it directly,  I need your help in getting a friend out of a difficult,  dangerous situation. "

Eric Tan almost scoffed.  Of course. If it wasn't themselves, it was always for a "friend."

"And who might your friend be,  and what sort of situation are we discussing? "

"I'll need to know if you're ready to undertake something before telling you.  It's a rather sensitive matter. "

"You're the one who needs my services,  Maddie.  I don't need you.  And I refuse to get myself into anything without knowing exactly what the situation is. I want to know what I'm taking up,  and whether it's worth the risk. "

Maddie sat for a minute, thinking.  She then relented with a sigh. "Alright,  I'll tell you."

" My good friend is stuck in an abusive environment. She's underage at the moment,  and the abuse is bad enough to break her.  And not just her,  it's also her siblings. "

"So go to the cops,"

"I can't.  It's difficult to prove and more complicated than that! "

"And why is that? "

"Because she's a preternatural.  A werewolf, to be precise.  "

Eric stared at her. She went on, "You're one too,  you know  that werewolves heal quickly.  Any signs of abuse vanish pretty soon. "

He took a moment to digest this.  People didn't just walk up to others and talk about werewolves and the like. Besides, other than rumor mongering,  most humans knew factual little of their preternatural fellow citizens apart from their existence, and both government and communities liked to keep it that way.  Other than the odd satanic cult, the communities hardly mixed, maintaining a "don't ask - don't tell,  stay away from my business, and I'll stay away from yours" kind of relationship. For this kid to speak so openly, she must have done some research. 

"How on earth did you find me,  to begin with? "

"I worked my way through some homeless shelters where I volunteer sometimes.  They pointed me from place to place.  I was recommended to meet you by Jack DeSantis. "

Ah, DeSantis.  That over-friendly meddlesome wolf. Eric felt he should have been a golden retriever, not a wolf,  that's how friendly the guy was. 

"If she's a werewolf,  then her family and pack will protect her.  They stick together pretty closely,  and take care of their own, you know, " he replied. "There's no way they'll take harm to one of their own lying down."

"The abusers seem to be the family and pack themselves.  She has no mother.  Her father got them into the mess as far as I know. The pack she's associated with seems to be complicit in the abuse, I've guessed. "

"You guessed? "

"This is stuff I've found out on my own.  My friend couldn't tell me much,  but I've had to do my own research. But if it's bull,  please tell me"

"Hmm...  Anyway,  if it's abuse,  that's a straightforward case for the Preternatural Council. Packs are supposed to care for their own. "

"Yes,  but what if she's not? "

At his questioning look,  Maddie elaborated, "Look,  packs and pack members are registered and responsibility assigned by the Preternatural council.  The pack is duty-bound to care for its own.  But if she isn't a member,  then they owe her no responsibility. And that's the case. "

"Wait,  so you're telling me that this friend of yours is somehow involved with a pack,  that's involved in abuse of someone who could be their own,  but isn't,  which makes no sense,  and I have to rescue her? "

"Yes."

"Do you realize what you're asking?  Going after a pack is suicidal."

"If it's payment,  I can probably match any amount you ask for,  Mr Tan.  But it's a question of my friend.  I can't simply go to the authorities. I need the help of someone who is good at unconventional jobs,  but isn't tied to a pack. And that's you,  Mr. Tan.  "

"You seem to know quite a bit about werewolves and the like. "

"I'm human,  Mr. Tan.  Otherwise, I would have jumped in myself.  My limited outsider's knowledge is useless. I need someone who knows the system,  is outside it,  and can still beat it. "

"You flatter me,  Maddie.  I can only try.  But it'll be expensive, " he warned her.

"I'll be ready to match what you're asking,  Mr. Tan.  I need my friend safe. That's what matters to me.  "