ALEXiThymiA: Chapter 32: Singling Out The Pack

Chapter 32

Singling Out The Pack

When the TSI agents came, Alexa and her brother were instantly taken to one corner of the room. While different officers set up stations at all throughout the room. This was a mass investigation, one where they didn’t want to tip their hand about who knew what.

The idea was to break down girls by region and see if the same person was used to invite the different girls to the party. For Julie’s group it was the same boy, Cole Rhodes, who set them all up to attend the same party. He was just the right amount of pretty, mysterious and refined to pull off such a stunt. He came from old powers, but his parents for whatever reason had been nulls.

It was assumed that Cole was desperate not to be a null like his parents and resorted to anything. Thus, the luring of five sophomores to a particular party. Why sophomores, he didn’t know. But they had to be sophomores and they had to be pretty. Other than that, it didn’t matter what else they had going for them.

As it turns out, while Cole Rhodes was used in the North. There were other boys that were used in different parts of different states as well. Eventually Johnston had the girls break down by location and had the investigators try to get base descriptions of who was used where.

While this was going on, Ms. Tutlidge spoke to Julie Swinton, the girl who was finished with her interview first. She was also one of the most seemingly devoted followers of Alexa Thyme.

“You know it isn’t healthy right? That level of devotion to her?” Ms. Tutlidge began.

Julie for her part, just turned and locked gazes with the mousy teacher who had seemed to grow three sizes due to her conviction on this topic.

“I don’t think you understand her. She is the most selfless person I know. More selfless than even Judge and Warder.” Julie began. As they spoke, Alexa who had been focusing elsewhere suddenly shot her gaze up at the two, but then quickly turned her gaze away, before anyone could notice. “Three times.”

A slight pause before Julie continued.

“Three times, that is how many times she has saved my life.”

A pause.

Ms. Tutlidge looked like she was about to speak but was quickly cut off.

“I was a werewolf. We all were werewolves.” Julie said, telling Ms. Tutlidge a grave secret. A secret that only very select people within the TSI knew.

“I know. You all were exposed to the Lykanthropy virus and did a remarkable job fighting it off.”

Julie just shook her head.

“No. You don’t get it. We were werewolves. We were all tied to posts, infected with the virus, and only set free once we consumed human flesh.” Julie said, a faint shiver of revulsion coming over her face. “We were starved, having our bodies convulse and twitch with pain. Then the only release we had from the ravenous hunger, that was chunks of meat left within our faces.”

At that a haunted look came over Julie’s face as she seemed to go back to the moment.

“That is terrible.” Ms. Tutlidge said, a gasp in her words as she covered her mouth.

“After that, we ate. Well, I ate. I had to, the hunger was just so raw, so intense that I couldn’t control it. Then there was the voice offering survival if I just ate the meat. So, I ate.”

A slight look of disgust, as Julie looked away at a distance spot on the wall. “It was simultaneously the slimiest and most disgusting thing I ever ate. While also being the most magical food I ate. I was so hungry, and one cube was enough to satiate my hunger, but I ate and kept eating more and more. Until I blacked out.”

A pause.

“From that point on, I had lucid dreams. Dreams where I was a predator hunting in the woods. I could smell many animals to eat, but I knew none of them would satiate my hunger like a human. That was why I went for meat. Even recognizing the prey as humans, I couldn’t stop myself. It was like my body was on autopilot and I was trapped in a tank of water. I could only watch and try to fight back. But then she came. She drained the tank, then finally shattered the tank entirely, setting me free.”

“I awoke to find myself naked in a field. She was standing over top of me. It was clear that she had just defeated me. I began to vomit up the food particles that were still in my body. Now that I was no longer affected by the virus, my body rejected the human flesh. Then she watched over me. She gave me a shirt. She even made Bullford give over his jacket so I could have something cover my waste. That alone would have been enough to devote myself to her. I was a fully turned wolf. Not a partial, not someone who was on the brink. I had turned fully to my wolf, and she brought me back.”

“Then a few days went by, and I and the other initial survivors were hearing the calling of a master, of our master. Fortunately, we were all still under lockdown for observation, or else we would have run to the voice. That’s when she made her second miracle. She saw our pain and took it upon herself to become our pack leader. I don’t know how, and honestly, I don’t care. I know she isn’t wolf, but that doesn’t matter. To me, well to all of us, she is the calm voice of reason.”

“Then today the third miracle came, when she got all the students to back down from hazing us. She did it in the way only an Alpha could. She used overwhelming force to let it be known that her pack was off limits. You might ask me why I would follow her. But a better question would be, who wouldn’t follow her?”

At that, Ms. Tutlidge looked at the student. Then she looked around the room to the nineteen different females that were not named Luke and Alexa.

“So that happened to all of you?”

“Yes. Every word.” Julie admitted.

At that Ms. Tutlidge could only nod her head. If what was said was true, then she could understand the level of devotion. Finally, after a moment Ms. Tutlidge decided to continue with her original objections to the way these girls seemed to be fanatically following her.

“That might be the case, but you’re jumping at her every command. That cannot be healthy for you.”

“We don’t have to jump at her commands. We also know that she is very busy. So, if we can, we want to help. The least we could do is Google a few subjects for her and help her look for things more efficiently.”

“But isn’t she forcing you to do so?”

At that Julie looked at Ms. Tutlidge like she was crazy.

“You think Alexa forces us?”

“Yeah, didn’t you say she has that pack bond thing with you?”

“Pack Mind, and yes, she does have it, but you need to think of that as more of a safe structure where we can all go and feel safe. Even now that the virus is cured, we can still feel the lingering effects of the virus on our bodies. We have increased strength, speed, and endurance. We have night sight, and we have healing abilities that are better than most. As time goes on, we will all likely be considered Progenitors on our own. The only problem is that there needs to be a stable mind to help continue that process. To help us continue to let our bodies evolve into their final form.”

At that Ms. Tutlidge’s eyes went wide at the implication. Not only would Julie be a Progenitor, but there would be an entire pack of Progenitors. All under Alexa’s leadership. The thought was frightening to say the least.

Ms. Tutlidge was about to ask even more questions, when one of the investigators called out and exclaimed. “We think we have found another one.” The investigator said, holding up an image. “Austin Longly, a boy from Springfield, who recently also became a pre-awakened.”

With that, Captain Johnston was across the room staring at the image of a boy that had been blown up on a data pad.

“Grandparents were supers, parents both nulls. A pretty boy I see.” Johnston said.

With that comment the six girls in that section slightly lowered their eyes at the statement.

Looking at the look in their eyes, Ms. Tutlidge saw their pain. The look that said they had been taken in by a pretty face and been made to suffer for it.

Tongue click.

There was a sharp click from the far end of the room. At the sound, everyone turned to see Alexa shaking her head in admonishment at the girls.

At that, the girls who had been doubting themselves a moment ago, suddenly straightened their posture and took on a look of defiance. At that, Alexa nodded her approval and went back to doing what she was doing before, which was apparently working ahead on schoolwork.

“What was that?” Ms. Tutlidge found herself asking.

“Alexa saw that the girls were having a moment of doubt and snapped them out of that.”

“That was it? No mind control? No forced obedience?”

At that Julie looked at Ms. Tutlidge. “I don’t think you understand how the Pack Mind works. Yes, we are connected, but only in so much as we know we feel safe with each other. The way she sees and seems to know us, that is entirely based on her own Perception. She is also able to convey a lot with just her eyes, and her own body posture. As the leader she sets the tone with her own posture and body language. Something we all instinctively want to emulate.”

“Because she forces you to?”

“Because we are pack.”

At that Ms. Tutlidge thought she understood more.

“Mr. Mackie.” Johnston said into a walkie talkie.

“Yes.” A voice responded back through the antiquated device.

“I need Austin Longley, along with any other recently pre-awakened males who might have come to this school.”

“On it.”

There was a hush for a few moments, while everyone went back to what they were doing. Julie had given Ms. Tutlidge a lot to think about. It seemed her initial understanding of Pack psychology was off.

“So, wait, if she can’t give you orders, how can you all move in lock step unison?”

“Simple, we have enhanced perception and conditioning. We can easily adapt to Alexa when she is moving normally.”

“Normally?”

“Yes, she has this speed that is impossible to keep up with when she is ready to fight.” Julie admitted, her mind going back to the way she blurred from right in front of their formation to the side in a second.

Click.

Ms. Tutlidge was just about to ask another question, when the walkie talkie in Captain Johnston’s hands clicked alive.

“It would appear that Mr. Longley, Mr. Randals, and Mr. Rashard have all decided to go missing today.”

“Longley, Randals, and Rashard?” Johnston said, once again repeating the three names to ensure she got the correct ones.

“That is correct.”

“Any other recently awakened males?”

“None that have come within the past two months.”

“Roger.”

Click.

Then with that the communications device went dead.

The TSI Captain who had been calm and almost relaxed a moment ago suddenly had pure tension going. “Everyone let’s take all of this to a different classroom. I want a tri-state APV out for the detainment of those three individuals. I want investigators going to their parents’ houses. I want links between them, I want to know what parties they have been to in the past three months. Particularly parties where supers have been in attendance. I want all of this, and I want it yesterday. Do not make the report pretty. Don’t take time getting me the details in a format. Just get me the information. A final report can look pretty, but for now we are in the find and pass stage. That means you find information, and I mean anything that seems remotely interesting, you pass it on to me. Got it?”

Silence.

“Good. Now pack up. We have already imposed enough on this class’s time.” Captain Johnston said.

Then with brutal efficiency the entire team began packing up their briefcases, filing away papers and moving out the door as quickly as possible.

“Wait, what can we do?” Luke asked, standing up from his seat to get the Captain’s attention.

“Why stay and learn, of course.” The Captain said, her southern draw coming back to seemingly add humor to the situation.

“But shouldn’t we do something to help?”

At that Alexa just raised her eyebrow and asked her brother. “What would you do exactly? Invisible up behind him and then what, tie his shoes together? He is a master werewolf. Even with you had hidden from sight, he could likely smell you coming from a mile away.”

At that, Luke visibly deflated.

“Your sister is right. Right now, you all are still too young and under trained to be of any real use to me out in the field.” Then the Captain paused as she looked at Alexa’s chest. Well not her chest, but to the sash that now rested on her chest. “Well, most of you, anyways.”

Then with that, Captain Johnston left, as the last of her investigators exited the room. A room that suddenly seemed a lot more open without so many people.

Ms. Tutlidge looked around for a moment, before realizing. “Right. So, onto our lesson for the day…”