Tuesday
July 30^th 1996
18:50

Bond and Hammond sat looking at the map pins earmarked the locations the missing persons were known to have been last. One red pin marked the location the ranch family’s final resting-place. Knight sat hunched over a computer in the corner his chin resting in one hand while the other casually tapped a key on the keyboard. They had all been out to one of the local diners but it had been a subdued affair, the atmosphere was low. Bond was not sure, whether it was due to the grisly discovery that day, or because of Knight’s presence. Conversations seemed to start and die out quickly.

Carter and Lee had gone to see the sheriff. They wanted to meet with the Begay’s next door neighbour.

Knight looked up from his computer. ‘Sam, I’ve found two fanatical groups local to this area, AIM and GAROU.’ Bond felt himself in need of a seat, if the Garou were involved here then the killer was even more deadly than they had first suspected. Their line of work was more involved in saving the environment but Bond knew there were different factions within and they seemed to have their own separate agendas. ‘But from what the FBI know which is very little regarding the later I don’t think our killer is a member of one of these groups, his MO is considerable different and we haven’t received any notes from them. Most of these groups like to claim responsibility for their work as it makes a statement to the authorities.’ Knight continued.

Feeling partially relieved Bond sat back in his chair, this would play on his mind until the case was over. He had had some dealings with the shape shifters, some pleasant but most not. It seemed they were fighting their own war, a war for internal supremacy. Bond had stumbled onto a skirmish up in Maine. Their antics and sheer presence had dismantled his whole faith system in seconds.

Most of his knowledge had come from Curtis a FBI agent who had started in the unit the same time as Bond. After the incident in Maine, Curtis had thought she had found a sympathiser to the Garou cause in the form of Bond. She was using her position to relay or redirect evidence back to the cause.

‘Bond,’ Dex called. ‘There is a concentration of sites along the I70 around the garage and the lake. Taking it that the killer has not moved the bodies far from the abduction point, as in the ranch family then perhaps we could start a search around the lake shore area and here.’ He said pointing to a general location on the map.

Bond looked closer, relived to have his attention diverted back to the case in hand. ‘It sounds good, the areas not to large, Dex arrange to have the sheriff and some men meet us out there.’

The available officers spilt into several groups, each group with there own area to scan. The light was still good and would probably be ok for another two hours.

It was just as Bond was contemplating calling a halt for bad light when Carter shouted. ‘I’ve got something over here.’ Approaching to where Carter stood the smell of rotten fish washed over everybody and everyone stood back. Holding his hand over his mouth Bond asked muffled ‘what the name of hell is it?’

‘Look just there, it’s a finger with a ring on it.’ Carter’s vision was obviously superior to everyone else’s. Taking a deep breath Bond stooped closer to have a good look. He could see the finger and ring Carter had spotted. Standing gingerly and stepping away from the scene Bond took a large gulp of fresh air.

‘This isn’t gonna be nice, but someone has to do it. Well take this in shifts, Sheriff, can you send some of your men to get some lanterns and bags.’ The sheriff was very glad to do this himself, his men quickly stepped in behind him and they headed back to the cars to get the requested kit.

Bond looked at Dex, Dex looked at Carter and Carter looked at Lee who was already reaching into the reeds next to the lake. ‘Ok, I’ll start.’ Carter said reluctantly, he pulled a large handkerchief from his pocket and tied it behind his head pulled it over his mouth and nose. Stepping into the area Carter started to dig, it was not long, before Carter’s eyes bulged the stench was just too much to bear. Carter pulled out and ran towards the lakeshore. Grasping at the handkerchief, he took a mighty lung full of fresh air. His face started to return to its normal colour, Bond and Dex looked at each other. Bond sighed and picked up the shovel.

The shallow grave had a top lining of rotten fish. Beneath this lay two human bodies the odour was unbearable and within a few minutes Bond began to feel his stomach reaching, straining against the unfathomable nightmare that was assailing his nasal passages. He moved quickly away from the scene and the fresh air bit into his lungs.

Bond’s mobile phone rang, startled he checked the number it was Mac. ‘Hi, Mac how’s it going?’

‘We’ve picked up a couple of spook tails by the looks of things.’

‘There not from the local office are they?’

‘I don’t think so, but I’m trying to loose them now, we are going to a restaurant and see if we can spot them or if they follow us in.’ Mac sounded hopeful.

‘Ok, you go easy. I have two more bodies on their way up to you. They should be with you in the morning.’ Bond knew they would be safe, Mac was an experienced agent and Holly had her head screwed on. ‘Call me with a status report and let me know how it’s going.’

Bond stepped well back while Dex took his turn to dig around the rotting corpses. Just as the Sheriffs men started to arrive with lanterns and additional digging tools Bonds mobile rang. ‘Bo.., ‘ coughing a couple of times to get the smell of fish that had lodged itself in the back of his throat. ‘Bond.’ He managed to complete this time.

‘It’s McIntire, I’ve booked a room for Holly and me tonight.’ Bond stepped backwards as if McIntire had just slapped him in the face, had he just said what he had thought he had just said.

The mobile phone dropped from Bond’s hand, he twisted to catch it but a root had hold of his foot. ‘Ahhhhhh.’ Bond plummeted face first into the quagmire around him.

‘You alright Boss’ Lee said holding a hand out to Bond to help him back up.

Unaware that no one was listening Mac continued, the mobile phone muffled by mud. ‘We’ve each booked a room in our names, but we booked a third under an assumed name, which we paid for in cash. I hope that if they try any funny business they will search our actual rooms.’

The team continued to search until Lee found the mobile phone laying face down. ‘Got it’ He said cleaning the buttons and fascia.

As he rubbed the mud from the buttons, Mac got an earful of monotone beeps. ‘Bond, you there?’

‘Yea, I’m here those bodies will be on there way up by morning, speak to you then.’ Bond was unaware of his curtness, Carter still digging was starting to unearth two bodies. Surely Holly wouldn’t, Bond was not the jealous type or so he thought, it was against his upbringing. He had always been taught to forgive and forget, but how could that happen when the woman you care for starts to play away from home and the away team advertises it.

‘Carter you and Lee continue here, I’m going to walk around the lake to see if there are anymore disturbed sights.’ Before either could object Bond pulled a maglite from his pocket and began to walk carefully around the lake.