From Book 4
The teen walked over to Carl and Jason and knelt before them, "Lords Prince Tate, COMMAND ME." Tosco and Jeremiah had been attracted by the commotion and were standing in the doorway of the Red Wolf, watching all that took place. They had known that Carl and Jason were special, but they had never realized they were THAT special. They looked at the pair and the young Wolf Warrior standing beside them with a new recognition and understanding of the direction their race was embarking upon. These were the new generation of their kind, no longer would they need to hide in the shadows and it would be wolves like these three that would lift them to new heights upon the planet of their birth.
THE BATTLES BEGIN
Everywhere that Jason and Carl went, they were accompanied by a muscular young man with a shock of bright red hair that looked like he had just stuck his thumb in a light socket!
He stood well above the height of an average man and he looked as if he split tree trunks for splinters to pick his teeth. His glare was enough to scare a man out of a week's growth and, at the same time, he fascinated any woman who saw him.
His features were wild and, some in their ignorance, referred to him as the Red Wolf! Kevin just laughed, he knew the real Red Wolf was an airplane and his Great Uncle Paul was its pilot!
He followed Carl and Jason wherever they went and, when out in the fields with them, he used a walking stick cut from an oak tree and was six inches thick at its butt end that he had carved into a handle! The oak was solid and it made a terrible weapon!
More than one idle bystander found him or herself with that walking stick jammed up under their chin saying, "Yessir, yessir!"
Nobody was going to harm his Uncle Carl or Uncle Jason!
Young Kevin became famous throughout the farm lands of North America and those who worked for the Business Cartel feared him more than they feared the Devil himself! Their fear was for good reason, few of them survived a meeting with Kevin Dennison and those who did made damned sure he never got a second chance to finish the job!
As a guardian for his two Uncles, nobody got close enough to them to even speak, unless Kevin was standing there with his "walking stick" at the ready!
They were in the worn out fields of Kansas, working with the local farm co-op to restore fields long abandoned because of poor farming practices and overworking of the soils. The few farming families attempting to make a precarious living for themselves and their families, were living on the bare edge of starvation!
The fields were barren, only a light fuzz of dry, brittle grass grew and clods of hardened clay stuck up through the soil like the bones of ancient animals in a burying ground. This land would soon be a desert, devoid of life and barren as the Sahara.
Warrior Feld was running the soil machine while Kevin watched and both Carl and Jason were fiddling with the soil pack feeder, trying to get the right feed rate to treat the soil.
Kevin was not overly concerned, he knew that close by, there were two squads of fierce Wolf Warriors at all times.
He was leaning on his walking stick, idly thinking about the pretty girl wolf he had met several days earlier, when a flicker of motion caught his eye.
Without moving, he cast out his mind, sweeping the whole area. They were coming from all directions, intent on capturing or killing his two uncles!
He let out a mind shriek that sent birds falling from their perches and small mammals scurrying for their holes! With a mighty sweep of his walking stick, he set about evening the odds.
Before his Uncles had even registered that there was a problem, Kevin had knocked half the invaders senseless and he was working his way through the other half, one at a time, leaving nothing but bodies lying in the warm dirt. Only a few of them were still breathing!
When Jason and Carl looked up, Kevin was finishing of the last of the invaders. That the huge man had not bothered to shift to his wolf, testified the contempt he held for the invaders and for whomever they held allegiance.
Kevin was not even breathing hard when he went to check on the two he had sworn to protect.
Warrior Commander Feld clamped his shields down on his own mind as he thought about the young Wolf Warrior and what he was going to do as soon as they returned to Cashiers.
Perhaps, even before that!
Jason and Carl went back to their machine and made one more adjustment before telling the machine operator to "crank it up".
Finely turned earth began spilling out the discharge chute and the farmers who had come to see the demonstration forgot about the disturbance as beautiful soil poured out of the machine.
The soil needed only to be furrowed to receive the seed!
The protection squad quietly picked the unconscious attackers and threw them into the back of a flatbed truck, along with the pile of dead attackers who had failed to survive Kevin's club.
The last anyone saw of them was a lumpy pile of bodies being trucked off to the local sheriff's office and the County Morgue.
Sheriff Cale Barker was not a wolf himself, but his only son was head and heels in love with a wolf boy and it was breaking his heart. He loved his son dearly and the boy's love for a person he could not have was tearing both the father's and son's souls apart.
The man was totally shocked when the two Technician's helpers, who had been driving the truck loaded with unconscious and deceased thugs, put his arm over his shoulder and suggested they have a "talk" in private.
They went into the Sheriff's private office and shut the door.
The truck driver introduced himself, "I am Wolf Warrior Commander Feld, think of me as the Commanding General of several Armies."
Sheriff Barker stammered, "Waa What ccan I dddo for you, sir?"
The old Warrior replied, "Not what you can do for me, but, rather, what we both can do for your son. You have maintained order in your district and protected both human kind and the wolf-folk from harm."
The Sheriff replied, "But, there are none of your kind living here, sir."
His visitor smiled and replied, "You are wrong Sheriff Cale Barker, there are several family groups of our kind living among you and they have only the highest praise for you and your deputies."
He continued, "I know of the love your son, Jessie, has for Archie Delman of our folk. Both boys have much potential and we would send them to the University."
The sheriff gulped and replied, "Sir, I have not the wealth needed to send my son to college, when his mother died, her medical bills nearly bankrupted me."
Warrior Feld smiled as he continued, "Sheriff, here is what I propose. You allow the boys to stay together and we will send them both to college. Should they decide they REALLY want to be together, I will ask of the High Alpha Wolf, Our Ruler, permission to make your son one of us."
Sheriff Barker sat in his chair with a "thud" and stammered, "You mean mmmmake him a wwwolf?"
Feld replied, "Yes, it is irreversible, but I have scanned both of their minds and, sir, in truth, neither will ever be happy unless they are fully together for all time."
He continued, "Sir, both boys are just outside your door and they are severely distressed. They fear that you will forbid them to be with each other and I know that is not your intention."
The Sheriff jumped up and went to the door, there stood Archie, holding a bloody Jessie Barker, only partially conscious.
Through his tears, Archie said, " mMMMr. BBBarker, I couldn't ssstop ttthem, they was bbbeating on hhhim wih cclubs n' stones, sir!"
The heartbroken youngster continued, "IiiI loves hhhim, ssir an' I couldaa not stop tthem. Tttheys was too mmmany, sir! Sir, please help him, I will go away, iffin ya' doesn't want me around yer son anymores."
Sheriff Barker was beside himself, he looked at his visitor with anguish in his eyes and said, "Sir, can you help my son, this is not the first time he had been attacked by that gang."
Archie Delman noticed the Sheriff's visitor for the first time and saw in horror that the man standing there was wolf, and a high ranking wolf at that! He immediately dropped to his knee and said, "Forgive me my Lord Warrior Commander, I did not notice thee, COMMAND ME."
Warrior Commander Feld smiled and replied, "There is naught to forgive thee for, thou art concerned about thy soul mate and that is proper. Have thee made thy first change?"
The youngling, still on his knee, replied, "I have, My Lord, I made First Change six weeks ago."
The elderly warrior then said, "Stand, young Wolf Warrior. Do thee claim this young human as thy life mate?"
Archie replied, "I do, My Lord, we have wanted to ask of his Papa, but we was afraid he might be sent away."
By now, Sheriff Barker was in tears himself and he gathered young Archie in his arms, "Son, I care not who my own son loves, just so long as you love him back. He will not be sent away for any reason!"
The old Wolf Warrior stood straight and tall and said, "I, Wolf Warrior Commander Feld Adamson, claim Wolf Warrior Archie Delman and his Life Mate Jessie Barker as my nephews and announce to all they are under my protection. This I swear to all and to the Great Lord of Wolves, Above Us All!"
He then turned to the two youngsters and said, "Archie, your parents already know, now all we must do is convince Sheriff Barker here, and I will take you both with me back to Cashiers."
Archie's eyes went wide and he started trembling, "Yooooooou mean, Lord Alpha Tosco of Family Ced?"
Warrior Feld smiled and replied, "Yes, and also his father, Lord High Alpha Jeremiah, King of our kind!"
Archie promptly fainted.
A SHORT PERIOD OF PEACE BEGINS
With the Sheriff's permission, Wolf Warrior Commander Feld carried an injured human boy out to the truck, accompanied by the boy's Acknowledged Life Mate, Archie Delman.
With the injured boy secured tightly in the arms of his mate, Warrior Feld drove the truck back to the field where he had left the group of farmers watching the demonstration his charges Jason and Carl were putting on under the watchful eye of their protector, Wolf Warrior Kevin Dennison.
He left Archie and Jessie in the truck temporarily, as he approached Carl and Jason, knowing that Kevin would be next to them. He approached and, noticing the stern expression of the Warrior Commander's face, Kevin dropped to his knee and said, "COMMAND ME, My Lord Warrior Commander."
Warrior Commander Feld smiled and replied, "Stand, WARRIOR LEADER KEVIN DENNISON, Thou hast performed thy duties exceedingly well!"
Kevin's eyes were going squirrelly and he stammered, "My Gratitude, Lord Warrior Commander." He saluted the senior warrior by pounding his chest with his clasped fist, before stepping back to his guard position.
Carl and Jason asked Warrior Feld about what had happened and he related all that had taken place. When he told them that the young human boy, Jessie Barker, had been injured, both Carl and Jason raced over to the truck and gently lifted the injured boy from Archie's lap and carried him to their SUV, where they treated his injuries and gave him a pain killer.
Carl told Archie that the boy would sleep now and would feel better when he awoke, likely about four hours from that time.
Jason looked closely at Archie and said, "THOU ART WOLF?"
The young wolf warrior looked at Jason closely and screamed in horror, dropping to his knee he said, "FORGIVE ME, MY LORDS PRINCE TATE OF FAMILY CED, COMMAND ME!"
Jason chuckled and replied, "You have done nothing to require our forgiveness, join us for lunch before we depart this place." They sat under the shade of the large vehicle and ate their lunch, Archie getting up several times to check on Jessie.
They returned to the local airport, where the Red Wolf dwarfed everything at the place. They had left their local representative, Albert Caine, to arrange storage of the treatment machine. They felt it would not be in storage long, they already had orders from about half the farmers who had witnessed the demonstration.
Archie looked at the huge airplane and said, "Sheesh, is all ya big?" He was looking straight at Kevin, who knotted his arm muscles at the youngling and laughed.
The closer they got to Charlotte, the more nervous Archie became, he was pacing the cabin as Jessie watched him. Finally, Jessie said, "Archie, love, sit down. I am sure whoever is going to meet us puts on his trousers just like we do, one leg at a time."
Archie relied, "Love, ya' don't unnerstand, Wolf Lord Jeremiah and his son, Wolf Lord Tosco, theys the biggest un' bestest of our kind. We don't have no king, but, iffen we did, Lord Jeremiah would be him an' Lord Tosco is his son!"
A short time later, as the party stepped out to the accommodation ladder, Wolf Warrior Archie Delman fainted yet again!
BOTH Lord Tosco AND Lord Jeremiah were waiting for them at the bottom of the ladder!
They wheeled Jessie immediately into the infirmary at Greystone Manor, followed by a carried Wolf Warrior Archie Delman. A fussy old Wolf Surgeon clicked and clacked his teeth as he removed the temporary dressings that Carl and Jason had applied, and began cleaning the human boy up, suturing his wounds and applying antiseptic to prevent infection, something he didn't have to worry much about among the wolf kind.
While his life's love was being fixed up by the doctor, Carl and Jason led the upset youngling wolf out into the hall. They found both Jeremiah AND Tosco standing there, Carl and Jason held onto Archie tightly, fearing he would faint a third time!
Instead, the young wolf dropped to his knee and said, "Please Great Lords of my kind, we beg thee, me and my life's true love, Jessie Barker, that we might be allowed to remain together and that thee, in thy wisdom, will see fit to make My Jessie a wolf; that we might live out our lifetimes together."
Poor Archie was shaking like a leaf, but he managed to hold it all together as the two Wolf Lords smiled at him.
Lord Alpha Wolf Tosco of the Southeastern Clan of Wolves and Lord of Family Ced, smiled at the trembling youngster and replied, "We have already decided to do as you ask, just as soon as young Jessie Barker is recovered from his injuries, we will do as you have requested."
Young Archie let out a mighty mental shriek of happiness that had all the wolves in the southeastern part of the country cringing.
Tosco looked at Jeremiah in wonder and sent, "My Lord Father, this young wolf is a powerful telepath, perhaps more powerful than any we have ever known. We must train him as such a gift must not be wasted, he must be trained and carefully treasured!"
Archie Delman would become Chief Telepath for both Lord Jeremiah and Lord Tosco and Jessie Barker would become Jeremiah's Major Domo and would rule the Lord High Alpha's home with an iron fist and would continue in that post as The Royal Seneschal after Jeremiah was proclaimed King of The Wolves.
Some would say that Jessie was the true ruler of Wolfdom and it was not without reason! He and his mate, Archie Delman, would live out their long lives in service to the two most powerful Lords in Wolfdom and be absolutely dedicated to them!
THE PEACE IS SHATTERED
Things rocked along for several months with no overt action by the Business Cartels. Most of the farmland in North American had been reclaimed and food prices were lower than anyone then living could remember. The threat of starvation was lifted and all folk, Human and Wolf, were well fed, happy and thriving.
Equally as great, farm incomes were soaring and those who had been barely scratching by, had for the first time they could remember, full meals and decent clothes on their backs! Their bills were paid and they could look forward to a life where they were free from want and worry.
Carl and Jason had crews in both Canada and Mexico working with farmers to improve their lands.
The closer to Mexico City they got, the more dangerous it became. Not only were they opposed by the Business Cartels, now they had to contend with the drug cartels, both groups wanted the poor farmers to remain poor and in debt to them.
This time, however, Warrior Commander Feld did not send his warriors incognito, he sent them in full array, marching out from the Red Wolf in armor, squads deep!
The Business Cartels had dealt with these Wolf Warriors before and they ran like hell to get away from them. It didn't matter where, just so long as there were no damned Wolf Warriors there, waiting for them!
The Drug Lords, however, believed in their own invulnerability and went ahead with their plans. It was near to Mexico City that Carl and Jason became Warriors Commander!
While their technicians were demonstrating farm machinery, Carl and Jason were chasing down Drug Bandits and executing them on the spot.
By the time they were being welcomed by Lord Alpha Tecito of Clan Maya Cancun, they had effectively wiped out the drug lords and their minions in Mexico!
For the first time in nearly a thousand years, Mexico was free of bandits and drug thugs! Its people could walk the streets at night without fear and tourists could come and not be afraid they would be robbed or worse, beheaded!
The supply of illegal drugs was drying up and those who had become addicted victims were applying for rehabilitation.
Village markets were overloaded in produce and nobody could say again, "Those poor starving Mexicans!" New and strange fruits and vegetables began showing up on the market bins in great abundance and housewives were struggling to learn how to serve them to their families.
The Mexican people's pride rose along with their standard of living and they would no longer be thought of as a country their people wanted to emigrate from!
Before they departed for countries further south, Lord Alpha Tosco arrived and called the first-ever, Public Conclave. When all had assembled and with the native Human Kind watching, Lord Tosco called, "WARRIOR LEADERS JASON AND CARL TATE OF THE HOUSE OF CED, COME FORTH AND BE RECOGNIZED."
Looking at each other in wonder both Jason and Carl stood before their Alpha Lord and dropped to one knee saying, "COMMAND US, LORD ALPHA TOSCO"
Tosco stood and smiled broadly at the two young wolves, "YOUNG WARRIORS OF OUR KIND, STAND BEFORE ME, THOU ART BOTH WOLF WARRIOR COMMANDERS. KNOW THAT ALL WOLVES BE SUBJECT TO THY COMMAND."
The two flabbergasted soil scientists had trouble focusing their eyes as they stammered out their thanks to the Lord Alpha of their Clan and their Family of CED.
As the work crews worked their way down through Central America, they became aware of increasing resistance and they soon recognized its source, the drug cartels of Columbia and surrounding countries that dealt in cocaine and even more terrible drugs.
Lord Alpha Tosco had battled these groups before, he sent word to both Jason and Carl that was to be the last time the Wolf Folk were going deal with the purveyors of drug poison. They were to finish the job PERMANENTLY this time!
He told them to do whatever they had to do to make a finish to the vipers who poisoned their own people!
As they moved south, the Wolf Folk uncovered small, family groups of their folk, who had been long forgotten. They cared for them and nursed them back to health before setting them up as prosperous farmers on the reclaimed land.
None who had tormented them in the past dared to repeat the process, in addition to being renown scientists, Jason and Carl were Warrior Commanders among the Wolf Kind and they brought with them more than four thousand Wolf Troops to maintain order!
While the Wolf Troopers made ferocious enemies, they also made equally fine friends.
When they were not exterminating drug vermin, they assisted the local people in rebuilding homes and schools. They assisted the elderly and sat patiently teaching young human children to read and write. They also built and staffed a new Maternity Hospital and built parks and playgrounds that were called "Wolf Parks" and were dedicated to the children of the area.
Would be politicos and military dictators ran for their lives as soon as the Wolf Forces moved in. They had learned their lessons the hard way, their compatriots who had defied the two brothers all ended up in a tree, hanging by their heels with their throats torn out!
The drug lords were out of business, permanently! They had faced down dictators and dictators who pretended to be presidents, it didn't matter to the wolves, both kinds died just as easily as did the drug thugs, who were hunted down without mercy, their bodies, also, were left as tree ornaments.
While Jason and Carl were working their way through Brazil and Peru, a delegation from China came to Greystone Manor, asking for agricultural assistance.
Lord Jeremiah was somewhat reluctant to get involved with the Chinese Government and its dubious history of intolerant communism, but he agreed to at least hear them out.
It was only a matter of weeks before a mind-call came to Jason and Carl, requesting that they return to Cashiers.
TBC
Will China join the agricultural revolution, or is it all a ruse to steal the technology from the Americans? Will Jason and Carl be allowed to return to South America and finish the work they had already begun?