Chapter 18: A Howling Adventure

“Great Scott!”

“Hypnotized? That’s impossible!” Marie insisted, following Yvonne’s exclamation. “We were not hypnotized.”

The two of them, along with Benji, Adora, Troy, and Hazel, had been assembled into the sitting room by Leighton and Paisley. With time constraints, Phineas had jumped right into the middle of his revelation without a buildup.

“Yeah, no way!” Troy scoffed.

“Really? So you always switch into a jealous, murderous rage over Adora?” the bespectacled sleuth challenged.

“He’s not that bad,” the former Dream Lass responded, rolling her eyes.

“Seriously? He just tried to hack me into pieces with a machete,” Jake reminded with an incredulous expression.

“Leaping lizards!” Yvonne shrieked.

“She doesn’t remember because she was too busy on her knees in front of you!” Paisley pointed out.

“What did I miss?” Benji asked, looking at all of them before focusing on Hazel’s slightly revealing outfit, which slightly peeked out from the hooded robe.

“A lot,” Jake replied, glancing over at his partner.

Phinn had removed his eyeglasses to pinch his nose, a known sign of impatience or annoyance for him. Whatever thought process he started to go through, Phinn quickly abandoned it as they didn’t have any extra time.

“You can’t just hypnotize somebody in a flash to do whatever they want. This isn’t a movie!” Troy pointed out, still in denial.

“I think you can change a person slowly,” Benji speculated. “But I’m not sure.”

“Bullshit!”

“Look, I tried to kill Phineas,” Hazel admitted with a terrified expression. “Someone made me do that!”

“Quiet! We don’t have time for a full explanation. Just know that Jean-Paul Flamand is a con artist whose real name is likely Glenn Atwood. And the man who rented that dumped car before getting stabbed a bunch of times is also his brother. No!” Phinn declared as several voices started in with questions. “No time for that! Flamand and Selene have fled with their belongings. Catherine, Portia, and Karter are also missing. Those three are in some type of danger, with Catherine in the worst sort. So, Yvonne, you need to call the sheriff.”

“My goodness, of course!” the strawberry blonde replied before Phinn stopped her.

“Just a moment, Miss Ellison,” Phinn said, turning toward her niece. “Paisley, do you know the back dirt roads behind that old shed east of here? Jake’s going to need to get there swiftly and silently.”

“Me? We’re splitting up?” Jake questioned.

“Yes, we have to. The shack and shed are the most likely places they can use around here. Plus, I suspect that Flamand has a vehicle parked near one of those locations. The same one that nearly ran Leighton and me over last night,” Phinn explained.

“Run over? Son of a bucket! What’s been going on around here?” Yvonne challenged. “Paisley, Leighton, boys, you are not running into these woods at this time of night. Let the sheriff and his deputies–”

“Sorry, Catherine doesn’t have much time left, if she has any,” Phinn interrupted. “Paisley?”

“I-I don’t…not really,” the pale blonde admitted.

“I can take Jake,” her cousin suggested.

“No, I need you to get me out to the shack,” Phinn revealed.

“I…I can help.”

“Marie!”

“I’m sorry, Vonnie, but I do know those old trails and roads,” the housekeeper and cook told her friend and employer. Noticing Phinn’s skeptical look, she added, “I grew up around here and have lived my whole life in this county. It’s been a few years, but I should be able to get Jake to that shed in the dark.”

"Good. You can take Jake, but don't get too close. We don't want them to hear or see us coming," Phinn noted. "Paisley, you can stay here and explain what we know to the sheriff."

“What am I supposed to actually do?” Jake asked, leading his partner to gesture for them to talk outside. Phinn also signaled Leighton to follow them and asked Marie to prepare a vehicle.

“I don’t know if we’ll find anyone or everyone at the shed or shack. I do know that Catherine won’t be a hostage for long. She’ll be staying here for good when they flee the area,” Phinn stated, emphasizing the danger. Then, he started leading them to the barn.

“Hey, wait up! I want to help,” Benji said, rushing after them. “I have to help.”

Not in the mood to argue or waste time doing so, Phinn told the ex-child actor he could go with Jake and Marie. Immediately, the stocky athlete grabbed his best friend’s arm to pull him aside while they walked to the barn.

“Phinn, I’m already going with Marie, I can’t have two of them with me.”

“Them?” the brown-haired investigator repeated.

“A sleeper agent!” Jake hissed. “What if Flamand says the magic words, making them go all kill, kill, stab, stab?”

“You should be fine. I doubt Flamand programmed Marie to kill anyone.”

“What about Albie there?” Jake asked, gesturing to the actor who was listening.

“Uh, I don’t think anything was done to me. But if it will make you feel better, I can wear earplugs or something,” Benji offered, as Leighton opened the barn door.

“Excellent solution!” Phinn commented, hurrying inside while Jake sputtered protests. “You better grab a weapon or something in here.”

“Hang on! If Flamand hypnotizes people, I have an idea to bounce his commands back at him,” Jake teased, stopping Leighton in the doorway. “We just need an old mirror that–”

“Dropping a mirror in front of Flamand while he dangles a watch to hypnotize one of us won’t work, Jake,” Phinn responded, already aware of where this idea was headed.

“Don’t be too hasty. It can work. Why do you always have to be so negative?”

“It won’t work because this isn’t an episode of Scooby-Doo. That’s why,” Phinn said, ending his side of the conversation by entering the barn.

“Hey, that’s…I mean, I didn’t just get the idea from there!” Jake called after him while Leighton shook her head in disbelief.

“You can always bring a pocket mirror if it makes you feel better. Still, I’d pick an actual weapon,” Phinn added.

Already carrying the hoe that Paisley used to marshal the hypnotized trio from the barn to the house, Leighton glanced down at the long farm implement before tossing it aside. While searching for a smaller item, the redhead asked about Phinn’s plan.

“I guess you can just drive me down the highway until we have to park. I don’t think we can risk driving down that dirt road to the shed. That’s mostly a straight shot with open water on one side. Light and sound might carry too far,” Phinn explained his concerns.

“I think I have a better idea. A way to get right up to the shack without being seen or heard,” Leighton announced.

"That four-wheeler makes a racket," Phinn pointed out, assuming she meant the ATV. Noticing their client shaking her head, he added, "I guess if you have a couple more bikes with non-slashed tires, those could work. However, we should still take a car down the main highway."

“Nope. Neither of those is my idea. We can ride Queenie!”

“Your horse? Oh, I don’t know about that,” Phinn responded, appearing squeamish at the idea.

“Don’t worry. She can easily hold both of us,” Leighton reassured. “Besides, you want fast and silent.”

“I think it’s a great idea!” Jake remarked before muttering. “Better than driving off with Loki’s sleeper agents.”

Phinn took a deep breath before turning to face his complaining partner.

“It’s not magic, Jake. Think more like Dr. Faustus and his way of manipulating people,” Phinn said, offering a comparison that he thought his best friend would get.

“Who? What are you talking about?”

“Dr. Faustus. It’s not an exact comparison, but…Jesus, Jake, I’m talking about the Captain America villain. C’mon, you have to know who he is!”

“Do I look like I hang around with Ethan and Galen at Villainville?” Jake questioned, referring to the local comic book shop.

“Well, you used to read the comic books that Dusty brought to Headquarters,” Phinn pointed out.

“I only skimmed them while I was bored,” Jake shot back.

“You were bored because Dusty and I were organizing our files and writing up our cases. Dusty gave you the issues to keep you occupied,” Phinn reminded. “But if you want to be a snob, then I can tell Adora that you don’t like superheroes.”

“Whoa! Don’t cockblock me!”

“Would you knock it off? I thought we didn’t have any time to spare,” Leighton reminded. “Gawd, your bickering is out of control and annoying.”

“I wouldn’t say that. It’s kind of entertaining,” Benji remarked. “Have you ever thought of selling your life stories to a studio or producer?”

A no and a yes followed, causing Phinn to glare at Jake, who threw up his hands before turning to select a hatchet from the wall. Immediately, a concerned expression filled Phinn’s face. Scanning the room, he hurried over to unscrew a stick from a mop head.

“Use this instead,” the bespectacled sleuth suggested, holding out the long stick.

“Are you crazy?”

“Jake, listen to me,” Phinn said, placing his hands on his friend’s shoulders. “No matter what you see or hear, that is not a werewolf. It’s a regular person, whom you know.”

“We don’t know that Flamand didn’t turn Karter into a werewolf,” Jake argued.

“Karter’s a werewolf? What the hell?” Benji questioned, picking up a broken stick to copy Phinn’s selection.

“Don’t worry about it,” Phinn replied, holding up a hand. Turning his attention back to his partner, he continued, “Look, Karter’s an asshole. We know that. But he’s just as messed up by Flamand as Hazel or Adora. Take the stick. Use it as a staff. And don’t kill anyone. Got that?”

“Fine!” Jake replied, snapping the staff from his partner. “Yet, if I get bit, I’m biting you in return.”

“I understand. Now, do you have your flashlight and walkie-talkie? I know the range isn’t far enough, but we should leave them on, just in case,” Phinn suggested.

“Yep, I got those and my plastic mistletoe. Hey, it might scare him!” Jake insisted upon catching Phinn’s doubtful expression. “I also have my silver weapons. Do you have yours? Phinn?”

“I think calling the forks weapons is pushing it a bit, don’t you think so?”

“You might say that Karter isn’t a werewolf, but he might believe he is one. So the silver might work. Do you have yours?” Jake asked again.

Phinn patted the pockets of his shorts before informing his partner that he had the silver fork.

“Good. At least we have a chance of living through this.”

“I have full faith in your ability to survive your encounter with a fake werewolf, if you meet him instead of Flamand,” Phinn stated.

---

Jake sat in the backseat as the car bounced slightly on the pothole-filled dirt road. The wary teen had chosen to sit in the back to keep an eye on Marie and Benji. Despite Phinn’s reassurance, the paranoid detective wouldn’t drop his guard.

What if Flamand doesn’t need to speak a specific code word? What if Marie and Benji are on a timer, or if a type of circumstance triggers them? Wouldn’t going after Flamand to foil his plans be an obvious situation to activate his sleeper agents?

Gripping the wooden staff, Jake watched as Marie turned left. It seemed early in their travels, but Jake assumed she knew her way. Of course, the shouted swear escaping her lips had the teen even more on edge.

“What’s wrong?” Jake asked, fighting the urge to lean forward. Don’t give them an opening to attack you!

“I turned too early,” Marie admitted. “Sorry. It’s been years since I drove down here at night. We should be fine. I can turn around at the next intersection with a hiking trail.”

Jake started to ask why they couldn’t turn around now, before realizing the narrowness of the dirt road.

“It should be fine,” the teen detective told her. Is it fine? Maybe this is part of the trap? No, no, don’t think that. “Are we close to the shed?”

“Somewhat. I know where we are now. This is the last dirt road west of the shed. We’ll need to turn around to head further east to come out from behind the building,” Marie explained.

Hypnosis, huh? Wait…Don’t vampires use hypnosis on their victims? Shit, can I break this staff in half in a way to use as stakes? I don’t know.

“The hell?!” Benji exclaimed, moments before Marie slammed on the brakes.

“What is it?” Jake questioned.

“Uh, I think it’s a body in the road,” Benji revealed hesitantly.

“Oh, my gawd. Oh, my gawd,” Marie began to chant in fright.

“What kind of a body?” Jake inquired.

“I don’t know!” Benji replied.

“Crap,” the investigator muttered under his breath. “We’d better get out to check.”

“We?” came from both front seat occupants.

“I’m not going by myself. Wait, Marie, stay in the car and keep it running,” Jake said, opening the door.

Stepping out, he immediately saw a figure sprawled out on the side of the road on his right-hand side. With hand gestures and whispered orders, Jake sent Benji forward, while he did the same, making sure to avoid stepping into the headlight beams.

This better not be a setup. If I get close and it flips over, I’m pummeling the fucker, Jake vowed, clenching the staff tightly.

However, as they approached, Benji thought he recognized the figure.

“I…I think it’s that neighbor.”

“Who? Frank?” Jake asked.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Fuck,” Jake hissed, daring to dart into the light beams finally. “Holy shit.”

Frank Noonan’s shirt had large rips across its back. Turning on his own flashlight, Jake pointed the additional illumination at the retired farmer’s skin. Scratch marks and fresh blood filled his view.

Moving closer, Jake kneeled to reach out for his neck. However, he couldn’t hide his shudder upon spotting what appeared to be a bite mark on the man’s shoulder.

“He’s alive,” the teen announced, feeling the older man’s pulse. “But he can’t stay here.”

“Should we turn around?” Benji queried.

Jake responded by motioning for Marie to drive as close as possible to them. Once satisfied, he had Marie open both back doors before the two young men lifted Frank off the ground. The stronger of the two, Jake, braced Frank when they reached the car. He directed Benji to run around to the other side, get inside, and help pull the injured man into the backseat.

“You'd better take Mr. Noonan back to the house and call for an ambulance. Can you back up from here to the crossroad?”

“It looks like the trail is up there. I can turn around at the intersection as planned,” Marie noted, pointing to the edge of the light. “Turning east on the trail will bring you to the shed.”

“Alright. But you'd better turn your headlights off while making the turn,” Jake ordered, concerned about being spotted. The possibility existed that they already had.

Motioning for Benji to step into the forest slightly, they watched as Marie slowly drove forward before turning around in the narrow intersection. Only after she passed them did Benji speak.

“Were those slash marks across his back?”

"They looked like claw marks," Jake clarified, leaving out the possible bite mark. Instead, he glanced up at the night sky. "Clouds are out tonight, blocking part of the moonlight. We'll have to manage without our flashlights for now."

“Hopefully, anyone else out here can see as poorly as we can,” the actor remarked.

“Hold up. Do you see Frank’s gun anywhere?”

Risking further detection, the pair flicked on their flashlights for a brief inspection. Unfortunately, they didn’t find a discarded firearm.

“Great. Somebody out here has a gun now,” Jake groaned, switching his flashlight off.

“Maybe he didn’t have one.”

“No, Mr. Noonan had a gun. Probably a shotgun or rifle. Maybe even two, if he carried a pistol.”

Gulping, Benji added, “And we’re bringing sticks to a gunfight.”

“Let’s hope a werewolf doesn’t know how to use a shotgun,” Jake chuckled, trying to sound braver than he felt.

After turning the corner to head down the hiking trail, Jake and Benji stuck close to the left-hand side of the path. Each man carried an unused flashlight in their left hand and a wooden staff in their right. With only a partial moon behind the clouds, they couldn’t see very far ahead.

Still, they didn’t need to see clearly to hear the howl that cut through the night about a dozen minutes into their trek. Benji stiffened in fear, which led Jake to reassure him that it would be alright, even if he didn’t feel the same.

“So you’ve seen this wolfman?”

“A few nights back, after we found that sedan. Phinn and I saw it walk across the highway, heading this way on the trail,” Jake recounted. “Phinn got a better look last night. Claimed he saw it up close before throwing a couple of rocks in its face.”

“Your friend threw rocks at a werewolf’s head?” Benji asked, sounding shocked.

“Yeah, he likes to risk his and my life way too often,” Jake complained. “Yet, he usually knows what he’s doing, even if it’s a close call.”

Another howl rang out in the night sky. This time, much closer.

“We should hear one more before we reach the shed,” Jake speculated, after estimating a ten-minute interval between howls.

“What are we going to do when we get there?” the anxious actor asked.

“Figure something out.”

Jake’s guess proved correct. They had barely reached the dead-end road when another howl filled the night. The football player needed to reach out to catch the startled Benji, who nearly fell over backward. Once sure that his partner for this mission wouldn’t tumble over again, Jake slowly stepped forward to peer around a tree. The little moonlight shining down didn’t reveal anything or anyone standing on the dead-end road.

“I think that thing is inside the shed.”

“Do you see Catherine or Portia?” Benji inquired.

“No one. Not even Flamand or Selene,” Jake reported after a second look. “Phinn considered the possibility of them splitting up.”

Jake gestured for them to retrace their tracks about twenty feet. Satisfied that they probably wouldn’t be overheard, the experienced investigator laid out a plan. Jake would enter the forest from this location, where he’d make his way as quickly and quietly as possible until he reached the other end of the dead-end road.

“After we hear another howl, you come around this corner of the road. We’ll approach from both sides to box that creature in.”

“And do what then?” Benji asked, slightly regretting his offer to tag along.

“If Phinn’s right about it being Karter, we’ll knock some sense into him,” Jake said, lifting his staff.

“And if your friend is wrong?”

“Be alert…and swing for its head.”

Jake could tell that the actor didn’t care for that response. Well, what else can I say? Try to beat the shit out of the beast without getting infected by its bite? Okay, let’s do this.

Without a flashlight, Jake struggled mightily to pick his way through the thick forest. His foot caught repeatedly on tree roots or got snarled in nasty bushes. The effort proved difficult and time-consuming. Taking seemingly forever, Jake began to regret telling Benji to make his move after the next howl.

“Awwoooooo!”

“Shit,” Jake cursed after freezing.

Abandoning the plan, he turned to his right, pushing through the foliage as fast as possible while limiting the racket. Luckily, Benji hesitated on his part of the pincer maneuver after not spotting Jake. Unfortunately, he didn’t want to let the teen down, so he only waited a minute before approaching the shed. Even worse, he stepped into a small hole after crossing the dirt road and moving into the edge of the underbrush.

Only a weak, startled cry escaped his lips. Yet, it proved loud enough to be heard.

Jake pushed his way far enough to see the shed through several small openings between thick, leafy branches. In that small, leafy window, the werewolf appeared in the doorway with a low growl.

Frozen momentarily, Jake watched as the hairy face turned to face the intersection. He knew it had spotted Benji when the creature unleashed a terrifying snarl. A frightened yip came from its intended prey.

“Dammit, Phinn,” Jake mumbled before copying his best friend’s move from last night.

The intense beam pushing out from behind the trees drew the werewolf’s attention away from Benji and toward Jake. The teen detective had a brief few seconds that seemed like minutes as he and the werewolf locked gazes on one another.

Jake saw those same creepy yellow eyes that Phinn had described. A chestful of long hair nearly matched the hair that covered the creature of the night's face. Jake's mind also noted the pair of shorts the werewolf wore, which appeared to match the swim trunks Karter owned.

Anticipating the next move, Jake slowly and gingerly placed his lantern-style flashlight onto the ground while still pointing it at the werewolf. He’d barely finished before the wolfman took off in his direction with a quick sprint, loud growl, and finished by launching itself in the air at Jake.

THWACK

Jake cracked the mop stick across the leaping werewolf’s chest with such **** that it shattered in half. The teen’s eyes widened as he looked down at the remaining piece in his hands before they bugged out as he saw the werewolf shrug off the blow. Before he could drop an “Oh shit,” Jake got knocked to the side.

Staggering, Jake managed to avoid falling to the ground before improvising into a reverse kick that knocked the beast backward. Clutching the broken staff, he swung around to prepare for the next attack. While doing so, he spotted Benji watching the action.

“Go, go, go!” Jake motioned, pointing to the shed before taking the initiative to swing the broken staff at the werewolf’s head.

The cursed beast responded by slashing its arms in his direction. By the most minuscule margin, Jake yanked his head back, leaving the wolfman’s razor-sharp claws to deliver only a glancing blow. Still, Jake felt the trickle of blood start down his face from where he’d been cut.

Before the werewolf could strike again, it noticed Benji dash inside the shed. With what sounded like an outraged howl, the beast used an arm to slam Jake out of the way to follow Benji.

Stumbling to the ground this time, Jake’s hand landed on a sharp rock. While the pain added to that from his face, the quick-thinking teen recalled Phinn’s weapons from last night. Scrambling to his feet, Jake clutched the rock he’d landed on and grabbed another. While he did so, Benji’s cry found his ears.

Rushing inside, Jake needed the glow from Benji’s flashlight to see anything in the pitch black room. Knocked from the actor’s hand, the flashlight rolled for several seconds, causing a series of eerie shadows that danced around the interior.

Hurdling over a knocked-down Benji, just inside the doorway, Jake landed nearly on the werewolf’s heels. Muscle memories took over as the linebacker tackled his opponent from behind, sending them forward into the pile of garbage.

A sharp elbow to the side of his face left Jake stunned long enough for the beast to gain the upper hand by jumping on top of him. Only his quick reflexes led him to reach out to grab the werewolf’s arms, saving Jake from a claw mauling. Still, the move left him struggling to keep a grip while the monster above thrashed around to pry its arms free. Blazing yellow eyes stared into his soul while the creature snarled repeatedly.

Turning his head to the right in search of a weapon, Jake saw Portia instead. The sultry socialite struggled to free herself while sprawled out on the hay/straw combination. Her hands were tied in front, while her mouth had been gagged. Jake couldn’t see clearly in the darkness, but he imagined she looked over with pleading eyes.

Fortunately, Benji recovered enough to start throwing items at the werewolf. None of the items significantly hurt the werewolf. However, they performed two badly needed tasks. First, the items served as a distraction for the growling, snarling beast. And second, they reminded Jake that he’d carried in several rocks only moments ago. Working to recall when and where he might have dropped them, Jake shifted his arm over to search the ground while still holding one of the creature’s arms.

“Oomph!” the werewolf grunted.

“Free Portia!” the teen yelled.

Jake had shifted tactics in mid-search upon seeing an opening that allowed him to knee the wolfman in the groin. Shifting his leverage, he pulled the creature closer to wrap his arms around its back while delivering a solid headbutt. The blow dazed the werewolf as Jake struggled to flip them over, giving him the advantage.

However, while doing so, his hand got knocked off the werewolf’s back. Oddly, his fingers still clutched a large clump of ripped hair. Even weirder, Jake noticed a stickiness to the hair upon squeezing it. Discarding the hair for now, the strong athlete changed tactics again, punching the beast’s face while Benji scrambled across the straw.

Still, the wolfman continued to thrash around underneath the teen. At one point, it nearly bit Jake’s cheek before he rolled off and away. Of course, he rolled directly onto a rock, likely one of those he’d brought inside. Yet, the werewolf didn’t seize the momentary advantage, instead shifting to stop Benji.

As a hand slashed out and a cry followed, Jake grabbed the rock. Although he played linebacker and tight end, Jake enjoyed throwing the football around with his teammates. He even played Little League as a kid for a summer, until Phinn and Dusty’s interests in solving mysteries caused him to quit the following year. All that being said, Jake had a solid arm, one he proved by smacking the rock directly into the back of the werewolf’s head with a perfect throw.

The impact knocked the thing into the straw. Not letting up for a second, Jake ordered a bleeding Benji to untie Portia right away, while picking up one of the boards that people used as a bench. Turning into a professional wrestler, Jake slammed the board across the werewolf’s back while it raised onto its hands and knees. The blow sent it into the straw again.

As a freed Portia scrambled away with the gag still in her mouth, Jake picked up one of the tree stumps used as a makeshift table. Lugging the heavy object over, Jake only managed to drop it on the wolfman’s side, as it turned enough to escape most of the blow.

Snarling, the beast continued to work like a machine, hopping to its feet. Standing in a face-to-face showdown in the dim light, Jake could make out more of Karter Terstad’s features from where additional hair had fallen off his face. Circling one another, Jake held its razor-claws at bay with another wooden board he’d picked up.

CRASH

Suddenly, the knocked-out werewolf tumbled forward, landing face-first on the ground. Standing behind him with the gag around her neck, Portia held the top end of the beer bottle she’d smashed into the werewolf’s head.

“Take that, asshole!” the socialite crowed in victory.

“Whoa! Nice work,” Jake praised before realizing the situation. “You didn’t cut the rope, did you? We need to tie it up.”

Running outside to grab his flashlight, Jake returned to find Portia checking Benji’s back. The wolfman’s claws had raked across it. Noticing the clump of hair that he’d yanked off its back, Jake used his light’s beam to study the pieces after he picked it up.

“What the hell?” the teen detective said, turning the hair clump over. The back had a sticky substance on it.

“That thing had claws like Wolverine,” Benji told Portia.

Shining his light on the wolfman’s hands, Jake winced at what he spotted.

“More like the razor gloves that Freddy Krueger wore,” Jake announced, gesturing to the gloves that one could now see with the light’s glare.

Kneeling, the investigator pulled out another large section of back hair. Then, acting on a hunch, he gave the beast's scalp a hard yank, pulling off a wig.

“Holy shit!” Benji exclaimed. “It’s really him.”

“I knew it was Karter!” Portia declared.

“Aw, crap! Phinn was right again,” Jake moaned. “The damn werewolf is a fake.”