Javier moved closer to the group and looked between the animal and Michelle, "This is that orphan girl, isn't it?"

Michelle looked up as she comforted the hurt animal as best she could, "I… Javier I don't know what she is, orphan, demon, lost changeling? I don't know. But she just lost her adopted father, maybe the only family she has ever known. And if she could do what she just did to armed vampires, there's no telling what limit there is to her power, if any. We can't let her be on her own."

Javier nodded, he knew that the Eldars had no idea that this lost, half starving girl they had rescued from India was actually a Shape shifter, and for lack of a better term, a were-tigress no less. Even though she was clearly a full-grown tigress, much like the Bultungin shifting into full hyena forms. Could she only be a full tiger or little girl? And if she could shift into something this big and powerful, what would happen when her human body matured into womanhood? Michelle was right, they could never leave her alone now, for her own safety, and for that of others.

Michelle was sitting down and the tigress laid her head in the werewolf's lap, closing her eyes. Michelle sat petting the tigress lightly.

Javier and the rest of his pack were still stunned by the revelation that something this powerful had been under their care, and they had no idea.

He didn't know how long they sat there, not wanting to disturb the strangely hypnotic presence of the injured and resting tigress, minutes, hours maybe.

His radio crackled softly and he heard Ansuya's voice, "Aceso, can you reach Malik?"

Who is Malik? Javier thought at the broken radio transmission.

He heard Aceso's voice come back even more broken, "Yes, … here, sor… had to ..al …minor issues, we're .. our way Malik, just hold on," Aceso replied.

Javier moved away from the group and called into the radio, "Ansuya, Ansuya, come in."

The radio crackled as Ansuya answered, "Go ahead,"

Javier took a deep breath, "Ansuya, we had some visitors down here in the garage, and uh, you're not going to believe a word of what I'm going to tell you."

* * * * *

William let the mini gun that he had been carrying silence itself as the barrels softly clicked as it slowed down and stopped. Gunning down vampires wasn't nearly as satisfying as tearing into them with his claws. But, on the other hand, using their own weapons against them? Well, that gave him a glee that he had never really experienced before.

Stolen story; please report.

Aceso ran down to the far side of the hallway and room where Malik and his pack were taking cover. She healed the worst of the injuries and helped the others get back to their feet.

"Sorry we're late, Malik," Nicolas said as the rest of Aceso's pack joined them, "We missed that left turn at Albuquerque."

William found himself rolling his eyes as he dropped the mini gun. He was out of rounds anyway, and besides the way they were killing these vampires they could pick up any number of weapons whenever they wanted.

Malik stood up and thanked Aceso for the timely rescue, "Should we continue our assent up this tower?"

Aceso nodded and led the two groups up through the next stairway.

William led the group up to the next floor. The door in front of him opened easily.

The broad room beyond the stairway door was filled with flimsy office cubicles that stretched out in front of him like a hedge maze. He could see office doors along the far side of the room, with open blinds showing the heavily tinted windows overlooking the Los Angeles morning beyond. The room smelled clean, and unused for several days at least.

"What do these Vampires do that they need all this office space and computers?" Amanda asked. "Are they an actual company, or just trying really hard to look like something out of Office Space?"

"If I was going to venture a guess," Thom said from behind them, "I would say that they do in fact run a business, with their hands in just about everything they can get their claws into, to include, law enforcement, pharmaceuticals, information brokering, and even some philanthropist endeavors, to include certain native tribe aid and assistance."

Nicolas chimed in, "So, what you're saying is that we're in the downtown headquarters of boiler plate evil mega corporation that gets what they need by greasing the right palms, and keeping other people silent with handouts. And there's no real reason for them to exist, except to be evil, oh and because they're vampires. Is that about right?"

Ansuya answered, "Your eloquence is on full display, as always, Nicolas. But for sake of argument, yes. That and whatever scheme Kenneth has planned. Corporations run things these days. If they could do what needed to be done through politics they would. But a blind man knows that the real power in the modern era is money. And corporations have pull with the banks, and the banks have the money. If the banks wanted to, they could shut down any world government they chose, and the people would do the messy dirty work of disposal. Why the banks haven't done such a thing thus far is up for debate, a debate we don't have time for now."

William had reached the far side of the room. He held up a hand to silence the group as he strained his ears to try and discern if anyone was on the other side. After a few moments of silence, William yanked the door open, swinging it open violently and silently. He glanced around through the door before pulling himself back.

"It looks clear, it's a narrow hallway that leads to a few side doors and an exit sign at the far end," William informed the group.

"Time grows short, we should hurry," Aceso said calmly.

William nodded and moved at speed down the hallway towards the far stairwell.

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