Sui Generis – 43

 

"Not bad," Brand said a couple of days later after Antton had shown him and Mag around their new home. "But it's a bit far from school. Is there a bus line close by?"

"Better than that," Antton replied. He dug into his pocket then tossed Brand a set of keys. "For the house and the car in the garage."

"You're kidding. A car?"

"Comes as part of the job. Your new jobs. It belongs to the company, but you two can use it until you can afford ones of your own."

Brand glanced at Mag, who looked as surprised as he felt. "Do you know how to drive?"

"Of course. I even have a license. Don't you?"

Brand waggled his hands. "Sort of, but it's been forever since I've driven and I don't have a license. So I guess you're the designated chauffeur." Returning his attention to Antton, he thanked him, as did Mag. "Now all we have to do is move our stuff over here."

Mag laughed ruefully. "That'll take three boxes at most."

"Whatever it takes, do it now," Antton practically ordered. "I expect you at my place at noon. We have plans to make to catch Alanna Jans."

"So she is headed here," Brand said.

Antton nodded. "She's here already."

"Then we'd better get moving."

With a wry smile, Antton told him, "Isn't that what I just said?"

*****

The move was accomplished quickly. As Mag had pointed out, they didn't have much. Clothes and a few personal items were about the extent of it.

"This is sort of sad," Mag said, as they put the last of what turned out to be four boxes plus their backpacks into the car.

"It'll get better now," Brand told him with a hug. "Besides, when it comes right down to it, how much stuff do we need?"

"True enough," Mag agreed.

The pair unpacked at their new home in record time. They hung their clothes in the closet or stashed them in the dresser in the larger of the two bedrooms. Everything they used for school they put into a room on the ground floor that held a desk, several bookshelves, and two comfortable armchairs. The living room was furnished with a sofa, a matching recliner, and a fairly large television set, as well as bookcases.

"I guess he expects us to do a lot of reading," Brand commented.

Mag chuckled. "In all our spare time, that at the moment we don't have since he wants us at his place in twenty minutes."

They arrived at Antton's just after noon. He greeted them at the door, ushering them into his living room. Randulf was there, seated on the sofa, as was Ulrik, who stood looking out the window facing the mountains.

"I feel like the witches in Macbeth," Mag muttered. "All 'when shall we three meet againish'."

"Except there's five of us," Brand pointed out.

"Six actually," Antton said.

Brand smirked. "You're using ghosts now?"

"It should be so easy," Randulf grumbled. "You haven't met Llewellyn yet or you'd know why I said that."

"Another werewolf?" Mag asked.

Randulf just nodded, looking none too happy.

"A very late werewolf," Ulrik said sourly, turning to look at the clock on the desk.

Mag frowned. "If none of you like him, which apparently you don't, why is he going to be involved?"

"Because," Antton replied, "he has a very unique ability. He can pass as a pure human to anyone who can sense werewolves. That includes Alanna."

"Ah. So he's going to be the bait in the trap."

"Precisely. Presuming I don't kill him first. That man is never on time." Antton drummed his fingers impatiently on his thigh.