Obsolution ?

Chapter 11

Sam stared at the floor, chewing on her cheek. It took a moment for Ty to realize he was doing the same thing. He only chewed on his cheek when he was thinking, or sometimes, he did it when he was lying.

He read into Sam's tell-tale signs. "You know what happened to her. Where is she?"

"I really don't know, but I have an idea." Deep breath. "It was probably the Staties that took her."

"Took her?" It didn't seem possible. "Why would you say that?"

"It's just a guess. I don't---."

"Yes, you do know!" He barely raised his voice, even less so since Jenn had left, but the way Sam ducked his questions frustrated him.

It was like looking into an evasive mirror. There was no lying to him because he read each of the lies on Sam's familiar face. Somehow, he knew what she had to say would mean a great deal, and he wanted to hear the words.

"Tell me the truth. You've been avoiding me for weeks."

Finally, Sam met his gaze. "I didn't mean to. And I only know what Martine told me. Agents threatened to take her away a couple weeks ago. Somehow, they knew we'd gone on a date."

"That was enough probable cause for them?" Ty didn't believe it.

But Sam confirmed the far-fetched story. "Yes. Maybe she did something else to anger those prudes."

He continued to give her the suspicious eye. Even if she was telling the truth, her story was incomplete. If Ty hadn't felt so drained from the day's work, he would've dragged the facts from hee. As it was, he dropped his glare and sighed.

"They can't just take people away like that. You're wrong."

Sam tightened her jaw. "I hope I'm wrong."

When Ty walked away, Sam took in more deep breaths, releasing the tension from her shoulders. She was lucky he had chosen not to push, because he wouldn't have liked what he would've heard. She had told him the truth, as she knew it to be.

Ty was right to doubt. It was a familiar feeling for Sam. She had her own doubts. Once she found out what had really happened to Martine, then she would have a better picture of what really happened to Jennifer.

~*~

No one at group remembered who Martine was. Every group member Sam asked gave her a confused scowl in lieu of an answer. She felt like she was going insane. The groups members had shared the meeting room with Martine for at least three weeks. After interviewing the sixth member, Sam rebounded loudly against their ignorance.

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Excuse me?"

But Sam would not be excused.

She addressed the entire group: "It's not goddamn rocket science, people. Martine, a hot Cuban woman that was in group only last week, and not one of you can remember her?"

Group Leader Campion approached Sam, and right away, she knew she had been asking the wrong people about Martine. Of course the sheep wouldn't know.

He led her by the shoulder, a concession Sam allowed for the moment. She planned to get answers and it wouldn't happen if she was a mega-dickhead. A semi-dickhead would suffice.

Campion's face was hardened like that of a disappointed father. Since Sam had hardly seen her father when he had been alive, the look did not move her.

"Young lady, the issue of Martine has already been settled. Why are you upsetting the Group?"

"I know she switched Groups. What I need to know now is what you cunt-nuts did with her."

"Nothing's happened to Martine. Let's get back to Group, because today's theme is---"

"Screw today's theme. You know something, you pube-bearded fuck?

Her words finally had an effect. The Group Leader's mask slipped for a second, and in that second, he chose to smile. Sam's heart nearly stopped. Exposed, Campion was cold, cruel, and still smiling.

"Let's stop pretending. I know what you are, and why you're really here."

Lightning fast, Campion's hand shot out to tweak Sam's nipple. She smacked him away, her eyes wide.

"A living doll. Crendan told me to watch you, little doll."

Sam shook her head, trying to sift through Campion's crazy.

"Crendan? She took Martine? Why?"

"Martine was taken because she was adverse to converting, as you obviously are. But, Crendan's willing to waste more time on you, because you're special."

Sam could've swore from Campion's crotch stare that he had x-ray vision.

"Where is Martine?" she asked.

"Gone," was all Campion would say.

He turned from her, clapping his hands and calling for the Group to take their seats.

Sam left, having learned all she needed for a lifetime.

A/N:  Campion is the epitome of creepy, and the creepiest part is, he doesn't even know it.

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I dedicate the chapter to KatKruger, who's written an intense werewolf series, The Night Has Teeth. Definitely worth reading more than once!