The Write Place

“So why should I talk to you?” asked the tall, thinly muscled man. His short blond hair shone in the warm mountain sun. Even next to Jager and Lefleur, the man was impressive in height.
“Because I’m so charming,” smiled Jager.
“Well, regardless,” replied the man.
“We’re not going to throw you in jail or anything. Your previous contact I’m sure soured you a bit. But our success is much more likely if you tell us firsthand. Notes only help us so much. What we want is someone who was there,” said McCready, standing front and center.
“742 didn’t tell you enough?”

“He said enough for himself. You were there. The more witnesses I hear from the better. He fought the dogman, but you lived with it. So I want to hear all I can from you.”

“Not the ideal neighbor was he Randy,” Jager said.

“Nah, he was no Mr. Rogers,” Randy said. His shoulder’s dropped as tension fled his body. “Well, first time I encountered the thing he was running another one off. Real pleased with himself. I got away in my truck, don’t think he was too interested in me then. Beyond letting me know whose kingdom I was in.”
“How about the Squatch?” McCready asked. The bright spring day beat on their heads. Jaeger stood to his right, Leflore his left. Umberger and a soldier of darker complexion stood by the SUVs, all in less than subtle black tactical gear. Subtlty was not on the menu. Everyone knew why they were there.

“Well,” Randy started.

“Don’t worry we’re not interested in hunting them. But they don’t get along with Black Wolves. It’s the maneaters we’re after,” said McCready with a dismissive wave.

“Yeah. Well… I can confirm that,” Randy said. Tears welled up in his eyes.
“You don’t need to tell me all those details. That is on file. You don’t need to go there,” Jaeger lifted a hand and said. Randy sighed in relief.
“I’m sure hearing it once was enough,” Randy said. “Far as the squatch, family of six last I saw. They were curious, friendly. Helped me fight the thing off when he gave me this,” Randy lifted his shirt revealing a long, five-fingered cut on his abdomen that had healed over. McCready, Jaeger and Lefleur stood back to look it over.

“Well if I didn’t believe you before I sure do now. With cuts like that you ever wonder how they scratch themselves?” Jager said with his familiar smile.

“No…” Randy said as he put his shirt back down.

“That’s a joke you’ll have to forgive him. We all have to forgive him,” McCready said with pained familiarity in his voice. “Though we do keep track of them, the dogmen that is. Though not something you wouldn’t guess. If we had him on file beforehand, we would know who he is. This fella got away though, until he started hunting people.”

“Now he’s wanted but we know that,” said Leflore. “He’s been a busy boy.”

“You bet. I got these when he ran up to the house. Which burned down, somehow,” said Randy, more to convey a gentle annoyance.
“I’ll see what we can do but first thing’s first,” said McCready.
“Fair enough. Well, I did use my combat knife, we didn’t know it was him at first he’s about the height of the male squatch. Bout seven and a half, eight feet. Knew as we got close it was the black wolf. He didn’t take too kindly to us being there. Told Sarah to run, she did, to the truck to get the rifle. Though I didn’t know that…”

“Good woman.”
“All 4 foot 11 inches,” said Randy. “I thought I was going to die after cutting it twice. It finally got me with it’s claws like you see. Squatch tackled him, with family in tow. Sarah showed up with her rifle. Wolf took a look around realized it was over for the day or for his life. He chose over for the day. Didn’t bug us much after that, though took a long time to heal. Then was the night 742 went out on 801’s team. I heard gun shots, lots of them in the forest. Then four of the twelve come running back, in their SUV but running, ” Randy paused for a long moment. The memories flashed into his mind. “Thing had been picking them off in the woods. 742 and three others were bloodied asking for an ambulance. Terrible thought the whole thing. What a weird night.”

“Yeah, though sounds like a lot was weird for you for a good long while,” said Jaeger.
“True enough. Did you know 801?” Randy asked.
“He’ll be missed. But we’re also not surprised,” McCready said intending to give it away and also tell him nothing. He had a feeling Randy being military meant he knew what not to ask, but was the curious type, willing to push the envelope a little. Especially since McCready was no 801.
“He seemed high-strung, still hated to see that happen. He was gruff, hard to talk to all trying to intimidate. I disliked him but that thing…”

“Fair. Enough ill spoken of the dead though,” McCready said. One of the men guarding the SUV approached the troupe.
“What is it Bergey?” Jaeger asked. The man stopped, giving a curt wave to the men assembled.
“Chaps found something. Fits what our friend reported to the priors,” Umberger said. “He’s been busy too it seems.”
“Chaps or the Big dog?” asked McCready.
“Our black wolf.”
“Well that’s just great,” Leflore said with heavy sarcasm.
“Left a trail though. Chaps is excited about that, well some of it. We got a bead on him.”
“Good. Well, the horse’s mouth is still moving,” said McCready. He turned to face Randy once more, whose eyes darted back and forth, curious at the new information.
“You know I was military, did three tours in Afghanistan but this will always be weird to me,” Randy said. “You see a lot of the world but this feels like another world.”

“Afghanistan you say?” Umberger asked Randy.
“Yeah, love the mountains which is why I was in Colorado when I got back. It was the Tali I couldn’t stand. Heard stories of stuff out there too. Like the giants of Kandahar. You never saw anything like that though, did you?” A quiet moment that felt like days followed.
“You know if I did I couldn’t tell you…”said Umberger. Their eyes met, both knew what he was saying, and what he meant. The team looked about, reading the moment.
“Right… Right.. Well I respect that,” Randy said.
“Probably best not to dig yourself in deeper,” Leflore said.

“Fair point. I ended up in it deep enough.”

“After this, there will be none of it left, “McCready said as he grabbed the recording device wired to his glasses. “Keep telling the internet what you want, nobody will believe you and nothing of this will be provable.”
“Remember, we were never here. And it was nice to meet you,” smiled Jager. The four comrades turned and walked around. Randy went to the door of the lonesome ranch house, his wife greeting him at the screen door with a baby in tow “Nice feller. Glad he didn’t get eaten.”
“Well, some weren’t so lucky,” McCready said.

“Yeah…Rodriguez could be a tough nut but he was good at what he does. Of all days to not be good enough,” Jager said.
“Yeah, letting yourself get taken into the forest like that. Though to be fair, he didn’t realize how skilled this dogman was,” Leflore said.
“That he didn’t. Do it so many times, go in with twelve men with nods, I can understand the mistake. With those claw marks though he is probably right. Thing was close to eight feet,” McCready said shaking his head. “Clearly a mistake by Rodriquez. Always had a temper, was too smart for his own good. Made a bad mistake in the end. What did Chaps find?”

“Tracks, increase in hunting of the deer population…and more evidence that our eligible bachelor has changed his filing status…” Umberger said.
“Good grief, you’re kidding me,” McCready said. “He started a pack…”