Kesh (18 page)

The man yelled and protested, and the white coyote released his hold on Garou's collar. He whipped his head around until, in a fraction of an instant, Jesse's jaws held a firm but, as yet, harmless grip on Louis Garou's throat. In the confusion, three of Garou's burly men and the still very red Miss Bunch had slipped into the room. Kiran gently herded the confused children past the guards and out the front door as Garou held his hand out to urge his goons to be cautious. He clearly did not want the white coyote to become startled in this position. Those powerful jaws could snap shut without warning.

As Kiran reentered the hall, the panther let out a magnificent roar and Miss Bunch, screamed. In this moment of confusion, some of the men reached for weapons while others ran for the door. Startled by the chaos, Jesse glanced up from his prisoner. In that fraction of a second, Garou gave the coyote's snout a sharp shove, rolled off the table, and bolted for a side door that Kesh had not seen. Before anyone could react, Garou was out, and the door was locked tightly behind him. The goons were now in complete disarray, disarmed, defeated, and scared clean out of their beards. They were scrambling for the nearest exits.

The red lady shouted, “Hurry you idiots! We've got to get out of here now! The gas!” Now, fully in panic mode, the last of Garou's group tore out of the hall. They were now so frightened that one even brushed against the great panther, in his rush to escape.

Officer Wolfe said, “I don't know what they were afraid of, but it wasn't us, at least not just us.”

Kesh's father growled, “Did you hear the woman? She was terrified. And you're right, Paul, it wasn't us. She said something about gas. Garous's factory is one of the world's biggest manufacturers of chemicals and gas for weapons.” He paused and looked at each of them. “We have to get out of here. Now.”

They tried each of the big doors, first one, then the other. They were firmly bolted from the outside.

“Apparently the goons were not completely out of their heads when they left,” said the panther. “They didn't forget to lock up.”

 The six friends searched frantically for an open door, large vent, or even a secret passage.

Kesh said, “We're stuck. We'll never get out of here.”

 His father and Officer Wolfe regained their human forms and continued to look for an escape. Kesh's dad said, “Maybe this will give us a different perspective.”

Now Kesh and the others waited and listened for the first hint of poison gas making its way into the room. Kesh looked to his friends for reassurance. Each stood strong, calm, and clear-eyed.

Morgan whispered, “Kesh; Jesse …” Kesh thought she spent an awfully long time gazing at the white coyote before going on. “It's going to be all right. I know it is. Have faith in us, Kesh. Have faith in us.”

Jesse growled softly to the lioness in response. Then he glanced at Kiran. “Well done, Kiran. You're a tough one.”

Kesh was beginning to wonder what was happening when a soft, foreboding hissing made him cock his ears. Instinctively, he took in a deep breath and held it for a moment before he had to let it out.
Silly
, he thought.
Like that would do me any good anyway.

At the same time, other sounds began to reach Kesh's ultra-sensitive ears from the vents, and closets, and rooms of the factory. He couldn't quite place them, but then again, he was distracted by his imminent death. A motor started out on the grounds.
A helicopter,
he thought,
to spirit Garou away to safety
.

The other sounds were growing in intensity. Still, Kesh turned to the source of the hissing. A dull, gray mist drifted lazily from a small vent in the ceiling, lazily curling down through the dead air of the hall. As each of them realized what was happening, the party moved back into the corner, as far away as possible from the deadly mist. The soft cloud descended slowly, gathering and curling in smoky folds into the center of the table.

When the boy leaped toward the smoke, his father shouted, “Kesh, What are you doing? Kesh, don't!”

It was too late. He was already up on the table, his nose nearly in the spiral of gas.

“Mom?” he ventured. His four companions stayed back, then, realizing what Kesh had said, began to move in toward the strange apparition.

“Alyssa, is that you?” Jack Jones had begun to speak when the snake interrupted.

“Yes, Jack. It's me, but don't talk. I can't do this for long, so just listen. There is a trap door directly beneath this table. It's well hidden, but you can find it by the scent of the earth. Morgan, use your claws to pry it up. You'll find a passage that will take you to the outside. You'll be safe.”

“But…” began Mister Jones.

“Jack!” She hissed sharply. Shut up and go. Get back to your animal forms. Then find the door and run for your lives. Now!” By the time his mother's smoky form had disappeared, the coyotes were sniffing the floor.

“Over here,” said Jesse. “I can smell the dirt and the fresh air. Can't figure out how I missed this before.” Morgan's razor sharp claws easily pried open the hatch and just as a new, more ominous hissing began, the six companions made their way along a short passage, emerging into the open winter sky and fresh air.

“Good Lord!” exclaimed a familiar voice. “As much as I know who you are, and that you'd never harm a hair on my furry head, you young coyotes gave me quite a scare.”

“Muskrat!” Kesh and Morgan shouted at once.

Jesse rushed over to the small creature and pushed his muzzle into muskrat's nose. “Dad, you're all right?”

“Dad?” Kesh was confused. “You're Jesse's dad? Mister Madosh?”

“In the flesh. At least in a manner of speaking.”

“I don't get it, Jess. How come you didn't tell me?”

Jesse lowered his head sheepishly. “I'm sorry, man. I wanted to tell you, but dad asked me not to. He said it might make him less mysterious, and that might have caused you to doubt him, and yourself.”

“Then who was the rag man?”

“Oh yes. I'm afraid that was me too. It seemed kind of exotic at the time and a little less threatening than a talking animal.”

“But the rag man was so small!”

“That's what you wanted to see, Kesh. The rag man was me.”

“And the story you told me…did you make that up? Don't tell me it was just a lie?”

“No, it wasn't a lie. The story is true, mostly, but I'll get to that over hot chocolate some time. For now, we have important business.” He paused and cocked his head to one side. “Do you hear that?” They all nodded. The earth buzzed with the movement of the creatures, large and small. “That, my friends, is the beginning of the end for Garou Chemical Corporation. Your classmates are very carefully going through Garou's offices, workshops, tunnels, and secret places. They have already discovered hidden records that will prove he has been intentionally dumping dangerous chemicals and toxins into the environment for years.”

Kesh perked up. “So we've won!”

“Let's just say we're winning. Taylor is leading a group of badgers, gophers, and voles who have come across the remains of several human beings, and we think we'll be able to prove that they are the missing families who had spoken out against Garou. Sadly, I'm afraid there will be many more terrible surprises. Your classmate Becky and other water spirits have located a series of cleverly hidden outlet pipes that may well have been pumping poisons into the river for as long as the factory has existed.”

Kesh said, “At least Garou is gone.” Then he put his head back and howled into the night. Jesse and Kiran joined in, and the sky filled with the coyotes' song.

When they had quieted again, Muskrat said, “We shouldn't celebrate just yet. Unfortunately, this was a particularly hazardous mission, especially for trout, because they're crazy sensitive fish, and they can't tolerate impure conditions. Becky is quite sick for the moment. Still, her human aspect gave her a measure of protection, and we think she'll be as good as new shortly. Finally, a lot of the Garou employees were not very happy with their former boss, and they've jumped at the chance to help us clean up this mess. Right now they're sealing off the most dangerous sectors of the factory. We don't want anyone else to get hurt. And, by the way…” Muskrat turned to Kiran. “Well done, lass.” She glanced at Kesh and, if a coyote could blush, she would have turned bright red again.

Kesh said, “All along she was on our side, and you knew it.”

Muskrat snickered. “You've got to admit, she was convincing. And, I daresay, her masquerade most likely prevented a real tragedy.”

“But how did you fool Garou, Kiran?”

She grinned sheepishly (difficult for a coyote). “Kesh, you're forgetting who we are. I'm a coyote, the trickster. Remember? And Mr. Garou was more than willing to believe that he was superior to everyone else, so it wasn't as hard as it might have seemed. And, by the way, Jesse knew too.”

“Jesse?”

Jesse grinned. “Sorry, man. I promised.”

Kesh was about to ask how he possibly could have missed it when his ears pricked up. “I hear it too,” said Jesse. “It's Garou's helicopter, and it sounds rough, like something is wrong with the engine.”

Kiran yipped softly, and all the animals turned to her. Officer Wolfe said, “Kiran Curtis, What did you do?”

“Nothing much, sir. I just gnawed through a couple of tubes and wires.”

Jesse howled. “I tell you, Kesh. This girl is trouble.”

“No, no,” said Kiran. “I wanted to stop Garou, but I didn't want to hurt anybody. Not even him.”

Kesh had heard it too, and once the machine sounds had faded his ears had picked up something else in the distant quiet. It was the sound of suffering and pain. Jesse glanced over at Kesh and Kiran, immediately, his eyes registered recognition. Kesh thought,
They heard it too.

Jesse barked softly, “Do you want us to go with you?”

Kesh said, “No. I have to do this alone. I don't believe I'm in danger.”

“Well, go then, and do what you have to do. We'll be here when you get back.” Kesh looked around at the rest of the company. They had gone quiet, and Kesh's father, the great black panther, smiled.

Kiran said, “Go Kesh. Now!”

Kesh ran along the river through fresh clean snow as the clouds cleared off to the south and the moonless sky blazed with Orion and the Great Bear. The snow was deep, but Kesh moved easily through the trees, keeping his senses focused on the distance. The weariness that had plagued him earlier was gone now. He felt strong and fast, and the river and the woods no longer seemed strange and threatening. It was as if it had always been his home. The night had grown quiet, but he knew where he would find the chopper. He was sure of his direction. The odor of jet fuel was heavy on the air.

Still, when he came out of the trees into the small clearing that opened to the river, he was surprised at what he found. The helicopter lay with its nose into the deep snow, one side smashed against a tall pine tree. Kesh approached cautiously, slowly, testing the air for signs of Garou's scent. The clearing was quiet, and the broken hulk of the chopper lay dark and unmoving. The coyote kept close to the trees, circling in from the river, watching, keeping his muscles taut and ready for a sudden retreat.

The crackle of electricity stopped him cold, and a tiny flame suddenly appeared just behind the cabin. Kesh waited, and his eyes searched the chopper for movement as the tiny flame began to grow in size and intensity. Then in the yellow light of the fire, the coyote saw movement inside the helicopter cabin. The fire had begun to spread, and Kesh moved quickly.

The fuel oil that had led him so unerringly to the crash site now fed the fire. Suddenly the blaze flashed hot, and the tail was engulfed in flames. Kesh sprinted to the machine but backed away as the heat increased. A soft whimper drew his attention to the cabin where two pleading eyes met his. He had expected to find Louis Garou there. Instead, he was confronted with the injured, terrified gray wolf of his dreams. Kesh acted without thinking and leapt over the creeping flames.

He grasped the wolf by the scruff of the neck and pulled with all his might. He was not a very large animal, not even for a coyote, but the wolf had come to his senses somewhat and, realizing his predicament, pushed with his legs to help Kesh's efforts. The coyote tugged as hard as he could as he smelled the acrid odor of his own singed fur, but the wolf's front shoulder had been injured in the crash and now was caught on the raised edge of the door. Kesh let go long enough to growl, “Come on. Help me, or you're going to die!”

The gray wolf roared and seemed to will his front legs to life as he began pawing at the threshold. It was enough. Kesh took the animal's fur in his mouth again and yanked with every ounce of strength he could find In the next instant, whatever had held the wolf back let go and he slid over the edge of the door, through the a narrow ridge of burning fuel oil, and out onto the open snow.

When he was sure the wolf and he were out of danger, Kesh released his grip and moved back several steps. The animal was safe now, but that didn't mean Kesh trusted him, and he did not want to be in range of those jaws. The injured animal lay panting under the cold, bright stars, his blue eyes wide open and fixed on Kesh. Little by little, the wolf's breathing slowed, and he shifted his weight until he was able to raise his body to a half sitting position. “You're the boy from the party. You're Kesh Jones.”

The voice startled Kesh. He knew this was no ordinary wolf, but it was hard to adjust to talking animals in any case. He took another step back. “Yes, I'm Kesh Jones. I think I know who you are.”

The wolf seemed to laugh hoarsely. “You think you know? How could you not know who I am?” Kesh shook his head, and the wolf continued. “I suppose it's hard to be sure. After all, I'm not really like my human form.”