A Chill in the Heat of the Night Ch.6 (Wednesday) - 2 Week Early Access (Patreon)

All characters in this story are over the age of 18.

''You taught your bees how to read?''

''They wanted to help me with my assignments.''

Bianca decided not to question Eugene any further and resumed her search. She set one book down and retrieved another before the bees stole it from her. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see them working together to flip a page and hover above the words as if they were reading them.

Eugene would occasionally glance at the book they were studying before turning back to his own. As he reached the final page, he sighed with disappointment. ''Nothing in this one either.''

Pacing up and down the room with a book in hand, Wednesday stopped and glared at her friends. ''There has to be something. We need to keep searching.''

Piles upon piles of books on the occult and their histories were scattered all around the goth girl's dorm room. Wednesday scoured through the book in her hand, looking for any information on the tattoo she had seen on one of the kidnappers' necks. The rest of the gang huddled around and flipped through the pages at their own pace, desperate to find any information that would help them. But, even after hours of searching, they came up empty-handed. Frustrated, Wednesday slammed her book shut and tossed it aside, almost striking Thing as he flicked through the pages of his book at lightning pace. After almost being hit, he turned and cracked his knuckles at the goth girl.

''I deliberately missed you,'' she stated. ''You're not going to be of much help if I rendered you unconscious.''

Thing shrugged and continued reading.

Xavier lifted his head from the monotonous history books and turned to Wednesday. She was staring intensely at a picture pinned to the wall that he drew which perfectly captured every detail of the tattoo that Wednesday saw in her vision. He placed the book down and approached her. Even when he stood next to her, she didn't tear her gaze away from the picture. He could tell that she was trying not to look at him; trying not to show any weakness as she led the group through this search.

''We'll find her, Wednesday,'' he said.

''Not if we stand around idly and chit-chat.''

He was used to her harsh tone by now. However, he knew that this was different. She was genuinely hurt. After describing to them what she saw in her vision, they were more worried for Enid than ever. Who were this group? Why did they want Enid? And why were they already carrying around a dead werewolf? Too many questions with answers that could be potentially dripping with fatal dread.

''What if we're thinking too deeply about this?'' Eugene said, earning the group's attention.

''What do you mean?'' Bianca asked.

Eugene looked at Wednesday. ''You didn't see this symbol on anyone else? Right?''

''Correct.''

''Then…maybe this isn't the symbol of their group. Maybe it's just a tattoo that belongs to this one person.''

Eugene's hope that this would renew enthusiasm within the group was short-lived as they glanced at each other bleakly. Bianca clicked her tongue and scoffed. ''What you're saying is that we should be looking for one particular person instead of a group?''

''I know that it's not what we want to hear. But, I think it's our best bet.''

''Okay, but where do we even start? This person could be anyone. They could be anywhere.''

''It could be normies in the black market,'' Xavier said gravely. The room went so cold, even Wednesday's skin prickled. Upon hearing those words, a thousand worrisome possibilities flooded her mind regarding Enid's fate. He stared daggers into Xavier as she waited for him to continue. ''It's happened before. Not for a while. But, my father used to talk about how he nearly got caught up with people trying to exploit his abilities. They nearly shipped him off to another country to use him like a puppet. These people could have taken Enid for some fucked-up reason like taking her fangs, or making her fight in underground tournaments…''

''Dude!'' Eugene called out and tried to subtly gesture towards Wednesday. His attempt failed miserably as it was obvious he was tilting his head towards the goth girl.

''No, he's right!'' Wednesday stated coldly. ''They numbered her along with the other wolf whose body they used to frame me. They also mentioned a base. This is clearly an operation to capture werewolves. It sounds like it would be something that is a common occurrence in the black market.''

Bianca rubbed the bridge of her nose. ''That still doesn't give us much to go on; unless any of us here know someone connected to the black market?''

Wednesday's mind was racing, and she was deep in thought. Suddenly, her eyes widened as an idea came to her.

Noticing this, Bianca sighed. ''Of course, you do.''

Ignoring Bianca's comment, Wednesday snatched the picture of the tattoo from the wall and marched over to her bed. She grabbed a backpack and stuffed it inside before filling it with all of the necessary supplies that she might need for a long trip, including water, some food, and a map.

"I'll go alone," she announced.

The others were taken aback. "But Wednesday, it's too dangerous!" Eugene protested.

"I can handle myself," she retorted. ''And I don't want anyone else to put themselves in danger. The consequences could be dire.''

''All the more reason for us to go with you and back you up!'' Bianca said.

''I'm not going to lose anyone else!'' Wednesday spoke calmly. Her voice never went to the level of a shout. Yet, the others could tell that she was trying to hold herself back from exploding. They had never seen her act like this before. But, with the hope that she was on the right track to finding Enid, it seemed that she was more hopeful. Thing came into view as he crawled up Wednesday's arm and settled on her shoulder. ''Besides, I'll have Thing as my backup. My enemies will be unprepared.''

Thing clenched his fist in approval.

Once she had everything ready, Wednesday made her move. She could see Xavier looking at her with a cautious expression. He looked as if he wanted to convince Wednesday to stay, fearing the danger she would put herself in, but the goth girl was resolute. And she had glared menacingly in the face of danger many times before. He had full confidence in her ability to not only find Enid but also bring her home safely. But…it wasn't Wednesday he was concerned about. ''Can you trust him?''

''It's not about trust,'' Wednesday replied. ''If he can give me the information I need, there won't be any trouble.''

She grabbed her coat and walked out of the room, hiding in the shadows of the Nevermore corridors. The others watched as Wednesday disappeared out of their sight.

Despite everything, Xavier found his smile. ''She won't admit how much she cares for her.''

Bianca snickered. ''Oh, they care about each other.''

''What do you mean?''

''My lips are sealed.'' She teased, trying not to laugh as Xavier looked on in bewilderment while she thought about the position she caught Wednesday and Enid in the other day after class.

''I'm lost…'' Eugene said. ''Who is Wednesday going to see?''

XXX

Wednesday took a deep breath as she made her way through the dark forest. She had walked far beyond the school grounds. Thing kept his fingers locked around Wednesday's shoulder, holding onto her for support and protection. The last thing he needed was a vulture swooping down to nab him…again. The woods were dense and silent. Wednesday had always found solace in the quietness of the forest. She loved being surrounded by dead trees with branches entwined like cobwebs. But, she didn't have time to admire its macabre beauty. As she walked, her mind started to wander. She thought about Enid. Every second wasted put Wednesday's roommate in greater danger.

She felt Thing tap her shoulder and make a few swift gestures. Wednesday looked ahead. ''He'll know. He has the time to get involved with things he shouldn't.''

Thing seemed to agree with her but did make another inquiry.

''If he doesn't…we'll start again. Nothing is going to stop me from finding Enid.''

After walking for some time, Wednesday found a small clearing. She sat down on a decayed log and waited. Thing was perched next to her, drumming his fingers impatiently. Wednesday's body was still. Her eyes darted from side to side. A thick fog had descended upon them, making it more difficult to see anything beyond the rotted trees. Yet, Wednesday was unafraid of anything happening to her. Her mind was focused squarely on Enid's well-being. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought about the werewolf that had already been killed by the kidnappers. They were willing to use its body to cover their tracks. How far would they be willing to go to hide? Would they hurt Enid too? Wednesday tried not to think about it as she heard leaves being crunched by footsteps behind her. She got up and turned to see a figure emerge from the woods.

He wore a flannel shirt and dirty jeans; his hair was a mess. Though, he still looked well-kept for someone who had gone rogue. He smiled awkwardly at Wednesday, keeping his distance. ''Hello, Wednesday.''

''Tyler,'' the goth girl greeted coldly.

Tyler turned to Thing and nodded. ''Hey.''

Thing responded by giving Tyler the middle finger.

He chuckled before locking eyes with Wednesday. ''What are you doing here? I take it you're not going for a late-night stroll.''

Wednesday approached her former adversary, despite some apprehension from Thing as he reached out. She knew that the Hyde wouldn't try anything. While they were not on the friendliest terms after everything that happened, they no longer considered themselves enemies. She let him go free. Tyler was able to go whenever he pleased as long as he didn't let his monstrous side cause chaos. It wasn't the easiest arrangement to keep. But, Wednesday was loyal and Tyler respected that. He didn't want any trouble coming his way.

She took a deep breath and pulled out the paper from her backpack, showing him the picture of the person with the wolf tattoo on his neck. ''I'm looking for someone who has this tattoo. I have reason to believe they're abducting students at Nevermore; particularly werewolves.''

Tyler looked at the picture for a few seconds before shaking his head. "No, I haven't seen anyone with that tattoo.''

''I can tell you're lying. You do know something.''

''Not really,'' he narrowed his eyes at her. ''Shouldn't this be a matter for the police? Why are you asking me?''

''That's of no concern…''

''I think it is!'' He handed the paper back to her. ''I just want to be left alone. I'm sure that someone like you will understand.''

As he turned to leave, Wednesday felt a lump in her throat. The thought of Enid in peril frightened her to no end. She was willing to even plead for Tyler's help. ''Enid is missing!''

Tyler stopped instantly and turned back to look at her. He could see the fear etched on her face. "What? When did this happen?"

"She's been missing for almost two days. The police think that she was murdered, and I was framed for that murder. But, my vision showed me that she was taken by a group who seem to be abducting werewolves. A man with this tattoo is my only lead. I have to find out where they are. Please.''

His gaze fell to the ground. A slow exhale escaped from him as he gestured for Wednesday to show him the picture again. She gifted it and Tyler inspected the symbol carefully. After a short while, his expression became less stiff. "Now that I think about it, I have seen someone with this tattoo."

Wednesday's heart skipped a beat. "Where did you see them?"

"I saw him a few days ago, near the edge of the forest. He was walking towards town."

''Do you know who he is?"

Tyler shook his head. "No, I've never seen him before. But I remember the tattoo because it was pretty distinct and it give me bad vibes."

Wednesday took a deep breath, feeling a sense of hope that she hadn't felt in days. "I'm going to need your help.''

''What for?''

''It's easier to interrogate someone when they're outnumbered.''

Tyler slowly nodded. "Alright then. Let's go."

XXX

''He's taking too long! I'm going to sort this out myself!''

Wednesday was about to storm out of the alley when she was stopped by Thing. The sentient hand crawled in front of her and placed himself in her path, refusing to budge until she stopped. She was on the verge of walking out of the dark alley and into the busy street. It had been nearly half an hour since Tyler brought them here and mingled with the crowd walking up and down the street, stating that he would track down the person whom Wednesday was after and bring him here. All that Wednesday had to do was wait for him to return with their target. However, Wednesday's patience was beginning to wear thin. She huffed and stared at the brick wall, noting how the paint had long peeled off. It was a stark contrast to the pristine buildings that lined the street. As soon as something was out of view of the public, it was left to wither away.

''This would have gone faster if we had split up to find this person.'' She said.

Thing made a few quick signs, signalling for her to wait a little while longer. Wednesday hated to admit it, but Thing was right. There were only going to get one shot to find this guy and discover where Enid was taken. She couldn't afford to let her emotions get the better of her and mess up this chance. She folded her arms across her chest and tried to keep her mind occupied by watching the crowd. There were far too many people for her liking. Their closeness made her tense. But, there was one sight that made her feel light. She spotted two girls sitting on a bench, holding hands and enjoying each other's company. One had dark hair while the other was blonde. They reminded Wednesday of her and Enid so much. The only difference was that those two were a couple while Wednesday and Enid were…not that. They were just roommates with benefits.

That's all they were…right?

A loud thump from behind caught Wednesday's attention. She turned and saw that Tyler had returned and was carrying a man on his shoulders. He was kicking at Tyler and struggling to free himself. However, Tyler's hidden strength thanks to his latent Hyde abilities, and the ropes bound around his wrists, made it an impossible task. After Tyler set him down, Wednesday saw that the man's mouth was gagged by a piece of his shirt tied around his mouth. He looked back and forth between Tyler and Wednesday. A look of fear and hatred flashed across his expression. Wednesday approached him and tilted his head to the side. The wolf tattoo was there. It matched perfectly with the one she saw in her vision.

''It's him.'' She said.

Tyler nodded and pulled the gag away from the grunt's mouth. He coughed and spat at them. ''What the hell is this? You punks are going to pay for…''

''The other night, you and a small group sedated and captured a werewolf while she was sleeping. Where was she taken?'' Wednesday questioned.

''I don't know what the hell you're talking about!''

Wednesday dropped to her knees and glared at him venomously. ''Yes, you do! Don't bother lying to me. Trust me. That will not end well for you.''

He stared at her for a short while. Recollection took hold as his eyes widened. ''Holy shit! You're the girl that was with her.''

''The very same that you framed for her apparent murder,'' she leaned closer. ''Where. Is. She?''

''I ain't telling you two shit!''

Before Wednesday snapped, she felt Tyler's hand on her shoulder, pulling her away as he stepped between her and the grunt. ''Let me try and scare it out of him.''

The grunt heckled at Tyler. ''You're having a fucking laugh, mate.''

Tyler looked down at the grunt. Suddenly, his eyes began to bulge out. His body slowly shifted in size. His shoulders were growing and his arms were extended. The grunt was caught off-guard as Tyler gave him a taste of his Hyde form. ''Do I look like I'm laughing?'' he snarled.

For a split second, it seemed as if the grunt was about to fold. However, he looked away and gritted his teeth. ''I've dealt with your kind. Werewolves. Vampires. I've seen it all. You can't scare me with that freaky shit!''

Tyler lurched over him, baring his fangs. Saliva oozed out of his mouth and onto the grunt. His foul breath was more than enough to repulse the grunt. Wednesday could see that he was frightened. However, it wasn't absolute terror. She knew that sensation all too well. They would need to up their game if they wanted this man to crack and give them the information they needed.

''I'm done playing games,'' she said.

Wednesday then leaned forward, cupped her hand around the grunt's ear and whispered. As Tyler morphed back into his more humanoid form, he tried to listen to what the goth girl was saying. But, he couldn't decipher anything. He turned to Thing. The hand seemed to be aware of what was going on but didn't elaborate. Tyler watched as the grunt's face paled until he was a ghastly white. Sweat rained down his expression as he shook his head. He couldn't tear himself away from Wednesday as she whispered into his ear for a solid minute. When she finally moved away, it looked as if he had seen a ghost.

''Do you want to start over?'' Wednesday inquired. The grunt nodded without hesitation. Wednesday grabbed the map from her backpack and showed it to the grunt. ''Point to where my friend is now. And remember to tell the truth, unless you want me to repeat what I said about the cheese grater.''

He gasped and shook his head violently. Sticking his tongue out, he touched a spot on the map where a cliff overlooked the coast. It was a day's travel from where Nevermore was. It was far enough to be unrecognizable. But, it was somewhere that Wednesday could feasibly reach.

With her destination set, she put the map back into her bag and turned to Tyler. ''I think you should take this one back to Nevermore. The faculty will want to question him further.''

Tyler nodded. ''I can do that.''

''And if he gives you any trouble, then the second half of the torture will have to take priority.''

The grunt gulped. ''There's a second half?''

Wednesday grinned sadistically. ''Of course. I'm not going to reveal all my secrets. I only told you about the tamer stuff I would do to you.''

''That was the tamer stuff?'' the grunt's eyes rolled back before he fainted and slumped against the alleyway wall.

''I kind of want to know,'' Tyler said. ''But, I also don't. I know first-hand what it's like to be tortured by you.''

''Yes,'' Wednesday mumbled. ''I am sorry about that.''

Tyler blinked. ''Huh…you've never apologized for that before.''

''I've not been thinking straight lately. My mind has been lost in a haze. Being framed for a murder that wasn't committed can make a person go mad, and not in a fun way.''

Not wanting to go into the full details of Wednesday's torture methods, Tyler picked the grunt up and hoisted him over his shoulder. It would be a lot easier to carry him now that he was unconscious. The Hyde turned to Wednesday with a soft expression. ''Are you sure that you want to do this alone?''

''I'll have fewer people to worry about. I don't know what I'm going to find at this place. I want to keep the risk of loss at a minimum.''

''I get it,'' he replied. Before he let her pass to continue on her quest, he gave her a poised grin. ''When you find the people who took Enid, kick their asses for me.''

''If they've hurt her, I'm going to inflict the same pain on them a hundred-fold. They'll be begging for death's sweet release.''

He held back a laugh and walked away. Wednesday was about to take another step forward when something compelled her to look back at Tyler once more. She thought about recent events and recalled her meeting with the Sheriff. ''Your father is still looking for you.''

Tyler momentarily stalled. ''It's better if I stay out of his life. Fewer people to worry about, right?''

''He's always going to worry for you.''

Without saying another word, Tyler walked off and disappeared deeper into the alleyway.

Wednesday adjusted her backpack and waited for Thing to take his usual spot on her shoulder. She was able to form a wicked smile. ''Let's go save Enid.''