said.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks."
"So you've seen a werewolf before?"
George nodded. "Yeah. It was a job down in Florida. Lots of dead bodies before we took him out. Lou and I went into hiding, so I don't know for sure how the media covered it, but we don't seem to be in a brand new world that believes in the existence of werewolves, so I assume there was a cover-up."
"I saw stuff about it on Facebook. It wasn't all covered up, at least. People just didn't believe the whole story."
"What did they think happened?"
Ally shrugged. "I don't remember everything. Insane guy in a wolf mask, I think."
George would have buried his face in his hands if they weren't locked behind his back. "Insane guy in a wolf mask. Jesus Christ."
"Makes more sense than the real story."
"Still..."
"I bet if you checked there are probably like eight billion conspiracy theory sites about it. I think his body disappeared from a Chuck E. Cheese or something before the police got there."
"It was a bowling alley."
"Oh."
"His body disappeared?"
"Yeah."
Weird. "So, any idea how this happened to you? Are you any relation to Ivan Spinner?"
"No."
"Uncle? Cousin?"
"I know my uncles and cousins."
"I meant second uncles or second cousins. I don't know the full names of all my relatives. There could be some connection."
"I have no idea how it happened," said Ally. "Maybe I got bit but I didn't notice because I was too busy texting."
George smiled. "Could be. You kids today."
Ally sighed. "Mom won't even let me have a cell phone. I'm going to die without my own cell phone."
The van stopped. George peeked up front, and for a split second he looked extremely worried. Then, as if noticing that Ally was watching him, he smiled again.
"What?" Ally asked.
"Nothing."
"No, what?"
"This is where they gave Lou and I the assignment in the first place."
"Is that bad?"
"All of the scenarios are bad, unless the driver is a double agent and is secretly on our side." George raised his voice, addressing the driver. "Hey, are you a double agent who's secretly on our side?"
"Nope."
"Didn't think so." He looked back at Ally. "This warehouse is where I talked to both Mr. Dewey and Mr. Reith. I was kind of hoping we'd only have to mess with one of them."
"Oh."
"It's okay, though. Stay calm. We'll be fine."
Ally tried to stay calm. The van pulled forward, then turned and stopped. The driver turned off the engine. Both of the men got out.
"Is there anything else I should know?" asked Ally. Her whole body, and her voice, was quivering.
"Just be polite."
The rear door of the van opened.
"They're all yours," said the driver, stepping out of the way.
A very old man, the oldest man Ally had ever seen in real life, was standing there. He looked as if he were going to topple over, despite his cane.
"Hello, Mr. Reith," said George.
"Hello, George," said the old man. There was no trace of amusement in his voice. Not only was he the oldest person Ally had ever seen, but she'd never seen anybody who was so filled with rage. He looked like his withered skin might split apart, releasing streams of lava.
"I know we ended on bad terms."
"Do not speak, George," said Mr. Reith. "Do not say a single word. If you do, I will have you immediately killed. Not one word."
George apparently believed him. He kept his mouth closed and just gave a small nod.
Another man stepped into view. He was significantly younger than Mr. Reith, though still older than Ally's dad. He looked more relieved than angry to see them.
"Good to see you again, George. Don't greet me—I wouldn't want you to die just to be polite." The man looked directly at Ally and broke into a huge, scary grin. "And you're Ally."
"Yes, sir."
"We're going to be very good friends, Ally. I'm Mr. Dewey." He winked at her. "Like the decimal system."
Ally had no idea what he was talking about, but she didn't say anything.
Mr. Dewey gestured to the two men in snowsuits. "Chain her up. We're going to start right
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks."
"So you've seen a werewolf before?"
George nodded. "Yeah. It was a job down in Florida. Lots of dead bodies before we took him out. Lou and I went into hiding, so I don't know for sure how the media covered it, but we don't seem to be in a brand new world that believes in the existence of werewolves, so I assume there was a cover-up."
"I saw stuff about it on Facebook. It wasn't all covered up, at least. People just didn't believe the whole story."
"What did they think happened?"
Ally shrugged. "I don't remember everything. Insane guy in a wolf mask, I think."
George would have buried his face in his hands if they weren't locked behind his back. "Insane guy in a wolf mask. Jesus Christ."
"Makes more sense than the real story."
"Still..."
"I bet if you checked there are probably like eight billion conspiracy theory sites about it. I think his body disappeared from a Chuck E. Cheese or something before the police got there."
"It was a bowling alley."
"Oh."
"His body disappeared?"
"Yeah."
Weird. "So, any idea how this happened to you? Are you any relation to Ivan Spinner?"
"No."
"Uncle? Cousin?"
"I know my uncles and cousins."
"I meant second uncles or second cousins. I don't know the full names of all my relatives. There could be some connection."
"I have no idea how it happened," said Ally. "Maybe I got bit but I didn't notice because I was too busy texting."
George smiled. "Could be. You kids today."
Ally sighed. "Mom won't even let me have a cell phone. I'm going to die without my own cell phone."
The van stopped. George peeked up front, and for a split second he looked extremely worried. Then, as if noticing that Ally was watching him, he smiled again.
"What?" Ally asked.
"Nothing."
"No, what?"
"This is where they gave Lou and I the assignment in the first place."
"Is that bad?"
"All of the scenarios are bad, unless the driver is a double agent and is secretly on our side." George raised his voice, addressing the driver. "Hey, are you a double agent who's secretly on our side?"
"Nope."
"Didn't think so." He looked back at Ally. "This warehouse is where I talked to both Mr. Dewey and Mr. Reith. I was kind of hoping we'd only have to mess with one of them."
"Oh."
"It's okay, though. Stay calm. We'll be fine."
Ally tried to stay calm. The van pulled forward, then turned and stopped. The driver turned off the engine. Both of the men got out.
"Is there anything else I should know?" asked Ally. Her whole body, and her voice, was quivering.
"Just be polite."
The rear door of the van opened.
"They're all yours," said the driver, stepping out of the way.
A very old man, the oldest man Ally had ever seen in real life, was standing there. He looked as if he were going to topple over, despite his cane.
"Hello, Mr. Reith," said George.
"Hello, George," said the old man. There was no trace of amusement in his voice. Not only was he the oldest person Ally had ever seen, but she'd never seen anybody who was so filled with rage. He looked like his withered skin might split apart, releasing streams of lava.
"I know we ended on bad terms."
"Do not speak, George," said Mr. Reith. "Do not say a single word. If you do, I will have you immediately killed. Not one word."
George apparently believed him. He kept his mouth closed and just gave a small nod.
Another man stepped into view. He was significantly younger than Mr. Reith, though still older than Ally's dad. He looked more relieved than angry to see them.
"Good to see you again, George. Don't greet me—I wouldn't want you to die just to be polite." The man looked directly at Ally and broke into a huge, scary grin. "And you're Ally."
"Yes, sir."
"We're going to be very good friends, Ally. I'm Mr. Dewey." He winked at her. "Like the decimal system."
Ally had no idea what he was talking about, but she didn't say anything.
Mr. Dewey gestured to the two men in snowsuits. "Chain her up. We're going to start right
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