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He knew the instant the transformation was complete because all the scents grew sharper: candle wax and Briar’s hair and the musky scent of their bodies on the blankets. Briar had been half in shadow before, but now he could see her clearly. He could hear her heart rapping against her ribs. 

He leapt off the back of the truck and wound around her legs. She exhaled slowly as she ran her hand down his back. 

“You are a beautiful animal,” she said, almost reverently. “So strong and sleek.”

She had said something similar, the first time she had been with him as a cat. He growled in pleasure. Then he pushed himself up on his hind legs and laid his giant forepaws on Briar’s shoulders, careful to keep his claws sheathed. Laughing, she laid her hands on his ribs. 

“There’s no music. But we can figure it out, right?”

This body wasn’t made for dancing, but Charlie gave it his best. They staggered around the truck, holding each other up and trying not to step on each other’s feet. 

Briar began to sing in a rich contralto, “ooh ooh ooh … what a little moonlight can do.” 

He added his yowls, just to make her laugh again. 

He loved that sound, loved knowing he could lift the sadness in her, just for a moment. He laid his head on her shoulder, hoping he could communicate how much she meant to him.

“I love you, Charlie,” she whispered into his fur.

He purred in response.

Hours later, after he dropped Briar off at home, Charlie lay in bed thinking. His body was worn out, but his mind wouldn’t stop running. 

When he was young, he had dreamed of being a big shot baseball star, traveling all over the country and splitting his time between fancy hotel rooms and a snazzy bachelor pad. Funny how much dreams could change. 

Now he wanted to stay in Independence Falls and come home to Briar every night. He could roam the hills as a mountain lion while still leading the life of a man. 

But he also wanted to join the army. A long day of thinking hadn’t made his choice any clearer. 

He needed to talk to a recruiter and see what use the army might have for him. His lame leg would make any sort of combat training impossible, which meant the only way he would be an effective soldier was as a mountain lion. 

His power made him feel completely wild, completely free. He didn’t like the idea of giving all that wild freedom over to someone else’s agenda. He had read
Nineteen Eighty-Four
. While he didn’t completely agree with Orwell’s vision of a tyrannical, secretive government, it did seem like there was something that the government wasn’t telling them. 

Maybe Rick had the right idea. Charlie knew his uncle kept his promises, so even now he was probably gearing up to set out to the backcountry. Charlie tossed back the covers and got out of bed. He wasn’t sleeping anyway, and he needed to talk to his uncle. 

Charlie found Rick just like he had imagined—strapping packs onto his burly dray horses, Desi and Cletis, under the yellow light of the barn. The sky was just beginning to lighten when Charlie pulled his truck to a stop. 

 It wasn’t until he got out that he realized Rick was between the horses with his shotgun trained on the truck.

When Rick recognized him, he lowered the gun and called out. “Hell, boy, you nearly scared the shit out of me. Shoulda known,” he said, studying the sky suspiciously. “When they come, they won’t have their lights on.”

“Do you really think the government is out to get you?”

“I ain’t waiting around to find out. What about you? Are you coming with me?”

Charlie shook his head. “Not now. Not yet.”

Rick snorted. “Don’t tell me you’re joining up. Listen to me, your father likes to pretend that the war was no big deal, but it’s not like it looks in the movies. War is being scared and hungry and hoping that you’ll shoot some other scared and hungry guy before he shoots you first. It’s an ordeal. It’s a nightmare.”

“Was it worth it, though?”

“To stop the Nazis? Hell, yes. But war is changing, Charlie, you mark my words.”

“I might never have to fight.”

“I sure hope not. But if you ever feel like you need someplace to escape, I’m there for you.”

“I’m hoping it won’t come to that. But if it does …. Look, Rick, there’s a girl.”

“Is there now?” Rick’s face brightened. He jovially punched Charlie’s shoulder. “Charlie, you old dog. Or should I say tomcat? Who is she?”

“Briar Steele.” 

“That pretty little thing that lives next door? Does she … is she like you?”

“She has a power. It’s different from mine. She doesn’t want to join up, and doesn’t want me to join up, either. She’s phobic about the military.”

“Sounds like a smart girl.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Charlie said. “Look, if something happens, can I bring her with me?”

Rick rubbed at his stubbly chin. “The cabin’s not much of a love nest. But sure, Charlie. You do what you gotta to keep that woman safe. You know how to find me. And I’m not averse to sleeping rough, if you two need a little privacy.”

“Shut up,” Charlie said when his uncle winked and leered, but clapped the older man on the back. Rick might be paranoid, but you could count on him in a pinch. “You know, I thought about not bothering with the truck and coming over here as a mountain lion.”

“Shit, I’da shot you for sure.” Rick contemplated that. “I ain’t never going to be able to hunt one again for fear it’s you. That’s a damn shame.” 

“So sorry to spoil your fun.”

“Eh, plenty of other things to hunt. To be honest, I’m looking forward to this. I always feel less lonely if I’m alone in the woods.”

“John Muir has a quote about that. ‘To sit in solitude, to think in solitude with only the music of the stream and the cedar to break the flow of silence, there lies the value of wilderness.’” 

“Well, that’s nice. I like that. Is that the sort of thing they taught you at your fancy college?”

“Among other things.”

“Well.” Rick looked at him for a long moment. “You’ve already had enough tragedy in your life, Charlie. Don’t do something that puts you in tragedy’s way.”

 Charlie nodded. The sun was starting to rise, and he was suddenly unbearably tired. Rick adjusted one final strap and gave Desi’s haunch a satisfied slap. “I should be off. I’m burning daylight here chewing the fat with you. I’ll keep my eye out for a mountain lion coming down the lane.”

“Take care of yourself,” Charlie said as Rick swung up into Cletis’ saddle.

“Always do,” Rick called as he set the horses to ambling through the field, headed east with the sun welcoming him into the mountains.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Briar

Briar woke from a lovely dream of Charlie to find Norine banging on her door. “Someone is here to see you.”

Briar glanced at her clock. It was nearly nine, later than she usually slept. But then, Charlie had worn her out last night, she thought with a grin. “Who is it?”

“Come down and find out for yourself,” Norine sneered before she flounced away. So the argument from yesterday hadn’t been forgotten. With a sigh, Briar pulled on a simple cotton dress and pinned up her tangled curls. 

The scent of coffee reached her a moment before she heard Patrice’s laughter, high and forced.

Briar froze when she saw who was in the living room. Lt. Cavanaugh, who Norine had been speaking to in the square. And Sgt. Pangburn, the soldier who had bought cigarettes from her at McPherson’s. 

She might have run, but Patrice came up behind her at that moment, bearing a tray with fresh coffee and mugs.

“What are you doing?” she hissed at Briar. “Get in there,” she said, emphasizing the order by pushing her with the tray.

“Ah, Miss Steele, delightful to see you again,” said Lt. Cavanaugh, rising as she entered. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to speak to you yesterday.”

He seemed willing to gloss over the fact that Briar had run away from him as soon as he asked about her power. But then, he was here, in her living room. 

Briar wanted to run again. But where could she go? The only road out of town was blocked, and the army was everywhere. She felt distinctly like an animal who had been caught in a trap. 

But she wasn’t completely helpless. This was her chance to confront the lieutenant about the lies in his speech.

As soon as Briar was seated, he got right to the point. “Your cousin tells us you have a special ability. You can hear when someone is lying.” 

She looked Lt. Cavanaugh straight in the eye. “That’s right. I heard you lying during that speech.”

Lt. Cavanaugh met her gaze levelly while Aunt Patrice sputtered. “That’s very rude, Briar, to accuse someone of something like that.”

“I don’t care. When he said that the army were fixing the rockslide, that was a lie.”

“I must apologize for her,” Patrice began, but Lt. Cavanaugh waved her away.

“It’s all right. Miss Steele, I told the people in town that we were working on clearing the rockslide. We wanted to avoid causing a panic. The truth is, we aren’t sure that we’ll be able to repair the road.”

Patrice and Norine gasped in shock. “But, whatever will we do?” Norine asked, laying a hand on Lt. Cavanaugh’s leg.

The man coughed and adjusted his leg away from Norine. “We’ve called in the Army Corps of Engineers, and hopefully they will be able to advise us. According to the colonel, the area is too unstable for workers right now.”

“So we’re stuck?” asked Patrice.

“Not exactly. The army will continue bringing supplies into town. But for the moment, we want to keep this town under wraps. We haven’t determined how we are going to introduce our superheroes to the world,” he said, with an ingratiating smile for Briar. 

Hoping to recover some of her surety, Briar continued. “You were also lying about the Soviets. You don’t really think they are a threat.”

Sgt. Pangburn snorted, but Lt. Cavanaugh kept his eyes on Briar. “I’m impressed with your discernment. You are correct. Personally, I don’t think we have enough evidence to presume that the Soviets released the fog intentionally. Let alone proof that they knew what it would do.”

“L.T. here comes from a more … liberal place than you or I,” Sgt. Pangburn butted in, nodding toward Patrice and Norine. “But I know what the Reds are capable of.” 

“Thinking before I act doesn’t make me less of a soldier,” Lt. Cavanaugh shot back, then took a calming breath. “Sorry ladies. Sgt. Pangburn and I disagree on this issue.”

“The colonel agrees with me,” Sgt. Pangburn said, pointing a thumb at his chest. 

Lt. Cavanaugh sighed. “He does. Which is why I said those things in the speech. It’s my job to be convincing, Miss Steele,” he said, a hint of apology in his voice. “If I had known someone with your abilities was in the audience, I might have chosen my words more carefully.” 

“Now, there’s a question. Why didn’t we know about you?” Sgt. Pangburn asked. “Weren’t you sick after the fog, like all the rest?”

“She was on the cliff above Lake Perseverance,” Norine put in before Briar could attempt a lie. “She spent three days in her car, being sick, and then she came home and started being a total pain … I mean, she started using her powers.” 

When Norine saw the way Briar was looking at her, she shrugged. “What?”

“I’ve been trying to tell you that for weeks. You believe me now?”

Norine stuck her nose in the air. “I only had your word to go by, and frankly, your word isn’t very good. But when Sgt. Pangburn explained that everyone manifests their power in different ways, I realized you weren’t pulling my leg.”

“I was never—”

“Girls, this isn’t very attractive behavior,” Patrice said warningly.

“It’s all right, ma’am,” said Lt. Cavanaugh with a patient smile. “In fact, Miss Steele, you weren’t the only person who didn’t receive treatment. Ruth Baker’s father refused to let us treat her. Truthfully, we don’t know how the two of you were able to pull through. And with such widely varying powers. Tell me, can you do anything else?”

She wished she could lie about her inability to lie. Grudgingly, she said, “It causes me pain whenever I say something untrue.”

“Is that so?” Lt. Cavanaugh said, sipping his coffee. “Interesting. Miss Steele, would you be willing to submit to some tests for us? We are very eager to learn more about your experience.”

“No,” Briar said, shaking her head in denial. “No tests. I just want to be left alone.” 

 Lt. Cavanaugh set down his cup. “I think your abilities may be critical in our work. I want to extend a special invitation to you, Miss Steele, to consider our offer about joining the army.”

“In your speech,” Patrice said, before Briar could reply, “you mentioned financial compensation.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Lt. Cavanaugh said, turning to Patrice. “We’re willing to offer you two thousand dollars as a signing bonus.” 

“Two thousand—” Patrice said. “That’s a fortune.”

Lt. Cavanaugh smiled. “We’re willing to spend quite a bit to make sure we take care of our superheroes. I know Miss Steele is already receiving payments from her parents’ life insurance, but this money should make her quite comfortable for years to come.”

Briar couldn’t even imagine two thousand dollars. She struggled every month to come up with the thirty dollars Patrice asked for rent. With that amount of money, she could go anywhere, do anything.

It took a moment for the first part of Lt. Cavanaugh’s statement to kick in. “What do you mean, my parents’ life insurance?”

“It’s nothing,” Patrice broke in. “A pittance.”

She was lying. “I have money?”

“Hardly,” Patrice scoffed. “Not enough to matter.”

Briar felt like she couldn’t get her breath. “You’re lying to me.”

Lt. Cavanaugh cleared his throat. “If you forgive me, Miss Steele, the army has already performed extensive background checks on all of our superheroes. Your father and mother both had substantial insurance policies, and they have accrued rather a lot of interest over the years. I believe some of the monies were doled out monthly to your aunt, to provide for your care, but control of the trust should have passed to you when you turned eighteen.”