PRESENT DAY

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Margita 'Gita' Anders ran through the back alleys of the po-dunk town of Sleepy Burrow she had been sent to scope out, her breath coming out in sharp puffs. She could hear the werewolves gaining behind and she cursed heavily, wishing she had time to shift and meet them head on but time was of the essence and dying wasn't going to impress her superiors. There was a snarling roar behind her and she pumped her arms and legs faster. "Fuck off you big bastards!" She shouted it out behind her as she dashed out onto what looked to be the main drag and aimed right for the flickering neon sign that named the building at the end of the street as a bar.

All she needed to do was get to where others were. She doubted the werewolves chasing her would want an audience, after all she had caught them mid 'initiation'. Aka they had taken down a human and had been eating the poor creature.

Alive.

Gita shuddered as the faint and pained groans once again filled her ears in remembrance. The poor thing had long lost the energy to scream but she shoved it all away as she heard claws scrambling against black top behind her. They didn't seem to be slowing down and she cursed her rotten luck.

All she needed was a place with more werewolves and a phone. That was all she required. The bar was getting closer and Gita hoped to whatever goddess that looked through the moon, that the two dumbasses behind her wouldn't try to jump her in the bar. There were heavy snapping and snarling behind her that seemed to be fading but she knew better than to look over her shoulder. Only dumbasses looked over their shoulders. Sure she was nearing only seventy-five but she wasn't some wet behind the ears pup.

With one more surge of energy that helped her through the burning in her lungs she made it to the bar, shoving the door inwards so hard it banged against the wall. All eyes turned to her, gleaming in the dark interior and she inhaled deeply, shoving her fly away hairs back from her face as she nearly stumbled inside. She hoped she was right in the thought that no one was going to come in after her.

Her lungs burned and she coughed as she made her way to the bar, trying to hear over the pounding of her heart in her head. She sat down on a stool and practically panted out the exertion she had just done. It wasn't every day she had to run away from a fight. She gritted her teeth. She hated running from a fight. She preferred to meet it face to face, teeth bared and claws aching.

"You were running like you had some trouble." A heavy body sat next to her at the bar and Gita forced a smile onto her face as she turned to look at the male. She could smell his interest and inwardly rolled her eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was deal with a horny male while on assignment. The only good thing was she could feel her body relaxing, easing back as her heart rate lowered and her lungs no longer burned.

"Nah, just didn't want to miss happy hour." She flicked her eyes from his hair to his feet and back again. He was wide but not much to look at. Then again in the middle of goddamned nowhere in werewolf hunting ground, there was nothing but potential inbreeding and rough salt of the earth type men. Not that she didn't like the occasional rough neck type, it was the whole 'my parents are probably cousins' thing that got her.

"I've never seen you around. When did you get into town?" At the question she became aware that more than her interested werewolf was listening in. Gita nearly groaned.

Great, she was now small town gossip fodder.

She kept that fake smile plastered on her face as she met his dark gaze. "I got in yesterday, doing an article on the way of life out here. We all know that this edge of the werewolf hunting grounds have bred some... sturdy stock." She fluttered her eyelashes and reached over to squeeze his bicep. She felt him flex underneath her hand, as if trying to impress her with his rather standard guns he had underneath his plaid button up. "I just wanted to show my readers how to broaden their horizons. It's wonderful out here, so much nicer than the city." She pulled her hand away and shifted her gaze to the bartender. He seemed busy down at the other end of the bar and she forced back a grimace. She would have killed for a shot of tequila.

"You've got that right. Never liked the big city. Not enough space to roam. Although I can't fault the city for how well they breed their females." He looked her up and down, clearly undressing her with his eyes and Gita wanted to gag. She had a partially eaten human she needed to report to the Werewolf Committee, the last thing she wanted to think about was sex. The memory of the poor creature's tormented sounds echoed in her ears. "You're a fine female, let me buy you a drink." He gestured to the bartender and Gita gave him one more impressive fake smile.

"Sure but excuse me for a moment." She pushed away from the bar and spotted a payphone sign next to the bathroom sign. She was surprised at that, payphones were nearly fucking extinct. Then again she was in the ass crack of the werewolf hunting grounds. She bet the only internet they had was dial up.

However she sucked it up and headed towards it. It was tucked between the two bathrooms and she picked up the receiver, digging some change out of her pockets. She was just lucky she had that, she usually left everything in her hotel room. Which was exactly where her cell phone was. Hence the need for a phone. She fucking hated that part of the job, leaving communication as non-existent was fucking stupid, even if it made her less trackable.

She dialed her contact's number and tapped her foot rapidly as the ringing sounded in her ear. "Pick up, pick up, pick up." It went to voicemail and she resisted the urge to slam the receiver against the damn payphone. Repeatedly.

The machine finally beeped and Gita gritted her teeth. "I need a pick up and I need it now. Location is turned on but my cell phone is back at the hotel. It's bad. I don't know who is involved but its just like the WC thought. Kidnapping and eating ritualistically. This needs to get sorted before it gets out of hand. Come and get me right now!" She hissed the words into the receiver and became aware that she was not alone in the hallway.

"Did they really send you out here?" At the cold chuckle that followed Gita turned and spotted her bar top buddy as he practically sauntered into the space, filling it up. "Should have sent a bit more than a tiny female. WC needs to mind their business." He loomed over her before reaching around her and pressed his finger to the payphone, hanging it up.

Gita narrowed her eyes. "If you think I am leaving this bar without a fight, you are sorely mistaken." The fuck was she gunna give in and let herself get carted off.

He grinned, his teeth glinting in the low lighting. "I'm counting on it, city girl. It would be a shame to rough you up but a male has to do what he has to do." He shook his head slightly as he looked her up and down, tsking slightly.

"Well then." She shrugged out of her canvas jacket, setting it over top of the pay phone box. "I felt your guns, how about you experience mine?" She whirled around, slamming her fist into the side of his jaw, his head snapped to the side and he stumbled backwards. A heavy growl radiated from her chest as she turned and shot out her foot. Her combat boot caught him in the chest, sending him flying from the hallway. His back hit the floor with a heavy thud and she stalked out after him.

All eyes were on her as she reappeared and she looked at the other bar patrons, she noted that half of them had cleared out. Just her luck she would be sent into the one redneck werewolf town where half of the fuckers were engaged in highly problematic and illegal activities.

"Let me guess, all you fucks are with him?" She pointed to the male on the floor as he turned over with a groan, attempting to get to his feet. The only reply was a heavy rumbling building in the air. She reached over and grabbed a wooden bar stool before she swung it against the corner of the hallway opening. The stool broke and she tore two of the legs off before twirling them in her hands. She felt a lot better with some sort of weapon in her hands. "Fucking bring it, rednecks." There was a surge towards her and Gita internally cursed as she watched the large male slowly get up from the floor.

She hoped to the fucking goddess that her message was received because she knew for a fact that she was going to be taken. She bared her teeth as she slammed one of the wooden stool legs against the arm of the first werewolf that reached for her before she slammed the second against his temple, sending him crashing down. More came after her and Gita grimaced, she was going to get taken but she was going to make them fucking fight for it.

~~~~~

Deep in the WC offices, a phone sitting on a lonely desk flashed red with an unread message and it wasn't long before it's owner returned from the break room. He settled down into his old chair, the metal groaning underneath his bulk. He shuffled some papers, seemingly unaware of the waiting message. There were a few quiet moments before the little flashing light finally called his attention. A few button presses later and Agent Anders' voice broke the quiet and still air of the empty office.

"I need a pick up and I need it now. Location is turned on but my cell phone back is at my hotel. It's bad. I don't know who is involved but its just like the WC thought. Kidnapping and eating ritualistically. This needs to get sorted before it gets out of hand. Come and get me right now!"

"Did they really send you out here?" A faint but clearly cold chuckle followed the words. "Should have sent a bit more than a tiny female. WC needs to mind their business." The phone call went dead but the male sitting at the desk was already out of his chair, bolting for the closest wall. His hand slammed against the alarm there and the entire space went red as a heavy alarm sounded. His heart was in his throat as he thought about his agent out in the field.

She trusted him to get her out of there unharmed and he knew there was only one group that could to that for him, to get his agent home safe.

The STAR Order.