Evacuation (The Boris Chronicles Book 1) Read Online Free Page A

sniff the air and quietly observe the surroundings. Paul was either one of those taken or taken his family to his hide.
     
    Boris continued to look around, noticing that things were worse than they looked. He kept walking, and when the front door came into view, he made a sour face. The door was off its hinges, and the door was broken.  

    Someone had kicked in the door.
     
    He took five minutes to survey the area around the house. The amount of clutter he found didn’t tell him anything. Neither Paul nor Alecta had been the best of housekeepers. Their sons were more interested in hunting and riding on horseback than cleaning.
     
    Fortunately, there was no blood. If Paul or the boys had been home when the police had arrived there would have been some blood, of that Boris was certain. He could only hope all four of them were in the safe site, a lined cellar out in the forest.
     
    He would find out what was going on from one of them, either his old friend and partner or Paul’s sons. He started to hike to the east, following no path. He knew his lands, and they talked to him of danger, pain, and retribution.

    —

    “… and so they just took her. Why did you go this time? Why couldn’t you have been here Boris? They took my wife like they had no fear of retribution. You know they wouldn’t have done that if you were here!” Paul shouted at Boris. At least the headaches were gone now.  

    Paul had been in the Australian special forces before meeting Alecta. He was also too brave or too stupid to really know fear. Boris wasn’t sure which. Paul knew Boris was a Werebear and just shrugged it off.

    Boris replied as soothingly as possible, “It is as well I did Paul. We now have someone who may be able to help us. At least once we know if we are going to leave or stay. Where are they keeping the people they arrested?”  

    “In the old militia base on the edge of town. At least a company of soldiers from the West ins there. Those in charge couldn’t have trusted local troops.” Paul looked up with a weary smile. “Those closest to us have many family members enlisted with the locals, other soldiers are too afraid.”

    “Memories are long here. Our neighbors know about the lost battalions, ghosts of people taken in the night, secret treaties, and other dark secrets. Far-born troops would not.” Boris sighed and looked around. “I will gather the pack. You gather at least one from each family that has had a member taken. We will free our comrades and deal with these interlopers. Tell everyone to prepare for a Meeting of Decision. It is time to decide if Russia is truly home for us now.”

    —

    Boris had gathered all of the pack that was local. Siberia was full of wide open spaces, so they numbered about fifty, a far greater number than may have been possible elsewhere.  

    He looked out over the group, their anger radiating from their eyes, their hurt from their hearts. “I come to you not as your Alpha, demanding your obedience, but as your leader. I’m asking for volunteers. I will free those the government has taken hostage this night. The path has risks, but I will not have those under my protection falsely accused, nor leave them to be abused.”

    “Alpha, they have tanks,” Oleg cried out.

    Boris snarled, “And we have thermite! I will go in first and remove the threat of the tanks if you are willing to take on the soldiers - with support from the families of those who were taken.” He looked at them one more time, his eyes flashing yellow, “Talk amongst the pack.”

    He stepped off the small box and walked away.

    When he returned a half hour later, his second, Danislav, stepped forward. “Boris, we are with you. The scum, these communistic fools,” he spat, “should be removed from our lands.”

    —

    As Boris reviewed the final preparations to move and attack the reinforced company of soldiers, a runner from town reached them. He went directly to Paul and tried to steel himself