Jack Wesley stormed through the corridors, sending staff fleeing with nothing more than a scowl. Behind him was a string of advisors who struggled to keep up.
Reaching the doors to the loading dock, Jack gave a firm glare to the dock manager.
"What do we know?"
"Security has checked the box over, clearing it for you to view. A small delivery company brought it to the gates a short while ago. They were interviewed and told the guards that it was brought in to them half an hour before they arrived at the gates. Their instructions were clear, it had to be delivered today, and it was paid for in cash. They checked it briefly, but as this address is not a protected or listed site, they were unaware of who they delivered the package to.
"And the addressee?"
"The initials, JAW, then underneath it says the manager," he mumbled.
Jack huffed as he pushed through the swing doors. In the vast warehouse, a lone crate sat in the middle. Flood lights lit up the area, shining down on it.
The wooden sides were flat on the ground, the lid cast off to the side. Inside was a metal cube frame with the assassin handcuffed to the sides. His legs were cuffed at the ankles as well.
They were not ordinary cuffs, though. Pink fluff covered the harsh metal. Silver tape covered the assassin's mouth, and around him were what looked like thousands of flyers for prostitutes. Jack grimaced at the view of the items lying around his assassin.
This was a message, and Jack knew that he had to react. Which way he moved though, that was hard to decide. Anger demanded a brutal reprisal but sense made him consider that Hawthorn could have responded in a vastly different way.
"Why is he still cuffed and taped like this? Could you not show a little concern for his well-being and free him?"
"We were told to leave him like this so you could see it for yourself." the dock manager offered.
"Fine. I've seen him. Perhaps you could free him and see what he has to say for himself?"
Guards moved in, starting with the tape.
"Did they provide you with a key?" Jack asked.
He nodded with a lot of hesitation.
"The queen dropped one into my pants and said that she heard you liked to get into men's pants, so it shouldn't be an issue for you to retrieve it."
"So it's the queen that plays this game. Interesting."
With a flick of his hand, Jack ordered the guard with the bolt cutters to cut the chains. When freed, the assassin pulled the key out and removed the cuffs.
"Is there anything that you'd like to add before you're taken in for a debriefing? Any message from the vampires for me?"
The assassin nodded, glancing at the guards and advisors that watched on.
"Something was written on the flyers. They were at the top, but when the sides went down, everything moved with the pile."
Jack flicked his hand dismissively.
"Go and do the debriefing."
The advisors and remaining guards were already searching through the flyers. One held up a flyer, showing Jack the back of it. Evidence of you and her.
Another advisor found the same thing, only it was a different prostitute. Jack could see that these were the original flyers, as the copies had nothing written on them. They'd collected all of the pamphlets for the men and women he'd had sex with while in office.
The underlying message was clear. He portrayed himself as a loving and faithful husband who loudly denounced adultery. Jack knew he was a hypocrite, and the vampires pointed their accusatory fingers at him.
"Here," a guard said.
"Read it out," Jack grumbled.
"If you want to play the game, then we're more than happy to accommodate you. Your foolish need to be the big man might win you the votes, but if you push too hard, then your citizens will be the ones that suffer the most. It is suggested that you think long and hard before considering your next move, and perhaps the king's request isn't so ridiculous after all."
"I found another, and it has a Polaroid of a house stapled to it."
He pulled the image free and passed it to Jack. It was the front door of his house. With a pained expression, Jack gestured for the advisor to read it out.
"Perhaps it would be wise to remember that it is not just the media that would find your nocturnal activities interesting. We will remain silent until you make your next move. Your actions will dictate how we respond."
Threatening to tell his wife was a bold move. Jack knew that to keep the secret, he had to appease the vampire king. For now, he would bide his time. He would give the king what he wanted with the hope that at some point in the future, luck would find him. Once that happened, the vampire king would rue the day he crossed Jack Wesley.