The Alpha - Joel Abernathy Page 0,14
heard is known as a siren’s call. It’s what they use to lure children to their deaths.”
Colt grimaced. “Then why didn’t Ken hear it?”
“My guess is the boy’s mildly psychic himself, or at least gifted at shielding. Some folks are. They can’t be hypnotized, and they tend to be able to see through telepathic illusions. I imagine a siren’s call wouldn’t work on one, either. It would probably just sound like meaningless notes.”
“Why kids?” Colt finally asked the question that had been haunting him the whole time. He was used to ghouls being twisted, but even the worst ones he’d met seemed to have some lines they wouldn’t cross.
“Because when in close range, changelings can’t always rely on their abilities. Children are easy prey. That, and as far as anyone’s ever been able to tell, they just prefer them.”
“That’s fucking sick.”
“No question.”
“How do you kill one?”
“The same way you kill any other ghoul, I’d imagine. Chop off its head.”
“You imagine?”
“There are rumors when children go missing in a certain area and they never find the bodies, but no one’s actually been able to catch a changeling in a hundred years, let alone kill one. They might look like children, but most of them are as old as dirt, and they’re not dumb enough to get themselves caught--assuming they survive birth.”
“Why wouldn’t they?”
“Because unlike other variants, changelings are born with a mark. It makes them easily identifiable as newborns.”
Colt’s eyes widened. “You’re telling me what, the doctor kills them?”
“No,” Roland said, leaning forward to fold his hands in front of him. “They kill the entire family. The mother, the father, any other children in their direct line. We don’t know for certain that having a changeling in your family line increases the likelihood of more being born, but the Council isn’t willing to take that chance. You’ve seen why firsthand.”
Colt swallowed his disgust. “You expect me to believe the Council actually gives a shit about what happens to human kids?”
“I don’t really care what you believe, but most of us do, yes. Just because we’re not all ‘vegan’ doesn’t mean we’re fine with children being eaten. There’s a distinction between a cheeseburger and veal, isn’t there?”
If Colt never heard another meat metaphor again in his life, it would be too soon. “There has to be something we can do to find Richie and the others. If you need more men, I can give you a hundred trained soldiers right now.”
“It’s not a matter of manpower,” Roland said, folding the picture and sliding it back across the desk to Colt. “I’m already doing everything I can to find the changeling, both through the legitimate channels and the not-so-legitimate channels, but it won’t matter for the victims. Anyone who’s been gone longer than a day isn’t coming back. Even Richie’s probably already dead.”
“You don’t know that,” Colt growled.
“You think I’m being callous. I’m not.” Roland held his gaze, and if there was one thing Colt couldn’t accuse the sheriff of, it was dishonesty. “I’m simply stating the facts. We hardly know anything about changelings. All we do know is that their metabolisms are incredibly slow. One could probably go a full year without eating if it needed to, but they don’t feed only when they need to. They feed because it’s fun for them. Usually, they’ll lure the victim off to a safer place before eating them, but they’re good at hiding and better at running. The best-case scenario in all this is that we cover the streets in patrols so thick that little freak’ll be scared to take a shit and flee Rhode Island for easier hunting grounds.”
“So that’s it? We just scare it off so it can go out there and kill more kids somewhere else?”
“If this is a changeling, there’s a damn good chance that’s what it’s been doing for decades, maybe even centuries. You’re not a savior, Colt, and you’re sure as hell not a hero, but if you ever want to be either of those things, I suggest you set your sights on your own territory. You’ll get a lot more done that way.”
“Oh, I’ll get it done. You don’t need to worry about that.”
“There’s one more thing,” said Roland. “It would be better for everyone, especially you, if the Council doesn’t get wind of the fact that there’s a changeling around.”
Colt frowned. “Are you telling me not to tell Evelyn?”
“You’re the Alpha. I’m not telling you anything. I’m just suggesting you be very judicious in who you