The Wolf Pack vs. The Fashionista in “The Great Wolf Film Festival Caper” or “Roll That Beautiful Bean Footage!”

 

Chapter 1 – It Begins

 

Mild manner Tobey Devonshire works as Assistant Manager at The Raid an exclusive resort in the rustic Minnesota country side... he also drives a SUV/truck type vehicle... black with blue wave sign trim

 

Mike Slagenweit, The Great Wolf’s Proprietor and General Manager, driving a Chevy Cavalier in summer/Suzuki in winter.

 

While almost passing for brothers, they were in some ways polar opposites... Mike was the shy type that was quite popular amongst the Lady guests of the resort... Tobey on the other hand knew no meaning to the definition of Shy...his boisterous laughter would ring out and while both were handsome, Tobey would flirt with anything and was not inhibited in the least about bedding any of the men who showed the slightest invitation

 

Both had intelligence that shown in their eyes and the wicked sense of humor kept them both in constant mischief... Both exuded what many saw as a kind heart and many thought they had the personal attention of someone that wasn't shy about spreading the good news too

 

Mike, the brains, while Tobey was the man who made it happen.

 

Mike the rock who dealt gracefully with Tobey's harebrained schemes

 

However, they pair also had their secrets.  While appearing to have a normal lives, these two also were the also the masterminds behind a group of crime fighters, known only as "the Wolf Pack".

 

Little did their guests and all but 5 of their closest friends suspect that under the sprawling acres of the resort, was "The Den" home of the superheroes operations.  A labyrinth of armories, labs, and myriad other necessities, The Den was the hub of activities overseen by the Pack's Chief Operative, Calley who loved her job at coordinating assignments for her friends...On the books officially as the Resorts Facilities Manager, she managed more than most people knew...

 

The Pack was not without enemies, unfortunately.  Those working with the criminal enterprises, malicious saboteurs, and those seeking to upset the brotherhood of man, stood against the Wolf Pack.

 

Chief among them called himself the Fashionista

The Fashionista was a master of deceit as well as crime, and always left a "calling card" when he struck - a French cigar holder with his henchman Beatrice Vendenpawl at his side, they take great pains to torment the pack

 

The day began as many did for our heroes, bogged down in guest complaints about room service taking too long (nothing new), but as night fell, the hairs began to rise on the back of Mike's neck.  It felt as if something were to happen though he didn't know what

 

Resort Shop mechanic Darren,   an Aussie the Pack rescued from innocent death, is the master mind behind the Pack's array of vehicles and armaments, greeted Mike as he came through the resorts garage

 

"Wazzup?" Mike said.

 

"'Ello.  What brings you down here, my friend?" a grease mark riding just beneath his sun bleached blond hair line

 

"Got a feeling something's coming." Mike replied, "Not sure if it's just real or my imagination-- you know how that gets sometime--can't help but wonder..."

 

Scratching his chin, Darren added another swipe of oil to his goatee.  "Mike, every time you get these feelings, something goes down.  Follow your gut it hasn't lead you wrong too many times"

 

"You're right as always, good buddy."  Mike went to the cabinet where the Sabrewolf suit was prepared for action.  Donning it, he called for Fuzzy, his faithful companion

 

With a sigh "Mike, how many times have I told you not to call me fuzzy?" Tobey lamented into the phone

 

"Sorry-- slipped out.  Anyway, what do you say to taking a trip around town?  I gotta feeling that something's going to happen tonight."

 

"What's up? Usually you want me to help handle the high rollers and you know how much a handful Tepnapa is... I mean the entourage, the assistance, the whole blasted film director thing... Why are we hosting his premiere party?  I mean sure Becky begs--" Mike cut Tobey off

 

"It's not that - It's like something big is about to go down.  You remember we took down Urck, the troll last week, it went down too easy and he had a lot of links to the Fashionista.

 

"Yeah, but didn't have any leads except for the ever left boom boom sticks...talking about smoking killing ya!

 

Amen.  Maybe that's the lead, find his stogie source... Probably somewhere outside the country.  I'll have to get Calley to check on it

 

“Do you want me to suit up or do you just want to take the Mutt with you... oh and send Darren down... Lord knows he is sweet on her.”  Mike was still amazed that Tobey could tell who was around when they talked on the phone

 

"You must be psychic-- along with everything else-- and we'll take muttley with anyway.  Lord, knows, we need a good lookout.  Suit up, saddle up, lock and load"

 

"K... I'll get Becs to greet our friend and tell Zach to treat them like royalty and then I will pop over...say 10 mins...and get Fuzzy a breath mint he always hangs his head out my window, dog breath and all"

 

"Righty-o, see you in a short."

 

I hung up the phone and rolled over... Zach, you are gonna have to take care of Mr. Tepnapa and his party for a few hours while Mike and I go out.  Treat them like royalty ok, it will be a pain in the neck, but I will see what I can do to make it up to you tonight."  with that I ran my hand through his short blonde hair and kissed the muscle bound godling and slipped into some jeans and skin tight shirt.

 

Walking across the compound I came to the Elm suite cottage and my knock was answered by the beautiful visage that was Oscar nominated Rebecca Wood friends for the last few years, Ms. Wood knew my secret.  She didn't know anything besides my persona, but she was kind enough to take JT off my hands and with that and a kiss on the cheek, I teleported into The Den right beside Mike thankfully Teleporting seemed to work like a sonic shower and I slide smoothly into my uniform

 

Mike and Tobey met through mutual friends, and though Mike had yet to succeed in romance, he was grateful for friends to back him up and encourage him to keep going.  He had the hots for half a dozen young starlets, but was waiting for the man upstairs to lead him to Ms. Right.

 

Seeing the look in Mike's eyes, Tobey felt a twinge of embarrassment.... "Yeah Yeah I know I know"... While they both believed in the big JC, one played a little further away from the true master then he should... he was just glad to have Mike around as the better example.

 

Climbing in the truck, mike heard Tobey mutter something about Zack saying high

 

"He's a good guy." Mike replied, "seemed honest and hard-working, from what I know."

 

 

Mike started the engine, tearing out of the garage.  He'd always liked fast driving, and since the development of "stealth mode" they could get away with it & not attract the attention of the cops.

 

Calley had handed me the laptop.  "Here are all the files you need including last known locations and all the other fun stuff" she almost had to yell as the truck barreled out of the bay.  I lowered the window and the cuddly ball of fur sauntered over and stuck his/her head out the window to enjoy the window howling by...as always the pads of his feet seemed to find that one touchy spot...

 

Careening around the mountain pass down 4th street, Sabrewolf took a hard left onto Gold Mine Drive

 

The shady part of town, known infamously, for its bars, houses of ill-repute, drugs, and the stalwart clutch of people trying to restore their neighborhood for decent people.  It was a right area for the Wolf Pack to do their job.

 

The beast pulled up in front of the crack house on the 800 block of gold mine drive.  With a sad look, Nightwolf crouched down to examine the woman lying shivering in the grass by the side walk.  He could feel her cravings from the truck.  Reaching out a hand, he calmed the craving and typed a call into his wrist communicator for a bus.  The medics would help her.  Angered, Nightwolf waited

 

As a matter of fact, it'd been here where the Wolf Pack had first been formed: amid the muck and misery, the pair found the light and sought a justice which they felt should be shared.

 

Sabre to pound open the door.  As the gate keeper cautiously opened, I jumped in behind him and hammered his skull into the door.

 

"EVERYONE BETTER DAMN WELL FREEZE!!!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

 

Sabrewolf saw among the crowd gathered in the environs, the personage of Sarah deMarza.  Though he'd once dated her as Mike Slagenweit, he'd made the terrible discovery of her being involved with another man, but she was deep within the inner circle of the Fashionista.  The revelation had nearly destroyed him, and shaken his confidence thereafter.

 

Feeling a wave of pain roll off his partner, Nightwolf grabbed Sabrewolf  gently on the shoulder and as menacing as he could be he tromped over to the dining room area to where Jim Barnard was holding court.

 

Grabbing the swankily dressed drug lord by the front of his Armani shirt, i hauled him to his tippy toes and growled in his face.  "I told you to find a different line of work. I told you to stop dealing to Amanda and the kids.  You haven't listened."  With that I punched him driving my fist into his stomach and picking him up, pitched him into the far wall.  It was gonna be hell getting the vomit out of that suit

 

Sabrewolf said to the crumpled form on the floor, voice a deep grate, "Considering the company he keeps, no big surprises.  So, jackass, who're you working for now?  You prepping for another caper with your boss?"

 

"Wouldn't you like to know." the drug lord replied.  Sabrewolf unsheathed the bo staff from his back and pressed the end against his throat.

 

"Better not piss me off.  I ain't in a good mood and neither is my partner here."

 

"Don't Kill him Sabre... Maim yes, but killing there won't be any talky talky... Of course maybe I can persuade this chick over here to talk" pointing to Sarah

 

"Go for it."

 

I had nothing to fear from the others in the room... the wolf kept them at bay.  Holding out my hand like a gentleman asking for a dance, I waited for Sarah to come to me.  With a look of exhausted patience, she took the pro offered and joined me in the kitchen.  "Excuse me just a minute my dear."

 

While she stood against the counter, I Vulcan neck pinched two of the men sitting at the table and picked up two of the beer and soaked the coke they had been cutting

 

"Now." turning to the lovely woman beside me," what is the next plan for the Fashionista

 

In the meantime, Sabrewolf whistled and Fuzzy the wolf, bounded into the room, heading right for the drug lord on the floor.  He said, "Watch him, Fuzzy.  He's got to have some clue to his boss' plans around here."

 

Fuzzy bared his teeth at him and he gave up the attempt to make a lunge at Sabrewolf.

 

Hearing a growl in the other room, I knew Fuzzy was working and grinned.  "He still hasn't come up with another name for that stupid dog" Sarah groaned.  "That's wolf Sarah, you know, Lupis. You are here so something is happening.  What's the skinny?  I really don't want to have to get physical."

 

"I'm not gonna tell you so quit asking."  Turning to the doorway " Sabrewolf didn't you come across some files of this wench on the internet shall we say a little clothing optional?

 

"You wouldn't" 

 

Oh wouldn't I

 

Truth be told, it was Mike who took the pictures, but in a fit he had sold them online

 

Only in fit of vengeance, to which he'd regretted (slightly).  Out in the bar, Sabrewolf found a rather unique hidey hole behind a ornate carving on the bar-back.  Sabrewolf said, a lift in his voice, "What do we have here?"

 

I knew that my partner had some shades in his past but it was fun to remember he was human too sometimes especially since Sarah was explaining that her boss was arriving into town for something big that she was to be filling in on later.  "Hey Nightwolf, I think I found something Sabrewolf said from a few rooms over.  Taking Sarah by the arm, I walked her to my partner

 

"Look at this" Sabrewolf said, rolling several blueprints out on the bar top, "Wonder what these could be for?"

 

"No good, that's for sure," Nightwolf replied.

 

"What are they for Miss?" I started shuffling through recognizing one towards the back.  It was the conference hall back at the resort!  "SABRE!!!!" I moved the blueprint to the top of the stack

 

"Shit!" Sabrewolf said.  "Think about it!  We've got a-list directors, producers, and Oscar nominated actors. If the Fashionista takes them out... what'll you think that means for the entertainment industry?"

 

"It'd be a disaster unparalleled."

 

"Oh I don't like this one bit."

 

Sabre, take the mutt and get to Great Wolf.  Ms. Sarah and I are gonna take a  little hop over to the jailhouse and I will meet you there... call in the rest of the pack to help coordinate security with the managers.

 

"I'm on it."  Sabrewolf took his staff and raked the drug lord across the head, sending him unconscious, and dashed back out to the truck.  Once in he loaded up the video-link back to Great Wolf.

 

Calley's image flashed up, "Go ahead, Sabre."

 

“Now that my partner is gone Ms. Sarah, I get to indulge my darker side.”

 

With that I swung and punched her lights out.  Putting here over my shoulder with a pop I was at the county lockup and tossing her over to a deputy for processing...and then I turned to hop home

 

"Calley, we've got a big problem.  The Fashionista knows about the conference.  Get the boys to implement security plan-A.  Nightwolf will beat me, but make sure that they're safe above all.

 

Just as I turned, my comm activated in my ear.  It was Calley.  "Sabre wants to implement Security Plan A.  His ETA is about 15 mins." 

 

What about the rest of the Pack? I asked. 

 

"Working ETA now" as the clicking of the keyboard came over the link. 

 

"Den, where is the resorts Public Affairs Director and Ms. Woods?"

 

Calley looked at the overview of the map and pin pointed them at the main lodge surrounded by about 25 people.  "Nightwolf, she is greeting the package." 

 

“Got it.”  Picturing the main hall at Great Wolf, I jumped to the little nook behind a few trees that I kept for just this emergency.  Pop, I was in a hailstorm of uppity Hollywood types.  Stepping from behind the arbor, I motioned to Becky.

 

Her eyes widened slightly at seeing me in uniform, but she dismissed herself and hurried over.

 

As Sabrewolf pressed his boot to the floor, willing the vehicle to go faster than intended, he'd found himself wondering, why Fashionista would ally himself with a piece of scum like Barnard and deMarza.  Certainly no good, but a drug dealer was likely to have more Police scrutiny than the average scuzzbag.

 

Then it hit him, blow them up at a place run by Slagenweit and Devonshire, which would put them in total disrepute with everybody, and make it all the easier to take over the company

 

At that moment, he remembered the speed booster Darren installed.  Flipping a switch, it kicked into life

 

Felt like warp speed

 

Rebecca listened to what I had learned and we agreed on a strategy and turned around like the gracious lady of the manor she was tonight. 

 

"JT; other less honored guests.  The Great Wolf Resort knows there is nothing more relaxing after flight, then a night visit to the Hot Springs Spa. Complimentary of the Resort, there are full treatments available to those wishing, and for those that like a bit more liquid relaxation, the Full Moon Bar with an open air feel is located on site.  Leave your bags, the boys will get them"

 

And she lead them to our most rock hard building on the grounds with most of the spa underground... As I followed out discreetly, I looked at the mass chaos of bags left by the film people... oh were the bell hops gonna get a bonus for sorting out this jigsaw puzzle

 

Sabrewolf tore up the drive, keeping the door open long enough for Fuzzy to jump out, then slammed it closed, dashing into the Resort.

 

I met Sabre on the front steps and got him to take a few breathes as I pointed over to the parade crossing the quad

 

"Well, we've got them safe so far.  Better, make sure the boys know to watch for suspicious characters.  It's probable that our archenemy is among them or one of his henchmen.  I've got Fuzzy doing a smell check around.  He's trained to howl if there's anything suspicious."

 

Sure enough, as my bad premonitions frequently did, I heard Fuzzy give a howl over the babble of people.  I turned to Nightwolf, "Guess I was right, we better go look."

 

I heard a gasp from behind us.  Turning around there was Zack heading out to the Spa.  He babbled for a second at me and just gapped at Sabre... too tickled, we both laughed as Sabre got in the beast to take it back to the Den... I turned to Zack and whispered in his ear "I think you're hot too" and vanished as I hopped back to the Den.

 

To Be Continued