Arrow Inferno
Chapter 100: Stanley ‘STAN’ Norris vs. Ian ‘WILL’ Williams ~ Clashing with the rogue!

***

Stan's eyes narrowed when he sniffed the air. They had avoided the main entrance of the museum as it was being used by visitors. The museum had two other entrances. He'd taken the one in the back whilst Will checked out the one to the side. That peculiar scent that clung to the air around the back entrance he was checking out could only be that of a particular being.

'I smell a rat,' Stan told Will on their mind-link as his eyes shifted around.

'Something fishy kind of rat or a real rat?' Will started for the entrance Stan was checking out.

'More like a werewolf rat.' Stan sounded surprised. 'Someone is coming. Stay out of sight!' he instructed even as he moved closer to the door. "What the fuck is a rogue doing here?" he gasped when the door opened to reveal a strapping young man who had careless violence written all over him.

'A what!' Will had heard his mate's words because he was within earshot.

'Stay where you are, Will,' Stan instructed. 'I don't want him to smell you.' He turned to watch as the man lit a cigarette. 'A rogue with a bad habit. Too bad it can't kill him.'

'Focus Stan,' Will groaned. He could see the rogue's legs from where he crouched. 'Do you know him?'

'How the fuck would I know him?'

'Should I send a signal?'

'What signal?'

'I'm supposed to alert the others immediately I see anything.'

'And what have you seen, exactly?' Stan snorted. 'Have you seen your nerd or your file yet?' he sounded amused. 'And if this rogue is connected to your case in any way, the last thing you should be doing is directing your team here. I'm sorry but no matter how badass you think your colleagues are, they're no match for werewolves. Definitely not a rogue. We don't even know how many of those brutes we're up against.'

'Shit, you're right,' Will groaned.

'Of course, I'm right. I'm going in. Stay hidden.'

'Don't get caught,' Will cautioned.

'Invisible, remember?' With that, Stan disappeared through the backdoor of the Museum that had been left ajar by the oblivious rogue.

**

Stan followed the scent of the rogue. The passageway was dark but he didn't need light. Perks of being a werewolf. The scent took him to another part of the museum and a stairway that led to a basement. He pushed open a door and stepped into a room that made him feel as though he'd walked into a mathematical research institute.

There were four men in the room. Two were heavily armed, one was studying what looked like an encrypted file, and the fourth was writing out what looked like an absurd quadratic formula on a large flipchart. Stan didn't need to be a genius to tell who the nerd was.

"There you are," he muttered as he stared at what was being scribbled on the flipchart. "You lot sure did know how to make some of us appear stupid back in school," he smirked. Then to Will on their mind-link, he announced, 'Found the nerd.'

'Describe him,' Will demanded.

'Dark curly hair, glasses. Yet to see the colour of his eyes but definitely needs some meat on those bones.'

'That's him. I'm coming in.'

'Don't,' Stan growled as he watched the rogue enter the room. He told the two armed men that he was going to take a nap. That was music to Stan's ear. He could work easier with the rogue out of the way. 'Send the signal.' 'I thought you said...'

'By the time they get here, it will be over. Call them, Will.' His eyes followed the rogue as he entered another room and shut the door.

'Alright. Seen the file?'

'Yep. Can I destroy it?'

'It would be better if we hand that and any computers in sight over to the intelligence team to do whatever they want with them,' Will said as he sent a quick message to the Arrowheads. 'Cool. I'll grab the file, the only laptop here, and then the nerd.'

'Hold it,' Will groaned. 'How do you intend to do that without getting noticed?'

'I have a plan. Fortunately, it looks like the rogue we saw is the only one. There are three men here besides the nerd. Two are armed to the teeth. I'll handle all three and bring out the booty.'

'What do you mean booty?' Will scoffed. 'These are not spoils of war, Stanley,' Will couldn't help his chuckle.

'Aren't they though?' Stan drawled with obvious amusement.

'Whatever. I'm waiting.'

'Erh... Will?'

'Yes?'

'I'm sorry but I have to use that final lifeline to get the booty out of here.' The regret in Stan's voice was palpable.

'What a waste!' Will groaned. 'Do it.'

'Good. See you soon.' With that, Stan went to work.

*

Stan worked fast. He was glad they didn't have to deal with the rogue. He started with the armed men. A quick pressure to a point to the neck of one and he was leaning against Stan. He sat the man in the nearest chair and quickly moved onto the other. Within seconds, all three men we out cold. The oblivious cryptanalyst was still scribbling away on the flipchart.

With supernatural speed, Stan disarmed the armed men and secured the feet and arms of all three men with a duct tape he found lying around. Then he packed the laptop, the file, and some pen drives he found lying around into a backpack. He quickly adjusted the straps and slung it on his back. Then finally, he focused on the nerd with a grin.

"Sorry to interrupt, mate," Stan said with a perfect Australian accent as he reached out to apply some pressure to the cryptanalyst's neck. Then he recited the words he'd been taught by Deloris.

Stan flung the man who was now just as invisible as he was on his shoulder, fireman style and then unclipped the flipchart. His plan was to secure the cryptanalyst and the file first. If there was time after that, he would come for the three criminals. But as he rolled up the flipchart, the rogue reentered the room. Shit!

"What the..." Jaxon quickly took in the situation with shocked eyes. He rubbed his eyes and then looked again, clearly not believing what he was seeing. Stan burst into laughter. "You're supposed to be taking a nap for fuck's sake," Stan laughed. He found the rogue's reaction hilarious.

When Jaxon finally noticed the absence of the cryptanalyst, he let out a loud roar and then charged for the door.

"Oh shit!" Stan gasped when he remembered that his mate was waiting outside. 'He's headed your way, Will. Hide!' he growled even as he rushed out after Jaxon with his cargo. 'What do you mean hide?' Will growled right back.

'Will...'

'Have you forgotten that Ty and co are already on their way here? I don't have any choice but to fight him otherwise those guys will be sitting ducks.'

'Fuck!' Stan groaned as he broke into a run. "Why can't people just do as they say?" he muttered. "If you say you're going to nap, just fucking nap!"

Stan didn't trust his mate to be able to control himself. He was going up against a rogue. Those brutes fought dirty. They would deliberately provoke an opponent until the person lost their cool. And anger made people make silly mistakes. In the case of his untrained and impetuous mate, there was a high probability that he would shift in anger and expose them.

"Shit, shit, shit." Stan chanted as he ran. The pack had gone to the trouble of sending him on that mission just to prevent what was about to happen at that very moment. And he was not even in the position to prevent it. Stan ran!