Lost & Found: TDU Series, #2

By Jyn West

The number of paranormal entities in the world are increasing and intermarrying with humans. Those humans and their friends and families are now aware of them and word is spreading. Who will help with peacekeeping and law enforcement as knowledge of their existence spreads. Who will help train local law enforcement agencies how to deal with these groups, who have until now been self-policed. With the increased numbers and expansion beyond the voluntary group boundaries of the past, an integrated human and paranormal force will be needed for the future. The Tactical Development Unit (TDU) is that force.

Book Two of the TDU Series is about more of Danny's story and how the prophecy begins. More about Jeri and her growing group of friends, family and coworkers too of course. Adventures await as they search for the lost, to fulfill the prophecy. Thanks for joining us on the journey.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jyn West
• Release date: Sep 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393285182

Book preview

Copyright Page

Copyright ©2019 Jyn West All Rights Reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the Author. You must not circulate the book in any format. Thank you for respecting the rights of the Author. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.

Dedication & Acknowledgements

Thank you to my family and friends who continue to encourage me and hold me accountable. For believing that I could do this and succeed. I could not have done it without you. Your patience and love carried me through the rough spots, and you rejoiced with me as hurdles were cleared. Thanks to Mom and Dad who were even willing to read outside their normal genre to support me, you are the best.

A special thanks to all my beta readers and their willingness to take me on as a new author and to share your views while the work was in progress. For helping me identify slang terms that not all regions would interpret the same. LOL Thanks for seeing it through. Georgianna Jonson and Dee B. you guys are the best interactive sounding boards ever. I am honored to have had you with me through the process. Justin, thanks so much for the books you were able to read for me before your move.

My family, friends and beta readers have heard this disclaimer many times but here it is for all you new readers too.

This series is a work of fiction. If details about locations are accurate, I may have passed through or I may have gotten lucky with my description. No need to correct perceived errors in the description, this is fiction. Some facts or observations are woven through the stories but for the majority of the series, this is fiction. *laugh* I hope you enjoy the books. I hope they do inspire you to explore places you have not been, but please don’t try to find places described except just for fun, because its fiction. May the wanderlust take you to places unknown by road or by reading. Encourage our youth to learn the joy and fun of reading, a vacation for our mind that can last minutes or hours as time allows. Thanks for checking us out. The TDU Series currently has 12 books with a 13th in progress and each will be released as it goes through final editing and touchups.

About: TDU - The Series

Tactical (strategic, planned, psychological, calculated, intentional)

Development (expansion, progress, advancement, training, education)

Unit (entity, division, group, company, organization)

The number of paranormal entities in the world are increasing and intermarrying with humans. Those humans and their friends and families are now aware of them and word is spreading. Who will help with peacekeeping and law enforcement as knowledge of their existence spreads. Who will help train local law enforcement agencies how to deal with these groups, who have until now been self-policed. With the increased numbers and expansion beyond the voluntary group boundaries of the past, an integrated human and paranormal force will be needed for the future.

Book Two of the TDU Series is about more of Danny’s story and how the prophecy begins. More about Jeri and her growing group of friends, family and coworkers too of course. Adventures await as they search for the lost, to fulfill the prophecy. Thanks for joining us on the journey.

Table of Contents

Contents

Copyright Page

Dedication & Acknowledgements

About: TDU - The Series

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 - Danny

Chapter 2 – Training

Chapter 3 - BBQ

Chapter 4 - Secrets

Chapter 5 - Surprises

Chapter 6 – Guard Dogs

Chapter 7 – Love is in the Air

Chapter 8 - Tattoos

Chapter 9 - Revealed

Chapter 10 – Changing Forms

Chapter 11 - Prophecy

Chapter 12 - Kudos

Chapter 13 - Tigers

Chapter 14 - Countdown

Chapter 15 – Extended Family

Chapter 1 - Danny

I don’t know what the future holds for me. The Fates and Gods/Goddesses have been quiet lately and not given me a vision in months to direct my path. These past six months have been life changing for me though.

I graduated from college. Met the Shaman who had been training me in the dream world for over 20 years, since I was 4 years old. I was hired for employment by the CIA. I took part in a mission that may have global shipping consequences. I went through intense focused physical training that saw a change in my physical appearance and endurance levels. I learned skills that helped me use my new abilities and attained mastery levels with multiple weapons and forms of martial arts. I adopted a rescued greyhound, named Danny, that turned out to be a shifter who had been missing for nearly 10 years. I found myself attracted to two new men in my life including my trainer and an Alpha Wolf shifter. I have an appointment in a week to get my first tattoo, well, tattoos plural to replace the need to wear the talisman pendant at risk of having it stolen or lost.

I am not sure if I should be more excited or more afraid for the unknown future that is before me. *wink* But one thing it will not be...is boring.

Wednesday Evening Continues . . . .

Danny and I had taken our treats out onto the balcony to enjoy the sunset. Danny was stretched out on the chaise lost in thoughts of his family I’m sure.

Robert, my neighbor and current Shaman/trainer, came out on his balcony about that same time and joined us. I was happy to see him and wanted his input on some of the thoughts whirling through me. He hopped the short divider and came to sit on the glider with me.

So, how did your day finish after Danny and I left the lab this afternoon, I asked Robert?

It went well, he said, I don’t think you will have any problems getting Agent Logan or Bayeux to help you understand pack dynamics. They were both quite impressed.

Bayeux must have thanked Logan and Kleing a dozen times for contacting their pack about Danny. Danny’s Dad was the Beta of the pack when he was killed, and Bayeux was their Third. The Alpha at the time met with Bayeux about the Beta position and they both felt that a new transfer from an overseas pack was stronger and would make a better Beta. Bayeux felt comfortable with him taking over as Beta and agreed that he would rather support him than be challenged by someone he knew would beat him. The three of them made a great team and made sure Danny’s mom and sister were taken care of. When the Alpha died in an auto accident a few years ago, the Beta, Viktor Soren took over as Alpha and asked Bayeux to be his Beta, they discussed the prospects for a new third, and both agreed on the same one. No one in the pack challenged the three and the pack remained strong. If Danny ever decides to move back there he will have some great role models and a support system.

I heaved a huge sigh of relief, thanks for sharing that Robert. Though I would love for Danny to stay with us, since I am attached already, I would support him returning to a situation like that. It sounds stable and caring. I agree about both men being a good resource for me on the pack dynamics too.

Danny and I went out for a celebratory run after the meeting and when we got back here for supper had 3 emails waiting already. Kleing has sessions scheduled for me with each of them. Bayeux thanked us again for finding Danny and being open to reuniting him with his family and Logan invited Danny and me to join their pack on Saturday for a barbeque and pack run. It will let me see a pack in action and help Danny feel pack life again in a fun event.

Wow, that is great, Robert exclaimed. You have some little worry lines showing by your eyes though, what are your concerns about all of that?

I guess my main concern is the one Logan brought up about the scents. I have had so many thoughts swirling around my brain the last couple hours, I could really use your input on some of it. You have a way of seeing things in a more ordered way than me. You have taught me how to start thinking in steps, but you are still so much more experienced with that and this is an important event to start a pack relationship with. I want to fit in and be accepted so they feel comfortable sharing it with me. The better I understand it all the more valuable the experience is and the better I can apply it if we have a mission assignment in that environment.

True, so tell me some of the ideas you are thinking about, Jeri, and let’s see what strategy we can work on with you over the next few days to help.

Whew, thanks, I knew I could count on you. Danny has been helping me with the scent practice you gave me. He has been confirming if my perceptions were correct or not and if not, helping me to define what I was smelling better. He also gave me some tips on how canines gather scent more fully when they are tracking. We also researched how the other creatures I can transform into gather scent, so I can apply the same knowledge when using them. I am getting better at identifying the primary and secondary scents and have even been able to pick up some thirds.

The issue Logan identified is that when I transform, I am still projecting my own scent as the primary with the transformed one coming on top as a secondary. In close quarters, especially, this would be a dead giveaway that I was not a shifter of that species. So I need help to figure out how to project the assumed species as a primary scent that overpowers my own and leaves it subdued to appear secondary.

Add to that, meeting someone in human form that you may want them to think you are a shifter means finding a way to make that a primary scent even when you are not in that form. It is just so overwhelming; I am stuck after the initial identification of the issue that needs fixed.

Jeri, you have improved on your understanding of scent importance 100% over when we first started discussing it in class. Now let’s back up just a bit to the application of what you have learned and take it one step at a time and see at each step how that step can be utilized in the overall goal here. I’ll be right back, Robert got up and went in my unit to grab some paper and pen from the kitchen.

Okay, here is a pad and pen. I want you to diagram what we discuss so that it will make sense to you when you review it later. Since you will need this information first to help you with a wolf pack, let’s use them as our trial subject.

You will want to review your study materials on how different scents are created in a wolf’s system. What are the contributing ingredients and what processes are involved in excreting the excess material which becomes the scent?

You learned in school about computer programing and flow charts. I want you to create a flow chart of the wolf endocrine system. Look at the flow from ingesting ingredients, through digestion, absorption, and excretion. Identify each muscle used, organ used, including the skin and hair follicles.

Then you are going to look back from the beginning and make a second complimentary flowchart listing the same process for you in your human form.

Then a third chart to list what differences are there between the shifter who becomes wolf and you who transforms into wolf. Once you isolate that difference or those differences you will have the area to focus on to change the primary scent.

Right now you are looking at the overall picture of wolf vs. human and you say everything is different, look at them. But when you compare the processes only, from ingestion to excretion, you can cross off the areas that are the same and then focus on the differences to find a way to compensate for that.

You have your homework; I will leave you with that and we can go over it tomorrow after your workout to see how to proceed. Robert stood up and bent down to kiss my cheek, then hopped the divider back to his home.

Whoa, stop, rewind. Robert kissed my cheek. . . . . What. The. Heck? I looked over at Danny and he had both paws pressed tightly over his muzzle trying not to make a sound. I focused on his thoughts and he was laughing at me, his paws loosened, and he rolled on his side with his whole body shaking with the laughter. Did you see that coming? I thought to him.

He kept chuckling but said, the whole time he was talking, and you were writing you could tell he was trying to get his courage up to do it. I think he got a little jealous of that Alpha guy Logan today. That guy was throwing off all kinds of scent after he touched you and I think Robert reacted to it even though he is not wolf. He is part of our pack and felt it.

Logan was throwing off scent. You mean like pheromones or hormones or something? Really? Why didn’t I notice that? I really need to get a better handle on all this scent awareness business. Danny, you could have warned me or something.

I’m sorry Jeri, I guess I was so nervous I just didn’t think of it.

I know, I’m sorry too, I didn’t mean to blame you. If I am going to be working with shifters that stuff would be good to have a handle on though. Maybe when you notice you could step on my toes or nip my fingers or something since you probably can’t clear your throat. We need a code word or something so I can practice. I better get started on my homework. You want the TV on or anything?

No, I’m good. He walked in the house and settled on the kennel cushion near the desk.

Several hours later when I could barely keep my eyes open I felt like I had made pretty good progress and we went to bed.

Thursday

I woke with a large greyhound in bed and under the covers with me. Now don’t get me wrong, they make great full body hot water bottles but when we went to bed last night he was on his bed and I was in mine. I went to take the covers off and jumped back under them as quickly as I could.

What the heck, it’s freezing in here. I reached for my terry robe and put it on and then crept out from under the covers. I looked out the window to find it had snowed last night. We went from a mild fall to several inches of snow overnight. I hurried to the thermostat and turned the heat on and then grabbed some warm socks for my bare feet. I started the coffee and started hunting in my closet for winter clothes.

After breakfast I ask Danny, what is the last year of school you attended?

Uh, 5th grade? He says. I have been reading discarded magazines and newspapers over the years though. I had to be careful that no one noticed, and I couldn’t always finish articles if they needed pages turned to do it.

Okay, I said, I was thinking that if we are going to work on you being able to shift and live as both human and grey that you have missed a lot of school and it will be hard for you to get jobs and stuff unless we can start catching you up. I found some online schools where you can progress at your own pace and I’m sure we can figure out a way so that you can advance the sections. If you would be interested, I will try to get that set up for you by next week. What do you think?

Yea, that would be great. Animal planet is okay but there isn’t much subject variety. Thanks Jeri.

Okay, I better get moving, traffic is going to be tight to get to work on time. I adjusted the heat so you should be pretty comfortable in here now and we can go get you a coat this afternoon so we can have some outdoor walks even with snow. We’ll pick you up some boots too. Canine in mud is one thing but on salted sidewalks? I don’t think so. *wink* I wonder if it will clear up enough by Saturday for the barbeque? Sigh... Will just have to wait and see I guess.

I will call at lunch time and let you know when I’ll be home. I left a note on the table asking Annie and Paul to only take you to the dog park on the roof for today since it is climate controlled and will be free of the snow, so make sure they see it okay?

Yip. He said.

Robert, I thought, I am taking my own car today. Heading out now, see you at work?

Yes, see you there, I am going to skip the bagel shop and grab something at the cafeteria at work today with the snow. It will probably melt by lunch time. Remember to bring your homework.

I got it, slave driver. Ha ha. I’m outta here.

The drive to work wasn’t bad. I made good enough time that I had a leisurely breakfast and checked my schedule, checked business messages and returned some phone calls. I emailed HR and Agent Anders and Williams letting them know of my business appointments coming over the next month so far since they act as cover for any assignments here. I only have one that I will have to travel for in the next few weeks, the others can be done in town as time permits and emailed back to them. Robert came over just as I was finishing with a muffin and some coffee, so we sat together for a few minutes and then headed to the gym.

I changed when we got there and then we went over the homework first.

I showed him my 3 diagrams and pointed out what I found. The first thing I realized is that the shifter has the wolf living with them concurrently, so they have one scent with nuances vs my human scent with an overlay that is only occasionally used. They have a buildup in their bodies from years of similar ingestion, while I have only the human buildup and with transformation a much shorter span to accumulate the scents, like minutes or hours.

The questions are, what could I ingest that would be rapid acting for me to push to the forefront or what dietary changes might I make of a variety of foods that could mimic multiple species if I could discriminatorily pick and choose to combine for the effect, to push forward. It would be like a recipe for wolf, a recipe for bear, etc.

Here is a list of common foods I share with the wolves, here is the list of foods they use regularly that I rarely ingest. Also, I tend to add spices to meat products where they tend to prefer them as close to nature as possible.

I tried to think of any supplements I could take that would affect my body chemistry or how I could change my dietary habits to help but didn’t see anything that really seems plausible other than cutting out the spices. I am sure there are some who indulge in those while in human form though so didn’t think that would really be the answer.

Maybe Dr. Kleing could look at these and see if there is anything medically that would help? I wasn’t really sure how these few differences in the digestive process shown there would be impacted so I could use some more professional advice on that.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

Well, you did a pretty good job on the diagrams and observations. Did you ask Danny if he could supply any input on wolf scents?

Sort of, he gave me a humorous dissertation on scents that are released where attractions exist and laughed at me for nearly 30 minutes. (Needless to say my whole body flushed at this admission.)

Robert promptly spewed out the coffee he was in the process of swallowing at that moment and spent the next minute or two choking followed by about 5 minutes of laughing until he had to excuse himself to go change his shirt. Jerk.

Me and my big mouth. I will never live it down if he shares it with anyone. Especially Lassiter, who knows what the new nickname would be. He was on my first assignment along with several other interpreters. The first nickname he gave me was legs because I wore a dress showing mine off and he said they would distract every male in the room. The second one he gave me was champ because when Robert came into my room the night before because I was screaming in a nightmare I gave him a black eye before I was fully awake to realize it was him.

Anders came back out we set aside the diagrams and got busy on our workout routine. Hand to hand, blades, guns, and other weaponry. Then we moved to the guarded arena and worked on the transformations with Daniel from the lab to document them with video and still photos and logging the use of my other abilities with each different species.

Anders reminded me that I needed to pass my weapons certifications on several new weapons and would schedule it for me. I reminded him that I have an out of town assignment with my business next week but the others I have can be done remotely here in town as time permits. He agreed to show the diagrams to Dr. K and get his input and touch base with me this evening with any suggestions he may have.

I hit the showers and change and head over to Anya’s café for lunch and my first healing arts training. I also have an appointment next week for my DNA tattoos. Anya and her cousin came up with some ideas for the designs and she is going to show me today while I am there so I can pick the ones I want. Several months ago when I first found Anya, she made me a pendant that could be worn like jewelry but the artificial stones contained the DNA of the species I thought would be the most common ones for me to transform into for missions. It was less obvious than carrying around a pouch full of teeth, bone fragments, fur, etc.

The tattoos will combine the DNA in the inks of the tattoo. Not something that can be removed. We have been finding that the species I transform into the most frequently I am starting to be able to transform into without the pendant touching my skin. I thought about it all the way here this morning and while talking to Robert about the diagrams. I wonder if I transform enough times into Wolf, for example, if I will be able to do so without DNA access. Maybe my own DNA adopts the frequent use ones into my own, if that is true will that also help with the scent? I call Daniel over at the lab while I drive to Anya’s and ask him if I can stop by in the morning to have my DNA sample taken again and compared against the original one they have. He asked why and I told him my theory. He said he was intrigued by