“Stubborn.” Franks wrenched the door open and walked through the swaying, rubberized junction into the last car. The humans inside were bunched up against the door, trying to get away, but Franks just shoved it open and forced his way through the jostling mass. He didn’t have much patience for this sort of thing. “Make a hole.”

Kerkonen had transformed. That was quick. She must have run after them and leapt onto the back of the train as it passed. The werewolf was tearing her way through the back door. Her limbs were elongated, her movements fluid and powerful, and every inch of her was covered in red hair. She had razor-sharp claws and a long mouth full of sharp white teeth. Such a beast form probably would have been intimidating to anyone else, but Franks enjoyed a good fight.

She was through and heading his way. Some of the humans were cowering on the floor, but the werewolf paused to step over them, rather carefully, almost daintily, like she was afraid to nick them with her claws. Franks was impressed by the display. He’d never seen a werewolf do anything like that. She cared a lot more about public safety than he did.

Franks knocked the last of the retreating mob out of his way. Kerkonen saw him coming, crouched and spread her arms, claws reaching across most of the interior of the rocking subway car.

Those claws could be a problem. If he was going to escape, he needed to keep all of his guts on the inside. Even a weak werewolf was potentially deadly, and this one didn’t strike him as weak.

One of the passengers had discarded a big laptop bag on his seat, so Franks picked it up by the strap and swung it like a flail. He hit the werewolf in the snout with it. He would have done it again, but the cheap nylon strap broke and deprived him of his weapon. Jaws snapping, she flung herself at him, but Franks caught her by the wrist and spun her against the side of the car. The window broke, but she hooked her toe claws around a pole, and wouldn’t budge when he tried to shove her out. She came around fast and slashed him across the chest. His blood painted the wall. Franks tripped over a fat man and landed on the seat. The red werewolf was on top of him in an instant.

Teeth snapped closed an inch from his throat. The fat man was trapped beneath him and screaming in Franks’ ear. It was very bothersome. Franks slugged Kerkonen in the nose. The werewolf yelped, and he used the opportunity to hurl her against the roof of the subway car. She crashed to the floor, then scurried back, as if nervous her landing might have injured any of the humans cowering there.