Rico led them into a nearby vacant lot so that they were off the street, and Tom gratefully slipped on the baggy trousers. ‘Nice. I always wanted to dress as a garbage collector.’

‘Figured you needed the clothes more than he did,’ Jasmine muttered. ‘Ambulance is coming for him now.’

Rico smiled. ‘Jas can strip a guy faster than any girl I seen.’

‘Shut your dirty mouth,’ she retorted, and looked back at Tom warily. ‘No wonder you wanted to go see Stacy Stein. You need the cure, don’t you?’

‘Yeah,’ Tom replied quietly.

‘So, what –you gonna stay this way now?’

‘The urge to change happens when I get real mad,’ Tom explained. ‘Or scared. Or when the moon’s full.’

Jasmine nodded, blew out a long sigh. ‘Ric’s right. I guess you did help us. I was thinking maybe you were a spy, but now …’

‘I’m not a spy. I helped Ramone, too. That’s how we met, in Central Park. He didn’t want to tell you in case you freaked.’ Tom could see the doubt in her deep brown eyes. ‘Jasmine, everything Kate and I told you back at Ramone’s was true. I’m no ordinary ’wolf. Takapa wants me for study and Marcie Folan – Kate’s mom – wants me dead.’

‘That bitch on TV,’ Jasmine recalled. ‘You say she’s gonna kill your folks if you don’t give yourself up?’

‘You a wanted man,’ said Rico, his eyes shining like this was just some way cool game. ‘So what you gonna do?’

‘I figure I’ve got maybe a day or so before Marcie moves again,’ Tom said, as he finished tying his borrowed boots. ‘There’s supposed to be a man in this city who can cure me, but I don’t know how to find him.’

‘That Zhee-khaki guy you asked Woollard about, right?’ Jasmine nodded. ‘And you think maybe Stacy Stein knows?’

‘If Stacy knows about the ’wolves and is researching for a cure herself …’ He shrugged. ‘It’s the only lead I have.’

Tom tested out the boots. They were at least two sizes too big, but better than nothing. ‘You know, those ’wolves went to a lot of risk and trouble to get those phials of blood before we could take them to Stacy.’ He smoothed a hand through his tangled hair. ‘Why would that be? Just what is this treatment Woollard’s given the stuff?’

Jasmine shrugged. ‘Go ask him. Or Stacy.’

‘Hold on,’ Tom said, thinking. ‘Woollard said she needed them urgently. If I can get them back, she’ll owe me a favour, right?’ He looked at Jasmine and Rico. ‘You two go. I’ll come find you later.’

‘Uh-uh. We’re coming with you,’ said Jasmine. ‘Be good to know what hole in the ground those lowlifes slink back to. Then we can go tell Ramone. Get us some revenge.’