A little while later, John was at the fence, looking it over. Three layers - smooth inner, barbed outer, and electrified middle. Climbing the inner and outer sections were doable, but unless one had good rubber boots and gloves, good luck with the middle. One couldn't just climb the inner, and jump to the outer, as there was easily ten feet between them. That, and the cameras. Cameras would catch everything.
John looked over at the gate - the gate was the key to the whole thing - everyone walking out it. It was too obvious, so no one had tried it. John had a plan - after a Big Meal Day, utilizing willing Meals that knew their part, who had taken hidden potent sleeping pills as part of their Final Meal, the Wolfes might just sleep through everyone walking out. Mess with the camera and microphone system earlier in the day, to make them think it was just technical issues, before turning it off - he'd figured that part out - no footage would exist of the escape. Perhaps he could make it look like a successful rustling - Wolfes would get the insurance money, and not suffer too much. He himself would stay behind, just to make sure.
However, the important part was that everyone needed to either attempt the escape, or at least help out. That was his issue - if the entire herd wanted to escape, and was prepared to survive in the wilds, then he'd be able to protect the herd by allowing them to escape their threat - the Wolfes. If a lone would-be escapee tried it, he'd have to stop it, in order to protect the herd. The other thing was, no harm could happen to the Wolfes - he couldn't allow them to be harmed, no matter what. It was the only way - skills, willingness, and bloodless, save for those that had to be sacrificed.
John then looked back out past the fence. There was that feeling again, that of being watched.
"Everything alright John?" Robert asked, as the werewolf came up to him.
"Something's out there," said John. "Watching us."
"Bear?"
"Not that," said John. "Feels more like someone."
Robert got out his phone, and tapped it a few times. "Security cameras show nothing."
"Check mine and Sarah's trips outside the fence," said John. "Had it at that time."
Robert looked at his phone. "She's acting like someone called for her, yet audio picks nothing up." He tapped some more. "Strange. Footage on that camera's messed with." He tapped a few more times. "Seems all the cameras and microphones suffered a glitch - I got nothing. That is, until your coming pack with her."
"My trip?" John asked.
Robert tapped. "Good until you get to the indicated cameras. After that though, all good. Even the part about you talking about your escape plan." Robert looked at him. "How's that coming along by the way?"
"Still got to deal with Step Zero, and break Conditioning and Taming," said John. "If I can get them all to not see you and your family as friends and family, as well as get them all to agree to escape, or at least help out in the attempt, plus teach them the skills they need, I won't have an issue letting them escape. Of course, getting all of them to agree to either do it or help out is the big part. Other thing, at the moment, can't cause you or your family any harm."
"So, what's the escape route?" Robert asked. "Also, just how will it start?"
John chuckled. "Not telling. That's my secret."
"I can respect that," said Robert. "More fun to outsmart you than to just force it out."
"I'll tell you this, any other place, and I'd of escaped with the whole herd by now," said John. "That, and you'd be dead."
"Useful to know," said Robert. He looked out the fence. "So, what do you think is watching us, if not a bear?"
"Feral, Escapee, Rustler, curious hitchhiker, but, as you said, they'd have to be good at avoiding the cameras," said John. He looked at Robert. "With your permission, I could check it out - if it's a threat to the herd, I can handle it. If it isn't, I can get them to clear off. Afterwards, I'll come back, and you can lock the gate for the night."
"What if you don't come back?" Robert asked.
"I can't run, and don't plan to," said John. "But, there's always rustlers. Put a 48 hour Tracker on me, just in case. After all, I'm a Prime Grade Breeder, worth over five million dollars."
"Over ten million actually," said Robert. "Alright. Let's get you a Tracker."
A little while later, John was rubbing the back of his neck. "I prefer bracelets or collars. I hate needles."
"Sorry John, but this was what the Veterinarian sent me the last time I got new livestock," said Robert. "Injectable Trackers, not obvious, can't be removed, and they'll dissolve within a couple of weeks - just enough time for most new livestock to settle in, and not feel the need to flee."
"Alright," said John. "Got my stick. Do you have a blade I can borrow?"
Robert passed him an old, yet well-cared-for, knife, the sort that could be easily explained if John was found with it on him. "You just bring back my grandfather's hunting knife."
John grinned. "Don't I always?"
Robert punched in the code for the gate, causing it to open.
John walked outside the fence. He watched as the gate closed.
"You be careful out there," said Robert.
John chuckled. "I always am."
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