Hunter

09. How to Conspicuously Eavesdrop

I pulled up my hood as I went belowground.

It was after one in the morning - the only people who should be out and about now are those leaving clubs and the sort. The subway closed at three nowadays, as opposed to before the Takeover, when they ran until one-thirty. But the vampires needed a way to get home in time to avoid the sun, and they tended to hide in the subway tunnels if they couldn't make it back to their dens before sunrise.

I was pretty confident in my ability to stay under the radar - I wasn't usually seen unless I wanted to be seen. Of course, my track record tonight wasn't the best, having been seen killing two werewolves. And, as opposed to usual, my face was probably running through the head of every werewolf in the city.

So, conspicuously raising the hood of my hoodie was the best I could do to avoid detection. For now.

I stopped in front of the ticket booth, holding my breath. Though it was usually a human working such a mundane job - jobs supernatural beings didn't want to do - you could occasionally find the odd witch or pack-less werewolf here as well, trying to earn extra income. Though I never thought it was fair to give only humans the minimum wage jobs. We had to pay higher taxes already - not to mention half the human population in the city had sworn themselves to serving a supernatural.

Luckily, the booth was being operated by a human - I think. There was also a chance that he was a warlock, since they were practically identical to humans.

Whatever he was, he didn't recognize me - and if he did, he wasn't interested. I had the sudden thought that the werewolves would probably want to keep my identity under wraps - with more than half of the supernatural community happy to see me dead in a ditch, having the famous Hunter's name and face remain a secret would certainly make things easier for the Alpha. This way, he wouldn't have to fight anybody else in order to take me. It would be quiet. Nobody would miss me. Nobody knows who Reese Hearne is, and Isabelle Sage was a nobody.

That's not true, though - when I didn't call, Opal would get suspicious.

But I can still use some of this newfound knowledge to my advantage.

I quickly purchased a ticket with the little pocket money I had, making sure there was enough left for a GO train ticket to Oshawa, as well as a few meals. I had Isabelle Sage's debit card stowed away in my bag, but I'd only use it for emergencies. A few months ago, I'd transferred some money into a different account one of Opal's clients set up - a warlock, a human sympathizer, and somebody I could go to if I had no other options. Though I don't think he's happy with the Hunter for slaughtering supernatural beings - even though I've gone easy on the magic-wielding community - he could be persuaded to help me.

Wheels began turning in my head as I stood on the platform, waiting for the subway to arrive.

For now, I'd stick to my plan - take the subway to Union Station, then board a GO train to Oshawa. It would be faster to find a GO train station further from the city, closer to my final destination, but that would be too easy, too predictable. The roundabout route would be less traceable. And since Union Station was so close to the pack's headquarters, it would be the most idiotic thing to do. Smart people headed away from danger, not stray within blocks of it.