I Am: Hunter 57

Chapter 3: Let's Do It

"On three." Hunter 22 whispered into his earpiece. "You in place?"

"Dido. Let's do it." I answered from my place at the front door. Hunter 22 was at the back door, and we were both ready to burst in on two vampires that the Council had found hiding in an abandoned shack not far from Norwell Castle, on the edge of the crops grown by the Harvesters. Hunter 22 was at the back door, his job to check upstairs while I surveyed the bottom floor and the basement. I loosened the clip on my dagger sheath and pulled out my Nico. Even though I liked getting into the action with my dagger, right now I preferred to stay out of the way of those fangs and claws, as it was nearing the full moon, and the vampires were older and more experienced. A male and female. Aero and Raven, convicted Freedom Fighters.

"Three, two, one...Go." I stepped back and kicked open the door, checking over the rooms quickly and effectively. Suddenly I heard shots ring out, and Hunter 22's strangled help cut off on the earpiece. My sensitive ears heard a pop as I hurried up the stairs. Coming into the lounge room, where Hunter 22 stood, my eyes widened. The female was nowhere to be seen, but the male had taken Hunter 22 by surprise. His left arm hung limp, obviously broken, his gun on the other side of the room. His spiky black hair was more disheveled than usual, suggesting there had been a struggle, and Aero had scratched his right eye, leaving a long straight cut crossing over his eye, blinding him with blood. I held up my gun in defense. Hunter 22 needed to get that scratch treated, or else he had roughly 24 hours before he became a vampire.

"Tut-tut-tut. Before you do anything, I could have him bitten. Put down your weapons, little lady. Or he goes vampire quicker." I growled, not making any move, but then Aero's fingers began to circle around the spot where Hunter 22 would be bitten. Reluctantly, I slowly knelt down, laying my Nico on the wooden floorboards. The vampire leant forward and inhaled the bare skin on Hunter 22's neck. He shuddered, his brown eyes full of worry as he watched me. My hand rested just above my gun. "I always liked the smell of Hunter. So much adrenaline pumping through that body. Tastes so much better." Aero teased. There was the sound of tearing flesh as the vampire's fangs broke through the gum. At that moment, I grabbed the gun, and quick as a flash sent the wooden bullet flying through Aero's skull, before burying itself deep in the wooden walls behind him. Hunter 22 fell forward, clutching his broken arm as Aero fell back, his eyes glazing over as he died. I fumbled for the vampire venom antidote, and threw it to Hunter 22. He applied as much of it as he could, sealing the cut, leaving a long straight scar crossing his eye. Suddenly a female vampire was at Aero's side, cupping his cold face in her hands and weeping. Or thought she was. Those creatures didn't feel anything. They were soulless creatures incapable of feeling anything. I cocked my gun, preparing to shoot Raven.

Two pained grey eyes looked my way, the rims red with "crying". And then hatred filled those eyes, and within seconds she had me pinned against the wall, holding my gun arm down, the pressure so much I was forced to drop the gun. Raven's other arm was pressed against my neck, holding my feet off the ground and cutting off my air supply.

"All we want is to be left alone. To live in peace with your kind. But no, we are hunted to the ends of the earth because we are DIFFERENT to you. And now my best friend is dead, because we wanted to live like any other human being." Raven hissed. My other hand wrapped around my dagger, and the black obsidian gleamed in the moonlight slitting through the cracks in the roof.

"Life's a pain, isn't it." I ground out, as my oxygen began to dissipate and my heart rate slowed. Silently counting to three, I brought the dagger up and sliced right across the vampire's neck. Letting out a scream, Raven released her grip and I inhaled deeply, before advancing on the enraged vampire. Blood was streaming from the gaping wound in her neck, but it wouldn't have killed her; it was the blood of her victims, not her own. If anything it was making her hungrier, more animalistic. Grabbing the gun that had been strapped to my lower leg, I took aim and without hesitating, fired, killing the second vampire instantly. Afterwards, I put away my gun and went to Hunter 22's side. He was rolling in pain, and after a quick feel, I found that Aero had dislocated his shoulder.

"Alright, I'm gonna pop it back into place on 3." I told Hunter 22. He nodded in the slightest, in too much pain to disagree. "3!" I pulled, and heard a sickening crack as everything popped back into place. Hunter 22 let out a cry of pain as I pulled him up. His face was red and his chocolate eyes watery with tears. "I'll call in clean-up. You are going straight back to the Sanctuary." Hunter 22 nodded, his eyes shut tight to put relief on the pain.

I stole two pack horses from the Village at Norwell Castle, and we rode back to the Sanctuary in silence, the smell of smoke and burning flesh reaching our noses as clean-up did their job. Finally Hunter 22 broke the void.

"Did you know you were going to hit Aero?" He asked.

"No." I answered truthfully.

"Then why did you shoot?"

"Because even if I did put down the gun, Aero would have turned you, and I would have had to shoot you anyway. So either way you were screwed, and I wasn't willing to let you become one of those things. You are the closest thing I have to a friend."

"Doesn't seem like it." Hunter 22 answered.

"Look, in this sort of job, you have to be willing to take risks. I was happy to take that risk if it meant another vampire was stopped from murdering countless innocents." We again rode on in silence. I could tell Hunter 22 wanted to say something, but was unsure exactly how he would say it. We rode for three days non-stop in that awkward silence, me making no move to disclose that void between them both. But when we were only meters away from the Gate to the Village, Hunter 22 reached over and stopped both of our horses.

"I have something to tell you." he said.

"So? You look nervous." I answered. It was rather hard to read Hunter 22 at times, but right now he looked at war with himself. "I'm running away." He blurted out. I wasn't quite sure what I'd heard.

"You're what?"

"I can't take this anymore. This isn't who I wanna be." He answered. Then he lowered his voice, looking towards the Gate Guards. "I'm gonna need your help. You are the only one I trust...I think." Then one of the Guards began coming towards them, and Hunter 22 straightened. "Meet me tonight at my house. I'm depending on ya, Silver."

I woke with a start. Last night I had dreamt about Hunter 22.

I never dreamt about him. He hadn't wanted to be a part of this life and I had helped him escape. And nearly got killed in the process. A voice chided in my head. I didn't even know where he'd gone after that night two years ago. I shivered. I shouldn't be thinking of such things. It tainted my concentration on the job at hand.

In a much better mood than last night, I got out of bed and dressed quickly, before reaching up and pulling down Ash. He squawked, but this time knew that there was no negotiation. I smiled at his stubbornness, and grabbed my weapons, stashing them all in the same places as before. Then I picked up the description of the target. It was a shame he had no name, or picture. Not much to go on.

Tall, over 6ft

Black, shoulder length hair

Brown eyes

Scar crossing over right eye

Supports Freedom Fighters

Located West Side of Ranwick Forest

This man is to be brought to my castle, alive and unscathed. He is very important to me. No-one but you is to know of the details of this mission. I will be watching you.

URGENT

King Zelrox was serious about this. It had to be important. Suddenly I felt a rush of pride to have been chosen for this. I always loved a good challenge.

After folding the description and putting it in my jeans pocket, I grabbed a pen and signed the contract, ready to hand to King Zelrox when I met him. Then something tugged at my mind, the feeling I was being watched. But when I peeked out of the closed curtain, everything was quiet. Ash flew out of the door as I opened it, turning off the lamp and shutting the door, leaving my curtains closed as always. I headed towards the Stables, where a restless Dakota would be waiting. Afterwards all I had to do was sign out and the world would be mine for the taking.

***

But behind her, in a dark corner Hunter 09 watched, waiting until Hunter 57 had disappeared down the lane with her cursed bird, before appearing out of the shadows and entering her house to search for clues.