Hunting Darkness

Chapter 5

I exit the Emperor's Key to find myself in an attic-like room.  There is a hammock clinging to the ceiling, and the floor is a complete mess, cluttered with ancient artifacts. I look back to the hammock and find Yuma sleeping. I look outside and find it is night. I enter the Key again to call the others.

"17, 5, 9, 11, 20, 23, 10! Come with me!" I command.

They all appear at the edge of the Airship (that is why there are gears surrounding this place if you did not already know) and wait for orders. Well, this is new to me. I have never been the leader of things like this.

"It is night," I declare. "We all know what that means, no?"

The seven nod.

"Black Mist will most likely strike tonight," I continue. "Let's go to the hunt!"

We exit the Key and enter Yuma's room. Without a word, we slip out of an open window above a black box and fly through the night.

"Lights down," I whisper, and we all turn invisible to human sight.

We fly around for a while, but we find nothing.

"What if we split?" 20 suggests.

"We may be more vulnerable like that, 20," 10 points out.

"Well, if we split into groups, we may be safer," 20 says.

We stop. "Alright. We will split into two groups of four. 10, 17, and 20 are with me. For the rest of you, 9 is in charge. Do not question my decision, just do it," I command.

They salute by placing one hand over their chest. "Yes sir." Okay, really weird for me, but that is how the Agents treat the leaders of the mission.

We separate into our groups and split off. My group and I scan in silence, but we telepath occasionally. I can feel their mind widening to scan everything around them. Sensing is kind of risky because it leaves our minds vulnerable. It is most effective to find our target, though. It must be done.

I stop as I sense a familiar darkened mind.

"Stop," I command. "I sense him." I concentrate harder. "It is...different though. Not at all  like how it felt when he was talking to me. Full of...sorrow? Fear maybe?"

They all start sensing the dark energy. Eventually, they nod in agreement.

"Well, if he's distracted, maybe we can get him before he can resist," 10 says with a grin.

"I disagree," 17 says. "The more wounded the animal is, the more dangerous he will be. That's just the nature of the Numbers."

"While you've got a point there, I still want to take him out and get this over with." 10 puts his sky-blue transparent hands behind his head and closes his full blue eyes.

"Suppress your energy," I instruct, "and follow me. We will assess the situation first, and then we will take action."

They nod and suppress their energy. We slowly descend to where Black Mist is. When we reach him, he is in front of a fallen building, simply standing there and not moving. In his right hand, he holds his knife covered in blood. In his left, he holds a child, long dead, by the neck. His entire body is covered in crimson blood. His breathing is steady, yet it is not.

"I know you're there," he whispers. "It's no use hiding from me." His voice is soft and trembling with emotion. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost.

We show ourselves, and 20 steps forward.

"Why are you doing this?" she asks firmly. "What's the point in these murders?"

Black Mist gives a short laugh. "How will any of you understand my motives?" He turns to us, his eyes full of hate and smug bloodlust. "I'm just a psycho to you, aren't I? Iie, just a thing you can get rid of, no? Just garbage. An abomination. A Dark Number that doesn't deserve to live for some reason." He squeezes the dead child's neck, as if he thinks he can still kill it after death. He then lets go and flies off. Contacting th others, we follow in hot pursuit.