Hermie

Hunter's jaw clenched tighter as she spoke.

"He loves you," he said, his voice full of bitterness and hatred. "That's his only redeeming quality." Then he stood and looked at her.

"Does he know you're here?" he asked in a softer tone.

Hunter looked down at his hands with a sigh and remained silent for a while.

"I'm a coward," he finally whispered. "Two years ago was the first time I came close to contacting you...but then everything fell apart. I haven't been able to even think about it since then. I don't know what I'm doing anymore."

"I never wanted to leave you behind," he said, looking up at her. "But he wouldn't let me near you." He clenched his jaw and looked away, his blue eyes bright with tears he wasn't going to cry.

Hunter was knocked to the floor by her kick and stayed there, coughing.

"I'm sorry," he finally managed to whisper once he got his breath back. "I hadn't planned it, I just...I had to leave. I tried to find you after but...I'm sorry." He didn't look up at her as he adjusted so he was sitting a bit more comfortably against the wall below the mirror.

Hunter nodded.

"I'm alright," he told her quietly. "How's...how have you been?" He stood and offered her his chair, turning his back to the mirror as he sat on the edge of the table.

Hunter looked up. His eyes widened slightly at the person standing in the doorway. He leaned back in the chair with a smirk that hid a bright smile trying to fight it's way onto his face.

"You've gotten tall," he remarked. "But I think you looked better with braces." Agent Smith stood and turned to the young woman.

"I'll leave you to talk him for a while," he stated and left the room.

Hunter looked down at the photos still in front of him. Though to most people his expression was unreadable, there was a small number who had been close enough to him to recognize the sadness and anger he was hiding from the rest of the world. He remained silent, wondering if there was a point to the questioning. Agent Smith didn't know who he was, assuming Colin Jones had kept his promise. He didn't seem to know at least. And if they had someone else who was willing to talk, why were they bothering him?

Hunter met his gaze, his expression blank.

"He's a good man," he stated. "I won't help you put him in prison."

"If he hasn't broken the law, then he won't have to," Agent Smith stated. "We could use people on the inside." Hunter shook his head with a humorless laugh.

"You honestly believe that, do you?" he questioned. "What about Kian Macmorough? He's innocent and you people sent him to prison without trial."

"Kian Macmorough is dangerous," Smith stated. "And he's far from innocent. He murdered an agent and her three year-old daughter for her part in his arrest, or had them killed by a friend." Hunter's face darkened but he remained silent.

"Excuse me," Agent Smith stood and went to the phone. "Yes?"

Hunter continued to carefully study the photos while the other man spoke in low tones. He recognized a few of the others pictured. There were many new faces among the lower ranks, but the upper echelon rarely changed. He squinted at a tiny figure in the back of one of the photos and adjusted his glasses. He couldn't be sure, but it looked familiar. His heart beat hopefully as he brought the photo closer to his face.

"Impossible..." he whispered, but a small smile crept onto his face in spite of his best efforts to remain emotionless.

I have to talk to Chen, he thought, setting the photo back down a bit quickly.

DSPA

Hunter sat down on a hard chair at a cold metal table. The room was bare accept for a mirror that covered one wall. He knew he was being watched. He had been in interrogation rooms before. Agent Smith slid a file over to him.

"At 0937 this morning, an agent keeping tabs on the gangs in King's Row took these," he stated. "We need to know who this man is and his rank in the Defenders."

"I'll tell you what I can, sir," Hunter stated. "But I have been out of contact for quite some time now."

Hunter flipped open the file and stared at the photos. He recognized the man immediately, but kept his expression carefully neutral. The photos were of an Asian man, roughly 45, who seemed to be giving orders to those around him. He wasn't in any of the colored uniforms that signified rank in the Defenders. Only a Gold or a Silver had that kind of authority. Hunter squinted and lifted one of the photos for closer inspection. The man wore a gold and ruby ring on his middle left finger. That was new. He had been promoted.

Chen, my old friend, Hunter thought. So now you're a Gold. What happened to Ruez?

"Well?" Agent Smith asked. "Do you know him?"

"No," Hunter lied with a voice and face devoid of emotion. "But he's a Gold. He's in plain clothes. Only a Gold or Silver are permitted to do so on a site or a mission. And you can see the ring here. That is given to Golds at their promotion." He was not about to betray Chen willingly.

((Finally, much longer than ten business days and a new computer later, I'm back))

Hunter followed Agent Smith through the halls of the DSPA headquarters, memorizing all the twists and turns. He was grateful they had stopped for a change of clothes before heading there. His previous suit was now rather shredded. He only half-listened as Agent Smith kept talking.
"...need you to identify," he said as he finally came to a stop. He opened a door and motioned Hunter into a darkened room.

"Well let's get you check out and debriefed," Agent Smith stated as Hunter collected his knives. He frowned up at the man.
"I'm fine," he stated.
"All the same, I need you to come back to headquarters with me," Smith said in a serious tone. "We have some questions we need to ask you."
"I thought the agreement was I would have a few days to settle in first," Hunter stated in a flat tone. Agent Smith motioned to his car.
"This is an order, Agent Black," he told him. "Non-negotiable. Let's go." Hunter sighed and got in the car. He knew was going to be in for a long interrogation.

((Alright, that should keep him busy until I can come back))

((I'm not going to be able to post for a while. My computer died and I have to send it in for repair. The estimate is ten business days from the day they get it which won't be until Tuesday at the absolute earliest.))

A deafening sound filled the alley. The wolf briefly spun upwards before crashing down to the ground. Before it could try to get up, Agent Smith held the shotgun to its head and pulled the trigger a few time just to be sure it was dead.
"Took you long enough," Hunter called down, leaping from the roof and landing on a fire escape before jumping the rest of the way down. "Get stuck in traffic, did you?"
"Next time you say 'I'm in trouble,' give me a few more details," Agent Smith chided. "You're lucky I had my gun in my truck or there wouldn'tve been a blasted thing I could do."

"Oi!" Hunter exclaimed when he turned to see the wolf lunge at Nyte. "Over here, ya great beast!" He threw several knives at it to get it's attention. Miraculously they all hit their target. The wolf turned and growled low as it stared at Hunter. It crouched and made a powerful leap at the other building.

"Right," Hunter stated. "Agent Smith should be on his way. For once...I wish I had a gun." He backed up and made a running jump to the roof of the building on the other side of the alley. He rolled as he landed, got to his feet and did the same thing to cross another alley. Then he stopped and looked around to get his bearings.

"What kind of trouble?" Agent Smith asked as the wolf snarled.
"Just hurry," Hunter stated as the wolf leapt at the fire escape. Hunter swung up toward the roof and the heavy beast hit the rusty metal. The bolts snapped away from the wall and the wolf clawed at the building as it fell three stories to the alley below. It lay still for a moment and Hunter sat on the edge of the roof, thinking it was over. Then it got up, shook its massive head, and glared up at him.
"You have got to be kidding me," Hunter remarked as the wolf leaped at another fire escape.

Hunter backed up the fire escape, scanning his surroundings and thinking fast of anything that could help him either escape or take the wolf out. He noticed one fire escape over the ladder was rather rusted and rickety. He jumped for it and barely managed to catch one of the narrow steps. The fire escape groaned as it started to pull away from the wall. He climbed toward the top and pulled out his phone. He quickly found the number Agent Smith had just programmed into it and hit send.
"I'm in trouble," he said calmly as soon as the man answered.

The wolf swiped Hunter with a massive paw and he rolled with it. His suit jacket and shirt were badly torn, but fortunately he always wore a kevlar vest underneath them. He had learned the hard way that he was not faster than a speeding bullet and now always took precautions against guns. He threw a few more smaller blades at the thing before kipping up to his feet and leaping onto a fire escape in an attempt to get some height on it. He glanced down the street, hoping to see someone with a gun. There was no way his little knives were going to take the beast down and he didn't want to get too close to it, even if he had his sword.

Hunter swore in surprise and, with a speed and agility that went beyond the realms of "normal," dodged the beast as he threw a few knives at it from each hand. His reflexes had always been quicker than most. It was almost as though he could sense things an instant before they happened. He drew his tanto, cursing under his breath that he had left the katana in his apartment.

Hunter walked down the hall toward the office of Agent Smith after having been relieved of his weapons. Even without them he was quite capable of taking on anyone with normal abilities and even a few extra-normals. He paused at the door before knocking.

"It's open," came the a reply in a a deep, hard voice.

"Hunter Black reporting as ordered, sir," Hunter stated as he opened the door and entered the office.

The man behind the desk was big. He had a few inches on Hunter and at lease fifty pounds of solid muscle. He was older too, probably by about ten years Hunter guessed. The man stood when he entered and motioned him toward a low chair in front of the desk.

"Have a seat," he stated. Hunter closed the door behind him and moved to the chair. He didn't like having his back to the door, but if anyone came in he would hear them enter.

"Formalities first," the man said. "Wrist." Hunter held out his left arm. The man pulled a small device from a desk drawer and waved it over his wrist. It beeped. The man glanced at it, nodded, then put it back.

"You don't know the kind of man I am, so I'll lay it out straight," he said, looking Hunter square in the eye. "You walked through that door of your own accord. That makes you part of my crew. I don't care what you've done or who you've done it for, the past stays in the past. In this office, we're about the future. You can expect me to deal with you fairly, truthfully, and with dignity. I expect the same from you in return. Integrity; that's my moto. I'm not going to watching you or spying on you. I trust my crew. I would like you to trust me in return, but I understand it that's a bit much to ask for right now. We'll take this a day at a time. Deal?"

"Yes, sir," Hunter said, wondering if he could take this man at his word. Agent Smith nodded.

"Let's see your phone," he stated. Hunter handed it to him. Agent Smith typed in some numbers, and then did something else with it.

"When it rings, answer it," he said. "That's how I'll get in touch with you. There is a bug in the phone, but you have control over it. Hit star and pound to activate or deactivate it." He demonstrated turning it on and off. Hunter frowned slightly. He had the feeling his handler had bugged it.

"You need to report here every Monday at 1400 hours for the sake of the higher-ups," Agent Smith continued. "Since today's Saturday, it'll count for next week. If I need you for something before then, I'll call." He tossed the phone back to him. "Any questions?"

"No, sir," Hunter replied. It had gone much smoother than he had anticipated. Agent Smith nodded.

"See you in a week then," he said, standing. Hunter stood, shook hands with the man, and left. He retrieved his weapons from the receptionist and decided to wander the city a bit before returning to the apartment complex.

Hunter smiled slightly before glancing at the card. It was a visitor badge.
"Agent Black is here," the receptionist said into an intercom. "Yes, I have it. Mmhmm. Yes. Alright, I'll let him know." Hunter clipped the badge to the lapel of his suit as the receptionist looked up at him.
"Agent Smith is waiting in his office," she told him. "Down the hall, third door on the left."
"Thank you, ma'am," Hunter said. He turned to go.
"Just a minute, young man," she stated. "He told me to check your weapons." Hunter sighed.
"This could take a while," he muttered. He began removing throwing knives from his sleeves, around his belt, and his shoes. The pile wasn't small. Then he added a boot knife and dagger from his left leg. Then he took of his jacket and removed the tanto from its sheath.
"Is that all?" the receptionist asked wryly.

Hunter sighed.
"I suppose in a way I've already made my choice," he stated, mostly to himself. "There's no going back now, even if I wanted to." He walked toward the buildings a bit more purposefully. This really was his best chance to get free from under the shadow he'd been living with his whole life. He entered the DSPA office building and the receptionist looked up at him.
"Can I help you, sir?" he questioned, eyeing Hunter suspiciously. Hunter reached into a pocket and handed him a sealed letter.
"I'm expected," he stated.

"I don't have much of a choice," Hunter muttered, mostly to himself. He found himself wishing, again, that he could disappear and find a normal life somewhere. But he had done that once already and they had made sure he couldn't disappear on them again. If he tried, they would find him, and then he would find himself back in prison. Likely for the rest of his life.

"I don't know," Hunter answered Nyte in a light tone. "It's a novel feeling for me. I suppose I'll have to let you know."
His steps slowed slightly as he saw imposing buildings rising on the horizon. He knew one of them contained the offices they were heading toward. He didn't know exactly what to expect when they got there, but he was sure he wasn't going to like it.