Chereads / Hunting Darwin I: Blood Winter / Chapter 2 - CHAPTER 2: STEPHEN STERN

Chapter 2 - CHAPTER 2: STEPHEN STERN

On Stephen's Point Of View:

As one of the finest hunters in the institute, I am expected to carry my duties on with passion and enthusiasm. Considering I was one of the top five S class hunters in the organization. My name is Stephen Stern, 21, working as an agent in Colossal, a society of bounty hunters working for the government to fight against the forces of supernatural creatures. My work was never simple, risking lives fighting for something that is barely known to humans. But in my years of service, I never missed a creature alive in almost every mission that I take.

The sound of boots dropping in formation dragged me out of my thoughts, as I stand together with the safekeepers around. My attention was drawn to the approaching general with the intel by his side.

"Attention lightkeepers", General McGregor stand with his chest puffed like a gorilla.

There are types of people in the institute, safekeepers, lightkeepers, harass and intels. Safekeepers are merely just soldiers that carry the mark of the organization, their duties are to roam around the city 24/7 for holistic protection. Lightkeepers are those who were tasked for a special mission which involved high risk and expertise. There are only few lightkeepers in the institute, only those who passed the stages of test and those who possesses an extraordinary gifts. Harass are those who were subject for conviction but was trained to become an assassin. They are usually captured supernatural creatures that were tortured and punished until they vow to work in the name of Colossal to fight against their own races. Harass are usually considered the lowest in the organization because they are controlled by chips embedded in their nape, which gives them the lock to be killed instantly when they tend to betray us. Lastly, there were these people called the intels. These circle of people are all detectives and spies. Their abilities are highly in demand because they dig up every small information that they could get in every supernatural creatures in suspect.

I was one of the lightkeepers, one of the Black Pentagram to be precise. Five most powerful and gifted lightkeepers in the organization. Some has a gift of clairvoyance, some had super senses while others have superhuman strength. But I, never knew what I really have. Sometimes, I really wonder why I became one of the Black Pentagram when all I have is a great tactics and nothing more.

"Today a dreadful news came in to us, Maldread was found dead by one of the safekeepers in the outskirts. Headless, but no sign of bites and scratches", The general went on with his news.

But I was so busy scanning through my mobile for news.

"According to one of our intels, the incident happened at 2 in the morning, no signs of bites and scratches. We believe that this wasn't a brawl or there was no physical fight between the two persons involved, just a one sided annihilation. But what kind of creature could actually do that? If you may ask. Well our investigations could only lead to one person", the general shifts through slides in his presentation.

The discussions went on but it didn't get my attention at all.

"Seems like the old man paved his way end", Gavin Seahut whispered on my back.

"Think so, he didn't even get a mission and had it validated before he went on. Too bad", I sighed at the thought of the death of one of our mightiest lightkeepers.

"But even though he survived, he wouldn't even get through the consequences of his actions. What a pain in the ass, good thing he's...", He stopped at my stares.

"Dude, don't say that. There must be something odd coming on his way that he ended up...you know...dead", I rolled my eyes at him and he gave me a tap in my back.

I was never paying attention to what the intel was saying about the details of Maldread's murder. But then Gavin, whispered another word with his head tilted on my side.

"You mean that's the odd that went on his way?", he gestured his brows to draw back my attention to the screen right in front of us.

Then I saw a face that I can't even explain. A dangerously wonderful face carved by angels in a velvet night. Just watching his facial and body features crumbled me into depths of my insecurities. How could a person be that perfect, like he's caught all the beauty in the world.

"Then we kill him...the blood winter, Darwin Frost", the only words I heard from the person talking in front. I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head.

The screen went black after a few moments and all I remembered was his face, the moniker and the name, Darwin Frost. I looked to see that some of my co-lightkeepers are making on their way out of the hall.

"Hey hey, what was that? I mean who was that?", I walked beside Gavin and he gave me a worried look.

"Dude what? You not paying attention?", He gave a weird look.

"What? Did you?", I frowned.

"Neither", He bragged his carelessness.

"Dude what the fuck! We need to know about that guy so we can carry on with the mission!We don't know what's coming for us", I slapped my forehead in pure disappointment.

We sat like fools at the empty chairs on the corner of the hall.

"So what do we do? We ask them? Of course not, they will accuse us of not paying attention and they decrease or credibility points", Gavin looked down acting and playing defeated.

"I mean it happened so fast, you were talking to me and I didn't hear what they had to say", I sighed once again.

But anyways, I will go on with this mission without knowing what it is. All I have is to focus on the objective and see it all done. Just like any other missions.

What if he is something we've never seen before?

The idea of what could possibly happen came rushing through my mind as we walked to our individual vaults. How can I possibly plot a technique when I don't even know how the subject moves and his abilities.

I spent half of the night analyzing and thinking over the possible scheme that the enemy has. Until I didn't what time is it then I spiralled drifting to my sleep.

I woke up to the morning alarm. Looked up to see the most horrifying thing that I've ever seen in my entire life, the clock pointing at 10:45 am. I shrugged myself up grumping like an old swine.

I took a sip of hot tea before putting my shirt on, looking down at the papers on my table. Scanning down, and trying to remember what I did last night. But a strange image caught my eye on the back of one of the papers.

"What the...", I slowly moved the thin sheets to reveal a familiar face on the drawing. Shocked to realize that I wasn't actually planning for a technique but I actually drew his face.

When did I start drawing his face? Darwin.