The man kicks her while she was down, continuing to stomp on her until she folds herself into a ball and begins to cry. "What are you doing?" The man said irritated.
"I can't do this," she wept. "I can't be like you are," she added.
"Is that what you're going to do when they return? Just lie down and cry and hope they leave you and your sisters alone?" The man said annoyed with the girl's behavior.
"Look at me Sasha," the man demanded. "You already stood back and watched as your mother was taken away," he stated.
"But dad --" the ecru-haired girl's thoughts are interrupted by a slap to the face. "You would call me master," he stated. "Now wipe your tears and get on your feet," he stated.
The girl sobs before standing on both feet. She wipes her tears and gets into her fighting stance. The girl disappears and standing in her place is Hunter.
...
Hunter blinks as his vision clears. He took in his surrounding and let out a small sigh. "Of course I'm in a hospital," he muttered.
"Hey," a voice called from beside him. Hunter looked up to see Camille.
"Hey," Hunter said.
"Jade would be with you soon. I thought I should keep you company in the meantime," she stated.
"How did I get here?" He asked.
"You walked into the bar absolutely battered," Camille stated. "I couldn't feel your energy back then ... You were on the brink of death,"
Hunter raised an eyebrow, "I feel like that last part is a reference," he stated.
Camille smiles. "Ooh, your girlfriend's coming back. She spent the night here during your stay," she stated.
'Goddamnit Sydney!' Hunter looks at the red-eyed woman, "how long was I here for?"
"Almost two weeks," she replied.
Camille rises to her feet. "I'll say goodbye but we'd be seeing each other again soon," she says. "Stay safe, Hunter Heffernan."
The woman walks out of the room and Hunter lets out a huge sigh. 'Waleed?'
[Hunter.]
'Finally! Where were you?!'
[That disguise artifact canceled our communication link]
'I see ... Did you at least see when I turned the guy's --'
[Yes. I'm sure Sydney would be proud]
'I told you the H --"
The door swings open and Zoe walks through it.
Hunter raised his eyebrows surprised, "Zoe! You spent the night here?!"
"You sound disappointed," the black-haired girl said sitting in the same seat Camille had gotten up from.
"Not disappointed just surprised. I didn't expect this from you; I thought you were one to not care what happened to others and mind their own business," Hunter stated.
"Well, I'm making this my business," Zoe said.
"Huh? Why?"
"Because I like you."
...
"You know, you looked miserable when they brought you in," Zoe said, "you should look after yourself more," she advised.
"Yeah, Yeah, I'll try my best but the council didn't make it easy for me," Hunter said.
"Yes ... All of this started because of the council assigning you to the Public Safety and Demon Control agency and now Merlin's disciples are after you," she stated.
"Huh?"
"Mr. Daniel told me what happened at the school the other day," she said.
'Sometimes I forget she's a teacher.'
"So, until the situation with the disciples blows over I'll be in --"
"I don't feel the same way," the sprite suddenly says.
"What?"
"You said you like me ... I don't feel the same about you," the sprite stated.
"Give me a break," the fiend scoffs. "I'm not asking you to marry me or something, I just have a crush on you, is all" she stated.
"Good," Hunter said nodding his head repeatedly. "So we good?
"Why wouldn't we be?"
...
Sometime later, Hunter walked out of the building after receiving a call from Jade who asked him to step outside.
"Looking good," Jade noted. "I must say it's getting tiring to always visit you at a hospital," she stated.
"Imagine how I feel," Hunter said.
"I remember telling you to run if things get too bad," Jade said.
"Didn't get the opportunity ... They recognized me from the Red College hit list. Jade ... I think I ki --"
"Thanks to you we were able to raid the harbor," Jade interjected.
"Were they actually trafficking people?"
"Yes," Jade replied.
"Doesn't that mean I got beat up for no reason? Like, aren't they now aware you and Camille had raided their ship?"
"Yes but we wouldn't have gotten the chance to check what was in the containers if they had called for backup," Jade explained.
"Oh, I see ..."
"You need to train some more," Jade stated.
"Not you too. Cut me some slack, I did the job, no? I'm not asking for a medal or anything, I just want a peaceful morning," Hunter said.
"It's actually afternoon," Jade stated.
"Oh, that must be the reason why."
"I actually wanted to talk to you about the Bureau," Jade started.
Hunter turned to face the vampire. "What about them?"
"How much do you know about them?" She asked.
Hunter shrugs. "Apart from the fact that they take your blood before you can be initiated? Not much," he stated.
"Well, the Bureau was formed to oversee all mystical groups and organizations to maintain peace and harmony between the human and mystic world," she stated.
"However," Jade continued, "Some countries decided to bolster their national security by adding mystic beings to their forces despite that being a violation of the Meridional Accord but we can't investigate those countries without ruining our relations with those countries. One country, in particular, placed a law that prevented The Bureau from operating in their country and also created a group called Homeland Security Service, the H.S.S. which, as the country says: serves as the domestic intelligence, security service, and federal law enforcement organization," she stated.
Hunter raised an eyebrow. "Why are you telling me all this?" He asked.
Jade hands a file to Hunter. "The H.S.S." she continued, "... is an organization in the Northland," she stated.
The sprite opened the file and he could feel his heart drop. René is an agent of the H. S. S.
"No, no, no," Hunter shakes his head, "this isn't right, René cannot be a spy," he denied.
"Come on Hunter, you know she is, you've always known, you just didn't want to believe it," Jade stated. "She's never been to any school because her family is poor and she was born in the Northland, how did she end up in the Met then?" Jade stated.
"René isn't a spy!" The sprite shouted. "This is all a misunderstanding. I'm sure there's a perfect explanation for all of this," Hunter said stepping out of the car and running away.
[Hunter, I know what you're planning]
'Don't even try to stop me.'
[I don't intend to. I am on your side Hunter, I always am and whatever you choose to do today, know that I'll support that decision. However, I want you to know something first]
'What is it?'
[René is a witch. Black magic-wielding one]
'Why can't I sense her powers then?'
[Masking spell, hides one energy. I can still sense it though]
'Why didn't you tell me this before?'
[It was her secret. The same way you didn't tell her you were a sprite. So, what's it going to be, Hunter?]
'I'm doing it.'
[Okay. There are several agents following you now, you'd lose them if you run. I can also make it so location spells can't find you if you'd like]
'Do it.'
...
Hunter attempts to knock on the door but it swings open with the slightest touch.
Hunter walked into the apartment, he looked around the room. The sprite walked over to a desk and picked up what was an airplane ticket to the Northland.
"Hunter?" René said from behind. The sprite set down the ticket and turned to face the Northlander.
"Excuse the mess, I didn't know you'd be coming," she said.
"I know you're a spy," He stated. "Codename: Blaze. Order: witch. Magic type: black. Serial number: 00765," he added before she can even think about denying it.
"Then why are you here?" René quizzed.
"Because I know that isn't who you are. I know you were forced into the H.S.S. from a very young age. I know what we feel for each other is real," he stated.
"H --"
"No, listen to me," he cuts her off. "René ... I'm tired. I'm tired of trying really hard and still coming up short. I'm tired of people trying to exploit my abilities. I'm tired of running ... I'm tired of this mystic world and I know you are too, I know you are just like me," he stated. "I want to run away ... From everything and everyone ... I want you to come with me."
The door swings open and Elise, René's roommate walks through it, "Sis, there's a --" the lady stops eyeing the sprite before turning to the witch. "What's with the tension in here?" she asked.
"He knows I was spying on him," René stated.
"Ah ..."
Hunter's eyes widen and he turned to face Elise but before he could move, she takes out a dagger and slices his tendons before bouncing the blade off the ground to René who catches it and slits his throat.
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