A Hunter's Blood: The Crimson Contracts

Drakx wanted to get dressed in his Hunter gear. It was too small. Kimi built him stronger, and larger than he had ever been. The only thing that still fit was his trench coat. That was a good thing since it was the only thing he couldn’t just get off the rack. He was tired of wearing sweats. Yes, they fit because of the elastic, but he didn’t want to wear them when he came back to his job. Kimi understood how important his appearance was going to be. She went to the Consumer Zone to purchase more clothes for him. As he waited, and wondered what kind of terrible garments she would get, he ran through his next steps to finishing the DNAccidents for good.

He knew the only resource he had was at the Guild. Every profile of them was on hard archival memory. He had to get back there, and study those files. He hoped there was some information in them to help him recapture them. Unfortunately, the information was scarce. He was glad he had Kimi with him. She was his x-factor. He had no doubt that with her, he would find them.

His drive to Erad the DNAccidents had changed. Killing them for the Guild didn’t seem nearly as poignant as killing them to stop the order that kept screaming in his mind. Knowing this was the only way to stop it was motivation enough. Knowing they destroyed his home only to call him out, was enough to keep his drive razor straight. This was bigger than his desire. It was bigger than getting justice. It had to be done. He still couldn’t explain why. He just knew it was necessary.

He had wondered what his fellow Hunters at the Guild would think when they saw him again. Would they be surprised he was alive? Would they have wished for his well-being? Would they even care if he was missing for as long as he had been? Those questions danced in his mind as Kimi opened the door, and came inside with several bags.

“You are hard to shop for,” Kimi said, breathing heavy.

“I just asked for standard clothing,” he was surprised at what she said.

“That is the problem! Nobody wants standard clothing anymore,” she replied as she placed the bags on the table. “Without any form of style, your request practically does not exist. Being as plain as you want to be has become a luxury.”

Drakx was taken aback from her comment. “What? Being normal has become a premium?”

Kimi wanted to kid him about his age, so she said, “As premium as that popular form of technology for housing music in the twentieth century, eight track tapes. I am sure you probably had a collection of those gems.”

Drakx didn’t smile. He felt old enough due to her. “Cool it. Nobody likes a smart-ass, and you’re slated to be the smartest ass in history, you might not have any friends any time soon. Now, what did you get me?”

Kimi knew he got her, and changed the subject quickly. She decided to let him think he had the upper hand, and answer his latter question. She knew she would get him back later. He left it open way too often. She answered him by opening the bags.

“This is the best I could come up with.” She seemed to apologize to him. “They should fit you without alteration.”

Drakx looked at the garments. They were a plain, flat Earth tone. They had a few subdued, Asian prints of the symbols of peace, and confidence sparingly across the garments.

“What the hell is this flashy, trendy crap?” he blurted out in disbelief.

It was Kimi’s turn to own the disbelief card. “You call this plain, bland outfit ’flashy? A dead person would call this lifeless!”

“What’s with all those squiggly lines?” he asked her in a state of disapproval.

“Those ‘lines’ are the ancient kanji symbols for peace, and confidence. I know you are just the blandest human ever to inhabit these worlds, but my God, add at least a little salt for flavor!”

“Salt is bad for you...” he began. Kimi had enough of his adolescent protests.

“Oh, just shut up, and put it on!”

Drakx paused for a second, looking down at the outfit. He knew it was the only thing they had that would fit. He also began to realize his protest was microscopic compared to what they had to do. He picked up the outfit with a single hand, and held the boxes in his fist.

“Understand, I’m only putting this on because we need to get moving. Just note my disgust, and irritation so you won’t do this again.”

Kimi was becoming very irked with him. She calmed herself before answering him. She finally came to the conclusion he was an impossible child when it came to his wardrobe. “I will make note of it, now put it on.”

Drakx walked into the bathroom to shower, and shave. When he was complete, he reluctantly donned the ‘flashy’ gear. He looked at himself in the mirror, and was slightly surprised.

Kimi was a whole lot better at synchronizing a commanding, great look for him than he gave her credit for.

I don’t think I’ve ever looked this good, he thought to himself, as he posed in the mirror, I guess she was right, but then, when I think about it, when is she ever wrong?

He walked out of the bathroom with a humbling pride, and a smile.

“Why are you smiling?” Kimi asked him about his confusing look.

“I look damn good,” he said with the grin painting his face.

Kimi wanted to desperately understand his erratic behavior. She finally began to ask him, “So you went in there screaming, and silently cursing my existence, oh, I know you cursed me! Do not try to deny it! Now you look GOOD?! Why are you tormenting me? I have treated you with the utmost respect! A paradox is the only thing that will drive me mad, and you are that morbid paradox! Why am I even trying to attempt giving you any harmony when you have none? You have no style, no gratitude! You have nothing that even resembles compassion! I just...”

Drakx put his hand on her wrist, and put his finger to his lips. He stopped her rant in mid-sentence. “Even with your intellect, you can’t listen when you are talking that damn much. You won’t even hear me when I say I’m sorry, so why should I even try?”

Kimi was silent with disbelief. He was apologizing? She hoped The Prince of Darkness packed a parka for this one. She decided to remain silent. She didn’t want to taint this rare, momentous event.

“You’ve taken care of me from the night I met you,” he began. “You’ve rebuilt me into an amazing fighter, I would have been too blind with rage to even try to attempt it. You’ve kept me centered, and sane in this insane situation. Teryn was right. You are good for me. I’m sorry for my juvenile protests. I just want to say thank you,” he admired to her his sincerity.

Kimi was expecting a simple ‘sorry’, not the revealing of his soul. She didn’t know how to cope with what she had just heard. Emotions were not her strong point. She didn’t want to destroy his sincerity, by trying to manufacture a shallow attempt at an emotion, so she said nothing. Drakx knew how tough it was for her to hear what he said. He decided to aid her by changing the subject.

“I know you have bought yourself an amazing outfit. Go put it on, and let’s get moving,” he said, hoping to get her back on track.

She was glad he was a master at killing uncomfortable silences. “I will be back in a minute.”

“Take your time,” he said to her with an unspoken undertone of urgency. “No rush.”

Kimi read his tone as clearly as if he screamed it to her. She turned to enter the bathroom with her bags in hand. She felt a strange elation from him, as she closed the door. She felt him stare at her before the door shut. For some reason, she sensed the smile on his face. When she looked in the mirror, she surprised herself when her image reflected the same smile she imagined on Drakx’ face.

Drakx subconsciously agreed with her feeling, but had to mentally prepare himself for the task ahead. It required discipline, stamina, and patience. The toughest traits of will for most humans, but he was ready. He had a game plan to execute, and admiration for the person who saved your life wasn’t part of it. He had to subdue his feelings for the moment, and had hoped to immerse himself in enjoyment later. Now business was paramount.

Kimi opened the bathroom door, and stood in the doorway. She didn’t help his mindset in the least.

She wore a sheer skirt that suggested her perfect figure underneath. It contoured, and caressed her thighs. It cut off just above her knee. Her legs were perfect also. They smoothly plunged to the floor. Her blouse excelled in accenting her beauty as well. She needed no make-up. Her beauty was natural, so she didn’t have to augment it in any way. She didn’t even know of her beauty, which made her more beautiful. Drakx had to remember to close his mouth before his jaw gouged a divot out of the floor. He quickly caught himself, and closed it.

“Are you ready?” Kimi asked the stunned Drakx. “What? Why are you looking at me like that? Is there toilet paper on my shoe?” she asked him, looking back at the bottom of her heel.

“Uh... no! No. You’re alright,” he quickly tried to cover his expression. “You ready? Good. Let’s go.”

Kimi paused for a second. He was acting strange. Stranger than he normally acted. As curious as she was, she dismissed it to focus on their task, but she made a mental note of his bizarre actions. If he repeated them, she would immediately interrogate him.

“I modified the systems of your car to make them more efficient,” she told him as she began to walk towards the door.

Drakx was relieved he dodged that bullet aimed at his forehead. As long as he didn’t repeat stupidity, he believed she would let it pass. He was occupied with his thought when Kimi spoke to him. It finally registered what she said.

“What did you do to my car?!” he asked, waiting for the horror.

“Your security system was non-effectively primitive. A rookie thief could have stolen your vehicle. I improved that, as well as your ignition system,” she explained without expression.

This was going to be an important lesson for her. Being the most intelligent person in the worlds, without any experience of normal human idiosyncrasies made this lesson important enough for her. This was when she found out that no matter how much better his car was, she shouldn’t have touched it without permission.

“You fucked with my car?!” he accused her. “Did I tell you to fuck with my car?!” Before she could compose herself from her surprise, he answered for her. “NO! But you fucked with it anyway! I don’t care how beautiful, and smart you are, you DO NOT fuck with a man’s car!”

Kimi didn’t know how to react. All she did was make his car better. Why was he so angry with her? She couldn’t respond to his rant. It was too irrational for her. She remained quiet as they walked to the car. She hoped her modifications would speak highly for her.

Drakx couldn’t believe she had crossed the line like that. He thought any woman would have known a man’s biggest rule. Then he remembered. She wasn’t any woman. She was only two years old. And with all that record keeping, she couldn’t have known. He had to become more understanding. He was eager to forgive her for two reasons. He knew he was wrong, point blank. He had also called her beautiful to her face. He just promised himself never to slip like that anymore. With all the yelling on his part, it was glossed over. He knew she wasn’t going to let him slide too much longer. He wanted to like these modifications so he could seamlessly change the subject, and tone.

They walked towards the car silently. As Drakx moved to the driver’s side, and pulled out his keyless entry, Kimi spoke.

“You do not need to use that anymore, just put your hand on the handle,” she said in a despondent way.

Drakx was confused, but curious. He didn’t know what to expect. He placed his hand on the handle, and waited anxiously. In two seconds, the vehicle became unlocked. As he marveled at how effortless that was, she opened the door, and sat in the passenger side. He caught himself, and quickly entered the driver’s side. He closed the door, and waited for Kimi to instruct him on the ignition upgrade. He became anxious, and excited, as Kimi just sat there. She said nothing. Drakx was becoming impatient. He had no clue how to start his car. Kimi knew, but didn’t speak a word of instruction.

Drakx thought, what is she waiting for? She knows I have no idea how to get this thing started! She’s just sitting there, quiet as the sound of space! Why is she that pissed at me? She didn’t ask to modify a thing! Now she’s pissed because I’m pissed at her?! Women have no rational logic no matter how intelligent they are! So, I guess we just sit here, looking like morons who lost the keys, and aren’t smart enough to get up and look for them! I’m glad this is a private area so we don’t look this stupid to anyone on the street! She is really beginning to piss...

“Tell your car to start,” Kimi interrupted his silent rant.

“What?” he asked her with a disjointed glare.

“You do not need keys to start the vehicle,” she said in a cold, even tone. “Your voice will activate your vehicle. It will only recognize your voice. You can tailor it to respond to other people that you trust, but for now, only you can get it mobile.”

Drakx thought about how intricate this programming must have been. He forgot about his mental bitch out. He wanted to try it out.

He leaned forward, and spoke into the steering wheel. “START!” he yelled into the wheel. The car’s ignition sparked, and it began to purr in eager anticipation.

“Your voice recognition command is omnipresent, and works with your prior voice recognition feature. You do not have to yell, or talk into any special part of the vehicle,” she said with the same cold tone. “Do not scream into the steering wheel. People will give you holo-cards for their therapist if you keep doing that.”

Quiet came across the car once more. Just the humming of an engine eager to begin running. Drakx interrupted the engine’s eagerness with a startling, loud laugh.

Kimi jumped away from him as he burst out, startled. She wondered what made him so irrationally insane so quickly.

Drakx slowed his laughing fit, and looked over to a disturbed, irritated Kimi.

“Thank you for modifying my car,” he told a surprised Kimi. “You really did an amazing job.”

Kimi canted her head in a bewildered tilt. She was beginning to realize human males were irrational, and illogical. She would never understand them. She had to ask the question that was picking her brain to mush.

“If you were as angry at me as your actions portrayed, why have you changed your attitude midstream, and ‘thank’ me?” she asked with that same confused look.

An awkward look for a person who had known everything she’d experienced since inception of life.

“You’re damned funny when you want to be,” Drakx answered her with a light laugh.

Kimi was more confused than ever. “Funny? What was funny? I don’t feel very humorous at this point.”

Drakx leaned toward her, and placed his hand on her knee. “Aw c’mon! That ‘therapist’ thing was some funny shit! Well, it made me crack up.”

Kimi looked at his hand on her knee. Drakx didn’t think about her reaction. He kept a smile on his face to hide the uncomfortable feeling he was getting. He hoped he hadn’t angered her any farther. He dare not take it off for fear of drawing more attention to it. Quiet drenched the cabin once more.

The next thirty seconds were as excruciating for him as the restaurant. No one moved. His imagination was making the situation much worse than it could ever have been.

Kimi rescued him from his agony. She cracked a smile. She pulled the weight of a supertanker off of his back. She began to chuckle. Drakx accompanied her with his own laughter. They were sharing the first light moment they’ve had since they met.

“Yes, that was a bit anecdotal,” she said to him.

“Call the authorities. Kimi just lost that stick that had been inhabiting her ass!” he joked with her as he nonchalantly removed his hand.

“I am not that uptight!” she exclaimed, and playfully punched him in his arm, noticing how he removed his hand.

“Alright, we have to get serious now,” Drakx changed the subject. “They haven’t seen me in almost a year. They think I’m dead.”

“Technically you were. They think Sensus killed you from your first essence chip download. They are, literally, your old life,” she replied.

“They won’t believe that. I don’t believe it, and I was there!” he said as he began to drive to the Guild.

Kimi wanted to comfort him. She said, “Just go to your supervisor, what is her name?”

“Erin Jordan, just call her supervisor. That’s her name to the Hunters,” he revealed to her.

“Just speak with her. She respected you enough as a Hunter to aid you in your subterfuge. She will help you with getting our new information,” she said with confidence.

“You don’t know her. I wasn’t her ‘favorite’,” he said, as he did the air quote gesture with his fingers.

Kimi looked confused about human behavior once more.

“You were her best Hunter. You have eclipsed most of the records there. Aside from your App file, and you were sent to go after the DNAccidents. Why would you not be her preferred Hunter?”

Drakx began to understand one thing Sonext couldn’t do. Create a program to decipher human quirks, or personalities. Kimi didn’t know why. It wasn’t her fault. Another obstacle conquered by experience. It would just take a while for her to learn. He had to answer her, otherwise, she would keep asking until his ears fell off. Since he didn’t agree to insanity within their partnership, he answered.

“Erin is a bitch, that’s why,” he said very directly, and simply.

Kimi stared at him, wide eyed, as he kept his gaze forward. She wanted to ask why he would say that about a fellow Hunter. Why say that about a Hunter with just as many awards as he? Why say that about his supervisor...

Starting her learning process on human behavior caught her in mid thought. As much of a stubborn, strong willed man as he was, having any supervisor, unqualified, or as qualified as Erin was, caused friction for him. She turned her head to look at the road. She remained quiet. For the remainder of the drive, there were no words. As they parked the vehicle, Drakx spoke again.

“We’re here. Now what? How are we going to get the intel we need?” he queried Kimi.

“Go in as a Hunter,” she replied. “You still have authorization.”

“Not the problem,” Drakx clarified his question. “Those files are locked in archives after they are completed. The supervisor is the lowest authorized security assessor. I have, by standards, been terminated. She won’t help me.”

“Stop your arrogant speculation,” Kimi was becoming fed up. “You will not know unless you go and ask for assistance.”

Drakx wanted a back up to this first plan. He was so sure it wouldn’t work. An alternate course of action was important.

“And when she kicks me out of her office, then what?”

Kimi impatiently raised her voice, “Then find me ANY computer in the Guild. I will hack it for the intelligence! Since you were a Hunter, I thought you would want to do this legally, but if you want to break the law, then we will do it that way! Your choice.”

Again, she was right. He was adamant about upholding the law. As much as he didn’t believe the first plan would work, he wasn’t a criminal.

“Let’s go see the supervisor,” he said.

“Show me the way, Hunter,” Kimi told him with a bit of satisfaction in her voice.

Drakx got out of the car. Kimi followed him into the Guild. As they walked up the stairs, he said to her, “Stop calling me Hunter. I don’t hold that position anymore.”

“I am just trying to get you in the right mindset to talk to the supervisor,” she said, trying to keep him positive.

“You’re right about one thing,” he said. “Let me do all the talking from now on. They, at least, know me. Just pretend you’re an alien that speaks only Dfgnkanese.”

“Shut up, and let you work, got it,” she said with a smile creeping across her lips.

They walked to the door, and Drakx was able to enter through a DNA, and fingerprint scan. He was glad they didn’t opt for the retinal scan. His old eyes collapsed on themselves, and he didn’t believe his retinas would be an exact match anymore. Remembering that night refocused him like a laser. He had to keep on task, and complete it.

After The Brainwave Anti-hostage Conformation Check was done, the door unlocked.

“Well, T-BACC’s complete, we’re cleared,” Drakx said as if she knew what that meant.

“Tee back? What is a ‘Tee back’?” she asked with a clueless look on her face.

“It’s a scan to make sure you’re not high jacking me for break in.” he replied.

“Well, I see your keys still work in the lock. I knew they would not terminate you,” she said.

Without missing a beat, Drakx said, “All present and former Hunters have full access to The Guild. They have some loyalty at least. We’re almost in. Remember, Dfgnkanese.”

They walked through the door to the receiving desk. Agent Warnes was at the desk. The look on his face portrayed his reaction with viewing an apparition. He never knew how accurate he was.

“Agent Slazakohn? Drakx? What in the worlds happened to you?” he asked in amazement.

“You don’t want to know, Barik,” Drakx replied to a fellow Hunter he hadn’t seen in many months.

He smelled the dank mildew creeping across the walls. He heard a fugitive curse the Hunter who Apped him. He felt the muggy atmosphere weighing on his ability to breathe. He cracked a smile. He was home.

“I’m escorting this fugitive to the Planetary Deportation Area. She’s a Dfgnk,” he told Barik, thumbing at Kimi over his shoulder.

“Another dumb ass Dfgnk,” Barik scoffed at her. “That whole backwards species needs to buy a vowel!”

“Bingo,” Drakx quipped, as he pointed his finger at Barik in a gun fashion, and clicked his thumb like the hammer.

Barik pushed the Bacterial Scanner key. After they were cleared of contaminates, he accessed the entrance lock.

“’K buddy, you and it’s clean. Welcome back to ‘The Steel Grinder’,” he said smiling at both of them. “Damn good to see ya.”

“Damn good to be seen,” Drakx said as he walked to the entrance, pulling Kimi behind him.

They walked through the door to a gray, lifeless hallway. As they walked to the main entrance, Kimi whispered,

“Why did you portray me as the most mentally challenged species we know of, when you know my intelligence far exceeds the mental capacity of the smartest species we know?”

Drakx never looked back at her. He kept walking, and whispered back, “Reason one is because I didn’t want to put you in the position of explaining anything. No one here knows Dfgnk, so you don’t have to speak. Number two is you’re trying to learn human behavior. Humility is something many humans don’t understand. If you learn it, the rest will be easier. For now, let’s address the prior reason. We’re about to enter, shut up.”

Kimi remained quiet, but if she could’ve responded, his feelings would’ve been in ICU. She said nothing as her stare began to burn the back of his neck.

Drakx entered the main processing area with Kimi. There was much noise. A cacophony of confusion. Every other Hunter was busy with an aspect of their duty. Nobody noticed his entrance. He scoped the area, and understood he wasn’t the most important person there, but to not notice him after his extended absence slightly scratched his pride. He walked to a Hunter who was hunched over her desk. She didn’t notice him because she was so immersed in the task she was trying to conquer.

Drakx spoke to her. “Jheris, is the supervisor in?”

Jheris looked up with extensively divided attention. When she saw Drakx looking down at her, attention became extremely pinpointed in his direction.

“Oh fuck! Drakx?! You’re still breathing?! What the fuck happened to you?!” she asked with her own uniquely colorful language. Before he got a chance to answer, Jheris stood up, and yelled to the Hunters, “Hey! Shut the fuck up, and looked what the cat just dragged in! Drakx is back!”

Once everyone saw Drakx, the room became silent. The fugitives also knew of the legend. Even they remained silent.

The ego stroke did him well. He had a smile emanating from behind his eyes as he spoke aloud to them.

“I’m just looking for the supervisor!” he yelled, holding his open hands above his head. “Is she in?”

“Agent Slazakohn, get in here, NOW!” an agitated voice exploded from the open door of the supervisor’s office. Drakx swallowed the pit in his throat involuntarily.

Everyone was startled as they swung their attention to the supervisor’s office. After her outburst, they refocused on Drakx. Many felt pity for their fellow Hunter. Pity, and relief they weren’t in his position.

Drakx pushed his discomfort to the side as he grabbed Kimi by the arm, and made his way towards the teeth of the Tyrannosaurus.

Everyone remained silent, as they watched him walk. He felt like he was the star of a public execution. He kept moving. As he walked to his ass-chewing, he glanced at a few of his fellow Hunters. They all looked back at him as if to say.

“I don’t wish this on a stranger, let alone, you.”

He looked back, as if to say, “I feel your compassion. Just pray for me.”

Kimi followed behind him. Although she knew they needed Intel from Agent Jordan, she knew it wasn’t going to be pretty.

As Drakx got to the door, he paused for a slight instant. He squeezed Kimi’s hand, and walked in to face the music. Agent Jordan was about to conduct a symphony.

“Where have you been, and who the hell is that?!” Agent Jordan asked him, while standing behind her desk. The look of irritation was the largest object in the room.

“I’ve been hunting my latest target, and she is helping me, Sir,” he said very curtly.

“You don’t take this long to hunt anybody, and having someone else helping you? BULLSHIT! Now you will report very concise this time, or so help me, I will boot your ass out of here!” She was becoming angrier with each word.

“No bullshit, Sir,” he started.” She is helping me, and Sensus is still alive. So are her brothers.”

Agent Jordan stopped in disbelief. “Am I hearing you correctly, Hunter? You just said they are alive. I know you Eradded them all.”

“I did, Sir,” he responded. “Sensus can E.L.C.A.R.R., and re-animate.”

Agent Jordan began to deduct this new information. “Since you Eradded them...”

“She Eradded me, and brought me back six times, Sir,” he completed her thought.

Agent Jordan knew you could bring back only one of the murdered victims in an E.L.C.A.R. It was confusing to her how the rest were brought back. “How could she bring back more than one?” she asked him, trying to believe this surreal scenario.

Kimi spoke up. She knew Drakx would not be able to explain. “Sensus was able to manipulate organic matter, to recreate their bodies to rehouse their essences. She just needed Drakx to trigger those particular events. He was just a catalytic prompt.”

Jordan kept her eyes on Drakx. Not looking at Kimi, she asked him, “What just spoke in my direction, somehow, believing I spoke to it first? What is it doing in my office anyway?”

Drakx defended Kimi. “Sir, her name is Kimi, and she helped me, I’m standing in your office right now because of her.”

Agent Jordan knew this was different for Drakx. He never wanted anyone to help him. “What does he have on you that is making you help him? Yes, I am speaking to you.”

Kimi didn’t want to speak to her anymore. She was called an ‘it’ by this woman. Anger was coming more naturally for her. She didn’t want such a negative emotion be the first intricate one she mastered. She mentally pushed that feeling aside, and thought, I will not let anger rule my emotions. I am above that. I will just answer the question of this rude, manners challenged idiot.

She looked at Jordan, and said, “I was targeted by The Solution, and Drakx helped me by Eradicating the Rectifier. I believe I owe him some gratitude.”

“You Eradded the Rectifier?!” Jordan asked Drakx.

Before he could correct Kimi’s explanation, Kimi interrupted him.

“The Rectifier is dead. I believe he was a twig in your eye. Not anymore. That is why I am helping him,” she said without lying. She didn’t want to knock Drakx down. By all means, he did stop Teryn.

Agent Jordan was impressed. It was an impossible task he had executed. She remembered, she almost died taking on one of the lower Solution men. To take on one of their bigger warriors, and win, was unimaginable.

“Where’s his body?” Erin asked, with a natural doubt emanating from her.

Drakx paused before telling her. He still felt the sting of the realization of his brother’s nameless, blank finality.

“He is sharing anonymity with a couple million others in the Void Belt, Sir,” he said very somberly.

“Well, in death he got lucky,” Jordan began. “Yesterday, that eccentric freak, Cercian, rounded up those nameless people. In a gesture of ‘what the hell’, and paid for all of them to be properly laid to rest. I think people amass large amounts of money so they can afford their psychosis.”

Braniff had held up his end of the transaction. Drakx was satisfied enough to keep his end held. He kept Braniff’s covert persona intact.

“Yeah, the rich are weirdoes, Sir,” he replied.

Kimi figured out the conclusion to Drakx and Braniff’s conversation. Drakx had to be believable enough for Braniff to do this outrageous gesture. Drakx’s brother was important enough to him to risk his life for his dead body. She knew the rest of the meeting, so she kept quiet.

“The only reason I won’t terminate your career is your luck, Hunter.” Jordan said, and under her breath, she spoke just loud enough for him to hear. “And, you’re a damned good Hunter.”

Drakx smiled inside while maintaining a serious outer appearance. He had been waiting to hear her say that ever since she began heading The Hunter’s Guild. It just took him dying seven times, and realizing the devastating truth about his brother to hear her say it.

“Thank you, Sir,” he acknowledged her compliment. “I need one more favor from you, Sir.”

“I just had to eat shit for you, and you want more?!” Jordan asked in disbelief. Then she thought about the amazing task he completed. He made her respect him enough to aid him. “Fine, Hunter. I’ll put this ‘favor’ in the bank, and collect on it when I want to. Remember, you will always owe me. What do you want?”

Drakx understood her posturing. Being the ‘alpha’, she had to flex. He was still smiling from the compliment, so she didn’t faze him.

“I need you to access archival files on the DNAccidents,” he requested. “I have to find them again. Have to do that ‘detecting’ crap, Sir. You are the closest I know with clearance.”

You’re asking me to make you work harder, and risk your life again?! Their contracts are, legally, complete. You don’t need to go after them again,” she said in a questioning tone.

“Sir, it’s way bigger than any legal statute. It has gotten personal,” Drakx told her with intensity in his look.

“You know you don’t make any contract personal. Vendettas get you killed,” she reminded him to keep his head.

“I’ve died before. My fear of it has been diminished,” he said. “I won’t die. My persona will not allow it. Don’t ask me to explain. Please, Sir. Please Erin, I need your help.”

Agent Jordan was speechless. If he called her by her first name, it had to have been important. Her authoritative manner dissolved. Her attitude changed, and she felt an unspoken urge to help her best Hunter.

“Follow me to archives, Drakx,” she said. “Kimi, this is a death sentence if he doesn’t remain professional in this. You said you owe him? Well, it’s time to pay back with interest. I don’t know what you do, but if you can bring him to me with an ounce of respect, you’re good. Just bring him back again.”

Kimi asked a very important question. “So, you care about him as well?”

“I care about my Guild’s record. It wouldn’t be easy beating the others without my ringer,” Jordan told her bluntly.

Kimi nodded to her in the ‘Okay, sure’ way, thinking how horrible our species was at lying.

Jordan knew how transparent and lame her answer was. She also saw Kimi silently agreed her answer was complete bullshit. As they walked to archives, Agent Jordan said under her breath,

“Just bring him back.”