"Allen..! What brings you to my humble abode?" Hunter asked with exaggerated cheeriness.

How the hell did you find it, let alone get in??

His boss stared at him for a moment then sighed, "What happened last month Hunter?"

"I don't know? What're you talking about.. Last month? Did I fuck something up again?" He asked, seeming genuinely perplexed.

An act in truth.

The man watched him for a moment before relenting, "You really are a problematic expensive investment you know?"

Hunter shrugged.

"And you honestly don't know what I'm talking about?"

"No, not a clue.."

"Oh lord. Okay, let's refresh our memory." Steepling his hands behind his head he took in a breath. "Say, does Annabelle ring a bell?"

Hunter gazed blankly at the man and he sighed, getting straight to the point.

"You let yourself slip— don't give me that look you bloody idiot, you let yourself be seen, by a girl no less." Allen said as anger creeped into his voice.

Oh shit yeah.. I thought he'd've forgotten.

"I didn't do it on purpose.. You know that. I'm not stupid"

"Oh so now you remember? Well if you—" He dragged his hand through his hair in frustration, "She had a gang! You could have died!"

Hunter glared at the man coldly. "I would not have died, I couldn't have. That's why I'm to quote, 'an expensive investment'."

Allen flinched but remained silent.

"So what did you expect me to do other than what I did. Taking lives is what I do isn't it? You said so yourself."

It doesn't count though. It doesn't count. If I can't smell the blood or hear the screams, it doesn't count. It doesn't count. It doesn't count.

Allen glared, "Yes. That is your job, but it won't be for long if you get found out will it?! And I can not have you found out," he stabbed at Hunter's chest, "If you are, we will both get fired from the department."

Startled by the sudden aggressive contact he glared and batted the man's hand away. This man had no right to threaten him. 

No right to wave his authority at his face.

Sure a contract is a contract and contracts shouldn't be broken, but this shitty attitude wasn't gonna get him to do shit.

"Don't touch me." He said, a vicious grin dragging through his face as Allen's face went pale. "I'll get that done after my actual assignment"

"Okay fine." the man snapped with rigid composure.

"Leave. I'll call you when I need to." Hunter dropped the violence and went back to his former cheery self. "Bye Allen! It was nice seeing you again.!"

Asswipe.

And with that he turned and walked back into the house, leaving the stunned man behind.

But before he moved away he re-opened his mind, and since he was already expecting the thoughts of his friends he sighed.

Well shit Orion, who knew you liked— Ohh naughty Caddy, I didn't lick you only for you to fantasize how far I could—

Ah.. Found you..

Filtering them out, he got through them and into the mind he needed. Extending his mind so that it encased the man walking away, Hunter listened.

'This boy is going to be trouble..' Naturally.

'His ability to complete any set task is unparalleled,' Undoubtedly so.

'But he is dangerous,' Clearly.

'A monster with the ability to alter his face to please, or alter it to destroy the things around him. Destruction will be his downfall..'

Startled by the deep conviction in the man, Hunter's mind clenched and pulled away, but not before he heard the man think about a sudden headache.

Shaking off the feeling of anger that was riding up his system, he walked back to his friends. Caddy refused to look at him and Orion looked dejected.

"Caddy, come on. I know you're not mad—" He stifled a smirk when he recalled her thoughts, "—so stop pretending."

Caddy flushed and rolled her eyes, "Fine, but that was still mean."

"Okay. And Orion, drop it. Your wounded face doesn't affect me at all." Hunter sighed, "Now can the two of you fuck off before I decide to ignore you and forget that we're friends?"

Caddy blanched, "That was.. That was rude." She couldn't seem to put her anger and shock into any other words, Orion fared better.

"Damnit Hunter. I know this is gonna be hard, but you gotta meet us halfway!"

Hunter had every mind to glare and end this stupidity because he could tell this was the make or break situation that wouldn't come back.

The logical part of him, the part that made him the heartless and efficient thing that he was, told him to end it. To save them from the pain before they could feel it.

But that small whispering in the back of his head, that tiny part of him that yearned for this, that didn't want to be alone anymore, called out to him. Pleading.

...

Orion could see the war raging in the boy in front of him. But he had made up his mind. He would not fight for the friendship of a boy who couldn't meet him halfway.

If Hunter didn't want his help, he wouldn't beg him to take it. He had that much self respect.

...

Hunter gasped as he relented. He wanted to take this chance. It was selfish but he wanted this so bad it physically hurt him.

"Fine. I will try." Hunter spat out, and he saw both Orion and Caddy untense and smile.

"Good. Anyways, we'll see you at school." Then the two of them left and Hunter groaned. This would be a very problematic year.

And that was a very problematic understatement..

Dragging a hand through his hair, he walked and gazed around at the now fully un-boxed lounge room.

He was glad he chose a big house, it would give him time to ignore the world— the truth was that he was fully prepared to get lost getting down from floor to floor.

Taking a theatrically deep breath he strode to the center of the room and spread his arms out, sweeping them around as if welcoming a crowd.

"Today dear friends! Is the day I begin my quest of—" He glanced at his phone "—OH FUCK"

Scrambling around the room for his badge he mentally slapped himself really hard in the face. He had completely forgotten that he had work.

Stupid Allen had to drop by just then hadn't he.

Shaking his head angrily Hunter pulled up the coordinates that had been sent to him and groaned when he realized he'd have to sprint.

His arm was throbbing consistently and had now surpassed from pleasure to absolute annoyance.

Ignoring it for the time being, he grabbed the rest of his necessities; meaning gum, knives, contacts, hair dye and now the gate card as well as the house keys.

Shoving everything in a bag and pinning on the badge, he snatched up a mask and tore out of the house, only barely locking the door behind him.

I really have to get a car. Or if not, at least a goddamn bike.

Leaving the gate he swiped the card, bolting away as it slowly closed and locked itself. At least he wouldn't have to worry about anyone getting inside.

Again.

...

Silently he tracked through the streets, keeping in the shadows of the late evening bustle.. He was a shadow and the world was his cover.

As he passed a bakery the smell of hot bread wafted out coursing through the air around him making him falter.

As he looked in he caught a glimpse of dark hair and did a double take as he passed the shop. It seemed strikingly familiar.

Checking his phone for the time, he reckoned if he was gonna be late, he might as well make the eleven minutes fifteen.

Slowing to a stop he walked back to the bakery and peered inside, looking for that same dark shock of hair that stood out so obviously from the pastel of the bakery.

There was nothing.

Perplexed, Hunter cautiously walked inside and towards the girl at the front. She seemed young and inexperienced, her eyes flitting from him to the phone next to her sporadically.

Cocking his head in confusion towards her apparent fear he glanced behind him. There was no one there.

Turning back to her he squinted, trying to figure out what was scaring her. Just when he was about to give up he caught his reflection on the glass.

Ohh haha. Shit.

He looked like a complete creep, with his mask on, his eyes squinting as if he could barely see and his hood up.

"Oh dear, my apologies," he said as he pulled down his mask and lifted the hood off of his head. Running a hand through his hair he walked up to her.

"Didn't mean to look like a creep.."

She gazed suspiciously at him for a moment then seemed to relax when she believed he was not a threat.

That was a mistake on your part little miss. You can't take a stranger's word so quickly without second guessing his or her motives..

I could kill you— I won't of course, but I definitely could.

So that trusting attitude towards me was a big mistake of character.. A very dangerous mistake indeed.

"No th-that's okay I shouldn't have judged you straight.. Straight away.." She cleared her throat as her face heated up.

Oh I see the issue. My face is throwing charms again.

Tugging the hood back down on his hair he smiled, "was there by any chance a person with dark hair in here before me?"

The girl blanched for a moment but shook her head.

He knew she was lying but when he glanced at the time, he realised he'd turned fifteen to twenty and he really could not delay any more than he already had.

"Ah well that's too bad I guess—" A golden finger cake called out to him, pleading that he buy and devour it, "—and can you give me that cake too?"

Once the girl had ringed the cake in, put it in a bag and given it to him, he turned and began striding away.

"W-Wait! Can I.. Can I please have your number.. Please?" she squeaked under the pressure of his gaze.

He paused for a moment, contemplating, then he laughed and asked for her phone.

Once she had opened it and handed it to him he got off the mobile app and instead looked for Instagram. Once he'd opened the app he added himself.

And texted himself for good fucking measure.

"Thank—"

"I didn't give you my number babe," he smiled at her dejected expression and continued "I gave you something much better."

Before she could say anything, Hunter's phone wailed.

Oh.. Shit. I'm what, twenty five minutes late?

...

I'll scold myself in the quiet of my grave, cause I have a feeling I won't actually live long enough to do it with air in my lungs.

Slowly he put the phone to his ear, and just when he thought better of it, fearing hearing loss, the yelling began.

"Hunter. Sen! Do you know what the bloody time is!? Have you finally lost your mind?! You're thirty fucking minutes late!!—" The head of investigation howled.

Holding the phone away from his ear, he saluted the girl— who looked for the most part considerably concerned— pulled his mask back on and walked out of the bakery.

"I know you can hear me Hunter.. Where. Are. You?" Hunter could practically hear the man's teeth grinding to dust in his mouth.

"Okay calm down, I'm at code 3 Bakery" he muttered as he gingerly put the phone back to his ear, "Stop yelling Oka—"

"Are you running?"

He grinned, "Yeah."

"Then I believe you should be here in less than two minutes."

"You don't have enough faith in me sir—" he was met with a deadline, "Psh rude old man, still has no patience." he murmured fondly.

Then he shook his head. He didn't have time to dawdle. Blending back into the shadows, he bolted.

...

As had been expected, he reached his destination in less than two minutes.

He blinked once and glanced around at his 'destination', clocking every nook and cranny in the time it took to blink again.

It was an empty barber at the edge of an old street.

Sitting forgotten behind a newly built apartment block, it was destined to be knocked down soon, a month give or take a few weeks.

As he gazed around the floor he saw evidence of human activity.

Someone, or a group of people, had been using this area as a hang out zone. Somewhere where they messed around or did dangerous business.

Things they didn't want the world to see..

He felt a shift in the air and shifted his head to the left, just as a knife hurtled past right where his head had been less than a second ago.

In a breath Hunter was in a defensive stance and had a knife at hand.

Goddamnit.

Instantly his mind was open and he scanned the floor.

At twelve o'clock, behind the register, there were three people; a female and two males, one which was heavier than the other, all armed.

At three o'clock there was a single female, unarmed.

And at six o'clock there were two males; one armed and the other seemed inexperienced enough to be hiding behind his partner.

They're throwing to kill.

Or if not, that would have been a lucky shot, and in this building, my body would decompose and the only way they'd find it would be the fucking smell.

Quickly he calculated the distance between each of the threats and narrowed it down to the closest and most vital to unarm.

The tension in the air was so thick it felt that if he was to throw a knife at that moment, the goddamn blade would be flying through slime.

So naturally he threw it anyway.

It happened fast enough that the boy didn't even see it coming until the knife embedded itself inside his dominant forearm, effectively rendering it useless.

Gotcha.

But before he could pursue his prey, an onslaught of knives flew at him from every direction leaving him no space to dodge.

Shit.

Lucky for him, most of the knives missed by a large margin, but he hissed in pain as one whizzed past his shoulder, slicing it as it sailed by.

And he yelped in pain as a small throwing knife found itself embedded in his thigh.

Stupid little fuckwads.

He'd give them hell for that. Grabbing his own set of throwing knives he threw them in rapid succession with unnerving precision.

He grinned viciously as muffled groans floated around him.

He was about to throw another flurry of knives when a soft whistle rang out, followed by a sharp one and then abrupt silence.

A signal.

Then the sound of retreating footsteps rang out.

A retreat signal. 

Hmh, well I've got their footsteps locked now. 

My bet is that this is the gang I'm searching for. Or more accurately the gang that belongs to the leader I'm searching for.

He sighed when the footsteps faded from his proximity field. Getting out his phone he turned on the flash, checking the damage the knife had caused.

Well. Eddie is gonna get a load of shit for thi— his phone wailed— speak of the devil and he appears.

"Boss." He grit out, forcing politeness he really fucking didn't feel like giving.

"Hunter.. Can you tell me the coordinates I gave you?" The head of Investigation asked, tentatively, Hunter could hear the slight fear in his voice.

He relished it.

"Sure." he sighed— which quickly turned into hiss of pain— and drilled out the coordinates that he had been sent.

He didn't need to see the man's face or crack his mind to know what had happened.

"I see," he cleared his throat, "from what I understand, is that I had sent you the wrong coordinates. And.. And I'm sure you realized.."

"Check your f-word-ing— I didn't actually say it— phone please."

"Pardon? That's a little bit out of the blu—" There was a pause, a sharp intake of breath, and a slow slow agonized release of air, "Oh dear."

"Mhm."

"Does it.. Does it hurt a lot?"

Hunter paused for a second, trying to comprehend the stupidity of the question and how he could tell his boss exactly what he thought of that question politely.

"Sir, I have a dagger.. A dagger in the flesh of my leg.. Of course it hurts!"

"Oh.. Yes yes my bad. Why haven't you removed it?"

Again his head swam with the stupidity. "Because it hurts maybe?"

There was an awkward silence and an even more awkward clearing of throat, "But I thought.. I thought you enjoyed pain? A lot..?"

Hunter snorted, "How'd you figure that one out."

The man faltered then lowered his voice to a comical degree, "Well.. I, you see I've caught you.. Ah.. Well uh, I've caught you—"

"Moaning?"

The man let out a whooshing breath of relief, "Yes! On multiple occasions I've seen you grinning to yourself and letting out the occasional.. You know.. And every time, you're nursing an injury.!"

Hunter scolded himself for being careless.

"Plus the injuries are always of various degrees of severity? So how, may I ask, is this pain any different?"

"Are we really getting into this right now?"

"I guess?"

"No."

"I'm tremendously curious now."

"I don't care"

"But I need to know now.."

"You do not need to know. You want to know. There's a difference."

"The knowledge and information acquired is the same in both instances then is it not? The only difference is one is given willingly and the other isn't.."

"I'm still bleeding you realize? Send the bloody coordinates would you?"

The man laughed jollily, knowing he wasn't going to get anything out of him no matter what he said or did.

A moment later the message popped up with the correct location. "Thanks." And this time he hung up before the man could reply.

Gritting his teeth from the irritating pains of both his arm and now his leg, he limped to the side and pulled out the dagger with a sharp cry.

He then looked around for something to tie around his wound to staunch the bleeding.

But there was nothing in the goddamn place he could use. Not without the fear of getting AIDS or some shit..

In the end he just resorted to using the bandage he had tied around his arm— disgusting yes but he had no other choice— considering that that bleeding had already stopped.

He was extremely thankful for the dank stench that had embedded itself into the foundation of the building, it concealed the scent of blood effectively.

And the mask helped even more. Soon he had tied it off, hissing from the pain and then tested his leg.

"Okay now that that's fucking done, let's get to the correct location and then fucking beat the shit out of my Boss."

Then he sighed and walked out of the barber, making sure he checked to see if the coast was clear.

Then he ran.

...

Or tried to at least.

...

Less than two minutes later he arrived at a warehouse.

He was seething from the fact that the correct location was literally only two kilometers away from where he was.

"Right." his voice trembled from his anger so he paused, calming himself and continued, "So I got knives thrown at me, because you guys fuc— fricking miscalculated two kilometers?"

His boss cleared his throat guiltily.

"That's all you have to say for yourself?"

"My most sincere and humblest of apologies Hunter, would you like me to get you a drink under my name?"

"That's more like it. I could really do with a shot of vodka."

"God save me from the authorities.."

"You are the authorities"

"God save me anyways."

Hunter laughed, it was hard to stay angry at the man, "So Eddie, why'd you actually bring me here? Do you need me to do something?"

His boss whistled and one of Hunter's squad members walked into the warehouse trailed by a handful of boys and girls around the same age as him.

"What're those things here for?"

Eddie snorted, "They're recruits for your case, we got the ones that scored highest in the trial and got them here to see if you like them or not."

Before Hunter could reply, one of the cockier boys spoke up.

"Why the hell is that scrawny thing being talked to as if he's any better than us?"

Eddie blanched and whirled around to shut the boy up. But it was a little too late for him to be saved. Hunter's ire had been tickled.

"Oh—?" Hunter snorted, pulling down his mask and flipping off his hoodie, "Well damn, recruit, and here I was thinking you would be the one I'd choose."

The boy scoffed, "Yeah right. You're one of us too dumbass, like a little bitch like you could be second head of investigation."

Hunter stepped back dramatically and touched his hand to his heart, "Is that.. Is that an accusation?"