《Wild Shooter》


 Chapter I

    I was finally accepted as a Beast Hunter. I had been training for years, and let¡¯s not even talk about the written, practical tests or the insults I had to put up with my teachers at the academy. Three years in that sea of horrors and I was finally ready to save the world. Well, there were certain dangers but as my dad used to say, hunting monsters was more fun than having good health. I knew I would become one of the top10 Hunters in this part of the continent and, in my head, I could already hear people chanting my name. All I had to do was go to the Hunter¡¯s main building - wait until I got my Hunter App and get a few cold coins. They were going to be useful for buying a new weapon, and maybe cool items.


    The worst part was getting a group. Truth be told, I had never been much of a teamwork player, but if there was one thing the academy taught me is that not all monsters can be defeated without help.


    "EVERYONE TO THE RIGHT! THIS ROAD IS PROHIBITED. THE HUNTERS ARE SOLVING THE PROBLEM" a policeman in black uniform and a golden badge shouted, signaling people to drive to the closest street.


    A mixture of red and orange flashed before my eyes. The explosions were getting bigger and I could even see a huge dinosaur, green scalps, and a metal arm, firing a Hunter through the air. It was hard to follow all the movements when there were people behind me honking constantly while others turned over to the second street and speeded up until the tires smoked. It wouldn''t be the first time that a hunter''s fight would take on epic proportions, and ended up unraveling amidst buildings, tearing them down and injuring people. Especially when they were rookies fighting. They had a habit of thinking they were better than they really were, and I knew I wouldn¡¯t make that mistake. Suddenly, an iron sound dragging through the floor crept in, leaving everyone''s ears humming. One of the most prolific hunters of the decade had climbed on his electric skateboard and jumped over the police barrier.


    I wasn¡¯t a big fan of him, much less his red spiky hair. He thought he was better than all of us. I still remembered when in an interview, after destroying a level 9 monster, he challenged any Hunter to overcome him in combat. He was one of the few who always fought alone and despite the help he gave the police, they avoided having to contact him. He was a 27-year-old man whose father had trained him to be a Hunter since he was born, but in his head was still a teenager. He had never developed. Still, he didn¡¯t lack money, women and fame. Everything that I desired. I could see him withdrawing his semi-automatic gun, the sun beating down on it, dazzling me and those close to me.


    "I''M ALREADY LATE!" a man in his 40''s, two cars behind me, screamed.


    He was right. Arriving late was not a good first start. The line advanced and I drove away while looking at the battle happening a few meters away from me.


    The sound of the glass shattering in the distance made me company all the way ¨C it fell on the ground and someone stepped on it. That would most likely lead to another anti careless Hunters demonstration. It had been happening a lot lately. People have had enough of the carefree attitudes and were starting to turn on us.


    I hadn¡¯t set foot in the capital in a while. The frantic people, the soles of their shoes echoing as they hit the ground, and the constant colorful digital billboards advertising Hunters¡¯ news ¨C one informing of Foxel¡¯s latest victory, the red-haired boy, while the other announced that there were less than 24 hours left before a new batch of long-range weapons were put on sale. The minimum cost of one was 2500 Hunter Points. Nice, I had zero.


    I needed to hurry up, get the Hunter app and kill some monsters to get points, which could also be used as real money. No wonder the population saw us as outsiders instead of vigilantes in plain sight.


    The streets were almost empty at the time. Most people parked the cars in the general parking lot and went to have lunch. Unlike them, I drove for a few more minutes until I saw the big yellow-brown building that rose in splendor above most of the others, being nicknamed the city¡¯s biggest attraction.


    I didn¡¯t even leave the car. I was loving the hotdogs scent that danced through the air coming to me from the walking ban down the street. The building had five huge floors, each of one was the base of the Hunters of that level. The red doors were never closed for more than a few seconds. There were people coming and going all the time ¨C they ignored and avoided touching each other.


    Despite the three years I had spent in the academy, since I was 18 until now, the distance between Hunters who didn¡¯t belong in the same group still confused me. Maybe because of my uprising ¨C full house every weekend and all the neighbors sharing funny stories during the barbecue. Even today the chop smell takes me to that tender age where everything seemed simple. But, anyway, I was already wasting too much time. After closing my car¡¯s door, I moved on to the building¡¯s gate. My heart was beating more than I would ever admit to anyone. Even my ears were going deaf and my knees trembled like sticks in an open field where the wind spun mercilessly. It was the second time I had entered there. The yellow walls and the newly painted black ceiling contrasted with the white marble floor. A large room where several groups talked to each other and, in the background, there were two escalator rollers. Before them, there was a desk where a girl with red hair up to her shoulders, green eyes shining under the light that brightened them, scratched her rosy cheeks.


    She pointed out the names of all those who passed by and their ranks. No one dared to disrespect her. Instead, everyone said good morning to her, even the most badly regarded. I walked to the line and waited until my turn came. I cleared my throat before I spoke to her. I explained my situation to her, told her my name, and asked her where I had to go. She never took her eyes from me, numbed by my words, shaking her head slightly to the right while I poured everything out.


    "You need to go down those stairs. Second door on the left.¡± She said. A soft, embellished and almost therapeutic voice, "Welcome to the Hunters Headquarters, James!" She added, this time ending with a smile.


    The scent of jasmine rose through my nostrils. My body calmed down - my hairs dropped, my feet settled on the ground and all my nerves disappeared in seconds.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    "Thank you. I¡¯m making sure I don''t get lost around here." I answered her, trying to keep the conversation going even though I knew there were at least 10 people behind me in line.


    "If you get lost, just come back here. I''ll help you," she said and leaned over to me, the cleavage not being enough to hide the boobs that landed on the table.


    I admit I was embarrassed to the point where my cheeks turned pink. I thanked her for her help, and she smiled once more, this time putting some loose strands of her hair behind her ear.


    I rolled up my sleeves and walked into the unknown. I wasn¡¯t the best student at the academy, but I excelled at using long-range weapons ¨C the teachers used to say I had a lynx¡¯s eye. I went down the stairs, the white steps too small for my feet, and then I walked down the empty corridor. The light flashed in the room whose white floor contrasted with the high black ceiling. A lady in her 40¡¯s, wide-hips and sloping shoulders, was on the back of the room, tidying up some dusty pages between reams of paper. She didn¡¯t hear me coming in. She was humming a pop song, the kind you could hear on the radio every morning at 8 am and used her free hand to drum with her fingers in her brown pants ¨C they looked like they were about to burst.


    I cleared my mouth until I got her attention. She turned to me and took her index finger to her thin lips. Still thoughtful, the soles of her shoes reverberated through the metal pipes that surrounded the large room. She smiled unabashedly, showing her yellow teeth and wrinkles twitching on the protruding line that went from her stuffy nose to her brown eyes, iris hidden behind her bushy eyebrows and eyelashes curved upwards. She leaned over the table and asked me how she could help me.


    She drunk with her fingers around the marble desk. She seemed to be looking for the right words until the sputum scratched the walls of her throat. She apologized, removed a white handkerchief from her pocket and passed it across her thin lips, putting it back in her pocket, this time in the upper corner of her red sweater.


    ¡°Hello, my dear. You¡¯re from the new batch of Hunters, right? I assume you¡¯re here because you want your Hunter APP. I hope you know how careful you must be out there. A lot of people came here in search of money and fame and come back with less than they had.¡± She said, frowning and scratching her left nostril.


    ¡°Yes, I am. After three years there I know damn well when I should be careful, but what do you mean by they return with less? Less money?¡± I asked, intrigued by the mystery that the woman carried with her.


    ¡°Money is not everything, young man. They come back with grief on their minds ¨C repentance consumes some. Others, happier or not, depending on how you see life, come back without body parts. Not forgetting those who don¡¯t even come back. It¡¯s not as easy as it looks out there.¡± She answered, her fresh cinnamon scent filling the room.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful,¡± I answered, omitting how anxious I was. How I felt my toes curling as an electric charge run down my spine.


    ¡°Your choice. I just need to know what your type is. I¡¯d say you¡¯re not a huge fan of short-range fighting. Maybe a shooter?¡±


    ¡°You have an eye for this sort of thing, don¡¯t you?¡± I replied, trying hard not to laugh, ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m a shooter.¡±


    ¡°Mmhhmmm.¡± She mumbled, ¡°I have a few options here that I think you¡¯ll appreciate. Long or short range?¡± She asked, the wheels in her head turning as she thought about the different types.


    ¡°Short. Do you have something with a huge impact power but light enough to handle?¡± I asked her, reminding myself of the hard training I went through.


    ¡°Of course, boy. We have everything. I¡¯ll pick up something.¡± She replied.


    She smiled at me and turned around. Her fat, greasy fingers ran through the metal of the bookshelves as she walked. My heart was beating like 1000 men marching towards victory and apogee. She grabbed a few boxes, searched them, closing, and repeating the same accuracy of movements in others, and despite her big hips, she didn¡¯t seem to have any difficulty in bending or kneeling.


    After a few seconds, she opened one of the boxes that were in a corner, looked at me, smiled and picked it up.


    She placed it on the table carefully and that was when I noticed the little yellow symbol in the left corner saying ¡°fragile¡±. The blue and orange colors peered through a tiny opening. My toes curled up and my arm hair raised. She took an x-act from a drawer under the desk and opened the box until the smell spread across the room ¨C a metallic, warm fragrance. I inhaled it, taking a deep breath, still incredulous with the three options that stood in front of me.


    A pistol with two pipes, one black, and one orange, with a black handle and the rest dark blue. It wasn¡¯t heavy but not as light as I was looking for. I ignored the second option ¨C a three-arrow bow. My knowledge about bows was zero. I¡¯d used them a few times at the academy, but the arrows had a habit of ending up on top of a tree, forcing someone far more skilled to get them with sharp, precise shots.


    The third option seemed to be the most appropriate ¨C similar to the first, but orange strokes under both gray pipes and had an appropriate weight. I was able to maneuver it with ease and even did some tricks with it. I moved my fingers between the handle, throwing the gun in the air, recovering it and turning it.


    The woman looked at me, her eyes following the glint, the orange obscuring the grayness.


    ¡°I see you¡¯ve already decided.¡± She said, putting the rest of the weapons away.


    ¡°I think so. For a beginner like me, this is great.¡± I answered her, putting the gun on the table, ¡°I¡¯m excited.¡±


    ¡°They always are, boy. You can have the gun now. Just sign here.¡± She said and bowed again.


    From another drawer, she took a tablet and asked for my fingerprint and a signature using a small rubber-tipped pencil. I followed her directions. I pressed the base of my index finger against the plate until the color changed and a laser analyzed the whole palm of my hand, scanning it and running my prints through the system. Letters began to appear, slowly, joining until they formed sentences, pointing out information about me.


    James Crusher


    Rank: E


    Experience points: 0/150 to the next Rank


    Money: 250 hunter points


    Weapon: Orange Pistol


    ¡°Turn around now.¡± She ordered me.


    She raked through something in an already open drawer and used her free hand to divert the hair whirlpool on the back of my head. I was going to ask her what she was doing when I felt a needle penetrating my skin, going deep, pouring something into my blood. I blinked my eyes - the colors around me surfed the walls and a sharp pain seized the left side of my head.


    "I know it hurts, but it''s normal. It''ll only take a few seconds." She said while removing the needle from my skin. When she removed the needle, my elastic skin also receded, leaving the area all reddish, as she showed me in a mirror that she was carrying in her pocket.


    "It''s done. You''re ready to get out of here and fight the monsters that you want, level up and perhaps reach the top. Now you can see all the information about your colleagues. As you are still in rank E, you can only go up to the first floor, where it is the common space of your rank, and you can come down here, to me, to buy weapons and equipment. Any questions?"


    "I don''t think so. Thank you very much! You''ll see that in a short time I''ll be climbing the ranking, reaching the top, and you''ll be surprised, Miss...? I still don''t know your name."


    "You can call me Grace." She answered and smiled one last time before sighing and turning her back, dragging her suede shoes across the floor.

 Chapter II

    I went up the stairs again and found myself on ground zero. The same girl from before talked to a boy with long grey hair, brown eyes and a long black robe that covered his whole body, down to the boots which were also black, and that were a few centimeters away from the pavement.


    His thin lips unfolded scarcely, never showing his teeth, unlike her who would put strands of her hair behind her ears and smile from ear to ear, shamelessly showing her white teeth, one of them, in the right upper corner, with a sharp tip.


    I disregarded the situation, which was normal, and went up to the first floor. It was the first time I had ever put my feet on that shining floor, the lights falling on the wide empty corridor, my body reflected in the ground¡¯s clearness as my heart almost popped out of my body. I didn''t need any fuss when the beating of my heartbeat was so loud and partied with no help. Someone had glued a white paper with a black arrow pointing to the left indicating that it was the route to the living room. There was no information about what was on the right side, although it was possible to see a wooden door in the corner.


    There were pictures of legendary Hunters all over the hallway - from the first one, Carlx, 30 years ago, to Laney, the first woman to be photographed, 25 years ago. Him with his legendary brown robe, black pants and two swords on his back, while she had her purple dress complimenting her short pink hair, and her gloves with long-range missiles.


    The door was half open. As I opened it, the door crept across the floor, drawing the attention of everyone present. They had their eyes on me, on the newbie, who had just arrived there and was already causing disturbances. As usual, they didn''t seem very nice or receptive. A group that was using the interactive whiteboard to see new missions and two girls - one lying on the couch with a black top hat covering her face and a black bustier, one of those that the two parts are attached by metallic threads and another girl, sitting on a cushioned chair, with a light blue hat and a rose-colored dress, fully matching with her rosy cheeks and green eyes. She also had a metallic crystalline glove on one hand. I had never seen one like that before. Truth was, I didn''t even know how they worked. Teachers, of course, used to explain everything about them to us, how they created a natural element out of cells that were discovered about 50 years ago and how they used body energy to do it, but otherwise I knew zero about how they worked.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Their stats appeared next to their bodies, vertically, like a shopping list, item by item. Both were level E, although the girl in the black hat already had some experience compared to the girl in the dress who had zero like me.


    "Are you looking for trouble?" One of them, with long brown hair, a superficial cut extending from his right eyebrow to his cheek and a chubby nose, asked. His low voice echoed through the room. Nobody moved. The air got heavier, and he took two steps forward.


    "He''s a rookie. Just ignore him. Come on, we got to get going before somebody gets hurt before we arrive.¡± A brown-haired boy, with younger features than I, intervened.


    "You''re right. Let''s just go." He said, walking towards me, bumping into my shoulder as he left.


    Silence ravaged the room. An awkward environment to which no one was indifferent. Suddenly, an alert appeared on the screen - a red exclamation mark flashing constantly. A video of a monster, similar to a wolf but with metal claws, a horn on his forehead and black stains on his white fur, played before our eyes. The aberration had stopped the traffic at the bridge and tore the bonnet of the cars, chasing down some families who were trying to escape as quickly as possible. Even the girl in the black dress took the top hat off her face and paid attention.


    "A GROUP OF THREE TO FIVE PEOPLE IS URGENTLY REQUESTED ON OKINAWA STREET."


    The capital letters blinked on the screen. There was no one else in the room but the three of us.

 Chapter III

    "We have to go." I said, my feet trembling and my left one hitting the ground like a drum set, "Do you have a group yet?"


    "Ah...no... But I don''t know, what if things go south? What if one of us gets hurt?" The girl in the pink dress said, her sweet voice serving as music to my ears, while she crossed her arms to shelter herself, her tits almost popping out.


    "A Hunter can''t be afraid of getting hurt. Let''s go. People need us. You agree with me, don''t you?" I asked the other girl in the room, who had short green shaded black hair and a smooth eyeliner string.


    "I don''t join groups. I only work alone." She answered, and leaned back on the couch, dribbling her hat through her fingers.


    The signal was still flashing on the screen. Although the color was the same as before, it seemed to be redder to me - the danger was getting deadlier and it drew me to it.


    "Just once. There''s no one else here and those people need help." I said, pointing at the screen showing footage from the nearest security camera.


    "Just once?" The girl with the black hair asked, "Okay, you''re right. We have to help those people, but don''t think this means we''re a team!" She said, almost steaming.


    "If you two are going... I¡¯m going too. I don¡¯t want to be left all alone. Look at his teeth! So angry, so consumed by coldness. I''m a little scared." The other girl asked and stood up, her blonde hair, greyish when the light shone on it, sticking on her thick, wet lips, ¡°I¡¯m Maggie.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Kendra.¡± The other girl replied, almost twisting her eyes until the little blue light disappeared behind them.


    "My car''s in the driveway. We better hurry." I said, getting more and more excited.


    My first mission right before me. My father would be proud if he was still alive. After all, he was the big reason why I joined the academy, why I''ve had this huge craving in me to become a Hunter ever since I was a kid.


    "Hey, what''s up? Are we going or not? What are you waiting for?" Kendra asked me, my distraction not going unnoticed.


    "Yeah, sorry, let''s go. Maggie, are you ready?"


    "Not really, but I have to, right? Sometimes I wonder why I decided to become a Hunter. Anyway, we have to accept the mission. Take the APP and put it close to each other. The sensors will recognize the other devices and put us on a team. It will be good for splitting the money and the experience points."


    We did as she instructed, pairing the devices until a confirmation that we were a team appeared on each other''s screens. Maggie walked to the digital board on the wall and accepted the mission, positioning her device in front of a bar code until different letters came together.


    "MISSION ACCEPTED. 3 PEOPLE. LEVEL 2 BEAST. OKINAWA CITY."


    "Finally. Can we go now?" Kendra asked, adjusting her corset until it was so tight to her body that all the subtleties of her curves were accentuated to uttermost detail.


    The room was still empty besides us. The walls had been painted yellow recently. It was possible to see the brushstrokes whenever the rotating light on the ceiling fell on them. We rushed out of the room. Kendra and I had to take a few breaks as Maggie almost tripped over her high heels every time she sped up.


    Time was dragging on and I couldn''t help but think of the danger that the citizens were in. Maggie took off her shoes and ran to the entrance as soon as we got down the escalators. Everyone''s eyes hung over her, but she didn''t stop. Several laughs rose above the many voices that spread across the wide entrance. Someone was drinking hot coffee, with a soft, sweet spice on top, which went up through our nostrils as we passed them.


    As soon as we found ourselves on the other side of the entrance, all the noises were muffled. A breeze of wind whistled through the high trees that hid the building''s fa?ade and were also the stage for the lives of a few orange-billed birds. There were very few cars on the road, although lunchtime was about to end, and it wouldn''t be surprising if the roads filled up - honking until quietness was destroyed and a disgusting petrol odor lingered in the air. Yeah, because, for some reason, no one had yet come up with a permanent solution for that smell.


    We get in the car. Me behind the wheel, Kendra at my side and Maggie in the back, the three seats being taken by her, her hat and her high heels.


    I hit the pedal then drove to the highway, which was almost empty, and followed the GPS directions to Okinawa. Kendra turned on the radio - news of recent attacks around the world cooled the temperature inside the car. Not even my cushions padded with warm satin fabric were enough to warm the shaken hearts and the minds repeating the interviewer¡¯s voice who was questioning people who had been forced to flee from their houses. Mourning and crying flooded my little red car, with only its five seats, and prevented the tires and horns of the other cars from being heard.


    "Faster," Kendra said, unable to look me in the eyes.


    She was gazing at the sight abroad, the green hills that stretched out to infinity, along the sides of the road, illuminated by the fine rays of sunlight shining on the bumpy hills.


    "I''m already at full speed," I answered her, already under stress, the usual protruding vein popping up on the left side of my neck.


    "Is this all that this car can do?" She said, a slightly sarcastic laugh in the corner of her mouth. By doing so, the cheek on the right side gained a dimple.


    "Funny. Do you have a better car?" I answered her, focusing on the still empty road, and on a sign indicating the few meters left for Okinawa.


    In the back seat, Maggie pressed her fragile fingers into her legs, the joints already red.


    I took a detour to the left. A metal plate whose corners shone and reflected the sunlight indicated the entrance to the city. A police barricade prevented the passage of cars while some doctors took care of the wounded - some on stretchers, others with mere marks, sparkling blood flowing down their foreheads, their faces covered with dust.


    People in a frenzied rush and heart-breaking screams scratched our ears.


    "He''s getting closer," Kendra said and pointed to a place a few feet away from us, beyond the barricade.


    Normal policemen, wearing black trousers and blue sweatshirts, were shooting at the monster, which now looked like it didn''t have regular hair, it looked synthetic, with a slightly metallic tinge.  His claws scratched the ground, the metal tore it up like paper, the metallic howls causing the men''s hands to tremble, and the shots fired scraping at his body instead of hitting it right in the face.


    "It''s time for us to be heroes," I said, stopping the car and opening the door. I palpated my hips to confirm I had the gun in my holster.


    "I can''t believe I''m really here," Maggie said, getting out of the car and pulling the fire gloves to the top of her wrist.


    "Are you always this boring?" Kendra asked her, pulling her whip off the handle, but keeping it folded up.


    "I just don''t like violence. Not everything revolves around that, you know?" She answered her, swinging her blond hair to the right.


    "Why are you a hunter then? You had to know what you were getting into?" I asked, still intrigued. I had never met anyone who abhorred so much fighting. Cowards yes, many, but she didn¡¯t seem like one despite being frightened.


    "She''s never heard that the good in life is in what we shouldn''t do." Kendra counterattacked, winking at Maggie.


    I couldn''t help but smile at her. I was perfectly aware that it wasn''t the right time but that sarcastic and daring personality caught my attention more than the tranquility that Maggie transmitted. A certain attraction to darkness.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "Come on, girls, it''s time." I said, "The cops won''t last much longer."


    We ran to the barrier, showing our Hunters apps to get access. The policeman who guided us to the other side sighed with relief, thanking us for our help.


    "Thank you, thank you, we didn''t think anyone would come." He said, rubbing his chubby cheeks with his greasy fingers, "What rank are you?"


    "Rank E," Maggie replied while taking out a small bottle of camellia scented perfume from her pocket.


    She used it to perfume herself surprising the policeman, whose dark circles matched the black irises of his eyes.


    "Oh, can you do it?" He asked, putting his hands in his pockets and picking a cigarette from there.


    Kendra cast a ferocious glance at him, squinting her eyes and frowning, to the point where the man let the already lit cigarette stumble between his fingers and fall on the floor. The ash danced through the air and he apologized for the offense.


    "We better go." The policeman said, his voice trembling while averting Kendra''s gaze. "We''ve already got three wounded cops, one of which had to be taken to the hospital. The cut opened his torso. We managed to keep the monster there, but the bullets seem to be ricocheting. Even when they hit him in the face, the effect is almost zero. He gets stunned, but it only lasts a few seconds."


    "Let''s go. Tell them to back off. We''ll take care of it now." I said, feeling something stuck in my throat, still trying to think of a plan, "Are you ready?"


    "I was born ready," Kendra answered, unfolding the whip and swinging it, its metallic tip hitting the ground and sparking.


    "I have to, don''t I?" Maggie said, opening her hands, letting the small flame take on orange and yellowish colors.


    We rushed in until we reached the police force. As soon as they heard the captain''s orders for them to move away a wave of relieved sighs circled the road. They walked backward, always with their weapons aiming at the monster, their legs still trembling with every step the monster took.


    The wolf had small, green eyes, almost imperceptible from afar. The smell of gunpowder mixed with Maggie''s perfume, who was constantly straightening her clothes, and kept saying that if she knew there would be such a putrid aroma, she would have brought other clothes.


    Without even warning, Kendra started the attack, maneuvering her whip with tremendous ease, and pulling it back before firing it at the monster. The metal hit the steel, a sound like a chalk scratching on a board, but the effect was null. The wolf took advantage and grabbed her weapon with his sharp teeth, oil dripping between them, sticking them in its sensitive part. As much as she leaned her body, her knees bent and her hands tied to the handle, the wolf was much stronger. There was no hesitation in his eyes, and he didn''t even seem to be making a great effort. He was delighted to see the sweat dripping down her face and opened his green eyes whenever a drop of her blood slipped from her hands to the ground.


    "WILL YOU HELP ME!?" She screamed, the fabric tearing her hands.


    I was so absorbed in what was happening that I hadn''t even moved, as had Maggie, who was looking at me for comfort and orders to follow.


    "Maggie, shoot fireballs. See if you can distract him while I help Kendra." I said, running towards her, keeping my gun in my holster, and putting my body next to hers, my hands glued to her sweaty palms.


    We worked together. We both pulled the whip at the same time while Maggie threw fireballs, the sparks falling to the ground, the flames hitting the wolf. His metallic hair was scorched, and his eyes closed for seconds, but he was still as good as new. He closed his teeth further, gnashing them against each other and turned his face, grabbing Kendra''s whip and using it to pull us toward him and throw us into the air. Our bodies rolled down the road, our knees peeling and our hands scraping on the asphalt. Kendra''s body fell on mine, my hands on her hips and her hair in my face. The sun overshadowed her face and her green eyes took on amber contours, her warm breath brushing against my neck and one of her knees between my legs.


    "I... Ah... Get off me!" Kendra said, tripping over her own words.


    "You have to get up first!" I answered, looking to the side, seeing Maggie''s fireballs losing color and shrinking in size, almost like mere clicks bursting in her hands.


    Kendra got up, straightened her clothes and grabbed her whip which was on the floor, the end covered in a brownish liquid with a smell that almost made her vomit. The policemen murmured among themselves, with their hands in the holsters, already doubting that we would be able to achieve victory. A mere level 2 monster, and we couldn''t even defeat that. All the training I had had seemed useless now that I was in a real situation, the voices and roars getting louder than my thoughts, the locals just meters away from me - children crying and clutching at their mothers'' as their fathers stroked their foreheads.


    "Easy, let''s regroup. I''ve got an idea. It''ll work. It''s just one monster. We can do it." I said, raising our morale, "Maggie goes left, I go right. Hm, Kendra, as soon as he notices one of us, you try to hit one of his eyes with the whip. Can you do it?"


    "Of course, I can. Who do you think I am?" She answered, licking her thick lips.


    "Let''s do this," I said, and I looked at Maggie, who closed and opened her right fist while using her other hand to remove the wet hair glued to her lips.


    "I won''t last much longer. My hands are already sore. Using the glove wastes all my body¡¯s strength, you know?" Maggie replied, moving to the left and bending her knees.


    "You can do it." I said, a few strands of hair falling in my eyes, "I''m going to count to three. One...two..." The breeze scratched my face, the edges of my eyebrows were whirled, my hair losing the composure that the gel provided it, "three! Let''s go!"


    I pulled the gun out of the holster and fired bullet after bullet, drawing close to the monster whose eyes were rolling over, targeting me and Maggie. He seemed confused, not knowing where to focus and we kept gaining space. My hands were heavier than usual, and the gun had the weight of a brick, but I still didn''t drop it. Even my legs felt like they were made of a material I couldn''t move if it wasn''t for the adrenaline running through my veins. My heart was pounding so loudly that it drowned out the sound of the bullets tearing through the air, leaving behind a trail of smoke and a metallic smell. Although the tip of the bullets contained a compound harder than normal steel it was not enough to break the wolf''s shell, just bruising it enough for it to twitch for a few seconds.


    "This doesn''t seem to be working," Maggie said as soon as she finished throwing another fireball.


    "No... wait! Look at that! Lower left corner, in the armor, isn''t that a crack? If we focus our attacks, there... We can do it. The plan stands, but Maggie and I are just going to attack that spot." I said, smiling at them, my bitter-sweet sweat dripping on my tongue.


    "Come on!" Maggie screamed, the energy flowing through her, while her face glistening with sunlight, "I''m sorry. I got carried away."


    I laughed and looked back at Kendra, who, as expected, still had her mouth closed.


    We slowly got closer, striking and blowing incessantly, the fissure opening gradually, revealing a shiny interior, several collusive threads, working like a small-scale factory. The wolf roared, its metallic voice losing its sparkle as the circuits became affected by the explosions in its torso.


    "One last effort!" I yelled, "This is it. Kendra, his eye."


    She turned her hip to the side, raised her left foot and fired the whip like a guided missile. In a few seconds, it hit the monster''s eye, which broke into chunks of glass, the wolf became disoriented, gnashing its last whimpers able to realize that his end was near. Suddenly, his tail began to spin, like a lifeguard ready to get him out of there as soon as his vital signs descended into a danger zone, and his feet moved off the ground.


    "HE''S GONNA RUN AWAY," Maggie screamed, out of strength. Her fireballs couldn''t reach him in the air, "What do we do?"


    I took a deep breath. I knew exactly what to do. It wasn''t a question of "what?" It was a question of "can I do it?" I lifted the gun, placing it at my shoulder level. I closed half an eye and aimed at the small hole in the monster, as it moved away faster and faster, its presence being just a close memory. I slowed down my breathing and let my heart settle down. A few strands of hair moved, rubbing against my forehead, but I ignored them. I fired. The bullet came out of the barrel, a roaring sound, and burst through the air until it reached its goal - it entered the crack, causing a short circuit that stopped the tail from turning and shut down the monster. He fell from the sky, crashing into the road, breaking into several pieces after a colossal crash. The area where he fell would have to be interdicted and blocked.


    I wielded my gun in the air, waving it, celebrating our victory. In the background, the people and the police applauded us, thanking us and hugging each other, happy they could return to their homes. A thin river of tears flowed down Maggie''s face. I kept my gun and walked to her.


    "Are you okay?" I asked her and put my arms on her thin shoulders, her hair covering my hands.


    "Yeah, yeah, I am. For a moment I thought it would all be in vain." She said and hugged me, her chest rubbing against mine, her tears dampening my chin.


    "It''s over. We better call in a pickup patrol now and get the experience points. See if we can climb the ranking."


    "Do you really think we can? If we had so many difficulties with a simple level 2 monster, how would we have a chance with a stronger monster?" She asked.


    It pissed me off how right she was, "Yeah. I guess so. Let''s get going. Kendra''s already there." I said, leaning over and kissing her right cheek before I moved away.


    I heard her footsteps as she followed me until we got to the monster''s shattered body. Kendra was crouched and had pieces of glass in her hand while peeking into what was left of the wolf''s eye.


    "There''s a camera here. Someone was watching us." She said, sticking her hand in the small circular hole, pushing until she pulled out a bunch of wires, including a small camera that was still transmitting, its green light blinking.


    She threw it to the ground and stepped on it until there were nothing more than mere golden and gray filaments remaining.


    "Why did you do that? We could have used it to find out where they were transmitting from!" Maggie said, kneeling, picking up the pieces, trying to see if they would fit but eventually giving up.


    "Could we? Too bad." Kendra answered and turned her back.


    She took her Hunter app out of her left trouser pocket and pointed the transparent part at the monster''s body. On her screen, and also on ours, letters joined together until the next sentence appeared.


    "Congratulations! You have defeated a level 2 monster. 50 experience points have been given to each, as well as 50 hunter points. Do you want to continue as a team?"


    And a square signaling yes and no.


    "Let''s call it a day," Kendra repeated, her finger moving closer to the no.


    She was about to press it when a buzz, coming from the distance, stopped her.

 Chapter IV

    Wheels spinning on the ground, scraping the road¡¯s granite, increasing in volume. The three of us stared ahead and witnessed a large shape, the sun obscuring his face, on a last generation motorcycle, smokeballs coming out of the engine. He drifted as he got near us and stopped the bike just a few inches away from my face.


    It was like a slow-motion scene out of a movie. He seemed to have calculated the exact moment when he should have turned his bike to end there - a demonstration of his perfectionism. He didn¡¯t wear any protection other than a pair of red gloves that he removed as soon as he jumped off the motorcycle. He used his hands to straighten his shoulder-length gray hair before he even looked at us.


    He cleared his throat, "Interesting" he said, looking at what was left of the monster, "I''ll talk to you in a minute."


    We didn''t answer him. The surprise of having a Hunter level S in front of us, prevented us from speaking, almost as if we had four balls stuck in our throats. His clothes emanated a sparkling glow - from the black cloak with a pocket on each side to the gray pants of a lightweight fabric. He knelt, his gray hair spindly without moving a millimeter and peered into the monster using a small flashlight. He shook his head, muttering to himself, lost in his own thoughts. The cops were removing the police barrier and the captain walked to us.


    "You didn''t tell me you were friends with someone so strong. Rank S? I''ve never seen one before. Let me tell you, I even thought they were a myth."


    "He''s not our friend." Maggie told him, wiping her hat, "I feel like I''ve seen him somewhere before."


    "Difficult. Nobody knows who they are," I said with a warmed heart, never before being in the presence of an S rank.


    I had already met some A''s as teachers and speakers, but there were only 5-6 of such high level on this continent. They weren''t in commercials, TV, magazines, nothing. They took shelter in the shadows, where the night embraced them and there they thrived.


    "The three of you defeated him, right? Without help?" He asked as he picked up the pieces of the camera, "You have to come with me." And he got up.


    Strong rays of sunlight fell on his mantle - traces of blood appeared in the corners of the fabric, until he realized and slipped his foot on the floor until he was sidelined, his curved nose accentuated by the shadow on the floor.


    "Yes, we did," I answered him by taking a step forward, "Without help."


    "I''m surprised. You know, this monster is not a normal level 2 monster. I don''t like to repeat myself, but I will. You must come with me, whether you like it or not." He said it and put his hand on the handle of his sword.


    "We''re going, we don''t want any trouble," Maggie answered immediately.


    Kendra spat on the floor and walked to the car. The Hunter, who soon after introduced himself as Ashen, mounted his motorbike and waited until we got into the car to hit the road. Behind us, the policemen waved, the red and blue lights of their cars reflecting on the back of mine.


    He entered Okinawa, following the main road until there was a sign indicating that we were about to leave the city limits. The city was very different from Laverne, the city where the Hunters'' building was located. There were no tall buildings or blue and red lights pointing at the floor or advertisements being heard in the surrounding blocks. A humble city; rows of second-hand clothing stores, separated by a few cozy cafes, where the scent of snacks came out and was transported throughout the sidewalk. Only the scraps reached the road, a soft sweet taste at the end of its ephemeral breath. People smiled and said hello to those who passed by, also waving to the acquaintances on the other side of the street.


    Ashen accelerated until we got off the main road, following a secondary alley, the gravel-filled ground, which led us to an empty camp. Dust rose up and clung to the windows, blocking our view and getting our tires dirty. Ashen signaled with his left hand to stop there, in the middle of nowhere, and so we did. As soon as we got out of the car, the sand stained our clothes. The gusts of wind rocked the trees and the bushes that gave color to that place.


    Little boulders were scattered across the sandy terrain. Soft windy breezes sailed through the trunks, whistling as they left. The edges of Ashen''s cloak were covered with a brown layer, and as I looked down, I noticed that my pants were as well. The dust was spreading and clinging to our clothes. Sometimes a few grains would get stuck in my eye and tears would burst through the corners, descending my cheeks.


    "The rest of the way has to be done on foot. It won''t take long." Ashen said, fixing his cloak, some of the dust dancing through the air, blurring our vision.


    We followed a man-made dirt road, as we could see from the sidelines, flanked only by a few bushes with nearly no leaves. The smell of wet grass became more intense even though it hadn''t rained. I had verified the weather in all the surrounding areas fearing that I would end up soaked on my first day. My mother would tell me it was a bad sign, my father would tell me that the rain strengthens the weak. It was around 3:00 p.m. and the sun was glistening high up, illuminating all the way before us, warming our clothes until we had sweat pooling in our skin.


    "I don''t like this at all. Can we really trust him?" Maggie asked, looking at me, her sweet green eyes blinking.


    "I''m not sure, but we don''t have a choice either. What happened during the fight? You looked scared... Didn''t you train for that?" I asked her, while Kendra picked up her short hair and put it in a ponytail.


    "I... Ah... I''ve never been to an academy." She said, quietly enough so that Ashen, who was a few steps ahead of us, wouldn''t hear her.


    "You what? What do you mean? It''s mandatory for all Hunters to spend three years training." I answered her, a bit overwhelmed by what she had said.


    "Not when you have a father who owns one of the largest arms manufacturing companies and has connections within the government. Actually, I think he just wants me as Hunter so I can be his guinea pig and experiment new features on the field. See this glove?" She said, pointing to the red glove on her right hand, with dozens of blue filaments, "They''re not even on the market yet."


    "A rich girl..." Kendra murmured, the words coming out muffled without her dislodging her lips.


    "It''s not like I had a choice..."


    "Didn''t you have any training?" I asked her, doubting what I had found out.


    "I did, of course. Private training with someone who was Rank A before retiring. However, when we were face to face with the monster, it seemed as if I had unlearned everything I knew. I''m sorry." She said and leaned against my chest, her cheek rubbing against me.


    I stroked the back of her head and told her she didn''t need to worry. Kendra bit her lower lip and walked away from us. Sometimes she''d look back, and seeing us still clinging, she''d roll her eyes.


    The road narrowed as we got closer to a black smoke that sprang from behind one of the hills.


    "We''re almost there. Let me do the talking." Ashen said, never looking back.


    We reached the end of the road and there was nothing, but a verdant wall covered in gray rocks, several of them sharp. Ashen whistled until a shadow popped up above us with a wooden ladder. The sun struck him on the face, darkening him, his huge shade providing us a shadow as we went up.  I helped Maggie climb by placing my hands on her curved hips and pulling her up, where Ashen held her by her arms. Kendra then went up on her own and I could swear that she was swinging her ass as she did, as if having me focused on her made her feel good.


    "You''re the only one missing, James," Ashen said, even though I had never told him my name.


    "Ah. How do you know my name?" I asked him, grasping at the wood, taking care not to scrape my hands on any loose splinters.


    "You''ll understand everything." He said, a fat, shrill laugh behind his back, drowning out his words.


    I climbed the ladder. Ahead of us was a two-story wooden house, smoke coming out of the chimney, and next to it a small lake of crystal-clear water, glowing due to the sun''s reflection. The contrast between where we had come from, dusty and impoverished, to that space, isolated from the world, where the brown roof, harnessing the sunlight, matched the floor that was the base of the house as well as the five steps of the staircase that gave access to the door. A few birds were chirping, hidden among the trees of the orchard a few meters away from the house, the trunks still damp, as well as the artificial turf underneath.


    "Rank E? What are you doing, Ashen?" The big-bellied man, with no shirt, asked him, scratching his right sideburn. He had to have 50, or even 60 years.


    "They destroyed one of the new beasts. I''ve got an idea. We better get inside." He said, smiling at the man and starting to walk to the door.


    We followed them until we entered the house. The main room consisted of mahogany walls, a dusty piano, different cushioned benches and picture-filled walls with photos of iconic missions. From there, access to the kitchen, the main hall and a spiral-shaped staircase in the corner farther from the light was available. Ashen slipped his finger over the piano and nodded his head in disagreement, twisting his fine lips as well.


    "Don''t judge me, Ashen. Do you know how boring it is to be here? How long has it been since I''ve had visitors? We can''t all be visiting the continent, killing monsters and eating in good restaurants, you know? Either I''m dipping my feet in the lake or I''m upstairs being an observer." The man replied, ending with a long sigh, which quickly became a burp, "I''m sorry. I just ate a while ago. So why did you bring them here?"


    "Are we safe here or do we need to go upstairs?" Ashen asked, looking around. Most of the lighting came from the kitchen, where the windows were open, and faced towards the sun.


    "The whole house is blocked. They can¡¯t track us. You don''t have to worry." The man said, "But we should go upstairs. Better safe than sorry."


    While we were going up, the man asked us for a few seconds before heading for the kitchen. Sweat ran down his hairy chest, some of the drops getting stuck between his hairs. Even Maggie and Kendra had small lines of sweat running from their necks to the crack between their tits.


    Upstairs, everything was different. The classic walls and the rural layout were replaced by iron walls, a grey floor and instead of a piano there were dozens of monitors, all with footage from different parts of the continent, plus a map with a flickering red light all over it. The man, whose name we still didn''t know, appeared shortly afterward, already wearing a red T-shirt that still left his navel out and a plate of cookies with chocolate chips in his left hand, in addition to having some of the remains of those he had already eaten on his lips. Maggie leaned against me again, now more tightly, her fingers pressing against my ribs. Kendra had her ass and soles on the wall, her back curved and her head millimeters away from the wall.


    The man sat on the only chair in the room, the sides of his belly sticking out. He pulled out a keyboard from under the desk and pressed a few buttons with his dirty fingers. A recording of my group defeating the monster showed up right up to the part where Kendra stepped on the camera.


    "You shouldn''t have done this. Ashen, did you pick up what''s left? Maybe I can salvage something." The man asked and stretched his hand until Ashen dumped the scraps he had put in his pocket, "All right, explain to them what we do here while I take care of this."


    He laid down the filaments and small parts on the table, spread them out and started trying to put them together, using some of the machines he had in a box hidden in the far ends under his desk.


    "Well, where do I start... You''ve certainly heard of the Reapers, right?" Ashen asked, leaning against the wall.


    "Yes, of course. They''re the group behind the beasts. A couple of scientists and renegade Hunters." I answered him. All the teachers talked about them in the academy and how dishonor would drop on us if we followed that path.


    "We don''t know how but they''ve had access to new technology. We''re trying to figure out if they developed it themselves or if someone else supplied them. What we do know is that there is an increasing amount of beast reports and, barely two weeks ago, we discovered that the latest models not only contain cameras that record everything even after the monsters have been destroyed, they are also becoming stronger and smarter as well. What you defeated was probably a level 4, not a 2. We also don''t know how they dodged the level processing." Ashen answered, sometimes pausing to see if we were paying attention.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "Apparently you don''t know very much," Kendra said.


    Ashen laughed before continuing, "You''re right, we don¡¯t. I was at one of our other secret bases when I received a signal, similar to these red ones but black, and ran to that place. You gave me an idea, I don''t know how the hell no one had thought of this before, but we need you. People from lower ranks who can defeat weaker monsters. It would be suspicious if a rank S was fighting a supposedly level 2 monster, you know?"


    "Are you saying you want our help because we''re weak?" Maggie asked him, her light eyes popping out in the darkness of the room that only had a small, flashing light on the ceiling.


    "I wouldn''t say it that way... But a bit, yeah." Ashen answered her.


    "I think it''s a good idea," I said, "If the rewards are good... We''d be delighted to help, but we want new weapons, payment for everything, and when this is resolved we want our photos on the headquarters wall."


    "It''s a deal. I''ll talk to my superiors. However, you will need a few adjustments. To begin with, follow me. Gordon, stay here and take care of that. I''ll take them to the warehouse." Ashen said and waved his hand for us to descend again.


    We followed him to the main corridor and entered the second door on the left. He turned on the light and a double bed was revealed to us, as well as a bedside table on each side of the bed, with tiny lampstands and a purple cover book on the left side, in addition to a large wardrobe in the opposite corner. Skipping everything, Ashen continued to walk and stood in front of a wall. He knelt and pressed an almost imperceptible button. The wall moved to the right and an even bigger room appeared with dozens of weapons, items, maps, climbing and swimming instruments and a few other objects, which I had no idea what they were for. The guns were organized by type and then by size.


    "I know what you must be thinking. You were expecting a warehouse, weren''t you? I don''t know why we call it that. When I came here, somebody had already given it that name. Anyway, pick whatever you want. You need to reinforce yourselves. The monsters will have no mercy. Neither should you."


    I was the first one in the room. I traversed the corridors with guns, from small to semi-automatic with bullets capable of piercing most beasts'' shells. And yet my eyes didn''t stray from a simple weapon, with golden and black strains, a two thin barrels and bullets with sharp tips. The gun seemed to be calling me and I couldn''t ignore it. I picked it up, swung it, and it seemed to fit right in my hand as if it had been waiting for me. As I did, Kendra and Maggie wandered around the room, looking for something that would be worthwhile.


    It didn''t take long before Kendra picked up a whip similar to hers but of a superior metal, just as Maggie held a thin layer of protection, a new invention that adapted to the person''s body and protected it from normal attacks and even falls but, on the other hand, the more shocks it resisted the heavier it became.


    Then I took a cloak like Ashen''s, but even darker and unblemished by blood or dust. I folded my sleeves so the fabric wouldn''t cover my hands and put the new gun in my holster. Ashen signaled us to put the old ones on a metal plate that was on a table.


    "Leave them there. Gordon will then use the components to create something better. He might be gone for a while. The best thing to do is to show you your room." Ashen said.


    "Ours? There''s only one?" Maggie said, "I usually sleep alone..."


    "That''s all there is. This place isn''t supposed to be so crowded. Surely, you''ll find a way, won''t you?"


    "Yeah. No problem for me. I¡¯m sure we can find a solution.¡± I answered and the girls agreed.


    We left the room and Ashen took us to the lake. We lay barefoot on the edge, cold water cooling our toes while the orange ray lights burned our faces. We spent the afternoon between comfortable silences and Ashen''s stories about how he achieved the S rank. He didn''t tell us much, just enough for us to realize that he was the real deal. He shared that he had been a Hunter for almost 15 years and told us about the first time he defeated a beast alone, ending up spending a whole week in the hospital with serious injuries.


    The sun had hidden behind the hills, the wind roared, and the trees answered it, and sometimes a breeze would make the water sprinkle over our clothes. In the distance, the violet horizon hid the city'' darkness and the population''s fear that the night would bring new beasts. It wouldn''t be the first night my mother called me, complaining about the weird noises she heard outside, when in fact, most of the time, it was the wind bumping into poorly closed windows or some drunkard walking around, bumping into the doors and tripping on the floor.


    "It''s getting late... Can anyone cook? Knowing Gordon as I do, there should be very little in the fridge and we can''t order anything to this location."


    "I can fry eggs, and if all goes well, fries." I said, "I usually buy pre-made."


    "I know..." Kendra said, her voice more acute than usual, her cheeks rosy in the light of the rainbow lake.


    "Cooking?" I asked her, while I was wetting my hands.


    "Yeah. I''ve been living alone for a few years. Somebody''s got to do it," she answered and stood up, "Don''t follow me. I don''t like having eyes on me while I''m cooking." She said, and went to the kitchen, leaving us there, the sun''s rays about to fade.


    Ashen told us he was going to see how things were going with Gordon. I was left alone with Maggie, leaning against each other, listening to her light breathing and sometimes the birds whistling.


    "I should have told you the truth before we ran into the monster. It could have been worse." She said, her voice as sweet as cotton candy on a bright night.


    "You should, but there''s not a lot to do now either, is there? Don''t worry about it. You''ll get the hang of it." I told her, and I took the liberty of putting my hand around the back of her head.


    Our eyes met for seconds before she briefly laughed and laid on the grass.


    "You know, I never thought I''d end up here. In a secret hiding place, on a secret mission. I''ve been spending my days in the lounge between naps and listening to others talk. I''ve always liked to keep an eye on the conversations, you know?" She said, her wet hands under her hair.


    "Neither did I, much less on my first day. I still don''t know if I got lucky or this is a mistake, but at least I''m in good company." I replied, "I have a feeling we have a lot of adventures ahead of us. I don''t think the Reapers will simply give up." I added, also lying down, both appreciating the view of a fine light purple stripe disappearing, giving way to a dark blue, the stars scattered all over the painting.


    "I don''t know if I should tell you this, but a few weeks ago I heard my dad on the phone. I don''t know who he was talking to, but he said that Reapers were good for business and that he wasn''t the only one who didn''t want to see them disappear. When Ashen said someone was helping them... I..." She said, pausing, covering her face with her hands.


    "Do you think your father might be involved?" I asked her even though I already had an idea of her answer.


    "Yes. Him and his close friends. Owners of other companies, and even his company. I think they''re all in on it. I never felt comfortable in their presence again. I think that''s why I finally accepted my father''s offer, after a year of insistence, to be a Hunter. I just wanted to spend as much time as possible away from that hell. I usually just have dinner there. Lunch and snacks at headquarters. I''m sorry I''m talking too much. I do that when I get nervous." She said, her voice failing her in the light of the starry night, "Don''t tell anyone. At least for now."


    "That''s interesting. From what my father told me when I was a teenager, I distinctly remember him saying that it all started after a lecture on morality in experiences. Some scientists wanted to operate outside the law, unregulated, but were denied the possibility. What began as a fight for science became a battle for world domination. Perhaps there is more to it than we know, but there is also no point in thinking too much about it for now. Let''s focus on surviving the next battles."


    "You''re right. We''ll see how everything goes. Thank you." She said and turned her face to the same side as mine.


    Her warm breath grazed my skin, between my nose and my lips, and we drew closer, our knees bumping into each other. She closed her eyes and moved her head close to mine when a scream from the door abruptly pulled us away.


    "Dinner''s ready. Are you coming or not?" Kendra asked, at the door, her silhouette accentuating her hips.


    "Yeah, we''ll be right there." Maggie said, "Maybe next time." She said and winked at me before she got up.


    I still grabbed her hand, ready to pull her towards me, but with Kendra staring, I didn''t think it was the best time and Maggie''s fingers slipped through my hand. Truth be told, both attracted me for different reasons, but having both at the same time would be a mission in itself and one false step would knock everything down.


    The dinner was quiet. We all ate in silence, the sound of our teeth shredding the pieces of slightly undercooked meat that Kendra had cooked, the blood still visible, filling the whole house. Even Gordon joined us, his shirt full of oily spots, while Ashen had left his cape on one of the couches and was now wearing a black V-neck shirt, showing some chest hair.


    "I found something," Gordon said, food between his teeth, still chewing.


    "Eat first," Ashen said, his low voice, carrying the weight of his request as if it was an order.


    As I ate, I exchanged tender glances with Maggie, who laughed, a dimple appearing on her right cheek and lowered her gaze, while at the same time sometimes also exchanging them with Kendra, but with her they were lust-filled glances, she is smearing her fresh red lips and dragging her teeth through her frail skin. I almost choked and Ashen had to hit me on my back, asking me if everything was okay. I told him yes, that a piece of the food had got stuck in my throat and a glass of water would fix the problem. I could handle women, but I knew I had to tread carefully so as not to mix pleasure with work.


    "I found out..." Gordon started and burped towards the table, the smell spreading through the kitchen, "I think I know who made that camera. Do you know how sometimes gun manufacturers and such have their mark? A little inscription that helps us know where they come from? If you ask me, it''s a little egocentric, but I do it too. Not going to let anyone say they did it on my behalf." He said, speaking quickly, some of the words being shortened.


    "Get to the point," Ashen said. He pulled a toothpick out of the box and brushed it between the gap between his two front teeth.


    "You know I don''t like being interrupted." Gordon said, his black eyes mixing with the dark layer underneath them, "As I pieced together all the chunks of the camera I noticed that there was a little black dot on it and I know exactly whose signature that is, but I don''t know if it''s a place where you want to go... Hunters aren''t welcome there. And I can''t go either."


    "What''s the place?" I asked him, "And why can''t you go in?"


    "The black market. It''s impossible to get in without a password. Hunters'' entry is forbidden and I... well, let''s just say I''m not very well-liked there." He said and glanced at Ashen, lowering his head after doing it and taking a few bites out of what little was left on his plate.


    "How do we do it then? We need to get to the bottom of this. Find out if this man is involved or if it was just a gig." I said, my blood boiling, realizing more and more why my father was excited to speak at the table.


    "Dr. Asa," Gordon said.


    "There''s a way in... but you won''t like it." Kendra said, and everyone''s eyes fell on her, ¡°I didn''t want to tell you, but the situation demands it. Have you ever heard of someone called Esfinx?¡±


    "Yes, of course. The police, and even Hunters, have been trying to capture her for years. Weren''t they close to catching her a few months ago?"


    "Yes, they were. She''s my sister!" Kendra said it fast, like she was ripping off a band-Aid and the quicker she was, the quicker the pain would go away. I had never seen her so nervous before.


    "Sister? That''s not in any of our files. All we know about her is that she entered the arms business a few years ago, has enough soldiers for no one to stand up to her and governs with an iron fist." Ashen said, "I had to look at your files too. Is there anything else you''d like to share? All the secrets spilled over the table."


    I looked at Maggie, but she didn''t say anything. She kept her lips closed, her eyes on her plate, stirring the fork around the bone.


    "It¡¯s not a surprise that you don¡¯t know. It''s been years and you still don''t know her first name. I won''t tell you why, but she owes me one. I can get us inside and find a way to talk to that doctor Asa." She added.


    "In a normal situation I wouldn''t accept it, but this isn''t normal, right? If you think she can help us, you''re allowed to communicate with her. I''m going to go get some rest. Today was a turmoil. In the morning, we prepare ourselves."  Ashen said, excused himself and left the table, his lips still in a loaded red that contrasted with the whiteness of his skin.


    Gordon also left a few minutes later. Before leaving the kitchen, he warned us that he was a heavy sleeper and that if we needed to wake him, we would have to shout in his ear. Strange, but each to his own.


    Soon after, the three of us went to bed. We were as cozy as we were tight. Their hands on my chest, going down, running over my semi-nude body. We had agreed to act like it was a normal night. I was just in boxers, Kendra with a black thong that gave wings to my imagination when seeing her crotch folds, a black bra that almost burst and Maggie had a pair of transparent shorts, blue pants that accentuated her ass and a red bra that covered her tits to the point of not being able to see their mere inclination.


    "Forget it. I can''t sleep here. I''m suffocating. I''m going to the couch. But don''t think I''m going to sleep there every night." Maggie said, standing up with her pillow in her hand.


    She closed the door cautiously and yet a sound of it dragging on, because of how old it was, spread all over the house, sounding like someone was destroying the furniture.


    As soon as Kendra heard her, from afar, sitting on one of the sofas and yawning, she climbed on top of me.


    "Finally, time to ourselves." She said, "I''m stressed. You know what I like to do when I get like this?"


    "I''m about to find out." I laughed, put my hands on her naked hips, and turned her over, so that I was on top, "You''ve already been on top once, it seems to me it''s my turn now." I added. She smiled and bit her lower lip until a thin thread of blood came down her chin.


    I leaned over and kissed her neck until her warm breath fluttered the hair near my ears. Her heart beat faster, louder, and between her half-open lips short and muffled moans gave life to the moment. Her hair smelled like vanilla and her lips were swollen and wet.


    "If tomorrow goes wrong, at least we''ll have today." She said, pausing between every word.


    "This isn''t the best time for you to talk," I told her, as I went downstairs, my lips pressing her stiff nipples.


    I didn''t stop there. My body was heating up too, and my heart was racing. My fingers touched her skin, following out her silhouette all the way to her hips. She nailed her fingernails in my back and pulled me closer to her.


    "I can''t wait." She said, in a frail moment...


    She dragged my boxers down and curved her hips until we both fit together, swinging until we found the perfect balance. My lips were still on the soft skin of her breasts, which sometimes I also bit, as I moved inward, increasing speed, following through her now louder moans, and by her hands that clutched the sheets as she squirmed.


    The bed was shaking, all four legs scraping on the floor, and there was another sound. A unique sound, each time more perceptible. The more I repeated my actions the moister she became, the more the impact of our bodies released a sound similar to a splash. She ended up covering her mouth, preventing more than mere muffled groans from coming out.


    It didn''t take us more than 20 minutes between the beginning and the end; a mutual, long-lasting climax that ended with my chest crushing hers as I finished inside her and her sharp nails scarred my back. In the room stayed a sex aroma mixed with sweat and a faint smell of vanilla. I rolled over to the other side of the bed and we both looked at the white ceiling, with a chandelier in the center, until she turned to my side and put one of her legs on top of me.


    "Thank you." She said, letting a quick smile slip away.


    She closed her eyes and fell asleep shortly after. I remained awake for a few minutes thinking about the turnaround my life had taken. There I was, with a beautiful woman beside me, another on the sofa, with the idea of having both for me, and at the same time risking my life on a secret mission.