Chapter 39: Chapter 39

Katie made it to the Hunter’s Agency in a matter of minutes after taking the long route, a run through the forest. The twelve-mile run that was made longer by taking the long route through the forest proved refreshing for her. The tall metallic grey gates that led to the large compound that was Hunter’s Agency soon came into view, but so did the three werewolves that she’d been warned about along with her best friend that she’d called before starting her run.

The werewolves had been held back by the guards and were causing quite the commotion at the entrance. Sandra stood back and watched the chaos before her as there was no reasoning with this trio. They all held high ranks and weren’t used to taking orders from anyone. At the same time, the guards at the gates were simply following orders and barring their entrance. This didn’t bode well with any of them, however, considering how important they took themselves to be. A simple acceptance to enter the Hunter’s Association should not have been a problem, but orders were orders and these three could not get in unless they had a professional hunter with them.

Katie sneaked up on Sandra, “What seems to be the problem?” she asked her friend.

“Well, these guys won’t be let in unless they have a pro hunter with them. I’ve tried getting them to calm down, but they choose to throw a tantrum at the poor guards,” she flinched on hearing one of the insults Jason threw at the guards, “They really have enough energy to spare.”

“Yeah, there is no doubt about that,” Katie replied right before the boys noticed her and stopped their noise all at once except for Jason who was still wrapped up in his antics. ‘Foolish clowns who don’t ask questions before getting answers... Mindless peasants that would jump on a spike with their butts first if they were ordered to... Rancid monkeys that...’

“Jason, Jason...” Cole tapped his comrade in a rush to shut him up, a look of horror on his face in reaction to the words that were being uttered.

“What is it, Cole?” he asked, following Cole’s signs to meet Katie’s face.

.....

“Someone’s got a rotten tongue...” she commented, her face still stuck in the shocked expression. Cole’s face went red with embarrassment as he face-palmed. Caden couldn’t contain his laughter even though the two had been involved in this ritual ceremony of roasting the guards. Jason, however, had not held back on the insults and had said a lot of unspeakable words while he got creative with his insults.

“My image is forever tarnished by one of my best friends,” Cole groaned.

“Hey, don’t act like I’m that much of a disappointment. You were with me the entire time and even encouraged me,” Jason complained.

“That was before I heard the drivel that was coming out of that loose tongue of yours...” turning to the guards, “I’m sorry for anything excessive that he might have said. I do not deny, however, how frustrating it is for you to hold us here when we should be interrogating the scoundrel that could lead us to find the killer of our comrade.”

“So that’s how this all began...” Katie said, cutting Cole off before he spiralled into a fit that would start the whole cussing charade all over again. The more Cole was made to think about this, the more he would spiral out of control.

“Is your presence a sign that we are finally going to be let in?” Caden asked.

“Yeah, that might be the case if you promise to behave yourselves. You can’t go in there cussing hunters as well,” Katie told them folding her hands across her chest.

“Fine then, you have our word that we won’t cause any trouble in there. Well, I can vouch for Caden... Jason will have to give you his personally...”

“Seriously, dude, that’s rich coming from you...”

“It is what it is, brother. You need help,” Cole replied, his eyes flashing back on the words he heard Jason say.

“Jason, will you behave yourself?” Katie asked, breaking up the childish bickering.

“Behave? That’s not exactly my forte,” this was true, although it wasn’t going to be a reason for him to pass through with a mere slap on the wrist. The questioning look on Katie’s face had him rethinking his words, “Fine, I’ll also behave.”

The guards opened the gates almost instantly allowing them into the Hunter’s Agency. Footsteps on the other side of the gate caught their attention as someone from the inside came to greet them. Dressed in black fitting leather from top to bottom with a white undershirt beneath his unbuttoned leather jacket, Anthony, the Director of the Hunter’s Agency came to receive them. “You certainly took your time getting here.”

The werewolves covered their ears once more, having forgotten the man’s tendency to speak in the normally required volume of speech. “Why was I stopped at the gates?”

“We wanted all of you to come in at the same time. Besides, the werewolf asked for Katie, so we want that to be the face of the next person that they meet,” he said, turning to lead them to the prison.

This was the first time that Cole and his friends were actually getting to walk through the place. Most of the buildings were kept to a plain white, a colour that would have been boring, but its maintenance was outstanding. There wasn’t a sign of dust or dirt on any of the walls as though they were scrubbed clean on a daily basis. Green compounds and decorative plants decorated the wide compound, surrounding the pathways and clearly demarcating them.

At the centre of the entire compound stood a statue of a man holding a sword facing off against a werewolf thrice his size. The detail of the statue was astounding as it even captured the sheer determination that showed in the man’s face as he faced off against an enemy that was clearly stronger than him.

Just by seeing this statue, one could already tell who the victor of the story behind it was meant to be. “That would be Damien, the first hunter to ever be granted a Prometheus gift,” the director said as they walked past the statue.

“From the size of that wolf, I would say he was facing an alpha. Did he have his Prometheus gift by the time he went through that fight?” Cole asked.

“No, he didn’t have one. He was the most skilled fighter of his generation of trained hunters. This was back when victory against the werewolves was only but a dream. A test of the hope that Prometheus is so proud of,” he explained, leading them past the statue without sparing it a second glance. For someone who was the director of the facility, he probably had each curving in it to the last detail committed to memory.

“That’s quite a feat for someone to pull off,” Cole mused, keeping up with the group.

“Anthony...” Katie called, jogging up to him till she was side by side.

“Do you not care about the hierarchy anymore?” he asked her, his voice low for the first time, “I know what you want to talk to me about. I have nothing to say about it except offer you my thanks. I know his heart was in the right place, but he put the lives of many civilians at risk. That is something even I cannot overlook,” he said.

“But still, would you rather he hadn’t done it then. What about?”

“She knows the cost of becoming a hunter... as do you. Now drop the subject,” Anthony yelled this time, not allowing room for Katie to try and reason with him. Cole noticed Sandra look away from the two as though she had already deciphered what the conversation was about.

“Very well,” Katie spoke, falling back behind with the other as they left the main premises. They left the neat and tended path straight through all the white buildings and further into what seemed like part of the forest. The only difference was that someone could know that this part was still fenced in within the Hunter’s Agency. Walking through the forestlike part of the premises, they came upon what seemed to be an entrance to an underground bunker.

A large mound of earth that looked more like a tiny hill, camouflaged well with just one side cut clean to make an entrance. The guards stood well hidden on that side. Someone from the outside would have no idea what it was. On the flat side of the small structure was a heavy stone door that looked practically immovable. Cole was familiar with these kinds of structures, dungeons that were used to detain rogues like this were used by hunters all over the world.

Two guards dressed in leather jackets that contained weapons stood at the door, each of them brandishing a dagger casually. They casually bowed in respect to the Director and opened the large stone door. Their strength suggested they were using the Prometheus gift of strength. Both of them heaved as the door slowly slid open revealing a dark staircase that started to light up.

Bulbs lit up the staircase heading down, the walls also a stainless white. They followed the director into the dungeon. This was the first time Cole was entering one and had no idea what to expect when he did. For once he saw bulbs in a dungeon, it became clear that this wasn’t one of the dungeons he’d read about in medieval-set novels.

The corridor at the bottom was fully lit and bordered with cells built of concrete. “Try not to linger with what you see,” Anthony said.

The walk began normally for the first few seconds before the scent of wolfsbane mixed with blood hit their noses. Katie fell back and ran back to the corridor, palming a wall on the side and waiting as it slid open unexpectedly. She walked into the room and came out with three gas masks, palming the side of the new door once more and watching it close seamlessly like it never existed. She jogged up to the three werewolves and offered them the masks. “Doors like that exist all over the place for a variety of reasons... I hope this helps with tolerance with the scent.”