Seasons

Weapons appeared to be doing its job for once, Jones noted with relief as he stepped out into the early morning light. The middle-aged man found himself impressed with what his top agent had gathered and orchestrated, based on the crime scene.



"So tell me how its going to go..." the tall darkly-clad figure demanded as he walked across the grass to greet the man in combat gear.



Corriano nodded, gloved hand adjusting an stark black cap over cropped dark hair.



"This is it," he motioned for the agent to follow him as he led him into the house. The scene in the kitchen was still busy as samples were being gathered. Jones took a good look at the damage surrounding the smoldering spot where the creature had been on the floor before turning to the shorter man. " We've adopted a plan similar to what Keyes and his agents had been attempting back in Los Angeles. Based on some of their data and police reports from the officers involved, we've come to the conclusion that the creature sometimes returns to a crime scene no later than one night after acting. That means we've got one night after bodies turn up to take a shot at him."



Jones nodded.



"Go on..."



"So this is what we've got in mind. Judging from the sequence of events, the scene here is still pretty recent. We're noting that its just hours old after taking the temperature of the water she left in the sink. At this point we can conclude approximately how long she's been gone. We got nothin' from the thing that was found by the sink."



"What did we find by the sink?"



"I can't explain it, " Corriano shook his head. "Damn monstrous beast. But here, we took photos before removing it," he added as he pulled one from his back pocket, Jones grasping it curiously, brows drawn down in concentration.



"The hell..."



"No one knows what it is. And get this... the stuff leaking from it burned a hole straight through the floor."



Jones made a noise of indifference as he put the photo into his pocket.



"How long do we think she's been away?" he questioned.



The shorter man smiled.



"Well, judging from the way her house is built, water temperature in both the kitchen and the bathrooms is strictly regulated. The water in her sink is at a constant 85 degrees, which has dropped to a temperature that would allow for cooling as a result of having stopped running, or been left idle."



"I see."



"She had had the tub full of bath water, the baths regulated at 80 degrees. All we had to do was calculate the time it would take before the water reached the low temperature. We know for a fact it hasn't been left for more than five hours."



"Five hours?" Jone's dark eyes lit up, excitement beaming from him. "Glad I decided to stop by..."



Corriano laughed quietly. "Much better in person than over the phone..."



"So tell me," Jones crossed his arms, "...How are we going to catch the bastard.."



Corriano smirked, anxious to produce the result of years of underground research. "This is what makes your trip worth-while..." he stated, pulling a small red capsule from a pocket on his right hip. Jones raised a brow. "...And what the hell is this?"



"This..." Corriano held up the sample with pride, "Is going to knock him cold. You see, we haven't had any specimens in the past because they have either activated a self-destruct mechanism or slipped through the cracks. We've taken the speed of a bullet from an armor-piercing weapon and combined it with the lab's formula to create a powerful tranquilizer. With this..." he noted, pulling the new gun from his hip, "..he wont have time to do either. All of our back-up units have been equipped with the darts."



"...so then how do we avoid casualties if the shots are missed? I do recall this individual utilizing some weaponry all its own.."



Corriano nodded. "We stay out of the way, completely. The men will be called in as a last resort. Unlike Keye's group, we're aware that this being is capable of exercising more than one type of vision and we're not going to doubt it."



"So this plan is going to be carried out with computers instead?"



"Right."



"What about heat? Light? What do we know about its sight?"



"Well, we're certain of infrared but the others we've taken precautions for regardless. Trust me Jones... We're taking all of the necessary measures. We've even got higher velocity weapons just in case these don't pierce the flesh."



"Where are the weapons set up?"



"Around the entire perimeter. We've hidden them in various locations along with a few spot cameras."



"Excellent, and from what position are we monitoring?"



"A mile down the road."



"A mile?" Jones raised a brow, ready to chuckle. They really were cautious about this thing. He could feel the excitment rising in him. He was suddenly anxious to conquer it.



"We're not too eager to give him any trophies..." the shorter man declared.



"When do we expect this to all go down?" he smiled.



The other man looked out the window and through the woods illuminated in the morning light. "Tonight by the latest."



He nodded. "Good..." he then looked down at his watch, looking a bit displeased. "Well... give me an update every hour. I've got to run. The other man looked confused, Jones explaining. " ...Meeting I'm already 10 minutes late for and an hour away from courtesy of this detour."



Corriano smirked.



"Rest assured Jones. We've got this thing..."



The other man laughed. "You bring this thing back alive... and we're talking about that raise."



Corriano nodded, amused. "My papers will be on your desk come tomorrow morning." he smirked. "Keep a pen handy. I'll be looking forward to your signature..."



"Oh I will.." Jones nodded as he headed back down to the black car.



_______





The room was cold, and the young man seated on the plush and surprisingly stark chair shifted once more, tugging on the lapels of his dark jacket, wishing there was a button in the room specifically labelled summer.



It had been damn warm outside in the early morning and would be pretty hot out in another hour or so. Someone had gotten a little trigger happy with the thermostat, he concluded, rubbing his arms as he thought about how much he hated the cold.



He looked down at his watch.



He had been waiting for almost an hour with little assurance that the man was even going to show.



It wasn't like there was much left for him to keep himself occupied with either. There weren't any windows, magazines or even a television. Just the desk and large, empty expensive chair against it before him.



Where the hell was this man?



He refrained from glancing at his watch again, instead sighing and leaning back in his chair. What could this man possibly know that he didn't about the events that took place in Los Angeles 1997. Hell, he had been there, back in the days when he'd rode in silver copters and unmarked cars with important agents, Keyes being the last.



He could almost feel the scorching heat and he sifted a hand through short brown locks. There was nothing anyone could tell him about the horrific crime scenes he had investigated in the back alleys and abandoned warehouses of the city's most dangerous hot spots. He may not have confronted the killer, but he had seen.



The mutilated bodies, the blood, the destruction...



He had seen.



He found himself lost in thought for a brief moment as he relived the fresh horror and suspense, something he hadn't done in a while. He almost missed the chase he realized as he thought back to the job he had taken pushing pens. After watching an entire team of elite personnel as well as his boss Keyes viciously murdered by this creature, he hadn't had the confidence to take the case to a new level...



He knew Keyes would have.



He was so caught up that he hadn't even heard the door behind him open.



He was startled by a sudden voice in the quiet and he turned quickly.



"Garber is it?"



The man stood, turning to greet him and extending his hand.



"That's right."



"My name is Joe Goldstine. Call me Jones," he smiled shaking his hand.



The man nodded as Jones motioned for him to sit.



"You'll have to forgive me for being late. Urgent matters beyond my control," he stated, taking a seat behind the polished desk. Garber nodded, waiting for a further explanation.



"I guess you're wondering what we're doing here, aren't you? Or do you have some idea?"



"I do," the man nodded. "I'd like to know more about what you're planning."



"Of course. But before we get started, I'd like you to take a look at this," he stated, pulling a photo from his pocket and thrusting it across the desk.



He watched the man's expression change from curiosity to slight unease.



"... You wanna know what this thing is?" he lowered his gaze to the photo.



Garber swallowed.



"Where did you-... This is nothing like the first one..."



Jones lifted his head.



"Ah... the first one..." he raised his right fist, index pointed as he latched onto the subject immediately. "Let's talk about the first one, shall we?"



__________





She slept amazingly well despite the situation, leg shifting a little, surprised that the creature was still against her.



She made a soft sound as she blinked slowly, trying to remember what had happened and where she was.



Her right hand curled a little against the tough skin of the creature's partially exposed torso. She hadn't really taken note of the fish-net layer that clung to him beneath the armor. She moved her hand up a little, looking up to see that while his mask was set aside, he was turned away, eyes closed. There was an odd piece of jewelry hanging from his neck. Her hand crept up toward it nervously as she took a closer look.



Various bones decorated the line that was partially entwined with his fish-net suit. Teeth, small skulls and other trinkets were strung onto it. She picked up the small skull in the center, curiously turning it this way and that before setting it back down gently. She looked up at him once more, noting that he was still sleeping.



She glanced down past the creature's hard stomach and over at the stuff hanging from around his waist that she hadn't noticed before. Something on his right hip shone in the strip of afternoon light that came through the foliage.



Ever so carefully, her hand slid toward it and she held her breath as she touched it tentatively. It was thin, sharp and surprisingly light as she grasped it a little and moved it into the light. She was debating on whether or not it was a dagger when a hand closed over hers quickly. She gasped, gaze shooting up toward the creature who was turned toward her.



He actually looked kinda tired and agitated and she regret waking him.



She swallowed, heart nearly skipping a beat as he roughly flung her hand away with a grunt. He sighed deep before turning away from her.



Finding herself now wide-awake with little to do, she slowly backed off of him and crawled out of his camp.

After answering nature's fright-induced call, she turned back toward the camp, curious as to why the sound of running water was so close. She followed a small path of grass around the thick foliage and came to a rocky clearing. The rocks gradually descended on wide enough planes that could pass for steps. At the bottom she could see the pool of clear fresh-water rippling in the summer sun.



A particularly warm breeze ruffled the plants around her.



She looked down at it cautiously for a moment. She had never been this far back through the wilderness behind her house to even know it existed. She climbed down slowly and carefully, pausing at the step just above the inviting water.



It was quite beautiful actually, she noted as the sun beat down upon her. She sifted a hand through her dark hair as she knelt before it, right hand reaching out and testing the temperature of the water. It was a little cool, but inviting all the same. She looked down at her clothing and then up at the water before her. What harm would it do to take a dip.



Her gaze flicked back in the direction of K'tch's camp. He was apparently still resting.



Gingerly, she peeled off her dark top, sneakers and jeans following suit. Upon removing her jeans she noticed something small, flat and semi-malleable tucked into her right pocket. A smile slowly spread across her face as she pulled out the pass-card to her uncle's facility she'd thought she'd lost nearly a month ago. A little roll of something else was tucked farther into the pocket and she grasped the paper, pulling out a fifty.



Oh... that's where that went.

Smiling, she tucked both things safely into the pocket.



She debated whether or not she should take off her bare essentials before deciding against it.



She dipped her right foot into the water again to test it once more before sitting along the edge, swinging both legs over into it. It was decided the moment she did that it felt good against her hot skin. She peered down into the water before concluding it was okay to move farther into it.



It gradually inched its way up her skin before finally stopping at her waist. She breathed a sigh of relief, looking over at where it spilled down over the rocks from the opposite side. Her bliss was short-lived as she heard a slight rustle behind her. She turned quickly to see K'tch crouched over the edge, head cocked, staring.



She frowned.



"Ok... show's over..." she muttered as she went to dress again. He stood as she approached, watching her every move. She looked over at him as she picked up her clothes. He stared silently. A mandible twitched and she found her face blushing. "...Do you MIND?" she asked loudly.



He grunted.



Of course. He didn't need her disappearing on him while she was still useful. She was going to help him whether she wanted to or not.



She turned away from him, glancing back after slipping her pants on. He was still watching her. She shook her head.



"God... find somethin' better to do..." she said through her teeth. He paid her comment no attention.



What was her problem anyway.



So paranoid and shy. ...Like she had anything he wanted or cared to see...



Humans...



After she was fully dressed she turned to face him, ready.



"I need to go back by my house..." she announced. He looked down in the direction of her home, taking a moment to comprehend. Her language wasn't so bad when she spoke slow.



He shook his head.



"Why the hell not?" she inquired.



He grunted.



"Hey, I said I need to go back to my house!" she frowned, raising her voice. He growled.



"Why..."



She swallowed, nerves standing on end every time she heard his voice.



"Because I'm hungry and want a real shower..."



He looked back, seeming to consider it. He had an agenda and going back to her house wasn't part of it.



"Eat..." he pointed in a direction away from her house.



Had he been down that way? There was a restaurant about a mile down the road in that direction; a burger joint that was prelude to the city. Her eyes narrowed. Fine, they would play it his way.



"After that, I'm getting my shower and then calling someone to clean my house..."



He made a noise of indignation.



Whatever...



He was relieved by the thought that he would not be carrying her this time, instead, opting to walk slower so that she wouldn't need a break.



Sure enough it worked as they reached the restaurant. She paused across the street with him before turning and looking back. "Wait..." she said. "Wait here... I'll be right back."



He said nothing as he crouched in the foliage, activating his camoflauge as she turned to cross the street.



There was no line to wait in. There never was at this place and she placed her order quickly, ordering two bottles of water and a couple of burgers and fries.



Perhaps that was enough.



The young male cashier smiled as he reached back to retrieve her order. Her gaze zoomed in on what appeared to be a gun on his hip and her eyes narrowed.



"What do you need a gun for?" she questioned suspiciously.



The man smiled. "Because I'm on garbage duty this week. Didn't you hear? I'm the replacement for the guy who got mauled by a bear here last week. Poor fella stumbled upon it while it was going through the trash. I just got the papers cleared to own it... not takin' any chances after what happened to him..."



She nodded. Bears eh? Lucky she hadn't run into any herself out here. She produced the necessary amount, handing the bill to the man.



He was gentle and polite, thanking her as he handed her the bag. Without a second thought, she headed for the door.



The harsh heat immediately greeted her as she stepped out onto the road again. She walked over to where she had left K'tch, surprised when she didn't see him.



She turned, looking back at the restaurant. Surely he hadn't followed her.



So where the hell was he?



She looked back at the seemingly empty spot, about to take off in another direction when his form crept out of the camoflauge. She screamed quickly, nearly dropping the bag.



"God... what the hell..?" she took a moment to catch her breath before walking a few yards into the woods and to a more grassy clear space before sitting. "Next time tell me when you're about to pull an invisible man trick"

She sat the giant bag before her, about to open it when it was taken from her. She looked up at the creature crouching in front of her surprised.



"...Well excuse me..." she sneered as he went through the bag, unwrapping things and examining them. He tossed a bottle of water in her direction, a burger and fries. That was all a human female would require for at least a few hours. He on the other hand, kept the other four burgers, discarding the bread and consuming the beef until all four were gone. She watched amazed as he consumed them in only two minutes time. He drank the entire contents of the bottle of water before testing the bag again. Looking into the package at the fries proved to be fruitless as he tried a few, deciding they were okay things, but nothing he wanted. He handed the abused bag back to her.



Noting that he was finished, she got up and headed back toward her home, still chewing as she put her water in the bag.



Something shuffled from the right and they both turned quickly to see the cashier from the restaurant heading toward the woman. Her eyes widened.



"Ma'am... You forgot your chan-" the man stopped dead in his tracks as his attention was drawn toward the tall creature standing opposite her.



K'tch drew a weapon quickly, the woman standing in shock as she watched the scene play out.



"K'tch..."



The man drew his gun quickly at the creature's threat.



"What the hell are you?" he questioned, eyes wide.



"Sir, don't!" she cried, distracting him. Before she knew what had happened, the predator had struck lightening fast, throwing a small disk that returned as if commanded.



The young man fell to his knees, craddling the fist that was now missing four fingers, his gun lying in the grass. Sharon put her hand up to her mouth, eyes wide in shock as the man growled in agony.



It had all happened so fast.



K'tch walked slowly, dangerously as he circled his newly impaired prey almost tauntingly. He clenched his right fist, a claw-like weapon protruding from the device attached to his arm.



"No don't..." Sharon's voice whimpered as she watched in horror as the creature drew his weapon of choice. Her voice did not matter. What mattered was the honor that would come with bringing back this man's head.



"K'tch, please...!" she shouted from the side.



Ignoring her, he thrust his weapon into the man's chest, growling with a certain sort of satisfaction as the creature writhed beneath him...



...where he belonged.



In a matter of heart-stopping moments, the young man had died, falling limp against the predator.



He wasted no time from there.



He momentarily forgot about his female companion as he set to work skinning the man.



She had to force down the bile rising from her throat as she heard the sickening sound of vertebrae being ripped from maleable flesh. By that point she just wanted it to be over.



She just needed it to be over. She collapsed a few yards away, huddled into a ball, head in her hands for what felt like forever as she waited, trembling. When all noise had ceased she turned nervously toward the spot the predator had been sitting. Her eyes widened as she watched him carve the skin off of the bloody skull.



"Oh my god..." she could hold her meal no longer, body trembling as reverse peristalsis took hold and her stomach clenched. The entire meal ended up a puddle of premature chyme and water in the grass before her.



She took a deep breath, turning to stand on watery legs.



He had just murdered someone.



She swallowed. This had to be a nightmare. It just had to be. She shook her head, reality hitting her.



'Well where d'you think those bones came from?' she questioned herself, thinking back to all of the little bones she'd seen him wearing.



Unreal...



She couldn't remember how they had gotten back his camp for she didn't remember walking. All she knew was that the tall thing beside her was carrying a man's skull; a man she'd talked to just moments before he'd been murdered. The sun was beginning to set again and she sighed as K'tch washed the skull off in the water.



There was no way she would be going in there again.



She shook her head, sitting dazedly up on the rocks as she waited, mind racing. Should she call the cops? She had no phone on her...



Run? He was faster.



God... She swallowed down her fear. He had killed someone... he had actually killed someone...



He emerged from the water a few minutes later with a clean skull, admiring his handiwork.



Perfect. Absolutely perfect. This would make a wonderful souvenir for the proteges.

There was no doubt in his mind.



He walked up to the woman who was hugging her knees, looking at him with a sort of bewilderment. He suddenly remembered his agreement. After securing the skull to an attachment on his back he turned to the frightened woman, motioning for her to get up. She got up slowly, swallowing down her fear.



"Where are we going...?" her voice trembled.



He looked back at her, securing his mask before pointing back toward her house.



"My home?" she questioned.



He nodded. She breathed nervously. At least she was guaranteed her own space. There was no way she'd be sleeping anywhere near him. The skull on his back was a constant reminder of just what he was capable of...