I called Ember back from New Jersey early in the evening. It was time for her to return to Seattle and give up her search for the location of Alexis. I decided to postpone finding my mirror sister till after I've solved her Jesse problem. Hours later I gathered my things and departed from my mother's safe house into the night. My objective was clear. The information I'd gained at the hospital from my chat with Markus led me to this night. So I had a date, a time, and a location. I arrived early to the latter.
I found a spot next to the high hedges, along the fence. I allowed the darkness to embrace me in its cold mass till I felt my body meld with it. Till we were one. I waited in silence and my patience was not left unrewarded. Two hours and five minutes later I got my first glimpse of him. Jack Hunt. Horrible name. Probably not the one he was born with. He probably picked it himself thinking it made him sound strong. I learned two things about him instantly. The first being that he was not punctual. Five minutes late. The second being that he did not trust the people on his team. The already drawn .45 was a testament to that. In fact, it bothered me to see such a heightened level of fear in him. Did he hear about Markus or was something else at play here?
Either way, I was surprised when he opted not to go into the building. Instead he made his way around the side. The side I was on. He was far too twitchy. It tugged at my stomach to see. Something was really wrong about all of it. Still, I needed answers. I had to know who hired him. Why they wanted me. Then I needed to make him pay for the attack on Ember. The two goals were not mutually exclusive by any means. Both would be satisfied. So, even with the bad feeling I had, I decided it was time. I put a finger to my lips from my unseen vantage point.)
Shhhhhh....
(Confusion crossed his face for a couple seconds before his features filled with alarm. Alarm came quicker than anticipated. He was very jumpy and I was starting to truly hate it, and the feeling it caused in me.)
Seek and so shall you find...
(I reluctantly pried myself from the comfort of the darkness around me to reveal my cloaked form to the miserable shell of humanity in front of me. I descended on him immediately, knocking the gun from his grip. It slid feet away from us. Still startled, all he did was watch it leave him while I pushed him and watched him stumble backwards in an effort to maintain his balance. A successful effort. Now with his full attention I pulled back my hood to reveal my face to him. It took a couple of stunned seconds before recognition flashed across his eyes.)
Is this not the meeting you imagined Jack Hunt?
(He reacted differently than expected. His hand raised outwards while he shook his head.)
No, no, no!
(I barely noticed my head tilt to the side as I stared at him in an attempt to decipher exactly why his reactions were so off.)
I want answers. You're going to give them to me. It's time we became...close...
(I stepped forward only to see his head jolt foward and to the side, his joints go limp, and his body collapse to the ground. Now I find myself filled with despair. The scent of freshly spilled blood lingers in my nostrils. Its origin is not unknown to me. The corpse lays face down two feet away. Blood quickly forming a pool beneath it. My eyes scan the area around me to find nothing. Damnit! This is not what I wanted. Not like this. Sniper. Even worse, no trace of them. No muzzle flash. No traceable sound. I look at the body of Jack Hunt. I don't regret his death. I regret the lack of answers I'm left with due to the timing of his demise. I can't stay here. The next bullet could be for me. I shift on my feet and leap back to the fence then into the giant hedge and disappear into the night with more questions than answers.)