Things changed on the fourth morning, close to our midday break. During one of our stops, I found two auras to our east. I'd never encountered anything like it before. One aura was strong and was touching the second, weaker aura. Where they touched the second aura seemed to twist. I felt sick. I must have reacted in some way, because the others asked, almost in chorus, "What is it?" "What's going on?"

"I've found the Source, and it's horrible," I said. "It's got someone right now."

"Where is it?" Morel asked.

"About three-quarters of a kilometer that way," I said, pointing a little north of due east.

"Let's go," he ordered.

We moved quickly. I led the way, trying to keep my focus on the two auras. Suddenly, the stronger one disappeared. I swore and came to a stop.

"What's the matter?" Morel asked.

I was silent for a moment, straining everything in my being to try to find my object. "It's gone," I said, clenching my fists in frustration. "I've lost the Source. It just disappeared."

"So he can teleport or disappear like Meleoron," Knuckle said.

"What about the other aura?" Morel asked.

"The insanity has taken hold," I reported. "He, or she, seems to be a relatively weak Nen user, but we should still intercept them."

Morel agreed, and we set out again, feeling a bit depressed over losing our primary target. When we were nearly upon him, we slowed down, looking for a way to spot him before he saw us. As soon as we saw him, Morel said in hushed voice, "I know him. He was in the most recent Hunter exam, when I served as an examiner. He's very green."

"So not much of a threat," said Knuckle.

"Well, we don't know exactly what the insanity does to someone's abilities," he said. "From what we've heard about the previous insane Hunters, they were taken out without too much difficulty, but we shouldn't get too cocky. Let's see what he can do. You and Meleoron should plan to approach him from behind as quickly as possible to hit him with APR."

"Will do," Knuckle replied. Meleoron was on his back in a flash, and they winked out of my perception.

Morel used his pipe to create a few dolls to approach and test the new Hunter. The moment he noticed them, rocks and fallen tree branches rose into the air, hurdled toward the soldiers, and dispersed them into smoke.

"Telekinesis," Morel mused. "Easy. If we attack him from all sides, Knuckle's APR should do its work quickly. You up for this?" he asked looking at me.

"Absolutely," I said. He motioned for me to circle to the right, and he took the left. The Hunter staggered suddenly from Knuckle's blow. APR appeared, and the Hunter began to throw things about wildly, trying to hit first APR, then Knuckle, who was obviously jumping in for another punch every time he saw an opening.

I picked up one of the branches that the Hunter had flung at a soldier. It was relatively free of smaller branches and leaves, making it easy enough to wield as a staff. I could see Morel opposite me. His dash toward our opponent was my own signal to move. The flying debris was fairly easy to dodge; the insane Hunter had no strategy and was working so frantically that it was as if he was fighting blind. Meleoron and Knuckle winked in and out of existence with no discernible reaction from the Hunter. Between his frantic fighting and blows that Knuckle, Morel and I were delivering from all sides, APR had become IRS within moments. The Hunter slumped to the ground.

"What do we do with him?" asked Knuckle.

"Hmmm..." mused Morel. "I don't want to leave him here, but we need to keep moving. How's cell phone coverage?"

Morel had been checking coverage regularly during breaks, and, when he could, he would text Shoot, letting him know where we were and that we hadn't encountered anything yet. "It makes him feel like he's a part of this," he told me, but I knew that it also provided a record of our progress, should anything happen to us. We had no coverage where we were, so we decided to take the Hunter with us until we could reach someone.

"Where do we go from here?" I asked. Now that we knew our target could appear and disappear at will, the task seemed even more complex.

"We stick with the plan," Morel said firmly. "Let's go back to where we were when you found this fellow, and we'll move from there."

Knuckle swung our new companion over his shoulder, and away we went.

####

About an hour later, Morel had a signal again. He called the hospital to let them know we had an insane Hunter who needed transport. We were troubled, because he hadn't come to yet. Morel's plan had been to request a helicopter to meet us in some farmland to the north of the park; we were near the northern border, and it wouldn't take long to get there. When he got off the phone, he announced that we'd be meeting the helicopter as planned, but we would all be returning to the city.

"What?!" I howled. "We just encountered the Source today, and we haven't accomplished our objective!"

Morel nodded sympathetically, but said, "It's only a brief interruption in our plans. One of the insane Hunters is beginning to speak somewhat intelligibly. They think it might be useful if we interview her."

I was still frustrated. I knew face-to-face conversation with the Hunter could be helpful, but I wanted them to just ask him questions and relay answers to us so that we could continue on our mission without interruption. Morel quietly but firmly insisted that we comply with the request that we return to the city, and he kept reassuring me that, given what we now knew about the nature of our opponent, the trip would be more beneficial than detrimental. I really had no choice, so I gave up fighting it and quietly walked alongside my teammates, once again doing my best to scan all around us while in motion.