AN : Waves to starry-eyed fool, Sylence, and Skunk and Hedgehog for reviewing. As you know by now, you each get responses to your comments. You guys all totally rock. And as a reward, here is a bit of action to whet your appetite. You can expect another post on either Tuesday or Wednesday, or (gasp) maybe both.

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Chapter Four : The First Hunt

Rue Morgue, Paris, France

Night

A monstrous figure bounded across tiled roofs, eaves, and chimney pots, his bare feet slapping against the hard surfaces. He reached a gap between two buildings and leaped over it, landing heavily on the other side with a grunt. For a moment, his shadow played over the street below, silhouetted against the pale golden moon.

Another shadow eclipsed the first. While the monster scrambling across the rooftops was mostly human-shaped, the creature pursuing was not. Nor was it the only pursuer.

"This way!" Quatermain shouted from the street as he chased the creature above him.

"I got it!" Sawyer replied. The two men hurried through the streets of Paris, close behind the human-shaped monster. "But I don't see what we need a big monkey for."

Allan Quatermain was a bit winded but managing to keep up with his American companion. "Well, this big monkey has terrorized the Rue Morgue for months. Imagine the mayhem he'll give the enemy- if we can manage to get him on our side, that is."

The second creature's shadow passed over the two men, and Sawyer glanced up at it. He caught a glimpse of four clawed legs, a beaked head, and a pair of long, pointed wings before the creature passed out of sight.

The American swung his Winchester, looking for the man-shaped beast. "Well, I still think Inspector Dupin could have offered a bigger reward if he was so keen on stopping this beast.

"We all suffer from budgetary constraints, Sawyer. Welcome to the modern world."

Above, the winged creature reached an altitude it deemed appropriate and folded its wings partially. It dove, taloned foreclaws extended forward as it zipped toward the other creature, a high-pitched cry emanating from its throat.

The man-thing roared in fury as the huge feathered shape shot past, nearly knocking him from the roof in its wake.

Quatermain spotted the encounter and fired twice. His bullets shattered a narrow chimney, forcing the man-beast to veer to the right as the bird-thing swooped back into the sky.

"You missed!" Sawyer cried.

"I'm not trying to hit him." the hunter replied. "Turn left, Mr. Hyde." he muttered as he fired again. The winged creature dove in the wake of Quatermain's shots, passing close to the man-beast.

Sawyer aimed and fired five times in quick succession. All to no effect.

At least, they had no effect on the creature he was hunting. The winged creature was forced to land suddenly as the bullets whistled around it. One hit the creature obliquely, snapping one of the great primary feathers.

Its owner shrieked indignantly, talons scrabbling on the slick roof tiles and wings beating frantically as it tried to keep its balance.

"If you can't do it with one bullet, don't do it at all." Quatermain admonished his younger companion.

The man-beast whirled, swinging a huge fist at the shrieking creature behind him. The avian scrambled back, hissing as it swiped at its quarry. Talons three inches long lashed out, whistling though the air. Their target spun and raced the other way across the rooftops.

"He's doubled back!" Sawyer exclaimed.

"Precisely." Quatermain said. "He doesn't know where we want him to go. Come on! We'll wrap this up soon."

Sawyer ran ahead of the older man around a left hand corner just as something large and made of stone crashed to the street.

"Look out!" Quatermain snatched his companion's arm and yanked him out of the path of the falling stone missile. It smashed to the cobblestones, missing Sawyer by mere inches. "That was naughty of him."

"Thanks."

"Eyes open, boy. This isn't a coon hunt, and I can't protect you all the time." He paused, sniffing the air like a wolf. "Ah, he's afraid. It won't be long now, mark my words."

"I can't smell anything." Sawyer complained. "Just the gutters."

The winged creature shot by overhead, wings beating strongly. It screeched, the sound like a battle-cry as it buzzed the apelike beast again before wheeling back into the sky.

"Perfect." Quatermain said as he watched the flying creature's progress. He aimed upward and fired several shots that drove the man-thing from its attempt to get under the cover of some nearby shadows. The monster had no choice but to back away, trying to dodge the attack. The combined onslaught of whistling bullets and slashing, raptor-like talons drove the creature closer to a steep, tiled roof sloping onto a cul-de-sac.

Finally, the beast was forced to leap onto the tiled rooftop. With another screech, the four-legged avian followed, landing above its quarry with wings waving for balance. Talons scrabbled on the old tiles, knocking them loose enough to slide under the man-beast's weight. He scrabbled for purchase as they slipped beneath him, clattering to the street below like a ceramic avalanche.

The avian swiped at him, its clawed 'hand' curled into a fist. He ducked, and more tiles slid free, carrying him down into the cul-de-sac below. His tormentor steadied itself, then threw back its beaked head and shrieked; a piercing, triumphant cry that rang out over the streets of Paris.

"Perfect," Quatermain said. He pulled out a flare gun and launched its bright projectile into the night sky. The brilliant light clearly illuminated the man beast on the cobblestones as he sat up, cradling his temples from the pain of the impact.

"We've got to get it before it moves!" Sawyer said.

"Not to worry for now," the hunter replied. "Captain Nemo rigged up a little surprise."

The huge, man-shaped thing staggered to his feet, belatedly realizing that he had fallen on top of a thin mesh net made of wire and rope- a hidden booby-trap that suddenly activated. The edges suddenly gathered together with a sharp snap, engulfing its prey like an octopus.

A cable attached to the net suddenly came to life, dragging its captive burden along behind it down the cul-de-sac, around corners, along the street, all at an insanely high speed. Helpless, the monster within was bumped and jostled along his one-way journey.

Straight into the waiting hatch in the side of the Nautilus.

The heavy metal door slammed shut with a ringing note of finality.

Back at the cul-de-sac, the four-legged avian sprang down from the rooftop to land by Quatermain and Sawyer. As the two men looked on, its form shifted and shrank, trading feathers for clothing, talons for hands, a beak for a human face.

Furious, Daria Noclaf rounded on Sawyer. "What the bloody hell were you doing??" she shouted angrily, her temper allowing her distinctly Goa'uld accent to come back in full force. Her gray-green eyes were blazing. "You shot me! Chaos and Fortune, I've seen dead Jaffa with better aim!"

Quatermain didn't come to the younger man's rescue as Daria vented her irritation with the American in at least two languages other than English. Instead, he led the way back to Nemo's remarkable ship. Softly, he said, "Welcome aboard, Mr. Hyde. Now on to Venice."

AN: Daria's little fit was a combination of indignation and an attempt to frighten Sawyer into improving his aim before he actually hurts someone. She's not particularly thrilled with him at the moment, but she's not really about to fly off the handle.