Kelly had been back in Afghanistan for five months when he got the news that Alice had passed. He put in for leave to go to her funeral but was denied because she technically wasn't family. All he could think about was how much he missed her. Two days later Jim Fredrichson got killed in an ambush right in front of him. They had been close friends for ten years.
There was a big offensive planned the next day and his company was out in front doing recon. Some women approached their vehicles. "That's not right" he thought to himself and slipped out to check things out.
He was following them at a distance. He saw them circle up and pull out a cellphone. Seconds later an explosion rocked the vehicles. Two vehicles were now charred wreckage. He looked back for an instant - just long enough to see Alvarez being dragged out. He saw men running over and dragging bodies out as gunfire erupted from the buildings around. Rockets flashed into the vehicles and more explosions.
He was now half a mile away following the women while explosions and gunfire raged back at the vehicles. He was now feeling way too exposed in his uniform and helmet. He ducked into an empty house and hid his pack and gear. He found a large robe and men's head covering and put it on. He hid his gun under the robe and headed off to find the women. The time for civility was over!
He followed them to a small compound. He watched the place for three days. He saw lots of people coming in and out and he saw those same three women. Later that night he saw them talking to an older woman. They all wogued. Hexenbiests! He smiled. Tonight there was no moon.
They had begged for their lives. They had offered him money, women, or anything he wanted. The witch hunter had come for one thing - witches. The only thing he wanted to know was where were the rest of them. They had tried to resist and fight back, but he finally got the information out of them.
Now the witch hunter was hunting. He was filled with rage and revenge. He hunted the Hexenbiests and their families. A message had to be sent!
It took him a month to make it back to the firebase. He had hitched a ride with a platoon of Marines heading back. He told the command that he had been separated from his battalion during the attack and that they had left him behind. They grumbled but this sort of thing happened and at least he was alive.
He made it back to his company and found that nearly all of them gone - they were dead or in hospitals. Eddie Jorgenson was dead. Martin Alvarez was dead. Jim Fredrichson was dead. He requested to go see his men in the hospitals or at least visit the families and go to the funeral but was denied. They were bringing in new men and needed him here.
The next week out in the field and the same thing happened - he saw a group of women approach the vehicles. He got the gunners ready but his new officer commanded them to stand down - the women appeared unarmed. He had a knot in his throat and slipped out.
Again a giant explosion rocked the convoy and an ambush started blasting into it. He followed the women - it was another coven of Hexenbiests! Again he waited till a dark night. Again they tried to fight, beg for their lives, and offer him anything he wanted. Again they died. Again he hunted witches.
Again he returned a month later - this time with a different group of Special Forces. Now, none of his men were there.
This time, Eve was waiting for him. "They said I might find you here."
"What?" He looked at her flatly.
She was surprised. He never usually responded to her like this. She sensed him. She saw a different look in his eyes - cold and predatory. "We need some help."
"With what?" He asked.
She smiled "Paperwork is already done. Hop on the bird and I will brief you."
She started briefing him and he stopped her. "I'm done rescuing Hexenbiests. I learned my lesson."
"This is the mission!" She replied. He stood up and looked out the door "Then I'm leaving now."
"We're at 2100 feet!" She looked at him frustrated.
"I'll take my chances." He responded flatly as he slid the door open.
She telepathically slammed the door shut "Come on now! Do we really have to do this?"
He was angry "First you stick me with that crazy nut who constantly insulted me and fought with me for over two years, you made me train her, then I lose all my men for six months straight to Hexenbiests and you want me to rescue them? Nope. There are too many Hexenbiests in the world and that's going to change."
She was surprised because he was serious. She looked into his eyes and it was creepy - like looking into the eyes of a shark. There was no warmth or humanity, just a giant black hole of emptiness. "How about this. Help me out here and we'll get all the intel and set you up to head up a team to deal with whoever is running that mess with the Hexenbiests in Afghanistan."
He smirked. "Ok, I'll come along and help lead the team, but I'm still not rescuing Hexenbiests."