Tokyo Landfill Zero, Tokyo, Japan, 2010.
For the entire night and into the morning, I was interviewed by Wolfgang to see if I was a threat to Mina but trying to get any answers from me was like talking to a brick wall since I was trained not to reveal my name or my past to anyone, and I was also trained to resist any interrogation methods for an extended period of time. Once we had arrived at the newly constructed vampire bund, my weapons, my gas mask and my helmet were taken away as a safety protocol since I was untrustworthy at the moment. My act of being silent and still like a statue while Wolfgang was trying to question me wasn't doing me any favors. Finally, Wolfgang gave up and left the room while I looked at the one-way mirror, seeing my reflection wearing my standard black Umbrella Security Service uniform with a tactical vest, black gloves, and black combat boots. Once I was done looking at myself and at the observers in the room behind the mirror, I looked at the door as it opened and I saw Mina entering and taking a seat in the chair across from me.
"I'm surprised...you've barely said a word ever since we brought you here and you've resisted answering our questions for hours. It's very interesting...are you American military? Because I don't see any identifiable marks on you and with that mask, it makes me think you were part of an anti-biohazard special forces unit. So, who are you?" Mina wondered curiously.
"It's classified," I responded stoically while keeping eye contact, and Mina laughed in amusement.
"Oh my, you are certainly a tough one to crack...very well. Seeing as how you aren't going anywhere and don't appear to have anywhere to go, how about I make you an offer. Seeing that you are well trained in combat and don't flinch in intense situations, how about you work for me as a personal guard? You can put your skills to use whenever I'm in danger and you will be paid handsomely for your efforts," Mina offered.
"Negative...I already have a place of employment and I need to get back to the States so that I can be debriefed," I refused blankly.
"Oh? You were on a mission when you showed up at the TV station? What kind of mission was it?" Mina inquired.
"That's classified," I repeated and added, "My employers work for an important company and they don't tolerate any kind of failure, which is why I need to extract back to the States."
"Employers? So, you are some kind of mercenary then? Well, think about this...seeing how you told me that they don't tolerate any kind of failure, would you really be surprised if they eliminate you once your usefulness runs out? And besides, whatever paycheck they promised will be nothing compared to what I'll be paying you...think about it," Mina stated and just watched me while I started thinking.
She was right...once the Umbrella Corporation learns about my failure to report in, they will decide that I had gone rogue and will send people after me to eliminate me for my failure. The only option I had would be to work for Mina but I had little to no information about the position or my prospective employer. At any rate, no matter what, I would survive since you can't kill death and I am faster and stronger than an ordinary man, my reflexes are off the charts, and I recover quickly from injuries which is how I was able to survive all my missions for two years. I nodded at Mina to show that I was agreeing to work for her and she looked satisfied.
"Very well then, looks like we have a deal," Mina stated with a smirk and we stood up from our chairs so that we could leave the room.
After we left the interrogation room, I was given my weapons, mask, and helmet back and my new orders were to protect the Princess from any threats that would want her dead...Mina told me that we were to go into the city so that she could locate someone by the name of Akira Kaburagi Regendorf, who was the Princess' former personal protector but he had disappeared after a mission went bad and nobody had heard from him since. When I had asked her how Akira was supposed to protect her since he was a human, I was rendered silent when she told me that he was part of the Earth Clan...werewolves that have served the Tepes family for centuries as their security and military division. I was interested to find out that werewolves exist since they had always been my favorite mythological creature and I had been always fascinated by the folklore of people changing shape into a wolf or a humanoid wolf-like creature under the full moon.
As we entered the limousine, I inquired if members of the Earth Clan only transformed under a full moon. The Princess laughed and told me that transforming under a full moon was nothing more than folklore and that those born with the werewolf gene can transform into two forms and back at will. The first form was the humanoid wolf and the second form was a normal wolf. Satisfied, I decided that I only needed to speak whenever I needed to gather intel on the vampire race and the Earth Clan, and I would stay quiet if I didn't have any questions about this strange new world I had been exposed to.
Some time later, the limo pulled to a stop and we got out and walked down a street that led to a city pier. I spotted a teenaged boy who had messy black hair, green eyes, and he was wearing a school uniform.
"That's him...Akira," Mina notified me while my ears picked up the sound of a helicopter flying nearby.
"Copy," I said while checking my MP5 and other weapons that were approved by the Japanese government due to me being Mina's personal guard.
"Truth number one, I drink the blood of human beings! Truth 2, I'm dedicated to the karma of the immortal! Truth three, I have been chosen to govern...the world of the dead!" Mina declared after a dramatic performance with a white cloak and an Oni mask, causing Akira to stare at her in confusion.
"Mina Tepes?" Akira inquired and when he saw me, he tensed up at seeing so many weapons.
"The one and only," Mina confirmed.
"Are you...for real?" Akira wondered skeptically.
"What do you mean by that, dear sir? Are you asking me if I'm really a vampire? Or are you asking me if I am truly Mina Tepes? I guess it doesn't matter either way. The answer is still the same. You see, I am the ruler of the vamp-" Mina started to brag, but she was cut off when Akira ignored her by walking away and she shouted in indignation, "Hey wait! Come back here!"
Mina went to chase after him but her foot stepped on the bottom on her dress and she tripped, falling with a yelp and I quickly grabbed her to prevent her from hitting the ground in a heap. Akira looked back to see me letting go of Mina and she brushed off any dirt that was on her dress.
"Dammit, I hate these stupid clothes! I can't move in them at all!" Mina complained while Akira approached her with a look of concern and she huffed, "Please do not assume I am always this helpless."
"Why have you been following me? Why were you crying last time? And who's your friend that's heavily armed?" Akira questioned in suspicion.
"Oh don't worry about him, he's just here to protect me...so, you don't remember. You really have lost all of your memories," Mina said softly.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of an RPG being fired and I quickly acted by rushing over and tackling Akira and Mina to the ground just as two rockets flew over our heads and exploded when they each hit the ground and a building nearby.
"What the hell do those bastards think they're doing?!" Akira exclaimed as I got up to my feet and aimed my MP5 at the direction of where the rockets came from.
"We have enemy contact and this area has turned into a hot zone...we need to take cover, now," I stated cooly just as a gunship came flying around the corner and started aiming at us.
The mounted gun opened fire which prompted me to whip around and haul Akira up by the jacket collar, the boy carrying Mina in his arms as we ran and kept our heads low from the gunfire that was pelting the ground around us. Eventually, we managed to escape from the helicopter and found ourselves inside a warehouse.
"Who the hell were those assholes that were after you?!" Akira panted while I kept scanning the perimeter.
"It's hard to say since there are many who would love to see me dead...both human and non-human alike," Mina commented nonchalantly as I checked my ammo.
"And they just attack you out of nowhere like that?" Akira wondered in disbelief.
"You start to get used to it after a while. They'll try just about anything because they know that it's not easy to kill me...well, that is until now, anyway. I'm afraid my shade gel is beginning to wear off," Mina pouted as she looked at one of her arms.
"What the fuck is shade gel?" Akira asked in confusion.
"It's a drug that when applied topically, we can prevent ourselves from being destroyed by sunlight. I have about a minute left," Mina informed us.
"What happens when your time's up?" Akira inquired.
"The sunlight will turn me into ash," Mina stated bluntly.
"How can you be so flippant about it?" Akira questioned in shock.
"Whatever shall I do? This is quite a predicament...I have shade gel with me but I cannot put it on myself," Mina suggested as she held up a can and Akira gulped awkwardly.
"Dammit...how did I get dragged into this shit?" Akira muttered in irritation.
"How do you mean?" Mina inquired as we all moved deeper inside the warehouse, me checking corners and signaling them that it was all clear.
"I don't get why I have to help you? Don't you have servants and why can't you have your friend do it?" Akira questioned while I kept looking around for any threats.
"Hurry up. This dress isn't going to come off by itself. I may have the body of a child but don't worry since I'm hundreds of years old," Mina urged reassuringly and I stopped paying attention to their conversation so that I could focus on the mission.
I scanned the area and heard footsteps after a while, prompting me to aim my MP5 in the direction of the noise and Akira whipped his head at the noise with a tense expression.
"Who's there?! Identify yourselves or you will be fired upon," I warned coldly when I spotted two people approaching us, seeing that they were police officers.
"It's the police!" one of the officers announced in a male voice which I lowered my MP5 but kept it raised slightly just in case it was an ambush.
"There was a terrorist bombing down the street and we can see that you're carrying illegal firearms, so put down the weapons and get down on the ground with your hands behind your head," the second officer ordered me in a female voice, but I strangely caught the scent of silver that was coming from the officers and their scents changed which made me aim at them again.
"Don't move! You two are not police officers so get down on the ground!" I ordered and the "officers" pulled out revolvers and shot them at me as I rolled into cover.
I took out a flashbang and pulled the pin, rolling it out of cover and the loud bang with the blinding flash occurred which caused the enemies to yell in pain and I heard them drop their guns. I quickly moved out of cover and the enemies recovered enough to pull out a wooden stake and a silver knife. The man charged at me and I slung my MP5, taking out my combat knife and a deadly dance broke out while our blades struck each other and sent sparks everywhere. I ducked, blocked, weaved, and deflected the strikes until the man got lucky and I growled in pain when the knife cut my arm, a sizzling noise coming from the wound as steam rose from the injury and it felt like someone poured acid on it. Ever since I was a kid, I could never get close or touch anything that was made of silver since it would burn me if I touched a silver object by accident...the doctors were never able to explain my affliction and I was advised to avoid anything made of silver. The most interesting thing is that while I was growing up, I was stronger, faster, more agile, and I could heal up quicker than a normal human...during my time in U.S.S I had wondered if Umbrella had done something to me when I was a kid and I repressed it.
I quickly backed up and unholstered my UPS, putting my knife in a reverse grip and I shot the man in the heart before he could react. The man dropped to the ground like a sack of bricks and I returned my focus to the woman, seeing her being restained by Mina.
"Impressive talent, HUNK. Tell me, how did you know that they were assassins?" Mina inquired with a fanged grin.
"I could smell silver on them and I've always had an affliction were silver would burn me if I touched it. Not to mention that I somehow caught a whiff of their scents changing which is how I was able to tell that they were lying," I explained stoically and Mina tilted the woman's head so that her neck was in plain view.
"You too? I could also smell it," Akira informed me while he looked at me in surprise
"My...what do we have here? Now I'm being attacked by humans? Well, do you want to tell me who you work for? Or should I just force you to talk with a bite on the neck? Behold, this is the power of the vampire! This is who we truly are!" Mina declared proudly as she lunged down and sank her fangs into the woman's neck, causing the human to choke and gag from having her blood being drained away.
Mina eventually stopped and released the woman and watched as the human slumped to the ground, twitching from blood loss.
"Oh...Kami," Akira breathed in shock and I walked over to the woman that was trying to move.
Akira's eyes widen in horror when I suddenly aimed at the women and shot her in the head in cold blood.
"Holy shit! Why the hell did you do that?! She needed to go to a hospital, not get put down like an animal!" Akira exclaimed incredulously.
"She was a loose end that would've been a problem later. In war, the mission takes priority over everything. Let's move out before reinforcements show up," I ordered coldly while Akira stared in disbelief at how ruthless I was.
After leaving the crime scene, we kept walking and paid attention for any kind of ambush, winding up in a parking garage as it became nightfall.
"I'll be safe once I make it to the Bund. Thank you very much you two...you saved my life," Mina thanked us while I was looking outside.
"Honestly, I still really can't believe you are a vampire," Akira remarked.
"I don't know why you can't after everything you've seen today," Mina huffed and I checked the mag that was in my MP5.
"Let me ask you something...why did you suddenly reveal yourself and announce you were building a bund?" Akira inquired curiously.
"This is my way of preparing for battle...now let me ask you something. Do you feel happy the way you are now?" Mina asked and Akira looked thoughtful.
"It's tough to say since I've lost my memory...I was in an accident last year and I woke up with amnesia. Isn't that crazy? Sixteen years gone in the blink of an eye...but, I have friends that stuck by me even though I couldn't remember them and a sweet girl who's always worried about me. So I guess...I'm happy," Akira confessed quietly and I saw Mina smiling softly with a look of reminiscence.
"Well, my friend and I must be going. Until we meet again, Akira," Mina stated as she walked in front of Akira and kissed him on the cheek, causing the boy to widen his eyes in surprise as Mina and I started to walk away and she stopped as she looked back.
"The reason why I was crying was that I was so happy to see you," Mina explained.
"I don't get it...how the fuck do you know my name?" Akira wondered in confusion.
We all left the parking garage and entered a plaza, car headlights turning on suddenly to reveal a man hanging upside down on a statue.
"I've been waiting for you, Princess. Someone very important would like to meet with you, so I have been sent as your personal guide," the man stated.
"Is that so? Where will you take me?" Mina inquired as I unslung my MP5 and got ready to shoot.
"To our organization," the man clarified.
"Oh, so I have another enemy," Mina muttered and Akira stepped forward.
"You son of a bitch...hey!" Akira growled as he went to charge the man but a look from Mina stopped him.
"Stay back! This is the realm of the night! As the ones who live in the daylight, you and HUNK have no business getting involved!" Mina lectured while the man on the statue chuckled and he suddenly transformed into a giant spider.
"Princess, you are coming with me!" the creature declared as it suddenly shot webbing that wrapped around Mina's arms.
"Let go!" Mina demanded while her eyes glowed red.
"You won't get away from me!" the creature stated arrogantly while Mina struggled.
"Who are you?! Which clan are you from?!" Mina shouted and I saw Akira charging at the creature.
"She warned you not to get involved!" the creature roared as it shot webbing around Akira's foot and lifted him up with Mina.
I opened fire at the monster, hitting it with a few shots but it shot webbing on my gun and dragged me with the others. Akira and I were thrown to the ground, the two of us yelping in pain from being thrown to the ground so roughly and I felt that same feeling I had felt last night rise up again. Akira and I were lifted again and smashed into the wall of one of the two buildings and thrown into the second one, then we were tossed away while I was choking from having the breath knocked out of me. As Akira and I were flying through the air, I searched for that feeling and felt what appeared to be an animal that was locked up and clawing to get out. I called out for the animal inside me as Akira and I crashed into the statue and I felt power rushing through me, feeling something I haven't felt for years.
Akira and I staggered to our feet and we roared as the intoxicating power flew out in a tiny shockwave that got rid of the dust that was surrounding us. We performed inhuman leaps and crashed onto the side of the building on the left, kicking up a dust cloud and I embraced the animal that was inside me...I felt the bizarre feeling of my body growing and changing into something new and primal, Akira and I rushed out of the dust cloud and I saw the teenaged kid now in the form of a large humanoid wolf with black fur and I looked at myself to see that I was also covered in black fur and my hands looked relatively human with claws and paw-pads. We moved up the side of the building while I felt the long forgotten feeling of joy rushing through me like I was now complete and welcoming a friend after not seeing them for years.
"I'm...a werewolf," I thought while Akira and I were charging at the spider creature, whose six eyes widened in shock.
"This is fucking impossible...they are a part of the Earth Clan?!" the creature shouted in frustration as it leaped into the air and shot webbing at us.
We dodged the incoming fire and I impaled my new claws into the creature's abdomen, causing it to gurgle and choke up blood while it looked at me in fear and agony.
"What...are you?" the monster gasped while I stared back impassively.
"Your death...you cannot escape the reaper," I declared coldly in a deep and guttural voice as we landed on the roof of one of the two buildings.
I lifted up the monster and literally tore him in half, blood raining down on me as I lifted my head and howled. I felt free as I poured out my soul into my song, enjoying the moment and hearing another howl nearby which I assumed that Akira was singing along with me. Once I was done howling, I jumped off the roof and landed on a nearby rooftop, seeing a glass wall and I examined myself...I was a 7 feet tall humanoid wolf with black fur that was covered in blood, golden eyes that held a lot of power in them, hands that looked human with deadly claws and paw-pads, a bushy tail, a wolf's head that was attached to a humanoid torso with a six-pack, muscular human arms, and digitigrade legs with canine paws.
I saw a concrete wall and decided to test how strong I was. I went over to the wall and gripped the corner...shockingly tearing out the strong stone and I crushed the stone with a flex of my powerful biceps. I was fascinated by how powerful my eyesight, hearing, and sense of smell was and I decided to meet up with Akira so that we could extract Mina back to the Bund.
A/N Bet you all weren't expecting the Grim Reaper to be a werewolf, but I put that down as the reason why HUNK is able to survive missions that would kill a normal man. So, how did you all like the chapter? Make sure to send me a review so that I can see your answer. Stay tuned everyone.