"That was a good hunt yesterday," Amon remarks as they get into his car,
and Kate pauses.
"Thank you," she says, almost frowning. Did he just break his rule of superiority and actually compliment her? A portion of Hell must have frozen over. He hadn't said a word to her during the rather brief conference, since both Karasuma and Sakaki were in the hospital, recovering from their encounter with Takeda. "Shouldn't we take Yurika along for backup?"
Amon looks at her as if she's slow. "Backup? This is only a stakeout."
Kate sighs. Nope, Hell is still merrily burning and Amon is still his usual aloof, stony self. "Right," is all she says, locking the car door.
They make a quick stop at the J-Mart for some food, and Kate is somewhat relieved to see him getting something as normal as junk food. For a while, she thought he existed on blood or something like that, since he never ate with anyone and was never seen eating. Of course, as a normal human he would also sleep and defecates, but neither of those have been proven, either, she smirks inwardly, adjusting the chair so it's more comfortable.
"Don't fall asleep on me," Amon warns her abruptly as they speed along to their stakeout.
"Don't worry," Kate says, "you'll never have to kiss me awake." His startled expression makes her grin, and, reminiscent of Doujima, she lazily crosses her arms behind her head and watches the scenery flash past. The night is so beautiful without all the streetlights, she thinks idly, it's nice to have an assignment outside the city.
After what seems like hours, they come to a stop in front of a very rural- looking home. "I can't believe a witch would want to stay in a dump like that," Kate remarks, peering into the darkness with her Craft, while her partner uses night vision binoculars.
"Some witches try to keep a low profile," Amon says, and she's not sure whether he's scolding her or making fun of her, both rub her the wrong way. "Unfortunately for this one, her powers didn't stay hidden."
"Right," Kate says, leaning back.
"Kate," he says in a voice that's clearly a warning.
"Amon," she says in almost the same tone. "Don't worry, I can see right through you."
"Don't waste your strength," he says, handing her another pair of night vision binoculars.
She sighs. "Fine." Resigned, she adjusts her seat back to its normal upright position, keeping an eye on the house while Amon scopes the surrounding area. "Nothing. Maybe she got spooked and left for, I don't know, a more civilized area."
"Or maybe not," Amon says, still looking through his binoculars, tinting everything in an unnatural green. Then he puts them down. "Come on." He opens his door and steps out.
Kate's eyes widen. "Okay," she says, "but if you use me as bait, I'm shooting you before I shoot the witch."
"I'd never do that to you," he says, and she can almost swear he's smiling.
"Oh, so my first assignment as bait doesn't count," she huffs, stepping out of the car. "I see." She narrows her gray eyes and frowns. "I don't see any live being larger than a cat out here," she says, "maybe it's a trap."
"Then we'd best be on our guard," her so-called partner says heartlessly, and she follows him into the old-fashioned wooden house.
"Thank you," she says, almost frowning. Did he just break his rule of superiority and actually compliment her? A portion of Hell must have frozen over. He hadn't said a word to her during the rather brief conference, since both Karasuma and Sakaki were in the hospital, recovering from their encounter with Takeda. "Shouldn't we take Yurika along for backup?"
Amon looks at her as if she's slow. "Backup? This is only a stakeout."
Kate sighs. Nope, Hell is still merrily burning and Amon is still his usual aloof, stony self. "Right," is all she says, locking the car door.
They make a quick stop at the J-Mart for some food, and Kate is somewhat relieved to see him getting something as normal as junk food. For a while, she thought he existed on blood or something like that, since he never ate with anyone and was never seen eating. Of course, as a normal human he would also sleep and defecates, but neither of those have been proven, either, she smirks inwardly, adjusting the chair so it's more comfortable.
"Don't fall asleep on me," Amon warns her abruptly as they speed along to their stakeout.
"Don't worry," Kate says, "you'll never have to kiss me awake." His startled expression makes her grin, and, reminiscent of Doujima, she lazily crosses her arms behind her head and watches the scenery flash past. The night is so beautiful without all the streetlights, she thinks idly, it's nice to have an assignment outside the city.
After what seems like hours, they come to a stop in front of a very rural- looking home. "I can't believe a witch would want to stay in a dump like that," Kate remarks, peering into the darkness with her Craft, while her partner uses night vision binoculars.
"Some witches try to keep a low profile," Amon says, and she's not sure whether he's scolding her or making fun of her, both rub her the wrong way. "Unfortunately for this one, her powers didn't stay hidden."
"Right," Kate says, leaning back.
"Kate," he says in a voice that's clearly a warning.
"Amon," she says in almost the same tone. "Don't worry, I can see right through you."
"Don't waste your strength," he says, handing her another pair of night vision binoculars.
She sighs. "Fine." Resigned, she adjusts her seat back to its normal upright position, keeping an eye on the house while Amon scopes the surrounding area. "Nothing. Maybe she got spooked and left for, I don't know, a more civilized area."
"Or maybe not," Amon says, still looking through his binoculars, tinting everything in an unnatural green. Then he puts them down. "Come on." He opens his door and steps out.
Kate's eyes widen. "Okay," she says, "but if you use me as bait, I'm shooting you before I shoot the witch."
"I'd never do that to you," he says, and she can almost swear he's smiling.
"Oh, so my first assignment as bait doesn't count," she huffs, stepping out of the car. "I see." She narrows her gray eyes and frowns. "I don't see any live being larger than a cat out here," she says, "maybe it's a trap."
"Then we'd best be on our guard," her so-called partner says heartlessly, and she follows him into the old-fashioned wooden house.