Ch. 2: And her name was Lisseth
"Harada's jerking me around," Rahne thought angrily. "This Richard Gado is nothing special, just another FBI grunt, running around, living his insignificant life..." Rahne sighed in disappointment. Richard's mother, Shina, now there was an interesting person. Mercenary, Zoanthrope, advocate on Zoanthrope rights before the Government's Zoanthrope Defense council, then leader of the Department on Zoanthrope Affairs. Rahne had read both of her books on life as a Zoanthrope, and found them quite fascinating. But her son, this Richard Gado, was so dull in comparison. Sure he was handsome in a black tank tope, green camo pants and dark glasses, with a shaved head and chiseled physique, but as far as everything else went, he was just normal. No signs of deeper government involvement, Hell, it didn't appear as if he was even a Zoanthrope himself.
He got on his motorcycle, as he did every day she watched him from afar, and sped off. She transformed and took to the air in pursuit. She could fly high enough to avoid most notice, and if someone did they'd more likely assume she were a large bird. Every day it was the same routine, Richard would ride from his building to another one, approximately 5 blocks away, and meet with a woman he called "Reiko." She was a tall, attractive woman with shirt black hair and always wore a black leather jacket and black glasses. She had a distinct scent to her, a mix of blowfish toxin and clove oil. Her voice was soft yet forceful, with an accent betraying her Japanese descent. Another thing Rahne noticed, she always carried a cane with her, but she seemed to tell where everyone and everything was around her, and showed no signs of a limp.
"Reiko," Rahne thought with a smirk, "would be far more interesting to follow."
Richard made his way to their usual meeting spot, and Rahne perched high atop a nearby building. She took the binoculars from her waist and peered through them. The usual for Richard, meeting Reiko at the door, handing her some documents, and making idle, inconspicuous chatter. Rahne again found herself captivated by Reiko. Through the zoom of her binoculars, she could see the traces of crimson in her hair, her flawless face, toned legs appearing from a leather miniskirt, and the white fur along the collar of her jacket.
Rahne sighed. If something interesting didn't happen soon, she was going to flip out. She shut her eyes, and heard something buzz past her ear. She opened her eyes, only to see Richard Gado staring directly at her. She knew she had been spotted, and her wish had been granted. "Bloody hell," she cursed as she transformed into bat form, flew down the side of the building, and landed in front of her targets. She changed back and approached.
"So, what gave me away?" she asked.
"You sighed," Richard said a low, grim baritone. "Reiko heard you. I'm impressed, not everyone can follow me and not let me notice. Just who the hell are you?"
Rahne sighed. Normally, she would just tight-lipped refuse to name herself and her employer, but she didn't really give a damn about this assignment. Sure her secrets were at stake, but with any luck they'd help her shut Harada up once and for all. "Me name is Rahne Wallace. I've been blackmailed by a man named Harada Busuzima into spyin on ye."
"Harada... figures. He's been on my ass for a while. What's he got on you?"
"That's me own personal business," Rahne snapped. Richard growled, and grabbed Rahne by the chin. He roughly jerked her head to the side and looked intently at her neck. He grunted and released her.
"Figures."
"Does everyone know about that?"
Reiko's attention seemed to be suddenly grabbed by an outside force. She jerked her head to the right, and sniffed the air. "Footsteps. Two sets, coming from the southwest. You were followed."
"Great. Looks like today's not a total bust after all." Rahne smiled as two men appeared. One was tall and slender, with blonde hair and a white three- piece suit. The Second was larger, had brown hair, and was clad in a similar black suit. They stopped, a few feet from Richard. The white one approached, and pointed straight at Richard.
"Richard Gado! You've hunted us for the last time!"
"They're not here for me? Bloody Hell...." Richard procured two daggers from his waist, while Reiko slipped a long blade concealed in her cane. "So, thing's 're gonna get a wee bit messy?" Rahne asked licking her lips, "jest the way ah like it."
The two men pounced, the white on at Richard and the black one at Rahne. The force of his momentum took her by surprise. Within the blink of an eye he had her wrists in his grasp. A sadistic laugh escape his lips. Rahne struggled, but could not get free. The man smiled, revealing a mouth filled with razor-like teeth and two elongated canines. He reared back to bite her, but stopped suddenly, jerked his head back, and roared in pain. He let Rahne go, and turned around to face Reiko. A long red runnel of blood ran down his back, where it could be surmised Reiko had slashed him. He took a step forward, promptly meeting with Richard's fist. Richard then grabbed the man's throat and pinned him to a wall, and jammed a dagger through his heart. The man began to flail wildly as more blood than the human body could possibly hold flew from his chest. Finally, he stopped, and went limp. The man in white stood back, wide eyed.
"Ha, you can't kill what you can't see!" he said, taking a small silver object from his coat. He smirked, throwing it to the ground. The area around them became enveloped in an intense light, blinding Rahne and those around her.
"God damn it," Rahne cursed as she turned her head away from the blinding light, "The son of a bitch had a flash globe!" Rahne's eyes remained averted for sever seconds, until the spots ceased dancing in front of her and she looked to Reiko. She was standing, blade sheathed, over the decapitated body of the man in white.
"I never could see him," she said. "Unfortunate that he did not know that."
Rahne sighed, looking at the bodies. She had hoped that the secret Harada knew wasn't what she thought it was, but now it was apparent that it was. "I didn't want this to happen, Harada..."
"...has nothing to do with this!" a feminine voice called from aside. Several men in black robes had gathered, forming two parallel lines leading to Richard. A unearthly mist rose from the ground as the moon ran blood red. A woman clad in transparent white robes approached, dragging alongside her a rusted old scythe. Down her sides were crosshatched scars, blackened and oozing. Her chest bore a large crucifix-like scar, and her wrists bore stigmata. Her face was gaunt with a deathly pallor, her eyes sullen and dark, covered with long, pale violet hair. Her blackened lips parted as she spoke in a voice as chilling as death itself. "Tell me, Richard Gado, are you proud of your handiwork? Do you enjoy slaughtering my children?"
"The Original..." Richard said, for the first time betraying emotion in his voice.
"Lisseth will do," the woman replied, raising a hand. Her nails were long and sharp, resembling blackened claws. She approached Richard, who stayed motionless in shock. With a swift, brutal motion, she struck, plunging her hand in Richard chest, then swiftly pulling out his still beating heart. Blood flowed from Richard's mouth as he fell to his knees. Gurgling, his face twisted in horror, he fell to the ground. Silent, motionless, dead. Lisseth held his heart up as a trophy, and opened her mouth. He mouth, like those of the man in black earlier, was filled with rows of razor sharp teeth. He reared back, and opened wide, devouring the heart in a single, bloody bite. She chewed slowly, savoring the muscle before swallowing it.
Rahne stood, calm and at the ready before this unholy beast. "You're heart does not race, indeed, I cannot hear it beat," Reiko said, "Are you not frightened?"
Lisseth approached, and looked Rahne deep into her eyes. Lisseth's were gray and emotionless, dead as was the rest of her. Her moth now stained with blood was the only splash of color on her. She smirked, and backed away, vanishing along with her entourage. Rahne looked at Reiko, then at Richard's body.
Reiko placed a hand on Rahne's sholder. "We should leave. The police will be here soon."
"Um, yeah. We should." Rahne replied, still trying to shake off what had just happened.
"May I ask to stay the day in your home? We have much to discuss."
"What do you know about me?"
"I know why no birth certificate exists for Rahne Wallace. I know why you prefer the night, and I know about your role in the death of Jenny Burtory," Reiko answered. "In short, I know everything about you. Please, Richard would have wanted this."
Rahne nodded, then walked away with Reiko. She took one last look back at Richard's body. "Harada... What in Belial's name have you started?"
"Harada's jerking me around," Rahne thought angrily. "This Richard Gado is nothing special, just another FBI grunt, running around, living his insignificant life..." Rahne sighed in disappointment. Richard's mother, Shina, now there was an interesting person. Mercenary, Zoanthrope, advocate on Zoanthrope rights before the Government's Zoanthrope Defense council, then leader of the Department on Zoanthrope Affairs. Rahne had read both of her books on life as a Zoanthrope, and found them quite fascinating. But her son, this Richard Gado, was so dull in comparison. Sure he was handsome in a black tank tope, green camo pants and dark glasses, with a shaved head and chiseled physique, but as far as everything else went, he was just normal. No signs of deeper government involvement, Hell, it didn't appear as if he was even a Zoanthrope himself.
He got on his motorcycle, as he did every day she watched him from afar, and sped off. She transformed and took to the air in pursuit. She could fly high enough to avoid most notice, and if someone did they'd more likely assume she were a large bird. Every day it was the same routine, Richard would ride from his building to another one, approximately 5 blocks away, and meet with a woman he called "Reiko." She was a tall, attractive woman with shirt black hair and always wore a black leather jacket and black glasses. She had a distinct scent to her, a mix of blowfish toxin and clove oil. Her voice was soft yet forceful, with an accent betraying her Japanese descent. Another thing Rahne noticed, she always carried a cane with her, but she seemed to tell where everyone and everything was around her, and showed no signs of a limp.
"Reiko," Rahne thought with a smirk, "would be far more interesting to follow."
Richard made his way to their usual meeting spot, and Rahne perched high atop a nearby building. She took the binoculars from her waist and peered through them. The usual for Richard, meeting Reiko at the door, handing her some documents, and making idle, inconspicuous chatter. Rahne again found herself captivated by Reiko. Through the zoom of her binoculars, she could see the traces of crimson in her hair, her flawless face, toned legs appearing from a leather miniskirt, and the white fur along the collar of her jacket.
Rahne sighed. If something interesting didn't happen soon, she was going to flip out. She shut her eyes, and heard something buzz past her ear. She opened her eyes, only to see Richard Gado staring directly at her. She knew she had been spotted, and her wish had been granted. "Bloody hell," she cursed as she transformed into bat form, flew down the side of the building, and landed in front of her targets. She changed back and approached.
"So, what gave me away?" she asked.
"You sighed," Richard said a low, grim baritone. "Reiko heard you. I'm impressed, not everyone can follow me and not let me notice. Just who the hell are you?"
Rahne sighed. Normally, she would just tight-lipped refuse to name herself and her employer, but she didn't really give a damn about this assignment. Sure her secrets were at stake, but with any luck they'd help her shut Harada up once and for all. "Me name is Rahne Wallace. I've been blackmailed by a man named Harada Busuzima into spyin on ye."
"Harada... figures. He's been on my ass for a while. What's he got on you?"
"That's me own personal business," Rahne snapped. Richard growled, and grabbed Rahne by the chin. He roughly jerked her head to the side and looked intently at her neck. He grunted and released her.
"Figures."
"Does everyone know about that?"
Reiko's attention seemed to be suddenly grabbed by an outside force. She jerked her head to the right, and sniffed the air. "Footsteps. Two sets, coming from the southwest. You were followed."
"Great. Looks like today's not a total bust after all." Rahne smiled as two men appeared. One was tall and slender, with blonde hair and a white three- piece suit. The Second was larger, had brown hair, and was clad in a similar black suit. They stopped, a few feet from Richard. The white one approached, and pointed straight at Richard.
"Richard Gado! You've hunted us for the last time!"
"They're not here for me? Bloody Hell...." Richard procured two daggers from his waist, while Reiko slipped a long blade concealed in her cane. "So, thing's 're gonna get a wee bit messy?" Rahne asked licking her lips, "jest the way ah like it."
The two men pounced, the white on at Richard and the black one at Rahne. The force of his momentum took her by surprise. Within the blink of an eye he had her wrists in his grasp. A sadistic laugh escape his lips. Rahne struggled, but could not get free. The man smiled, revealing a mouth filled with razor-like teeth and two elongated canines. He reared back to bite her, but stopped suddenly, jerked his head back, and roared in pain. He let Rahne go, and turned around to face Reiko. A long red runnel of blood ran down his back, where it could be surmised Reiko had slashed him. He took a step forward, promptly meeting with Richard's fist. Richard then grabbed the man's throat and pinned him to a wall, and jammed a dagger through his heart. The man began to flail wildly as more blood than the human body could possibly hold flew from his chest. Finally, he stopped, and went limp. The man in white stood back, wide eyed.
"Ha, you can't kill what you can't see!" he said, taking a small silver object from his coat. He smirked, throwing it to the ground. The area around them became enveloped in an intense light, blinding Rahne and those around her.
"God damn it," Rahne cursed as she turned her head away from the blinding light, "The son of a bitch had a flash globe!" Rahne's eyes remained averted for sever seconds, until the spots ceased dancing in front of her and she looked to Reiko. She was standing, blade sheathed, over the decapitated body of the man in white.
"I never could see him," she said. "Unfortunate that he did not know that."
Rahne sighed, looking at the bodies. She had hoped that the secret Harada knew wasn't what she thought it was, but now it was apparent that it was. "I didn't want this to happen, Harada..."
"...has nothing to do with this!" a feminine voice called from aside. Several men in black robes had gathered, forming two parallel lines leading to Richard. A unearthly mist rose from the ground as the moon ran blood red. A woman clad in transparent white robes approached, dragging alongside her a rusted old scythe. Down her sides were crosshatched scars, blackened and oozing. Her chest bore a large crucifix-like scar, and her wrists bore stigmata. Her face was gaunt with a deathly pallor, her eyes sullen and dark, covered with long, pale violet hair. Her blackened lips parted as she spoke in a voice as chilling as death itself. "Tell me, Richard Gado, are you proud of your handiwork? Do you enjoy slaughtering my children?"
"The Original..." Richard said, for the first time betraying emotion in his voice.
"Lisseth will do," the woman replied, raising a hand. Her nails were long and sharp, resembling blackened claws. She approached Richard, who stayed motionless in shock. With a swift, brutal motion, she struck, plunging her hand in Richard chest, then swiftly pulling out his still beating heart. Blood flowed from Richard's mouth as he fell to his knees. Gurgling, his face twisted in horror, he fell to the ground. Silent, motionless, dead. Lisseth held his heart up as a trophy, and opened her mouth. He mouth, like those of the man in black earlier, was filled with rows of razor sharp teeth. He reared back, and opened wide, devouring the heart in a single, bloody bite. She chewed slowly, savoring the muscle before swallowing it.
Rahne stood, calm and at the ready before this unholy beast. "You're heart does not race, indeed, I cannot hear it beat," Reiko said, "Are you not frightened?"
Lisseth approached, and looked Rahne deep into her eyes. Lisseth's were gray and emotionless, dead as was the rest of her. Her moth now stained with blood was the only splash of color on her. She smirked, and backed away, vanishing along with her entourage. Rahne looked at Reiko, then at Richard's body.
Reiko placed a hand on Rahne's sholder. "We should leave. The police will be here soon."
"Um, yeah. We should." Rahne replied, still trying to shake off what had just happened.
"May I ask to stay the day in your home? We have much to discuss."
"What do you know about me?"
"I know why no birth certificate exists for Rahne Wallace. I know why you prefer the night, and I know about your role in the death of Jenny Burtory," Reiko answered. "In short, I know everything about you. Please, Richard would have wanted this."
Rahne nodded, then walked away with Reiko. She took one last look back at Richard's body. "Harada... What in Belial's name have you started?"