I don't own anything.

Lycanthrope 2: The Prophecy

Chapter Twenty-Two: Red Coated Reaper

"So this is everything?" Shinji asked as he leafed through the thick packet of papers in his hands.

"That's as close as I could figure," Jake said. "He didn't leave the country after all. He just moved to this old research facility near Dresden."

"Right," Shinji said as he found the address of the building.

"I managed to dig up some blueprints, but they're really old," Jake added. "They're post Second Impact and there could have been a thousand renovations between then and now."

"It's perfect," Shinji said as he tugged a bill fold from his pocket and tossed it onto Jake's table. The older man picked it up and thumbed through it.

"This is at least ten times my going rate," he said simply.

"Since when did you have a heart?" Shinji asked.

"Still don't," Jake said. "I'm just curious."

"Isn't that a bad thing in your line of work?" Shinji asked as he tucked the papers under his arm.

"Yeah, but very rarely do people as interesting as you pop up in my line of work," Jake said. "When you get to Dresden go the Hilton Hotel three blocks from the airport."

"What should I do when I get there?" Shinji asked.

"Just relax in the lobby," Jake said. "You'll thank me later."

"I really doubt that," Shinji said as he pushed the door to the office.

"Alright then," Jake said. "See you later."

"Like I said," Shinji said as he adjusted his sunglasses, "I really doubt that."

(:ii:)

"We're leaving." Jen looked up stared at her sire.

"Couldn't you have given me more warning?" she asked.

"You can stay if you want," Shinji said simply.

"Like you're getting rid of me that easily," Jen said with a snort. "You want me to tell the others?"

"Yeah," Shinji said simply.

"So where are we going?" Jen asked as she reached under her bed and pulled out her gun bag.

"Dresden," Shinji said.

"Let's pretend I have no clue where Dresden," Jen said.

"Germany," Shinji said. "That clear enough for you?

"Yeah," Jen said. "What time are we leaving?" Shinji glanced at his watch.

"Ten minutes."

"What?"

(:ii:)

Shinji looked around the Germany International Airport and took a deep drag on his cigar. "Mister Fenrir?"

"Who the hell are you?" Shinji asked as he eyed the young woman.

"My name is Rebecca," the woman said with a curt bow. "Craven asked me to retrieve you."

"Sounds like his choice of words," Shinji said. He glanced over his shoulder as the others walked in.

"Who's that?" Asuka asked.

"This is Becks," Shinji explained, "Craven sent her."

"Please don't call me Becks," the young vampire said quietly.

"No problem Becks," Shinji said.

"Sir, there's no smoking in the concourse sir."

"Fuck off," Shinji growled at the young man. He jerked upright and quickly walked away.

"Do you need to go through customs?" Rebecca asked.

"No," Shinji said. "Perks of being on a UN VTOL."

"I see," Rebecca said. "My car is in the parking garage."

"Don't worry," Shinji said. "I've already taken care of transportation. We just need to take a little detour."

"I was instructed to take you directly to the elders," Rebecca said indignantly.

"How much do the elders like you?" Shinji asked. Rebecca stared at him.

"A little. . .I guess."

"Enough that they wouldn't want you back in a match box?" Shinji asked.

"Uh. . ."

"Don't worry Becks," Shinji said brightly. "We'll go right to the elders after one little detour."

"But my directions. . ."

"Just tell them that I pistol whipped you or put a gun to your head," Shinji said in annoyance. "They'll believe you."

(:ii:)

Shinji looked around the lobby and sighed. "I am going to kill Jake."

"Over my tardiness?" Shinji nearly choked on the cigar in his mouth as he spun around to stare at the man.

"Jake?"

"John," the man said. "I'm Jake's twin."

"Right," Shinji said. "You two smell different anyway."

"Right," John said as he laid down a large case. "My brother told me that you would be coming this way and asked me to prepare something especially for you." He opened the case and turned it for Shinji to see.

"Wow." Shinji pulled the long coat out of the box and watched as the colors changed from black to blood red under the light.

"My brother handles arms," John said. "I handle armor. That coat is made of a fine Titanium Tungsten alloy mesh shot through with strands of Kevlar and the liner also houses ceramic plates over a few of the more vital spots. I can assure you that it can survive any modern small arms fire including the armor penetrating variety." Shinji quickly stood up shrugged off his old leather coat and pulled on the new one.

"It's a perfect fit," he said. "You do amazing work."

"Thank you," Jake said as he adjusted the buckled leather straps at the wrists that kept the coat's long sleeves from getting in his way. "Try these as well." Shinji picked up the gloves and examined them closely. They were obviously for a person who shot fairly high caliber pistols. The palms were heavily padded and the trigger finger and thumb were absent on both. Shinji turned them over and stared at the riveted metallic plate on the back of each. It was the Fenrir crest.

"Incredible."

"They have room for your claws," John explained. "My brother sent you something as well."

"Oh?" Shinji asked. John grinned and pulled out a second, much smaller case.

"I'm not the expert on these things," he said as he opened it and turned it for Shinji to see, "but I do believe that this will suit your purpose." Shinji stared at the massive polished weapon in awe.

"Yes it will."

(:ii:)

"This was a Gun Crafter Industries Model 1," John explained. "Now it's a Hardballer .50. It has ambidextrous slide stops and magazines releases and, against my better judgment, no safeties. The sights are adjustable Trijicon self-illuminating. The barrel has been stretched seventy-six millimeters. The frame and slide were also lengthened to accommodate that. It is made from over fifty percent titanium to keep the weight relatively reasonable."

"That isn't a problem," Shinji said as he hefted the pistol.

"Not for you," John said, "but it is for the weapon. The slide needed to be light, or else regular .50-caliber GI rounds would have been unable to sufficiently move it."

"Regular .50-caliber GI rounds?" Shinji asked.

"Why waste a pistol like that with regular bullets?" John asked. "My brother created a whole new bullet for use specifically in this weapon. The slug is made of a super-dense element and weighs in at thirty grams. On impact it tumbles like a 5.7mm round."

"So it has good stopping power and good armor penetration," Shinji said. John nodded.

"The powder charge is also new," he added. "The pressure inside each case exceeds that of the hottest .338-caliber rounds, hence the switch to a cold steel casing over brass. The barrel and chamber had to be made of a tungsten alloy to help it deal with the heat."

"It's perfect," Shinji said as he stood up again. "Tell that to your brother."

"I will," John said. "I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of filling most of the pockets in your coat with magazines for that weapon."

"Not at all," Shinji said. He checked his watch. He needed to get going or the two parasites would go poof.

"Good luck," John said. "Have fun." Shinji grinned and tucked the hardballer into his belt. He fastened his coat shut and walked to the front doors. Lights flashed brilliantly and Shinji sighed in annoyance.

"Shinji Fenrir! This is the police. Come out with your hands up!" Shinji felt a chuckle rise within him. To think, Keel was sending human police officers after him. It was almost insulting. He reached into the pocket of his coat out of habit and started slightly in surprise when his fingers closed around a cigar.

"Perfect."

(:ii:)

"I can't believe this," Mana said as she looked around the crowded square. "Who the hell called these guys?"

"Keel owns much of the government of this country," Rebecca said. She seemed rather tense. "Craven will not be happy with me."

"Relax," Asuka said. "Shinji will be fine." The doors to the hotel burst open and Mana stared.

"Oh my God." Shinji stepped into the brilliant spotlights, the tails of his long red coat flapping behind him and two massive silver weapons in his hands.

"Oh shit," Asuka said. "Everyone down!"

"Hey!" Mana snapped as she was knocked to the ground.

"Stay down!" Asuka said. "I haven't seen him like this in years."

"What?" Jen asked. "Shinji is going to kill innocent people who are trying to do their jobs?"

"They're obstacles," Asuka snapped. "Never doubt him. He knows how this world works and how to survive and thrive in it."

"Shinji Fenrir! Drop your weapons and put your hands in the air!"

"Hey all." Mana jumped and spun around to stare at the tall black man standing behind them.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded.

"Jinx!" Asuka grabbed the man in a tight hug and then dragged him behind the car they were using as cover.

"Who is he?" Mana asked, calming down after she figured out that he wasn't a threat.

"My name is Jinx," the man said as he ran a hand through his short blond hair. "You could say that Shinji is my great, great uncle."

"Oh," Mana said. "So what are you doing here?"

"Shinji asked me to drop off his car," Jinx explained as he patted the side of the car they were hiding behind. "I take it that Shinji's pissed, correct?"

"Yeah," Asuka said. Mana winced slightly as the gunfire began. "I almost feel sorry for these cops. They get set up and they take the fall."

"Humans," Jinx said with a snort, "always willing to betray each other to get ahead." He glanced over the car and frowned. He stood up and walked around the car to the trunk.

"What the hell are you doing?" Asuka demanded. Mana glanced up long enough to see Jinx pulled out a long tube with a box on the side.

"What is that?"

"Counter sniper weapon," Jinx said as he flashed her a grin. He lifted the massive anti-tank launcher onto his shoulder.

"Oh," Mana said as she sank down behind the car. It was Shinji's car after all, she doubted that it would be without some armor.

(:ii:)

Shinji whipped around as some sort of missile collided with one of the nearby buildings. A man with short blond hair and a missile launcher on one shoulder flashed him a grin. "Jinx."

"Hey Uncle Shinji! I'm just watching your back!" the other lycan roared. Shinji whipped around and slammed his hardballer into the throat of the cop that had been trying to tackle him. The base plate of the magazine collided with and in all likelihood collapsed his trachea. The cop hit the ground and Shinji put the last .50-caliber round through his skull. He swung around and fired the last two rounds in his Taurus before holstered the weapon. He dumped the hardballer's magazine and pulled out a fresh one. His thumb found the slide stop and the slide closed around the new bullet. He really didn't need to worry about the cops. They were panicking so much that there was barely any reason to keep up his AT field. Of course humans were known for lucky shots. Something whistled by his ear and left a burning trail across his cheek. Shinji felt his grin stretch as he turned.

"Tabris." The silver haired man stepped past what remained of the police line. He raised the weapon in his hand and fired. Shinji smirked as the bullet flew past his head. He could see Tabris's eyes widen in surprise. Shinji raised his hardballer and fired. Tabris crumbled in place.

"Shinji?" Shinji turned and stared at Asuka. "Jinx brought your car. Let's get out of here."

"Give me five minutes."

(:ii:)

Bob looked up as the doors to the safe house opened and a young man stepped inside. "Shinji?"

"Yeah?" the young man asked. The tip of his cigar glowed brilliantly.

"You look different," Bob commented.

"Thanks," Shinji said with a smirk.

"I heard you had some fun," Bob said. "You ready for this?" Shinji laid a brown bag on the table in front of Bob and Carl and stepped back. Carl cautiously unbound the bag and pushed it down. Bob stared at the severed head and wide, un-blinking crimson eyes. "Uh." He turned and stared at the young man. Bob realized that he could almost see the anguished souls of the damned flashing in Shinji's mismatched eyes. It all had the affect of sending a shudder down Bob's spine. "Right."

End

(:ii:)

Author's notes. Only a few more chapters left, two at most. . .I think. Who am I kidding? I'm just the guy who works the damn keyboard. This story does its own thing and I take the credit. The last bit is kind of inspired by a comic from a web comic called Under Power. Check it out. If you like this story then you'll love Under Power. Looks like I let my inner gun-nut out. Oops.