Chapter 7: Unlikely Allies

After several minutes of sitting in bed crying about her past life Phe finally managed to get up and actually try and get some work done. She headed into her office while still in her pajamas because she didn't feel like getting dressed at the moment. While she worked on the computer she started thinking out loud "hmmm if I could just trace this creature by using this skin sample maybe I can find out where this thing is hiding" she said as she stared at the bright screen before starting to type away. As she was working on the computer another scan came up onto the screen "hmmm there's a life sign coming from the ruins under the city" she said looking at the scan window "guess I should check it out, could be the creature that's attacking people" she then got up from her chair and went back into her bedroom to change out of her pajamas and into some clothes. She put on a pair of black jeans and a white tank top over her underwear and her black Converse All Star Shoes. Once she was dressed she grabbed her leather jacket and headed back into the office so that she could grab the things she wanted to take with her on the search of the ruins; she grabbed a handgun, and a pair of sunglasses that had a scanner on the lens, she also grabbed extra ammo for her gun incase she needed it even though she really didn't need a gun she liked bringing it along just in case. After she had everything she needed she headed out the door to leave her building through the main entrance on the ground floor by taking the elevator. Once she left her building she looked around before starting to walk down the street as she began her search.

As Phe continued walking down streets, turning corners she glanced at a screen that was placed on a building's wall as it projected an image of a man wanted by the police, the image gave information on the suspect as "Gender: Male, Name: Jason Morall, Age: 21, Height: 6'0, Weight: 154lbs" Phe looked at the poster for a moment "hm, I'll let the police handle that guy" she said as she continued walking as she had her eye on the scanner as she looked at it through her glasses. The signal on her glasses was telling her that the life sign was coming from the lower east side of the city so Phe headed over to a transporter and tells it where she wants to go.

As she steps off the transporter she looks at her scanner and sees that she's getting closer to the signal. As she continues down a street she comes to an apartment building that says the signal is coming from inside there. Phe walked inside the apartment building and began to look around with the scanner as the signal was pointing to a curtain in the back of the hallway so Phe walked over to it and pulled it open only to find a closed door. Phe opened the door and began to walk down the stairs as she took out her hand gun and held it at her side as she got herself ready for a fight if needed. As she reached the bottom of the stairs she saw the destroyed ruins of Old New York, she looked into her scanner again to look at the position of the signal "come out come out where ever you are" she said to herself as she walked along the empty streets holding her gun at the ready.

Meanwhile in an old brownstone house Jason was laying on his bed looking up at the ratted old ceiling as he was bored out of his mind with nothing to do but to lay low until the heat on him died down before he had another chance to go back up to the surface world. He sighed as he began to toss and turn in bed going out of his mind of boredom "maybe I'll walk around the old city, that'll keep my mind occupied" he said as he got up out of the bed and left the house for the streets. Once he was outside he looked around and debated on which way to go, since the entire underground city was deserted he had the entire place to himself which was something he liked because he was mostly a loner. He walked slowly through the empty streets with his hands in his pockets and his feet dragging as he kicked a few stones as he went, his head was down looking at the ground as he went.

Meanwhile Phe continued walking through the streets looking for the target she was after but as she went her memory started flashing back to when the old city was still alive and breathing; Phe blinked to get her mind straight but when she turned her head another memory flashed as she passed the old Radio City Music Hall. The building was all boarded up and the old LED sign broken and rotted away but in Phe's eyes she saw the building glowing as people waited in line just to get a ticket to see a show, a small smile formed on her face as she stood there for a moment before she blinked and the memory faded away and the rotted image of the building as it currently stood returned. Phe looked around and then looked into her scanner and continued walking.

While Jason turned a corner of a street he could hear the echoing sound of footsteps, his face turned to one of curiosity since he knew that no one else knew about this place that it couldn't be from a person; so he started heading towards the sound to investigate it. He soon reached the area of the footsteps and what he saw made him blink in surprise as he was looking at a young woman walking around like she was looking for something. Jason kept quiet so that the woman wouldn't find him as he began following her from the inside of the buildings as most of them had wholes big enough for a person to go through, he studied her closely to try and figure out why she was down here but he was slowly thinking that he would have to confront her.

Phe continued walking down the deserted street as she glanced at her scanner it was pointing to a nearby life sign. Phe looked around the area as she held up her hand gun "come out, I know you're here, show yourself!" she called out her voice echoing through the empty ruins. While Jason heard her call he gulped and decided to take the risk and show himself so he walked out of an old building holding up his hands in surrender "alright, you got me" he said as he approached her. Phe turned around and pointed her gun at him "who are you?" she asked curiously as Jason stopped walking just a few feet away "my name is Jason Moral" Phe tilted her head "your that guy the cops are looking for" she said as she lowered her gun to her side as Jason lowered his arms and looked down "I thought that guy was attacking a woman…turns out he was just a wuss" Phe couldn't help but laugh a little as Jason looked at her "its not funny! I got the cops looking for me now!" Phe stopped laughing and looked at him "sorry, but it is a little funny" Jason sighed and shook his head "what are you doing down here anyway?" he asked as he crossed his arms. Phe looked at Jason "I'm following a lead I got" Jason looked at Phe curiously now "you some kind of cop?" Phe shook her head "no, I'm more of a…private investigator" Jason nodded "so can I ask what kind of lead would send you down to the ruins?" he asked looking around "since it's not me your after"

Phe looked into her scanner "I'm looking for something" Jason looked at her curiously again but before he could ask what she was looking for a strong vibration shook the ground like an earthquake. Phe stumbled back a few steps while Jason fell to the ground landing on his ass "what's going on!?" he asked as he quickly looked around to see where the vibration was coming from, Phe did the same "I don't know, but whatever it is it's big" moments later a giant snake that looked to be hundreds of feet long shot out of the ground like a drill breaking ground. Pieces of old concrete scattered and flew around as the giant creature emerged "shit! What is that thing!?"Jason yelled in utter surprise while Phe only raised her gun and took aim at the creature's head but all the bullets were doing was making the creature show its anger as it roared, the sound echoed through the underground city. Phe unloaded an entire magazine of bullets until the gun finally clicked empty "Dammit" she muttered to herself as the empty clip ejected from the gun and fell to the ground. While Jason quickly got to his feet the creature saw him and dove at him with its full force, Phe immediately started running towards Jason as fast as she could as he stood there still in shock at the giant creature as he had never seen anything like it before. As the creature was about to swallow Jason whole Phe made it in time to push him out of the way only to get caught in the creature's mouth holding its jaws open with her hands and feet so it would prevent the creature from eating her.

Jason once again fell to the ground landing face first and dragged a few feet before he came to a stop, he quickly turned around just in time to see Phe emit a burning blaze of fire out of her hands causing the creature to roar in agony as the flames engulfed its entire head causing it to burn. The creature let its grip on Phe loosen and she fell to the ground landing on her feet as the force of the landing made her bend down before straightening up to look at the creature continuing to roar in agony before it dove down into the ground and flee. Jason stood to walk over to the big hole in the ground that was left by the creature "what…was that thing?" he said in a soft tone as Phe walked over to the hole as well "that, was a demon, a strong one to" she looked at Jason "your lucky I was here to save your ass otherwise you'd be snake food" Jason looked at Phe as his shock turned to denial "I didn't ask for your help, I could've taken that thing" he said as he crossed his arms over his chest while Phe rolled her eyes and turned to walk away "ohhh sure you could've well I'll remember that the next time that thing comes up for an afternoon snack." Jason grunted and ran around the whole to catch up to Phe "who the hell are you really?" he asked as he slowed down as he reached her side "name's Phe and I'm a hunter" Jason narrowed his eyes "a hunter? Of what exactly?" Phe shrugged "oh you know, demons, ghosts, monsters, all the things that go bump in the night" she teased as she gave him a small smile as Jason continued walking next to her "oh really, you hunt ghosts and monsters? And you really expect me to believe that?" Phe shrugged "alright don't believe it, so then what would you call that giant snake that almost swallowed you whole" Jason blinked as he couldn't answer her question "w-well…I don't know…maybe it was some sort of animal that found it's way into the city or something" he said unsure of himself at the moment. Phe laughed a little "riiight and when was the last time you saw a snake that big? Listen I don't have time to argue with you, if you don't want to believe me than that's your business but I have a snake to kill otherwise I don't get paid" Jason blinked again "paid? You get paid to do this kind of thing" Phe nodded "sure, quite well to. The cops pay me to catch the monsters while they stick to the common criminal. I get to kill off monsters and get paid for it while they get to keep their streets safe and everyone goes home happy" Jason looked at the ground for a moment before turning his attention back to Phe "so can I join you?" Phe chuckled and looked at him "and why would you want to join up with me? This isn't your dream job" Jason shrugged "well I'm sure I could help with something. I'm good with guns" Phe sighed and shook her head "ok better question, why would I want you to join me so far the only thing you've proved to me is that you can pee your pants when your scared" Jason scowled at her "hey, listen, I'm not a wuss, I just didn't know what the hell that thing was, and now that I do I'll be ready to take it on" he said sternly. Phe looked at him for a moment as if she was studying him and then nodded "alright, you got the job, here" she said handing him her gun, Jason took the gun and nodded as he put it in the back of his pants "thanks" he said with a smile as Phe rolled her eyes "whatever, just don't make me regret it alright" she said as they left the underground city for the topside.