Kitkat Gimm - Hey Mike (:
Mikey Hamato - hey kitkat. how was today?
Kitkat Grimm - Could have been better.
Kitkat Grimm - Had an unwelcome guest visit this morning
Mikey Hamato - the monster hunter?
Kitkat Grimm - April told you?
Mikey Hamato - just a bit. hope everything works out
Kitkat Grimm - Thanks. What's up with you?
Mikey Hamato - hanging out with my bros
Kitkat Grimm - You have brothers? How many?
Mikey Hamato - 3. we're quads
Kitkat Grimm - Quadruplets? Nice. Identical or fraternal?
Mikey Hamato - …?
Kitkat Grimm - Do the four of you look exactly the same or different?
Mikey Hamato - oh. different
Kitkat Grimm - Fraternal then. Cool. How come you haven't mentioned them before?
Mikey Hamato - they didn't want me to. shh don't tell
Kitkat Grim - That may be a hard secret for me to keep (;
Mikey Hamato - lol
Mikey Hamato - my bro just asked about the monster hunter's tech. he's big on science. know
anything?
Kitkat Grimm - She uses tracking orbs called sorties. They hover and track movement.
Kitkat Grimm - She's also known for using netting and the containment unit in her van for traps.
Hasn't been successful tho.
Mikey Hamato - good to know
Kitkat Grimm - ?
Mikey Hamato - if you're being hunted i mean
Kitkat Grimm - … True
Kitkat Grimm - Gotta sign off. Dinner. Talk later.
Mikey Hamato - after dinner?
Kitkat Grimm - Maybe not. Might be doing something.
Mikey Hamato - okay. later.
Kitkat Grimm has gone offline
...
After dinner, Kaitlyn went back to her room, but she didn't sign back onto the social network to talk to Mikey. Instead she did further research on the so called creature sightings in the sewer system. Many were from construction workers who had done work underground. They said creatures such as large, man-like crocodiles and giant, skeletal-squirrel hybrids were seen roaming the sewers. Some of the squirrel creatures were known to attack people. The stories were large in quantity, and their numbers had seemed to increase fairly recently. Reading more reports, Kaitlyn came to a realization. Some of these reports had similarities with Mikey's stories. I doubt Mikey would get this information from April, Kaitlyn thought. This morning she didn't even seem to be aware of these reports. She scrunched her face thoughtfully and glanced around the room, not really looking at or for anything in particular. Something is definitely off. Kaitlyn closed her laptop and hopped off the bed, heading for her closet. She pulled out a red hoodie, black tank top, red boots with a slight combat style, black gloves and black jeggings. She wore everything except the gloves, which she stuffed into the pockets of her hoodie. Walking out into the hall, while making sure no one was around to question her change of clothes, she made her way to the storage room. Once there, she began looking for the Halloween boxes, hoping to find the black mask she wore for the holiday a few years back. Her and her twin brother had gone as some kind of superhero duo with matching masks and outfits. She remembered it involved capes. Not much her style anymore.
"There it is," she said aloud as she pulled out the black fabric mask.
"What are you doing?"
She jumped and spun around, seeing Kris in the doorway. "Um, … well," she began.
Kris raised his eyebrows, knowing his sister was trying to come up with an excuse.
"It's none of your business," Kaitlyn finally said. She began walking towards the door to pass her brother.
"Is it Uncle Ben's business?" Kris asked, stopping her in her tracks. She frowned at him. "Where are you going with that mask?" he continued. Kaitlyn began fidgeting, debating what she should tell her brother.
"I'm going to investigate the creature sightings," she finally told him.
Kris blinked and frowned confusedly, "why?"
"What if there really are creatures down there?" Kaitlyn explained. "They could be totally innocent and that crazy Dr. Finn will be hunting them. I'm not letting that happen."
Kris stared at her for a moment. "Alright," he finally said, walking over to the same Halloween box his sister was rummaging through. "But I'm coming too." He picked up the second mask and pocketed it. "In case you need back up."
The confusion on her face shortly turned into a smile. They may fight more than average, but Kaitlyn could always count on her brother when it was important. They quietly left the apartment, Kris grabbing a pair of navy gloves on the way, and made their way into an alley. Kaitlyn put on her mask and gloves, and lifted up her hood as Kris did the same. He didn't bother to change clothes, still wearing his dusty blue hoodie, baggy jeans and dark sneakers. Kaitlyn placed a hand on her brother's shoulder.
"Ready?" she asked him. "It'll be quite a drop." Kris nodded and the two began phasing through the paved ground into the sewer below. They fell to the ground in a crouched position to absorb some of the shock.
"Ow," Kris whispered. "Should'a used my flight. You're lucky you have strong ankles."
Kaitlyn smiled at her brother's joke about her super strength, "well I've always been jealous of your shape shifting ability." She stood to full height and began walking down the tunnel.
"Really?" Kris stood and followed.
The twins walked for a good half hour and still hadn't come across any creatures. "The reports were false. Who knew?" Kris said sarcastically.
"I didn't totally believe them," Kaitlyn admitted. "But I was keeping an open mind. We do live with four cosmic beings and accidentally get teleported to the negative zone more often than Reed blows something up, after all."
"Mmmm, those are good points," Kris agreed.
"Of course they are. I'm the smart twin."
"Ouch. That hurts."
"Then do your homework and catch up."
Suddenly, Kris was covering Kaitlyn's mouth. She let out a muffled cry of surprise, but quickly became quiet when she heard footsteps splashing around the corner. Kris wrapped his arms around his sister and flew up towards the ceiling as they heard Abigail Finn talking to her assistant. They saw a few sorties fly off in different directions ahead of the hunter.
"Why haven't they found anything!?" Abigail growled. "All those reports. Something has to be here!"
"We've been at this for hours," Parker whined through the communication device on her shoulder. "I don't think anything is 'ere. Y'can't really rely on reports like that, especially from New York City. There's always weird stuff going on, but nothing worth hunting."
"Shut up, Parker!" Abigail ordered. "Your job is to monitor the sorties, so quit whining and do it!" Abigail continued walking, choosing a tunnel without hesitation. Kaitlyn, remaining silent, pointed after Abigail, indicating to her brother to follow. He nodded and they glided after the monster hunter. They continued to follow for nearly an hour, and Abigail seemed just as frustrated as they felt.
"Those reports had to come from something!" Abigail growled.
"Yeah. I think it's called imagination," Parker retorted. Abigail let out a loud cry of frustration. "Doc!" Parker cried urgently over the comm. "The sortie ahead of you is picking up movement!"
"Finally!" Abigail cheered, rushing towards the source. Kris and Kaitlyn shared worried glances as they flew after her, struggling to keep up and remain undetected at the same time. A cry of surprise was heard in the distance.
"The sorties caught one!" Parker rejoiced. Abigail picked up speed, the grin on her face growing larger. But when she rounded the corner, her happy demeanour vanished.
"No!" she bellowed.
"What? What is it?" Parker asked urgently. Kris and Kaitlyn made it to the corner and peeked around it. They saw April entangled in one of Abigail's nets with Casey trying to free her. He had on a bunch of weird looking gear that resembled sports equipment, which included an old-school hockey mask sitting on top of his head.
"It's just a couple of kids," Abigail replied to Parker.
"Hey! What's the big idea, lady?!" Casey demanded, pulling the mask down over his face and taking out his hockey stick.
"Relax. You're not my hunt," Abigail told them, releasing April from the net. "What are you doing in the sewer at this time of night anyway?" Abigail squinted as she grew suspicious.
Oh no, Kaitlyn thought. I know that tone.
"None of your business," Casey barked, pointing his stick in Abigail's face. She promptly grabbed it and pulled Casey in, gripping him by the arm.
"Hey!" April yelled, charging in. "Let him go!" Abigail grabbed her by her shirt collar. The teens struggled to escape the monstrously large woman, who was beginning to lift them off their feet.
"What do you know about the monsters hiding in these sewers?" Abigail demanded.
"You're … crazy," April replied.
"Tell me what you know!" Abigail shrieked. Kaitlyn had seen enough. Letting go of her brother, she fell down on top of Abigail and wrapped her legs around her neck. She quickly removed the monster hunters glasses and leaned backwards, hoping to restrict her airflow just enough to subdue her.
"Let them go!" Kaitlyn ordered. When Abigail didn't respond, Kris shifted into the form of a boa constrictor and wrapped around her arms. Abigail's arms were forced together, causing April and Casey to nearly knock heads.
"A snake in the sewer!?" Casey cried. "What is going on with this city?"
"Just stay calm, you two," Kris told them. They paused for a moment, not saying anything.
"The snake just talked," Casey stated.
"I noticed," April replied.
Finally, Abigail's grip loosened, and Casey and April dropped back to the floor. Abigail began falling backwards, so Kaitlyn released her hold and flipped forward, landing near the other teens. Kris slithered away from the Monster Hunter and returned to his original form, still wearing his mask and hood up.
"C'mon," Kaitlyn motioned for Casey and April to follow. They ran past Abigail and made it to the nearest manhole cover, climbing the ladder to the alley above.
"Dude," Casey gasped once the manhole cover was returned. "You were a snake."
"Yeah. I can do that," Kris replied nonchalantly.
"You two need to get home, and avoid that woman at all cost," Kaitlyn told them. "You're on her radar now. She thinks you know something that she wants to know, and that is a very dangerous situation to be in. Why were you even down there?"
"Like I told that psycho, it's none-" Casey began, before getting cut off by April.
"Casey!" April scolded, turning back to the masked teens. "Something stupid. But we won't be doing it again."
"Good," Kaitlyn said. "Now get home before that behemoth wakes up and sends her sorties after us. And forget you saw us."
Kris began hovering as he grabbed his sister's hand. They flew off into the sky, heading back home towards the Baxter Building. Casey and April stared after them, awe struck.
"Casey, let's go," April told him rushing out of the alley.
"I'll take you home first," Casey said.
"But what about you?" You'll be alone," April asked.
"I have more gear to protect myself," he replied. "I'll be fine." They reached April's house and said a quick goodbye before Casey took off towards his own home. April watched him until he was out of sight, then quickly ran to her room. She pulled out her T-phone and dialled Donnie's number as fast as her fingers would allow.
"April?" he answered.
"Donnie! You are never going to believe what just happened!"