Thunder erupted in my hands as I was knocked off balance. I tried to stay standing but

my legs protested and I gave in. The man in the bomber jacket squatted beside me

waving for someone, I couldn't tell my eyes had started to blur. I felt someone approach

then passed me a glass, which I took eagerly. It was a thick almost molasses like

concoction that cooled my throat." What is this stuff?" I asked looking around in a haze."

"Who are you?"

"The names Harbinger" the jacketed man said taking

my glass and refilling it "This'll help with the shock so just drink it." He said, but I had

clamed up. He shrugged and downed the glass in a quick gulp "and this big lug is Owen"

I nodded to him as my eyes focused."

"Your in pretty good condition for your first monster fight!" Owen said

smacking me in the arm. I tried not to show any sign that it had really hurt. "What the

heck was that thing?" I asked closing my eyes again." I think it was a Fury said a softer

voice. I opened one eye and saw a women standing with her hands on her knees, her dark

hair in a tight ponytail. She was looking at me." Hi my names Julie" she said extending a hand politely.

"Hi" I said as I shook it. Her grip was really firm. "Don't they only live in Europe?"

asked the forth voice, "And this is SAINT Milo!" Harbinger said sweeping his arm back

to reveal an older gentleman with a long red beard and half moon specs. I almost pegged

him for a "granola hound" before I noticed the fact he was in full body armor and had a

homemade harpoon launcher the size of me." Pretty far out what ya did here man!" he

said responding to my blank stare." You liked that?" I said chuckling.

" Lucky you guys were in the area, or I'd be toast." I said "but who are you?"

"MHI" Owen said he said passing me a card "Monster hunters international

Established1895?" I said reading it slowly "Yeah long story" Julie said retrieving a vile

of blood from the beast's new face window. "OK" I shrugged "Really, like ghosts and

ghouls?" "Has to have a body of some sort." Harbinger said "More like Zombies,

vampires, werewolves, etc." "Your Joking right! I scoffed. Everyone just looked at the

four hundred pound corpse on the ground two feet away." Oh yeah just pulling your leg."

Harbinger said sarcastically "ok sorry." I said quietly "We hunt them down and get paid

well for doing it." Julie said returning to Owens side. I noticed their matching wedding

bands." How well?" I asked expecting somebody to tell me something like "with good

will and the feeling of a doing a service to your fellow man." Owen smiled " Well I

started about a year and a half ago and I've made a couple million." My jaw dropped, the

wedding band's suddenly looked a lot more expensive." It's not always like that it's just

Owen here is just in the right spot at the right time." Milo said seeing my expression.

"You want to join our little operation?" harbinger said taking a long drag. I thought about

it for a second "Where are you based?" I asked " Alabama mostly but we have different

chapters all over." Julie said "And you just happened to be flying by in an attack

Helicopter?" I asked trying and clear things up in my head. "Well we just dealt with some

Zombies in Maine and we intercepted that thing headed this way." Harbinger said

gesturing to the birdman. "What did you call that thing, a furry? fuzzy? " I asked Julie

"Fury" she corrected me "They live in the limestone caves in Tuscany usually but I don't

know why it would be all the way across the Atlantic, they don't migrate." I looked

around at the group they all looked dead serious "Ok I'm in but what am I going to

tell my family can't just up and leave?' I said standing up and brushing myself off

gingerly. " I've got an idea,

what's your

number?" Harbinger asked pulling out a phone. I told him and he quickly dialed the

number. What's your family's name he asked "Lutz" I said wondering what he was going

to say." Hello? Lutz residence? My name is "Professor" Earl T Harbinger the third. " I rolled

my eye's I could tell he was lying. "I have your son sitting across from me right now and

he's got something great to tell you!" he said tossing me the phone .I looked at him

unsure what to say but he just motioned to stay quite about my bird friend.

" Um hi, ah guess what!" I started, harbinger motioned to keep going "I've be

accepted in to a really great school," I said hoping that it would be enough. Harbinger grabbed

back the phone "Yes he's been accepted in to the prestigious "Brooks J Clearwater

academy". "It's on a scholarship so you don't need to pay for it, he's all taken care of."

"great" harbinger smiled "he's already on campus so I'll make sure he calls to tell you

how it's going ok?" I didn't hear anything and I was sure she was going to flip out at me

Harbinger hung up and put his hand on my shoulder

"well you have to come with us now!" he said with a smirk. I couldn't believe that my

family had just bought that load of crap. "Is there really such a place?" I asked " ah about

a hundred years ago." Harbinger said with a smile. "Sounds good to me," I said cracking

my neck, it was a stupid habit I had picked up. " When do I get a harpoon launcher I

nodded toward Milo's.

." I like this guy" Milo started laughing.

"Harb anger! Gub ment incoming! "Cracked a gurgled voice over their radios. "Owen,

Julie blow the car". "Milo lets get rid of big bird" Harbinger ordered. I passed him his

gun and walked over to the hind. I hadn't notice this before but the front was painted to

look like a set of jaws. Inside the cockpit sat a lone figure he wore a flight helmet and a

balaclava along with his flight suit. He looked like he was a pretty serious dude until I

noticed he was playing air guitar and head banging to "For whom the bell tolls" by

Metallica I walked out in front of the windshield and gave him the signal to crank it up

,He obliged me just in time for the second verse.

The team finished what they where doing and regrouped at the chopper as two

Blackhawk helicopters and a Huey flew over and made a perimeter around us.

Harbinger and co. got on the Hind and motioned for me to join them just as the other

Choppers flared for landing. The Huey landed closest to the hind and two men jumped out

One in a cheap looking suit and one in full protective riot gear except for the helmet

"Freeze you're under arrest by order of the MCB, your out or your jurisdiction! " shouted

the suit "This is a long way from Alabama," he continued "Well you see, about that…"

Harbinger said lifting his head to look at the men." We just intercepted a class three

international monster threat! " I looked to Owen ""what?" "Oh, um, a monster target of opportunity." he said not taking his eyes off the man in the armor I swear he was

making faces. Harbinger threw his cigarette to the pavement at their feet.

" We're not called monster hunters INTERNATINAL for nothing!" He said with a smirk

"jeez Myers when did you become such a tight ass?" Milo howled with laughter at that

but stopped when nobody else laughed." Hey isn't this Canada" Harbinger asked

suddenly, "What kind of stupid question is that?" Myers shouted over the rotars getting red in the face

"Well wouldn't this be technically out of "your" jurisdiction?" Harbinger said knocking

on the Hinds side; the pilot quickly got us airborne. From my window I could see Myers

Had ripped his tie off and threw it into the dirt he pulled his phone out and started to dial

somebody. The pilot brought the hind around for one last pass; Milo, Owen, Harbinger

and even Julie gave them a one-finger solute I joined in (just because I like fitting in.)