Disclaimers: Please see Part One
Monday, May 18, 2015

Boston Is Burning

Part 46 Hunters gather

"Ok Travers we are all here now. What do you and the almighty council want from us those you consider to be expendable pawns? We've been doing the good work for years with little or now support now you lot got yourselves blown up and you dare call us here like we are mere peons to do your bidding? We all did it because the world needs saving and you lot in England were too damned prissy to get your hands dirty. Well we did the work saved the world and maybe in doing so damned our souls but….we stay true to the calling you lot lived high on the hog but you dare demand our presence." A tall thin man named Konor Kilreed said he was an older man having at least ten years on Travers but he was respected among the hunters and it was clear to Travers and Post he was their spokesperson.

Both men glared neither liking the lack of respect. However both were in agreement that they needed these hunters. While it was true they were expendable and that the council spent little money on maintaining them they were still assets to be used. Travers however knew he had to play this carefully lest he not have the foot soldiers and fodder he needed.

"I never agreed with your lack of funding." He said a blatant lie but one that could not be proven. "We had to act within America laws on funding and taxes."

Kilreed snorted at that he knew the council could have worked around it but he still wanted to know what the plan was. While he hated the council the idea of a slayer or more being out of control and making her own choices went against his beliefs. He was a very religious man and he felt all women should be subservient to men. Slayers more than most as they were to his mind holy warriors. They needed the firm guidance of Watchers to keep them on the path. The idea of them running around dating vampires or dancing went against their sacred calling. It was the reason he come because as much as he hated the idea of the Council in England running things at least they kept the world turning. He and his hunters made sure only worthy women became slayers. They culled the weak and sick and those that would not follow orders. However the days of being mere lackeys was over.

"So how do we bring these slayers back under control?" He demanded.

"We take out the rebel leaders and any who fail to fall in line. "We gather and reeducate the younger ones." Post said. "If we eliminate the rebels and their leaders the rest can be controlled."

"So we are killing slayers now?" Jones asked he looked bored and played with his knife. Killing slayers sounded like fun to him. It be far more of a challenge then killing some pre-adolescent potential.

"If we must to ensure the world remains safe." Travers replied "Summers and her lot risk the balance."

There were murmurs of assent and one who looked concerned but she held her piece. Jamie Markson was having second thoughts about the work she and had taken on. At the time it made sense to insure a strong slayer was called now however she was starting to feel like a monster. Were they any better than the vampires or other evil creatures out there killing the young and innocent? She listened and tried to remember why she'd become a hunter in the first place.

The NCIS team lead by Leroy Jethro Gibbs listened as Ducky explained about the real world and that the creatures of Dinozzo's movies were in fact real and dangerous. None of them dared interrupt Ducky though Tim McGee wondered if the old doctor had finally gone around the twist. However he respected the man enough o at least let him say his piece. He noted Gibbs did not seem all that surprised nor did Ziva at what was being revealed and that more than anything had him wary. Either one or both had known or suspected something or they had already decided Ducky had gone mad. Palmer was looking on with a little concern and worry as if he shared McGee's thoughts. However he to held his objections they all become used to depending on the old doctor so they would at least hear him out.

"I know this is a lot to take in and I suppose some of you at least think me mad."

There were murmurs of protest at that. That made Ducky grateful and proud of his comrades. However he could see the looks of concern and compassion on some of their faces. He was rather shocked to see Gibbs and Ziva were less concerned. Then again Gibbs had been a recon Marine and sniper and Ziva for all she tried to appear to be a simple agent was far more. Both could have conceivably come up against the forces of darkness that were not man made. "The problem is that Abbey has been in contact with other police departments and investigative teams across the United States and is even reaching to outside law enforcement agencies. Boston was the first to make the connection and their chief criminologist Susan Chang sent our inquiries. Those inquires are what brought me to look up several former cases. Sadly they all seem to be interconnected."

"So what does that mean Ducky?" Tony asked. "The fuglies are killing people and making it look like a serial killer?"

"Well yes in some cases Tony however in most cases the killers appear to be all too human. The methods suggest a serial killer or killers as these butchering have taken place across the nation and even in other countries. I fear it may be the work of an organized cult of some sort."

"So not demons then just some wacked out human who wants the world to think there are monsters?" McGee asked thinking maybe Ducky was using code from other countries when he referred to vampires and the like. Tim was thinking of a case a few years back that he had read about. About a cult who thought they were vampires and the charismatic leader who used that to loot the accounts of his followers before convincing them they could fly and have them dive off a roof top there by committing suicide. The case had been in one of the law enforcement journals as an example of a con game. The case had been handled by the FBI in L.A. and solved by Don Eppes and his team. He had read the article because he was close friends with their main consultant Charlie Eppes Don;s younger genus brother and his wife Amita. He had studied with the boy genus back at MIT and they had become friends as they had both been some of the youngest students there though Tim was still two years older than Charlie. He pulled his mind back on track as he heard Ducky say.

"No Timothy but you are close in a way. I would say the killings were done by an organized group of people who consider themselves hunters of the supernatural. Kind of like that television show Abbey mentioned and that Palmers so addicted to Supernatural."

"Huh, so human killers, Ducky this sounds insane I mean don't get me wrong it be cool if there really were vampires and stuff forever young sexy and hot. It be so cool to have a girl friend like that." Tony said only to get his head slapped by Gibbs.

"A woman who would need to kill to eat, yeah that be really cool Dinozzo." Gibbs replied.

Tim snickered glad his Tony got smacked for being a wise guy, he loved the man like an older deranged brother but still he did get out of line at times.

"I believe the hunters are an American off shoot of something called the Watcher's Council. I believe they acted on said council's orders to kidnap and kill young girls and young women who were thought to not be worthy of becoming something called a "Slayer" and that to ensure only those under council control would get called." Ducky said he looked away and flushed looking rather old and tired and embarrassed and maybe a bit ashamed.

"What is the Council?" Abbey asked innocently. "Why would they want to control some girls or women it's not some sort of sex cult is it?"

Ducky colored a deep red. "Ah no Abbey…it's not or at least it's not supposed to be, The Council was chartered by the Crown back in King Alfred the Great and his queen Anne though it could be even earlier if some old records are to be believed. It may have been under Edward the Elder but in any case it's an organization that was supposed to serve the crown and end supernatural threats by guiding and protecting the Chosen one the one girl in all the world the Slayer."

"How do you know all of this Ducky and what does it have to do with the case?" Palmer asked he was concerned for his mentor mental stability but thought maybe he was just confused and not mad.

"I believe hunters were the American version of the Council that still maintained ties with the Old Council in England and followed at least nominally their orders. The orders being to eliminate/kill women and girls potentials that did not met their standards or that they did not control. A potential being one who could become a slayer if called to duty and that they wanted only those they could control and or who were physically fit and strong enough to do their duty and kill the monsters."

"So are hunters sectioned by these maniacs?" Tony asked.

Once more Ducky flushed a deep red and said. "Not by the general membership I am sure."

"How could you know that Ducky and how do you know about this so called Council and how are they operating on US soil they clearly are not acting within our laws." Gibbs asked.

"I know because I was once a member of the Council well still am as there is no getting out once in. However in my defense I was born into the Council as are most members it goes from Father to Son, Mother to daughter or parent to child regardless. They paid for my education and I ….I once thought I worked to keep the world turning."

The meeting fell to a dead silence and Ducky stopped to gather his thoughts then said. "I never would have agreed to murder, and so then most of the watchers would not either. I am afraid the upper leadership acted high handed and without the consent or knowledge of most field watchers."

"Wow, so what does this mean to our case?" Tony asked.

"It means Tony that Ducky suspects the killers from this council or their hunters and that he expects to find more connected cases and that our sister law agencies will as well." Ziva said feeling sick and knowing she'd have to call and check with her father somehow she had a very bad feeling hunters were not strictly and American issue.

TBC….