Wolf and Red: Monster Hunters
Fourteen
From Soldier of the Fantastic #140
"I've never really understood why the government pays bounties, instead of hunting monsters themselves?"
It's a question we get fairly often, actually. Of course we don't know the official reason, but there is a certain logic to the concept.
You see, a trained soldier is actually very EXPENSIVE. It takes years to get one ready, and is an investment of many people's time and effort. They are in many cases specialists in combat, and are meant for certain types of specific jobs. Also, if a soldier is killed in battle, the government had a added expense of paying out death benefits.
On the other hand, a mercenary or bounty hunter was relatively cheap. The ONLY outlay involved by the government was the bounty. These idiots supplied and armed themselves, willingly went into life and death situations and did so uninsured.
Clearly, mercs were the best option...
"That's really, really cynical," Mimi Johnson noted as she read the latest author's copy that Red had been sent.
"But is it wrong?" Red challenged.
"Probably not," Mimi conceded.
It was two weeks after the sewer fight against the wild animals. They had also made some extra money leading work crews underground to check out the tunnels. Thankfully there were no more incidents, both underground and on the surface.
"We got a request to lead an archeology team to the cavern we found," Mimi noted as she checked their work email.
"Is that really a good idea?" Wolf asked, frowning.
"They ARE going to pay us for that," Mimi pointed out.
"And if their poking around down there sets something off and makes the animals go batshit again?" Red asked them dryly.
Mimi made a face, "Point. But it's easy money!"
Wolf and Red exchanged a thoughtful glance, knowing if something came up they'd be handling it. "I'm thinking we turn down the job," Wolf said.
"Agreed," Red nodded.
Mimi made a frustrated noise, but gave in.
"All right, any other interesting jobs?" Red asked.
"There's the escort job to vampires," Mimi noted.
"She's STILL looking for someone?" Red asked, surprised.
"Gardenier must be having a hard time finding anyone who wants to deal with the vampires," Wolf mused.
"Can you blame them? Most sane people don't," Red shrugged.
"She's also raised the fee, but...," Mimi shrugged.
Wolf looked thoughtful, "Did she leave a contact number?"
Mimi raised an eyebrow, "Yeah?"
"Get the details on the job," Wolf said, "I'm curious. Don't say we'll take it yet, though."
"Got it," Mimi nodded. She read, "There's an apparent were-bear case, the city of Coquitlam wants to hire us."
"Really?" Red blinked. "I thought those cases were usually a native shapeshifter."
"They appear to be pretty mindless and irrational," Mimi checked the listing, "a shifter usually has more control."
"Capture or kill?" Wolf checked.
"Capture if we can, kill if we have to," Mimi said. "They're concerned it might be the infectious kind, they say."
"All right, let the city know we'll take it," Red decided. "I'm bored sitting around."
"Rifles?" Mimi checked.
"And shotguns if it gets close," Wolf noted. "Basically our standard load out, but maybe a bit extra stopping power."
"Yeah, if it's a full sized bear...," Mimi made a face. "I'll get whatever other details they have, then we can head out."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Huh. I had forgotten how much wooded area there is between housing complexes," Wolf observed as they got out of their van.
"The gave us a general area where he's been sighted, at least," Red sighed.
"I'm staying with the van," Mimi said. "Radios working?" she checked.
"Testing," Wolf tried hers.
"Hello," Red sighed. She addressed Mimi, "Chicken shit."
"Yup." Mimi agreed cheerfully. "I'll have spare reloads ready, just in case."
"Okay, we'll keep you updated," Wolf said, the two hefting their packs, settling their gear then walking into the woods.
"Is it me, or is she squirrelly about different stuff?" Red noted as they walked up a man made trail.
"It's not just you. But she did go to work for us as a non-hunter," Wolf reminded her.
"Yeah, yeah," Red nodded. She looked around, "The city didn't even close off the area this thing's hunting in?"
"Don't want to alarm the public," Wold noted sarcastically.
Red snorted.
The two advanced, listening to the usual forest sounds, along with cars off in the distance. It was a very pretty area, really, but there was a lot of cover where things could hide.
"You hear that?" Wolf muttered.
"Hmm?" Red asked.
"No animal sounds. The birds stopped too," Wolf said softly. She sniffed the air, frowning.
Red eased her rifle forward, then switched the safety off. "Anything?" she asked softly.
"Blood. Not far up ahead," Wolf said.
Both advanced cautiously, weapons at the ready.
(There was no point rushing in. If the bear had attacked someone and they were still alive, they would have heard something.)
They heard a snuffling, wet noise as they turned a corner, then saw the bear crouching over what looked like a body. Hiker, apparently from the clothes, which had been torn open bloodily.
"Hrr?" the bear looked up from it's feast, not seeing them as a threat.
"Fuck," Red took the shot, trying for the head.
The bear growled at the 'bang' and charged, taking the bullet in the body.
"Shit," Wolf opened up too as the bear closed with them REALLY FAST.
The bear seemed to just absorb the bullets as it reached them, roaring angrilly. Wolf shoved Red back as it swiped with claws, tearing at Wolf's armored vest.
"Oh no you don't," Red raised her rifle, switched to auto, then sprayed a clip right into the bear's face. Blood splattered them both as the bear collapsed.
"Fuck, it's healing up," Wolf noted as she dug a huge knife from her pack.
"What are you...," Red started.
Wolf drove the blade into the bear's neck then began to saw. "Decapitation," she growled. "Get photos, in case it reverts."
Red took photo's of the still trashing bear as Wolf cut. She severed the neck, then as they had kind of expected, the body shifted. In moments there was a almost skeletal looking young woman laying there. Headless.
"Where does the extra mass go?" Red found herself wondering.
"Magic," Wolf shrugged.
"Okay, I'll call the city guys," Red sighed. "Hopefully they have someone out here quick," she added grimly.
"Mimi?" Wolf checked in, "we bagged it, looks like. Just waiting on clean up."
"All quiet here," Mimi noted. "Well, a cop tried to pick me up..."
"You go," Wolf chuckled as they heard police coming up the path.
The cops looked visibly green at the sight, but after seeing the pictures they accepted their word. "Is it me or does she look familiar?" one cop noted.
"Missing person, I think," another noted.
Wolf noted to Red, "Hopefully it wasn't ANOTHER were-bear who transformed her, or we might be out here again."
"Let's hope," Red sighed.
To be continued...
Notes: Shorter update. Not feeling great...