Wolf and Red: Monster Hunters
Chapter Fifteen
Mimi Johnson didn't tell Wolf or Red that she kept in contact with Earl Harbinger of Monster Hunter International.
Not that Mimi thought they'd mind, necessarily. But she knew that both women were determined to stay independant from MHI, and she wasn't sure how they'd feel. So she didn't bring it up with them, generally.
"Earl, you old bastard," Mimi said pleasantly as they video conferenced.
"Mimi, why don't you come back to work for us and get away from those yahoos," Earl shot back cheerfully.
"These yahoos saved our local team's hides," Mimi pointed out.
"Admittedly, Butchers' team isn't one of our best," Earl conceded. He added, "I don't suppose I could talk you into heading the revived team?"
"Oh hell no," Mimi answered promptly, "we both know I'm no longer fit to be a field op."
"It'd come back to you," Earl shook his head.
"Last time, I froze. Can't risk it," Mimi said firmly.
Earl frowned at her, "But you go in the field with Wolf and Red?"
"They're both pretty much unkillable," Mimi told him calmly, "if I freeze up, no one gets hurt. Or dies."
Earl sighed, "Point."
Mimi changed the subject, "You remember ol' Iron Hand?"
"Chad Gardenier? Yeah. What about him?" Earl asked.
"Well, apparently his Mother wants to hire Hunters for an escort job. To go meet Vampires," Mimi told him.
"Huh," Earl nodded. "It might be a trap," he pointed out, "the woman's got no love for Hunters in general."
"I've read Chad's book," Mimi nodded, "but his bias is kinda obvious."
"And his delusions of competency," Earl added.
"Ha. Yeah," Mimi agreed. She paused, "Can you do me a favor and send me whatever official info MHI has on her?"
"Will do. You owe me one though," Earl added with a sly smile.
"Yeah, yeah," Mimi sighed. They talked awhile longer, then ended the call.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The representative from the University of British Columbia's archeology department took notes as they described the glowing statue. "Fascinating," Alison Locke mused, "it sounds like a lost temple to Artemis."
"Well, she was a goddess of the hunt," Wolf noted.
"Indeed," Ms. Locke nodded eagerly.
"We done here, Locke?" Red asked.
"Please, call me Alison. Are you both still unwilling to lead a team into the tunnels?" she asked them intently.
"Oh hell no," Wolf said firmly.
"Yeah," Red agreed, "I really don't think it's safe to mess with whatever's down there."
"But..," Alison started.
"Sorry, not doing it," Red said firmly.
Wolf added, "Bishop's Butchers, the MHI team, are reforming. You can ask them, but not promising anything."
"Understood," Alison said. "How much do we owe you?" she asked, not looking terribly happy at having to pay them for this.
Wolf quoted a figure, they got a cheque from the University, then the two left the building in the Vancouver Campus.
"Should you really have suggested she go to Butchers?" Red asked, just a bit cross.
"I can't see Dolores taking on the job," Wold observed, "she's not stupid."
"Okay, point," Red conceded. She changed the subject, "Are we going to Japan for Akira and Catherine's wedding?"
Wolf scratched her chin, "I'd like to. She's a good kid, and it'd be nice to catch up with Shiro and Hitomi too, with no emergencies interrupting."
"We'll talk to Mimi about clearing up the time," Red agreed.
Wolf checked her phone, "The other department that wanted us to visit was Parapsychology."
"Oh god Ghostbuster types," Red sighed as they headed to the building.
"Now, now," Wolf said. "They're paying us, so I'll put up with a lot."
"Point," Red nodded.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Dolores Clark looked at the two new Hunters sent her by MHI. "Well, welcome to Vancouver," she said thoughtfully.
Dolores had not been expecting two women. And GOD they both looked young!
"Gail Ward," the redhead shook Dolores' hand, "I just finished the boot camp."
"Me too," the blonde grinned, "Nic Carter."
"Welcome to Bishop's Butchers, though I intend to change the name once a better one occurs to me," Dolores said as she lead them into the office building that worked as their base.
"I heard half the team died and the rest quit," Nic noted as they sat down at a meeting table.
"NIC!" Gail looked at her, appalled. "Sorry, she'd a bit blunt," she told Dolores.
Dolores waved that off, "No, it's true. In their defense, it's kind of humiliating to be beaten by what boils down to be woodland animals."
"Sucks," Nic agreed.
"Does this sort of thing happen often?" Gail had to ask.
"It's Monster Hunters International," Dolores shrugged. "Crazy shit is what we do."
"Oh joy," Nic noted.
"Good news is, we have decent local backup," Dolores pointed out. "You got the file on Wolf and Red already?" she asked.
"Yeah," Gail nodded. "Is that list of successful kills accurate?"
"Yeah, I only saw the list recently too," Dolores agreed. "It's insane. Plus, that's just the stuff that MHI knows about."
"Here's hoping we never get a job going after them," Nic observed. She said that, but there was a hungry look in her eye...
Dolores made a mental note to keep a eye on her.
"Is it just going to be us three?" Gail checked.
"MHI is going to send more Hunters, but for now it's us," Dolores admitted. "Good news, BC is generally pretty quiet."
"Don't SAY that," Nic laughed, "you just jinxed us."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Welcome to Vancouver! Cheers!" Red raised a mug of beer.
"CHEERS!" all six women echoed.
Mimi, Red and Wolf had heard through a local contact that the new Hunters had arrived, and invited the group out to a welcome party. Both newcomers were willing, and Dolores didn't have a issue, so they all hit a club near New Westminister.
"Don't try to keep up with their drinking," Mimi nodded to Wolf as she told the noobies, "you'll die of alcohol poisoning."
"Hey!" Red pouted. "We're not THAT bad."
"Yes, yes you are," Dolores told them, having heard rumours about the two of them.
"Meanies," Red sighed as Wolf downed her first mug of beer in one, long drink.
"Waitress! Refill!" Wolf called.
"Coming," the young woman hurried over.
"We should probably just get a few pitchers," Mimi noted with a sigh. She looked over at Nic and Gail, "How did you get into being Hunters? If that's not too personal."
Many folks became Hunters after surviving a monster attack and usually turning the tables on the critters. Sometimes it ended up being pretty traumatic, which was why Mimi had phrased her question that way.
"My brother and I were attacked by ghouls," Nic admitted as she had some beer. "He didn't make it. I was approched by Julie afterwards..."
"Ghouls are a pain in packs," Red agreed. "Good job surviving."
"We were out sailing and got overrun by mer-people," Gail said flatly. She finished off her first mug of beer, and waved for more.
'Lost someone, not over it,' Wolf noted. "Well, your chances of running into them here are pretty low," she noted.
"So what sort of things can we expect?" Nic asked eagerly.
"Oh, the stories we have...," Red grinned.
To be continued...
Notes: I don't really see the point of the various Monster Hunters being rivals. Mind you they will compete for jobs at times, but...