The hunter

Chapter 15

Turning around making my way back up the stairs I was greeted by both Patrick and Sean standing outside the front door just watching me. Wow also dressed like Scott, so clearly, it’s a united uniform as such Sean was the first to Speak “How are you doing Riley, hopefully you’re managing to settle into your new life” there was no hint of sarcasm anywhere in what he said. “Surprisingly easier than I expected if I’m being honest” they both smiled at one another clearly, they had been discussing my introduction into this family of sorts. “I do apologise that your uncle has had to leave but unfortunately, we needed him and Akechetah as they are the best at tracking and sadly with this line of work, we can’t afford to be caught off guard especially as we have the next hunting moon approaching, shall we hold the meeting in your room, so it feels less formal”. “Umm if you want but Scott said not to have men in my room” smiling at what I just said see I follow the rules they both laughed, and Patrick chimed in “I can pretty much guarantee they don’t apply to us but a few key select members of the unit here” hmmm why does everyone think that I would even entertain that prat Chris or Tyler I’m not that much of a mug. Shrugging my shoulders “Okay well I suppose we better head upstairs as before you say anything yes, I’m fully aware I need to start training today as well”. Making our way back inside with me leading the way as if I was a person of some importance flanked by two security guards, we made our way to my room. Unlocking the door, I went in first and went over to my bed where one of them closed the door and they both sat on the furthest end of my bed allowing space. I suppose they did it to feel less intimidating Sean turning to Patrick mate do you mind going and get your laptop and we can start setting everything up for Riley’s so say death”. Patrick didn’t even kick up a fuss on this and got up and did as instructed, which made me wonder to myself if maybe Sean was the head of this hunting unit.

After Patrick left Sean just smiled at me “so how are you finding things with your uncle?” why was he so interested but again if he’s the main man in charge I suppose he would want to know as much like a manager you need to ensure that your staff or all okay if you want them to be productive and effective in the job they do. “um, its good I wasn’t expecting it to be as easy as it is, but when I was talking with Akechetah he kind of helped me to see this as a positive and to just make the most of this opportunity they I have been given”. He smiled at this answer as if fully satisfied “yes the guy definitely knows how to find the positives in every situation” clearing his throat “and I know we mentioned about your father, I apologise for not telling you more than that’s he alive” I cut Sean off before he could say anymore “it’s fine me and Scott spoke about him and explained that he comes and go, so I won’t press the issue I promise besides not being rude to the man but I had a dad so I’m not exactly looking to replace him where he died”. He seemed to be thinking something over from the way his brow was creased “Riley your father is my best friend, after all we grew up together and after your mother died, he kind of shut down and as much as there is truth in what your Uncle says”. He took a brief pause and I could tell he was trying to find the right words “I just want you to know he’s not actively trying to run and hide from you its more that he’s not sure how to deal with the situation, the man is one of the best hunters I have ever seen truth be told but he can also be very guarded and reserved as well”. Whilst saying all this his was watching me very intently and I’m sure he was just trying to do the best for everyone but I mean I’ve gone my whole life without knowing who my biological father was and didn’t really seem to have the need now to try and force something that I have never really entertained a thought on so he really didn’t need to go to all this effort I was at peace with this matter.

Putting my hand up as if to indicate that everything was fine “look Sean honestly you don’t have to worry I promise I’m not exactly looking for anymore drama”. Laughing at this statement “I can understand that, after all it seems you have found yourself in a unique situation here”. Nodding at this statement “yeah, that’s one way of putting it”, “well credit where credit is due, you have defiantly seemed to embrace this better than others that have found out in similar ways, and I also heard about the pack you and the others were being tracked by”. Ah I should have realised that bit but being slightly self-involved with my own issues I had completely forgotten that there must have been a debriefing after we killed those werewolves, clearly, I have a lot to learn on all of this being a hunter stuff. I was half expecting to be told of but with what he next said I was slightly taken aback “I even heard how you managed to hold your ground, which I’m not going to lie here but I wouldn’t have thought you would have handled it as well as you did” okay that was a bit of a backhanded compliment but I don’t think he meant it in a negative way but still ouch. “Don’t get me wrong I don’t want you to fail, but it seems that maybe you’re a natural at this so clearly the apple doesn’t fall to far from the tree, and with the proper training I get the feeling that you will be a force to reckoned with much like your father”. Well, I wasn’t expecting him to say that I mean does he not know me, again why are these people under this impression that I’m this strong person, because I really am not to be honest, I’m nothing special. The bedroom door opened indicating that Patrick and come back, which was a good thing in a way because it meant we could focus on the task at hand instead.

He then closed the door and reclaimed where he was sitting, opening the laptop and clearly logging on, I suppose it’s now time that we get down to the business of my death.

“Okay so um where do we start then with this?” Patrick looked at me with such kindness I could see why Tara and him where so perfect together as he seemed to be a very empathetic person himself, don’t get me wrong he looked very intimating but the more time you spent in his company you could tell that he was so much more than just the image he portrayed. Clearing his throat again Sean proceeded with the meeting at hand “well as we have stated in the past unfortunately you will need to sever all ties with the life that you had and I know this maybe out of your comfort zone but one of things you will need to do may come across quite morbid but I promise you that it will help bring closure to the people who were once in your life”. Okay why don’t I like the sound of this one bit and what does he mean by morbid. Patrick decided to speak up “I’m sorry to say this but with Tara’s help we will need to take photos of you looking dead for lack of a better word so that we can get your next of kin to identify you that way instead of in person”. I’m sorry what, did he really just say that “I know how that sounds, but it’s the only way to make sure that no one questions the validity of your death” he took a pause trying to gauge me reaction “and it will be done as tastefully as possible and Tara seems to have a good angle she can play for your death which she will share with you because she hasn’t exactly shared it with any of us which is not usually like her but I know she would have her reasons for this and so I know I don’t need to try and press her on that”. Part of what he said definitely had awoken my sleeping anxiety, but I tried to focus on the fact that she hadn’t shared how I would so say discovered dead, as I got a feeling, she was going to use my past.

I could tell they could both sense my unease over this as again they were looking me over trying to read my mind. Sean decided to retake the lead on the meeting “now let’s get down to money, I apologise if you feel this is callous but unfortunately it’s the reality of life when people die, can you tell us what you own and what money you have?”.

Wow I know that there is no easy way to discuss it but still the bluntness from the statement still winded me slightly. Taking a death breath in composing myself as I expected this to be hard but I never expected it to be this painful “my parents I mean my home I own out right, and a fifty fifty split in a florists shop and just a little over fifteen thousand in savings and however much of my wages I’ve got left in my main bank and my car but that’s about it really”. Clearly, they didn’t expect to hear I have as much as I did but what can I say my parents where good when it came to money and made sure that I wouldn’t struggle like they had growing up. “I would advise for you to give up your share in the florist shop, the house as well but what we can do is move the money over to you as we can create you a new sudo name so you won’t be losing everything, and we can say that it was written up in your will to a distant family member. If your friends are aware, you had savings, I would suggest that you need to write it off and pass to people that you cared about as after all I’m afraid you will be dead and people will question what happened with the money”. Sean then continued “and the money from your house will be yours, hand on heart and you will generate an income as sort here but not your typical wage, but it would be roughly seven hundred a month, and you’re not expected to pay into food unless there is something particular you want and bills such as water gas and electric are all covered”.

How did they have all this money, clearly Patrick was able to read my thoughts on this subject matter “we are given money by the government each year and we provide our services for all events as any major bank holiday or festival is an invite to an all you can eat buffet for the werewolves and its not something that key government members would like the public to know”. “So does the government know we exist then?” he smiled at my question “yes and no only the minister of defence and the actually prime minster know that we are real however they are sworn to secrecy for the greater good, after all could you manage the chaos that would ensue if people knew the truth so instead we are labelled a specialist branch that can’t be discussed about which is why we can carry on the way we do” Sean now also interjected “yes and which is why the police and military and hospitals also tend not to follow anything up with us as we are labelled as specialist covert units, this is how we have done things for many years and has worked as well as it does”.

Wow I didn’t expect that to be the case but then with everything that’s happened so far in the past few days I don’t think anything would surprise me anymore, trying to repress a giggle as maybe all these conspiracy theorists weren’t as crazy as people made out to be. Although I could understand the fact that this was on a need-to-know basis looking at the whole three sixty picture, but still I wouldn’t mind being a fly on the wall watching these figures in power have to try and explain certain events away. “Um what about all the stuff in my house, will I be allowed to go back and at least pick up just a few items?”. Sean let out a sigh before answering this “im afraid you can’t the thing is your friends and loved ones will be the ones clearing the house out, this will allow them closure of some sorts, as we have just mentioned we will say the house has been passed on to a distant family member and they will believe it best to put it on the market for sale which tends to be the way of these things”.

“Okay I get that but there is just a couple of items I want nothing big is there not anyway I can get them please” from the look in both their eyes I could tell they felt bad and I already knew the answer before Sean carried on “Riley, I’m sorry but no you can’t even if it is something small it may also hold significance to the people clearing the home and would you want to deny them comfort in something that was once yours now belonging to them” rubbing my face with my hands I knew he was right but this also meant the secret about my baby was about to be discovered by my friends as the only ones that knew about their existence was Wendy, the police, the hospital and my now ex employer and as much as I loved my friends I just didn’t want them to know after all they are still in the dark about Ben, they may suspect what he was doing but I never confirmed those suspicions.

“You have already been reported as a missing person and, I was hoping after your training you would go see Tara and she will deal with the photos, the sooner your identified as dead the better for everyone concerned, I’m sorry that it has to be this way for you”. So that was it then, I knew instantly it would be Wendy who would be shown the photos and truth be told I felt like a right b***h. She was one of the kindest and sweetest people to exist and I was about to cause her pain and misery that really wasn’t fair but maybe giving her my share of the flower shop will be a way for atoning for this. “I know who I want to get my share of the flower shop, can it be passed over to Wendy, she already has the other stake in it, so what happens is their paperwork I need to sign I mean what happens next?”.

I had to give it to myself I wasn’t freaking out or a big mess over everything I was being told but it didn’t make it suck any less. Sean stood up and sat next to me placing a hand on my shoulder as if trying to reassure me “I will take care of the rest, don’t worry about it you will have more important things to focus on, Tara will pass the photos to me once she is done I promise we will deal with it as delicately as possible for all involved, I will head back to my room and start the process of setting you up with a new bank account and don’t worry as much as there will be a different name it will only be for aesthetics”. I watched as Patrick was now typing away on his laptop clearly starting to put this all into motion he looked up and offered a reassuring smile “Sean is right we can take care of the paperwork now and I promise that the shop will be passed over to Wendy and we will appoint her as a trustee for your savings so then you don’t have to worry about it, welcome to your new life Riley”. They both stood up and in turn patted me on the head is if placating a small child and made their way out the room. This really did bite, and I know it was the right decision to make but still it felt like game over to me. Standing up I decided to pace the floor trying to let everything that we had discussed wash over me to try and make the thought of what was about to take place less shitty.

I then realised I hadn’t closed my wardrobe fully which is unlike me and went to the door trying to close it I realised something was preventing the door from sealing shut. Opening it up I looked at the very bottom of my wardrobe to discover my axe and dagger, smiling to myself knowing that Akechetah would have safely put it in there after I ran out my room, though there was one thing I did not expect to see in there. Sitting behind the dagger was Brave Heart Lion, and it was my one I could tell as his mane had seen better days where I have kept hold of him for many years. Instantly reaching in to grab him I pulled him close to my chest and inhaled the scent from him where he smelled like home.

So many questions where now running through my head like how, and who no one knew about him but here he was. I mean maybe Scott but why would he hide it in the wardrobe surely, he would have handed it to me and talk about luck how would he have guessed that I would want him. Holding him closer to my chest I made a mental note to ask Scott when he was back from his travels.

I then closed the door up after moving my now weapons further into the wardrobe and took my teddy over to my bed and placed him in the dead centre of the pillows. The just looked and him happy to have him back with me where he belongs. I was then pulled from these thoughts from a knock at my door “its Elliot, Sean has said the meeting has finished up” making my way to the door taking one last look and my trusty old side kick I took one deep breath in before opening the door. Reminding myself mentally that I have got this and to have faith in what the universe was now throwing in my direction. Elliot seemed very much out of place and looked a bit on edge, now I didn’t see that coming the big tough trainer afraid of a girl’s room. Instantly I had this feeling of dejavu as if seeing him before there was something familiar about his face and those brown eyes of his, shaking my head as must have been from the meeting when I first arrived but I wasn’t so sure about that. Pulling me from this thought “you won’t need your weapons follow me and I will take you to the training room today I thought we would work on defence as by the looks of you I wouldn’t be surprised if you were a bit of a pushover”.