Hair///Trigger

Deep breath. One more. He's smart enough to realize those three men he passed were rogues, and evaded even them well enough. It was sloppy, but he's not an amateur. I need to approach him carefully. I need to make sure he's disarmed and establish a total advantage.

That means I need to keep him within reach in case I'll need my claws. That's not what I'm psyching myself up for, though. Here goes.

"This is Specialist Atlasz. Human is avoiding the three Demon hostiles. Don't know if connected."

"Roger, Specialist. Clear to engage the human. I repeat your AO is clear." Feng replies, instead. Did something happen to Athena?

"Roger, Feng. Status on Athena? Over."

"Athena neutralized HVT, but I see her comms are black."

"Wolfgang to Feng, can you verify? Comms are black?"

"All stations." Jess pages us all. "I could say she's using 'sign language,' but it's more like she's 'miming' it to him. Athena uninjured. HVT literally froze her headpiece. Athena, Comms black. Out." Jess's explanation warrants a sigh of relief. The momentary lapse in military talk was refreshing. She's quite the character.

"Ha. Roger, Heron. Out." And Wolfgang cuts out to continue doing Wolfgang things, I guess. Back to the reason I brought this up. I had hoped to bring this up with Athena instead because I don't know how Feng will take this.

"All, I recognize this human. I believe more likely to get direct answer face to face."

"Specialist, as in headgear-off face to face?" Jess asks, cutting to the point. "Objecting. If the target recognizes you, then your 'identity' will be revealed and your 'head' exposed. Verify."

She's talking about a hostile recognizing that I'm reborn because of my features. Thanks for not using the "D" word with me, Jess. But I need this. "Target already knows what I am. Still believe I can get more information if my face is clear. Over."

"Wolfgang to Specialist. What if you're wrong? What if the target is hostile? This human was associated with the two HVTs."

"Roger, Wolfgang. Then it won't matter—if uncooperative or hostile, Athena already authorized lethal force."

"Enough." Feng shuts us all up. "Specialist, this request doesn't just push the limits of standard protocol—it outright violates it. Do you firmly believe this approach will yield better results without compromising the rest of the unit?"

"I do."

"Kiddo. You might have to kill one of your friends. And they'll have to die knowing it was you." Wolfgang says, trying to dissuade me.

"I know."

"Human approaching alley below. Specialist, Permission granted. Out." Feng's quick approval really surprised me. Nothing from Jess nor Wolfgang, so they're probably just as dumbfounded. I won't let this compromise the team. If Felix tries anything suspicious, I'll be ready to kill him. I don't want to. But I'm ready.

He's here. "In range. Engaging." This is ridiculously unprofessional of me.

I lift my helmet and, out of Jess's view, remove my gear and vest. The Captain would kill me if she saw this. Hopefully this shirt looks a little more normal. I ready my handgun and dive.

My knee strikes him right below the rib cage, and I take my free hand to ensure he doesn't fracture his skull on the stone wall behind him. His head can take a little hit for all the stress he's causing me, though.

I wasn't breathing this heavily when I killed Cesar. Go figure, my heart had to start racing now of all times. Keep it under control. Holding him down with my h.i.p.s like this probably isn't the best way to calm my nerves, though.

"What were you doing in that house? Who is the woman you were with?"

He won't talk.

"Talk! Why were you following me? Who sent you!? What else do you know!?" He's still stunned. He's going to need a little more coercion.

"For a supposedly smart guy, you make some incredibly stupid choices, you know that?" Seriously. If you needed money or something, working with rogues is the wrong way to do it.

I plant my gun against his forehead. His eyes widen and stare me down past the barrel. They look...

Sad.

What if he's innocent? What if I'm doing the wrong thing? What if I might actually have to kill him?

"Shit!" I lower my gun to the side because now, there's a new problem. He still seems disoriented, so I balance his neck with my hand. He probably thinks I'm about to choke him, though.

Three sets of footsteps. Those last three demons. They haven't been alerted to Alice's death yet, but they probably heard our commotion in this alleyway. They're no threat to me, but if Felix is actually innocent, then I need a way to get them to turn away.

"They're going to see us, anyway." But I have an idea. A very fun idea. He's human, and I've now determined he's unarmed.

"Let's make them NOT want to see."

I grab his shirt and pull him up towards me. I need to commit and make this convincing. These demons need the wrong idea. Thankfully my hair is a mess and they won't notice the color in this lighting. I press my lips into his and just take. I want. And take. And enjoy it. I try to convince myself that this is just for show, but I can't fool myself. I probably can't even fool him from all the noise I'm making.

This wet, intoxicating feeling. The way our tongues just mix. The way I feel his pulse intensifying from everywhere we touch. The subtle, barely noticeable shake in his head when his heart beats. The not so subtle pulse felt through his t.h.i.g.hs as the blood surges through his body. Humans apparently don't get to feel these sensations. I need him to feel something. Even if it's just the sensation of my voice in his mouth.

The demons are now at the edge of the alley. "Hey! Punks! Get a room. Actually, even better—get a job. Get the f.u.c.k out of here and make sure I don't see you again."

I do have a job. It's to keep the man I'm violating safe from assholes like you. I could have emptied a mag in your head in the time it took you to finish that sentence.

I slowly start to pull myself from him. That is, until I feel his tongue graze my upper right fang—the only one I keep. The warm, wet sensation shoots through me and my sanity disappears. I bite. The body heat I felt beneath his skin now drips down the side of my mouth. I can't help but smile as I release him.

"Pfft. That guy. When I'm finished, he's definitely never going to see me again. Or anyone else, for that matter. He's going to pay. As for you, let's get back to where we left off."

The look on his face is still full of confusion and disbelief. I need to get back to business. I reach for my sidearm and plant the barrel between his eyes.

"Felix. I think you fully understand how serious this situation is now, right? I want your cooperation. Just answer these questions. Truthfully. Just yes, or no. Okay?"

He nods.

Do you know "Cesar" and "Alice?" He nods again. I wish he didn't.

"Was that Alice in the car with you?" Another nod.

This one will be a little harder. "Did you see what happened to Cesar?" He nods, slower now.

"The next few questions, I want simple answers. Just one or two sentences. Clear?" He only nods. I lower the barrel and holster my handgun, hopefully inviting a little more cooperation now that coercion is no longer necessary.

I want to put my hands on his shoulders to assure him I'm on his side in these questions, but I have to keep this firm and professional.

I hope he's innocent. I would rather deal with the mess of how to handle him than clean up his body. But I can't give into my biases just yet. Back in focus.

"Who are Cesar and Alice to you?"

"My housemates."

He lived there? But the only ones registered there were Cesar and Alice. I envision the faces of the people I just killed teasing and smiling with the man I swore to protect just hours before.

"Were you spying on me?" A pointless question, he's say "No" regardless of if he was or wasn't. Still, I want to hear it.

"No! I didn't even know you. You're the one that landed on MY car, remember?"

"Cool it. Who was the human guy at the house?"

His shaking intensifies. "An old friend. I don't know why he was there. He was just supposed to bring—"

"Calm down. I have a few more questions. Afterwards, I might be able to answer yours," If you can forgive me, that is, "just keep working with me. There were three others that visited that house today. Do you know of any more?"

"I didn't see any—" His eyes widen in panic. I need to keep him focused, somehow. "How could you know that, though? Do you know where I live? Janine, how do you about Cesar and Alice?" And after a pause, and whatever conclusions he may have in his head right now, "You're not the... the reborn that killed Cesar, are you? Were you a rogue this whole time?"

He's speaking as though Cesar and Alice are innocent. Did he really not know? I really hope he didn't. I wanted to show him my face so he could open up to me more, but I might not have anything to show for it in my report if he doesn't know anything. I need every minor detail, Felix. Thanks for not calling me a demon, though. You get points for that.

"Did you know Cesar and Alice were Rogue Demons that were on the run for years?"

"What? That's impossible. They treated me like," and his sentence just ended there. He's thinking. "That's why he was still alive despite that wound. And all the blood. You mean I lived with Rogue Demons? But why? Did you do that to them? Janine," his eyes that were previously scattering to every corner of the alley return to mine, "did you kill my friend there, too?"

I didn't even tell him I was there, yet. He's piecing together a conclusion, but I'm worried it's going in the wrong direction. I guess I'll have to give a few answers before I can take more from him. I reach for his hand. He lets me.

Is it because he's realized he's powerless in this situation? Or that he wants to believe in me? I really hope it's the latter.

"No, I didn't kill your friend. But yes, I was there. Cesar was a dangerous rogue, and I was the one that put that hole in him. I tried to save your friend when Cesar held him hostage, but I couldn't. I'm sorry." I avoid saying "we" so as not mention the rest of my squad, or else I'll have to say I'm a Hunter. Better save that for later.

"I tried, but Cesar was too irrational. Felix, was there anyone else that went through that house? Even any other 'friends' or visitors?"

"So you can try to kill them, too?" His eyes narrow in accusation. "What are you? A Hunter? Or some anti-rogue vigilante?"

"I'm only going after any rogues that may be connected. I don't want anyone innocent to get hurt." I tighten my hold on his hand, tangling our fingers. "That's the whole reason we're having this conversation, Felix. If you know any other connections, then we might be able to save another innocent human life. Tell me. We can avoid more cases like your friend. Please."

"You still haven't told me what you are. On the chance that you're telling the truth, Janine, a lot of evidence in my head is stacked against you. You admitted to killing Cesar. You're asking a lot of unusually investigative questions. You want to sound like you're not a rogue, but you can't be a Hunter either, since you're Reborn. How do I know I can trust you?"

"Because she hasn't put a bullet in your head for being a useless lead that is now a liability to my squad. You better answer her questions. Or else mine will be much less gentle."

The familiar voice and rifle click fill my ears. I am so f.u.c.k.e.d. Athena's gonna have my head for this later. "At present, you are denying your own innocence and begging her to kill you. I could do it for her, if that's what you want. Specialist. Remaining three demons downed, does the 'witness' here have useful intel?"

Witness. Not accomplice. She's giving you a chance, Felix, so I really hope you start talking. We know you were the one driving for Alice.

"Specialist?" He asks, after seeing Athena's gear. His hand softens. The fingers that were trying to retreat now relax into my own. "I see. No, I haven't seen anyone else, really. They didn't invite guests. I'm," he visibly braces himself, "going to be useless in that area. But Alice, maybe. Is she really a demon?"

Before I can answer, "Yes, young man. I killed her minutes ago. This is the reality of the situation you have found yourself in. And my squad, unlike other Hunters, don't need to take prisoners." She raises her rifle.

A pained smile crosses his face. He looks straight at me before saying, "Sorry. I really don't know anything else."

Are you stupid? At least lie! You could die here!

My mental screaming is interrupted by the sound of gunfire to my left.

Agonizing groans fill the alley. To my right, another demon lays dying in the shadows.

"Feng was trying to warn you about another threat. It was hiding thermals like Alice, but it was also moving too silently for me to track. You should be able to continue your interrogation, now. I expect a full report on this, Specialist. As for the witness," she says, lowering her rifle, "rendezvous back at this waypoint. Bring him. It might help his story." She walks away while sending new coordinates to my monitor.

The waypoint she sent me is back at Alice and Cesar's house. Supposedly where Felix lived, as well. He should have a room or belongings there, right?

"Felix. You understand the mess you're in, right?" I ask him, flatly. "It's a lot, but please believe me when I say I'm one of the good guys."

"Please don't remind me of all my near death experiences today. A Reborn Hunter, huh? You keep getting hotter by the second." He says, jokingly.

He's trying to look relieved, but the panicked pulse and shivering in his hand tell me otherwise. He's still terrified of me. But he's trying. That's all I can ask for. I'm just glad he doesn't have any rounds in his head after all this.

I place my forehead against his. Our breathing mixes in the dark. "Felix?" His eyes meet mine. "Did you like l.i.c.k.i.n.g my fang, earlier?"

Because I sure as hell did.

His pulse changes. And this answer? Oh, this is definitely a yes.