Revelations of a Grey Coat Hunter

7

      No one said a word during the drive to the hotel. The Hunters' orders were to get their stuff, leave the keys in the room, and get back into the car. This was to Maddy, naturally. Monty was still too shaky to walk safely, much less carry belongings downstairs and load them into the car. The result was that Maddy went with the Hunters to get ready to leave the hotel without checking out, while Monty was left alone in the car with Asesino.

     "You're pretty powerful, amigo," the thug commented after a time of awkward silence.

     "Fuck you," Monty snapped. "I don't know why you're here, but if you try anything with me or my sister...?"

     "Your sister's una mujer hermosa, but I'm not interested anymore. You? I never had any interest in. Doesn't matter. I've got no plans for either one of you anymore. I'm way past that now," Asesino explained cheerfully. "All I'm interested in right now is your powers. You, with all that fire? You were just burning everything up, amigo. And the red-haired gringo?" He gave an admiring whistle. "All those flames, burning shit dripping down from the ceiling all around us, the heat so bad even the glasses at the bar are melting. But he's just walking us right through it like it was nothing. Hell, it was actually cold walking next to him. It was fucking amazing! Your powers are awesome, but he leaves you in the dust."

     "Gee, thanks," Monty grumbled, feeling somehow insulted. "What, exactly, is your interest in our powers?"

     "That's what I want," the thug continued, oblivious. "Powers, just like you guys. I'm talking real power, not guns and threats, and people only listening to you because they're scared of you. I want to be a superhero."

     Monty rolled his eyes. "Even if you had powers, you'd only be a supervillain."

     "Ok." Asesino's voice actually sounded a bit sad. "I deserved that. But that's ok. Throwing fireballs is way more impressive than any gun, so you get a pass. I want powers, real superpowers like you. And that gringo, Conrad? He said he and the other one could help me!" Asesino nodded, his eyes bright. "Hey, is Arthur really immortal and like, centuries old?"

     Monty frowned. Immortality? That would certainly explain what had happened tonight. Now that Asesino had mentioned it, Conrad had mentioned something about "all your centuries" during one of his innumerable arguments with Arthur. He shook his head. "I don't know, but what the hell makes you think either one of them can give you any of those powers? They didn't give me mine."

     "They don't have to," Asesino replied smugly. "I already have powers, I just have to learn to develop them. Conrad said so."

     Monty blinked. "He did?"

     Asesino nodded again, looking like a kid in a candy store. "He said that I made a real impression on them back there. They've got a special job for me, something only someone like me can do. That's why they saved me."

     "Is that so?" Monty asked doubtfully. "What else did he say?"

     "He said that he and Arthur had to stop and do a very important mission before he took you to some Foundation where they train you to use your powers. When they went to our bar, they didn't actually know you were there, amigo. They were looking for someone like me!" He puffed out his chest proudly. "So long as I can pull this off, I'll earn myself a free ride along with you." He looked hopefully at Monty. "Do you think maybe I already have been using my powers but didn't know it? Because something brought them there to me. These guys in the coats, they sniff out powers, right? That's why they're called Hunters." He sat back in the seat, pinching his lips together in thought. "I wonder what it is I can do?"

     That started a lengthy discussion, mostly with himself, about comic book powers and which ones Asesino would prefer to have. Monty wanted to scream. His head was pounding by the time his sister and the Hunters finally returned. Maddy was furious. She angrily shoved their things into the car's trunk, climbed back in, and slammed the door. Arthur and Conrad seemed largely indifferent. They were busy discussing road options. Obviously, the two planned to blow town. Naturally. As they'd just left smoking ruins, dead bodies, and a lot of unanswered questions behind? The idea of being anywhere else when it came time to try to answer those questions seemed like a sound one.