Revelations of a Grey Coat Hunter

22

     Monty paused at the doorway. Inside, he could see a neat row of glass-like coffins with grey-coated figures inside. The coffins were lined up in perfect order, heads exactly in line while the feet varied, depending on the height of the Hunter inside. Behind the coffins was a row of metal shelving. Each coffin was spaced far enough apart to provide room to walk between them and access the shelving. The shelves contained what could only be urns, black stone covered with the glassy containment Artifact. The number of urns far exceeded the number of coffins, the shelves stacked floor to ceiling with them. Monty suspected he was looking at the ashes of failed Candidates. Why not? They were still Artifacts, after all, and as long as they died with the communicators still in place...? He shuddered and looked back out the door. "Could you come in?" he called to Reynolds, who was hovering somberly outside. "I want you in here with me."

     Reynolds nodded. He kept his head respectfully down as he entered the room, letting Monty pull the door behind them for privacy. That made it easy. Monty slammed into the unsuspecting Hunter from the rear, charging forward and driving Reynolds onto the floor between the final two coffins. Reynolds hadn't seen it coming, and went down hard on his stomach. He was still stunned and blinking when Monty ripped his headband away. But he recovered fast when Monty's arm slipped under his chin. With a sharp cry, Reynolds caught Monty's elbow and pulled hard, keeping him from completing the headlock. "No! Don't touch me!"

     Monty belatedly realized that he was wearing short sleeves today. When he'd tried to slip his arm around the healer's neck, the skin of his arm had been touching Reynolds's skin, which would have triggered his healing ability in seconds. No. Monty didn't have time to feel guilty now. He was way too pissed off for that.

     Snarling, Monty lunged forward, using his weight to force Reynolds's upper body down to the floor. The Hunter was pretty much his equal in size and weight, but with a year's worth of experience in the field, Reynolds would be tough to beat. Good. Monty was craving a good fight. He drove all his weight down on his elbow, planted between Reynolds's shoulder blades. Reynolds was forced chest-down onto the floor. He cursed and drew up his legs, throwing Monty forward. But Monty had anticipated that. When he started moving forward, he grabbed Reynolds's left arm and rolled onto his right shoulder. His shoulder suddenly wrenched, Reynolds yelped in pain and twisted around to his back.

     That was what Monty was waiting for. He dove on top of Reynolds. Reynolds saw him coming, deflected with his hands, and then tried to kick Monty away. Monty scrambled, hands flashing as he fought to get a hold of the healer. Reynolds was just too fast. He shoved Monty back and quickly rolled over, getting to his hands and knees just as Monty came back and plowed into his side. The two slammed against Arthur's unmoving coffin before falling to the floor. Then it was a wrestling match. Monty, determined, fought with all his strength. He'd already realized Reynolds was struggling to squirm free and get away rather than actually win the fight. Alright then. Time to play dirty. Monty punched the Hunter hard in the diaphragm, then pounced on him and won the brief battle to capture his hands. Finally, Monty was securely perched on top of Reynolds, pinning the Hunter firmly down.

     "You son of a bitch!" Monty roared as Reynolds gasped, trying to get his breath back. "You knew, all of you. You knew that only one of us was ever intended to survive this. And you let it happen. Every one of you just stood back and let it happen, just like they all let it happen for you. No one said a word. No one lifted a finger to help, or tried to warn us, or... For fuck's sake, you all bet on who wouldn't make it!"

     "Yes," Reynolds groaned, still a little breathless. "Yes, we all did it, and we'll do it again because that is how it is here. Next time, you'll do it right along with us."

     "Bullshit!"

     "You'll do it," Reynolds insisted, blinking up at him with anger smoldering in his blue eyes. "Just like we all did. Because every one of us has been right where you are now, and once you're through it? Once you do what you must and come out the other side? Then you realize that nothing else matters except the job. Once you've taken that final step, you're just another gear in the machine. There is no going back from what they make you do. That's precisely why they make you do it!"