Monster Hunters Incorporated: The Truth Behind the Myths

MHI-007: Speed Demon

Vehicle crashes can be deadly. Thousands across the country die each year from vehicle crashes and thousands more are critically injured. Though these largely occur on busy highways and thoroughfares, many accidents still occur on old backroads. This is where yet another monster picked up by MHI prowls.

MHI-007, also known as "Speed Demon", mimics a motor vehicle that patrols a remote area of highway in the Appalachians, the exact location of which is as-of-yet undisclosed to the public. Though Speed Demon looks like a normal muscle car, it hides a sinister secret.

Speed Demon is in fact a combination of two individual creatures. The first, MHI-007-1, is the car itself. The vehicle mimics a car perfectly but is in fact a sentient creature. DNA analysis shows that it is most closely related to insects and the car body is in fact a type of exoskeleton that perfectly mimics a bright red 2018 Chevy Camaro with black racing stripes. It is also capable of going not only as fast as a typical muscle car but almost 500 mph in short bursts and can accelerate from 0 to 60 in the course of just two seconds. MHI-007-1 also possesses the ability to produce a sound by rubbing its wing covers together like a cricket. Unlike a cricket, however, the noise produced by the wing covers of MHI-007-1 are able to perfectly mimic the roar of an engine. It also possesses one more unique feature: its driver.

MHI-007-2 is the driver behind the wheel of Speed Demon. This humanoid being stands at about the same height as an average human male though the appearance is radically different. The head of MHI-007-2 is completely hairless, noseless, and eyeless, with a large, toothy grin. Though the torso and legs greatly resemble a fit human male, the left arm is well-muscled and possesses three-inch-thick claws as hard as nails on each of its five digits. This is the arm that controls the "wheel" of MHI-007-1. The right arm is much more muscular but also has large veins protruding from the skin. These veins will link directly into special inputs in MHI-007-1. This ties into Speed Demon's hunting behavior.

Speed Demon will patrol the highway during the hours between sunset and sunrise though it is most active throughout the hours of 12:00 AM and 3:33 AM. During this time it will patrol the highway at a cruising speed of approximately 45 mph. This immediately changes when it spots another car on the road. Once spotted, Speed Demon will immediately move to begin trailing the car. Speed Demon will continue this behavior until one of two things happens. Either the car will pull over or speed up. If the car pulls over, Speed Demon will simply pass by and resume its typical route. The real hunt begins when the car speeds up.

After the car speeds up, Speed Demon's hunting behavior is activated and begins to tailgate the car before attempting to rear end the car. Speed Demon will soon begin to move faster and attempt to run the car off the road. This will continue until the car crashes. At this point, Speed Demon will circle back to the crash site. When Speed Demon comes to a stop, MHI-007-2 will exit MHI-007-1 and approach the driver and any passengers from the car. It will then dispatch them and consume any and all flesh from the kills. Consumption takes place over the course of just five to twenty minutes depending on the number of passengers in a vehicle.

MHI-007-2 will then immediately return to MHI-007-1 and begin to drive. The veins in MHI-007-2 will join to the pores in MHI-007-1 and begin to inject a black fluid. This fluid is filled with nutrients, the main source of which is digested human flesh. This is, in fact, MHI-007-1's food source. The two, it seems, engage in a mutualistic behavior. MHI-007-2, in exchange for providing easily digestible food for MHI-007-1, receives the speed and protection necessary for pursuing prey.

MHI first came to know about this entity incredibly recently. In 2019, a string of car crashes along a specific patch of highway in Appalachia triggered searches and patrols by undercover MHI agents in the area. One particular pair was driving along at night when Speed Demon approached from the rear. The driver believed it to be nothing but an ignorant driver and began to speed up. As such, Speed Demon gave chase and began attempting to run the car off the road. Thanks to the quick action of the passenger, who radioed in for backup, another patrol was able to catch up with them and drive off Speed Demon before it could do too much damage. Later that night, Speed Demon succeeded in attacking another car. This time, however, the passengers were not so lucky.

MHI personnel arrived just as MHI-007-2 was finishing up its meal. The second it finished, it turned to face the personnel and they got their first good look at this entity. As soon as the agents pulled out their weapons, however, MHI-007-1 immediately pulled between the two and bided enough time for the two to escape. Speed Demon was pursued by MHI at high speeds for a total of five minutes before it suddenly changed speed and accelerated to over 400 mph, far faster than what MHI standard patrol cars are capable of. It was this odd encounter that earned the entity its name.

Despite its fearsome methods, Speed Demon attacks are rare due to the isolated nature of the stretch of highway it patrols. Weeks, months, and even years may pass before it receives its next meal. Due to this, it is classified at Danger Level 2. In order to prevent further loss of life, the highway has been blocked off to prevent vehicle traffic from moving through the area. As far as what MHI can tell, Speed Demon has not occurred on any other roadway and may not. But just remember, if someone is getting a little too close to comfort on the road, just slow down and let them pass or your next encounter could be deadly.