The Sin Hunter: Double or Nothing

Coffee, Then Work

"So, you both have held up nicely?" The Sin Hunter asked, sliding his cup of coffee onto a small mat while Cynthia finished her cup. "So far, so good," Jules nodded, setting her Caramel Macchiato beside her mom's cup. "Business has been well for me. Nobody steps out of line thanks to the legacy you left behind. And the ones who do face all of your training in a new, energized form." jack grinned, raising his eyebrows while he sat back in his comfy mattress seat. "Excellent. I'm proud of you for doing this, Jules. It's been ages since somebody's been willing enough to do the things I've done." Cynthia grinned, spreading out over the table as a cat with soft, silk white fur and bright red eyes.

"Ooh, I needed a good stretch. Whaddaya think, Jack? Like the new look?" The Sin Hunter chuckled, crossing his arms. "For a demon who clawed out of Hell, Thia, you've aged like fine wine, y'know that?" Cynthia rolled out in her spot, transitioning into a silver sparrow, beak raised in amused fixation. "Why thank you for that, big guy. Let me be the first to say, you look pretty dapper yourself after sixteen years. Looks like Hell gave you'll the right moisturizers for the job." Jack chuckled, turning his attention to Jules. "Sorry for all the flirty stuff, kiddo. In Hell, we were two completely different people." Jules waved a hand, smiling to see her two biological parents enjoying their time together.

"Nah, it's cool, Jack. Coming from my birth dad, I totally get the drift." Jack's eyebrows ascended sky high at the comment, turning to Cynthia. "Guess somebody told her, huh?" Cynthia brushed a paw behind her ears, cleaning off herself while she paused, eyes glazing over Jack. "Oh, she's known for a while. I told her once she started drawing connections between us." "Oh. I see," Jack replied, turning back to Jules, who had fashioned a napkin into a fashionable fedora. "If the Sin Hunter blood runs in these veins you can count me in, Jack. I'm going wherever you are, no questions." The Sin Hunters nodded while Cynthia stepped backward, resizing into her human form with both arms extended out on the table. 

"God, what a happy couple you two are." Jules turned in stunned silence. "Uh, Mom?" she asked. Cynthia laughed, rolling back in her seat while a waiter stepped forward with menus. "Good afternoon, everyone," the waiter paused while Cynthia calmed down, "what can I get for you tonight?" Jack raised his hands to collect the menus from the gloved hands. "Thank you, sir. Just a whiskey and some tequila for the girls." the waiter nodded, retrieving his towel. "Of course, sir. We'll have your drinks ready." As the waiter departed, Jack grinned, turning to face Cynthia, and exchanging the grin for a silent gaze of serious intent. "Cynthia?" Jack asked.

"Jack? What were we just talking about in the cemetery?" Jules put a hand forward, gently sliding her mom's hands into hers. "Mom, it's alright. I don't think he meant for me to drink any of it." Jack nodded, brushing a toothpick between his fingers. "That's right, Jules. They bring out water with the drinks, so if Jules would like something else, then I'll take the fall for that one. And Jules," Jack nodded, turning to the younger Sin Hunter, "I apologize for not letting you speak. It was rude." Jules brushed a hand over to Jack, taking glove in glove. "Ah, relax, jack. It's fun getting to see you acting confident. After that jolt with the funeral, it's a good thing you're in such high spirits."

The Sin Hunter nodded, turning as the waiter returned from the side of the bar with their drinks, moving toward their table. "Yup. And I'm gonna need more spirits before we go diving into this mystery." While the waiter set their glasses on the table, Jack gave his order for a steak with a side of fries, Jules for the same, but with a medium well instead of rare, and Cynthia asking for a salad with a side of sweet potato fries. The waiter smiled and nodded, politely telling the group,"Of course. The salad is our specialty. We hope you'll enjoy your time here, and we'll be back soon." Once the waiter left, jack tilted his fedora down, rubbing his fingers together in anxious motion.

"Okay. So here's what we need to find out," Jack rolled through, Jules and Cynthia both leaning in to hear, "the official certificate of death hasn't been leaked to the public, let alone been revealed to any high ranking government officials. What this tells me is that there's something behind the curtain that they don't want us to see." Cynthia shrugged, fixing her red lenses. "Makes sense to me. But why would they try to hide her cause of death?" Jules stepped in now, tossing her hat in the ring. "If they hid the cause of death, maybe the cause will tell us more about how she really died." Jack snapped his fingers, eyes narrowing to near slits in the lamp light overhead. 

"Damn right, kid. If we find the autopsy report, link that to some sources, we could grab the end of this rope before whoever's pulling the threads cuts us loose." The waiter then returned with their meals, thanking the three as Jack paid in advance for the meals. Once dinner had been eaten and shared, and drinks were emptied with light alcohol running in Jule's veins(Jack insisted he take responsibility for whatever came next) the team began formulating a plan, taking in careful thought while they discussed the attack. "If there's somebody who doesn't want us knowing about all of this, then it's clear to me that someone would be watching the hospital grounds to stop us at the door." 

Jack nodded, picking bits of steak out of his teeth with a pick. "makes sense to me. So how do we intend to slip through unnoticed?" Cynthia waved a hand to her established self. "Have we forgotten you have a shapeshifter with you? Just slip under my coat, I turn invisible, and we slip into the elevators without a care in the world." Jules nodded, twirling a toothpick of her own around her fingers. "But what if there's demons working there?" At the comment, Jack and Cynthia both turned in stunned silence to their biological daughter. "Excuse me?" Jack asked. Jules shrugged, the effects of whiskey affecting her thought process. "Well, if there's somebody guarding this and so much work has been put into this, wouldn't it make sense if demons would be influencing this?"

Jack scratched his chin and gritted his teeth. "I...never considered that option. And if that's the case, that would make your invisibility useless if a demon sees you." Cynthia chewed her lip, eyes twitching under her glasses. "great. So that's kaput. Do we have any other options?" Jack raised a finger, nodding. "We've got one other option. If we can launch ourselves from a neighboring building and clear the rooftop, we can use the ventilation systems through into the storage facility and locate that autopsy report before anyone notices." Cynthia shrugged, clutching her hands. "Makes sense. But Jules, will you be up to this?" An indescribably managed Jules shrugged, eyes drooping slightly. "I should be fine. Jack, though, will need to guide me through the place."

Jack nodded, standing up from his seat. "I can make that work. Two Sin Hunters and a shapeshifter make for a fine trio and a spot of mischief. Let's get to work."