The Sin Hunter: Double or Nothing

A Snappy Falling Out

The Sin Hunter swept around the table of the old facility, nestled away in the office space above the madness of mechanical manufacturing. His glove struck the table studded with pins, rope and sticky notes, scattering and shaking cups and bottles. "Jules, we cannot act so brazen and insolent." Across the table, the younger Sin Hunter had begun putting her own expertise to work, stunning the group of Sinners and Demons. "Why is that?! I mean, God, Jack, you of all people should know we have the firepower to wipe Bile and his goons off of the table in one fell swoop!"

A battle of the Sin Hunters drew everyone's attention to the lamplight as Jack rested his clenched gloves on the board, his teeth flashing into a wicked scowl before he exploded. Seats were shuffled as their owners moved away from the shower of sparks and fire. "Jules! You may be a Sin Hunter, but how much do you really know about Hell? Huh?" Jules raised her glove to retaliate, but Jack beat her to the blow, continuing his streak. "Hell is nothing like what we encountered in the Living World. That stuff up there?" Jack hissed, jerking a hand to point at the ceiling.

"THAT was just a taste of what Bile could really do. And we haven't even covered the Hierarchy and their plans for domination!!" Cynthia rose from the cushioning to drop the argument, but Crow and Deck both pulled her down, seating her again with expressions that suggested alternative action. Jules scoffed, crossing her arms before stepping across the room in opposition of her mentor. "Don't you give a single damn about these people?! Why are we even having this discussion? Every second we spend debating our next move, somebody else is getting run over, shoved, kicked, shot or stabbed to pay the price!!

"I'm not waiting for three more moments to let you sit and make a plan. We act now." Jules stormed toward the doorway, her hand tightening on the doorknob like her throat in her neck as Jack turned, his trench coat flashing in the light when he growled. "Jules, so help me-" "And why should I?!" Everything froze when Jules snapped back, revealing a very surprising knife in her hand. A serrated blade graced the air, seeking a fresh target as Jack took a step forward, brushing a glove behind his coat. "I get it. You want action, you want to prove yourself. I was just like-"

"You are nothing like me!! Why can't any of you see that?!" Jules felt her shoulders rising and falling, subtle, glistening beads trailing down her cloaked face as she swept out of the room, slamming the door of the office shut behind her. Everything was quiet for what felt like centuries. Cynthia moved from the couch, sweeping across to Jack, whose arms draped low, his eyes wavering on the door in motionless silence. Deck leapt from the chair beside a wine cabinet by the desk filled with papers, fastening the strap on his shield.

"I should go talk to her." Crow sat forward, reaching a rolled up sleeve toward the armored Demon. "Deck, wait," he called, but the card connoisseur paused in the doorway, keeping a silver gauntlet on the frame. His head cocked back, both eyes obscured by the nest of striking green hair. "I'm the only one she'll listen to. She needs somebody to tell her where to go next." Deck strode out of the room, a dark purple barb on his tail swishing after him. Crow dropped his shoulders while his goggles scrunched into aggravated bulbs.

"Great! Well this is just fantastic!! I mean, really, guys?!" He shouted, kicking a stack of folders across the room when Shrap stepped forward, curling around with wiry limbs. "Hey hey hey, chill, man. I know we're all upset, but we can't keep yelling at each other like this." Cynthia stepped forward, dusting off her sleeves, leaving Jack and moving toward the Stimpaking Sinner's desktop. "Shrap's right. It's coming back to Hell that has us all riled up. I'm sure you and Jack are feeling the worst of it," she commented, gesturing to the folded up Sin Hunter.

Jack slipped forward, his trench coat folding and bundling up and down as he moved into the center of the room. One hand pushed out of the trench coat, addressing the room. "You're right, Thia. It's Hell itself that's got us all feeling bitter. And I'm sure Jules is feeling the worst of it." Shrap rolled across the desk, kicking his legs out toward a file cabinet. "Got that right, Jackie. But we better catch her before she decides to take matters into her own hands." Jack's eyes narrowed into slits as he strode across the file and paperwork cluttered floor, facing the window in the office out into the workspace below the factory.

"I'm not concerned about Jules. Her teaching should provide her with everything she needs to make a suitable reputation fast down here." Cynthia approached the Sin Hunter's left side, stopping inches from the window ledge beside her old friend. "So what should you be concerned about?" She asked, the space beneath her glasses flashing with dark streaks. Jack turned, barely twisting his head while his eyes traced across to the Demoness, his eyes twitching beneath his fedora. "I'm worried about what's gonna happen when our little unstoppable force meets an immovable object with a bigger gun."

Crow's beak twisted back, his goggles shuffling to face Shrap with a concerned gaze. And although Shrap was never good with facial expressions, his blank stare from the crisscrossed theater mask on his face gave a sign that was of similar recognition.