Two Sides One Coin

Watch the Shadows . . .

"THE SHADOWS, THEY'RE ALIVE!" . . .

The sound of running foot steps . . .

A Gunshot . . . Screaming . . .

The sound of blood, dripping, on the cold ground of an alleyway . . .

One more DH off of Jack's list.

"Why did y-you k-kill him!?" said a woman passing by the alleyway. "Why?" Jack laughed, his mask muffling the sound. "He isn't human . . . why should you care?"

"You still took a life. Wh-" Jack points his revolver at her and says, "This makes me think. . . that you . . . are one of them."

Stunned with fear, the woman replies, "O-one of w-what?"

"Now you're pulling my leg; how can you live here and not know what Demon Hybrids are? You'd know if you were new here. The guards would've told you upon entry...unless...you came here...illegally..."

Shocked, the women hastily replies, "N-no! I came here legally! I-I was born here, actually, sir...I-I've just been absent from the country for a few years...I-I assure you...I am m-most definitely human..."

"Why?" Jack started, but then rethought his next statement. "Never mind. It doesn't matter." Holstering his revolver, he adds, "You have somewhere to stay?"

Becoming slightly irritable, the woman raises an eyebrow. "Why on Earth such a personal question? Did you not just try to kill me?"

Before she could continue, Jack interrupts her with, "I was only going to kill you if you weren't human. I guess you're human. . .I'd asked because you mentioned you were gone for a few years. And who knows; maybe you didn't have a place to stay."

"Well. . .I suppose you aren't wrong. . .I don't have any place to stay."

"So you . . .want to stay at my place? Otherwise, you'll have to pay for a hotel or apartment. They charge 300 a night."

The woman sighed. "Well, 'want' is probably a strong word but I don't have a better choice. Your place it is. You have a name?"

"Yeah," he answered coolly. "It's Jack. Jack Rodgers. You?"

"Angela." she replies coldly, "Angela Smith."

Jack laughs. "Funny how a girl with a name like Angel was born in the city of Demons."

Angela thinks for a second and rephrases her words in her head beforehand, remembering he is standing in a alleyway with a "Thing" he shot and killed. "Hold on; it's Angela, not Angel, and why would I go stay with a killer?"

Jack, having a surprised look on his face, hidden by his mask and goggles, replies,"You were gone longer than I thought. Ten years ago, the city created a new type of job called Hunters. People like me go out and hunt DHs for money. Most are already known by the city government." Jack, tapping the side of his goggles, adds, "This guy bagged me 300 grand."

"Wanted for: theft, manslaughter 1, and mass homicide," said a computerized voice.

"Thanks, Alpha," Jack said before Angela can ask what that was. "No wonder his bounty was so small," he adds. Turning to Angela, he then asks,"Ready to go?"

Still thinking, Angela replies, "Yeah, let's go. How far is your place?"

"It's a 30 minute walk or a 5 minute drive; your pick," Jack jokingly says. "You can walk or ride on a motorbike with a "killer," if that's what you prefer. You already seem to wish you had a car instead of those heels."