The hunter

" Here you go sirs, your glasses" José handed out the glasses after making them a vodka soda. He already figured out that the two before him were cops and he was at first worried that they were after the man who came in just now- Alphonse.

' It seems that isn't the case' He thought, realizing how they would have begun questioning him for answers if that were to be the case. However, José did not let his guard down.

" You know, I was gonna ask the same question..." Court said as he grabbed a glass and paused to take a slight gulp. "What the heck are we doing?" He seemed to think for a second after asking. However, he didn't wait for his colleague to respond before he answered his own question in the same line.

“I’ll tell you what we're doing. Playing animal control with the wild rangers is what we're doing, Jamie ” He vented as he took another gulp of his drink.

However annoying that sounded, Jamie only sighed and shook his head as he indulged in his wine glass as well. Court was obviously pissed about the case just as himself, and Jamie understood that much.

Having nothing to say, Jamie became silent, falling into his thought as he slowly sipped his drink.

It wasn't after a long while after that he faced his colleague to say “ We’ve been all about town today gathering info, it's all been fallacies and just ridiculous hearsays.”

Court who had also been taking his drink in silence simply nodded his head in response. He seemed to have his own speculations and doubts though. He could vividly remember how the gazes of the witnesses shook when being questioned, it was as though they were reliving the horror from their experience.

Court didn't know what to believe anymore.

Jamie, on the other hand, had no doubts about the witnesses. He believed they were either lying or out of their minds. This made him more furious about having to handle this case, and he didn’t like that the bureau had them working on such a case.

Creak!

At this moment, the door to the pub was pushed open and a man walked in.

The whole place hushed seeing this man shut the door behind him as he calmly walked in. There was something strange about him.

Everyone watched the man whose unkempt ruffled hair had dirts and dried leaves in them walk nonchalantly towards the bar. His clothes were also dirty and his boots were stained in blood, leaving everyone to wonder just who he was.

The man, however, gave no concern to the gazes of scrutiny and caution that was peered at him by almost everyone in the pub. He calmly drew a seat by the counter top and ordered as he stared strangely towards the stairs.

“ Cold beer please”

José followed his gaze and became instantly spooked. However, he didn't act intuitively, realizing the man had no intention to go towards the stairs and was only observing.

“ Y-you got it” José stuttered to say and quickly turned around to pour the man his order. Just now, he had lost his calm composure that he'd always prided himself in.

' Another, and he isn't from around here either' He couldn't help but start to ponder of his inaction wouldn't lead to a severe consequence.

‘ There’s need to be on the watch-out.’ José looked to the side towards a group that sat by a table in the right side of the pub and signaled to one of the guys. The guy nodded and rose from the table right after, walking out of the pub entirely.

José calmly turned around and poured the glass, donning a professional smile.

The man shifted his gaze from the stairs and turned to face both cops who had been observing him all the while.

“ Logan O'Neal” he held a hand out to Court as he greeted.

“ Nice to meet you Mr Logan, I'm Court Ronald" Court greeted in return with a serious expression as they shook hands.

“ Jamie Francis “ Jamie also shook hands with Logan- the hunter.

“ Here you go, enjoy your drink” José said to Logan as he pushed his drink to him. The latter only calmly nodded. " Thanks".

" So, what's the business?" Logan asked, raising his glass to take sip.

Court who was closer to the hunter shared a gaze with Jamie, who expressed the same extent of confusion on his face. Court, however, turned back to face Logan and said.

" I don't know if you got the report, but we're from the police department and we're to work together on a case" Court introduced first.

' Right ...' At this point, José who had silently slipped away from the three strange men and was now standing a bit far by the counter away from them nodded in thought. He could still hear what they were saying after all, he had only given them the space to talk and not be in their faces after reading the mood.

" I know. I Just wanted to hear what you've got on the case." Logan causally responded while calmly sipping on his drink.

This time, Jamie was the first to speak. " Lot of hearsays, and it's all probably wolves attacking from the woods"

Court hearing his partner speak wanted to facepalm and curse, but he gave up realizing it was too late. What Jamie just did now was insult Logan's profession, right in front of him.

" Haha! There sure are" Logan chuckled as he downed the rest of his drink in one go. " Afterall, I just caught one before coming" He shot the two cops an evil grin.

Court and Jamie were caught off guard by his words and were even more confused by what he meant. They both stared with a perplexed expression on their faces at Logan, not knowing whether to react to the weird grin on his face or his words just now.

Only one word rang in both of their minds in the description of Logan. ' Lunatic!"

" Come with me, I'll show you guys what I'm talking about" Logan ignored the look on both Jamie and Court's faces and proceeded to rise out of his seat, further walking away towards the exit.

Jamie and Court shared a glance, as if asking each other whether to follow Logan who seemed like a crazy guy at this point. In the end, they both decided to follow behind him.

José on the other hand was scared shitless as he watched the back of the three strangers walking out of the pub. Most especially, his gaze couldn't move from the man whose receding hairline and rough countenance made him seem like an actual lunatic.

' Just now, he mentioned capturing a wolf. D-does that mean..?' José had to hold the countertop for support or he might fall. He didn't want to believe it but, something told him it was true.

One of the two brothers, Erik and Jake, had been captured!

The blood that smeared his boots just gave it away. José could not overlook the facts that stood out before him.

Besides, he understood just what that man named Logan meant just now, and he now knew why those three met in the pub.

' If that's the hunter, then he must know about Yoldes' palm. He's coming after everyone here too!' José panicked as the alarming thought occured to him.

...