“Sir, we’ve got movement to the East.” The Soldier was all business as the Captain looked over his shoulder at the security screens.

“Looks like that car we spotted on the way in was his. Alert the boys on the perimeter that our lone idiot is coming up the back.” The Captain didn’t wait for a response he knew his orders were carried out like the word of God.

Sitting on a soft white leather sofa, Senator Devlin watched the squad move about with military precision. He had known for some time the foolish girl would attempt a rescue. He thought she would be alone.  Because of her power to warp men’s minds he had quickly dismissed his regular human guards. The Squad was an asset the Inner Circle rarely deployed, even to one of his rank, but until he could move his ‘guest’ to more secure quarters the covenant would not deny him every possible protection. That she would send a human to do her dirty work worried the Senator. One did not send children to wage war against men.
***********

“Someone’s coming.” Jessie’s voice in the Hunter’s ear startled him. He would never get used to an invisible girlfriend. He froze not from her warning, but from the realization that he thought of Jessie as his girlfriend. He quickly pushed the thought aside, remembering how easily she picked up his thoughts. “I like you too, Samuel.” He felt a wet kiss on his cheek. Damn!

The sun was gone and twilight threw strange shadows over the grounds. On his hip the Colt began to madly vibrate. The Hunter quickly drew the gun to calm it and ready himself. There must be great evil around.

A soldier dressed in green camouflage stepped off the patio and onto the grass. The Hunter pressed himself closer within a shadow. He had expected guards or cops, but not military. He wondered if he had bitten off more than he could chew.

“I can’t see you human, but I can smell your fear.” The soldier walked to the middle of the lawn. The Hunter guessed he was acting as bait to draw him out. It was apparent that his plan at stealth had failed. The Hunter was about to shoot the arrogant fool when the soldier laid down his M-16 and took off his shirt.

“Look, no weapon. You can face me one on one, but you’d better hurry before…” The soldier looked up at the full moon coming over the tree line, “oh, too late.”

The Hunter’s eyes grew wide as the soldier began to grow larger. His once smooth chest flared out, and dark brown fur burst from his skin.  His jaw protruded and large white fangs shot forth.

“It’s a Lycan!” Jessie screamed in his ear. “We must withdraw. Now!”

But the Hunter had stopped listening. He had never seen a living Lycanthrope, and the steady humming from the Colt suggested that myth or not, it needed killing.

The man-beast dropped to all fours like the animal it was and charged. Its speed was incredible; it was on the Hunter in an instant.  Like the fat teen that charged him days before the Hunter simply side stepped the creature. A normal sized man would have been able to change directions quickly, but the Lycan’s mass had increased by a factor of three. In a blur of fur and claws it flew past the Hunter as it tried and failed to bring its bulk to a stop. With practiced ease the Hunter raised the Colt and snapped three quick shots into its hide.  The creature staggered for a moment, and then let out anguished howl before turning its red eyes to the Hunter. Two more shots, landed into the monster’s heart, but the Lycan merely shrugged them off and slowly advanced.

“Silver, you need silver bullets.” The invisible Jessie yelled. The Lycan heard the voice too, and turned in a complete circle trying to find its source.

“Right, I forgot that.” The Hunter raised his weapon to his lips. “Silver bullets, please.”
The Colt glowed for a moment. The bright light in the darkness drew the beast’s attention away from its search. It howled at the Hunter and then charged.

“Yeah, I know.” The Gun fired once. I large hole exploded between the wolf’s eyes. When it hit the ground, it was the body of a naked man missing part of his head.
******

Inside, The Captain and Senator Devlin stared at the video screen.  The Senator said nothing. The Captain snatched up his radio.

“Units two, three and four converge on the hostile out back. I want him dead. No games.” He turned to the Soldier at the control desk. “Turn on all the lights.”
******
The Hunter picked up the dead man’s M-16 in his left hand and took the feel of it. He turned to the Colt in his right hand.

“Can you mimic this?” A short thrum from his companion brought a smile to his face. “Good, because here they come.”

The loud rattle of automatic fire filled the air as the Hunter dived for cover behind a Marble statue.  He brought the M-16 to bear and fired at the six men streaming out of the building. They were good shots. Pieces of shattered marble and hot bits of led showered his face. The Hunter only smiled and returned fire. This was what he was made for. This was the stuff of life itself and he relished every moment of it.

A brave or foolish soldier peaked over a ledge he was hiding behind. The Hunter emptied the M-16’s magazine into him, shearing off the top half of his head. The man’s body fell to the ground and instantly turned to dust. The Hunter didn’t know what he was, but was sure dust meant dead.

The Hunter threw aside the spent weapon. He did not draw the Colt, only pulled a cherry lollipop from his pocket, which his mind-reading girlfriend had left for him, stuck it in his mouth and waited.

Seeing the Hunter cast aside the M-16 one clever soldier signaled to the other four.  He then fired at the Hunter providing cover for his mates to join him behind a low marble fence.

“He’s empty. He doesn’t have any more magazines, and only has that little revolver he was carrying left. I’ll provided cover while you four flank him. That way…”

Two grenades landed at the soldier’s feet interrupting his brilliant plan. The explosion was felt inside the mansion. Body parts and dust rained across the video screen before the Captain’s eyes.
******

The Captain did not yell this time. Calmly, like a man struggling to deal with the unbelievable he keyed his radio.

“Sergeant, take three men and…”

“No!” The Senator pushed the radio away from the Captain’s face. “Have your troops close up the mansion and take position inside.”

The Captain snatched the radio away. “It’s one man; a human at that. I will…”

“You will obey me.” The Senator’s blue eyes suddenly glowed yellow. “I don’t care about your dead soldiers, Captain. Protecting the hostage is your primary goal. If you can’t do that, I will kill you myself.  Is that understood?”

The Captain to his credit never showed the slightest sign of weakness. He knew full well the Senator was a member of the Inner Circle and could snuff out his flame in an instant, but that didn’t make him afraid.

“Understood, it’s your show.” He placed the radio back up to his lips. “Sergeant, move all remaining forces inside, and take up defensive positions. We’ll stop him in the house.”

“Copy that,” replied the Serge.
*******

The Hunter saw several doors slam shut and the lights go out in the building. They are hunkering down. Good, now I don’t have to worry about them sneaking behind me.

The Hunter looked down at his feet. A severed head was looking up at him. Its lips were moving in silent speech. He pointed the Colt at the head and fired. He kicked the dust from his boot and strode towards the mansion. 

He knew the real battle had only just begun. It was going to be a long night, and he had only one lollipop left.