Hunt In Reverse

Inside the Canlis Restaurant, Seattle.

Chaos erupted. The once imposing figure of Miguel Lopez, his white robe now a canvas of crimson splatters, was sent flying backwards with a sickening thud. He crashed into a table, sending shards of glass and porcelain skittering across the polished floor.

Patrons scrambled out of the way, their faces a mixture of horror and disbelief. They stared at the crumpled form of Miguel Lopez, who lay groaning on the floor, his eyes bulging, blood trickling from his nose and mouth. His chest was caved in, his ribs shattered like brittle twigs. He clung to life by a thread, his once vibrant energy extinguished.

A single palm strike. No elaborate martial arts, no flashy techniques, just pure, raw physical strength. And judging by the attacker's casual demeanor, he hadn't even exerted himself.

A hush fell over the room, the silence punctuated only by the ragged gasps of the fallen warrior.

The stunned onlookers slowly regained their composure, their gazes shifting to Kendall Washington.

Kendall, who had just risen to his feet, suddenly found himself the center of attention. But instead of confidence, a wave of panic washed over him. His mouth went dry, his carefully constructed composure crumbling. He hesitated, then finally spoke, choosing his words with the precision of a diplomat navigating a minefield.

"This... gentleman," he began, his voice wavering slightly, "the laws of our New Terra do not, as far as I'm aware, prohibit laughter. The Kongo Shintai is a respected security firm. Such a display of aggression... might it be considered excessive?"

His words were carefully measured, leaving no room for argument.

"Gah..." Miguel sputtered, blood coating his face as his mind spun. He fixed me with a look of pure hatred.

Kendall Washington, seeing the attention shift back to the young man, breathed a sigh of relief. Despite his talent and age, he was only at the late stage of Wave Realm.

Even against Miguel, victory would have been uncertain. And against this terrifying newcomer... He cursed his decision to venture out without an escort, without an elder from his family to protect him.

Butcher Garcia stared at me, his painted pig snout twitching slightly. Shame and gratitude warred within him, making it impossible to meet my gaze. This was utterly humiliating. Yet, here was this young man, standing before him, defending his dignity.

… …

I shifted slightly, my gaze sweeping across the room with a chilling intensity, finally settling on Kendall Washington. "You," I said, my voice dangerously low, "laugh."

My words, devoid of any inflection, echoed through the suddenly silent restaurant. The people who were laughing a moment ago, were now eerily still, their amusement replaced by a dawning fear.

Kendall Washington attempted a sneer, but thought better of it. He sank back into his chair. "The Kongo Shintai," he said, his voice tight, "will know how to seek justice for this transgression."

A heavy silence fell over the room, thick with tension and anticipation.

Even Brian Canlis was stunned. This was Seattle! And that was young Washington, the governor's son! Had he... had he just backed down?

But who was this young man in black, who dared to offend so many prominent figures at once?

They might be cowering for now, intimidated by his brutal display of power, but their eyes burned with resentment. This wasn't over. Once they left the confines of Canlis Restaurant, this incident would escalate beyond a simple squabble between youngsters.

Before Brian Canlis could process the situation, two figures rushed past him.

Noa Atzmon leaped down from the second floor, landing gracefully beside me like a vengeful angel. Ethan, gritting his teeth against the pain from his injuries, followed suit, albeit less gracefully.

They flanked me, their stances protective, their faces hardened with resolve. Ethan Atzmon stomped on Miguel's stomach, and reached for his blade, then remembered he hadn't brought one. With a snarl, he grabbed a nearby steak knife and pressed it against Miguel's throat.

"Eyes down!" he barked at the guests. "Behave yourselves!"

The onlookers gasped, their eyes wide with shock. The Atzmon siblings? What was their involvement in this?

"Ethan Atzmon," Kendall said, frowning, his mind scrambling to regain control of the situation. "I seem to recall your father and the Kongo Shintai's jushoku are quite close." He'd barely finished speaking when he realized his mistake.

"To hell with the Atzmon family and the Washington family!" Ethan snarled. "I'm acting with the authority of a three-star major of H.A.R.M.! Everyone, on the ground! Now!"

Noa, her purple dress swirling around her like a banner of defiance, glared at the stunned onlookers. By invoking the authority of H.A.R.M., they'd transformed this personal conflict into an official matter, raising the stakes exponentially.

They needed to establish control now, or this situation could spiral out of their grasp. Under the combined pressure of the Atzmon siblings and the implied threat of H.A.R.M., the noble guests hesitated, then reluctantly sank to their haunches, their defiance shattering.

Kendall Washington, however, remained seated, his face dark with anger and humiliation.

Seeing this, Ethan Atzmon, fueled by adrenaline and a reckless bravado, hurled a chair at Kendall. "Deaf and dumb, are you?" he roared. "Get down on the ground!"

BANG!

Kendall Washington swatted the chair aside, splintering it with a contemptuous flick of his hand. He ground his teeth, his fury barely contained, but he slowly lowered himself to the ground.

"Hiding behind H.A.R.M., are you?" he spat, his voice laced with venom. "The twelve generals are absent from Seattle! Who gave you the authority to act so recklessly? I'll see you punished for this insolence!"

Uh oh. Ethan's bravado evaporated as the implications of his actions sank in. He glanced nervously at me, his face pale.

Had I overstepped?

Kendall Washington sneered, sensing Ethan's unease. The other scions, too, grew bolder and restless.

Noa massaged her temples, suppressing a sigh. This hadn't been a major issue initially. But her foolish brother had turned it into a potential disaster. It would have been better to let Kane handle this discreetly. Now, they were caught in a web of their own making.

… …

I casually pulled an metallic badge from my pocket and tossed it to Ethan Atzmon. With a measured stride, I moved towards the door, my voice ringing with an authority that silenced the room.

"Surround the Kongo Shintai Securities," I commanded. "Let no one escape."

A hush fell over the hall, so profound that the proverbial pin drop could be heard.

Kendall Washington gaped, while Noa Atzmon trembled, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Ethan blinked, staring at the metallic badge in his hand. He stood frozen for a moment, then a tremor of excitement passed through him, his hands shaking with a barely suppressed adrenaline.

"Holy shit..." he breathed, his usual composure shattered, replaced by a childlike wonder.

He was the Atzmon family's heir, true, but his upbringing had been sheltered, his life devoid of such excitement.

"Follow me," I said, glancing at Butcher Garcia as I strode out of the restaurant, my mind already piecing together the puzzle.

How could a man like Butcher Garcia, a man of fiery temper and unwavering honesty, tolerate such humiliation? He must have been forced into it, his hand forced by some threat, some vulnerability that Kongo Shintai had exploited.

But what could it be? He barely earned enough to hire a tutor for his child, let alone amass any wealth or influence that could be used against him. His only weakness... his family.

If I wanted to protect his family, I needed to act swiftly and decisively. I'd learn the details later, back at my residence. Lingering here would only prolong Butcher Garcia's humiliation and expose his loved ones to further danger.

The large man, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and gratitude, followed me out of the restaurant, his gaze fixed on the ground.

… …

Seattle, at nightfall.

The city was cloaked in a deep, velvety darkness.

Orders were issued, whispered at first, then amplified, spreading like wildfire through the ranks of H.A.R.M. A thousand Containment Division agents, those not assigned to guard duty, were roused from their rest.

"Whose orders are these?" they whispered amongst themselves, their voices hushed but laced with a nervous excitement.

"By order of Colonel Kane, personal attendant to General Skyler Grant!"

"Besiege the Kongo Shintai Temple!"

The agents who had returned from Crown Mountain relayed the commands with grim determination. Vampire-subduing chains snaked out from their sleeves, their clinking echoing through the streets like a death knell.

A tide of black-clad figures, their uniforms emblazoned with golden eagles and stars, surged forward like harbingers of doom.

"Besiege the Kongo Shintai Temple!" the chant echoed through the streets.

Within H.A.R.M. headquarters, the Purge Division agents abandoned their duties. Dozens of colonels, their cloaks billowing behind them like ominous shadows, emerged from the crowd.

Nearly three thousand Purge Division agents, those still within Seattle's walls, poured out of the headquarters, a relentless tide of darkness flowing towards the western district.

The city, already shrouded in night, was swallowed by an even deeper gloom, the darkness punctuated only by the eerie glow of countless torches. A river of light snaked through the streets, illuminating the grim determination on the faces of the H.A.R.M. agents.

The noble families bolted their doors, while ordinary citizens scurried home, peering fearfully through cracks in their windows. The disciplined ranks of black-clad figures marched past, their chilling aura permeating the very air.

"Are you certain this is what Kane intended?" Noa hissed, her fingers itching to choke her brother for his reckless escalation.

"It wasn't entirely my doing," Ethan protested, though a hint of pride gleamed in his eyes. "I didn't want to cause too much commotion, so I just... mentioned to Colonel Chandra, and those golden eagle agents who escorted him, that Colonel Kane was having some... trouble. And that it might be wise to keep an eye on the Kongo Shintai Securities."

On the outskirts of the western district, a towering pagoda, encircled by a gray-white wall, stood proudly against the encroaching darkness.

Dozens of martial artists scrambled down the long steps towards the main gate. But before they could secure it, they froze, their eyes widening in horror at the sight that greeted them.

A sea of black figures, their torches blazing, surged towards them like a tsunami. The golden eagles and stars emblazoned on their uniforms seemed to come alive, promising swift and brutal retribution.