OUT WITH THE OLD [HUNTERS]

[Vaughn Logan]

Vaughn stood in the bar area, waiting for more Hunters to pile in. The Lt. stood by him alongside the wall. Vaughn wasn't wearing his dark attire, but rather denim jeans, with a dark black shirt. He couldn't be bothered to wear his full gear, especially right now. He watched as the Hunters came in. Some stood, others sat at the bar drinking and occasionally looking over. Others passed the time playing pool or lighting up a cigarette. It didn't matter. The meeting hadn't yet started. At least not until a good handful of people had arrived. The meeting was mandatory, and he would hate to have to give it twice.

He rose both arms in the air in order to get their attention and spoke very loudly. "My name is Vaughn Logan, I am your new Commander. I understand that my title probably means nothing to most of you. I respect that. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't respect anybody until I saw them in action. And that moment isn't too far away. But first, I have issues to address regarding new policies, statements, and assurances."

Vaughn scratched his chin for a moment, cleared his throat and continued. "First off, we do not kill for pleasure. We must stick to an honor system. We fight in self defense. Vampires, Lycans, not all act like ruthless beings. We are hunters, we hunt monsters, not misunderstood people. Secondly, newcomers will be training more intensely with both Lieutenant Danticus and myself. And even when ready for an assignment they will be escorted by a more experienced member. Lastly, I would like to stress that cooperation is key. When either the Lieutenant or I give an order we expect it to be carried out. Now I'm not expecting you to polish my shoes--I too am not a fan of authority. But believe me when I say, that these orders are for the safety of others. I don't know about any of you, but I don't want any more names put up on that Plaque in the main hall."

Vaughn then turned around and opened up a small black box. Inside was an assortment of colored chalks. "From now on," Vaughn said as he drew a design on the concrete wall behind him before turning back towards the Hunters,"We will draw these symbols around safe routes along the city. These specially designed pieces of chalk are actually water resistant and last longer than normal chalk. White chalk stands for safe routes and area, whereas red chalk means high activity places." He then stepped to the side to show the design on the wall:

"This way we can be organized and safe while out on patrols. And Hunters that get lost know where to go in order to survive."

"Also on a quick note: If anyone needs to upgrade their gear, ammo, or get their hands on the latest technology we have to offer I suggest going to Hobbs. You can find her in the research and development department downstairs--Or really wherever she is at the time."

Vaughn then cleared his throat once more, and pulled a wheelbarrow filled with manila-folders out into the open. "The old Commander kept records for all Hunters. These records include background history, police files, etc. Now, I'm proposing, we burn these records and start clean. The past doesn't define who you are, what defines who you are is what you plan on doing now."

He turned around and grabbed his bottle of whiskey, taking a large gulp and swallowing. "Ahh", he said after he finished swallowing, "Now, does anyone have any objections to burning these files? Also, now is the time for questions if anybody's got them."

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[Hazel 'Hobbs' Yeung]

"Yeah, I have questions," called a voice from the back, a slouched figure in a black sweater with the hood pulled up. From over the sea of heads, they were difficult to see, but the figure stuck up a hand with a half-burned cigarette between the fingers and stood up a little straighter. The Commander would remember her face, 'specially after the attitude she gave him last time.

"Thing is, chief, Vampires drink human blood to survive, and Werewolves eat human flesh to regenerate. All these creatures, no matter who they are, use us as food, and all of them pose a threat to us. I know that alternatives are available and some of them do seek it out, but that's a slim minority. And how are we meant to know on sight which is which? We can't refer every potential target to a shrink to tell the monsters from the so-called misunderstood."

Hobbs stuck the cigarette in her mouth, inhaled, and began to move forwards through the crowd to that the Commander could see her better.

"I appreciate the stab at tolerance and all, but it's not practical. The way I see it, we're facing natural predators here and if we try take the time to sort through them all or start going soft out there, we're going to have to employ someone to add names to that wall full-time."

[Vaughn Logan]

Vaughn crossed his arms and let Hobbs finish talking until he knew she was finished before replying. "I understand your view Hobbs, and it's a good one. If a Werewolf of Lycan is caught in the act of killing or murdering you all have the right to neutralize it by any means. But if given the chance to bring them in to custody if caught in a crime, that would be more appropriate. I know it's risky. But that's why we will have more intense training, to be ready for the worst. I also plan on meeting with the lead of the two races to see if there's something that can be sorted out. We are not cold-blooded killers. Even if it doesn't seem like it sometimes, we are after all protecting those that do not know of their existence. So no, we cannot shoot them on sight unless given a reason to. If we push too hard we could start an all-out assault from either side, draw too much attention, and have lots of collateral damage to worry about."

He looked around the room as he finished speaking to see how the others facial features reacted, and waited to see if anybody else had anything to bring up. He was open for suggestions and concerns. Vaughn was also hoping the Lt. would step in at some point so that the others would know that he had his back.

"Don't think of us going soft, but rather chasing down and hunting the one's who are creating the real issues. Rather than wasting our time on petty threats we are spending resources and time on the Vampires and Lycans that do the most killings."

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[Jacob "North" Cassidy]

North stood quietly in the back of the bar, watching the proceedings of the meeting, a glass of Craig in hand. He half listened to what the new commander had to say, but was more interested in the man himself. He looked like he could handle himself in a fight, the few visible scars and such noticeable to the trained eye. He held himself with an easy confidence, which was also a bonus in his favor; he looked like he could walk the walk as he talked the talk. Most guys would walk around with a swagger, acting as if they owned everyone and everything. As North watched the Commander, he saw the exact opposite. Yes, he walked tall with his shoulders squared, but it was an easy and un-assumed gait with which he walked. He talked as though he wouldn’t assign his men anything that he wouldn’t do himself. North was beginning to like this guy more than the last boss every passing minute.

When he started talking about the new policies of handling the creatures, who to put down and who not to, the Hunter’s interest was piqued. For years North had been working to get other Hunters to see his philosophy of only hunting the guilty, but most had turned a blind eye to his ‘mad’ ramblings. Just because he didn’t like killing the innocent, he had been made something of a pariah in the social circles of the hunters; one of the many reasons he worked alone most days. As he listened to the new commander, a small smirk found its way onto North’s lips. It seemed he wasn’t the only crazy one after all. Once more, the new guy was finding a higher and higher rank in North’s respect book.

As Hobbs spoke up, North couldn’t help but chuckle lightly. Smart girl, very good at her work, but with a very strong attitude. He could respect that; as long as it was held in check until the appropriate time. The hunter watched the exchange with slight amusement, watching once more how the commander decided to respond, how he handled his troops when they talked back. Once the man finished speaking, North downed the last of the alcohol in his glass and placed it on the bar, walking forward with a nod to the new guy in charge before turning his attention to the woman.

“Think of it as hunting the hunters, Hobbs.” North spoke, his hands resting in the pockets of his battered overcoat. No matter what anyone said, the classic would not go out of style. “We only hunt those that in turn hunt. Vampires and Lycans have a society, an infrastructure, a way of thinking; just like us. They’re not the threat. It’s the Bats and the Dogs that are; the ones of their kind that take too much of a liking to the sport of killing. They’re the threats that we need to focus on. It’s no different than if one of our own went rogue; we’d take them out just as we’d kill a creature. It’s the same deal.” North shrugged his shoulders, turning from Hobbs to the new commander.

“I do have two questions for you though; and, depending on your answers, it’s going to decide my opinion about you.” North smirked slightly, only half-serious. “Firstly, you said that new Hunters will be teamed with, or escorted as you put it, by more experience men and women. What does that mean for those like myself, who do their best work when flying solo out in the field? No offense meant to you sir, but I’d just as likely get some rookie killed as the target if one accompanied me out of the compound.” Which, was true. North had always been a one man show; he didn’t play nice with others for the most part, and he wasn’t used to working in a team setting. Even the army hadn’t bred that quality out of his blood.

“My second question pertains to your new doctrines. I agree with them whole heartedly, but I do wonder about certain circumstances. What if some newly turned Vamp or Wolf isn’t sure what it is yet, and kills? Sometimes both factions miss their new recruits turnings, and carnage ensues. I’m wondering what the policy will be for us, exactly? They’re killing, yes, but they’re also still innocent; they have no clue what’s happening, after all. Do we put it down, or do we attempt some other action? If it attacks us, are our orders to simply defend and kill at first possible opening, or do we try to sedate and capture it? What, exactly, is your policy for something like that, sir?”

North was very interested in his answers, wanting to know the thought process of his new commander. So far, the man had spoken like someone he could like, respect even; however, first impressions could always be misleading. Trust was a rare commodity with the creatures that hunted the night, and North wasn’t going to give it to a new boss anytime soon. He needed to know more about him and his ideals first.[/font]

[Jillian Moore]

Jillian had come to the meeting. She always did. It was the way to work with the Hunters. You gave others respect and they gave you respect. So, she always attended the meetings. There was a new Commander now. He was an older man, probably more experienced than herself. He didn't have his gear on, which she didn't blame him for. Most Hunters wore comfortable clothes unless they were out hunting. She, herself, wore her hunting clothes at all times. It was safer.

As the man spoke, she could feel the anger boiling in the pit of her stomach. Who was he to tell them what they could and could not do? The Hunters had never had such a tight lock on their activities before. Who was this new guy? She felt herself standing up in protest, about to speak. Hobbs beat her to it though. There was a small volley between Hobbs, the new Commander, and another Hunter.

"No. Absolutely not. We cannot show them any mercy. Mercy is for humans. Those things are not human. The moment they start needing to feed on us, they no longer have the right to mercy. Do you feel bad for the cow that is killed for our food? They fell just as bad as we do. We need to fight this insurrection. Talking to the bastards won't help anything. They'll just kill you and your escort, leaving us short handed and out of weapons,"

"Your idea that fighting them whole heartedly would hurt innocents is true. But tell me one war that was won by looking out for innocents all the time. The thing is, you want to be a hero. As killers, we don't get that choice. We aren't heroes. We're bad. But we're not the villains here. We are the civilians who have risen up against the villains where there are no heroes to protect us. We don't need to hold up to shitty codes of honor when we have to fight to win."

Jillian walked closer to the situation, stopping near Hobbs. This was her allegiance on the situation. "And you're damn well right about having not proved yourself yet. How the fuck can you expect us to just take this shit from you? To just sit by like fucking animals? No, give me a good reason to respect you, fuck face."

Jillian didn't usually get this upset. But, what he was suggesting was madness. There was no mercy for beings that showed no mercy. She was more than irritated, she was offended by the suggestion. The idea that someone would willingly let a Lycan or a Vampire go, knowing what it was and what it could do... It was disgusting.

"We don't have the resources to make jail cells for every fucking wolf and bat we run into. Think about that? Have you thought about the men we could lose if one of our cells fails? We're already sparse in numbers compared to them. You haven't put any thought into your plans, have you?"

[Hazel 'Hobbs' Yeung]

Hobbs turned, scanning the faces of the crowd. Many were staring at her, since she'd been the first to speak up, but in the back she glimpsed a sight of Jillian Moore, her partner in the field. Hobbs eyed her for a second as the Commander replied to her question.

Hobbs glanced one more into the crowd. All were hunters, but a fair few were new at this gig. But how many had actually seen a warzone, despite how many military recruits there were here? None, she'd guess. The training was one thing, seeing war with your own two eyes was another.

And then some baby-faced kid stepped up and tried to talk down to her. Hobbs curled a lip and stared back at him.
And then Moore stepped in. Queen of Numbers. Bite like a viper. Moore. And then the blonde that Hobbs had thought so delicate spewed off a flamethrower of abuse. Fuck face? Jesus, woman... But kudos to her for having balls of steel. At any rate, Hobbs was thankful that Moore chose to stand on her side.

"Tricky thing is, bub, they all hunt. If they're alive, you can safely say that they've killed at least one of us to be where they are now. This is war, I thought we'd already established that. And there's no room for mercy in a war."

Hobbs stubbed out her cigarette in a nearby ashtray. "Now, this shit about only killing them if they're caught in the act?" Hobbs scoffed. "That doesn't mean that every other monster we don't catch in the act is innocent. They prey on humans - say - once a day, right? Every immortal takes down one human a day to feed. That takes about fifteen minutes each, tops. Fifteen minutes of a day, every day, when a day is one thousand four hundred and forty minutes. That equates to little over one percent. Probably less when you add in the fact that they're picking off loners instead of going after crowds. So you're saying we should only kill the monsters we have less than a one percent chance of catching in the act? You're insane."

Hobbs pocketed her hands and glanced between Moore and the Commander. "You have to understand that we can't take these things at face value. What looks like the most innocent and misunderstood of creatures could in reality be the deadliest of killers. Chief, if you're sending us down this road, you're going to get us all killed."

[Vaughn Logan]

When another man spoke up Vaughn stuck his hands on his hips and listened to him. He tried to remember who he was in the back of his mind. But he stopped in order to concentrate on what he was saying. He was glad another saw it from his perspective.

"First off," Vaughn said as he lifted a hand up to the man, "We will be doing team hunts. Scouting areas, setting up secure locations, etc. But only people who volunteer will be placed with a new guy to watch their back. You'll still have the opportunity to be hunting solo. Just know that another hunter will probably be a few blocks away from you and in radio contact."

Vaughn rose his head up slightly and gave a curious look as the man spoke. It was his way of paying attention intensely. "When I said neutralize, I didn't exactly mean eliminate it. I'd like to, if possible capture them. Now this place is not a jail, not by a long shot. Security is still being worked on," He said looking to Hobbs for a moment, "But I'm still working on something. Don't worry about that. I'll be putting something on the bulletin once I figure it out. The Lt. and I have some work to do."

Vaughn listened to the female speak next, and mid-way through her speech he let out a grin. He did this mainly because he was surprised at the answer and at her attitude.

"Not seeing me in combat doesn't give you any reason to call names.Personally I don't give a damn about what you think of me, but I am your Commander. Try to show respect, or we've got plenty of unoccupied cells that you can stay in. Is your problem that you don't see them as people? Because I do. They are misunderstood, and trying to live just as we do. If we kill every single one we come across we are no better than they are. The kid is right, we only take down the bats and dogs. I'm no hero. I've done too much killing in my life to check that off the list. "

Vaugn let out a cough and then continued speaking, "I've made contact with the Alpha Lycan, he's agreed to a meeting. From there we can see what happens. Our meeting will determine if we see them as people or dogs. As the kid said, some of them may be newly turned, and not know how to react. Is it really their fault? They were once human, and because of a "dog" they turn. By your standards we should kill everything to prevent anyone from becoming one of them. Why don't you go drop a bomb on the whole damn city."

He remembered her picture from her file and then knew her name. "It's Jillian, right? Perhaps you can accompany the Lt. and I when we meet with the Alpha. That way you can determine if they deserve mercy."

"Did you need a calculator for that Hobbs? Yes, they need to feed. Sadly they feed on humans. Is it their fault they are doomed to such a fate? I think it's complete bullshit that a lot of are you so easy to pull your triggers at them. Like I said, I'll know more about what to do when I meet with the Alpha--Which is...in a few hours", Vaughn said as he looked at his watch. "For every second in the day you bitch, that's less time getting shit done around this place, and less time doing our damn jobs. Considering there's 86400 seconds in a day, I'd say you better be quiet and listen to orders. Right now they are only temporary until we speak to the Alpha."

Vaughn took another drink from a glass of whiskey sitting on a stool next to him. He looked back to the Lt. seeing if he would like to say anything. Vaughn then looked back to the group of hunters that stood before him. "Is that understood?" He said, as he scanned the room. "Any more questions?"

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[Jillian Moore]

His response was not expected. He was calm. Nothing of what she said hit a nerve. That, in and of its self, was a miracle. Not exactly one that she was happy of. She would have preferred that the volley continued until the new guy shut up, or until he just heard her out. He wasn't her Commander. Not yet. Maybe never.

She would have interrupted. She would have continued on with her point. But, as she opened her mouth, she was cut off by one of the most bizarre suggestions she had heard come out of his mouth yet. Putting her in one of the cells. That was absurd. It was a waste of manpower. It was a waste of resources. It was a foolish suggestion. Jillian was further infuriated by the suggestion.

It seemed that every time she opened her mouth to tear into the man, he opened up another can of "What the fuck did he just say?". Now he wanted her to accompany him. The fucker smiled, ignored her inflaming remarks, threatened to have her jailed, and then told her to join him on his suicide mission all in one breath?

Jillian gritted her teeth. She couldn't stand the thought of someone seeing the beasts as human. They were not. Maybe it would take a blood sample to prove it. She could get that. Somehow, she didn't think that that would work. The new Commander wanna be was as dumb as he was blind. The beasts weren't only man eaters, they were a disease. They were a cancer in the city. The only way to remove it was through a full eradication.

"Fuck yes I want to go. I want to see the light leave your beady little eyes and be able to say I told you so. If that's the last thing I do, I'll be one happy bitch," She pulled a cigarette out and lit it. As she took it to her lips, she glared heavily at him. Crossing her arms, Jillian glanced at Hobbs, the steely look of her eyes softening a bit, but the scowl remained. "Goddamned bastard's got me all worked up."

[Hazel 'Hobbs' Yeung]

No calculator needed. It was simple maths, and Hobbs was a natural number cruncher. In fact she wondered why he thought she'd need help with such a simple calculation. Would he?

"I'm not done yet," Hobbs snapped. He couldn't brush her off like that, not when she had a valid point to discuss and she wasn't swearing up a riot to press her point home. If he didn't listen to this, if he didn't at least acknowledge the concerns, then he was not a leader who could take criticism. And that was no leader at all.

"I'm not placing blame on them, chief, I'm pointing out that they eat us. As in, they stick us in their mouths and chew until we're all gone. I refuse to sit back and ponder over whether one of them really deserves a bullet while they're after my flesh and blood. And I won't stand back while they go after the innocent lives that we should be out there protecting. Just think about what not killing them would mean. The immortals that we would have - should have - killed would be out there targeting the people we're meant to defend.
"So no, it's not their fault they're 'doomed to such a fate'," she echoed his words with air quotes, "but they're doomed to it anyway and you don't seem to get that that's it. That's the be all and end all. That's what they are."

Hobbs sighed, pinched the bridge of her nose. "I know you're all for lowering our fatality rate," she said, her tone of voice low and weary, "but that's the game we're playing. We all knew what we were getting into when we signed up for this. We fight, we hunt, and we die so that the blissfully ignorant may stay alive. We're fighters here, and we don't go down easy, but civvies do. You'll be sacrificing civilian lives in order to have a tea party with a guy who'd rip your throat out and have it as an appetiser."

[Vaughn Logan]

Vaughn shook his head as they both spoke. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. They made it seem as if they had all the damn answers, and had done a shit ton more than he had his entire life. He couldn't comprehend what they were saying. It was as if they were in their own little world and not paying attention to anything around them. But he remained calm, and took in a deep breath.

"I hear you both out, I really do. But you two got to understand that I'm the Commander. I've been doing this a lot longer, I understand what's going down. The Vampires are in control of a blood bank. They feed that way. Like us, they hold a society with rules and code. Sure, there will be strays that prey on the civilians. But that's where we come in. The Lycans are no different, they feed on cows and eat prisoners on death row, in order to maintain the population. And again, any strays, or "dogs" will be met by us. They aren't as evil as you make them out to be. " He then scratched at his beard before continuing, "We've had high casualty rates prior to my arrival because your last Commander went AWOL and there was no direction. Also some of you seem to have the mentality to shoot first, think later. That's going to change. Think before you do something. Not all of them are monsters or beasts. Elder Vapires and Lycans have critical thinking because they know how to control their other forms. They only want to live, just as we do. We have no place to take that away from them."

He turned and took another sip of his drink to get his mouth wet, and then looked between Jillian and Hobbs. "Look, either you two take orders, or go. Keep your current mentality, go into the Lycan or Vampire headquarters, and we'll see how long you last."

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