“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking those he may devour.”

* The Apostle Peter

A light dusting of snow had begun to collect on the streets and buildings of Laramie, giving the small cottage a rather picturesque look as the cab pulled up in front of it. Four silhouettes stepped out of the vehicle, which then sped away, quickly disappearing into the hazy, snow-filled night. Kain reflected on the man’s professionalism as his little group made their way to his abode. He had shown up promptly, transported them swiftly and safely to their destination, and, most importantly, had not asked them any questions. In fact, he had hardly spoken at all, despite very obviously noticing their rather…disheveled state. Kain had tipped him well for that reason, appreciating the man’s stoic silence. Small mercies, he thought to himself as he unlocked the door and led the group inside.

“Make yourself at home,” he said as he made his way to the stairs. “There’s an extra shower if anyone wants it. I’m sure we could all use a minute to clean up before diving any deeper into this.”

With that said, he headed up to his room to take his second shower of the evening. It had been quite the chaotic night thus far, with more surprises to come he was sure, once they began to delve into the mystery of why they were all here. Kain found he did not mind one bit as he considered the night’s events, standing under the steaming water of the shower. Dirt, sweat, and a bit of blood ran down his body in small rivulets before disappearing, the shower drain hiding his sins from the world. He could not even remember whose blood it was that had stained him; not that it mattered. The fight was mostly a blur in his mind, his instincts taking over as they usually did. He remembered bits and pieces though.

For example, Kain remembered shattering the windpipe of the guard next to the rancher. That had been his first move. He had felt the throat collapse beneath his fist almost instantly. It had been rather satisfying. He remembered Kieran gutting one of the cowboys he was squaring off against, blood and viscera spilling onto the ground. Sloppy, Kain thought to himself as he stepped out of the shower and began to dry off. A brawl where one or two people are accidentally killed is one thing. They might have even been able to talk their way out of trouble. Not now. His new comrades had been a bit…overzealous in their methods of dealing with the cowhands, and now they would all be facing murder charges when the truth came to light. Kain supposed he should be more concerned about that, but he just could not muster up the energy to care.

Layla had been absolutely ruthless in the fight. He could not be sure, but he thought he recalled her ripping out an eye at one point. Had that man lived? Kain shrugged inwardly. She had warned them, after all. He had found her all the more enticing after observing her carrying out her threat with such cold ferocity. In retrospect, he should have ceased fighting after incapacitating the rancher and his bodyguard, just so he could watch her grisly work. Hindsight truly was 20/20, he supposed.

From his brief glimpses, Raven fought more like Kain. While Layla was a gruesome artist who delighted in her work, Raven was a cold utilitarian. And her speed! The woman flitted about like a wasp, leaving an unconscious victim behind wherever she went. Having studied martial arts in his past, he could appreciate the level of skill and discipline she displayed, quickly and efficiently disposing of enemies. In truth, he had been impressed with all their performances, though he did question their motives.

It was obvious that the rancher and his rather useless thugs had come for him, and him alone. Jumping into a brawl on behalf of a stranger was highly illogical and Kain pondered the why of it as he dressed. While he did not share in what could commonly be referred to as normal human sentiment, he was usually exceptional at reading a person’s emotions and actions. The old farmer had mistaken it for empathy, but it was simple observation. He did not need to share some deep emotional connection with people to understand them. He just needed to watch and listen. People were usually painfully transparent and predictable. This made them easy to manipulate. His new friends, however, posed a bit of a conundrum. What he had observed so far from them had been chaotic at best. They were unpredictable and dangerous. Well, he smiled to himself as he began walking back downstairs. At least they aren’t boring.

Kain found Raven waiting alone in the living room when he arrived, already showered and changed. She was now wearing a loose-fitting, silk kimono that flowed over her body languidly, her hair pinned up in a traditional Japanese style. They had stopped at each of their hotels on the way back to grab what items they would need for the remainder of the evening, which was quickly waning into the early hours of the morning by now. Kain took a seat opposite the young woman, at which point the two immediately began a silent assessment of one another. Now that masks had been discarded, he was able to see more of the elusive little details that hinted at who, and what she was. The who he had his suspicions about. What – well that was simple enough. Her movements and speech thus far had marked her calculating and efficient, a professional cut from similar cloth to himself. Since the fight she had been coldly assessing every situation, as well as the people involved, both for threats and potential gain. He was not sure exactly how this situation benefitted her, but he was positive that it did. Otherwise, she would have disappeared into the shadows that so willingly accepted her into their embrace, avoiding the whole confrontation.

It was not long before they were joined by the others, looking refreshed and relaxed. Kieran had not even bothered to put a shirt on, instead opting for just a pair of cargo shorts. Kain almost laughed when Layla stepped into the room. She wore a pair of leggings that appeared to have been painted on her by the gods, and a button up that had been hanging in his closet prior to their arrival. It, of course, had been tied up around her chest, leaving the maximum amount of skin exposed. He made sure to take his time undressing her with his eyes, giving her the attention she so obviously desired. He was not taken in by her antics at all, well aware of the fact that she, like her “friend”, was here because it benefitted her in some way. But he was still a man, and she was the manifestation of desire itself, come to tempt him. He resolved to make her pay for that later. For now, business.

“So,” Kain said, pausing briefly before getting right to the point of why he had invited them all here. “Y’all are here for a job interview as well.”

It was not a question. By now everyone present knew they were all unwitting pawns in the same game. But what game? And why? Who were their mysterious benefactors? Kain felt like a child, stumbling around in a dark room filled with hidden dangers, all while being observed and judged by some unknown entity. It was a feeling he did not much care for.

“You seem to know something about what’s going on,” Kieran eyed him with a calculating stare. “Why don’t you share with the class?”

Kain turned to Kieran, sizing him up as he had Raven earlier. It was obvious he did not trust Kain, despite his amicable nature when they met. Kain could not fault him for this, and yet he was confused by Kieran’s overt hostility. Realization overtook him as he considered the man.

“You think I’m in on it,” Kain stated, eyes narrowing slightly. “A plant, perhaps? There at the bar to start trouble and gauge your reactions. Sound about right?”

To his surprise, Kieran actually smiled at this. The smile seemed rather hollow, however, as he did not relax his posture.

“The thought had crossed my mind,” he said. “You brought up the letters several times, forcing the conversation. You initiated the trouble at the bar. And, you seem to have been in total control of every situation since we met. Now, here we are at your residence, despite having stopped at each of ours on the way. Care to explain all that?”

Kain was slightly impressed. Kieran was no detective by any stretch of the imagination, his conclusions utterly erroneous, but he had certainly given his argument some serious thought. Kain decided not to address the accusations Kieran had laid at his feet, instead turning to the two ladies. Raven’s stoic demeanor had not changed since the conversation began, though Kain could tell by her eyes that she had heard and weighed every word spoken. Layla once again wore her trademark, sensuous smirk, but otherwise gave away nothing as she met his stare.

“You know, I initially marked you as the plant,” Kain’s tone was not accusatory as he spoke, merely acknowledging the threat as he had seen it.

“Oh?” Layla replied with faux surprise. “But not now?”

“Nah,” He continued. “It doesn’t fit with everything that has happened so far.”

“A conclusion I tend to agree with,” Layla nodded. “Which is the same problem our dear Kieran’s assessment of you has.”

Kieran had not acted when Kain ignored him, instead sitting quietly, and watching their exchange. Kain had noticed his irritation building, however, and was not surprised when he took this opportunity to reenter the conversation.

“You two have obviously noticed something I’m missing,” Kieran’s annoyance bled into his voice as he spoke. “Explain.”

“The letters,” It was Raven who spoke up first, to everyone’s surprise. “Everything you said about Kain is true, but none of it fits with the letters.”

Both Kain and Layla nodded, as she took up the explanation.

“Exactly. The letters tell us that our employers are lackadaisical in their approach to recruiting us. There was not even an RSVP option. Someone taking that approach to recruitment would have no way of knowing who would show up, much less be able to plan elaborate scams to test us.”

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Kieran took a moment and considered Layla’s explanation. Kain simply considered her. She was correct in her assumption that the letters were the key, he was sure, but he had drawn a very different conclusion from them. He was now trying to decide whether she had just lied, or if she truly did not realize the truth. Either way, he had other questions he wanted answered, and the night was drawing to a close.

“That’s a good possibility,” Kain decided to feign ignorance on the subject for now. “It also does not really tell us much. Who are these people, and what do they want from us? And why us, while we’re on the subject?”

Kain honestly felt confident he could answer the latter two questions already, the fight having strengthened his suspicions about his comrades; however, knowledge was power, and he hoped that they might be able to shed more light on the subject. He stood, moving toward the bar to make himself a drink. It was a moment before Kieran spoke, understanding dawning in his eyes as he observed the people in the room with him.

“We are all monsters.”

He could have said killers. Manipulators. Sociopaths. Evil. A number of descriptions would have sufficed to make his point. Kain briefly thought back to the distorted image he had glanced in the bar mirror as he made his way to the table with drinks for everyone, setting them down. The words seemed to add a heaviness as they permeated the air, resting upon each of them like a yoke. There was no sudden outburst of half-formed denials, no pangs of heartfelt regret. There was only sobriety in each of their eyes, borne of acceptance. They were monsters, and each of them knew it. It was this fact that connected them above all others. Someone out there was aware of that fact and had brought them all here.

Kain took a long sip of his drink as he pondered the implications of Kieran’s statement. His newfound acquaintances followed his example, the room maintaining the silence that Kieran’s proclamation created. Kain began working backward as he thought. He considered the possible reasons why their mysterious benefactors might require the unique skills of one or several morally unfettered individuals, such as himself. There were myriad options, but none that seemed to fit the circumstances of their recruitment. One did not simply send out an invitation and hope for the best when attempting to hire a specialist. Unless he was correct in his assessment that they were all being manipulated…

Kain’s mind began to feel muddled as he sat contemplating their situation. He was beginning to feel drowsy, the alcohol and late hour wearing on him, no doubt. He looked up from his musings to find all of the group nodding off. He could see a distressed look on Raven’s face as she stood up, stumbling her way toward the stairs. Kain was confused for a moment as his vision began to swim. The last thing he saw as he collapsed was his empty glass of whiskey. Son of a…

**************************************************

Kain awoke to the serene sensation of a percussion ensemble sounding off inside his head. The pain, in combination with a grogginess found only on the other side of interrupted sleep, left his mind somewhat incapable of forming coherent thoughts as he slowly dragged himself out of his comatose state. His body was rebelling as well, responding with the speed of a child at bedtime, when not outright ignoring his commands completely. Time was his ally, however, and after a few moments he was able to open his eyes. This turned out to be a gross error on his account, however, as the dim lighting of the room drove his mental ensemble to a crescendo. Kain pushed through the pain in his head however, taking the time to inspect his surroundings. As he suspected, he was a long way from his cottage.

As the pain and drug-induced haze receded to the back of his mind, Kain’s vision cleared, and he found himself in what appeared to be a poorly constructed hunting lodge. The only light in the one room structure, apart from the soft glow of dawn beginning to creep through the single window, came from a dying fire not far from the makeshift bed in which he found himself. The only other notable details of the room were a camping stove sitting on a small table in one corner, and a cooler not far from it. His belongings from the cottage had been brought to the cabin as well. Other than that, the place was barren, obviously constructed for functionality rather than comfort.

As Kain took in his surroundings, he also considered his current predicament. As his mind cleared, he found he had a decent recollection of what he assumed to be the previous night’s events, up until he had fixed those drinks in his cottage. His mind drew a blank after that, and he could only assume the drinks had been tainted. Since he had poured them himself, he ruled out his new acquaintances as the culprits, especially since he vaguely remembered them being affected by the drinks as well. They were presently nowhere to be found, but their absence was not overly troubling to him as he had no attachment to them beyond the information they could provide. Which, he had to admit, had been disappointingly lacking. He also postulated that if he had been left alive, they most likely shared his fate. The important question being what that fate was.

He was under no illusions that anyone other than his would-be employers had brought him to this place. It was the only logical conclusion, after all. The question was why. He pondered that question as he roused himself and changed into some grey fatigues that he often wore when training or on the job. If the goal was to kidnap him and force his cooperation, then why not just do so from the beginning? It was painfully obvious that, regardless of his personal predisposition, he lacked the ability to foil the plans of whatever organization whose attention he had garnered.

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic Mr. Hunter,” a mocking voice whispered in Kain’s ear. “Your current straits are hardly dire.”

Kain turned around sharply, only to find an empty shack and flickering shadows from a dying fire. Had his mottled mind played a trick? Or had the psychosis he had always suspected lurking in the recesses of his soul finally reared its ugly head? He forcibly relaxed his tensed muscles, shaking his head and smiling grimly to himself. It would not do to start jumping at shadows this late in the game.

“That’s the spirit, boy. If you cannot explain it, ignore it!” the mocking voice again. This time Kain maintained his calm, turning slowly, unsurprised when he saw nothing but empty room. He was done playing the fool, however, and he addressed the room at large.

“If we’re gonna play games, can I at least get some Tylenol first? Whatever you doped me with let a jackhammer loose in my head,” Kain groaned, feigning far more pain than he was in as he waited to see what his tormentor’s next move was. He had seen intimidation tactics used in negotiations enough to recognize what this unknown entity was doing, and he felt it would be better to conceal his strength until he knew exactly what was being negotiated.

“Attractive and clever. And here I thought your pet would be a bore,” a new voice, feminine, caressed his ears this time, sending a chill up his spine. It was both enticing and…empty, almost haunting and unnatural in its seductiveness. Kain was reminded of the sirens of ancient Greek mythology as the voice burrowed into his mind. Whoever, or whatever that voice belonged to, he wanted no part of it. This thought must have showed clearly on his face, as a rich laugh filled the room.

“Oh, he’s adorable!” The woman’s voice washed over Kain again, the humor in it setting him on edge. “Perhaps I’ll have to steal him away for a more…intimate meeting later.”

“Alright Lil, you’ve had your fun,” The male voice spoke again, a hint of scolding in his tone. “Don’t spoil the boy before he’s served his purpose.”

The irony of two disembodied voices discussing him as though he were not even present was not lost on Kain, nor was the fact that he was referred to as a child despite being in his late thirties. The condescension being displayed by his would-be employers (or was it captors now?) was beginning to wear on his already raw nerves, however, and he decided he’d had enough.

“Ya know, I love a good dialogue as much as the next kidnap victim, and its obvious y’all have spared no expense on the theatrics,” Kain began, annoyance bleeding into his tone with every word, “but if we could skip along to the part where you explain what the hell is going on, that’d be great.”

Surprisingly, his outburst was not met with more snark or amusement. Instead, the room fell completely silent again, which suited Kain just fine. He had never been an extremely tolerant or patient person, and only affected such traits when they suited his goals. This situation, he decided, very much did not suit his goals. He still was not entirely sure what was going on, but he had come to the conclusion that, whatever it was, the money was definitely not going to be good enough. It was time to leave, assuming he still could.

Kain walked over to his belongings and began repacking them, taking the time to remove his Glock 21 and shoulder holster out of his duffel. As he finished securing it on his person, the room grew instantly brighter, and he felt a wave of heat roll over him. Turning, he saw that the dying embers of the fire had suddenly become an intense blaze. This curiosity was soon explained as his eyes adjusted to the brightness and he noticed the figure standing next to the fire.

The man was tall and broad shouldered, dressed in an exquisite smoke-colored suit with a blood red vest and tie. He had strikingly handsome features that seemed to rest in a knowing smirk. Kain was momentarily taken aback by his sheer presence. The man exuded the domineering confidence of one who was in control and knew it. Not for the first time since waking up in a strange place, Kain wondered what he had gotten himself into.

The man silently regarded Kain as he collected himself. He seemed to be in no hurry, and Kain took the opportunity to process his current situation. He was in what appeared to be a very isolated area, probably at a very high altitude, judging by the temperature and oxygen levels. He was alone in a very small cabin with a man that reeked of superiority and danger. And he was woefully ignorant of, and underprepared for, whatever he had involved himself in. He did know one small bit of information, however. This man wanted something from him. Kain sighed. It was going to be a long day.

“Let me guess: the face behind the voice?” Kain was careful to mask his emotions as he addressed the strange man before him. He had a strange feeling that he was prey to the apex predator in front of him, but there was no way he was going to just roll over and expose his neck. The man smiled, which did nothing to alleviate the cruelty expressed in his gaze.

“Mr. Hunter. Won’t you sit down?” Kain only had time to confirm the voice to be the same one he’d heard earlier before he found himself seated in a plush winged armchair. Kain frowned down at the chair in confusion before looking back up to see the man seated across from him in a similar chair, neither of which had been in the room prior. Kain broke out in a cold sweat as his heart began to race. Just what in hellfire-

“Careful. Your mask is slipping.” The man’s smile only broadened as he watched Kain try to process what had just happened. Kain had to stop himself from lunging out of the chair, whether toward the door or the strange man, he was unsure. Something was very wrong here.

“Who are you? What are you?!” The obvious questions finally found voice as Kain got his mind under some semblance of control. He was beginning to think his sanity was fraying at the edges. He was positive that the…being in front of him had just manipulated matter and space to effectively “conjure” those chairs from thin air. But how was that possible? Had it been a trick, like Kain suspected the voices were? He knew that the senses could be fooled. He had seen that happen enough, after all. But he relied thoroughly on his senses. He had honed them with years of experience and training. He needed them to be sharp. If they could be fooled so easily and completely, then how was he to navigate this predicament with any amount of effectiveness?

“Believe it or not, both of those are important questions, which we will delve into thoroughly, at the appropriate time. There are, however, a few similar, albeit more pressing questions,” the man’s features grew serious, all pretense of mirth gone. He leaned forward in his seat, his intense gaze never wavering from Kain’s own. “The real question is: who are you, boy? What are you?”