Chapter 2

“Any progress finding their den Rob?” Black asked.

“No not yet and don’t give me that look. The reason I didn’t find it was because I got into a short scruff with one of them outside. Damn near killed me.”

“Yet you still had enough time to sneak up behind me,” Black smirked, “yeah and almost got your head blown off. I hate to sound old but, when are you going to start taking assignments seriously.”

Rob smile faded.

“Come on mate, we both know these assignments would be boring as hell without me around,” said Rob, walking past Black.

The Texan turned to the man, glancing suspiciously at the back of his duster coat which he fixed on, discovering scratches where wolfish claws had ripped.

“The hell happened to you!” his voice grew urgent.

Surprise fell over Rob’s face.

“Oh, One of the animals took me by surprise, I never realized the bastard had got a claw into me though. Damn – and this coat was my favourite,” he said, involuntarily touching the shredded material.

“Consider yourself lucky it didn’t slice your flesh,” replied Black, slowly turning his attention to the sky above. “What about your hat, did the werewolf take that as well?”

An injured look came over Rob’s face, “Jesus no, it was the waters of the swamp which committed that crime. The bloody thing dropped into it during the fight and there was no way I was jumping back in there to get it.””

“Ok fair enough,” said Black with a deep sigh. He scratched his stubble with his nails and turned back to his young partner.

“But I beg you, for both our dignities, sort out your holster.”

Confusion filled Rob’s eyes as he looked down to his belt, “What the hell do you mean?”

“I mean,” said Black, reaching down to fasten a loose strap on his holster that caused the weapon to rise push tighter to the man’s waist and rise a few inches.

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“Shit that must have come loose as well. Thanks Black,” he smiled.

“Don’t mention it,” said Black, gently patting his shoulder once he finished.

“C’mon we shouldn’t stay here.”

The bearded man’s eyes drifted, his head looking above Black’s shoulder.

“Not just yet,” said Rob slowly, his attention falling on the body of the beast black had slain. The gunslinger knew somehow that Rob’s preoccupation with the monster’s would come up and eventually distract him, leaving them exposed yet again and taking more of their time.

Untamed excitement danced in the man’s blue eyes as he walked towards the smoldering dead body.

“What a specimen, the information we could extract from him back home,” his voice sank low with longing curiosity.

“Nows not the time,” said Black, voicing his annoyance.

“It would be incredibly substantial,” Rob ignored him and touched the Gray fur, which his hand gently caressed over the beast's head like a beloved trophy on display.

Black scowled at him, Rob’s study of cultish beasts was an extended passion in their bases laboratory but the fool had a habit of exploring it at the worst of times. He watched with concern for the young man whose fascination with the beast extended beyond the healthy. Where the inquisitive young man saw a mystery to be unlocked, Black saw the savage not as an object to be gawked over with curiosity, but the wretched offspring of countless innocent lives lost to fiendish cults.

“Did the werewolf's tactics differ in any way?” asked Rob, opening the lids of the monster's crimson eyes. “Where there odd patterns in its movement. Come on now, you have to tell me.”

Black now standing over the emphatic man’s shoulder, looked down with a mix of concern and disgust behind his cold gray eyes.

“So what did you think?” asked Rob, looking up to his partner.

Black’s eyes grew dark and though he did not wish to display it, a burning hate festered behind them.

“I think the dog was stupid enough to think it could take on a gunslinger and paid correctly for its mistake.”

He squeezed the young man’s arms and forcefully lifted him up. “I told you now is not the time Rob.”

“Just one sample for the researchers,” the young man resisted a little and attempted to get out of his grip.

“What the hell happened to you,” asked Black, confusion in his eyes. ”When did these creatures become so interesting, they’re killers who sacrificed human lives and humanity itself when they became what they are.”

His grip on the man’s arm grew tighter and anger rose in his voice.

“True but we need to underst-“

“They don’t deserve our admiration or your curiosity!” Black shouted losing his patience.

The young man forcefully pulled his arm from his grip and stepped back. “Christ fine. I see your still blind and bitter about them.”

“Who, the researchers who pry away at cadavers and who have never seen one of these bastards alive.”

“You ought to see the benefit the research we do provides us, old man!” Rob shouted back bitterly.

“Still complacant as ever and believe me its going to cost you.“ Black replied sharply, turning his back to avoid meeting his hurt eyes.

“They’ve filled your mind with distractions and intellectual fancy, blinding you from the nature of how these monsters are in re-“

Black sighed deeply and gazed up to the sky, realizing where they were and how dangrous it was.

“Just forget it– what about Elizah – do you know where sh-“

Suddenly the Texan heard a faint sound, a low growling and mechniical clicking from above that grew louder still. Damn the dogs they heard us, he thought, grabbing his partner with the speed of a falcon and leaping to a wall out of sight from the opening above. The silence lasted for only seconds before the hail of thundering bullets fired down where they had stood and left a cloud of fire and dust that veiled the room entirely.

“How many were there?” asked Rob, the weariness had faded from his eyes and was replaced with a narrow hawk-like focus.

“I couldn’t say, probably a small pack of them judging by the number of rounds fired.” The gunman swiftly emptied the chamber and the sound of spent cartridges rang on the wooden floor. Black grinned viciously, a faint look of excitement in his eyes.

“I can’t promise you that I’ll leave bodies for you to take back to your precious research club,” said Black with a grim smile.

Bitterness swelled in the corner of Rob’s eyes, “Why would I expect anything different- mate. I’ll cast a shroud,” said Rob bitterly, pulling back both his sleeves and drawing out his silver revolver.

“Do it.”