Rico

I preferred nightmare creatures to physical recovery. Every action was slow and clumsy, like a toddler. Then everyone talked like some poor wretch couldn’t know left from right. Still, my body was hit and healed, but that may have been its own trouble.

Without the time, my body had phantom pains, still believing a wound was there and my nerves still flared up with pain. It was only topped in bullshit, was the god damned paperwork. I had to rewrite the major event at least seven times. That and my supervisor was a red flag.

She was an older woman, clearly in her fifties, and had a strange pose. Her pale gray hair had luster and fluff that seemed to oppose her harsh facial features. It was rather hawk-like with sharp eyes and a hard sharp nose constantly set in a slightly annoyed expression. She never smiled only wrote on the observations at me Those eyes noticed everything I did. Honestly it pissed me off the slight muscles on my lip twitched in irritation. She was always spot on like she had divine help. Her suit was always well-pressed with golden hair clips keeping her hair in a simple bun. If not for her weird thermostat and her strange golden tie she would be almost annoying bland.

“So to review the teenager breached your cover, revealing this to you after you saved the kid from a potential kidnapper. Then you appeared in your hospital? “She responded after a fourth recollection of events.

“Yes. I have said this every time you asked. Must you repeat it every time?” I said doing my daily routine.

Twenty stretches for my lumbar, then twenty brigades for my back muscles. Then, using the treadmills, I began my seven miles thinking about what those bastards were. After that brutaquestion,l sprint, I began then took a moment downing a half liter of water, and only then began my squatting. Chests and lifts were out of the question so the weight in my apartment was useless. Then I went to the bridge lasting for at least a minute. Then I ended my workout with fifteen minutes of planking. And of course, she was still just watched with cold eyes sipping the harsh black tea.

After the first day when she stayed, the day was weird but now I had just given up that complaint. After working out I had stopped looking back on the strange woman who simply sipped down the rest of my tea.

“So why are you still here?” I asked.

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“Simple just making observations and things of what to say for my report on you.” she snapped looking at me. “I am a happily married woman and my husband is twice the man you are”

“Ok, no need to get aggressive. So, am I cleared for the field ?”

“Before the week is done, your test would be done. Then you should be able to work on that,” she responded. “Something interesting is coming to that town. At least from what I can see”

“All right what is it? Russian counter operatives or gangs moving to that little town?” I half-joked. I fully expected something weird to happen, it would be impossible for odd not to happen.

“It could be. They would be sloppy and maybe clean up loose ends.” She retorted, finishing the tea. One of her many peculiarities was the fact she always had a thermostat with tea in it. It was always yellow with a metallic sign carved into it. That offensive blend of spices always messed up my apartment, making it that much worse to live in. Cinnamon, pimento, mint rose and vanvila all drifted from the bitter yellow liquid. But she never stopped and I confronted her about it.

“Wait, why do you say that?” I questioned through coughing. “Anything off about the killings ?”

“All the identifiable bodies were exsanguinated. They were with unknown liquids surrounding some bodies. “ she began. “ Stab wounds were the sign of course of death. The puncture marks similar to ice picks were also found on the body at both the neck and the arm region. There were also signs of a struggle and gun casings. There is also the pattern of victims. “

“Let me guess what is the type? Women? Kids ?” I guessed based on my recollection of facts. Most serial killers had a group and worse preyed on the weaker people in society.

“Nope, Criminals who got out on bail or on loopholes. Race and age don’t apply really, we still don’t even have five victims but the fact the death made a trail to that place is unsetting.” She shivered and made a hand sign. It was strange, indiscernible like specifics were blurred out from my vision. What I knew was it went in the major directions and ended with a circular motion with her left hand. A familiar strangeness danced down my back like I could feel my cell age. It was just like that picture I had on my phone.

“ So what a vigilante? What did you just do ?” I sputtered moving to the table. I was no fool grabbing the box cutter on my path over to her. It would be helpful I hoped.

“Your resistance to this it not very good. But if you must know it is an older sign. “She sighed, reaching for her canteen. “ Tea ?”

“No. What is this? You working for those things ?” I questioned.

“Ha. Please. Why would I work for something like that? No, my allegiance is with humanity. It is simply a matter of god.” She replied smiling for the first time.

“Oh ok. That is not reassuring. Why should I just out you ?” I mused annoyed. This was a game in which I was never shown the rules. I need working intelligence luckily I found a source.

“I have both vital information for you and nothing you have on me would be enough of 48 hour lock up. You can do the checks nothing is out of order” She said smirking at me.

“Why are you telling me this? I could offer myself as testimony.” I sputtered confused.

“Your word against mine. Plus I can ensure you don’t end up dead or worse” she said.

“Worse ?” I asked.

“Trust me, it can always get worse.” She said.

Fugging my brow, I was looking at her. She was right, but I couldn’t trust her just yet. But so long as I can save Victor I wouldn’t mind dealing with devil.

“Fine tell me what you know of those things,” I asked, signing my fate to one of these devils.