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“I’D BE GLAD FOR THE company,” Kristine told Marston and Angela. “And most of the training is OJT, you know. I’m sure I’ll be busy around her for a while with stragglers.”
The pair, as their human personas, had asked their riders for control to approach Kristine as to whether she needed any more hunters, or would be willing to train them.
“In fact, let me see if I can find two of my junior hunters and introduce you right now,” she continued as she turned and walked away, beckoning them over her shoulder.
Two of Colonel Goldsmith’s troops who had been wounded were resting in the rear of an SUV in which the rear seat had been folded down to create a makeshift ambulance. Hammocks had been tied at one end to the shoulder strap mounts for the seatbelts to provide a reclining position for them.
Marston and Angela, meet Michael and Joshua,” she said, indicating first one then the other citizen-soldiers.
How’s it going?” Michael asked.
“A lot better for me than you, apparently,” Angela grinned.
Joshua barked out a short laugh before grabbing his side, wincing. “It’s okay, it only hurts when I laugh,” he said, then laughed again.
Michael gently punched him in the shoulder and said, “Stop, I’ll open my field stitches again.”
“What happened to you two?” Marston asked.
“Zigged when we should have zagged,” Michael replied pan-faced. Then he laughed again, holding his bandaged shoulder.
“We tangled with a demon the size of a moose,” Joshua said.
“It was more the size of an elephant,” Michael corrected.
“Well, it looked more like a moose, even if it was the biggest damn moose I’ve ever seen,” Joshua allowed.
“Did you end it?” Angela asked with what looked like a gleam in her eye.
“It was touch and go for a minute, but yeah, we ended it alright,” Joshua said straight-faced. Then he laughed out loud again, holding his wounded side. Michael was chortling, trying hard not to laugh along with his friend.
Turning to Kristine, Marston asked, “Are these guys on pain meds? Because they’re way too happy for a couple of guys who tangled with a super moose demon.”
“Ahhhh,” Joshua hissed, laughing even harder despite the pain. “Super moose demon, I’ve got to write that down.”
“What is so stinking funny about this whole episode?” Angela inquired. “I can imagine being happy to be alive, but you guys are ecstatic.”
“Girlie, if you’d just killed, and I do mean killed, a super moose demon - I love that name - you’d be ecstatic just to have survived the situation,” Michael crowed. “Oh, the stories we shall tell, and the beers which shall be bought in our honor,” he exclaimed.
“How did you kill it?” Marston inquired.
Both injured men burst into mirthful chuckles again, causing Angela and Marston to look at Kristine. “If this is what your junior hunters act like, I may have to rescind my request,” Marston said seriously.
“Guys, out with it or I’ll tell them myself,” Kristine ordered playfully.
“This monster comes thrashing out of the underbrush right on top of us,” Joshua began.
“Hooked Josh under the arm and flung him over its shoulder,” Michael added. “Must have gone ten feet in the air.”
“He opens up on it with his puny 556, and the beastie turns and whacks Mikey right in the shoulder,” Joshua continued. “Knocked him tail-over-teakettle down the game trail we were on.”
“Josh has only one shot, and it’s from behind,” Michael continues, emphasizing the last word. “And he’s got 300 Blackout in his AR. Pops the demon in the backside five times before it can fart.” Again, the two dissolve into laughter.
“The beast drops to its knees, but immediately tries to get up,” Michael says. “So I cross-draw my machete with my good arm and go for the throat.”
“I come out of the woods bent over double, and Mike’s slashing away at this gargantuan’s neck like he’s cutting firewood,” Joshua finished.
“So, why is all that so hilarious?” Angela insisted.
“Because two of Josh’s bullets went straight up the demon’s butt-hole,” Michael cried.
And both men spiraled back into gasping fits of laughter again. “We really did end it,”
Michael almost screamed.
“Juveniles,” Marston muttered under his breath.
“I like them,” Angela countered.
––––––––
PRIS WAS CRESTFALLEN at the idea of Ham effectively being dead. She couldn’t reconcile herself to his becoming a Watcher, and decided she had to have it out with him. As she turned to go find him, Kristine was standing next to her. Startled, Pris stepped back.
“I saw you standing over here alone and came over to offer my condolences,” Kristine said. “I thought at first you had lost someone to a demon. But then I realized; you’re one of the angel vessels. I remember seeing you all come in early this morning.”
“Yes, I’m Sariel’s vessel, but right now, I’m just Priscilla Benton,” she said, offering her hand.
“Kristine Tomlinson, local Game Warden, and Ghost Buster extraordinaire,” she replied, taking Pris’ hand and holding it warmly. “Are you okay?”
“No, I’m not, not even close,” Pris replied. “I’ve just learned my boyfriend, whom I love desperately, is going to become a Watcher. Which means, for all practical purposes, he’s going to die today.”
“How’s that again?” Kristine asked, befuddled. Once Pris had explained what she thought she knew, Kristine stood thinking for a moment.
“So, you’re going back to Oklahoma alone?”
“No, I live with my mom,” Pris replied. “Although that’s going to be interesting, because before I accepted Sariel into my body, I was a quadriplegic. That’s going to be difficult to explain.”
“So don’t,” Kristine countered.
“Huh?” Pris replied. “What do you mean; don’t?”
“Just what I said,” she replied. “Stay here, become a hunter with me. Looks like I’m starting a local hunter’s chapter anyway, seeing as how before today, it was me and three others. Now I’ve got two more, and six qualifies for chapter designation.”
Now it was Pris’ turn to be bewildered. “What are you talking about?”
Once Kristine had explained it all, it made perfect sense. Starting a new life in Hellam Township under Kristine’s tutelage, using the fighting and perception skills she already had, all eliminated her need to explain her miraculous change to anyone.
And so it was agreed.