hunter, lawyer, father

So I’ve heard. All that’s next is there to be a rain of blood and the apocalypse bingo will be complete.

I’m surprised there’s anyone left in this town if the council is that much of a threat.

Ah, damn, you missed that and the invasion of the locusts just last week. The clueless are still scratching their heads.

No wonder you flourish as a lawyer, Charles.

You’re not the only one. Full moons are always a big deal, anything and everything can go wrong.

I did, but as you can see, I’m not practicing law much these days.

Prodigal son– I don’t know if I should like that or if it’s an omen.

How have things been for you, Charles?

You mean an omen for the bad shit? It went to hell in a handbasket long before you came back.

Okay, okay, almighty Charles. I’ll give you this one thing, I guess.

I know how to argue for a living and win, honey.

Camryn knew what happened to the Van Warren pack from Wil and what she had managed to dig up, but it was interesting how Charles knew it– knowing that Charlotte was a poisonous viper laying in wait in the grass. Oh, how she knew how to wield words to make herself out to be a victim or a righteous leader. “Good for you turning her down, but what I need your help with is actually starting that coup. I’m not going to let her kill the survivors. I’ve stood by and watched hunters do a lot of fucked up shit, but I’m done,” Camryn managed to say through her grit teeth. She didn’t know where this simmering anger and resentment came from. Perhaps she was done being considered the hunter who never helped lives– she would prove Charlotte wrong. Just in the opposite direction. “I will strip her of her power, but what we need is someone to fill that spot she leaves. Either permanently or until we find someone else who will lead the hunters in a way where we don’t hunt innocent supernatural just because of a grudge.”

The years were catching Charles in a chokehold, memories came and disappeared, and he often wondered how one, two, three decades pass in a lifetime. His retirement placed his hunting to rest only for the caravan’s reappearance stoking the fire he somehow missed. Personalities change in those years as well, those he knew within the span of the beginning are not who he remembered. “I will help you kickstart it, Camryn, but you don’t really need me telling you once you light this match, there is no extinguishing it. We begin a war and we follow through no matter the consequences. It’s a cross to bear and I know you desire to pay the price if necessary.” Charles watched history in the making. A defiant member of the caravan, slamming her foot down to the tyrannical ruler and engaging in conspiracy. “I’m willing to elect myself as a volunteer candidate for the position until we, like you said, find someone to permanently run the caravan the way it should. All my children are members of the supernatural. I know our people, I know this town, and I know the leaders. I’ll give the hunters a leader they can show pride in.”

Or  you simply looked at the moon calendar and saw that it’s coming, Charles.

Leave me and my moon calendar alone so I can have this one moment.

I think you’re underestimating that sign, Charles.

Perhaps, but my spidey senses were tingling and now the prodigal son returns.

“I understand that I can be asking a lot and there’s a reason why you stopped hunting, but this… this is bigger than me. It’s for the good of the whole caravan,” Camryn said, listening to the man as he began to talk about Charlotte. Cam knew that four out of five hunters had something shitty happen to them in order to become hunters, she wasn’t oblivious. Camryn nodded, “I had a little bird tip me off to what happened. I checked the information… Charles, there are two survivors from that massacre and I checked their locations via GPS. Charlotte’s location directly correlates between them. She’s stalking them.”

“I knew living here and starting a family would force me out of retirement eventually. Seems poetic the reason is the fate of the caravan.” Charles hummed. Although the hybrid attacks theoretically became the man’s breaking point, Camryn’s insistence for his help proved he now couldn’t walk away until the job was done. He remembered hearing of the massacre, an Alpha and his entire pack slaughtered, unimaginable. “You know, I wasn’t there, but Charlotte called me up asking if I wanted part of it. Turned her down.” The woman did call him later after the shit show, explaining what happened. “She’s finishing what she started, Camryn, and she won’t stop until these survivors are dead. No loose ends.” Charles nodded his head in understanding, “Tell me what you need from me.”

I need your help with Charlotte. I’ve heard rumblings of her ties to unethical supernatural hunting and I need more information. If you’re willing to help me, that is.

“The information you need, it means putting a target on my back. Nothing new there. This smells like a coup, Cam.”

You should know that answer to that, Charles, given what you know my profession as.

Do you have some sort of sixth sense? We need to have a chat.

I stand corrected. Sorry.

How about don’t sneak up on a gal while she’s working.

Are you always this jumpy?

Unfortunately, she is at the moment. She doesn’t get driven much so she just sits here.

None of us really see the point in driving around anymore. I don’t have a commute to work, your siblings have their speed, which left her in your mercy. You never could keep a goldfish alive.

A small smile quirked at Spencer’s lips as he heard the man who had tricked Charles into a billiard’s game with him continue. “I’m always down to play a game, I sure would like to see if you can prove Leroy right or not,” he said as he grabbed a cue, taking another and handing it to Charles. Spencer gathered all the billiard’s balls, feeling each one before placing them in a slot in the rack so he knew where each one was; making it easier to track by sound once they separated. “Would you want to break, or me?”

Perhaps, Charles knew the likes of the werewolf could hold his own in a game of pool, could beat anyone fair and square with a confidence he didn’t need to place bets on himself. “Well, I hate being wrong, Van Warren.” He reached for the pool stick, observing Spencer arrange the balls closely to ensure he wouldn’t cheat, not that the older man thought he would. but it was mostly for Leroy’s benefit. “Nicely done. I’ll break, and I’ll even call stripes before doing so.” Moving to the end of the table, Charles bent forward and placed the tip of the cue between his fingers and sent the wall ball hurdling towards the others, knocking them all in different directions before landing one of the solid balls on a corner pocket. “See?” He rose to a standing position with a grin, “It’s all you, friend.”

That’s Officer Howard to you. 

How very generous of you, Charles. Do you often help women change in supply closets?

Officer Howard, ma’am.

Mr. Sinclair– that gentleman is Leroy and he’s seen me beat at least ten people this week and I believe that he swindled you. He’s very aware of this fact by how much he’s chuckling.

Fetishising the uniform of a protector of peace is definitely perverted. This uniform should not inspire sexual feelings, Mr Sinclair.

It’s natural carnal instinct, Miss Howard. If you feel seriously ridiculous in that uniform, there is a supply closet in which I could help you change from it.