Tracking a Killer

[Alex Ruler+]

Georgia.
Further south than Atlanta, Alex was finally glad to have something to do inside the states. This whole mess of going over seas, pissed him off. He had parked his truck on a side street and walked towards the little neighborhood where the killer Demon was thought to be located.

"Any of these houses could hold him," Alex said to no one, but himself. "So which one could it be?"

Alex decided to jog the neighborhood, like an average american jogger, as the sun lay low on the horizon. Its yellow hues cascaded across the seemingly perfect lawns of the neighborhood. Truthfully, if Alex had someone to share life with, he would love to have a place to live in like this. His job wouldn't allow it though, unless he found someone crazy enough to share his job.

It wasn't until he noticed how everyone in the neighborhood entered their homes at the same time, that Alex registered something was wrong. He scanned the area with his eyes, looking for the sign of whatever had caused the situation he was in.

"Where'd everyone go? Bingo?" He asked outloud, sarcastically.

[Kuro]

Kuro yawned, once more finding himself in his moderate estate. Being able to get any amount of money he could was a great thing, but he loved the neighborhood he was in, comfortable, quiet, and peaceful. Best of all, everyone in the neighborhood knew each other. He liked it, but it was boring. He never liked it really. He only held snippets from his life before he lost his memory, but it was good, if a bit boring. He had been a lawyer, a damn good one too, if the records of his cases were anything to go by. He got dressed, his usual outfit, black jeans, red shirt, and boots. He loved red and black, so almost everything was red or black.

He paused as he exited his home. He barely caught it, but he could easily tell, after activating his Aura View, that something was wrong. He frowned deeply, glancing at the lone jogger who had noticed it as well. The usual purple that normal people emitted was different for everyone, but this was truly strange. The man's aura was green, lime green at that. He glanced at the people who had went into their houses, noting they were normal, except their aura were surrounded by a orange aura, thicker and stronger than their own. Seeing his aura, and Alex's aura were uneffected, it was easy to assume that either Alex was the one causing this, but that was unlikely due to the sarcastic comment, or the control only effected those who were weak of mind, or power.

Kuro stepped toward him, almost dramatically with how slow he walked, each step echoing on the ground. "Ello, I'm Kuro, who are you, and what do you have to do with the mind control going on around here?" Kuro knew that the man wasnt responsible, but it would be the best way to make sure that the man knew he wasnt either.

[Alex Ruler+]

"You mean this isn't Bingo Night afterall?"

His voice never wavered from the fun, high spirited sarcastic tone as he immediately drew his gun, spinning on his heels and aiming towards the sound of the voice. He saw the person who spoke. He obviously wasn't controlling these people or he wouldn't have been accusing Alex of doing the same. He also wouldn't have introduced himself.

"Detective Alex Ruler, Regional Investigations of Pretrernatural Criminal Organizations, also known as RIPCO. I was working undercover here, tracking a killer. Then this happened." Alex explained, lowering his gun, but not holstering it.

Something told him this man, Kuro, was trustworthy. Which is why he explained the situation. He only hoped this man would trust him enough to let him in on the neighborhood watch activites or something useful to work with.

"Any idea what's going on then?" Alex asked, "Reminds me of this occult group I read about a few years back, The Los Illuminados"

[Kuro]

Kuro chuckled. "That was last week, had to get a swat team and everything." He was only partially joking. Apparently some old man had gone batshit insane and ate a woman. Like he said, peaceful neighborhood.

Kuro frowned. "Killer? Here? Only small time killers here, Ive only seen a few with this kind of power, and they are all dead." He didnt mention how they died, or how many, but he knew, he felt the number and knowledge of their deaths in his mind. There was little doubt, he had done it before his memory loss. While he had regained his memory, and much of his life, he did not have full memory. He could not recall many things, mostly his previous occupation, or how the hell he knew the language english, not that he knew another, but still. 

"Id be willing to lend a hand, since I have some experience with this sort of... thing." He chuckled. "Ive never heard about the Los Illuminados" As he said the name, a sudden pain shot into his head, but it lasted for only a moment. He coughed, annoyed at the pain. "Me and Yamato of course" He gestured to the sword strapped to his waist. It was his true prized possession, right beside his mind. A mind is a terrible thing to lose...

[Alex Ruler+]

This shocked Alex.

"Let me start by explaining.....Los Illuminados were a cult group led by Osmund Saddler, located in middle Europe. Saddler controlled all members of the group using a parasite known as the Las Plaga. That's all the information I know about the case, except that he could call them with some type of Church Bell." Alex said, taking the time to ensure that Kuro was following.

Eyeing Kuro's sword, Alex continued.

"Apparently this killer is big time criminal, that operates on a small scale to avoid detection. His file came into my office last week. Murdered a family of Vampires, just two blocks away from here. He was seen fleeing in this direction." Alex explained, "I've been doing recon for about three months, trying to pinpoint his location. I tracked him to this neighborhood."

After hearing the man's offer, Alex nodded.

"Well being a Carolina-Boy, I can't say that I don't need the help. I'm completely lost on this side of the Georgia Line. Any help you can lend me would much appreciated." Alex stated, extending his hand to Kuro. "But first, I have to do this. WATCH, Background information on Kuro please,"

A red beam shot from Alex's wrist and scanned Kuro down.

"No Information Found. Should I use military networks and try again?"

Alex cursed under his breath.

"No. Kuro, you are no deputied in as an honorary RIPCO Officer" Alex said, handing Kuro a spare badge. "Let's investigate this place then"

[Kuro]

Kuro's eyes widened slightly when he heard that. So the occult was real? Not too surprising. It explained just why there had been an old man eating a woman. Of course, he preferred to think of it as just a man going bat shit insane, but that wasnt the point. He scowled, thinking of how it would add up. "cant personally say I heard anything about a vampire, but seeing as whatever fool did this dragged me into it, consider him dead." Kuro's voice was filled with anger, and something of finality. It was as if what he said would be true, come hell or high-water.

"Carolina boy, eh? I was born in North Carolina myself, mostly grew up there, but I moved quite a bit." Kuro chuckled. He shook Alex's hand without even caring about the watch. He did not detect a single sign of deceit from Alex, which would normally be strange, but considering he had his Aura View on, he knew Alex was not planning to attack him. Usually, auras flared before an attack, and shifted ever so slightly with deceit. Kuro glanced around, seeing etheral footprints on the ground. "I see a set of tracks, inhuman feet, three toed, clawed, residual damage indicates the target weighed about three hundred or more pounds, possibly five hundred. Heading west, Id say going towards a-" At that moment, his voice was interupted by a bell ringing. "Midnight? I must have slept earlier than usual..." He doubted it would be a meeting of Los Illuminados, having a demon on the loose would detract the number of available members. Of course, there was the chance that the demon was theirs, or one of them even.

Kuro took the badge without another sound. "I dont think we are alone..." He didnt bother to explain, hearing several sounds from a few of the houses. Some would say the noise was nothing more than a few rats trying their damnedest to get food, but Kuro was paranoid, albeit, healthily paranoid. He had no doubts what it could be. It could very well be the demon they were now hunting, but he didnt think so, the demon weighed far too much for such light noise. That did not mean that he dismissed it as a threat. If he knew his demonology, he knew that most demons dont go alone. Of course, he really didnt know demonology, he just figured demons wouldnt go alone. "Lets try not to set anything off." He was speaking about any traps the demon may have placed.

[Alex Ruler+]

"This keeps getting better and better" Alex muttered under his breath.

Alex had come prepared for anything except a human that could see things the normal human eyes couldn't. But Alex had powers of his own.

"Kuro, just a quick question before we do anything we'll regret later. How hard is it to freak you out?" Alex asked.

He had asked the question because he was about to change his form, to call upon the senses of the great beast within his body and become that creature. The ultimate predator. But he would only do so if his new partner wouldn't get highly freaked out and attack him mid-transformation. The Tiger's senses would greatly increase their ability to detect, smell, feel, and hear things. It would also make Alex travel quieter.

[Kuro]

Kuro barely batted an eye. "I dont get freaked out, hardly even get surprised." That was an understatement. As a child, he was easily scared, be it movies, stories, or even just the dark. As a teen, he grew to hate being scared, and thus he quite literaly ended the emotion of fear he once had, destroying it. He usually only got a mild surprise if anything happened. For the first time in a long time, he felt a real shock as he saw Alex change forms. Of course, had he been a normal person, he might have freaked out, but if you know Kuro, then you know he is absolutely anything but normal. Kuro chuckled slightly before unhooking Yamato from his waist. "But how hard is it to freak you out?" Kuro telepathically spoke to him, not knowing if Alex could speak in this new form. "If you are done with that, lets deal with these... weaklings."

[Alex Ruler+]

< I'm not easily freaked out. Usually takes a lot. And I can thought speak in this form. It's like telepathy, but I can direct it at one person or a whole city. > Alex said, forming words with his mind.

He saw everything now. Smelled it too.

< The air is full of different smells that don't belong. Cyanide, Chlorine, and Salt. Not Table Salt, Sea Salt. There isn't an ocean near by, and no one in this neighborhood has a pool that I'm aware of > Alex stated, as he pawed the ground.

Alex had no idea what Kuro was planning on doing with his blade, Yamato drawn, but he hoped it didn't involve gutting a tiger.

[Kuro]

"Cyanide, easy killer, if Im right it wouldnt work for demons, being a biological agent... Chlorine is used to clean water, could be part of the sea salt, maybe a mixture in order to fully purify something, probably a body, and if the demons are anything like the stories say, they plan on using the Cyanide as a spice, while using chlorine and sea salt to clean the body of their victim for taste, or perhaps I am wrong and they are effected by the purifying effects of sea salt and chlorine, if so, it could mean a poison type demon was fighting someone who tried to use the purifying agents of chlorine and sea salt in order to fight it... Do you smell any blood?" Kuro frowned. There were a few other possibilities, but there were too numerous or too strange to mention.

Kuro walked calmly forward, with an almost elegant posture in his stance. A fighter would not the positives of such a position, which included being calm and able to counter any surprise attacks easier, also allowing less surprises and more deflected shots. Kuro had hardly taken ten steps forward before another rattling in the shadows. Kuro twitched his arm so fast it was nearly impossible to see before his sword was already back in its sheath. If able to track the movement, one would see Kuro unsheath his sword, slash in the direction of the rattling in the same movement, then resheath his sword. A strange metalic smell filled the area, as Kuro stepped forward where he had slashed at. He bent down and dipped his finger in a metalic liquid that was flowing towards him. "I didnt kill whatever it was... but its missing an arm." Kuro didnt bother to grab it, knowing it was useless. The arm was laying right in front of him, already shriveling. "Have any information on that?"

[Alex Ruler+]

< No blood. > Alex said before the strike. < No blood now, either. That liquid reeks of mercury, but nothing else. This keeps getting weirder and weirder >

He heard movement now.
The fur on his tiger body ruffled outward, making him appear larger than he really is. < I suggest covering your ears > Alex warned.

As soon as he gave the warning, Alex let loose a bone chilling, spine tingling, gut wrenching roar that would have made a normal grown man wet his pants.

Whomever Kuro had just sliced, would now be falling to their knees after that roar. Alex bounded forward, in the direction the person was heard running in at last moment.

< Kuro, back me up! > Alex stated, in an almost giddy voice.

[Kuro]

"Ugh great, mercury, just what I wanted on me" Kuro wiped off the liquid, frowning. Kuro was able to block out the noise by telekineticly covering his ears. Even if it wouldnt have frightened him, it was loud, and he was close. Wouldnt have been good for his ears, thats for sure. He rushed forward, even before Alex shouted for back up. He didnt need superhuman hearing to hear the falling man, demon, whatever the hell it was. His sword was unsheathed once more, and using the speed it gave him, he dashed even faster, slicing at the fallen thing. He didnt even stop to get a good look at it.

[Alex Ruler+]

Alex stopped mid-stride.

< Kuro, wanna tell me what I'm looking at? > Alex asked, his voice unnerved. < Cause to me, it looks like a human bred with a Sasquatch and Cyborg and out popped this thing >

The thing looked like Alex had described it. Mostly human, with coarse, shaggy fur covering its huge structured body. It's right arm was severed as a result of Kuro's assault. The bone that was exposed from the wound was made of titanium, almost chrome-looking, steel. The Tiger Mind that had joined Alex's wasn't disturbed by the strange creature, but it made Alex think about the possibilities of some sicko experimenting on people. The Sasquatch comment came from the obscenely large feet that made the large indention that Alex was pawing at.

< Alright, I'm returning to my human form...so that my WATCH-- > Alex fell silent until he finished the transformation and then he continued using his regular voice. "Can inspect this perpetrator" Alex said, activating the device.

[Kuro]

Kuro sliced at the air, sending the blood from his sword to the ground, making it clean once again. He sheathed it instantly, frowning. "We arent dealing with a low level demon then, nor a high level. Mid level, mostly intelligence based most likely. Low levels would be more common than this, and judging by your shock, its not. High levels would be too arrogant to think humans had any potential for experiments, unless... Anyway, most likely we are dealing with a mid level, intelligent demon, no morals, no rules. He is either low class for a middle, wanted to test us, or doesnt know we are here, and this.. thing escaped." He said, not disturbed by the body. He stepped away from the pooling blood, not wanting to stain his good clothes.

"I wouldnt get too close, long term exposure to mercury can be a bit of a... hassle" Kuro chuckled. "Since the bell rang, Id assume it was at the church, or near it at least." Kuro frowned, inspecting the creature himself. The fur was strange, thick, but not tangled, at least not like his hair got, it was instead a curled blanket, neat curls instead of messy. That could have been meant for a protective layer of shielding. The large feet impeded any stealth capabilities the beast may have had, which meant it wasnt for stealth, nor speed. The fact that the beast had titanium bones meant that it was made for endurance instead of strength. He frowned. That meant whoever had done this, or whatever had done this, was testing them, wanting to see what kind of damage they could produce. "Keep on guard, I have a bad feeling about this."

[Alex Ruler+]

Alex nodded in agreement. He drew his weapon, The Blacktail, and held it ready.

"Alright, Kuro, this is your neighborhood. Any ideas which church that bell tolled from?" Alex asked.

This was great. Knee deep in enemy terroritory, not a clue as to what was going on, but at least he had a partner who knew the area well. His WATCH beeping broke his concentration. Alex brought his wrist up and looked at the screen.

"Great, more bad news. Something is blocking my WATCH's access to the military satellites overhead. No electronic signals are getting through. Makes me wonder what we're up against that has that kind of power" Alex said.

[Kenjiro Nakamura]

A radio message comes in through a device Alex has to receive transmissions.

"Hello RIPCO, KENTA. I am Kenjiro, representative of Millennium. As of right now I have London under my total control. So we're going to play a little game, you'll enter the city and along with any civilian who happens to now be armed because I decided to give them crates of automatics and explosives along with ammo, will have the chance to save the Queen and be given a medal which will mean nothing as I will eventually grow bored after this and come back to skull fuck her wrinkly old ass in front of her grandson. But you have three days to get in here, take some chips off my guards to shut down the electric dome and get in here and stop me from killing her. If not, well I guess I'll go to plan B and just drop several hundred nukes on half of England, doesn't matter much to me. Hope to see you soon."

[Kuro]

Kuro had to keep himself from slicing at Alex's watch, the message shocking him. "Well... that guy is a dick." Kuro turned towards the end of the street. "Three churches, bell we heard was loud, came from the west, that means whatever it is is in Michael's Missionary. Most people call it a church, but I dont think of it as a church, they are more of a cult honestly, but I suppose that makes sense now." Kuro frowned, walking towards the aforementioned church. "I dont know what we will see in there, but keep your wits about you." He spoke without turning towards Alex. "After this, I think Ill have a plane to catch." Alex would be unable to see the sadistic smirk that adorned his face after he spoke that line.

[Alex Ruler+]

"Ditto on the plane. Let's take out this culprit first, and then talk with the big bad voice over the communications line" Alex said.

He would follow Kuro to the nearest church as Kuro had put it, with his weapon drawn. On foot because morphing into other forms drains him of his stamina, which he felt he would need if a fight ensued.

"Any information you'd like to share about this Missionary? A cult like following would explain the weirdness on this block," Alex said, raising an eyebrow at Kuro as they walked.

[Kuro]

"Not much to tell really, mostly a closed group of guys, crazy leader, usual bullshit. Peaceful sort really, probably a facade, but couldve been a disguise. Some rumors floating around about them bringing in some new members, teenagers mostly. Until now, nothing strange happened in this neighborhood, so whatever happened happened tonight." He spoke somewhat slowly, not intolerably, but calmly. By the time he had finished they were infront of the large building, with a single pointed roof on it, which had a cross. The strange part was, it was upside down. He paused momentarily, activating aura view. "On your guard... the cultists are dead, this is getting stranger by the minute." He said. "One figure, black color... Im guessing he is powerful and demonic, but if I'm right, he doesnt-" He was interupted as the aura of the man he saw turned its head, without the body moving. "Nevermind, demonic possession no doubt." The doors flew open, not even shocking Kuro slightly. "you get first hit, Alex." Kuro laughed, not seeming to think the situation was that dangerous.

[Alex Ruler+]

As Kuro spoke, Alex was prepared for anything. The doors flying open on the building with upside cross, was nothing unusual in his line of work.

"First hit?" Alex made it a question, "More like first shot!"

With that Alex squeezed the trigger on his blacktail twice. The bullets were aimed for the man's head. But if he moved, Alex was fully prepared to morph into something faster and stronger than a human body.

[Kuro]

The bullets bounced off of the air as if they had hit a wall. Kuro's eyes narrowed, and his grin widened. "Kinetic manipulation." Kuro chuckled. "Ill let you take this one, not that strong, but good enough."

The man moved, his demonic nature showing as he rushed forward, arm extended with what looked like a ball of black energy. Kuro did not even move, wanting to see how good Alex was. If it was anything like what he used to do...

[Alex Ruler+]

Black energy swirling in the man's hand, that was a new one on him. Alex dodged by rolling to his right, while calling upon the DNA inside his body of the Grizzly Bear. Course dark fur ripple across his body as muscle packed on muscle. Alex's face elongated into the muzzle of the bear, as he grew to the seven foot mark. Alex had acquired the largest Grizzly in existence. He weighed over 1500 lbs, but that was pure muscle. And the Grizzly could pick up speed faster than a locomotive.

"ROARR!" Alex bellowed through the Bear's Mouth.

< Time to Boogy With The Bear > Alex called out in thought speech, as he fell to all fours and charged towards the demonic man.

[Kenjiro Nakamura]

Six watched as the men battled, one turned into a bear while the other stood and watched. Speaking the code word he removed the gauntlets. He watched as the two began to battle looking at the one who was merely watching he opted to make some popcorn out of thin air and offered the other man some "Wanna enjoy the battle or just sit there with nothing to eat?"

[Kuro]

The demonic man jumped over the bear, kicking downward at it in mid air. His strength was certainly inhuman, but not a match for a fully grown Grizzly.

Kuro glanced at the man with nothing more than a small smirk. "I dont eat much, and this is too entertaining for me to distract myself." He sat in midair, using his telekinesis to levitate himself, as if a chair was beneath him.

[Alex Ruler+]

The kick should've sent Alex muzzle first into the ground, but using his momentum, Alex turned the fall into a roll, curling into a ball and rolling. He stopped himself and rose to his full height on his hind legs.

< What's a matter? Scared of little ole me > Alex taunted the man, with his thought speak open so that everyone around, including Kuro and this new guy could hear him. < It seems as if the bear can't match your speed, so I'll become something that can > Alex said, as he returned to his human form.

Alex pondered what he could do. The Tiger, The Wolf, or Kenjiro. Which would be the best morph in this situation.

When the changes began and finished, Alex stood before his aggressor as Kenjiro, the most powerful Vampire in the world.

"Now, Now. Time to control your destiny" Alex said, using Kenjiro's voice.

With that, Alex thrust Kenjiro's palms forward, releasing spiraling gusts of wind that would wrap around the attack and hoist him into the air.

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