Chapter 10: A Flimsy Set of Circumstances

When he first started this job a few weeks ago, Razor Smirnov expected that being a monster killer would be very dangerous. 

He expected that each mission he went on would have him put his life on the line as he came face-to-face with horrific creatures that plague the country he lives in.

He expected that every fight would be a desperate struggle to survive on both ends, a clash between man and beast as he gives it his all with every blow he lands on the beast.

What he didn't quite expect was that he'd be searching through an abandoned house located in Rising Height's outskirts, waving around a dog treat. Yet that was exactly what he was doing on one summer day with Katina & Dmitri also in the house with him.

"Come here Miss Monster!~" Katina shouts as she waves around another dog treat, "We got a nice reward for you!"

Razor looks over at Dmitri who is looking through every nook and cranny of the kitchen.

"No she's not under the sink," Dmitri remarks before checking behind the fridge, "No she's not there either, maybe she got stuck in the floorboards."

"How can you even see all that with that blindfold? Over your face?" Razor groans.

"You're just asking me that now?" Dmitri remarks, "I can see just fine with this on ... mostly."

Seeing how both Katina & Dmitri don't have a single shred of worry about the monster, Razor can't help but ask, "Why are we doing this again?"

"We're trying to catch the monster, duh," Dmitri explains as he walks to the closed bathroom.

"Don't worry Razor, it's just a D-Class," Katina remarks.

"D-Class?" Razor questions, when all of a sudden…

CREAK.

The trio stops talking as they hear the creaking of floorboards coming from upstairs, then they begin to hear something walk down the steps.

THUMP THUMP

Razor focuses up as he transforms into his blast state, not wanting to be caught off guard by the treacherous monster just upstairs.

THUMP THUMP

Katina is still in her regular form as she lets out a yawn.

THUMP THUMP

Dmitri is checking the freezer when he sees a bag of frozen pelmeni, he makes sure to take it for himself before looking at the stairs.

THUMP THUMP

The monster's tiny feet step down the last steps and onto the wooden floor.

"Awe," Katina remarks as she locks eyes with the monster, "It's so cute!"

Razor looks to see that the monster is a tiny adorable rabbit-like creature. The monster has patches of red fur across its white body, stands on its two back legs, has tiny cute claws on its paws, and has a bushy tail.

Seeing the treat, the creature immediately rushes over to Katina and allows herself to be picked up so it can be fed the treat.

Katina pets the monster as she feeds it a treat while saying, "Aren't you a good little monster?~ Yes you are, yes you are!"

Taken aback by how…innocent the monster looks, Razor goes back to his regular human form as he walks closer to Katina.

"What should we name it?" Katina remarks.

"Flim!" the adorable little monster shouts, "Flim! Flim!'

Razor groans, "It can talk?!"

"I think it just makes that noise," Dmitri murmurs before saying, "How about we call this gal Flim?"

The monster, now known as 'Flim', takes a liking to the name.

"Flim it is!" Katina remarks as she makes her way towards the front door of the abandoned house.

They walk outside where the group is greeted by their fellow monster killers – Anastasia Petrova & Tire Bosch – discussing something with a group of people in white hazmat suits. Katina walks over to one of the people in the white hazmat suits and hands Flim over.

"You're taking it over to the facility, right?" Katina questions.

"Yeah, should be easier than what we usually get left with by you guys," the man in the hazmat suit jokes.

"Okay, take good care of Flim!" Katina says as the folks in the white hazmat suits get into their van and leave.

"Y'know, after the whole fiasco with the 100 monsters, I'm glad this one was simple for us and the cleaners," Dmitri sighs.

Still a bit confused, Razor walks over to Anastasia and asks, "Hey boss, what's with the whole monster thing, don't we usually just kill them?"

"Yes, but this one's a D-Class monster," Anastasia states.

"What's a D-Class monster?" Razor asks.

Anastasia looks at Razor.

Razor looks back at Anastasia.

"Did Nikita tell you anything before you agreed to take the job?" Anastasia groans.

"No," Razor confirms.

"Of course he did," Anastasia sighs as she places a hand on her head.

_____________________________

Inside the military's dorms for Rising Heights, Bastard points his finger toward Razor and laughs. Violet Tucker is also standing there,

"You dummy! How do you not know what a D-Class monster is?" Bastard laughs, "And you call yourself a monster killer!"

Razor sits on the couch and murmurs, "I don't know, okay?"

"I knew you were a nincompoop, but I never expected you to have such brazen stupidity," Violet scolds Razor, "If Maksim Adbulov were still here he'd have shown you a thing or two!"

"How did my life get to a point where I'm being scolded by a child?" Razor murmurs before asking, "And don't you know Abdulov is a traitor?"

"Well, I'm sure he had his reasons," Violet insists.

"You can't be serious," Razor groans.

"Be easy on the kid," Destiny says as she walks over to the group, "She only got that role thanks to Fireworks."

Razor turns to look at Destiny as Destiny continues, "Also, Walker told me to tell you that you'll be getting your education soon enough."

__________________________

In Nikita Agapov's office, he places his sheathed sword onto the display rack he has on the wall. As he does so he hears the door behind him open as someone enters his office.

"Oh it's strange getting to see you here," Nikita says as he turns to look at the person who entered his office, "Colonel Frank Walker."

Frank Walker salutes before stating, "Sorry I came here unannounced, I was just wondering if it was possible for some of my forces to take a tour of the research facility in the city?"

Nikita looks at him and questions, "Lemme guess, Razor doesn't know that much about monsters, does he?"

"I knew he was just an ordinary citizen a few weeks ago but I expected you'd give him some of the basics before he started working," Walker admits.

"Are you questioning my judgment?" Nikita asks.

"Not at all-" Walker tries to say but Nikita laughs.

"I was just messing with you," Nikita jokes, "You're more than welcome to have your monster killers take a tour of the research facility. Besides, none of you should have to worry too much since the researchers there are mostly a friendly bunch."

Frank Walker nods before saying, "I am well aware of that, though I am a bit worried whether or not those two can behave themselves."

Hearing that, Nikita has a sly smile on his face, "Walker, buddy, those two are adults, they can handle being professional…..I hope."

____________________________________________

In a research facility, a man wearing a lab coat is examining some monster DNA underneath a microscope. As he looks at the DNA he scribbles down some notes before standing up and stretching.

"Man, what a day," the doctor yawns as he makes his way to pour some more coffee for himself.

However, as he walks over to the coffee machine he receives a phone call.

"Hello?" The doctor answers, "Uh huh…..Yeah, I can do a tour of the place tomorrow. Who's going to be there?"

After getting a response, a smirk perks up on the doctor's lips as he responds, "Is that so? Thanks for letting me know. Don't worry, I'll be professional."

As he hangs up he sips a bit of his coffee as he ponders out loud, "Though I can't say the same for Petrova."

__________________________

The following day, the hot summer sun glistens down across Rising Heights as a busted-up RV drives down its asphalt roads. In the RV are the monster killers Anastasia Petrova, Tire Bosch, Dmitri Morozov, Katina Rotten, & Razor Smirnov. The 16-year-old Tire is driving the vehicle while Anastasia is in the passenger seat. Behind the two of them are Dmitri, Katina, & Razor who are trying to make sure the fan they set up doesn't fall over.

"Of course the AC's busted on a day like this," Dmitri groans as sweat drips down his face.

"Y'know if you take off the blindfold I bet you'd feel a bit better," Katina suggests.

"Or maybe we could get the AC fixed," Dmitri suggests.

"I was going to go do that today," Anastasia remarks, "But Colonel Walker sent us on a mission."

"Of course Walker would do that," Razor groans as he stops the fan from falling over, "What kind of mission is it?"

"We're going to Rising Heights' Research Facility," Anastasia explains, "Specifically the part of the building dedicated to monster research."

Hearing those words, Katina's eyes light up in excitement while Razor looks out the window.

He sees that up ahead is the research facility. It's a giant white building separated into three main sectors; a central wing, an eastern wing, and a western wing. As the RV finds a parking spot, Katina is the first to exit before it even comes to a complete stop. As Razor walks towards the entrance to the facility, he sees that while Katina is ecstatic to be there, Anastasia is trying to hide her displeasure.

Though before he can ask her for any details, a person standing at the entrance of the building remarks, "Glad you all can make it."

The man who is greeting them is a 43-year-old man with long salt-&-pepper hair, a beard, square glasses, white skin, and green eyes. He's wearing a white lab coat over a pink shirt, black sweatpants, a green scarf, and black loafers. To Razor, the person looks strangely familiar.

The doctor waves at them, only for Katina to rush in and give the man a brief hug.

"Papa, it's been a while!" Katina exclaims.

"Papa?" Razor questions.

"Yeah, it has," the doctor remarks, "How has your monster killer job been treating you, Pumpkin?"

"PUMPKIN?!" Razor questions even further.

Tire, who just got done getting the key out of the RV's door, simply nudges Razor and calms him down by explaining, "That man is Katina's Dad."

Razor looks at Katina, she has white skin, green eyes, and black hair.

Then he looks at the doctor who has white skin, green eyes, and salt-&-pepper hair.

"Oh," Razor sighs, embarrassed.

See You Next Chapter!~