The Waiting Hunter

Three days later, in New York...

Harrison Garison switched on the TV as he withdrew the curtains, to let some fresh sunlight into the room. His room had been swept clean, without any trace of the old garbage and litter that used to cover the floors. It was one of the pleasant days, but not pleasant enough, for the loss of two friends. Amy Catt was only an outsider to him. Finally, he urged to hear her out.

"I was born far away from here. Really far away. I was small as a child then; I didn't know the laws and rules and how the world worked. In fact, I was normal back then, with golden hair, instead of this silver that I have now.

"My mother died giving birth to me. I never saw my father, but I bet he was a famous scientist. But my memories contain only the time when he was sent to prison.

"I worked hard in my studies, hoping to become a scientist as my father. But one day, it all changed.

"Some thugs kidnapped me while I was still in my teens. They took me to Symbiocyte, where they injected me with a serum. Slowly, my body started reacting to it. First, my hair: turned all silver. Second, my strength: I could lift a 10-tonne truck with only one hand. And third, my reflexes: I could hide or escape faster than a light bulb going dim.

"In my mid-twenties, which means now, I started using my powers, for good. I help citizens, capture thugs, and stop drug cartels. I knew about Mord Dickens better than any of you. Because... he... is... my... brother!

"I was named 'Amethyst Julia Dickens'. But since my enemies refer to me as a sneaking cat, well... I named myself 'Amethyst Catt'. And I shortened it to 'Amy Catt'.

"And then I met you guys, that day at the NY Hotel. Thanks."

Harrison had been listening quite patiently, for her tale was both adventurous and sad. He replied, "Good. You may go have some rest for the day. You've done well enough—"

A news headline on the TV caught his ears. "Breaking News! BREAKING YOUR BONES, NEWS!" the headlines screamed. "The health hazard of Manhattan has increased by 34% recently. Chances of death, by drinking water, from 88% to 90%. Police cannot locate the drug cartels' hide out due to GPS networking problems. The drug cartels have hidden their stash at the docks... Coming-up: Australian Assaults—"

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Harrison asked Amy with the hint of a smile. "Let's rock some rolls! OH YEAH... WE'RE BACK IN BUSINESS. LET'S GO!"

***

They got out of the car. The docks were being illuminated by the moonlight. There had been so much traffic jam that it was almost midnight.

The docks were full of goons and thugs, all under command of Mord Dickens. Harrison finally got to let out his fury on the enemies, for what they've done to Luther. Amy was busy lashing at them with her whips.

"Harry, you go after Mord. I think he is in that battleship over there," she pointed to a Japanese Shikuga battleship at the eastern wharf. "You go get him, I'll handle these... these whatever they are... enemies and creepy thugs."

He was on his way, by the command of a lady, with a MPsk SMG in his hands.

He shot down some bare-handed thugs which were in his path. The bow of the ship was visible in the thick fog. He hid behind a crate containing opium and waited. It wouldn't be safe to go into the ship while everyone expects you.

Sure to his predictions, one of the thugs had been scared off by Amy's war cry and had scrambled off to the stairs. When he reached the hull of the ship, he opened the hatch and a blast of flame leapt upwards, directly in his face. Fortunately, it was the thug instead of Harrison, but it hurt him to watch as the miserable thug yelled in agony and toppled over the edge of the ship and fell, directly into the misty, ice-cold waters.

As Harrison was about to start off in the direction of the ship, he was startled by a soft beeping sound. The beeping grew louder gradually. At the zenith beep, the hatch exploded outwards and some men-in-black arrived. They were firing away like a maniac, at the choppers that arrived a while later, with M4 Carbines.

Even Harrison was confused, about who is after whom? One side was Dickens's, but what about the other one?

As the two forces were busy with each other, Harrison Garison found it as his chance to sneak into the ship. He hopped into the hatch, into the darkness, and was kneeling in front of Mord Dickens the next moment.

"Well, well! If it isn't the last MIW ranger left in this world!" he grinned and grimaced at the same time. "You ought to look better when you are a slave than an agent. Stand up! I am sure you still can walk with those legs, can't you?" he laid a kick on Harrison's face, sending him to a wall, and almost cracking his skull.

And that was the last memory that he remembered before blacking out.

***

There was a submarine anchored below the ship. Inside the submarine was the warhead. And right beside the warhead, was Harrison Garison, resolving to catch his surprise in front of him.

He knew the arts of rope-loosening, which came to some good use when he was tied-up. He undid the ropes within 3.94 minutes. As he stood up, there was a pressure plate on which he was standing, so it deployed immediately, and the airlocks strapped themselves shut, along with a screen appearing in the side of the 5:FT warhead that read:

[1:59 waiting to deploy]

"Oh shi... ps! Why does everything I touch turns into bad karma for me?"

[0: 30 ready to deploy]

"What in the world?"

He kicked the warhead, only to make it worse.

"Ouch! You stupid, sly, rusty piece of metallic junk!"

[0:09 deploying...]

"No, no, no... I take it back. Don't deploy, do not d-e-p-l-o-y!"

[0:05 deploying...]

"Oh, whatever!" he smashed one of the glass windows and was out of the submarine in just 1.22 seconds!

He surfaced the water, gasping for breath.

[0:02 deploying...]

He reached the wharf and climbed.

[0:01 deploying...]

He darted off in the opposite direction.

Before he could get to safety, the bomb deployed, and he was thrown forwards in a gust of the inferno. Along came Amy, and they both ran, but how far... even I don't know.

Let's just say that they both were perfectly fine.

The duo was on the streets, with the sun peeking above the horizon. A gun fired, and Mord Dickens dropped down... dead.

As for the person who shot the gun, he was there, on top of the summit of a mountain in the mist.

Even after last night's work and stress, and not counting the risks, both Harrison Garison and Amy Catt had their senses stare in sudden relief, and emotion...

Yet, they didn't lack the slightest bit of recognition...

The person, standing on the summit, was none other than a long-forgotten friend.

It was Luther, alive.