(AN: You probably already know this if you read the synopsis, but this story jumps around in time. The present-day is supposed to be in 2033+, so anything before then is kinda like a backstory or prologue. Hence the name Prologue I.)

Date: December 8th, 2033

The man saw a bus come around the corner towards him and the girl. “Well, it looks like your bus is here.”

The girl smiled. “I know. I can’t wait to hear the rest of the story.”

The man smiled back at the girl. “I’m glad you like it!” The bus came to a screeching halt in front of the duo. The girl got up and started to walk to the bus, but stopped. “I never got your name, mister.”

“Jacob, Jacob Drill. What about you?”

The girl smiled. “Oleander Sharp!” Oleander hurried onto the bus as Jacob watched it drive away.

Jacob smiled to himself. ‘She took the names huh?’ He got up from the bench and began to walk down the street. The rain had seemed to die down, allowing Jacob to see the bustling streets of New York that he loved so much.

Jacob kept walking down the street until he arrived at the bar he was supposed to be at called The Wolf Pack. Jacob sighed before he opened the door with a “ding” from the top of the door.

“Welcome to The Wolf Pack,” said a familiar voice from behind the counter. Jacob smiled as he sat down at the bar and stared at the bartender. “Can I have a drink?” Jacob asked.

“What do you want?” asked the bartender.

“I’ll have a Strawberry Daiquiri, with a splash of hot sauce. ”

The bartender’s eyes widened and she looked up, realizing who was sitting in front of her. “Jacob?”

“Hey Lily, it's been a while.”

“OH MY GOD, where have you been?” Lily asked

“I got imprisoned and sent to the war, remember.”

“But it’s been 10 years. Have you not sent any letters to anyone?” Lily asked.

“Trust me, I tried. I went MIA for a while.”

“What about Charlotte, have you not talked to her yet?”

“I don’t want to talk to her.”

“What happened between you guys?”

“She’s happy with someone else.”

“Well, you have a right to see your kids at least.”

“She won’t let me. I called her and told her everything only to have her yell at me and hang up the phone.”

Lily started to shake in anger. “Man, I’ll kill the bitch!”

“Calm down Lily, I just saw my daughter anyway.”

“But I thought you couldn’t see your kids.”

“I met her at a bus stop.” Jacob smiled as he took a sip of his drink. “You were always good at making drinks.”

A “ding” rang in the bar, signifying a new customer. Jacob turned around and saw another familiar face. It was a woman this time, wearing a woman’s suit and had short black hair that ran down half of her face.

“Hey Bethany, it's been a while.”

“I’m just checking to make sure you’re not doing anything illegal anymore. You are a notorious killer after all.”

“Don’t worry Beth, the war really shaped me up.”

“It better have, you aren’t the same 5’ 8” kid that I was friends with in school. Now you’re 6’ 2” and a felon.”

“Yeah, I plan on keeping it on the down-low.”

“Well, that won’t matter anymore.”

“What do you mean?” Bethany reached into her purse and pulled out a badge with a pair of handcuffs. “You are to become a detective and work with the police. It’s another way of keeping you in check. Think of it as probation.”

“Why would they give a felon a badge. That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Apparently, the chief and the governor know what happened in the war with you. They said ‘letting you go free would be a waste of your skills’ or whatever that means.” Bethany explained.

Jacob chugged the rest of his drink before grabbing the badge and clipping it to his belt. “I never thought that this would happen,” Jacob said.

Bethany stood up from her seat and looked at Jacob. “You are also my partner now. It had something to do with the fact that I knew you in the academy.”

Jacob stood up as well. “What did the police chief tell you?” He asked.

“He said something along the lines of ‘He’s a hunter that never lets go of his prey’”

Jacob rubbed his chin for a second before sitting back down. “I don’t know what you are doing,” Bethany said, “But you already have a case.”

Jacob’s eyes widened. “Already?!?”

<><><>

“The victim’s name was Rose Dodgers. She worked at the local salon and lived alone. Cause of Death: Unknown.” Jacob listened as Bethany explained what was going on at the crime scene.

“It’s not unknown,” Jacob added, “It looks like all the blood had been taken away from her body. She’s completely dry.” Jacob rubbed his chin for a second. “Was she in a relationship at all?”

Bethany flipped through the papers. “No.”

“It looks like they did cross over,” Jacob mumbled.

“And who would ‘they’ be?” Bethany asked.

“Blood Bugs.”

Bethany looked at Jacob like he was crazy. “What the hell is a ‘blood bug’?”

“It’s a type of creature from the hollow part of the earth. Something I encountered in the war.”

“I’m gonna need more than that, Jacob.”

“Think of bees or ants, they’re kinda like a colony in that stretch. They have a queen, and it would seem that a queen got out. They disguise themselves as human, looking for their prey. Then, when the right moment hits, they show their true colors and attack you with the intent of sucking you dry of blood. They’re like mosquitoes but with a hive mind.”

“How are you so sure it’s these ‘blood bugs’?” Bethany asked.

Jacob put on some latex gloves and picked up the body. “Look at the neck, near the jugular.”

Bethany got up close and saw a quarter-sized hole in the neck of the victim. “What the hell?”

“That’s what I said the first time I saw it. They don’t usually leave bodies though.”

“Why not?” Bethany asked.

“Because when they do, it means they are asking for a challenge.” Jacob looked up at the wall behind the dead woman, revealing a splash of letters spelling out “We are watching, Space Walker.”

Bethany looked at Jacob’s shadow only to notice that it looked like it was staring back.