“Okay, honestly speaking, I don’t think eight of us are going to be able to stop this vampire,” Roderick asked as he and Xiaoye arrived at the hotel at the break of dawn.

“You’re right, mate. That’s why in case the situation goes past south and creates a new direction on the compass, we’ve got two more Exterminators and four more officers waiting to assist with a squad of Krsniks,” the cambion, who was dressed in her Exterminator outfit instead of the standard police uniform, replied.

Roderick peered out the window to look at the hotel, which appeared rather menacing due to the lack of sunlight and the approaching storm.

“Why don’t we just send in the Krsniks? I mean, they vampires too, they know how to handle one of their own.”

“An hour ago, having received all the evidence we’ve uncovered, the Sanguine Court of Southeast Asia officially declared Theodore Stone, aka Teodor Stonescu, a Kudlak. The Krsniks aren’t here to arrest him, they’re here to execute him, but if we have him in our custody, the Krsniks will consider him as having surrendered to mortal law enforcement and thus spare him,” Xiaoye explained nonchalantly while loading silver bullets into a revolver

“Not using the Kingfisher? And that is one fucking big revolver.”

“This beast in my hands? Ha, you’re looking at the ST-A Shikra GR. We only break them out when vampires or therianthropes are involved. They shrug off .45 ACPs like pebbles and can withstand a full magazine of 5.56 mm at any range… But a 454 Casull expanding bullet made from Macedonian silver ingots blessed by the ten main religions of Singapore? No coming back from that when half your head’s gone and all manners of scriptures coursing through your unholy blood.”

“Woah, hold on, expanding bullets? I’ve seen the kind of damage they’re capable of. Are we sure we want to use that?”

“That’s why the armoury only issues it when the Shades are on and SRE involving either vampires or therianthropes. Hell, bullets aside, you won’t even see the Shikra GR most of the time, the armoury guys keep them locked and one of the keys is held by the police commissioner: If he doesn’t unlock it, no one else can use their keys. And honestly, I hope I don’t have to use it…”

“Xiaoye, Roderick, are you two ready?” Jason asked over the radio.

“Aye, sir, but mind repeating the plan one more time?”

“Affirmative. As per what we discussed earlier, Farhan and myself will go to the fourth floor where Noel van Schilt is staying and escort him down. Xiaoye, Roderick, Weijin and Amirah, stand by at the lobby, be prepared for any signs of trouble. Lucas and Ajibade, keep an eye out for any trouble. Once Van Schilt is in the car, get ready to act as the rear guard of the escort.”

“Yes, sir.”

“One more thing. I’m not really a by-the-books kind of officer, but let’s do things properly. We only use lethal force on Theodore Stone as a last resort. All right, let’s go.”

“I’m worried about Lucas,” Roderick admitted to Xiaoye as the two got out of their vehicle.

“Why?”

“The pricolici attacked his home and badly injured both Officers Ang and Zhao just to try and kill that moh shuvuu… And given Lucas’s psychological issues as an Accursed, don’t you think he’ll shoot Theodore Stone the moment the latter shows up?”

Xiaoye chuckled.

“He won’t. Trust me.”

“Yeah, no. His amygdala doesn’t react with his ventrolateral prefrontal cortex the same way as we do…”

“Neither does his react the same way as proven psychopaths. He’s cunning, but not manipulative. He can’t feel much emotions or empathy, but he has a moral conscience. He’s neither social nor anti-social, sometimes prideful but never selfish, and while he does not feel remorse for any action he take, he always takes responsibility without excuses or blaming others. Still somewhat psychopathic since he’s willing to shoot through a crowd to get to someone, but don’t expect him to skelp any innocents because he’s quite a crack shot. Oh, by the way, he’s usually the spotter: Ajibade’s the sniper of the two,” Xiaoye replied with a grin, causing Roderick to do a small double take before scratching his head with slight embarrassment.

“Those Krsniks better get here in time if we start shooting,” Weijin, who was carrying his exorcism equipment along with the standard police gear, commented as he and Amirah linked up with Roderick and Xiaoye at the basement after Jason and Farhan had taken the elevator up.

“Let’s just hope Theodore doesn’t show up,” Xiaoye replied.

“I doubt he won’t. I made a call to MedaPharm. He hasn’t shown up for work the last two days, claimed he had an electrical injury… His landlord, on the other hand, said he moved out a week ago when Amirah and I paid him a visit last night. Look at the date, he moved out on the very day before Ronald Peterson’s murder.”

“Huh, most and more evidence stacked against him… Problem right now is that he’s already murdered the one responsible for his wife’s death, but these codenamed folks, whoever they are, somehow figured out what was going on and have misdirected him to get rid of someone who has the potential to expose them.”

“Yeah, but there’s more to it. Weijin and I couldn’t find anything that showed that Theodore Stone had been manipulated into going after Noel van Schilt, but I did find something else that got Inspector Jason’s interest. Look at this e-mail,” Amirah said as she displayed a holographic e-mail message on her tablet.

To: Patriarch

From: [Unknown]

Subject: Done

I’ve done what is asked. The pricolici should be on his way to get rid of Noel van Schilt right now. Transfer the payment to the account I provided in our last conversation by the end of the week, then we can talk further business.

There was no signature, no identity, just a small image of a circle with an axe confined within it in the shape of the letter H.

“That’s Haxe’s calling card. Seems like he’s allied himself with this Patriarch fellow. Whatever he did, it’s worked. Theodore Stone is now officially hunting Noel van Schilt-”

“Completely unaware that his target is the only man capable of exposing the crime committed against him and his wife. If Theodore kills Van Schilt, he’ll never know who else was responsible for his wife’s demise,” Roderick finished Amirah’s sentence.

“Not that it helps with anything. The owner of that costume store at Sterling Mall was an innocent party this whole fiasco despite being a fence for stolen goods. Theodore’s getting the noose no matter what… Damn it, this whole thing doesn’t feel fair to him at all,” Weijin said grimly as he adjusted the sword on his back.

“Was Theodore fair to Lucas, Rendal and Tom? Was he fair to Inna and Jin Shu Wei? Considering everything he’s done, he’s qualified for a noose around his neck,” Xiaoye retorted.

“Doesn’t change the fact that he was forced into this.”

“He made his choice, not anyone else.”

“So he needs to die for it?”

“Did Jin Shu Wei need to die for being a fence who sold the wrong costume to the wrong bloke?”

“Hey, hey, this is getting a bit tense,” Roderick said as he and Amirah quickly got between their sergeants, both of whom were clearly starting to get rather unhappy with each other.

“Roderick, are those two sergeants arguing about the death penalty again?” Ajibade asked over the radio.

“No!” the two replied before Roderick could say anything.

“Yeah, right, sounds like you two are close to starting one. Just so our two newest officers understand so they don’t get caught in your little lovers’ spat, Weijin doesn’t believe in the use of capital punishment while Xiaoye is only a partial supporter.”

“A partial supporter?” Amirah asked.

“She’s the same as Lucas. They both feel that capital punishment should only be reserved for the worst kind of criminals: Serial killers, serial rapists, terrorists and drug kingpins, the kind that show no remorse for their actions, instead of killers who were clearly provoked or manpulated into action and drug mules tricked into risking their lives by money or threats. Kind of funny, given that Lucas here is seventy-five percent psychopathic.”

“What about you, Ajibade?”

“Me? I don’t care much about how the government set their laws, I’m just here to do my job as a police officer, serving and protecting the public.”

“Guys, get serious. The lead Krsnik just reported that one of his men got taken out. Target’s most likely approaching,” Lucas suddenly cuts in.

“Taken out or permanently?”

“Permanently. The Sanguine Court has given the Krsniks the green light to execute Theodore Stone, or Teodor Stonescu, whichever name you want.”

“Shit… Inspector Jason, we seriously need to get Van Schilt out of the hotel now. Target’s on the way here, he’s already killed a Krsnik.”

“Yeah, I read you. Mr Van Schilt, we really have to go, now!”

Xiaoye could hear Van Schilt asking them to give him a moment over the radio, followed by what sounded like Jason grabbing him, but then she turned around in time to see Roderick suddenly slapping the back of his neck as his eyes began to widen.

“Prickly?” she asked.

“Yeah… Oh, shit! Incoming!”

Xiaoye turned around to see a dumpster flying across the street towards the glass doors of the hotel’s lobby. Weijin pulled Amirah to the floor while Roderick and Xiaoye dove out of the way. The guests and staff in the lobby screamed in confusion and fear as the dumpster smashed right through the glass doors, missing a bellboy’s head by inches as it crash-landed against the elevators.

“What the hell just happened?” Ajibade asked over the radio.

“He’s here! Amirah, help me get everyone to safety!” Weijin ordered just as a familiar figure is seen running towards the hotel.

“Target spotted, but too fast for a clear shot! We’re leaving position, engaging on ground level,” Ajibade said, his voice shaking as he is heard clearly running down the stairs with Lucas.

“Do it. Plan’s gone bust anyways. Xiaoye, Roderick, get into your vehicle and circle around the back, meet Jason there.”

“What about you, Farhan?” Xiaoye asked as she and Roderick drew their sidearms and took aim at the fast approaching pricolici.

In response, a loud roar is heard followed by the sound of a window being broken, and the pricolici, who had just reached the hotel’s entrance, was flattened by a huge weretiger that was a transformed Farhan landing on him. Without wasting any time, Farhan rolled off the pricolici, grabbed him by one arm and threw him across the street.

“Go! I’ll hold him back!” Farhan said to Xiaoye and Roderick before charging at the recovered pricolici, exchanging blows and slashes with his opponent while Xiaoye and Roderick got into their patrol car.

“Roderick, you drive,” Xiaoye said as she tossed the keys to her partner.

“Why?”

“I’m riding shotgun, literally.”

Sliding across the hood to the passenger side, Xiaoye got in and pulled the shotgun from the gun rack while Roderick started the engine. By now, the pricolici had knocked Farhan off him and was now coming at them, but then a bolt of lightning struck it across the face and caused it to back off as Weijin approached, wielding both gun and peachwood sword while the paper talismans he had thrown into the air floated around the area.

“Gun it! Go, go, go!” Xiaoye urged, and Roderick took off, missing the pricolici by inches as Farhan and Weijin began round two with their opponent.

Jason was already at the back of the hotel with his gun drawn and Van Schilt by his side as Roderick stopped the vehicle in front of the two.

“Van Schilt, get in, now,” Jason said to Van Schilt, practically shoving him in before got into the backseat with the latter while the sounds of the fighting appear to grow fiercer.

“Wait, I don’t understand! Can’t I just talk to Theodore? I can help convince him-”

“He’s already killed an innocent, Mr Van Schilt. Five minutes ago, he killed a Krsnik sent to apprehend him. No point in talking anymore. Theodore Stone’s on a suicide mission,” Jason replied curtly as Roderick drove out the back alley and turned towards the expressway.

“But this isn’t fair to him! If I knew that his wife was one of the victims, I could have talked to him, tell him to assist in my investigation, testify against the conspirators!”

“Unfortunately, Mr Van Schilt, you said it yourself in the e-mail we recovered. Ronald Peterson was the mastermind of the HJP scandal, and he’s dead. Some hacker revealed the truth to Theodore about what happened to his wife.”

“Then it’s already over-”

“It’s not over. A witness saw Theodore Stone murder Ronald Peterson and, most importantly, Theodore’s face. He was worried that this witness had seen enough to testify against him if he ever got caught, so he tried to kill her. When that failed, he got more desperate and murdered the same man who sold him the police costume he most likely used to get close to Ronald, a man who had no idea what he was planning to do,” Jason explained.

“And since he was still loitering around in Singapore, Ronald Peterson’s co-conspirators became worried that he would soon identify and hunt them. So they turned to the same hacker who informed Theodore about the scandal’s truth and paid him to divert Theodore’s attention towards you,” Xiaoye added.

“Wait, you mean we were both set up?” Van Schilt asked in disbelief.

“That’s exactly what we’re saying.”

“Xiaoye, it’s Amirah! The target knocked out Farhan! It’s coming after you all!” Amirah’s panicked voice came through the radio.

“Calm down, Amirah. How’s Weijin?”

“That thing broke his arm! Leong and Jackie just arrived with those creepy Krsnik guys-”

“Never mind that! Lucas jumped into our patrol car and took off after the pricolici on his own! And with my sniper rifle! He wants to kill that thing!” Ajibade cuts her off while Weijin is heard cursing in pain as Jackie’s voice told him to stop moving around so that he can get a splint on his arm.

“You two need to calm down! Hello, Grey Team? This is Staff Sergeant Leong. Both your officers are injured by not in critical condition. Jackie’s tending to them with Amirah’s help. Also, two of the Krsniks are also in pursuit of target. Should I send the stand-by officers as well?” Leong is now heard asking over the radio.

“Do it, Leong. We might need back-up,” Jason replied.

“Roger that, Leong out.”

“How fast is a pricolici?” Roderick asked all of a sudden, looking very nervous.

“Last I heard, as fast as a tikbalang… We’re in deep shit,” Xiaoye replied as she cocked the shotgun when…

“Roof!”

Jason’s warning had just barely left his lips when a clawed hand broke through it, prompting him and Xiaoye to open fire while Van Schilt fearfully shielded himself. Some blood dripped into the car, but the pricolici

“Can’t shake him off!” Roderick shouted as he dangerous swerved left and right in an attempt to get rid of their unwanted passenger.

“Theodore! Theodore, stop this madness!” Van Schilt yelled, but the pricolici continued to attack, and in the frenzy, Roderick missed a turn and crashed into a street lamp, the impact launching the pricolici off the vehicle but also disabling it.

“Out, out!” Jason ordered as he kicked the damaged door off its hinges and pulled Van Schilt out.

With her door jammed, Xiaoye ended up kicking the windshield apart before she and Roderick scrambled out the vehicle, but then she heard Roderick gasped and, sensing danger, whipped the Shikra out the holster as she spun around, placing the barrel right under the pricolici’s jaw, but then she realized the latter had gotten a hold of Roderick’s neck.

“You’re right, he’s fucking fast,” Roderick commented as he nervously took a glance at the pricolici, who was reverting back into the human form of Theodore Stone, with Xiaoye only able to sum up the whole situation with a single word.

“Shit.”