"How long until backup arrives?" Fortier barked, his tone brooking no delay as he fixed a piercing gaze on the nearest officer.
"They should be arriving any minute, Commander," the officer replied, his voice taut with the pressure from Fortier's scrutiny.
"Is anyone hurt? What's the ETA on medical assistance?" Fortier's questions came rapidly as he turned to another officer. It was as if he were passionately reciting some script from an action film.
"No casualties, Commander. Medical assistance is en route and will arrive with the backup," the officer answered quickly, sensing Fortier's impatience.
With the assurance that help was on the way, Fortier turned back to his team, his expression hard. "Alright, listen up! This mission will be clean—no injuries, no mistakes. Do I make myself clear?" His words were clipped, carrying a palpable edge.
"Set up a perimeter around this area with everyone on patrol. No one gets in, and no one gets out. We only know of the two Dread Hunters we've seen thus far, but there could be more lurking around," he commanded, his eyes narrowing as they swept over to the patrol boat.
"Ms. O'Hara, stay put and stay out of the way. Understood?"
Unbeknownst to Fortier, Jackie had already slipped into the boat while they encircled Neil, just as a sudden shotgun blast shattered the tense air.
"Ms. O'Hara? Ms. O'Hara? What did I tell her?" Fortier muttered angrily to himself, assuming Jackie had landed herself in trouble. "Get to work, now!" he shouted, his voice a whip-crack as he sprinted toward the source of the noise.
As Fortier boarded the boat, Jackie persisted in her search for the remaining hunter. She cautiously explored the vessel, eventually ascending to the captain's quarters and control room on the third floor for a better view of the boat's layout.
Upon opening the door, she narrowly avoided falling through a hole in the floor, which held a dark abyss without a single glimmer of light.
"That was close," she murmured, quickly compiling information about the boat's structure and what she had observed aboard. "If my guess is correct, this used to be one of those tourist steamboats that showed people around the outskirts of the kingdom, where the sea borders the lower parishes. Wonder what it's doing all the way out here in the middle of the swamp."
Jackie's curiosity briefly got the best of her, drawing her into the familiar trance she often experienced when faced with the unknown, but she knew better than to let the trance hold her for long. Her days of dealing in the unknown were far behind her, ever since she was unable to figure out the disappearance of three missing individuals. Eventually she was convinced to retire from being a contractor and dedicated the rest of her time to caring for her parents until they passed away. One passed from a disease caused by cigarettes, the other from natural causes. But despite being retired, there were still certain occasions that required her presence—occasions only she was capable of overcoming.
MOVING THROUGH THE STORAGE ROOM WITH HIS FLASHLIGHT SECURED TO HIS CHEST, Fortier advanced with a balance of speed and caution. In the eerie silence, only his footsteps and breath echoed in his ears as he scanned for any trace of the Dread Hunter, Jackie, or the child he had glimpsed.
"I expressly told her to stay put on the patrol boat; she's going to end up getting herself killed and tarnishing the reputation I'm building," he fumed, lost in his frustration.
He turned corners sharply, aiming the iron sight of his gun ahead of him. As he maneuvered, he felt something snag his ankle, causing him to crash to the floor, sending crates and barrels tumbling over him. With the boat's eerie quietness, the loud crash reverberated, prompting everyone aboard to spring into action and head towards the source of the noise.
"Oh? I must've caught a little mouse in my trap," Theo smirked, taking off, running down a flight of stairs.
Jackie glanced over at a map of the boat's layout before dropping through the hole, moving from floor to floor toward the sound.
Noir silently traversed through the shadows, following Theo to investigate the commotion.
"Aahhh, you've got to be kidding me. I think I sprained my shoulder." Fortier winced as he lay face-down on the ground, his flashlight strewn on the floor.
With his good arm, he sat up, brushed off the debris, and grabbed his flashlight. He shone it on himself, checking for injuries. His uniform sleeve was torn, and his arm was bruised and littered with splinters from the crates.
"Commander Fortier? To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting the rising star and the youngest commander the kingdom's police has ever seen? Oh my."
Theo glanced at Fortier's wounds. "Not having the best night now, are we?"
Fortier stopped inspecting himself. His heart sank at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. Slowly, he shined his light forward, revealing Theo's face.