Hunter Part 10
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by Felicia
6/14/00

 
I don't own 'em, and I'm not making any money from this.
Permission to archive is happily granted
 
We left off with Part Nine here:
 
 
***Nick's first reaction was to hurry to the dying man down the hall, but 
that was impossible. Whatever had just killed him was probably the monster 
that staked Janette - and it was not only in the building but heading right 
towards the room where Nick, Natalie, and Schanke were standing.

As Schanke, who was nearest the door leading to the hallway, pulled out his 
gun, Natalie reached over and grabbed Nick's arm and exclaimed, "Oh my God, 
Nick. It's coming this way. What do we do?"***
 
And now, on with 
"When the Hunter Becomes the Hunted." 
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Part 10 --By Felicia Olivier
 
            
     Nick, Natalie, and Schanke stood frozen, not sure what they should do.  
Suddenly, the horrible noises from the hall ceased.  There was silence.  It 
seemed like hours had passed although it was merely minutes.  With every 
tick of the clock, Natalie felt as if her heart would pound out of her chest.  
Finally, Schanke turned and said, "Well, partner?  It's gone awfully quiet.  
What do you think?" 
            
     Nick sighed and nodded.  "We'd better go check out the hall

     "I was afraid you'd say that.  Okay, I'm right behind you."
 
     Nick tossed Schanke a glance over his shoulder before telling Natalie, 
"Stay here, no matter what you hear."  She nodded, and the two detectives 
crept slowly out the door.  At the end of the hall, there was indeed another 
mutilated body.  There was no sign of the *thing* that had done the 
mutilating.  Schanke called in the homicide while Nick returned to the 
morgue.  The look on his face spoke volumes.
 
     "Another one," Nat asked.
 
     He nodded grimly.  "This one's worse.  The body has not only been 
drained, but I think there are some organs missing."
 
     Natalie let out a heavy sigh and picked up her bag.  "Nick, I think it's 
even more important that you go see *him* now.  Make an excuse to Schanke.  
This cannot go on."
    
     "You're right, of course.  I'll go now."  He crossed and kissed her 
quickly before he disappeared.
 
     Natalie walked into the hall and the odor permeating the small space 
overwhelmed her.  Not since she'd been in her first year as an ME had she 
felt that way.  She fought the waves of nausea and forced herself to move 
toward the body.  
 
      "Nat, you okay?  You don't look good."  Schanke looked concerned.
 
      Natalie gave a rueful smile and thought, "I'm fine!  I'm fabulous!  Do 
you realize that the *whatever* that did this has also killed two other 
people and almost killed a vampire?  And we have no idea *what* it is?  And 
our best shot at finding out lies with LaCroix?  The Master of the Prince of
Darkness routine?"  To him, she said, "I'm alright, Schanke, just a bit 
tired."  She knelt to examine the body, and found that Nick had been correct.
The heart and liver had indeed been removed.  "Well, Nick," she thought, I 
certainly hope you can get something out of that sire of yours."


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            Okay, who's next? :)