“I was not aware that there was a nice part,” Lindemann chuckled. “If you would excuse me then, gentlemen.” He calmly walked down the now clear aisle.

“I believe that man intends to win,” I said.

“My money is on him,” Earl answered. “But you never know. Maybe one of the new ones will surprise us.”

“It’s a shame to have outsiders handling work on our turf…Oh man, they’re foreigners doing the jobs Americans don’t want to do. That’s so tacky.”

“Trust me on this one. We don’t want any part of Unicorn business.”

“Wait…So that’s Unicorn?”

“Special Task Force Unicorn.”

“They like MCB?”

“Not in the slightest, but not in any of the good ways. MCB is to hide monsters from people. STFU is to use monsters against people. I’m surprised to see the rat come out of the walls.”

Stricken was still watching his monitor, waiting, as the last of the experienced Hunters left and all that remained was MHI. “Harbinger, I’m surprised. You don’t strike me as a man that likes losing.”

“I especially don’t like to lose people,” Earl said, sounding strained.

“Me either, which is why I want this mission wrapped up rikki-tic. Who else do you have there? I can see you left half your leaders outside just in case. Clever…” Stricken’s glasses moved to the other side and he read. “Pitt, Owen Z.…Now you’re an interesting case.”

I didn’t know anything about this man, but I knew I didn’t want him paying any attention to me. “Not particularly.”

“Keep telling yourself that, kid. I’ve got some blank spots in my file about you. I really don’t like having blank spots. Incomplete reports keep me up at night.” I was so glad Myers had shredded his paperwork about me after the Arbmunep.

“One of your pets go off the reservation again?” Earl challenged.

Stricken chuckled. “No, this isn’t one of mine. My current roster is very well behaved, plays well with others, follows orders, regular upstanding citizens deserving of future PUFF exemptions. I couldn’t ask for a better strike force of supernatural killers. Oh, why the sad face? Come on, Earl, still bitter? She’s almost halfway done, just over one year left, then time’s served, she’s free to go.”

Earl was leaning forward, holding onto the back of the folding chair in front of him. The metal beneath his hands creaked and bent as his knuckles turned white. “I’ve already cleaned up one of your mistakes. The suckers can handle this one. You wouldn’t be coming to us unless you want somebody else to bleed on your behalf.”