[1] The Hunters

[Kaden]

Things started happening quickly. At least it seemed quick to Kaden; the courier noted that neither Orion nor Ares seemed startled by the sudden commotion. The Saiyans inclined their heads in the woman's direction as she sudden let out a scream while Kaden practically leapt out of his skin. That the purple-skinned alien pulled out his tranquilizer gun and downed a guard seconds later didn't help Kaden's nerves.

Turning towards the departing changeling, Kaden grimaced as he heard the second guard making his presence known. Kaden surprised quickly turned to horror as he watched the woman draw a gun of her own and level it at the second guard. Though he tried to move, or do anything really, Kaden could only watch as the woman squeezed off two rounds. The pistol's report rang through the camp, followed quickly by the guard's cries of pain.

In the corner of his mind, Kaden was aware of the woman saying something, but was too distracted for it to actually register. As the courier watched the guard writhe in pain, the reality of the situation dawned on Kaden. He had been able to distance himself from what was about to happen by treating it as a game, something to simply be laughed off, but that wasn't the case. There was a good chance that the guard would be cirppled for the rest of his life, which probably wouldn't last too much longer.

To Kaden's immediate right, another report rang throughout the camp. This one, however, was the dulled sound of the tranquilizer guns that all the Hunters had been given. Kaden twisted around to see Ares pointing his gun past the courier. Spinning again, Kaden saw a dart sticking out of the second guard's neck and noticed a distinct lack of painful whimpering.

"I don't need to listen to that," Ares said nonchalantly. Before returning his tranq gun to its resting place, the Saiyan looked it over appriasingly.

Both Saiyans turned their attention to the retreating figures of Piper and Szar before shrugging their shoulders and turning back towards each other. Kaden's head swiveled from the guards to the mansion and back again while he tried to decide what he should do. While the woman had seemed somewhat remiss about having to shoot that second guard, she had done it nonetheless. Kaden had no idea what would take place if they should happen upon more guards inside the mansion. The human started towards the mansion, then stopped and turned back towards the two Saiyans.

"I'm gonna go get those two. I, uh... yeah."

Kaden's eyes darted between Orion and Ares for a moment, looking for some kind of acknowledgment. Ares just shook his head and shrugged, but Orion paused for a second. Eventually he ended up shrugging just Ares had. With nothing else to really say, Kaden moved towards the mansion.

The sheer size and magnificence of the building was intimidating enough on its own, the fact that Kaden was sneaking in didn't help the situation. As he approached the still-open door to the mansion's foyer, Kaden caught bits of conversation between the woman and the alien. The conversation seemed cut short, though, and Kaden could feel the two of them moving away from the front door.

Slipping into the mansion, Kaden pulled the front door closed as quitely as he could and quickly discovered what had caused the two Hunters to quiet up. Footsteps echoed throughout the massive foyer as someone approached. Turning his head, Kaden's eyes lit up as he scanned the inside of the mansion. The person approaching was coming in from the balcony enterance to Kaden's right. Trying to move quietly, Kaden strolled across the foyer and came to stop underneath the balcony.

Knowing he was out of sight eased Kaden's nerves a bit, but he was still anxious to get the other two and get out. Staying beneath the balcony, Kaden had a relatively easy time following Szar and Piper. Even with the two of them beyond his Sight, he could feel them easily enough. As he made his way down a small staircase, Kaden could make out the flowing light of his fellow Hunters behind an intriguingly out-of-place plywood door.

Without really giving it too much thought, Kaden reached out and pulled the door open without any real warning. As light poured into the small room, Kaden found himself staring down the barrels of Szar's tranquilizer gun and Piper's not-so-tranquilizing pistol. Instinctively, Kaden jerked backwards and threw both of his hands into the air.

"Uh... hey guys." Kaden swallowed hard as Piper and Szar exchanged quick glances. "It's Kaden. Y'know... one of the Hunters..."