Amidst the cover in the shaded darkness of the night, Hecate traversed through the crowded streets whose light glimmered with evening vibrance. Strands of her crimson hair swayed as her velvet-tinted eyes surveyed the busy surroundings with a scrutinizing gaze.
"I can't believe I got lost..." She muttered under her cold breath and sighed to herself. The day had been pleasant for her, especially after meeting her senior and partner. The two of them got along, the icy wall between them thawing with time.
Unfortunately, she overestimated her navigational capability and got lost trying to explore the night market. She lost sight of her partner and couldn't even feel his presence in the tide of people.
'I thought that there was a curfew during the night. How are there so many people roaming around?' She gritted her teeth, somewhat annoyed. But there wasn't much she could do about it.
The human world was far different than what she was familiar with. Even with the growing threats of Aberrants and Cryptids, humanity was adaptable and continued to live as though nothing was wrong.
'Is this why my mo-' Hecate shook her head and discarded the thought that dared to emerge from the depths of her mind. She continued observing the crowd and decided to head towards a landmark.
It was better than senselessly wandering through the streets without a guide. Besides, Damien must be trying to find her. She didn't want to bother him by wasting more time.
"Is there a nearby landmark?" She inwardly questioned and glanced around. No one answered, prompting her to lower her head. 'What am I even expecting. I should ask them personally.'
Turning her attention towards a nearby man, she walked towards him and patted his shoulder. The middle-aged man grunted in annoyance, but his gaze widened when he looked at the one tapping him. Lust flickered for a moment, though it faded immediately.
"How may I help you, girl?" He smiled at the beautiful crimson-haired girl. Noticing his lustful gaze, Hecate furrowed her eyebrows but decided to ignore it and question him. "Sir, can you point me to the direction of the night market's entrance?"
The middle-aged man gave a crooked smile and answered. "How about I guide you to the entrance, girl? You should be lost, right? I know many shortcuts in the alleyways."
Hecate's gaze narrowed as a cold glint escaped her velvet irises. She wasn't worried about this middle-aged man. He was too weak. However, she didn't want to kill someone during her first day in the job.
She didn't want to disappoint the trust Miss Alastair and Damien had given to her. But before she could utter a response, she felt a warm touch grasping her hand. She was startled out of her thoughts and glanced at the one who took her palm.
"Damien?" Hecate was astounded and relieved. Diamen stood between her and the middle-aged man, gazing at him with frost. "Apologies, but there's no need for your assistance. She's my colleague."
Sensing the hostile stare of the black-suited young man, the man felt embarrassed but promptly noticed his identity as a Jaeger of SIGIL. With a mortified smile, the middle-aged man apologized and backed away.
The uncomfortable situation was finally resolved by her partner. She didn't want to murder a man in cold blood; however, she wouldn't hesitate to do so if he had tried some funny business.
Damien dragged her away, holding her pale and soft hand tightly. As they traversed through the crowd in the glittering lights of the night market, a sense of nostalgia struck Hecate. A memory hidden deep within her mind emerged from the ashes of the past.
It was a long time ago, before tragedies and suffering entered her life. She was young back then, an ordinary girl whose world was warm and simple. At first, it was her parents who held her hands and guided her.
But after their deaths, it was her brother who endured pain and sorrow. When she was experimented on, it was some lone older sister who took care of her. Even though they weren't bound by blood, she was treated like family.
When the older sister died and was thrown away by those bastards. It was her best friend who had a heart filled with hope. No matter the suffering, her best friend would always smile.
Despite being unfortunate to have met tragedy after tragedy, she felt lucky to have met these individuals who became pillars of her life. Sadly... All of them met their end, unable to pave their way forward.
It made her wonder if it was a curse. Was it the sealed Progenitor intending to break her apart and escape the cage that was her body?
Before she could ask more questions within her mind, a calm voice interrupted her thoughts and thrust her back to reality. "We need to leave this place and find a desolate area."
"A group of adversaries is heading towards us. We must avoid this place so that none of the humans would become collateral damage." Damien uttered and pushed onward through the busy crowd.
Understanding his words, Hecate pacified her heart and mind. She hardened her resolve and sped up her pace. He stopped holding her pale and cold hand, noting the collected state of his partner.
"I told you to not wander around. You almost got lost, Hecate." He shook his head and continued. "In any case, these guys must be after you. The reason why they are approaching must be because of Miss Alastair leaving us alone."
"You're good at close-combat, right?" Damien inquired, causing her to nod in agreement and reply. "While I am not exactly skilled in fighting techniques, I can punch others to death without a problem."
He was confused for a moment about what she meant, but the confrontation should solve his confusion. "Alright, the impending opponents should be dhampirs. These cryptids are something we can easily handle."
"But the focus is to minimize as much collateral damage as possible. Whether this be human lives or properties. Am I understood?" In a clash between Jaeger and their adversaries, the focus was on immediate termination."
That was the integral part of being a Jaeger.
It didn't take long for the two of them to arrive in an empty yard enclosed by looming buildings. An eerie silence pervaded their surroundings, though shadows stood above nearby rooftops, eyeing their targets below.
Damien and Hecate stood in the center while their assassins encircled them. These assassins wore ordinary clothing, though masks covered their faces. 'Sleeper agents, huh?'
Each of these assassins grasped their blades tightly, preparing for the clash that was about to come. But unexpectedly, it wasn't them that attacked first. As Hecate shifted her posture, she dashed towards the nearby dhampir and punched him in the face.
The assassin was launched backward while nearby dhampirs launched their counterattack. Several blades cleaved and slashed at Hecate, but she dodged them with ease and kicked one of them in the face.
An assassin's mask broke apart, while the crimson-haired girl threw another swipe to the right. The disoriented was lunged to the ground, his head puncturing the ground with a loud thud.
Dust scattered through the area as some of the assassins targeted the black-suited young man behind Hecate. The crimson-haired girl glanced at him, her velvet eyes widened, while her heart pounded in dread.
However, as the edge of the blade was about to reach Damien, it passed through his body with ease. It was as though it was hitting air; there was nothing that could be cleaved in half.
The dhampir was astounded, but before he could react. The black-suited young man had already thrown an uppercut. The assassin's fangs shattered as his body was propelled into the air.
"I might not be an expert in close-quarters, but that doesn't mean I'm weak." He muttered as he struck the descending dhampir with his knee, knocking the bastard unconscious.
The battle between the two and the group of dhampirs continued for a dozen minutes before all of them were beaten black and blue. Some even died at the hands of Hecate, who crushed their neck when given the chance.
The buzzing small courtyard finally calmed down, silence returning alongside the whispers of the evening breeze. It was their first victory together as partners.
From a distant rooftop, Alastair and Francine watched the young ones earn their first success. The group of dhampirs was defeated by their excellent cooperation and synergy. The gorgeous white-haired lady grinned at the two and remarked. "As expected of my members."
"Their foundation is solid. While Hecate might need time to adapt to the duties of Jaegers, it shouldn't take long before their team becomes an independent duo." Francine stated while staring at her junior, Damien.
"There's no use in staying within New York anymore. It's time for us to build a nest of our own. Relying on those old fools for a home brings me nothing more but shivers." Alastair chuckled, earning the nod of her secretary.
"Where should we establish ourselves, Miss Alastair?"
The beautiful white-haired lady thought about it for a couple of seconds before answering. "How about we head towards that new city? It sounds dangerous, but it could be an opportunity. There should be talents in that area."
"Talents? Well, if you want an eccentric bunch to become agents of Block 7, it could very well be the best place," Francine muttered to herself, but felt a presence beside her. The two of them turned their attention towards the silhouette and saw their Aberrant.
Damien lowered his fedora while holding a briefcase beneath his fingers. Since the beginning, it was his summoned monster who had been exploring Brooklyn with Hecate. Obviously, he remotely controlled it through a personal skill.
"Block 7 is relocating, huh?"