The Chronicles of a Hunter: The Atmore Assignment

By J Ian Fritz

Magic and monsters. For her entire life, Elisabeth Archard has always believed they were nothing more than stories and fairytales. After all, nothing that exciting ever happens in the quiet town of Atmore. That is until one fateful night changes her forever. Now with a thirst for blood and a harmful reaction to sunlight and caught in a hidden world of supernatural criminals, Elisabeth must make a decision. Let the hunger control her or resume her boring life?


Meanwhile, the rash Isaac and the calm Dutch, a pair of skilled special agents called Hunters, are reassigned to Atmore after the bizarre murder of four teenagers. Their investigation takes them deep into the dark side of the peaceful town. Will they be able to free the town from this crime organization's grip or will they become just another pair of dead bodies?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9780359515370

Book preview

The Chronicles of a Hunter: The Atmore Assignment

The Chronicles of a Hunter:

The Atmore Assignment

By

J. Ian Fritz

All characters, locations, events and scenarios are © copyrighted as of 2016 by Jesse Ian Fritz. All Rights Reserved.

I want to give special thanks to my wife. Without her, this book would never had gotten done. I love you baby.

Contents

Chapter 1 - The Mansion On The Hill

Chapter 2 - The Hunters

Chapter 3 - The New Assignment

Chapter 4 - Atmore

Chapter 5 - Homelife

Chapter 6 - The Surprise Visit

Chapter 7 - Dinner for Three

Chapter 8 - The Masquerade Ball

Chapter 9 - The Secret Ritual

Chapter 10 - Meeting The Enforcer

Chapter 11 - Atmore High

Chapter 12 - The Morning After

Chapter 13 - The Next Investigation Path

Chapter 14 - Lunch at the Swift Manor

Chapter 15 – The Unnatural Ox

Chapter 16 - Kugol

Chapter 17 - The Bloody Drink

Chapter 18 - Makaela Mirahorn

Chapter 19 - The Warehouse

Chapter 20 - Waking Up

Chapter 21 - Return to the Mansion

Chapter 22 - Monster Attack

Chapter 23 - The Raven Haired Woman

Chapter 24 - The Lead Scientist

Chapter 25 - The Library of Eternal Wisdom

Chapter 26 - Planning Against the Criminals

Chapter 27 - The Invite

Chapter 28 - The Grimoire

Chapter 29 - The Raid at Naporia

Chapter 30 - The Ring

Chapter 31 - The Meeting

Chapter 32 - Lake Atmore

Chapter 33 - The Underground Base

Chapter 34 - Hunters VS Vampires

Chapter 35 - Relationships End

Chapter 36 - The Return

Chapter 37 - Aftermath

Chapter 1 - The Mansion On The Hill

On a dark night, five teenagers are driving down an abandoned dirt road. The driver, a local football player, has one hand on the steering wheel while his other arm is possessively around his girlfriend's shoulders. A popular country song is blaring through the truck's speakers. Two of his fellow teammates are in the back of the truck, laughing and carrying on. In the passenger seat is a skinny, out of place teenage boy. While everyone is having a good time, he is silently on his phone. Empty beer bottles rattle around on the floor as the truck bounces up and down. The driver takes a swig from a half-empty beer bottle before handing it to his girlfriend. He takes a couple of glances at the skinny boy before swiping his hand through the air.

Hey, Thomas! Stop being such a nerd! You are hanging out with the cool crowd now, The football player says with a chuckle before taking another drink. Thomas, says nothing in return.

The football player's girlfriend leans over and whispers in her boyfriend's ear. Brad, why did you even bring him?

Because this is going to be funny, Brad replies before bringing the truck to a stop in front of an eerie looking mansion.

The mansion is old, probably built during the late 1800s. Time has not been pleasant to the house. Some of the paneling is falling off, a few of the shutters are missing over the windows and ivy has grown along parts of the wall. The metal fence that runs along the perimeter of the mansion is also in bad shape. Some of the stone dividers have been destroyed while some sections of the fence are laying on the ground. As Brad and his girlfriend exit the truck, they feel a chilly wind blow over them.

Brad's girlfriend clings to Brad's arm even tighter as she says, I don't like this place.

Calm down Susan, Brad replies as he pulls his arm out of Susan's grasp. Brad makes his way to the front gate while everyone else stays behind.

Man, I don't know about this place, One of the guys comments as he stands up on the back of the truck.

Oh, stop being such a wimp Jerry, The other guy says as he hops out of the truck. Thomas exits the truck as well but continues to remain silent. He looks up at the mansion before sliding his phone into his pocket.

Brad gives the gate a push and it creaks open. Yeah, Charlie has the right idea. Now come on, Brad orders as he motions for the group to follow him. Charlie heads forward with no fear while Susan and the other guy reluctantly follow. Thomas brings up the rear.

They make their way up the steps before stopping at the front door. The top hinges have been torn clean off and the bottom ones are soon to follow. Brad lifts and opens the door as the other three peeks into the mansion. The inside of the mansion is just as run down as the outside. The stairs to the second floor are almost completely destroyed while a thick layer of dust is on all the furniture.

Charlie heads into the mansion first while everyone else follows. I wonder if this house has anything good hidden in it? Charlie asks as he looks around at the spiderwebs on the corner of the room.

We should probably split up. Me and Susan will go explore upstairs, Brad winks at Susan, who response with a bashful smile. The rest of you, explore somewhere else. Brad grabs Charlie by the arm and pulls him closer. Remember what we agreed on.

Don't worry Brad. We are gonna make this dork piss his pants, Charlie whispers back with a cruel smile. Charlie steps towards an archway as he motions for Thomas and Jerry to follow him. Let's go this way.

Brad waits for them to leave before he swings his arm over Susan's shoulder. He kisses her on the side of the head as he says, Let's go find a bed.

Charlie, Jerry, and Thomas head into what was once a lavish living room. Most of the furniture is still in the room and it's in the same condition as the rest of the house. With each step the boys take, the wood underneath them creaks. Jerry is cautious with his feet while Charlie just stomps around. It's almost as if he is daring the floor to give way. They move from the living room to the kitchen, which is in far worse shape. One of the windows has been torn out, allowing the outside elements to flow freely into the kitchen. The white walls and matching linoleum floors all have signs of water damage. Sections of the floor are loose, revealing a wooden flooring. Some of the sections appear to have gotten loose over time, the glue having faded away. A few parts of the flooring appear to be damaged. Charlie walks over and investigates the damaged floors.

It looks like something was scrapped across here, A cruel smile forms on Charlie's lips as he looks back at Jerry and Thomas. Or someone, He adds, trying to frighten them.

The trick works on Jerry, who immediately replies, Knock it off, Charlie. What if this is like one of those serial killer houses that you see on the internet? Thomas on the other hand, seems bored.

Charlie stands back up and gives the kitchen another look over. His mind starts racing as he tries to come up with a story that incorporates a serial killer. A slightly opened drawer catches his attention. He steps over and peeks inside and much to his amusement, some dirty, rusty silverware is still inside. Charlie opens the drawer, nearly breaking it in the process. Right in the middle of the assortment of silverware is a large, butcher knife. Charlie pulls it out and shows it to Jerry. He walks towards Jerry as he talks in a menacing voice. This is what the owner of the house would have used to cut up his victims!

Stop it Charlie! Jerry shouts as he tries to keep his distance.

The boys attention is drawn away from each other when they hear Thomas say, And this is where he kept the bodies. Thomas is standing to the right of them, an opened door next to him. Jerry and Charlie look at each other. They know that door wasn't there a minute ago. They step over and look through the doorway. A flight of stairs, descending into darkness, is before them.

W-Where did this door come from? Asks Jerry as he backs away from the door.

Let's find out what's down there, Thomas suggests before walking down the stairs. Jerry and Charlie watch as he walks towards the pitch blackness, each step creaking under him. A few seconds after completely disappearing into the darkness, the creaking stops.

Um...Thomas? Are you okay? Jerry calls but Thomas doesn't reply.

Thomas' little stunt angers Charlie. This is stupid, He states as he pulls out his cellphone. He turns on his flashlight but the light does nothing to illuminate the stairwell. It is almost as if the shadows are devouring the light. C'mon! Charlie shouts to Jerry before placing his foot on the step. The moment he passes through the archway, the door slams shut.

Charlie? Charlie! Jerry shouts as he tries to open the door. However, the doorknob will not turn.

On the other side, in total darkness, Charlie is pounding on the door. Jerry! Jerry you idiot! Open this door!

I'm trying man! Replies Jerry as he pulls on the door with all of his might. Suddenly, the doorknob pops off and Jerry stumbles backward, hitting his head in the process.

Charlie feels around for the doorknob but once he grabs it, it disintegrates into dust. What the hell?! Charlie shouts as he steps back. He almost loses his balance but quickly regains it. He angerly rams his shoulder into the door. But the door will not budge. Damnit Jerry! When I get out of here, I'm going to beat you up! Charlie tries a couple more times but still nothing. His shoulder now hurting, he decides to try to kick the door down. Just as he readies himself, he hears a creak from behind him. Followed by another and another, almost as if someone is climbing up the stairs. The footsteps sound heavy, as if someone large is approaching him. Charlie turns around, or at least he thinks he does. Even though he has been in the darkness for several minutes, his eyes still haven't adjusted. W-Who's there? Charlie mumbles as he feels around for his phone. He turns it on but nothing happens. He presses the power button over and over but nothing happens. The creaking continues. His hands sweaty and in his panic, Charlie feels his phone slip from his hand. He hears it hit the wood a couple of times. T-Thomas, that's you isn't it? This isn't funny! Charlie shouts but gets no response. Deep in the darkness, what looks like a pair of glowing silver eyes appears. At that moment, fear completely overtakes Charlie. He spins on his heels and starts banging on the door with all of his might. Help! Help me! Someone help me! He shouts over and over.

Jerry sits up with a groan. He rubs the back of his head as he tries to get a bearing on where he is at. He hears Charlie's screams for help and immediately springs to his feet. Charlie! Charlie, try the doorknob! The one on my side is broken! Jerry shouts through the door as he looks around for some way to open the door. Charlie continues to scream as Jerry steps back. He runs towards the door, his whole weight behind his shoulder.

He reaches the door just as a sharp object punctures through the door. The grey object is curved like a scythe but is unlike any blade Jerry knows of. It doesn't look like its metal, it looks like...it's alive. Charlie's screams are replaced with gagging before being replaced with silence. Jerry falls backward as urine stains his pants. As the scythe object starts to slide back into the hole, Jerry breaks into a run for the front door. Hovering in front of the door is a dark, thick cloud. Jerry runs right into it and immediately feels an intense amount of pain. The cloud feels like it's full of razor blades and every one of them is cutting him on the inside.

Meanwhile, Brad and Susan managed to find another pair of stairs leading up to the second floor. By luck, the first room they tried turned out to be a bedroom. Brad and Susan quickly start making out as Brad guides Susan over to the bed. As they fall onto the bed, it makes the most awful creaking noise.

Susan pushes Brad off of her to ask, What was that?

Brad brushes her concern aside with a dismissive, It was probably nothing, before kissing on her neck.

While Brad leaves marks on her neck, Susan's hands start to travel across the old bedsheets. Disgusted by the feel of them, she pushes Brad off her again.

What now Susan? Brad snaps, irritated at all the interruptions.

I don't think we should do this. This bed is probably filthy with who knows what kinds of germs and diseases. Someone might have even died on this bed, Susan's concerns fall on deaf ears.

Oh come on girl, stop complaining. You didn't seem to care about 'germs' when we did it under the bleachers.

Yeah but... Brad grabs Susan by the back of the neck and kisses her. He uses his larger build to overpower Susan and force her onto the bed. As they continue kissing, a woman walks up behind them. The woman is wearing a plain, cotton grey dress. Her eyes are obscured by a thick, grey veil. She is pale white and looks like she hasn't eaten in days. Her hair, full of red, vibrant color, stands out against the gloomy and worn down room.

Susan spots the strange woman and tries to get Brad to look. He fights against her shoves as he continues kissing her. The woman reaches out with her bony hand and grabs Brad by the back of the neck. In a single motion, she pulls Brad off of Susan and hurls him across the room. He collides with the wall before landing on a desk. The old desk cannot hold Brad's weight and breaks, sending him to the floor. Once the dust settles, Susan lets out a scream. Brad starts to shake before he makes a break for the door, leaving Susan with the woman. The pale woman turns towards Susan and growls at her. Every tooth in her mouth is razor sharp. She holds up her equally sharp claws before bringing them down onto Susan.

Brad stumbles as he hears Susan let out several blood curling scream before suddenly becoming silent. Brad runs back to the foyer and sees Jerry's dead body in front of the door. He looks unharmed but his face is frozen in fear.

What's the matter Brad? Are you afraid? Brad hears someone mocking him from the side of the room. He turns and sees Thomas standing in the archway.

Brad suddenly gains his bravery back upon seeing the skinny teenager. Oh, you are a dead man! Brad declares as he runs at Thomas with clenched fists. Brad grabs Thomas by his shirt and pulls his fist back to hit him.

He stops when Thomas declares, Oh, looks like you are dead. Before Brad has a chance to reply, he feels teeth bite deep into his neck.

Chapter 2 - The Hunters

I don't think she's going to show, Dutch, One young man says to his friend. The two men are sitting in a small diner off the main interstate.

Oh Isaac, you are always an impatient one, Dutch comments as he looks around the small diner. The early morning sun shines through the windows, bathing the slightly busy diner in an orange light. Isaac adjusts in his seat as they wait for their breakfast.

Isaac runs his hand through his short, coal black hair. His brown eyes dart around the diner, looking at everyone with the same suspicious glance. He lifts up the right sleeve of his grey shirt to scratch his shoulder. The faded tattoo of a shield with a sword behind it is imprinted on his toned upper arm. A series of strange symbols are tattooed under the shield and sword. These symbols, which resemble runic character's, is also faded.

Which Isaac is moving around, Dutch calmly remains still. Dutch is wearing a blue button shirt, its long sleeves rolled back to his elbows. The top two buttons are undone, revealing a white shirt underneath. His head is completely bald. Dutch takes a sip of his coffee as his light green eyes watch Isaac. There is a hint of amusement in them. His worn, leather coat is neatly folded next to him.

After a few more minutes of waiting, their server returns, a black tray in hand. Here you go gentlemen, The late 20-something brunette says before grabbing one of the plates. One omelet surprise, She places a plate with hash browns, toast and a large omelet in front of Isaac. And one deluxe breakfast, In front of Dutch she places two plates. A large one with two over-medium eggs, bacon, toast and hashbrowns and a smaller one with three pancakes on it. Is there anything else I can get you today? She politely asks as she tucks the tray under her arm.

Isaac begins to eat, leaving Dutch to reply. Nothing at the moment ma'am. With an exchange of smiles, the lady leaves them to their food. They are barely halfway done when Dutch comments, She's here.

Where? Asks Isaac, his mouth half full of hash browns. He looks over Dutch's shoulder at a petite, raven-haired woman. A black, low cut dress hangs from her shoulders and hugs her slender frame. An exquisite crucifix hangs around her neck. A black hat with a wide brim obscures her black eyes. Her black, ankle strap heels click against the tile as she makes her way to a booth. With each step, more and more eyes turn to her. Isaac and Dutch can hear several women scoff at the woman's appearance and the attention she steals.

Isaac waits for the woman to pass before leaning across the table. Are you sure that's her? He whispers as Dutch finishes off a piece of bacon. He gives Isaac and nod, and that's all he needs. He slides out of the booth and makes his way towards the lady.

Are you going to finish your omelet? He hears Dutch asks.

The brunette server is in the middle of taking the woman's drink order as Isaac slides into the empty booth. The server gives Isaac a disapproving look but he is only interested in the other woman. The raven-haired woman turns to the server, her voice as smooth as her dress, It's okay. The server tells the woman it will be a moment before leaving them.

The woman's eyes peek out from below the brim of her hat. Her black eyes have a reflective beauty to them. Can I help you Mr...

Isaac DeLuca. You are Gwendalyn Doreen, am I right? Gwendalyn's red lips curve into a slight smile upon hearing her name.

That is correct, For a moment, her eyes move from Isaac's face to the rest of the diner before returning. If it's a date you want, I'm afraid you are going to have to get in line.

I do not care about a date. Does the name Henry Bartholomew mean anything to you?

The name gives Gwendalyn pause before she replies, No, it does not. Gwendalyn sits back in her seat as her orange juice arrives.

Isaac gets another disapproving glare from the server, and like before, he pays her no attention. Do you need a few more minutes before ordering?

Gwendalyn starts to answer but stops. What do you suggest I order?

The omelet surprise.

Splendid. I will have the omelet surprise, Gwendalyn waits for the server to write down the order before handing her menu over. I have heard this diner has some of the best breakfasts this side of Alberque.

Back to the topic at hand, Isaac roughly says. He has no interest in small talk over the food.

Gwendalyn removes her hat, allowing her black hair to flow freely. As she places her hat on the table, she informs Isaac of his terrible manners. You certainly don't know how to woo a lady, do you?

Tell me what you know about Pascal Taliferro, Isaac commands but Gwendalyn justs chuckles at him.

Is it always about business with you, Hunter? Isaac's serious expression breaks for a moment. Oh yes, I know who you are. And that gentleman over there, She points at Dutch, who is busy eating Isaac's omelet. Is that Dutch? Is it true what they say about him?

Isaac stares at her beaming face. She is proud of her information. If you know who we are, then you know what we can do.

Oh? Is that a threat? Gwendalyn leans forward and lowers her voice. Tell me Hunter, have you ever fought a witch?

Plenty of times, Isaac confidently responses, unfazed by her threat.

Not one like me, As Gwendalyn straightens her back, Isaac notices that her eyes have changed color. They are now an emerald green color.

Just tell me... Isaac starts to speak but pauses when he sees the server return with her food.

Gwendalyn thanks her for the food as she picks up her fork. The server lingers for a moment as Gwendalyn tries the omelet. As she brings the fork up to her lips, she takes care not to ruin her lipstick. Hmm! It appears my guest's suggestion was a good one, Comments Gwendalyn before she takes another bite.

I'm glad, The server says with a smile. She gets one last glance at Isaac before leaving.

As I was saying, Says Isaac while Gwendalyn eats. The Guild knows you have been in contact with Bartholomew and Taliferro. I want to know why.

Gwendalyn dabs her mouth with her napkin as Isaac waits for a response. She graciously returns the napkin to her lap before speaking. Fine. It is true, I have been working with the two Vampires. However, a proper witch never reveals what is discussed between herself and her...clients.

The Guild has ways to get the information it wants, Isaac boldly threatens. Gwendalyn, is not scared.

Looks like you aren't the only one searching for answers, She comments before eating some hashbrowns. Isaac's eyebrows come together in confusion. Gwendalyn points with her fork at something behind him. He looks over his shoulder and sees three pale men standing at the entrance.

All three of them stand out in their black trench coats. Each of them has long hair. The one talking to one of the servers has white hair while his companions each have black.

Who ar- Isaac starts to ask as he turns back around. To his surprise, Gwendalyn, and her food, have disappeared. Isaac's face drops into a frown as he looks at the empty booth. He leans forward to see if she's laying down before checking under the table. Like a proper witch, she has vanished.

The three pale men start making their way over to Isaac. Part of the way there, the white-haired man suddenly trips and falls. He returns to his feet, his fanged teeth showing as he lets out a growl.

Pardon me, Says Dutch, drawing the attention of the men over to him.

The leader grabs him by his shirt and displays incredible strength by pulling Dutch to eye level. How dare you trip me, you filthy Lomia!

So what brings a trio of the Vamourr Guard to a tiny diner? Dutch asks, clearly not afraid of the man.

The white-haired man lets out a slow growl as his mouth hovers above Dutch's neck. Patrons within the diner start to leave in a hurry. They know something is about to happen. The man looks Dutch in the eyes and sees a look of calmness, not of fear. Why are you not afraid of me human?

Tsk. You think you are the first vampire to threaten me? As Dutch finishes talking, Isaac slides out from his booth.

Isaac orders, Release my friend, and everyone turns to look at him. The diner is completely empty now. The staff has all taken refuge in the kitchen. You are interfering with official Hunter business.

You are interfering with official Vamourr Guard business! The leader hisses and his two associates follow.

Dutch informs them of regulations, The Human Realm belongs to the Guild. You are out of your jurisdiction, but they don't seem to care. Fine, we are going to do this the hard way then.

Dutch brings his arm up and knocks the vampire's arm away, freeing himself in the process. With the same quickness, he grabs the vampire's head and slams him into the table. While Dutch is doing this, Isaac tackles the other two. The table breaks from the impact and the lead vampire is knocked unconscious. One of the vampires picks up Isaac and tosses him towards Dutch. Dutch ducks and Isaac goes right through the window. Lucky, there were no cars parked by that window. Isaac lands and rolls across the sandy ground.

Dutch stands up and stares at the remaining two vampires. Only two of you? I think you should go get some backup, Dutch taunts, angering them. One takes a swipe at Dutch's head but the Hunter easily ducks under it. He strikes the vampire in the stomach several times as he moves away from the table. He ends with an uppercut to the chin, knocking the vampire off his feet. The other one charges at Dutch as he shows his fangs. Dutch grabs his wrists and fights to keep him away from his neck. The vampire swipes at Dutch the best he can, given his limited movement. He viciously snaps at the air before Dutch drives his knee into his stomach and then his chin. As the third vampire falls, the second one starts to sit up. Dutch swiftly kicks him in the face, knocking him out.

Isaac rushes back into the diner, ready to fight but is disappointed to see that it is already over. Dutch looks over at the destroyed table, the remainder of their food now all over the vampire's body. Aw, I was gonna get a to-go box too.

Chapter 3 - The New Assignment

Isaac starts to search the vampire's bodies while Dutch moves the leader away from the table. Find anything of interest? Dutch inquires as he finishes moving the body.

Isaac replies with a simple No, as he steps over to the leader. The leader has the same stuff on him as the other two. None of them have any wallets or anything to identify them with. Isaac finds a vial of red liquid, which he assumes to be blood or a blood alternative. The vial was only on the leader and one of the vampires though. All three of them do have a small bottle of 'Sun Resisting Block'. The leader has another thing of interest inside his coat pocket; a small picture.

Isaac studies the photo. The photo is of a woman in a white bathrobe standing on the other side of the window. The photo was taken from an upper angle from the woman. As if the photographer was several floors above her. It takes Isaac a second but he recognizes the woman as being Gwendalyn. Isaac looks away from the picture and asks Dutch, How do you know they are Vamourr Guards?

Their uniforms. Only Vamourr Guard wear the reinforced black trenchcoat, Dutch explains as he rubs part of the leader's coat. It feels metallic but has a scratchy quality to it. Lucky for us, they aren't very good. I once had a run in with a Vamourr Guard who nearly ripped my neck out.

Look at this, Isaac hands Dutch the photo of Gwendalyn, ignoring Dutch's story. As Dutch looks the photo over, Isaac asks, Why do you think the Vamourr Order want with Gwendalyn?

Probably the same thing we want with her, Dutch replies before looking up from the photo.

Suddenly, one of the cooks come busting through the kitchen door. In his hands is a shotgun. I don't know who you two are but you get th- In the middle of the cook's words, he suddenly freezes. He is completely motionless, not even blinking. His mouth hangs open, stuck in between letters.

Dutch and Isaac look around the diner for the cause. Standing by the entrance is a middle age man in a black suit. The man has greyish hair while his beard, which reaches down to his chest, is solid black. His left hand is out, pointing at the cook while his other hand clenches a black suitcase. His face is wrinkly and sags, more so than most people his age.

Dutch cheerfully greets the old man like he is seeing an old friend. Hello Dan.

Isaac stands and turns to face Dan. His tone is not as pleasant, taking on more of a mocking tone. Daniel, what a surprise. You are here much quicker than usual. Did C.A.P. finally upgrade from horses to cars?

Dan's tired brown eyes and thin, grey eyebrows frown at Isaac. He speaks