Chapter 2: Hunter

Chapter 2: Hunter

The city was alive.

Neon signs flickered under the pink-hued sky, casting their glow over winding streets and domed buildings that stretched high like the dunes beyond the city walls. The ground rumbled with the sounds of foot traffic, hover bikes, and merchants barking out deals. Dust swirled in the air, kicked up by hurried footsteps and the low hum of distant engines.

A man in a tattered lab coat darted through the chaos, breathing hard. His dog-like tail twitched behind him as he vaulted over crates, shoving past startled civilians. Gasps and curses erupted around him. Vendors clutched their wares. A woman dropped a tray of drinks, the glass shattering against the uneven stone pavement.

But the real storm came behind him.

Kat was closing in.

He moved like a shadow—silent, lethal, unrelenting. While the doctor scrambled, slipping on loose stones and barely catching himself, Kat flowed effortlessly. His long coat trailed behind him as he leaped over carts, sidestepped startled pedestrians, and swung around metal poles with feline precision. His silver eyes locked onto his target.

"Stop running," Kat called, his voice calm but laced with authority. "You can't escape the great Kat."

But the doctor didn't stop. If anything, he moved faster.

Kat narrowed his eyes. Something was off. The way this guy moved—it wasn't normal for a human. The enhanced muscle reaction, the unnatural speed. Of course.

Niri had done it to himself.

The chase twisted through the market, past alleyways filled with the smell of oil and roasting meat. People shouted as the two figures tore through their daily lives. A merchant stumbled back, his stack of fabrics spilling to the ground in a flurry of red and gold. A child gasped, yanked back by her mother just before Kat vaulted over a low railing, landing smoothly on the other side.

The doctor dove into a crumbling dormitory complex. Kat followed without hesitation.

Inside, the hallways were dim, lit only by flickering wall lamps and the occasional window spilling pink light into the dust-filled air. Doors slammed as startled residents peered out, only to retreat at the sight of the relentless enforcer.

Niri took the stairs two at a time. Kat was right behind him.

"Just give up," Kat growled, barely winded. "You know how this ends."

Niri didn't respond. He burst onto the rooftop, scrambling across the gravel and leaping to the next building. Kat didn't hesitate. His boots hit the rooftop's edge, and he launched himself forward. Wind rushed past his fur. He landed gracefully, rolling once before springing back into full sprint.

The doctor was fast, but Kat was faster.

With a flick of his wrist, Kat pulled a small metallic disk from his belt. He flung it forward, and as it soared through the air, it expanded—thin wires shooting out like a net. The device wrapped around Niri's legs mid-jump, yanking him down hard onto the next rooftop.

Kat landed beside him a second later. Niri groaned, struggling, but the trap held tight.

"Not bad," Kat muttered, pressing a knee into Niri's back. He reached into his coat, pulling out a small, thin chip. "But not good enough."

Before the doctor could protest, Kat jammed the chip into the side of his neck. A small beep confirmed the connection. Then, with a tap of his wrist device—

Electricity surged through Niri's body.

He convulsed violently, a strangled gasp escaping his lips before his body seized up completely. His fingers clawed at the rooftop, but Kat pressed harder, keeping him still. The scent of singed fabric filled the air.

No mercy.

Kat waited a moment before cutting the charge. Niri twitched but was barely conscious now. His breathing was ragged, his eyes unfocused.

"You're under arrest for illegal genetic experimentation," Kat said coolly. He yanked the doctor upright, ignoring the pained groan. "You mixed species where they weren't meant to be mixed. And now look at you." He scoffed, flicking the man's twitching tail. "Some kind of freak."

Niri barely had the breath to respond.

Kat exhaled sharply and turned his wrist device. A blue holographic projection flickered to life—a tall, commanding woman with piercing eyes and an aura of silent danger.

Lara.

Kat's expression shifted, his usual smirk fading. "Target neutralized. Your people can clean up the mess." His voice was sharp, impatient. "I did the mission. It's done. I want my daughter."

Lara's expression didn't change. Her voice was cool and measured. "Watch your tone, Kat."

Kat clenched his jaw, but she continued. "Return to Abba Station. We'll discuss your situation there."

"No." His tail flicked, irritation flashing in his eyes. "You said this was the last mission."

Lara's gaze was unwavering. "Be there."

Then the hologram vanished.

Kat exhaled sharply, running a hand through his fur. "Damn woman," he muttered. He turned his glare to Niri, who was still struggling to stay upright. "What the hell are you looking at?"

Minutes later, outside the dormitory, black SLP ships descended, engines humming as they landed in the clearing.

A squad of enforcers in dark uniforms stepped out, giving Kat respectful nods as he tossed Niri onto the ground like a discarded rag. But the real star of the show stepped forward.

A woman, tall and thin, her black gloves gleaming under the neon lights. Her smile was too wide, her eyes too bright.

Sharlott.

She clapped her hands together, delighted. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the great Kat."

Kat narrowed his eyes. "Sharlott."

She crouched beside Niri, tilting her head. "So we finally caught you, old friend." Her voice was sickly sweet. "You remember me, don't you?"

Niri shuddered.

Sharlott grinned. "Oh, we're going to have so much fun. Just like old times."

Kat snorted. "You're creepy as hell."

Sharlott simply winked at him before turning back to her new plaything.

Kat didn't wait for more. He stepped back, heading for his ship.

Time to get off this rock.

And get some real damn answers.

Kat exited the planet's atmosphere, leaving behind the massive pink world and its singular, looming moon. His ship, the Aegis, adjusted course

The vast pink planet loomed behind as Kat engaged the ship's FTL drive. A single massive moon hung in the sky before it all blurred into streaks of white light. Within seconds, he re-emerged near Abba Station, orbiting Mars.

"SLP Control, this is Kat Valenciano. Confirming arrival."

"Copy that, Enforcer Valenciano. Docking bay 12 is ready. Welcome back."

The eased into the docking clamps, and Kat stepped onto the station. The moment his boots hit the metallic floor, murmurs rose around him. Soldiers and workers alike dipped their heads as he walked past. Respect. Fear. Admiration. The background was alive—radio chatter, distant drills, ships docking, officers issuing commands. Kat moved with his usual calculated coolness, soaking in the atmosphere. Then—

A sudden impact against his leg.

Kat's glare shot downward. A tiger humanoid child, no older than nine, stood frozen, his wide golden eyes staring in awe.

"Woah... you're really him! You're THE Kat!" the boy exclaimed, excitement bubbling over.

Kat's eyes narrowed. Usually, people feared him. This kid admired him. He opened his mouth to snap when a tiger woman—his mother, undoubtedly—yanked the boy back, her face mortified.

"I-I'm so sorry, Enforcer!" She bowed her head deeply. "My son—he's young and foolish—please forgive him."

Kat studied the boy, who was still gazing up in wonder. Something about him—about his eager, innocent face—tugged at a memory. His daughter. He sighed, placing a hand on the kid's head. "Watch where you're going, kid."

Then, without another word, he walked away, leaving the stunned mother and child behind.

Inside the meeting chamber, three figures waited. Frida, the eighth-best enforcer, a sleek lioness with golden fur, leaned against the table, her posture relaxed yet alert. Watcher, the Captain of the Guard, stood tall and rigid—a towering 6'2" wall of muscle and discipline. And Brendan—the so-called number-one enforcer, though Kat knew his skills were equal at best—sat in his chair, exuding arrogance.

Brendan scoffed as Kat entered. "Late as always. You must love making an entrance."

Kat smirked. "Guess I wanted to give you a reason to talk about me. Since you're obsessed."

Brendan's eye twitched. Watcher's deep voice cut through the room. "Watch yourself, Valenciano. Brendan outranks you."

"Only on paper," Kat shot back, taking his seat.

Frida chuckled. "Alright, boys, relax. No need to swing your d—"

The doors hissed open, silencing the room.

Captain Lara entered, her fur coat draping over her shoulders like a warlord's banner. The tiger fur—an insult to every feline humanoid in the SLP—made the air heavy with unspoken tension. Yet no one dared comment. Her presence dominated the room. The enforcers stood at attention and bowed their heads.

A flick of her wrist. "Sit."

They obeyed.

"I know it's unusual to gather this many elite enforcers," Lara began, pacing the room, "but this is an urgent matter."

The table's holographic projector activated, displaying a ruined facility. Smoke. Debris. A shattered SLP medical base.

"This base was attacked by the vigilante group known as The Blazers," she continued, her voice smooth but edged with authority. "For too long, we've tolerated them. Let them clean up our messes. But now? They've crossed the line. This facility was under Watcher's jurisdiction. Five people destroyed it, and he failed to stop them."

A new image. A figure.

Kit.

"This is their leader. Kit. The Great Gunslayer."

The air thickened.

"We eliminated one of them at the base. Two more died in the Ashari District. Over twenty bounty hunters and eight ships were destroyed trying to capture them. Only two remain, location unknown."

Kat leaned back, arms crossed. "Why am I here? I don't give a damn about some vigilante gang. I just want my daughter."

Brendan tensed, his fingers curling into fists.

Lara, however, remained composed. She circled the table slowly, each step deliberate. "Then bring me Kit."

Kat's eyes darkened. "You're saying... you have her?"

She lifted a hand. The hologram shifted.

His daughter.

Older. Taller. Two years had passed. She was alive.

Lara stopped directly behind Kat. "I promise you, Kat. With my own blood. Bring me Kit, and she's yours. This is the last time."

Kat's jaw clenched. The room was silent, all eyes on him.

Then—

"Kit's no easy target," Lara continued. "You won't do this alone. Brendan will go with you."

Brendan shot up. "What?! I don't need him! I can take Kit down myself!"

Frida's voice cut through. "You dare question the Captain's orders? That's treason. You should be hanged."

Brendan seethed. Lara raised a hand. "Enough. I can't afford risks. You will work together."

Then she turned to Frida.

"And as of today, you are the new Captain of the Guard. Congratulations."

Stunned silence. Watcher's head snapped up. "What?! She doesn't deserve—"

Lara's pacing stopped. She stood before Watcher now. "And those who fail me... those who humiliate me... will be dealt with."

A flash of silver.

A gurgling gasp.

Blood sprayed across the table as Lara's knife slit Watcher's throat. His massive body trembled before slumping forward, lifeless.

Frida and Brendan tensed. Even Kat, hardened as he was, felt the cold weight of the moment.

Lara wiped the blade clean, unfazed. "That is all."

She turned and strode out, her two silent bodyguards following.

The doors sealed behind her, leaving behind a dead man, a new Captain, and an uneasy alliance.

TO BE CONTINUED...