Darren:

My mind is still full of what happened yesterday. Meeting the director would have been a big enough deal on its own, but Mike being the head of the Director's guard on top of that makes it even more shocking. It's all a little unbelievable. More like a lot unbelievable. And he wants me to catch the girl, to bring her in. I've got no choice of course. Bring the girl and the treason charge will be dropped. Don't bring her in and, well I don't want to think about that.

I asked him why, but he told me nothing. I get the idea that there is something about her. Something special or important. Some reason why he's making me catch her specifically. But maybe it's just a test. I let her go after all.

Am I going to be able to shoot the dart? I hate doing it in usual circumstances. But now it seems worse somehow. I gave her freedom and now he wants me to take it away. Take it all away with pull of a trigger.

After he told me to bring her in we were dismissed, Jack and I. Mike stayed behind, so I couldn't question him further like I wanted to. He hadn't even finished the story about John's mum. I feel more forgiving of John now. I wonder if he knows his mum is here, or what he remembers of the whole thing. I don't know how old he was when it happened.

At the back of the office, on the opposite side from which we entered, was another door. I never noticed it until we were directed out that way. I'm not even sure it was there before then. Mike led us to the door and it opened up into the dining room. The door at the back that no one goes through. The door leading to the Director. I remember that conversation with Mike and Jack, sitting at lunch. The conversation that lead me to that room. They both knew already. Man I was really tricked.

It was late by the time we came out. I was ready to challenge Jack with a barrage of questions, to push him for answers. I felt the need to understand but he pre-empted me and cut me off before I started.

"Save your damn questions for tomorrow." He said. "Now's not the time. Meet me in the library in free time. We'll talk then."

I agreed.

Today was slow. I worked at picking weeds, we did combat training and I was thankful John didn't want to pair up with me today. I'm still in pain from the last time, though I'd more or less forgotten about it until then. I sparred with Jack, but I couldn't question him with our whole group there, it would be too easy for them to overhear.

And now we're here, in the library again, sitting at the same table we'd sat at with Mike. I haven't seen Mike since yesterday. I've seen no sign of him. I look at Jack and he looks back at me, there's a hardness in his eyes.

"Don't be so damn judgemental." He says.

"Tell me what the hell's been going on." I fire back at him. Despite all that's happened I can't help but still trust the guy. He's still the closest thing to a friend I have in here, and I think I'm going to need a friend soon.

"Right. But listen to the end. Then say what you damn well want." He says to me.

I nod my head. "Ok." I will hear what he's got to say.

"That bastard took my sister. He's got her held up in one of them damn cells."

There's anger in his eyes, and a sadness mixed in. The look of someone who wants to fight but is helpless.

"I was a bit like you. Foolish. Always questioning what we're doing here. When you started asking me if we were doing the right thing, I knew we were similar."

He looks at me, sadness seems to have won out by his expression.

"I signed up to help save humanity from the 'monsters'. That's what they said. But I started to think we were the damn monsters. Started driving John mad, he hated me for questioning it, hated me for asking."

"Doesn't everyone question? Surely they do?" I ask, cutting in. Jack looks at me. I can't read the look on his face. Maybe there's pity in his expression now.

"No, they damn well don't. Most just follow their orders, do what they're told, stick to beliving the damn lies! But some do, like me and you." He pauses.

"Anyway, I go on like that, doubting and questioning, not always following orders. And I'm wondering about what we're doing. John's getting pretty damn pissed off at me by this point. Just like he did with you. Only I didn't let any damn vampires escape!" He glares at me.

"Then, Mike appears, he has his own doubts. So he says anyway. I was a damn fool, spilling out my doubts and wonderings to a stranger."

I feel heat pouring into my face. I think I must be going red. All he's saying sounds just like me, always questioning if we're doing a good thing and trusting a stranger with my doubts.

"A few weeks after he appeared I find myself standing in front of the director, just like what happened to you yesterday."

"They take me for a walk through their damn cell block and we stop at a cell. And inside is my sister. They took my damn sister from the City. Because of me, my questioning, my doubting, my lack of obediance." There's tears in his his eyes now, his voice breaks a little as he talks.

I wonder who else they've done this to? Who else has questioned. Who else, like Jack, and now me are trapped into doing what they're told. Never knowing who might be a spy, who might be watching. All those cells full of humans and vampires. How many are there are a means of controlling someone? I trust Jack. That much I've got. I'm not sure why, but I do. The pain in his eyes and voice is real.

"So, I had no damn choice. When they told me to bring you in with Mike, to play along."

"Of course, I understand." I say. And I do understand. What choice did he have.

"It's my own fault. I let those vamps go." I say. "I'm the one who committed treason."

I don't know what to feel. They teach us that the vampires used to attack, used to kill, used to threaten humans. That's why the Hunting Corps was formed. They teach us that by turning them back to human we free them from their animalistic chains, from being trapped in their demon form. That we end their suffering.

But I've seen them, I've looked into their eyes, I've listened to them, I've shot them, watched them writhe and scream in pain. They didn't look like animals, they didn't look like monsters.

I think about the vampire he told us was John's mum and I wonder if the story is true.

"So, what d'you think, are we doing a good thing?" I ask Jack. It's the same question I've asked a number of times before but now there's a sarcasm to my voice, a bitterness. There's definitely something wrong with this place.

"It doesn't matter a damn whether we are or aren't. What choice have we got?" He says. "You disobey you die. I disobey and it's my sister that gets hurt, damn it. There's no choice!"

"Now, Jack, such anger, such bitterness..." I look around to see Mike coming into view from behind a bookshelf. How long has he been there? Listening, watching.

"Of course we're doing a good thing." He says, smiling at us. That damn smile of his. Looking at it now I should have known all along he wasn't sincere. "We're doing what needs to be done to protect our race, to keep mankind safe."

"Damn it." Jack says, "What do you want?"

Mike moves forward and sits down in an empty chair. He looks at ease, relaxed as he looks at both of us in turn before speaking again.

"We got a hunt to organize, don't we." He says.

"Your damn hunt." Says Jack. "Why so urgent?"

"Don't want to keep the director waiting now, do we boys?" Mike says. "After all, he's been so lenient, so forgivin'..." He looks into my eyes as he says it, stretching the last word out, making it last longer, savouring its effect.

"Right." I say. "What's to organize? We have to go out, find the girl, bring her in. Should be simple enough." I'm keeping my feelings locked up, keeping my voice steady. But I think he can see the anger burning in my eyes.

"I have a few of my boys ready to join us. You'll need to meet them. We should do at least a little training together. But it'll be up to you captain, you're in charge after all." he says. His tone suggests that I'm in charge of nothing, as though daring me to contradict him.

"You're the expert." I say. "Whatever you think." His smile broadens at that. It makes his face more sinister.

"Good, good." he says. "Then let's introduce you to the boys, to your new team." he says. He emphasises the word your, clearly letting me know they're not really mine. He claps his hands.

"Boys, come on in."

Four men appear around the shelf. I don't recognise any of them. They're dressed as director's guards. Mike's men. I glance at Jack, he's glowering at them, saying nothing. I don't see any recognition there.

"This is Andrew." Mike points at the first of the men. He's big, heavy-set, with short cropped hair and bulging arms. He nods at me, saying nothing. I nod back.

"Percy." Mike says, pointing to the next one. He's tall, thinner than Andrew. His hair is long and tangled, like the beard on his face. A dark brown colour. He flashes me a brief smile, cold steel-grey eyes staring at me.

"And this is Frank." Frank is even bigger than Andrew in build and taller than Percy, a giant of a man, solid looking and totally bald. He doesn't acknowledge me at all, his face impassive, almost bored.

"And lastly, this is Billy. He's the driver." Says Mike. Billy smiles at me and I can't detect insincerity in it. He's smaller than all the rest, built like me and pretty unremarkable otherwise. Brown hair and brown eyes.

I smile back, saying nothing.

"We're your team for the hunt." Mike says, waving his arm around to indicate everyone standing and sitting in this small library space. "Team, meet Captain Darren." He says, pointing at me.

"Captain Darren, what do you say to some trainin' together tomorrow? We are under your orders after all." He says to me, the mockery in his voice is clear, I can feel my blood begin to boil. I take some breaths to steady myself before answering.

"Yes, tomorrow we'll train, good idea. Then we'll plan out the hunt." I say.

"And, captain. If I may ask, what time should we commence?" Mike says.

"Watch your damn tone!" Jack says. His voice is raised just a little, but enough. Mike looks at him. Frank, the biggest and most serious looking of the soldiers, steps forward threateningly towardsJack but Mike puts a hand on his chest, stopping him.

"Careful Jack. Don't want to see any fighting amongst friends now..." Mike says. He looks back at me. "9am ok captain?"

I nod at him. "9am, combat training." I say.

"Very good. We'll be there. Let's go boys." He says. They all turn and walk out of the area, leaving Jack and I where we sit. Jack looks at me, his eyes are full of worry, a feeling that is slowly getting stronger in myself.

Mike's left no doubt as to who is running this group.

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