The Poison in our Veins, Part III

(("How long has it been?")) Xess thinks while underneath a hot noon within the confines of the forest. There are less than two hours left on the Hunt, with 2 of the 3 targets already hunted.

(("We've searched everywhere..."))

This time Xess finds himself in Cluster #3, alongside 5 others: Dora, Kai, Rebecca, Gino and Bits.

"There’s something we are missing; there is no place where we have not searched," replies Dora walking behind Xess with an air full of confidence, "there is no way the target is running away from us" she concludes.

"What about the others?" asks Xess.

"Nothing from those three" says Dora with a disappointed look to her face.

"Well, there is obviously something weird about all of this, don't you think? I knew this was a set-up!" exclaims Kai with a somewhat desperate tone, "Oh shit... less than two hours! This is going worse than the first one...! I am not about to be sacrificed!" says Kai while grabbing his head with both hands and running away from Xess and Dora. He disappears from sight, yet it does not seem like neither of the other two care.

"What am I missing?" whispers Dora as she looks at the map on her Tracer, "It obviously cannot be outside the zone. Also, the other two targets have fallen rather quickly" she analyses in a calm tone.

(("Could there really be a place for them to hide?")) thinks Xess, as he moves his head up and looks towards the sky in an attempt to think, (("There are only trees and more trees and nothing but trees on this area, not even a cave anywhere."))

As Xess looks up the sky, he sees a bird flying around the area. Following the bird's flight, he notices the bird stepping on top of a branch where it leaves some food on a nest. The bird stays there for a while before flying off again. As soon as it does, he continues to follow the bird far into the forest. When the bird crosses a certain section of the tree, something catches his eye.

((“What is that!?”))

A shadow on a tree branch in the distance.

Xess's eyes change from fatigue to focus in a split second. He carefully walks a few feet to have a better look at the branch. Dora notices that he has found something, however, she understands by the way he is moving that she should not make any noise.

While hiding himself, Xess takes a peek at the large tree ahead. Carefully examining the branch, he finds what everyone in the forest was looking for.

"Son of a bitch" whispers Xess as soon as he identifies it: a female target on top of a tree branch. Dora approaches behind him and places her hand on his shoulder.

"Where?" asks Dora with a whisper.

"Look in that direction, on top of a branch... there it is" replies Xess with the same tone.

"What? You mean to tell me…" asks Dora with a surprised tone.

"We've all been running around underneath without noticing it. It's embarrassing, actually" replies Xess with an ironic tone as he covers himself completely behind the tree and turning to face Dora.

"Not embarrassing at all," Dora chuckles as she continues, "the Sun has been directly on top of us for most of the time... it's brilliant!"

"So, how do you want to approach this?" asks Xess looking straight at Dora.

"You want to crawl towards the tree and ambush her? I have seen it work once, you know" says Dora.

"Very funny" says Xess with an ironic tone.

"Although not sure how you’re going to reach her," Dora chuckles, "I was worried you'd go off without thinking... but, as long as you get the job done, I shouldn't mind."

"Laugh all you want. This is the toughest part" says Xess with a very serious tone.

"I know. I am not going to lie, when I found out you were on my cluster I was rather relieved," replies Dora as she takes her sight away from Xess, "you've seen the rest. They could barely kill a bird."

"I used to think the same about my first team" says Xess.

"Used to?" asks Dora.

"Yeah, turns out one of them actually killed a target on the second Hunt," says Xess, "although, at the same time, it did not surprise me" concludes Xess with an emotional look to his face. Dora notices this and answers.

"And how does that make you feel?" she asks, "have you thought about how she feels at all?" Dora continues as she steps back from Xess.

"What do you mean?" a confused Xess asks.

Dora sighs and stares at the ground and she says, "You know... when you killed Reese in front of all of us, I was in complete shock. I had never seen anyone killing another before,” she says while grabbing her left shoulder, "it was incredible... and... horrifying".

Xess listens closely to Dora.

"I was... I was in total panic," she says as she slides the hand from her shoulder to her left wrist, "and, I was surprised. I thought I was not a stranger to death, but, in the end," she tightens the grip on her wrist, "death was the stranger all along..." she concludes.

"That's when my brother approached me. I must have been a wreck for him to notice" she chuckles gently as she says this,

"Brother?" asks Xess rather surprised.

"Yeah... we're twins, but I guess with my hair long hair people don’t realize" she replies with an air of pride.

"Damn, you both, huh?" says Xess with a slight expression of empathy.

"To be completely honest, the fact he is here with me helped me be as I am now," she says with a faint smile to her face, "when I was about to crash from within after your scene with Reese, he grabbed me by the shoulder and looked at me straight in the eyes and said…"

Dora pauses a few seconds with an intense emotional face. It is clear to Xess that she is recalling a turning point in her life.

"If he can do it, so can you" she states firmly.

"Anyone else could have said that to me... Anyone. It wouldn't have mattered. But him... he's special" says Dora as she glances at the target as if verifying her position.

Xess notices how Dora's eyes glow when she spoke about her brother.

"Xess, I don't know how this is going to play out, but..." she says.

A cloud has covered the Sun temporarily and a slight wind appears in the area. A horde of birds crosses the area as their cries can be heard out loud. Dora finishes her thought looking straight at the target on the branch.

"I want you to let me kill her" Dora concludes with a very serious demeanor.

Xess does not immediately respond. He takes his attention away from Dora and looks up once again. He finds the same bird nest from earlier. He sees the parent bird flying away from it, followed by a group of smaller birds. They join the horde that is crossing through the forest. However, he notices that one baby bird is left behind. As this baby bird tries to fly, it fails and falls from the branch and onto the ground. After noticing this, Xess turns to Dora once again and responds.

"You are the only one responsible for the path you take. If this is what you want—I promise—I won't stop you."

Dora stares back at Xess as they both remain silent for what it feels like a full minute.

As if synced by instinct alone, they both decide to run towards the target on the branch, "We have to get her off that tree at all costs" says Dora.

"That's not going to be easy. She is easily 15 to 20 meters high... and also," says Xess, "she pruned all the branches, I'm guessing she must have some kind a saw."

"She's planning to stay up there until the end of the Hunt”, she replies as they both continue towards the tree where the target is.

"If we approach her carelessly..." says Xess.

"She can use whatever weapon she has on us easily" Dora concludes.

Eventually, they reach the tree where the female target awaits. As soon as they arrive and make it clear that they have spotted her, the target reacts.

Chapter 07 – The Poison in our Veins, Part III: END

to be continued...