Hunting the Sphinx (Success!)

[Jacksoπ Flεtchεr]

    Jack walked over to the wall where a web of post-its and crime scene photos hung. He pointed to one of them and ran his finger along one string to a map of the city further along the wall. "This was where the first body was found. A tourist. His body was found on the west bank with severe acid damage along his abdomen and legs. You explained how the sphinx was capable of that earlier. Besides that, we believe his cause of death was due to cardiac arrest. The man's heart gave out, though there was some bruising around his neck."

    Shrugging, the young man moved on to the next photo. "This one was a thirty seven year old woman, also a tourist. She was found on the east bank. The first victim was different from her and the other dozen or so bodies we've found," Jack began, following the string from the woman's picture to the map. "You see, all of the victims have been found on the east bank except for the first man. They were also all either strangled or disemboweled. In fact, if it weren't for his acid burns we might not have paid him any attention at all."

    The young man took a step back to let Nyght get a closer look. "Another pattern I've started to notice is that the early victims were all tourists but the most recent ones have been natives, residents of the city. What do you think?"

[Nyghtingale]

    Nyght moved over to the wall as Jack lead her. She followed his finger, tracing lines from one place to another that lead to a map where the bodies where apparently found. She frowned, grasping her chin between her thumb and fore finger watching as he pointed out where everything lead and some of the more important facts. She stepped forward, and began to look as well. She contemplated it deeply, but she was not entirely sure what was going on and what the sphinx was thinking.

     "Well, it is obvious that the creature is coming in over the wall. Yet, I do not think we should place our trap there. The sphinx is clever, and is clearly changing it's habits already. It has started targeting none tourists, for some reason that I am not sure. So it is obvious that it is changing hunting strategies to start changing things up and not make as much as of a scene. I think....that we should make our trap..."

     She contemplated it, running her finger along the map and around a curve in the wall fairly well away from the grouping of killings, but still with in a decent range. She stopped her finger there, and tapped the wall.

     "I think we should set up here, outside the wall and town. This would be a good location. Obviously the sphinx lives in that directions somewhere," she dragged her finger in to the desert away from the wall, "maybe in some cave or old tomb or something. It takes has been taking the most direct route in to the city, but now with so many people catching out, it is going to move it's hunting ground soon. Setting up here would be a good location because...well...we can see if we missed our guess and be able to move to intercept the sphinx if it goes back to the regular ground, and if it does not it will probably move through this area. With some enticing bait outside the wall, it would be to great a deal to resist. Though...I think you are right. I do not think we should use our akhult as bait anymore because it is clear it is hunting people..."

     She hesitated a moment, then sighed.

      "So I will be the bait."

[Jacksoπ Flεtchεr]

    "At first, it didn't make much sense to me. The initial murder, maybe. Luxor get's crap loads of tourists coming to visit the ruins. One goes missing and there aren't too many people around to immediately notice. But now he's killing residents? People are much more likely to catch on. It just doesn't seem like the smart move to me." Jack rubbed his temples, suddenly tired and the mental fatigue was showing in his voice. People were dying and he was supposed to do something about it.

    After a few moments, the young man spoke again. "I get the messy nature of the first death. Maybe he hadn't yet established his method or maybe he was startled and interrupted. The later ones certainly seem more skillful." He examined what Nyght had pointed out on the map, scratching his chin and mumbling to himself. How did I not notice that? "With what you told me about him, about his personality.. I think.. I think he might be killing people who are bound to be missed because he doesn't think anyone can do anything about it. Arrogance..."

    When Nyght suggested using herself as bait, the blood drained from Jack's face. "W-what!?" The young man sputtered. He hadn't liked the idea of using the Aks as bait but using Nyght bothered him even more. No. He didn't want to take the risk. Jack didn't want to lose her. "If one of us have to the bait, shouldn't it be me?"

[Nyghtingale]

     Nyght contemplated what Jack was saying, nodding slowly. What he said did make sense. The sphinx was if anything else, arrogant and brash. Yet, maybe it had decided to limit that brashness with a growing sense of self in the world. After it had learned the world was a dangerous place, even for a creature as powerful as itself, it would have grown more cautious but not lest any of that arrogance. So it had decided to continue to attack with in the city walls, but changed who it was attacking to people who would not be missed so much. The question was...how was it learning that sort of information?

     Nyght contemplated that, and knew that the sphinx was not likely to change it's appearance t blend it. It was simply to arrogance, to haughty, and to full of itself and it's own power to decide to learn how to change it's form to fit in with prey. Which meant that it had to have gotten another power, another way or gathering that sort of information.

     "Jack..." she began slowly and quietly, "If the sphinx is picking it's victims, and knowing if they are not going to be missed, that means it is getting that information somehow. It is far to arrogant and full of itself to change it's appearance, which means it has to be reading minds or stealing memories somehow to gather that information before an attack."

     At his sudden outburst of her statement of being the bait, she grinned. She KNEW he would say that, and not even think it all the way through. He was being a gentleman first, but the logic stated what really needed to be done.

     "Jack...I have to be the bait. I can not get in there fast enough to enact a plan like you can. When I am the bait...you can be hiding and teleport in to be my knight in shining armor and save me. I do not have that ability, nor your speed to get in there as quickly. You would be left alone, fighting off a ravenous powerful creature for precious moments all by yourself. So naturally, I will be the bait where you can appear out of nowhere and give us the edge in combat."

[Jacksoπ Flεtchεr]

    The young man shook his head. "That's not what I'm trying to say. What I'm saying is that tourists are away from home. If people don't see them again, they assume they went home or moved on to the next stop on their vacation or something. But when a father or a mother or a child doesn't come home, their friends and family worry. They file a report or go looking. Wouldn't take much for the sphinx to figure that out, I'd think. It's changing its attacks to people who will be missed. The ones who actually live in the city, the ones who likely have people to go home to. It doesn't care. It's like it's daring someone to come after it, to be its next victim."

    Jack looked at his feet, face slightly red. That grin of hers... The young man knew she'd been expecting him to say that but he just couldn't help himself. Jack always preferred to put himself in harm's way rather than one of his friends.

    Of course almost immediately after he insisted on being the bait, Nyght came up with a fairly decent argument as to why it should be her. Jack hadn't been chivalrous, he'd simply figured that if anyone could get out before the situation got too sticky it would be him. "I'd just figured that if things were getting too dangerous, I could use my teleportation to get out of harm's way. But with you as bait you're stuck there with the sphinx until I can help..."

[Nyghtingale]

     Nyght contemplated that for a moment, then sighed softly. It did seem like something the sphinx would do. Daring somebody to come after it. Daring somebody to try and stop it. That DEFINITELY sounded like the sphinx she and Marcus had created. A bit of the both of them combined; his insufferable arrogance and pride combined with her pure skill and power. Yes...that was exactly what the sphinx was doing, and yet it was what was exactly what was going to happen. Only they where GOING to stop it, and they knew what was happening.

     "I think you are right...it is daring somebody to come after it. It has no fear at all, and probably no conscious. For some reason...I find that amusing. It reminds me of somebody else we both happen to know." She left the name out, sure that Jack would understand exactly who she meant. "Yes, you are the fastest and can get in and out whenever you need to. That is exactly my point though....if you leave and run away...the sphinx will get away as well knowing it has been pulled in to a trap. If however I stay there, and keep the sphinx from running away, you can get in and attack as well and we can spring our trap. If we run, we won't get another change. The sphinx will leave this area, and go somewhere else completely. I have to keep it there, while you use your speed and teleportation to spring the trap."

[Jacksoπ Flεtchεr]

    "Yeah. If I don't put this thing down soon, the damage it's causing might get out of control. The last thing I need is the damn Romans breathing down my neck." Jack grumbled, not too pleased about the thought of someone swooping in on his operation. He didn't particularly want to think about Marcus just then, not remembering the man very fondly.

    Jack sighed. She was right, of course. "You're right. You be the bait just... be careful, alright?" The young man looked at her, brow furrowed with concern. "We'd better get going. The sooner this sphinx is dealt with, the sooner I can get a good night's sleep. Since you picked the location, I'll let you lead the way. C'mon."

    Tossing his pack in the corner, Jack retrieved his sword from where it had been left on the bed. The young man hadn't brought it with him while he'd waited for Nyght downstairs, figuring a guy sitting in the lobby with a sword would draw undue attention. He secured the scabbard to his back, disliking how it interfered with his gait when at his hip. Like the pistol secured at his waist, the young man wasn't terribly skilled in its use just yet but it was something he could use when wishing to conserve his magical energies.

    Next, the young man stood by the door and waited for Nyght.

[Nyghtingale]

Nyght grinned, nodding at Jack as he finally consented and she knew she would be the bait. It was not that she entirely enjoyed the thought of putting her life on the line, but she knew it was necessary and the long they argued about it the later it got. They needed to set up their trap before the sphinx came to hunt. If it got there before they did the effort would be wasted. She watched as he retrieved his sword and a pistol, and nodded. She needed to go get Aurora, who had a saddled bag with her weapons in it. Yes, weapons...for she now had a sword as well, fashioned from the feather of the Stymphalian bird they had killed. It was exceedingly sharp, but she was not extremely skilled with using it yet. Her second weapon was a gift from her best friend and motherly figure, Aela. She had not even fired the weapon yet, but she knew that it would work. Aela would never give her a gun that did not shoot.

When Jack moved towards the door, Nyght followed and instantly looked at him.

"Shall we take the stairs?"

She moved towards the stairwell, not really giving Jack a choice and pushed the door open and headed down the stairs. Once inside the stairwell, she asked over her shoulder.

"Where is Paquito? I need to go get Aurora anyways, she has my stuff with her. I finally got her a saddle that she would let me put on her for long trips, and saddle bags as well. Little Miss Priss had to have just the perfect one."

She rolled her eyes, knowing Jack would know what she meant. Her akhult was pretty amazing, but having been a Prime of a pack before she had a bad habit of being stuck up and picky. Not that Nyght minded terribly much. She loved Aurora and would give the akhult what she wanted. After all, her akhult flew her around, and fought beside her. They where an inseparable team.

[Jacksoπ Flεtchεr]

    "Sure. We can take the stairs," Jack said coolly, keeping his face carefully neutral while managing to keep the relief out of his voice. The young man followed Nyght to the stairwell. "I'm not sure. He's lurking around somewhere outside the city, nearby. Paquito will find us when we leave, I'm sure."

    Jack and his Akhlut were pretty close but Paquito was fiercely independent, much like the young man himself. When they weren't hanging out or hunting together, the Ak was usually out and about doing whatever he wanted. To make sure he didn't lose him, Jack had placed a tracker on the Paquito and they had an understanding that the Ak would come when the young man needed him, usually signalling the Akhlut using a whistle when he was nearby.

    Once they'd reached the bottom of the stairwell, the young man started to speak again but, not having much to say, decided this wasn't the best time for his usual nonsensical babble. Instead, once they'd gotten outside he flagged down a car and asked the driver to take them outside the city. "Where specifically do you want to do this, Nyght?"

[Nyghtingale]

      As they moved out of the building and on to the streets of Luxor, Nyght glanced around to get her bearings then headed towards the nearest exit from the city. Aurora was outside the city as well, and Nyght knew she would be patrolling and watching for them. Aurora was a predator, fast and stealthy and would find them once outside the city and beside her companion with in minutes.

     "We just need to get outta the city first so Paquito and Aurora can catch up with us, then go to the place we decided upon to set up the trap. Seeing a map is one thing, but once we get there we will be able to see what the terrain is like, and how best and exactly where and how to set up our trap. I think that is the most important thing to do right now. We have..." She glanced up at the sky, gauging about how much time they had until nightfall, "about six hours. So we are already kind of pushing it, though thankfully you can teleport and get us some of the things we need while I can be working on the trap. Divide and conquer, right?"

     She grinned roguishly, wanting to make this a fun experience despite the fact that their very lives where in danger. She was not worried...she knew that whatever happened Jack and herself with their akhults could handle the situation and take care of each other.

[Jacksoπ Flεtchεr]

    "Right, yeah. Ok. That makes sense," The young man agreed, tapping out a slow rhythm on the car window's glass. It was getting late, prime hunting time for the creature. Well, tonight they'd be putting an end to the sphinx that had been terrorizing Luxor. "Sure. I can get the stuff we need without too much trouble. Just gimme a grocery list and once we're at the site I can start teleporting it over."

    Jack felt tired. He'd felt that way for the past week, just wanting this particular mission to be over ever since he'd gone rooting around in the chest cavity of the first victim. It was exhausting, but almost done with. He flexed his fingers, rubbing the palms of his hands together. Even though the young man couldn't wait to be done with this hunt and go to sleep for like a week, it wouldn't do for Jack to lose his edge. He had help from Nyght and the two Aks but he still needed to hold up his end of the fight.

    "What are  you going to do when this is over?" Jack asked, looking out the window while idly tracing the grip of his sword with one hand.

[Nyghtingale]

     As they walk, Nyght was keeping a good watch around them as they moved through the city towards the nearest exist. She was ready to be out and away from all the people inside the city. It was simply to crowd, hot, and intense for her. She was use to crowds of people, those where not so bad but with the heat it made her irritable and the crowds simply exasperated that issue. Getting out of the city was going to be a nice break from at least one of those things. As they walked along, she kept glancing over at Jack to make sure he was still there and he was keeping up. He seemed to be preoccupied with his own thoughts so she let him stay there as they walked and kept silent. When he finally spoke, asking her what she was doing after this she blinked and contemplated the question for minute.

     "Well, I honestly do not know. I guess I will get outta Egypt for a while. It is far to hot for my liking, but I do not know where I am going to go or what I shall do. Maybe head back home to see Aela for a while? Or perhaps keep traveling and exploring to find new spells and stuff. Honestly, I just do not know and those are all just ideas chasing themselves around inside my head."

[Jacksoπ Flεtchεr]

    "Aela.." Jack echoed. He couldn't remember if the last time he'd seen here was before or after the Stymphalian hunt. The young man would have to drop by and see his friend if he found the time, one of these days. He looked at Nyght, wondering when the next time he would see her might be. After this hunt was over, Jack might not run into her again for months. Certainly, he didn't want to be calling on her every time a hunt was proving challenging.

    "Well, those all sound fairly promising. I'm not a big fan of the heat here, myself. Anything above sixty and I'm uncomfortable. I might just take a break after this. I've been working pretty hard and could use the rest, to be honest." The young man looked at Nyght for a second, thinking for a moment before coming to a decision. "So... I know it's none of my business or anything, but what happened with you and Marcus? You seemed to really hate the guy."

[Nyghtingale]

     Nyght smiled, listening to Jack as he spoke about possibilities and stuff. However, he finally asked her the question she had always attempted to avoid. She ground her teeth, but she suppose that she needed to tell somebody. To open up and let it off her chest after having carried this burden so long by herself to somebody she actually trusted would be probably the best thing she had ever done. She closed her eyes, her feet stopped moving her forward for a moment and she took a deep breath. She finally opened her eyes again, her face hard and set, and she began to walk.

     "Alright...I should tell you. I need to tell somebody, and besides Aela who is not here you are the only person I trust enough. I told you that Marcus and I created the sphinx. We spent a long time together....but mostly I did not have much of a choice. I ended up here in Egypt, up in Alexandria when I ran away from my father's home in Britian and my mother would not take me in in France. I snuck aboard a ship and got there. I found Marcus trying to have his way with some poor girl he had hired, and intervened and put a stop to that. Then we separated, for a little while. I feel asleep in some library, and found this old looking scroll. I was awoke by Marcus showing up all the sudden, and demanding the scroll from me but we where interrupted by something. It looked like a statue of Anubis came to life. Anyways, we got away from that creature, and then looked at the scroll. Neither of us could read the old language on the scroll so we found somebody who would translate it from us. Then that anubis dude showed up again and attacked us with zombies. Long story short, we ended up running all over Egypt to collect some stuff that we eventually combined in a bowl and created the sphinx with. What I hate about Marcus is that....during the trip...he..well...he forced himself upon me."

     She finally spat out the last words really fast, stumbling over them but getting them out of her lips in a hurry so that it did not sit so long with in her mind and she change her mind to finally tell somebody. She sighed, having gotten it out at least, tears in her eyes at the memories glanced away to wipe her eyes with the back of her hand, noticing they where finally leaving the city.

[Jacksoπ Flεtchεr]

    Almost immediately, Jack could tell that he'd hit a sore spot. Half expecting to be chewed out for sticking his nose in other peoples' business, the young man braced himself. But that didn't happen. Instead, Nyght opened up. Seeing her reactions, Jack was tempted to put his hand on her shoulder or back like they do in the movies when comforting people, but figured it would just be awkward and annoying. Didn't take much common sense to know one shouldn't try what they see on tv in real life.

    Jack gritted his teeth as he listened. He'd been curious but until he'd heard the story the young man hadn't realized just how much he didn't want to know. Every new detail added an extra layer to the emotions roiling inside his chest. His image of Marcus sharpened dangerously, to the point where it seemed to cut through his thoughts with a feeling Jack hadn't felt recently and, when Nyght had finished, the young man stopped feeling anything. It felt like a ball of ice sat in his stomach, numbing everything and making Jack feel cold.

    He didn't know what to say. Jack watched Nyght wipe tears from her eyes and he had no idea what reaction was appropriate. He hadn't prepared for this. The young man had no fucking clue what to do. So he didn't do anything. Jack's throat froze up, his face a blank slate requesting input from a brain that had stalled.