<b>Alex, 5:24PM</b><br/><br/><i>So soon...?</i><br/><br/>For Alexei, he found it surprising that he would be running into a demon so soon.  The best explanation for that would be...well...because it was America.  This was not a vast and brutal winter wilderness that promised a slow, chilly end if you were left at its mercy or a decrepit, disease-ridden grouping of huts in a similarly merciless jungle.  In such environments, any of your usual creatures that prowled for death or sex would hide easily and strike at whatever poor cattle that found itself drifting from the herd known as humanity.  No help would come, and the predator would enjoy its meal for all it was worth as it would only be you and it.<br/><br/>It was different in America, so much in fact that Alex would swear that he felt claustrophobic upon stepping into an obscenely-crowded airport.  The feeling did not go away when he stepped out into a new kind of environment: an urban jungle where there was nothing but tall buildings and, in the tiny spaces in between, thousands upon thousands of people.  But like any good hunter - and Alex was a<i>very</i>good hunter -, he had to adapt to the environment.  Which really involved purchasing a vehicle and taking to the streets himself.  That was where he learned his first lesson.<br/><br/>Lesson Number 1: Never drive during the city's busy daytime.<br/><br/>He had ditched the vehicle for a little while and chosen to walk the streets on foot.  A better idea, especially as Alex was still trying to fend off the lasting effects of jet lag.  He traveled to wherever he needed to go, to wherever his prey may be gathering, but admittedly he had never taken on a journey that sent him halfway around the world.  He felt the underlying fatigue but the headache was his more immediate problem.  He thought the walk would do him good but not only was a city of America so dense with bodies - and Alex had to keep the folds of his jacket close so a brush with a passerby wouldn't reveal the large holster - but loud.<br/><br/>Blowing out a breath of exasperation, Alex allowed a hand to come to his head, fingers nursing the throbbing that pounded beneath his black locks and skull, and decided that it wasn't working.  He decided to retake his chances with traffic.<br/><br/>Today he had been hoping to scope out the city and, more importantly, locate a safe house to be used during his stay.  Specifically, the one that his mother had apparently used in her investigation and the address of which had been left in her notes.  It had been used before her death, should still be there, and Alex had hoped to set up shop before giving the okay for the delivery of his equipment that he had left in the care of an ally.<br/><br/>Which made the fact that a demon being nearby all the more problematic.  He was lightly armed with only his sidearm and the silver knife.  It should be enough against one of the lowly minions but if it was a stronger one he may have to rely a little more on luck to make up for the absence of firepower.<br/><br/>But there was no mistaking it.  Just as the traffic and even the crowds seemed to be getting lighter - enough so that Alexei was able to note, with little interest other then a quirked eyebrow, that a young woman was sprinting along the sidewalk while carrying a small puppy dog - the cold feeling against his chest told him that there was one nearby and Alex could only imagine the crystal-clear interior of the quartz hanging from his neck darkening due to the proximity of the foul presence.  With no other choice, he pulled over and got out.<br/><br/>When he looked though, all he saw were humans.  Ordinary, average humans.  The pendant never steered him wrong before though and, now, even Alex felt a sudden chill run up his spine; a common occurrence when such a monster was too close for his liking.  His headache was gone now.<br/><br/><i>They can turn invisible,</i>Alex reminded himself, having seen demons use that trick before.  In one of the less-developed countries, hiding wasn't a problem but in a city like this a demon would have to make use of that ability if it wanted to stay undetected with so many humans about.  As weak as humans were, even those creatures wouldn't want such attention.<br/><br/>Having to trust his pendant to guide him, Alex slowly walked along the sidewalk.  Beneath his shirt, against the flesh of his muscled chest, the man could feel the pendant get increasingly colder while he glanced left and right, hoping to spot the demon with his gray eyes despite not having much hope in it.  Having used the pendant for so long, he was acutely aware of the shifting temperature so upon the quartz getting a fraction warmer, Alex knew when to stop and take a step back to see where it led him.<br/><br/>It was a movie theater and as Alex stepped through the door, he instinctively cringed at the unfamiliar smells that entered his nostrils.  Not letting that deter him though, he continued on, letting the pendant guide him.  East...no, west side of the theater.<br/><br/><i>No...no...no...</i><br/><br/>Passing each door that led to auditoriums that did not house his target, Alex finally stopped at one when his pendant felt like an icicle was hanging against his chest.  This was the one.  Alex's hand drifted into his jacket and unclasped the holster but didn't draw the weapon it held just yet; it wouldn't do him any good if the auditorium was full and he wandered into the crowd brandishing such a large weapon.  Using his other hand to slowly, quietly, open the door, he stepped through.<br/><br/>It was deserted; he knew this because ever since he got to this city this was the first time there was silence.  Not complete silence as it turned out when Alex's sharp ears heard a gasp and, almost soon after, a inhuman growl.  That was enough for him as Alex slowly drew the large-caliber handgun and silently crept further inside.<br/><br/>It was a scene he was regrettably familiar with; having seen it before.  A poor woman that had been chosen to release a beast's pent-up desires.  There were times when Alex had been lucky and got to the scene on time...but those were few and the times when he was far, far too late outnumbered them.<br/><br/><i>But not this time,</i>Alex thought as his eyes narrowed and he focused on the two shapes seated in the auditorium.  One obviously human and the other...not.  By the way they were positioned, Alex may've arrived too late before the monster started but, as he pointed the handgun at the dog, trying to line up a shot, there was at least a bit of hope that he could kill it before it finished.  Too distracted by the rape it was committing, Alex should be able to drop it with one well-placed-<br/><br/>That did not go as planned.  Just as Alec flicked the safety off and his finger rested on the trigger, the monster was suddenly gone.  He didn't know how but suddenly there was this unexpected flash of light that forced him to instinctively turn his head to the side from its blinding radiance, his finger removing itself from the trigger of his weapon.<br/><br/>And when he turned to look back...the demon was gone.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>