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Hunter Book Innocent

Hunter the Reckoning - Hunter Book Innocent

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
544 views96 pages

Hunter Book Innocent

Hunter the Reckoning - Hunter Book Innocent

Uploaded by

johnnynytronius
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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at et oe Tit) [A ey ie Hunter? if roa Internet Browser: Hunter-Not 28 @ A age History Paning Prelerences SOOM A Ba SST Pog sro cols} De eee) STC ThE) ene el Roe Com Te REC RUC uae a oe Ua) Mie eee CRO Me Omar Rout Te Refers er a PEVCeUCNceue lin Mela e CMa ontts a amr Lcle(c-) * (06/13) — Thanks to all those who've passed on offers to help Oracle171. AU SER CR eels Ret ee ROR URC RACE ela death threats really cross the line. | wonder if hunter-net is where | should be.... a * (06/12) — Okay, what the hell is the problem? From the email I’m getting, it Poche CAN eeu pun ieee moment tm RC al Rc my elg (EYEE P!000y shrine to Timothy McVeigh or Ted Kaczynski, you'll see you just screwed a Nae a AS RT ae Cae Coe UC WELCOME COR ei eR MeL R rt lied +(06/09) — A few new things on the Mission page. Thanks to Nurse216 forthe help PruRuSd eran eri ce Seen BK eel eo ul ane ee Ca Ue uC eae Mae Sei tae ea a “THEM” Cea eu kei iment rns + (06/06) — Okay, I've set up vitalis.list@ hunter-net.org because of the sheer load WONTREAL Cure tau oe Meier Ree Some ETC. + (06/05) —Sorry there haven't been any updates. This Montreal thing has sapped Pete a oem Roce asec Cr ee uo A ane een RC MCR cunt) Caecum st ae eee ae fae Rou Bete eet een ame eu uence ontsis +> & @ TM t(hifp:T www Runter- te a ras Wuarls Tits Sire? Pee RU nae eee ests handed the reins of the main hunter-net back to Witnesst (who started it all), bul site-manager instinct is too strong to just sit back. MS aceon a ROR me CRT Guide site, Firelight, Vigil and a bunch of others (Il have them up on the Ele. eure an eth Leah Ce nem en cane eee ha Deena ia ere aN ate acura met CANE Ure Loar CC Lou Tecate a Nae RT) | | r Ce UR a Se eM com ele ees eRe CRT! US aah e i Recta mn nea Coen eck eee seit aie Bee Oe ean Se eT MAIN Dig ee aed Vitalis is a Latin word that basically means “life-force” (actually the full termis EXE vitalis or ‘vital energy,” but this ain't a first-year Classics course — thank God). Abs 150 years ago a lot of people called themselves “vitalists” because they thought Pe cence ten Rec a mc nts cee iret am er chunk of the folks into herbal medicine and homeopathy still believe this. Tec nae soma ner Ok ete teen Cune ase HE, CL ea MRCS ue ne kus Leto ete EUs De uaa ee mln Mee ue seals fel eee MONTREAL sort of universal fe energy. In some way, we're trying to defend the living Earth. Li eee Ree ea Cee Many of you probably remember my caveat from that mega-post | did on “i enemy.” Well, all those basic facts, if not my sentiments at the time, still apply. In kid in a wheelchair, not a modern Van Helsing or Indiana Jones. | just share what |e SSM Oar at BTW, thanks to everyone who's checked on my progress. The physiotherapy PL ASN Mae Rates aera Ur tae classes. | still get really tired and stairs are just evil, but things are a lot better th en This page last updated on 05/22. Send comment to Bookworm55 CJ Ya ory We're all different people. Besides maybe the color of my skin, what do | have in Cou Cre Cem unos Nee ee Pe cu een eg eeu on na nO aC Eee eau eg eee Mes MC en enn mother and sister. | grew up in one of those places you don’t want to, and my dad Creche ru RCO mune ea ga a cen CS a) and us. When the kids up the block decided to beat me toa pulp, she was the one who " picked me up. She kept me going. She worked two jobs and stil helped me with my HL MONTREAL a RnR Riese CU nae mee ARR kot ie eu e game cee came = Pires Reuse en nee MCR Ree Re mea ect don’t usually retire. Now I've got other ways. I see that the world is in worse shape than Peg en a a ee a a) I'm happy to do it. omen ss Because Tuene’sHoPe eNotes eeu Cn E Deena me eu eee Mie wee Le aed urea an cath Mice ae MU CR Netcong Petar ee teem aa CW Ie ae ae) to making things better. To steal Witness1’s thunder, we can inherit the Earth. a me bea LL ere nna Cum Ree RRC ae Po heat TR eee ast UT aa) zombie about to kill someone and | know I'm the only one who can help, what else am etek ae hon Soa ee er ea as) (eMac lester lie eurels sume Ua erm ae mune meee Re ne CeCe Soe Mente cue Sime ue eet i Teh just closing my eyes and forgetting | ever heard the call. | almost did. eenitesectc tune ne ce nas cm uOuae GSS Cann RY bed every day, and | knew | had to be there for them. | knew the future could be better. Roker! l'dllike to think we all feel that way. We disagree on specifics, but we know we have to make the world better one way or another. We're in this together. This page last updated on 05/25. Send comments to Bookworm55, «oR “THEM” MONTREAL Internet Browser: Hunter-Net @ Sep Soo Tue Mission Not THE Hunt I call what we do “the mission” Cae ead other terms | could use — obliga- Ses Reo a To eo eee ee Par ma Aue eeu ne ee a a agree on this, and | almost didn't Pee eet al) ecu Rue MUR son | did was not to lose any Sree em Rete macy aN Tigre eT er ST Sm eee on the wrong foot. Hunters stalk PUL Sec Sut a aed Pein er ie(. Poa Roman the extreme behavior that’s grow- rua Cenc a Pelee Cee ROC Ue ar Ure) Nei R OMS eer COUR Wee Ree es aren't part of my take on positive Cet Reema CM tons ee mee at who isn't just as “dedicated” SEU or eee masta EU tcl eo light who probably think a Dee eRe ic Neus Before things get out of hand, Te Rc ae eel Poem em toot We want to heal the world, not ae Booxworm’s Do's axo Don'ts Peston aera cotKt aa wheelchair after dealing with a wome who was a vampire. She thought | Cena ae cut aineTel* eee ats eae ad Sree ut ea ees Ten ee Pee ea anc emo) Ogos cM ichussian ate reat SE ae eo eat Reig eM en Pee R Nee RR nl about the mission and which other ate ea Baas CCN eno cee eS Dee eae ed Take time off, talkabout things, try tobuid ees oan Oy eee eae We call them “bait” and “gawks,” bul eee Mer eae ea ee ee ae (ewe nr ea emu *Don'tkill on sight: "Monsters" are Peete eas ech acne hiet gts eee umes Oe ena one. Remember that what we do is Eee gene ae ee Toa ieee Se eed ec a ete ie Wo OMT as om Om cd eee aie Pe CNSR ea tee eet Aa eA a Yel oke 1) Taek ned ee tence! 7AM Usvs. THem? Soe eta MMe melee ae Ru Tee ne Cee nae eek Nurse216 and Potter! 16 both told me | had missed some important distinctions; that | was forgetting about motivations and effects. | was lumping everything into one category — “enemies. Steen en ree nice een ey esa kee ac up in the hospital, and I wasn’t the most positive person in the world, believe me. A person Tree ue MeO Ret km an mel Bi eae Meee SS eM) Seca As far as | can tell, the “other side” is stil human, at least by a loose definition. They seem Boece el nude eh bates Canc nue mace) ete ean Seu eta ee ee cd ea a Pea Te ca ac Roach me ean or heard of anything that's any more monstrous than Ted Bundy or the slave trade. Wee Rest ue ea ae ec | powers and can do amazing — and disturbing — things. But some of us can tum baseball bats into torches and vorit killer fog. 'm notsure we're in any position to call the other side monsters. ETT 12°85" "2t!'m savingis hat we should spend more time seeing what these people — not Te eeu Mae eae aU eRe aes ct et can es they feed from. That says to me there's some ethical decision going on. My warlock friend — Crean a Rete ee me No Senco Meu Cana hie te ene ea tana | Uae Mae hog net (EE Rescancour | see Meee a ae ee ea Ma ud Taian ee cu et a nee Ute nn MELAS ted Crete aCe ame Now, before | move on, let me be very clear here. My rules still apply: be very careful. Going out Beta tesla teste eRe el ee eu eMC ua fd ‘communicate with the other side, start very small. Always make sure you have a way out and (preferably) people to help you ifthings go sour. You do notwantto be alone with an enraged vampire Haan ee et a ute ar ie ea ie oa ee etd Se aM om ames tanec Sioa een ee ee ee one oer ope Pause aes ance Ce ens ar eee Lee eee De as une ame nes ete Roe hae pene ge eset eng people out there — both human and not — wil lure you in o hurt you, Caution, always. tees een acu See Meee ene cee) Regained ae eee hee ee cu ued eee eat X on viil.ist, and considering my own experience with Purple, | think warlocks are probably IE ee Cenc ne TSS ue eM EURes Wnes but at least a good number seem to like to talk. And debate. And argue. We can use that to Cera cut aea he Raa) Okay, ghosts. | haven't had too much experience with outright spirits, but it seems like at ee eM uC ee Loui reac ea reo ante eee bursts of anger — but some of the other types are capable of talking. Nurse216 knows more about them than | do, but from what she's told me, there's an emotional need ina lot of ghosts. ete Cn ee ee eum g Le Palen tse ete ee kaon enemy a a a net org/vitalis/mi htm SE | Tue Monrreat “Bony SnatcHer”’ TRAGED' It's hard for me to really talk about what happened in Montreal, but we 4 Oe Net eNom ees es Same ae cet Cee aM eo RR UR CRMC ce Cue a context. Anyone who has anything to add, just email me. — BW55 eee Tue “Facts | got this off the Canadian Press wire service. LeAWiste} Bodysnatcher Cult Commits Mass Suicide ONTREAL (CP) — Investigators for the Mont t LMA WELCOME THE MISSION aay RN eee OR M RU Mummies Uae Vie im cole ies Tel who don't know, the “New Dijon thing” he refers to was an outbreak of shamt and spooks in a small town near Montreal. You can get his full report in the Sur Guide. — BW55 Intornot Browser: > een ds Bedwons Fowars Redraw Stop Ft) Homepage History A SL RT Ba a ea aor eae Eee ene Things just went in the crapper for some good people up in Montreal. CNN just, POM eum nt RCM Mee Rea Fear Ur Rua aoe Neer ket Mr eae ete ek ok Cat EOE Can uk enor une ate Nat stayed at the bunker when | was up in Montreal last time. The news report said one Oe RSet Oe Wate wha ama a PCR R cloacae RN Onur eR og aor what he could do about that whole New Dijon thing. | put him in touch with my contact. owe iT ALOR Nu URC ae DE ud Ws ee ary hi i) also said Henessy was drained of all his blood, and that sounds like a vampire to me. De eee ee oe Cet omen ae eran lua eu ee ur eee ace Mayer Poe Vmec meena itd wacome May eect koe ae eT MU gees aa eC Renee ta ace eee Preece a eerste tes Nee eed yey Rene Reg Height: 5'7” (1.70 m) a Weight: 125 Ibs. (57 kg) reeset LE len Tua icone) PTS eisai hcl Caen ee eT rere eM ee a eu aoe EUR UM OMT Mell ols eR oe eel eel ae SU Cee cake een eee eee) assault. She is considered armed and extremely dangerous. It is likely she will flee to PURO ge Rolo Ijust got some mail from Oracle herself! She's still alive, but on the run. She asked oer on ee) Creer re AA Bree} ede e eu \ cried with the angel when they all died, up on Rue Ontario. The angel knew their way was only going to lead to death and I tried to warn them, but they couldn't see the light. |_had_to try something and the angel suffered for it +8 WELCOME THE MISSION, Internet Browser: Huntor-Not @o2 °° 8 4 A eur Re eae NE ome told me he was dead, but | needed to try. He lied and | ignored the angel and Ite Til never make that mistake again, The angel never lies. Deo ee et ear eS ros eatery Okay, I'm not crazy about posting this, but it has to be seen to be believed. S Tee Wek a el a ae eR Rm ee =) otal Be anny eee aa EST ea ee MT ol Rela CCU Ree reo enue cnt a te cme Cee RTO ES cae ee eerie ee ras cic eM OMe ese Rag tlc eee auto acute cta rae Annee s (ole aha Apparently, they were hip deep in shamblers and other rots, including a few fer PO CCAR eR ar me Ma ees Ln Dea tu TUN eas mace Renu ae eee) right stuff. Meanwhile Oracle's talking about getting to know the devils, She w: understand *why* and wants to communicate’. Mythmaster was worried that s PRUE RU esta ea eae eee RO ete cae fol ET Ee aoa iret ae Seo eel eee Sees e a Rae an ees eu ee either because she's incredibly stupid or she’s working for the other side. Now si bait on the run. If we help her, we become the next targets. If anyone sees her See I a Sn ence Den ane ee eg PET a ety I didn't include itin the post from Oracle, but trust me when I say that she's tur Reuse Mu uleeermeetlehaie dice Rcitete gece cenit Sangeet Ne eRe le CAL od oh teu ea mt But she doesn't deserve to die. Refusing to help her will kill her. We know s! SUMO MMM Cmca RT CMeiace)- ame UTM CR Rg tse | Ld to help. Or else, what's the point of all this? — BW55 AU te Cate eRe Jae MS clo Rola aC leo ese} 3 > Be : This whole body snatchers deal with Oracle171 has been turning around my head D Beast seen enue eek ane with the other side, but has that just gotten six of our own killed? Is Oracle a danger Poe a Cd enema slg eee nas ute an ee Tre Re aro ae eee VCR CR Ran ee evag lo eCuls Run un Wiese deluding myself and should pickup an M-16 and join Crusader17. Someone's offered ny ome Teach uke Mun Rens | | ars aeRO RUT EU cue RET eR el RL betel a E Teac ee ieee uence a Laem Ted acs EN — Bookworms WELCOME MawneList | started this list as a place for people to comment on my site, and so | could respond to people all at once, butt seems to be have evolved into a running discussion of the mission. EGS To subscribe, just fill in your hunter-net handle below and hit SEND. or Pent ec ame ne CRU an ane AC go Pee etn Uo eu hee am ce Cauca a Sie ae Ra Sem ORC ae ec Rca ay Peer ea en tee eeu se at oo Suara aN ene eet ee au Fem Se neta un nO emt ca + The Survival Guide Lots of very good information on us across the world. See cence mee eae UMS eee aeueneaa eta htt anata aca of real insight. Just ignore Crusader7 and you'll be okay, eee ene eure et eee) CONS eeebon ti rue ene oan oa us Tac es worth listening to. * Beyond hunter-net, you can find out some good info if you know where to go. | Croom ED eon eeu eeu eo Died et ecco RE Mea Ree ated stool olan) Ifyou're an 18-year-old virgin, you pay attention when a supermodel brushes by in the library stacks. You drool, actually. And walk into things like the shelves. She tumed when I dropped the bound copies of Applied Sociology. When I knelt co pick them up, I gota ‘chance toconfirm that I wasn’t daydreaming. She really sins the most beautiful woman T'd ever seen. She smiled atme — suppressing a laugh, maybe, but it was 2 smile and Iwas sticking to it. ‘An hour later I was sitting at my carrel and had barely made it chrough one journal. I just couldn't concentrate, even on an article supposedly docu menting the “recurrent mass hysteria” of supernatural ‘events. [ knew that was bull, of course. It had been three weeks since my eyes had been opened to a whole other world. I still got the shivers thinking of the lonely little dead girl who'd come up to me that night. Thinking of her dredged up recriminations, two, Couldn't I have helped more? Couldn't I have stopped the pain before she was dead? Ishook my head to return to the present. Ihoped to focuson the article in front of me. Instead, Idwelled on at woman, Tse ea She was reading Walt Whitman when I found her. She was mesmerizing, sitting in one of the plush chairs tucked away in the back of the library, so focused on het book. Books were my passion, but standingthere watch ing her eyes flick from word to word made me fee! like a part-time reader, one of those Sunday browsers at Bares and Noble who wanders through the aisles but ends up buying Maxim. Ididn’t even notice my sight shift. I just slowly became aware that something was wrong with her. Tt was as if she was sick or out of place somehow Like a Shakespeare folio stuck between issues of Popular Mechanics. “Excuse me, miss? Are you all right?” T couldn't believe what I was doing. In high school T could barely look agitl in the eye, and here I was trying to strike up a conversation with someone who could have walked off the cover of Ele. Then again, during high school I didn’t see dead people walk the streets or warlocks eat cheeseburgers in diners. When she didn’t look up, [ thought of walking away. But I couldn't just hide anymore. Things were different now. DUC ea “Um, I'm sorry to bother you “Oh, yes?” She didn’tsound angry or confused or anything, but ray head swam for a second. Part of it was that 18-year- old virgin kicking in again, but mostly it was that sense of her being off. I couldn’t reconcile the conflicting feelings, and I just stared. She should have ignored me or told me to get lost Instead, she motioned for me to sit. "My name is Phaedra,” she said, smiling with perfectly straight white teeth between burgundy lips. Te wasn't until later that she showed me her fangs. The Footnotes Café wasn’t what I would qualify as wheelchair accessible. Sure, it had a ramp outside to help me get around the three concrete steps to the door, but then the door had a half-inch lip. Inside, the decor was just shy enough of trendy not to be passé, and didn't leave me much room to maneuver. The bookshelves were packed tight so I could barely make the tum at the end of an aisle, and anyone larger than a Chihuahua blocked my chair. The café part of the experience was literally above someone like me, on a mezzanine accessible only by an expensive wrought-iron spiral staircase. It was set up just right, so the beautiful people could look down at me struggling while they sipped their double-latte chai I didn’t really pay too much attention to the freshly caffeinated cream of the Harvard-Radcliffe crop. In- stead, [ went under the mezzanine to where the real books were. The first-editions room. Thesitated a second before pushing my wheelchair through the door. It was just as I remembered it: Glass- fronted bookcases lined every wall, filled to the brim with leather-bound tomes datingback to the early 19th century. A small counter was at the back, where the owner served a client. The whole room was a rebuke to the hipper-than- hip café culture that surrounded it. Henry Foote had let huis daughter take over the shop —and tum its finances around — on the condition that he got to keep this roomas he liked i. He told me that in better days, when I didn’t have any trouble getting around the place. I waited for the client at the counter to turn around. She looked down at an open book. Just as enthralled — and enthralling — now as she was s0 long ago in that library. I knew she wouldn’t break ‘away from the page, s0 I executed that most cliché of “notice me” cues. I coughed. When she turned, Phaedra looked as beautiful as ever. When she saw me, she did something I didn’t think was possible. She got paler. “Jackson,” she said, halfa statement, halfa question. “You know I prefer Jake, Phaedra.” I wheeled closer. “I's good to see you.” “Jackson suits you much better. I's more gent More poetic “Idon’tthink Ihave much poetry leftin me these dag She looked down at my lap where my legsusedtokes rhaps I should go.” “Not without me. Weneed to talk.” I got closers “You owe me that much.” Something in me triggered when her eyes t hard. [ focused my sight and saw the blood-red gl pulse around her, almost as if it was fighting to get Pd just hit a nerve. “Ler’s go.” Curt, cold and callous. Like the predat she was. When I walked to the bed, part of me knew Iwasa over my head, but most of me didn’t care. Iwas about am something about vampires —and maybe get ai I rested there and looked up at the moon thro the lofi’s skylight. Phaedra moved like cat, crawl top of me and straddling my lap. I couldn’tsee themaa] anymore, but I really didn’t mind, “Is this your home!” I asked. The walls were ling with bookshelves, each one with a fine collection leather-bound books. We'd already established thats was a collector of American authors. My eyes fllon’ ‘Murders in the Rue Morgue. “Yes, itis.” That was a lie. There were a lot of books here} nothing rare. If she was a collector, she'd keep hi favorites where she really hung her hat — just lkel neverlet my first edition of The Big Sleep out of mysig She was a bookworm, like me. 1 didn’t call her on it, probably because she unbuttoning my shirt. Her thighs were pressed agi my sides and I knew full well I couldn't move, buthi hand on my chest just felt too good for me to muster much concer. Very nice,” nipple “Um... of course,” I stammered as my pleas centers hit overload. “But, is this really necessary? She pinched my lefe nipple and pleasure bouna into pain fora second. She leaned over and putherk tomy ear. “Isaid icwas,didn’e I? Tes the way these thi are done, Jackson.” Her cold tongue moved up my earlobe, b touching the skin, sending shivers down my Then she sat up and reached bebiind her back to pal her top. The lacy thing underneath was off ah later. “Just relax, let me take care of you.” “Okay.” I was barely thinking anymore. the said. Her hands passed over liciting an immediate reaction. “You trust She leaned forward again, this time playing her tongue actoss my neck and down my sternum. Then she moved to my nipple, which wasstill throbbing from the pinch. She bit. Iwas aware of twoneedles piercing my skin andthat feeling rising in me, trying to keep me focused. | sup- pressed it, giving in to the moment. The rush took over. Ifelthot and cold, weak and strong, all at once. | guess Idon't really have a frame of reference, but tome it felt lke sex. Really, really good sex. ‘An eternity later she moved back and I looked at her, my own blood still on her lips. Her hand moved slowly and seductively to her own breast and then her wrist flicked faster than I could see. A red-black bead formed on her nipple and I couldn't take my eyes off it She moved back just slightly, reached forward and pulled me to her. “Your tur, lover.” Her blood was cold and rich, and I drank gladly “How did you find me, Jake?” She was walking alongside me as I rolled toward a nearby park. The sidewalk was a pain, full of cracks and enough debris to make maneuvering that much harder, sol didn't answer for a while. “saw the post on booksbyfoote-dot-com. I knew you'd never be able to resist a copy of Usher with notes by Baudelaire.” Shesmiled. “I've never been that great an admirer ef French literature, but Les fleurs dw mal is truly exceptional. And of course, his translations of poor Edgar's works are sublime. The chance to glimpse at his thinking when he worked on The Fall ofthe House of Usher was—” “Seductive?” She smiled. “I was going to say miraculous, but ethaps you're right.” We got to the park and entered. My wheels didn't do too well on the dirt and gravel, and Phaedra moved tothe back of the chair. “Nohandles, Phaedra.” I pushed through the last of the gravel and onto the paved path. “Some things I've otto do for myself.” “Yes, I suppose so.” The coldness was back, like a frost on the air between us. “So before we venture into another discussion of literature, why don’t you tell me why you sought me out. Is this some sort of trap?” Iset the brake on my chair. “Do I look like I came here fora I fight?” “Just answer my question.” The world reduced to her eyes, and my tongue started to move before | could think. I'd almost opened ry mouth when the sight came back and broke the spell. She was strong, but so was I. "No tricks, Phaedra.” USS IC ay She shifted her stance and I could see muscles tensing under cold flesh. I'd just stepped on the tiger's tail, but figured the truth might keep it from pouncing “Lfound you because | wanted to talk to you. To ask you ‘why.”” “1... [don’t want to talk about that, Jackson.” She stepped back and turned around, as if dismissing me Like a pet. I snapped, “Too fucking bad, Phaedra! I need to know!” “Forwhat” she spat." Your little reportsand projects?” “No! For me!” I could feel my eyes starting to water, and I hated myself for it. “We had something, Phaedra. I... I cared for you and you nearly killed me. And then— She didn't let me finish. “You lied to me, Jackson. You brought that maniac with you.” “Goddamn it, Phaedra! You know had nothing to do with that. Ididn’tknow he wasfollowing me. Inever would have betrayed you.” “I.sse Maybe, but at the time.. “Do you have any idea what the past few months have been like? Forget that I'm a freak. Forget that I sleep with a gun beside my bed. I spent months in the hospital trying to even remember why the fuck I wanted to live! You lose your temper and I lose my life!” We stared at each other for long moments. I was breathing heavily, trying to regain some composure She wasn't breathing at all “You treated me like a thing, Like a piece of meat. That was wrong.” Te was like a dark cloud came over her. Shadows seemed to play over her features and I felt more than heard a rumbling in her chest “How dare you tell me what's right and wrong! Your little morality plays don’ interest me. Tam what I am. You're nothing but a meal!” That's when the tiger pounced. She was on top of mein second, knocking the chair overand sending me ‘onto my back. But before she could lay a hand on me, 1 could hear the voices whisper. By the time I hit the ground, I was glowing. She leaped back “You can't hurt me anymore, Phaedra. You have to talk to m For several seconds she didn't. She circled me, her features predatory. Two long fangs extended from her ruby lips and her eyes seemed black as night. She tried to move forward but couldn't and growled. “There’snothing left tosay.” She stepped back from the glow and straightened up, suddenly utterly civil again. “Goodbye, Jackson.” She turned and walked away, but not before I saw a red tear run down her cheek. CUS eat By the time I walked into the loft for the third time, I'd gotten to know Phaedra’s mood swings. This was a dark one. “Ithought you'd never get here.” She walked up to ime quickly, without much of the sensual sashay Pd come to expect. She was angry. “A blue-blooded bas- tard cost me a Thoreau manuscript tonight. He burned it out of spite.” She reached me and her hand was between my legs and her mouth was at my neck. “Mmmm, yes,” she purted and then shifted her hands to hoist me over her shoulder. “I'm thirsty.” She threw me onto the bed without much delicacy and started taking off my clothes with little more. Then the door exploded and everything went crazy. “Time's up, demon!” The man who came through the smoking wreck of an entrance was wearing army fatigues and a flak jacket. He had a gun ina holster, but he was swinginga tire iron, instead. A red-hot tire iron, “Andy? Isaid itbefore my brain could tell me toshut up. Phaedra looked down at me like Iwas flyin her soup. “You know him?" she demanded. She was mad Before I even sat up, she was tangling with Andy He took a good swing and caught her on the arm. The blow made a sound like meat sizzling, and she sprang back into low, animalistic crouch. She bared her fangs and growled. I started to move “That's it, bitch,” Andy said, “feel the burn.” rook afew steps toward them, hoping to defuse the situation, but it was too lace. Phaedra ducked left and Andy came down with the tire iron again — or at least tried to. Phaedra's right hand moved faster chan I could see, catching Andy's wrist mid-swing. She clamped het left hand around his neck, twisted her body and pulled. There was a wet popping sound. The tire iron was still glowing when it hit che ground along with the pounds of meat that had been Andy's arm. I ran out trying to put the slaughterhouse sounds behind me. I darced down the hall and through an emergency exit into the alley behind Phaedra’s building. “No so fast, lover.” She grabbed my shoulder and spun me around like a ragdoll. She was covered in gore, beautiful and terrible like a cobra. “It’s not polite to run away.” She pushed me up against the wall, held me against it with one hand and grabbed my left leg with the other. "You should never run away.” Then she twisted. And pulled. I blacked out. “told you she would not speak to you, da? I was wheeling along the hallway of my apartmes building. Fyodor was waiting by the door. As usual, was stroking his Karl Marx beard and smoking that god awful pipe “Iewasn't the conversation I was hoping for, na! got out my keys — right next to the taser—and fumb with the locks, They were awkwardly high up the and the super refused to do anything about it. “Whatelse do you expect from a creature whosts your legs? Who tried to kill you!" “It's more complicated than that.” I hoped Fyodae ‘would get the hint and drop it, but I knew he woulda “You think you were in love with the beast, da? Yau think she loved you.” He sucked on his pipe agin ending blue-gray smoke billowing. “You are just lie young William. So set in your ways "You mean Violin99?” “Very good, Jake. I'm glad 10 see that you've been payingattention. I wonder, though, ifyoucan see that, hy can'tyousee the self-evident truth that thiscreatureis vile She dismembered you, did she not? She left you to die” Ttumed the chair to face him. “You haven't figured it out, have you? Yeah, she crippled me and left me there. But I didn’t die. I woke up in a hospital and they patched me together.” “The Messengers protect their own, Jackson.” “Bull! I should have bled to death in thatalley. But 1 didn’t. The cops told me they found me crawling inte the street. There's no way I could have crawled anys where, especially not around a building!” “Amazing things are possible, Jake.” “Sure, like cops and doctors just writing off mp injuries as a ‘car accident’? My legs were twisted offby hand, for God's sake! All the medical reports I saw sid 1 was in a car accident. That the driver's insurance was covering my care. Someone made sure I was found and that no one asked too many questions.” “The devil?” He puffed more blue smoke. “Surely it was just protecting itself...” “If that was true she would have let me die. She saved my life.” "Yes, that does change matters, doesn't it?” “Yeah. Whether she admits or not, she’s'no mon ster. [have to find her.” “We can do that together.” He puffed again. “You may help me with my endeavors. I will be glad to help you with yours.” I didn’t say anything. Ifhe could help. “Jackson, trust me.” I did, of course. At oe Lt) INNOCENT) By Puitiprs Boutte, Ken Cuirre AND ADAM TiNworTH Craans Authors: Philippe Boulle, Ken Clffeand Adam Tinworth Developer: Ken Cliffe Ed Hall Devil's Advocate: Michael Lee Art Director: Richard Thomas Layout and Typesetting: Pauline Benney Interior Art: Mitch Byrd, Langdon Foss, Vince Locke, Brad Rigliey Front Cover Art: Tommy Lee Edwards Front & Back Cover Design: Pauline Benney Ware Wocr HocazySreca Yoas Tim “The Kid” Avers (Defense), for doing all te running on the old farts’ behalf Andrew “Chrome Dome” Bates (#6, Defense), fi distracting the other team with something shiny wile everyone else tries to score Phil “Two Periods” Boulle (Wing). “Next time I prom ise I'l make it to the third.” Chad “Ghost” Brown (#14, Defense). “There was ny other season?” Brian “Hip Check” Glass (#84, Defense), for finaly realizing that he should use his size to make other team wear the boards Rich “Fighty" Thomas (#13, Defense), for going at other teams’ families in he parking lot. Mike “Pipes” Tinney (#11, Goal). Pads: $1500. $500. Having knees like kindling: Priceless Stick © 2000 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserve 735 PARK NORTH BLYD, Reproduction without the written permission ofthe publisher he SUITE 18 ClanisToH, CA 30021 expressly forbidder blank character sheets, which may be reproduced for perso use only. White Wolf and World of Darkne: trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. Al rights re except for the purposes of reviews, and are registe Hunterthe Reckoning, Hunter Storytellers Companion, Hum USK Su PUBLISHING ival Guide, Hunter the Walking Dead, Hunter are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights served. All characters, names, places and text herein are copyrighted by White Wolf Publishing, Ine. ‘The mention of orreference to any company or product in these pages is not a challenge to the trade or copyright concerned. ‘This book Uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. Reader discretion is advised. For a free White Wolf catalog call 1-800-454-WOLF. Check our White Wolf online at Iheep://orew. vehi -wolf.com; alt-games.whitewolf and rec.games rp storyteller PRINTED IN THE USA. HUNT £R- BOOK INNOCENT TreicoeConrsnrs Curse 2:Dayey Davour Cuprven3:Iuh T ogevien Carn 4: Avorn Day Cire 5:NewRutss Cur G: Baresi Wools aC We N we CO Tam clean without ransgression, Lam innocent; neither is there iniquity in me —Job 33.9 Wort Hoe in Yuet Henrys Hunter Book: Innocent is a sourcebook that helps ou develop a better underscanding ofthe Innocent creed andits emerging role in the world of Hunter: The Reck- ‘ning. As an Innocent, you respond to the supernatural with empathy instead of outrage. Even the vilest monster deserves some consideration, some compassion, ot else whats the point of the imbuing? Brushing off fear, cyni- «ism and hate, you offer an open hand to the nightmares. This path is by no means an easy one — most other hunters" dismiss you asa fool bound to get yourself killed {never mind that those same zealots are happy to accept whatever assistance you provide). So, what makes you tick? Whar spark of hope allows you to be optimistic in a worl of despair? This book helps you decide, todetermine who your Innocent is before and after the imbuing — and allthe creed's new powers and rules don’t hurt, either. Bat just as you need to better understand your own Jmocent, yournustunderstandimbued societyasitemerges; thetwoare inextricably intertwined. Aseach of the newly imbued struggles to understand her new work, origins and purpose, she inevitably compares experiences, philaso- phiesand fears with others she encounters on the streets or viathe Intemet. Atfirs, the recently awakened latch onto anyone who understands them; this new world is just too terrfyingtocontend withalone. Intime, however, asmore and more imbued dare meet and make overtures to find cach other, individuals with similar attitudes and theories are attracted to one another and develop like-minded circles. These foundling social groups are the foundations for what ultimately become the creeds Yet, in these early days, many various imbued can seem to have common goals. As the chosen make contact, try to understand their mutual condition and strive to work together, similar goals and comparable experiences can hide fundamentally different philoso- phies, whether about imbued purpose, the nature of the Messengersor thenecessary fate of the supernatural. All imbued agree that the other side’s hold on humanity must be broken, but not everyone agrees on how to accomplish such a thing. Mutual experiences and mu- tual values turn out to be two very different things Imbued can therefore be taken by surprise when afellow “Innocent” really proves to be a militant Defender or a distracted Visionary. Sometimes, the chosen aren'teven, sure of their own ideals until they become immersed completely in the mission. It’s only after the imbued become fully devoted to cor even obsessed with the calling that their approaches to it become purposeful and refined. Some become determined to save monsters’ souls. Others want to see these creatures utterly destroyed. When thisdistillation is complete, the creeds as social classifications finally arise. Innocent recognizes Innocent and Avenger rec- ‘ognizes Avenger, all through the creeds’ codified values, intentions and goals in the hunt. ‘When will the imbued achieve such social structure? Itcould take months, or years, as they struggle to under- stand themselves and then each other. The fact that so many edges seem to be shared by the chosen of various perspectivesand personalities doesn'thelp, either. When, creeds as institutions are finally acknowledged, however, the mission may finally gain the momentum it needs to save humanity, once and forall. Orperhaps such cumber- some and fractious divisions will be the mission’sundoing, as imbued fall to infighting and politics rather than upholding their higher purpose. Ultimately, the course of your chronicle and your Storyteller’s vision decide when the creedsbecome widely recognized in your game. In the meantime, your nnocent’s fully developed identity helps define his own society. Paasteeris The opinions, theories, information and outlooks expressed in this book are presented in three distinct * voices." These Innocent narrators typify the spectrum, of personalities across the creed as a whole. Each of these people presents his or herown take on the origins, tactics, relations and ultimate fate of Innocents, and on the imbued in general. ‘Thecreed and itsmembers' viewsevolve constantly as Innocents try to define themselves in a world they no longer understand. With no other frame of reference, the chosen often resort to the ideas, virtues and philosophies they possessed before their transformation. No two Inno- cents have the same thoughts about their origins, for ‘example. Thus, the questions the imbued ask of themselves and their world — noc any specific belief system — best illustrate their individual and collective identity. After reading this book, you should have a sense of the drivesand hopes that inspire and motivate various Innocents. You should sense what keeps the spark of hope alive in their hearts, and what influences their relations with other imbued. Wealso hope that you're inspired to fully develop your character's identity and beliefs, to make him just as compelling in his work for a better world. How ro Use Tis Book Hunter Book: Innocent shows you the World of Darkness through fresh eyes. Each chapter deals with ‘one broad theme. Chapter 1: Hearing the Call depicts Innocents struggle with their origins. They express theories ont supernatural, the imbued and the Messengers. Chapter 2: Day in, Day out explores how | cents attempt to follow the Messengers’ plan. discuss general theories and offer specific advice aby touchy situations, such as creatures who respond to ‘open hand with tooth and claw. Chapter 3: In It Together addresses Int nts’ tionships with others. They discuss their feelings to the community at large and toward various other it Chapter 4: Another Day focuses on Innocen perceptions of and hopes for the future. Just where d the mission take the imbued? Chapter 5: New Rules provides expanded system and advice for playing Innocents, including new ed guidelines for gaining Conviction and how your char ter can create charms. Chapter 6: Babes in the Woods details som prominent Innocents and provides ready-to-play d acter templates. Lexicon Innocents have something of the awkward teenage about them. They tend to be ata loss for words, and th loaded language of other creeds “bloodsucker” — only frustrates them. Many have tt todevelop other ways to describe their topsy-turvy live and these terms slowly filter through Vitalis and hunt ‘net at large. Innocents without access to the Inter may make similar efforts to change the perspectivesd any fellow imbued with whom they work. They prai ably have their own terms for the other side and calling in general, Ultimately, it doesn’t matter. communication, whether with another imbued ot world of them, furthers Innocents’ cause. bully: A supernatural creature that takes plea in causing fear or pain. burnout: Any imbued who has seen too much the mission and suffered psychologically. Innocet apply this term to mean those who display ext derangements, those with violent tempers, and tothe who drop out of the hunt altogether. call, the: The imbuing. Innocents say they the call.” Sometimes “the voice.” DADT: “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” A label for th Innocent attitude toward discussing harmless superna ral creatures with milicant hunters; an informal code! silence intended to stop other hunters from going af the creatures Innocents discuss or make contact with game hunter: An imbued who targets specific yp of creatures. Innocents see game hunters as destrut to the mission as a whole. sedhead: An imbued person who leadsa cult ofperson- altyor who maintains the pretense of divinity. Sometimes ted to mean Martyrs, but itcan and does apply to others as wel including some Avengers and Redeemers headshrinker: An overly analytical imbued who spendsher time trying to categorize rather than accept Often applied to Judges, but itcan also refer to others including some Innocents. hidden, the: Euphemism for the supematural hometown hero: An imbued who pledgesherselfto defending a specific place, typically the neighborhood where she lives. Often synonymous with Defender. honcho: An imbued who must always be in com- ‘mand, Sometimes used to mean Visionary or Judge Saonger variations include “head honcho” and even, *headest honcho.” loner: An imbued who refuses to cooperate or aseciate with others. Innocents perceive this as key sign of burn other side, the: Euphemism for the supernatural. plan, the: The mission, the hunt pup: A harmless supernatural creature who either remains contained or fades away if left alone. shark: A supernatural creature who consciously takes advantage of an Innocent's optimism and trust to doheror others harm, usually by luring the imbued into abr or trap of some sort. Derived from other imbued nicknaming Innocents “bait.” soldier: A hunter who approaches the mission asa war, imposing martial discipline on those around him and typi- ealysportingmiltary weapons. Often used tomean Avenger. tough: A hunter whose self-image depends on being undefeated and unstoppable. One who reacts violently to tmostsituations. Often used to mean Avenger or Defender. Arrensnock ‘The premise of Hunter Book: Innocent is the fallout fromevents on the Vitalis list and from events in this book's fpologue. The Innocent extremist Oraclel71 runs scared ftom monsters and imbued after the murder of her allies at ehands ofthe walking dead. Some consider her a victim ‘onthe nun, while others believe her a traitor. Bookworm55, the closest the creed has to a spokesman, also vanishes during this crisis. Imbued using Vitalis try to make sense of ‘events. Ones who contribute to the list tend to agree with Bockworm’s optimistic outlook. Vitalis thus slowly be- ‘comes the “Innocent homepage” linked to hunter-net. Sounes Mavzniac Who says Innocents are toonaive toexperience the world? Or too simple to know the difference between ‘ight and wrong? Innocent people can change the ‘world, just like any others. Here are some examples of Ua ANoreFoe Sronvreceers Events in this book's website introduction af- fect developments throughout. Innacent picks up on Oracle17’s story from Hunter: The Walking. Dead and puts heron the run from various enemies. The fate of Bookworm55 also unfolds. ‘These narratives make Hunter Book: Innocent more than discussion from disparate narrators and. ‘more than a resource for new rules. This book carries forward the Hunter meta-plot, the ongoingplotofthe game. Don’t feel compelled to adhere to these devel- ‘opments in yourchronicle,though. Futuresupplements will continue to follow Oracle and Bookworm's expe- riences, but you can make of them what works best for your game. Other developments, such as events in. Montreal and the details of Oracle's encounters with ‘other hunters (orthe exact outcome of her expedition ‘to Greece in Walking Dead) can be developed by you completely. Feel free to change events or locales to ‘make your troupe's characters directly involved. This bookisnotan Unchangeable Plot Element, t’sastring of story hooks. Use itas you like. movies and comics with innocent protagonists, who impact the lives of everyone they know. Forrest Gump: A quintessential American (ifpoliti cally conservative) fable, this is probably the ultimate representation of optimism triumphing over all odds (and of the applications of the Fool's Luck edge). Mal Forrest's whole life like the Vietnam sequences, and you have the world of Innocents. Brooklyn Dreams: This comic, written by J.M. DeMatteis followsa grown man’srecollections of growing up in 1970s Brooklyn. Amid drugs and teenaged foolish: ness, he discovers the simple divinity within. Much of DeMatteis work deals with that samedivine and universal love, but Dreams does so in the most mundane context. The Jam: Bernie Mirreault’s quirky comic about a regular guy who happens to dress as a superhero. The ‘mood is too light-hearted for Hunter, but the attitude of the main character — who stays focussed on the pleasures of going out with the guys, living with the woman he loves and walking the dog, despite fighting the agents of Satan — is pure Innocent The Professional: Luc Besson’ film about a “slow” but deadly killer and a precocious gir! who find a bond of hope in a world of double-crossing father figures and hyper-violence. The Sixth Sense: A little boy goes from fear to understanding to acceptance of the ghosts who haunt him, a journey all Innocents struggle to make. Cree Blessed is the man that walketh notin the counsel ofthe ungodly nor standeth im the way of sinners, nor stteth in the seat of the scomful. — Psalms 1:1 One More Svr invo Mapuess Techunterdist@hunternetorg Fromnurse216 Subject: What's wrong with everyone? Someone threatened to kill me today. Ho wasn'ta puppot or vampire. He was one of us, «friend, I thought don't think Ive ever mentioned ths before butl spendalot eftime with afew others who've heard the voice. They don'tlive in ny neighborhood or erpthing — actully it's good two hours of freeway togetthere. Oneofthem 'lcallhimDaniel)issomething dfehometown heroand convinced himto setup place for usto nnectand stay. What those spy shows call “safe house,” ess. Iwon't name anyone who uses the house, but! know that at leastonectherpersenison thislist think Danielis,and probably coher (ifyou're reading this, please email me — we need to tall. Thnow this because of what happened today, I ques I should start at the beginning [twas three days ago, shen T'was coming home from work at the hospital I's a big hospital workin the ER,so you cen imagine how tired was.(No, isnot lke on television) On my way home everynight pass by aschooland usually there are kids playing basketball, ever late at night This time ike mary others, I decided to stop and watch for afew minutes It may seem sil tou, but realy like seeing the boyshaving fur. Te took me several minutes to realize that I wasn’t alone. ‘There wasanifo, litle baby, standingina cornerwatchingthe boys too. used the Messengers gifs to see and knew thatit was different, 20 tried to get closer. When | did sew that it wasn't alive. ltwas pele and looked ver sick — a walking deed. When I tried to got closer, it ran off, sort of crawling like a crab or an insect. [tried t follow, butt got asm. ‘That sed ittle baby who hasdied butcan'trestmade me very upset Iesill does fjust doesn’t seem fair that such a hing could be. I needed to talk people who would understand and maybe helpmefind thechildendhelpit Solwentthis momingtosee my friends up north. When I got there, they were arguing with each other ‘They were yelling about this thingin Canada thet Bookwo hes talked about — the people who died end what happened with Oracle (that's how I know at least one other person is on hhunter-net). They were screamingso much Iwas afraid they'd start fighting. Especially John (that's not his name, but I'll call him that). He was getting violent. [ wanted to give them something.else totalkaboutsol told them about the baby. At firs it seemed to work. He and Danie started talking about heading down to my area and finding the zombito ~ the litte zombie. Itvasonly when wewere abouttohead outside that John said he was going to hur it — to “puta bullec between its eyes” [was shocked. I told him no, thet we had to help ths litle baby. Ie was cee what some have called a pup. Ithadn't hurearyone. Jol lace atime like Iwas crazy end reached fore gun. He was screaming. Telling me to get out. Telling me lm “just like Oracle and Bookworm and Potter.” He ssid | st ‘waitorandtold meheshouldkill me John canbe violentbutlad never sen him lke this: Daniel who owns the house stopped. and calmed him down, but told me I should leave. He told eh that deserved to live, but not to “hunt” ‘This is crazy! Bookworm is gone, Oracle ison the nian everyone seems to be turning on everyone else John, Daniel, if you'r reading this, you know who ou andwholam).Pleasegetin touch owe canstop thiz Anyone there who can help please do. Tochuntorlis@hunternetors From: nurse216 Subject. My reasons (fou cere) ‘A lotof people sent me mail afer my last post, some ia that they had experienced similar things — Dicttrxl, etd Guar Session ‘Hola, is anyone here? Wonderful. Somuch forgetting anythingconstructivedons Excuse me? The army ofthe righteous doesn’t have a pla for Judases or Pharisees Judas? Listen. carefully and perhaps you can stand: we don'tneed or want yourkind. Traitors wweaklings will get us all killed. Thaven'tbetrayed anyone. Neither hasO So you're a stupid cow instead of a treason ‘cow. I don’t have time for either kind. Howmuch does 30piecesofsilverget youtheseda! Is all you can do is insult me? This isa “chat oom,” s(? Let's chat, then, [She wants to chat. TO FUCKING CHAT! What? What's wrong with you? ‘What's wrong is that we are in a war for our and the lives of everyone around us. Wat's wrong that our world is being held hostage by beasts an hhorrors. What's wrong is that some of you tunable to accept that *this is a war, not a soi ‘occasion. Do you get that? But it doesn't have to be a war. Do us all a favor and get yourself killed. >god45 has left che room< ‘Youunderstand that itcan'tbe war, don'typ >erusaderl7 has left the room< Hello? Anyone? >chat session has timed our< soon — other telling mel was titor. Very few people seem to derstand what thought we all understood. That frightens me. Tactually thought of leaving hurternet altogether today. neanif noone sees what see, wondered, what's the point? But Uguess Tin not ready to give up so easily | think we need t communicate better if we're ever going to cooperate so gues I Apshead and speak fst Tre decided to use Bookworm55's vtalislist to email my thoughts on what we are, what we doand where we're going I'l ry toile mytime and eally explain shat mean. thope manyofyou willcome by and see that lam nota trator ora fool Thosevhowanttoignore mel gueszyoucanignorealofthis.too. =Nurse OnicINs AND EXPLANATIONS Toxvialisin@hunternetorg From:rurs216 Subject Where do we come from? (my views, pat 1) Beginningisalways the hardest per I'm staring a the tert tal herein the records room, thinking to myself how do I start? How de say what foo!? Ths is very dificult Before I even begin I guess | should tell you I don’t tally know how often I'l be able to send these messages Ketherpeople use the terminal) oreven howlong this project fnine will sake. Just thinking about thie gives me even ore respect for Wi ust take 2o much time! Yes enough delays. fldon’t stare this, Il never get finished. Letsse, the frst thing I guess is ux. Who ere we, aryoay? Aecerrimc Wuo We Ane Iaven't been on hunternet very long, but it looks like lot people have senta lot time talking about where we come from, shoutwhatweare,abouthowwecame tobe. Everyone ssemsto say reve been “imbued but no one agrees by who or what 581. Maintaining all of hunter-net For my part, I don't think these questions are very impor fant The question we're al really asking is who-ve are, but we sles know the answer to that. I'm thesame person Iwas before Therd the voice. heven'tchanged. My world has changed, but Tem the seme person. We've all gained the ability to do extmor Ainag good, to make the world a better place for our children. Thisis what every perent strives for, and [for one em net going tolook this ft horse in the mouth When Iwas17 and anewmather,end heard my bebyen for frodattvoin the moming.1didn’tstop to wondechowhe leamed tbep-Igot up and took care of my son. This is the same thing, Tucontzs AND Condeerune Of course, ide wonder about just who was speaking that right when they wheeled my dead son into the ER. I can remember sitting there, my only child's body cooling while the eco tried to save the boy who shot him. I gave in to the despair then, I think. My boy had been in gangs fora few yen tod had been in jl twice elzeady — soyoung tobe a criminal Nowhe wos dead aftera stupid argument. L was ening end my hope ves dying. Then the voice c To: vitalis.list@hunter-netorg From: profesorgeo160 Subject: Vitalis is energy — an explanation Hola, amigos. Several weeks ago, Bookworm asked me to provide an explanation of “vitalis" for others and here itis. I've been away at a conference so could ‘not post any messages, but let me tell you that Santiago Chile still has many many problemas. 1 will write to hunter-net itselfto tell you about that. So, vitals and vitalismo. I believe in vitalismo because I am aman of science. I must believe that there isan explanation for all the problemas I have seen since I became llanero. The things I can do, they require energy and so do the things the beasts and lost ones do. Everything requires energy. Icall this energy vitalis. You can think of it as electricity in batteries, except the batteries are | people. The ghosts and beasts, they do not have energy oftheir own and sothey need to take it from others. Yes, when a vampire drinks blood, he his taking energy. When ademon-wolfeats afarmer, it is taking energy. leven think that when a ghost is scaring you, its taking energy. Si, sf. Emotion is energy too, verdad? When we are angry we can hit very hard, when we are in love ‘we can do many things. But when we are scared we loose energy. We can run, but not very far. Usually wwe stay where we are and hope no one will see us The generalisimos have always used this and the beasts do too, We llaneras, we do not steal energy. The Mes- sengers or the world as a whole has given us the energy of hope, given us much vitals. If we use it correctly, we can share it and make everyone stron- get. Maybe we can stop the lost anes from needing to steal energy. That is vitalis. Oh, yes, I forgot. This viralis, chis energy of hope, we have to keep it as hope. If we create fear, then we are just stealing energy like the lost ones. We cannot do that. Adios. Tyealoays houghtoficasan angel Padce Diaz sid thatthe angels of God watch over us and can do His work when we need Hishelp. Ineeded it and I gotit Butangelsare just what call the voice. Othershave called it the voice of God Himself the spirit of nature, the ghosts of the dead,oraliensfromouterspaceIthinkthese reall the same. This vice, this force, comes from elzewhore and guides us Call them Heralds. Call tem Messengers. Callthemenels: The important thing i that we listen If we could understand the voice of God, I don't think we would need t hear tin the first place. Caaf News Frow THE RoaD From: sixofswords29 Tot [email protected] Subject: Bookworm55 Those of you worried about our bibliophile friend since his decision to quit the hunter-net list and hit the road will be glad to hear that I received a letter from him this morning, Thope he won't mind, but I intend to post it to the Vitalis site he created. While I don’t entirely agree with many of the sentiments espoused on that separate list, it seems appropriate. Head over to http://www hunter-net.orgivitalis/ index.html if you want to subscribe. Wao Gers Gacteo Tec vialslist@hunternetorg From: nurse216 Subject: Why me? & why us? (my views, pact 2) Tmrealizing that this good thing 'm doing here, because it ismakingmeesk questions] neverwould have Like “‘whyme?" Do you know that I've never rally wondered. Why the plan involves te, why I heard the voice and not someone ele. It never even occurred to me to ask until now. Putting it into words is difficult because it seems like such silly question. Like why is my hair black? Orwhy am Ty mother's daughter? But supposeitisn' thetsimple — not everyone is like this and for many years I wasn’t either. So there must be an answer. The only one I have is very simple: [heard the voice because | was needed. Because | am still needed. When I heard the call and locked up to see my son as a host, | wasn't just a random person suddenly endowed by chance. Ifthe orderly next to me or the bus driver waiting for stitches or anyone ese had heard the voice instead of me, they couldn't have stopped things. They would have seen a ghost, notmy son. saw mi hijoand talked to him and [stopped him from becoming « murderer. Ne one elze could have done that and that is why I heard the voice. Someraine v0 Give Idonotthinkthatmy own experienceisexceptional. Wehesr thevoice because we have something to contribute, something no cone else can. The messages we receive are not random. We see things and hear things that have meaning to us. Thereis« plan to allefthisand we must each heve arolein it Sometimes I wonder what I would have done had it not been my boy [sawase ghost. Whetif he wasstil aliveand]saw theother child's spirit tying to kill him? Would Ihave under stood that could convince him otherwise, that things did not have toend in another death? hope o, butl think that] would just have tried to defend my child — with violence. From: hope123 To: nurse216 You say you wonder what would have hap: pened if your son would have been in danger. This during a bomb threat. People were running the streets and the army was there. (Bomb th are very serious in Israel.) My boy was running with me and he monster before he got away and I screamed and: kicked him hard, like when I served my two year in the army. He dropped my boy and we ran. Ie was later that I went back and found the monster again. But he was not a monster, reall ‘More a scared man and we even talked briefly. He he had lost control during the bomb scare, that his hunger had made him goafter my son, He might hhave been lying, but he did nothing to try to me, somaybe [believe him. So yousee, youcans! listen to the ones who want to talk, even after thing like that. But I watch my boy very carefully now. listened to the sad creature, but won'tlet any like ic near my son. Shalom, — Hope Fino Wary You Have I wish everyone could have an experience as cleari mine. | know that for many of us it seems so much complicated. All the things we face seem powerful andi andyou thinkyou can’t doanythingatall. Except maybel out and hurt them back. Butis that the only thing you can give? If che only th you can do is hurt, maybe you haven't understood why heard the voice. Meny people hereon Vitalis endonh net (and more across the world) have helped people, children, healed the wounded and the “monsters” Yeu do that too. Just remember that the thing at the end of gun has a heart as wel ‘We have been blessed because we can stop the that makes the world so horrible. The “monster” and crime and the drugs, all these are just symptoms ofp lem of the heart — a cycle of abuse end suffering. Wea break thet chain. That's whet we'ze here for. Thats we've been chosen. Teouldge on alongtime about this butl mustao. Nea Common Cause From: sixofswords29 To: [email protected] Subject: Bookworm55’s thoughts on us Hello there. While I don’t pretend to share the same views as most of you Vitalis subscribers, I hope most of you know me from hunter-net as a fairly open-minded fellow We do have one thing in common, I think. We all hold Bookworm55 in high regard. He's been out of contact some weeks now. Well, much to my surprise [ aeceived a letter from him this morning. To be frank, some of what he says worries me greatly. So, I'm going tobreak his confidence and post the letter to the list. would value your opinions. Apologies for not doing it as soon as I got the letter, but Tmnotthe worl!'sfastest typist. The soonersomeone invents ascanner capable of OCRing handwriting, the better. Dea Se, [hau realy be doing his you know. Fyodkx wou apo Terhcepontattisroatiohe'takingmecnistoiscatemeftemater chosen fo wile so| can gto know mys again Bitar |am serobing down my thoughts on paper, stead ft deonper screen t'sautearetesting change actualy ve anaysived seg ord on paper, 2 ess hunter handle mekes obvious, | jsthope you se that prs ofice box for mare than picking up the books Inara io tack dow for you. I guess tat is expressing my thoughts in my own way instead dfn te extended queston-and-answer sessions Fyodor puts me trough Whie Fs nerestisfatterng e's very intense. He's never itrested nthe details and sometimes the details are what reveal the mostineresing facts. Liethefsttingltirkofeach raring, That sirterestng thought ther tis moring, 25 woke up thnk other every morn, you mow. lopened uptoher andshe opened up tome fcnevermetanyone sabeasiltomein ind body ane sou, We aked through the right tethee rights we spent together. he opened my eyes toa world tatwas he nothing I'd experience or suspected eiste, even ater las chosen ‘ure, Purple had taked to me about sore of it, but was ays abstract to ink was an intelectual experience, not one of pesson or invlvernent Ay, Phra ved tis le every rit and ineced her every ii Per every decison. Everything she did was amv cn te chess Dodo fe’ posites. Experienngtthrough her was ke hig er fa rctthrough the pages of a bock Ad, each right, 2s we made ove in our unique way | became patotthat fe Part other. Now t's over. Gane Gant know how to go ary rere Wil actly Ido ‘When saw her again a couple weeks ago al the faings carne back ate tremors Ispent yg to squash them Sheburt meb.tstilove ot her. know that she's a good person deep down. [ve seen that part of her ‘too often to believe anyone who tells me otherwise. Lsten to me. Taking like 'm some normal kid with his heart broken bby his firstlove. 'veseen enough friends go through @ listened to themmpour ‘out their hearts, say how hurt they are, how they can never trust anyone | agin Ive held them and comforted them, and six months later theyire mad in kove agin, ‘Me?Imnctoneofthem ary more, aml? Theminutethe Messengers first spoke to me, it al changed. | tried to go on as before, caring for those | coxid, Then carne Phaedra, My fistlove was a vampire and she hurt me, alright. Shetore bath _mylegs oi wth her bare hands andleft me bleeding on the sidewalk And, yet |stil want to forgive her. want to help her maintan the humanity that she showed me. That’ what Im dong out here — searching fo er to let her know that | forgive her. Fyodor isa friend and one of us. He's offered to help, though he seems more interested in me and whet | ‘believe then in anything to do with Phaedra. Stil he's wing to help me. search for het, andl can cetaly use iia my concn, despite my ‘determination to do things myself. Tue CHosen Why did the Messengers choose metor al this? Who the hel are they ‘to inlict this ife on me? There's al kinds of theories out there about who the Messengers: are, There are probably 2s many as there are chosen, | guess. Some ofthem seem uty rdcueus, Alen? No, [don think so. The idee jens versus “monsters is just too much ike a bad sci move Government experiment? Why use college kids instead of soldiers? ‘the government really is fighting a secret war against the supernatural i would use the hes ofre Yay oe theory aed tome tat the Messengers aresome sort of manifestation of he huran race's subeoscs ng win each ofusto say nomare" tote tings that eed onthe efor, the vials, bin each of us 1s a tightening though, init &? Theres no superatral crmniscent dey bend the mbuin, just huran nature Wealknow tow fable we can be. Everytime Wrness1 does rol cal on hunter-net and afew more of us fat reply, we see how fable human nature's Every tmellook own atthe space where legs used to be, | see how fallible we are. bk ” Yue ENewy ‘Ter vitalislist@hunter-netorg From: nurse216_ ‘Subject: The other side (ony views, part 3) [started talking about this the last time, and I'm sure many of ees Spaca (For those wondering where Ive been — muchas gracias, ProfesorGeo — for the last few days, I have been looking for the baby I talked about before. | had e dream about it two nights ago and knew I had to search. There is a large construc- tion site near the playground where | sew the zombito, and | went looking there. The first night I found nothing, but the next day I found Daniel — or he found me. | was afraid fore Caray second, buthe lowered his gun and we talked. I won't do into many details, bit maybe I ean go back tothe safe house soon. Gracias, “Daniel.” We neverfound the little baby. will hve tocontinue to search) ‘Yes, now back to the point. What ofthe bad things? The sombiesand ghostsand vempires? The ugly things thatsomeof us claim to "hunt"? Where do they come frm? Tye seen mary posts from Bookworm55, Doctorl19 and others talking about the “biology” of these “monsters,” but [ haver’tseen much discussion of why. Why do some people come back from death? Why do some crestures want to hurt people while others don'teven seem to care about us atall? ‘My son isa ghost, 0 [have thought ofthis voy much. The only answer that makes sense to me comes fom my own exper: ences. Let me tllyou. ‘Mp fatherwasanangy men. Hedranktoomuchandbeatmy smother, my sister and . My mother just accepted it as God will and letithappen. Mysisterran anay and nowlivesin another city I visie her when T can and have seen the same bruises on her dlaughtor that | once saw on her. Ido not hnow ft is her or her husband who does the beating, Instead of running. | got pregnant. mat Carlo when Iwas in high school and I thought he was the best man I had ever seen. So tall muy hombre. told myself and my sister and my mother) thathe was everything my fatherwas not. Ofcourse, he vas more like mi padte than I would ever admit to myself. was five months pregnant when he get mad at the television and. decided to break my jaw IefeCarlo then and mygrandmethertook:ein. Mya cried that Thad child and no husband, I decided I woud be beaten again andl certainly did not want to beat. Carlow and outof ail when my son was bey, andI raised mi hijo could and builts home forus.! went back o school and nurse and hoped tomake good life for my lte boy. Buti heis dead, Inourhome,Imede beautiful litle world for us bute ther things touched him. Drugs and gangs were everyher thestreets,intheschoolsandon the television. Carlo gotout ‘and insisted on getingto knowhisson,tyingto teach hie ha bea man.” By the time he was tenager, my son idolized Ga tend wanted tobe tough ike him. Hebegan to smoke andi take drugs, and eventually he died Bod things make otherbad things. Drinkingand anger parents’ house made my sister hurt her children, led mei Carle's bed, and took o0¢in my on. Even with me cacingfed others showed him ways tomake charhate grow and he began Tike a monster. Ifelitte boy witha mother who loves him can become ofotherboysanda dealerofdrugs why should we be surprisa others can be 20 filled by hate that they walk: even air : axe, think, that fll of violence and despa ;enot bom, they are made. doesn't materi use a belt ora curse as thei weapon, Their hate comes fom} theyhave received. Iwe teat our mission like a wer, we onl thiscycle ofviclence worse. fu use care and compassion wh aachance to help all the victims. To: hunter [email protected] From: rigger! 11 fhis may all be bullshit... PUP a a Thooked up with a Chinese guy out here fora while. Bic ofa flake, but you take what you can get sometimes. Anyway, I showed him some stuff from the list — trust me, he’s one of us —and he wanted ro say something. He doesn't have a computer or nothing, so I said I'd post his message for him. It took him hours to punch out chis fucking post and it strikes me as pansy-assed crap, but I said I'd do it so I'm doing it. came to this country in a ship. For many days we sailed. had pai he told that it would be easy. He lied. a man a large amount of money and ‘Onthe third night, a storm hitand many people were very sick. My cousin went mad. Fan was an angry man and hreyeled at the sailors and hit one of them with his ist. Soon many sailors were hitting him and hisbones were broken. and he was bleeding, That night my cousin died and my hope to ever see my destination died too. i “pleaded that they not dump my cousin's body in the sea and so they kept i in.a small room to rot. Days later Tawoke inthe middle ofthe night. Noc to the rumble of my empty stomach or the pleading of another sick passenger, Theardastrong voice and i said “THE DEAD RISE.” In che dark [ wenc to the room, trying not to be seen by the ould beat me. [heard chem screaming and went forward like a mouse. ¥ palling on the door, trying to keep it closed, but it was opening. I watched and saw Fan come Tknew it was him, but his body was pale and dead. He had terrible claws instead of hands and dof a mouth. He attacked the sailors like a savage beast, biting at their necks and tearing out flesh that he swallowed. One tried to run and Fan cut him in half with his hand. I was very boice spoke again. “ALL WILL DIE,” it said, and | knew Fan would not stop at the sailors whe had the began to move toward the hold, | stepped forward and he saw me. | was very afraid but I spoke should not have come back. You cannot hurt those who have done you no harm.” fs, Fan just looked at me. He did not breathe or move and blood dripped from his mouth, ran up to the deck of the ship. | followed and saw as he ran toward the edge of the ships and looked at me one last time, as if to say good bye. Then, he jumped and the sea Gre not mad dogs. These are people and we must treat them like people. Wa * + * Joveydovey bull. Anyone run into anything like “Fan, Navurat Setecy ion Why have we been chosen’ Fyodor? The topic obs {ogetar, he's asked about over and: My relerences. Ah, yes, he's very interested in thos Imight have reed about us What unites you and me and time we've been traveling ns. My thoughts — places where to fit and slay the monsters once more Hurray for us! fons ior 9 and ales tobi fcrntimeto tne. Imabviousynotthe fst ofus Fyodor has taken under is wing) thik he's wrong and ve told him as much. |Iguess he doesn't mind, because he just smiles indulgentty and strokes his bear. m convinced by this Karl Marx shtick of his. Hs accent sips occasionally t's most af he's become what he thinks he needs heroes of old, That way thinking might sut th tit doesn't much sut me kid ina wheelchair who's never had a giltiend, Wel, not alving one, hance of getting one no, eer. Having to help nse into your date whee! romantic right out [mot and fm never going tobe aighty hero, The frst so-caled monster etwas adead gr wholhped by hugging How mary heres ear doing that? Tro fier. snot in ry nature to run soreaming at an undeed thing with atreion inmy hand, as Ive seen others she tore tim ap restaurant rit most gin’ idea of a ‘The only answer can gives that care lalways have. veer nice guy that ends tur tointheirhour of need. Sore ofthe hacen jst em toneed to tak or atleast to forget that sad Fite dead gl who just needed to tel her murderer and feel that they cared HURTER BOOK: INNO! Theothersmaylaughausandcausbat butlinow wewere chosen ‘ora reason ust dont know we wil achieve anything nthe er Thebest precedent can finintistryisinthe sats — the ones who preached tokrance and understancng, The ones who tamed the other ches rather than take an ee for an eye, How many of them were slaughtered beer anyone Istered to ther message? ‘YouksowlusedtoblarePhedafr the ossofmnyegs Now doit thickshewastobieme. Maybe Andy was. teal be attacked frst Could shehaveustbeen protecting hese? Fyodor dsmissesthe dea Actually hecsrissesalotof myieas about our origins. When | ask Him whi, he ust points out that fm working from the wrong frame of reference, whatever the hel that ‘means Ive never pressed him ont. He doesnt seem to ke me ding that Better not to, | guess. Sithesgotre wotkingthebookandartiue dear oftheciies we ass though, tying to fn realy obscure ot papers. He's okng for someting, | gues am too We right as wellock together. Tue Orne Side ‘As‘orthecther side they're there and maybe awayshavebeen love rofesorGeo'svtas theory. | wouldn't have named my webste aftr @if dt wonder ifthe good Professox ever got around topostingittothe ist? Idohopehe'salright Hurter-net could do wih act more subscrbers with his athude on what we do Ine read enough myths and folktore in the montts site ibang tobeteve that most othe hidden have been here for cents. There were what seer lke prety dear reports of werewolves in Eschenbach, Germany, i the late 17th century. The engravings I seen seem a ithe the shapestifters ote on hunter have de sorbed, aswel asthe one | enccurtered ‘There arernorevamgielegendsin moreparsofthewordthanlcan comple. Butso much of tre acc that myths ive on them so tery contraiccry thats useless, They seem tobe there, though Right back through str, in the shadows. From wat Phaedraimpled — athough shewas ays ay evasive —trereseerstobeascckeyoftherolsome sort They play powers games with each other, perhaps to ofet the baredom clone ie So,meybe theyrenotioe predators Maybethe eiteigent They rmighthave asocity and custrs ~ perhaps rot hat fret orn us Pesheps aking whee the hidden came rom & ke esking where arias care fer There's no serge answer, They evted fom some primerda sop ist he te rest of us Which meas they might hve as Trach rihttoexst as you and me. Some cal tem monsters but ar they realy any worse than LookatPaedta Sure she drs booc to suri love ance iy stck from imeto tine Phaedra can eed without, Im ving proof tat Every steak leroy means that acow hasbeen ile guess mostof us the ‘oorgettatitfe fact cont we Which us the mons, then? Rturing to ProfesrGe's vals ‘hear (Phefasnt ened yet do eal im tsfascatng sys, they fed of usb they condo so without king A host tha caress coesrit actualy harm ws, loa canbe even wing Sa the/rejust pat ofthe ood chan Same asus, Same asthe wo, the der or the sug for that ater. Tht dest make them god or bak rm Subject: Hello? From: oraclel 71 To: bookworm5S, vitalis.list@hunter-netong ‘The angel lets me slip through time very now, Bookworm. Even drivingdown theau Tcan see the dead in Greece. Last month, last week, next year, it’s all che same. The angel allows me to se things from son perspectives. Lunderstand why others hate so Ie’ easy to look at the other side and think t have to kill them all. And we do, I think, there’sno other way. Butthe onesthatarealo calm — the angel says we can help them. And can help us. Isn't chat what we all want? To help? ‘We can help so many people.. ‘though | was ten by a dog when was 10. had my ees ripe verre when was 18. Shit happens, | guess (Imnotaitesure where thatleaves warlocks though Fram with Purple, he did't seer to need vitals) Cari the cthers see t? Ghosts are just dead pecpe Wak among the most natural ofthe supematra Too rany peopl ust see ther as the enemy though a ‘orgvere,Ihepedfosterthatidea As therein my hospi bel

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