Who: Leonard Rhodes What: Battle When: Wednesday Night 5/13 Where: the darker part of the city Extra Notes: One shot. Warning for gore and NPC death.
Leo didn't usually make it out into the field but when he did, there was a major stake. Hunters died all the time but usually it didn't get that bad. They usually knew when to back the fuck off but every once in a while, they couldn't afford to leave. Sometimes they just couldn't get away fast enough before having themselves ripped up, like his father had been. Every time he saw someone come into his clinic he thought about the members of his family, his friends that had been torn up. A lot of them had been before he had control of the numina power his father's side had given him. But some... like the death that haunted him the most, he just hadn't been there for. Every damned day that went by he was reminded that he could have saved those people. His clinic was enough most of the time but when missions were slated to get bad, he'd be there. Usually, like tonight, they hid him in some alley nearby so that he would be out of sight of the vampire they were attacking. Sometimes he even helped in the attack and did his best to heal everyone afterwards.
The group of hunters here tonight wasn't all that small but with their training, they kept out of sight and down wind of the Nosferatu they were following. They had waited for the rat to come up from the sewer grate and now slipped behind him, knowing that this one was a vicious killer. He seemed to be newer but age wasn't easy to tell with these evil assholes, not easy for any type of vampire. Leo himself had made it a point to do his best to find everything he could on they creatures they stalked and so far, he had very little. Short of capturing a vampire to torture, it wasn't a very satisfying venture. He didn't know how the hunters would even be able to hold a vampire for that long let alone catch one. Then again, he knew their weaknesses. He'd noticed that though a lot of the vampires were hard to tell apart, they had similar weaknesses... it was another thing he put into his journals on the bloodsuckers they killed. The more knowledge you had on your enemies the easier they were to defeat.
He felt like he held his breath for hours as he waited for his group to move, for the vampire to fully leave the manhole and go for a victim. They didn't need a reason to attack, no, but it was better if the target was distracted. All the battle plans he left up to the more highly skilled hunters. He had everything medical covered. Short of being dead or very seriously wounded, Leo could heal it. It was severely taxing on him if he gave up too much energy but he had built up his ability over the years. He could heal several smaller wounds, a lot of bigger ones and a handful of severe ones in one healing period, depending. He had a feeling that with the way they called him in, there would be a lot going on with this one.
The Nosferatu finally moved, heading away from the group of hunters, and they moved with him, making sure to take only necessary movements and weight each step. They had taken down a handful of vampires lately and a part of the doctor felt they were getting cocky, a very dangerous personality trait out here on the battle field. It was almost guaranteed that at least one of them would end up with Rhodes' hands on him or her and that certainly didn't help. As the group got ever closer to the slowly stalking ugly freak, sweat beaded and slid down Leo's back. He could feel the tension in his muscles, his legs aching to move. He wished it would just be over with. It may be cold at this time of night but none of them felt it. All of their focus was on the one creature in front of them, waiting to be either taken down or to take them down. He was sure that if the vampire was given the choice, the whole team would be dead, including him. If only this were a guaranteed win... But there was always that rule of what could go wrong will. Karma was a bitch and these people killed for a living. Both could be said for both sides, Leo supposed once.
With their focus solely on the one vampire in front of them, no one notice the other coming up behind them, not even Leo with his ever watchful eyes. They didn't notice until the twisted excuse for a man picked up the woman who had been in the very back and snapped her head around, killing her instantly. There had been barely anytime for her do anything but gasp out in surprise but it was enough. The vampire in front of them spun around, settling into an angry pose before he recognized the vampire now ripping the combat armor away from the woman's neck.
"Oi, Barty, whatchu doin' here?" The first vampire did't see the team that had sucked themselves back into the allies but everyone there knew the rest were there.
"These lot her were sneaking up on you." The second said with a rough laugh, both of them sounding like they had rocks stuck in their throats. It was as if the curse of being this kind of vampire was enough the twist everything about them.
"Oi! whatchu say we eat 'em and get nice and gorged?"
He could see his team desperately trying to slink away with all the training they possessed but some of the younger ones were starting to panic. One actually ran for it, drawing the attention of both vampires. The first one dove on him and the young buck managed to get a nice up in him. Too bad it was on the wrong side. Instead of bursting into ashes, the vampire snarled and pulled it out with one hand while the other curled into a fist and crushed his rib cage with one blow. The smell of blood hit the air and Leo closed his eyes shut, knowing he couldn't help, couldn't give up his position or he'D be dead meat and the team needed him more than his heroics. He'd have to escape and leave them to fend for themselves. The next one to get caught was a man he'd known all his life and he watched as the second vampire slipped a hand into the man's belly as easily as if it was a warm knife through butter. After a quick yank on whatever the vampire hand grabbed hold of, a sour smell hit the air, joining the now almost overwhelming scent of blood.
There had been nothing on a second vampire. They had let their guard down and now they were all being slaughtered. Leo had more blood on his hands and a heap of new guilt. As the younger few continued to be torn apart between the two laughing freaks of nature, their snipers managed to scramble up onto the roof. Only two of their whole team had made it up thereand after he was sure nothing was going to see him, he joined them up there, his tatical doctor backpack tight against his back. It would never shift ofake noise - even the zippers and been oiled to make not a sound. If the three of them made it out of there alive, would that be enough? Would that help with the grieving families? The snipers took aim with the heavily modified rifles, all three of them laying on the tiles of the roof to not catch the gleeful vampire's attention.