@l1ghthouses (from Sullivan)
As ruthlessly efficient as the Forge could be, there were still a few things that managed to elude them. A handful of vampires were one such example, as was access to the remaining rubble from the infamous Rosewell crash was another. They still kept track of these things, though, and attempted to make breakthroughs with them whenever the opportunity arose.
There had been reports of something stalking the forests of Jersey for longer than the Forge had been in existence. Luckily, Americans liked to talk, and so it was not particularly hard to gather information. The Jersey Devil, as they liked to call it, had certainly captured their imagination. However, it had not captured Sullivan’s imagination. Sent over the pond to investigate increased reports of something strange attacking hikers in the area, he was thoroughly unimpressed by the whole thing.
He never liked travelling abroad, and he liked it even less when he was stuck in some seemingly never-ending pine forest. There was a chill in the even as the sun started to set for the evening and, though Sullivan was not one to jump at his own shadow, there was a certain element of something unnatural about.
The silence was deafening. There was no bird song, no humming of insects, and no distant scurrying as small animals hopped about on the forest floor. That was all broken when a sudden snap rung out between the trees.
It had come from the distance, over where a dip in the terrain provided shelter for whatever had made the sound. Sullivan refused to allow himself to be afraid. Chances were he had simply heard some kind harmless animal - a deer or something - and if he hadn’t? Well, he dealt with worse before, hadn’t he?
As silently as possible, he stalked toward the source of the sound, gun in hand and ready to fire should he come across the beast that he was supposed to be tracking down, and as he came to the top of the slope that would lead down to his quarry-
That was definitely a person. Some kind of hiker? He was a little way off still, but he seem to be a well off fellow, judging by his clothes. Presumably someone with little sense considering that they were alone in the middle of the forest at this time despite all the reports of ‘animal’ attacks in the area.
Well, if Sullivan was going to get anything done, he couldn’t have civilians hanging about. Best to try and get rid of them. Without thinking about it, Sullivan put his gun back into its holster and began making his way toward the stranger.
“Oi!” He shouted, letting the other know he was there. “You shouldn’t be here right now!”
