Hunting the Hunter: Epilogue

Epilogue

Date: October 22, 2004 - Friday

Time:8:45 pm AST

Location: Stevens International Airport – Anchorage Alaska

Xander Zver arrived on flight 408 from Moscow Russia and walked into the airport through the service tunnel. When he came out of the walkway past the security guard station, he expected to see his parents, or maybe his Aunt Abigail waiting for him, but no one was there. He would have been happy to see his cousin Michael show up, even if it meant having to listen to him talk about some girl that he was trying to mount like a rabid dog. But alas, there was no one there.

It was fine; he had his car parked in long term parking. His dad had thought it a waste of money. You'll be gone at least a year he had said. That's a waste of good money, just keep your car here, it will be just as safe. He had been tempted, but now he was glad that he had gone with his instincts and brought his car to the airport and left it in the long term parking. He headed down the escalators to the baggage claim. He saw his blue and white duffel, picked it up and headed to the exit across from the long term parking area.

Xander was 6'4" and weighed about 220. His hair was light blonde, almost white in color, and spiked on his head. He had what his mom called a runners body. Well defined six pack, toned arm and leg muscles and a friendly smile made it so that Xander was a handsome young man of 18. He had just returned from spending a year in Siberia with his mother's side of the family. They lived on the Ukok Plateau, and at first, he had not wanted to go, but since he had gone through the change at 16, he had no choice. The law of the family stated that all new cubs had to go to their family's homeland for year to understand what they were, and what Xander was a were-tiger, a Khan.

When he arrived he took a moment to remember where he parked, then he remembered the card he had written down the instructions on in his wallet. He took his wallet from his back pocket and looked through one of the pockets, there it was. Xander pulled out a business card for a local video store he had just happened to have in his wallet, on the back was written '3 down 4 from the left'.

Xander walked three rows up and then went to the fourth car from the left, and there was his green 1998 Pontiac Bonneville. He smiled to see the little bit of dust on it. So someone does come through and clean the outside of the cars that is nice. He fished out his keys from his pocket and opened the car. He put his duffel in the back seat and got in the drivers. He reached behind the passenger seat and pulled his CD collection from the pocket there. He flipped through and decided to play The Matrix Soundtrack. He pulled the CD that was in his deck out and put the new one in. He put the CD in his hand in the case and put it back behind the seat. He started the car, turned the radio down a little and headed to the gate. Inside the booth was an older white woman, probably late 50's, with glasses and white, full hair. When she saw Xander coming up in his car, a little smile came on her face.

"We had a pool on when you would be coming back. My day was yesterday, unfortunately." She said with a smile as she took his card and put it into the computer. The total came up to $4030.00. The woman whistled a little.

"Do you take credit cards?" Xander asked, the woman nodded her head that they do; Xander handed over the credit card that his father had given him before he left for emergencies. She swiped the card and handed it back to him. He waited and she handed him a slip to sign, he signed it, returned it, and got his receipt. He nodded to her as she raised the gate and he headed out.

Xander drove, listening to his music and watching the road. It was not that busy for a Friday evening and he made good time as he drove through town and headed down the highway to his part of town. He looked around as he drove, and from he could tell, not much had changed in the little over a year he had been gone. He was tempted to call his girlfriend and let her know he was back in town, but chances were that she was out with her girlfriends, and would not hear her cell ring. He decided he would call her tomorrow, in the morning, when he knew she would be home.

He pulled off the highway and took the roads to his house. He pulled into his neighborhood and started winding down the streets. He looked around and saw that the McDowell's were already putting up Christmas lights, he laughed softly to himself. He drove a little further and he saw the Keulper's Golden Retriever running around the yard behind their fence. As he rounded the last corner, he was glad that he would be home in less than 30 seconds; he could almost feel his bed calling his name. He rounded the corner, and slammed on the brakes in shock, his house was on fire!

It took a moment for his brain to compensate for what he was seeing, but when he did, he floored the accelerator. He pulled up to his house, and without waiting for the car to stop, he jumped out of the car and headed up the front stairs to the door. As he was running up the stairs he could see his Aunt at the bottom window pounding on it and trying to get out, but the glass would not break. He could hear her screams, and see that her shirt was on fire. He reached the door and went for the handle, but it seared his skin, he jerked his hand back. He stepped back and kicked at the door, it would not budge. He looked down and he saw smoke coming from under the door, and then suck back in and then nothing. He knew that meant something, but the logical part of his mind was shut down, he had to save those people.

He turned back to the door and shifted to Sokto, and then spun and mule kicked the front door. It broke from its frame, but then an explosion sent the door back at Xander and flung him across the street. He landed on the front yard of the James' place and then the door hit him. He had just enough sense to switch back to human before the world went black around him.