Azrael

Only Fools Walk Where Angels Fear To Tread

That near offhanded, vaguely suggestive comment that kat could throw those knives from any variety of positions readily prompted a roll off his own eyes. Typical. He knew of Katarina's....methods. At least, the methods she had once employed before Kohl had been on the scene. She was near notorious for them and in that he supposed he could hardly blame her. She had an attractive figure, why not use it? Here and now however he was mostly assured her efforts were aimed purely to irritate him. Not that such a task was difficult in the slightest. Azrael's short temper was near as infamous as his golden blonde hair. This time, however, he merely allowed that comment to pass with an irritable snort- leaving the woman to continue to work her knives into their fellow Hunters back in that quest for information. That tangled web Kat had so apparently been weaving however was quickly beginning to unravel. How deep in this was she? Azrael's features frowning at the information they were offered. The man pausing only to offer Kat that assurance her own boyfriend was alive and well- if not having taken up a new career as a computer hacker- and a bloody good own at that. As much as it pained him to admit it. Kohl was never going to win any awards for hunting but when it came to design and technology the man was surprisingly adapt. Half the weapons the Council used were designed by KohlTec alone. Still, no one, it seemed, had been aware of just how good at computers Kohl truly was until he'd made it his mission to infiltrate the council headquarters and make off with several file loads of information that had taken days to be discovered. He must have put those fire walls back in place....

His own affinity extended briefly toward Kat herself in those moments that followed, that silent touch of power searching for the truth in her words. She truly hadn't been involved with Kohl stealing that information. That in the least he knew to be true. Besides, she wouldn't have needed to steal her own records, she'd only have had to ask for them. Kohl, it seemed, was acting alone. Kat insisting she had left to keep him safe, Azrael merely allowing one eye to lift in curiosity. Keep him safe from what? From who? Was this why no one could find Kohl? Was he hiding as well? Any further questions Azrael might have had were cut short by the other man's sudden interruption, te fellow insisting someone was after Kohl and Kat both- along with the council itself. How long had this....person been a danger to the Council and Kat had simply kept it to herself! She was a goddamn fool. His thoughts were, perhaps fortunately, derailed by her sudden insistence they needed to send the Council to defend Kohl, especially if this person was already watching the apartment and yet the why of it still seemed to elude him. Was kat in trouble with the fucking mob? Why did everyone here know more than he did!?

That demand to know exactly who he was protecting Kohl from at last seemed to trigger some response in Kat. For her boyfriend, it seemed, she was willing to give up this apparently great secret that had lead to this damn mess in the first place. That name again. Viktor. Azrael had never so much as heard it let alone met any other Hunter with the name. That sudden insistence this man was her Maker momentarily seeing that surprise find his own features. She was....running from her own Maker? That surprise once more gave way to confusion all over again as Kat continued with that story. A hunter who....collected other Hunter's? Creation of their kind for the purpose of an army, for slaves, for mercenaries, for personal vendettas was all frowned upon, even if not exactly totally forbidden it was still something of an unwritten rule that they did not create more of themselves....like that- for that. How many people had this Viktor created? How long had he been unchecked? Why had their Russian branch never reported this? Was he operating under the radar?

"Is he Kohl's Maker too?"

How or why this was important he hardly knew and yet that question sat at the forefront off his thoughts all the same. Azrael falling silent a moment longer in the wake of those words. That anger and irritation no longer aimed toward kat but rather focused upon this Viktor who would dare bring such....disorder to their organisation, let alone threaten two of their own.

"Do you have any idea where Viktor is? I think we owe him a visit."

His tone was near clipped and yet once more that irritation was hardly aimed at Kat so much as it was at this situation in general. Still, first things first. That phone was fished easily from his pocket, Azrael stepping briefly away to send that text message and at least send someone to Kohl's home here and now before his attention returned to their 'prisoner' and getting the man to talk. How quick the fellow was to spit those threats, Azrael turning to meet Kat's gaze momentarily before lifting his shoulders in a shrug of sorts. The blonde hunter content to inform their prisoner of exactly his intention in this. After all, Kat and himself were the authority, the council itself, it was to them other Hunters looked too and if they believed this man deserved to die then so be it. Azrael content to weigh that gravity down on him to make a point. That, it seemed, enough to get his position across. Kat agreeing effortlessly with him as that Hunter finally begun to talk. How disappoint that he was so low on the totem pole and yet that information was enough. This Viktor was after Kohl as a way to get to Kat while also holding some sort of....plan for the Council at large. If nothing else it was enough to convict Viktor of transpiring against the Order. His phone chimed in near the same moment, Azrael glancing down toward it only to announce Kohl's house was empty. The Hunter apparently having taken off some days ago. Kat swearing up and down he'd hardly have gone rouge. Fuck. How did he get himself into these messes? One hand lifted to run through his hair, frustration still tugging at his features as he turned back to Kat.

"You might as well lead the way."

He gestured forward only to be reminded about the Hunter lying behind them. For several moments longer Azrael's gaze simply lingered on this man he fully believed had intended to kill him and take Kat- if not worse. That gravity suddenly slamming down until that sickening crunch of bone echoed. The man's life over in a matter of seconds. A quick, near painless death was better than he had deserved and yet that mercy Azrael had been willing enough to provide. His golden eyes cutting back toward Kat.

"He would have only told Viktor or whoever his commander is where we were going next. He would have killed the both of us given the chance as well. Let Viktor deal with a body. Come on."

He easily fell into step with the woman, leaving that body right where it lay. Azrael having no doubt that man had not been entirely alone. Someone would find him and report it back to their boss and for now Azrael was content enough to find satisfaction in that as he strode down that footpath, shortening his stride to keep pace with his companion.

"How long has Viktor been a threat to our members and our organisation without you saying anything? Christ, Kat. What the hell does he have plans of the Council for? Why the fuck didn't you ask for help before it got this bad? Now we have a lunatic after you and your boyfriend and the Council at large. We need to let the others know."

He'd worry about that later, scolding Kat for now would have to be enough. Kohl, thankfully, hardly lived far from their current location and yet Azrael said little more as they made that walk to the heights. Kat eventually stopping outside that luxurious apartment building, another Hunter already waiting outside it. This the very man Azrael had sent to check on the apartment to begin with.

"Kat, have you met Michael? Did you find anything else?"

Michael, a tall man with long, dark hair pulled back in a ponytail extended his hand to shake Kat's own before turning back to Azrael. "No, honestly, the apartment is in perfect condition. The guy certainly wasn't taken and he didn't leave in a hurry but it looks like no one's been there for days." Days? How long had Kohl been gone for? Azrael shaking his head slightly before turning back to Kat.

"Are you coming up with me? We might as well see what we can find."