Hunter's return to Mondragon Labs had been kept quite. After spending a week recouperating in the apartment Hunter was back to a point where it looked like nothing was the matter. In truth he wasn't back on full form yet, but he had healed enough that it was impossible to tell if he was careful.

He arrived like a phantom in the night. A few trusted members of the lab's security staff had been informed of his return and left deliberate gaps in security. All too small to be noticed, but just large enough for him to slip through undetected. Hunter's presence at that labs were never recorded, and thus the first person to know for certain he was there was there was Dr Ingram as he entered his lab.

"How close are we doctor?" he asked as he entered the room.

"Not far now," Ingram replied, "The replication has been a complete success. The clone of your heart is ready for implantation. A little more incubation time for your blood to rewrite his metabolism is requiered, but after that I can begin the procedure immediatly."

"Excellent," Hunter said with a smile, "Keep me informed. My presence her is undisclosed at this time, so you know where I'll be." With that Hunter left. He needed to be brought up to speed on what had happened while he'd been gone.

Ingram knew full well that he was in uncharted territory. He was bringing a man back from the dead. Nothing like this had even been attempted before. However Hunter's unique metabolism has made it a possibility, one that Ingram was about to attempt to realise. He'd contacted Hunter, who arrived as he prepared to implant the clone heart.

There was no telling how the subject's psyche would be affected, and so Ingram was very glad to have Hunter on hand. The metabolic changes that the subject had undergone would make him far stronger and faster than Ingram, so Hunter was his security, along with the restraints.

It was not a simple operation, especially for one man. But Ingram was an expert surgen and flawless in his method. The new heart was placed and the subject's chest closed up. Now only one thing was left to do. The clone heart wasn't beating, it needed a jump start. Taking the defibrillator he charged it and pressed it against the subject's chest. He looked to Hunter who merely nodded. Turning back to the subject Ingram fired the defibrillator.

Ingram recoiled as Zelek's body thrashed into life. Hunter however took a step forward. his hightened senses took it all in as life returned to the boy's body. It was astounding, to seem himself reflected like this. He could see the thirst, the burning need for blood. It was something that no one else would understand.

The thirst was not an entierly accurate name, for you didn't feel thirsty, you felt like you couldn't breath. Hunter, and now Zelek, needed blood like other people needed air. "Ingram," Hunter said calmly, not taking his eyes off Zelek, "Go, bring blood, three times my usual dose. The boy needs to feed."

Ingram left and returned with a large bag of blood. Fifteen liters, roughly three times the amount you'd find in an adult. He stepped forward to hook it up to Zelek, but Hunter held him back. "Leave us," he ordered. Ingram complied. Hunter stepped towards Zelek, noting the rapid rise and fall of his chest. He gazed into the boy's eyes and convayed on a psychic level that what he was about to do would make things better. With that, he found a vain and inserted the needle, letting the fresh blood flow into Zelek and let him breath.

"You will have it all," Hunter answered Zelek in Russian. He could seem the blood already taking its effect on the boy, returning him at least a modicum of his senses. Ingram sealed the door and now Hunter released Zelek from his bonds.

"Careful," Hunter warned, still in Russian, "move slowly. You'll need to have all the blood before you can move properly." If Zelek tried to escape Hunter would be forced to restrain him, but he felt that the blood would keep the boy, and doubted he's have the strength yet to attempt an escape.

Hunter smiled at Zelek's question. What he had just done went against every base instinct a predator had, and so naturally Zelek was suspicious. "You needed the blood or you would have died," he answered, "Besides, I have much more where that came from."

"Zelek, how much of your past life do you remember?" The answer to this question was crutial. If the boy remebered that Hunter was the one who killed him then there would be problems. However, if the trauma of death had robbed Zelek of those memories then they boy would soon be experiencing a whole new life.

"You have been reborn," Hunter said in answer to Zelek's questions, "With my own flesh and blood I have given you new life. A better life. You will be stronger, faster, more resiliant. Your senses will experiance more of the world than ever before. While your innate mutant abilities will have decreased a little, but the trade off will be more than worth it."

Hunter hadn't missed the look in Zelek's eyes, the one betraying his aim to attack Ingram. Soon enough Hunter would take the boy on a hunt, but for now he had to confirm that there were no unexpected side effects of the transformation. So he would wait and observe.

Hunter could see it in Zelek's eyes that he viewed Ingram as little more than pray, however, he was curbing his instincts and not attacking him. That was good, as Hunter would have to stop him and that would not get their new relationship off to a good start.

"You were killed by a machine known as a Stalker," Hunter lied effortlessly, "They have been made to track down mutants and either kill them or capture them. They chose to kill you."

"I know who made the Stalkers," Hunter said in answer to Zelek's murderous question, "but not his location at present, though I have people working on that. As for your original powers, you could minipulate matter, both creating and destroying. I'm unsure as to how weakened they have become, but know that there will be a loss in power."

"As for why I brought you back," Hunter said with a smile, "It was originally little more than an experiment to see if it could be done. But, now that you are alive, I shall look to teach you about your new body and, given time, have you take your place at my side as I move towards my goal of total power."

Hunter smiled at Zelek and went over to the wall. Tapping on the buttons a rack slid out with two sets of clothing. One was his hunting outfit, combat trousers and boots along with a blood red full length leather jacket. Next to it was an outfit for Zelek, similar design but his coat was black.

Hunter tossed Zelek his clothes before starting to change into his own. "Put these on," he instructed, "Then I shall lead you in your first hunt. Blood always tastes best with a good seasoning of adrenalin." There was a pair of humans Hunter had ready for them to hunt, a teenage couple that were camping out in the wilderness. Tomorrow they would be found as victims of wolves, such a shame.

Hunter offered Zelek a predator's grin before leading the way out of the labs. He had arranged a route that would ensure that they could leave without contact with any humans, Frank, Nick and Charles had seen to that. Once outside Hunter set off at a run, keeping a fast steady pace that he could maintain for hours.

"The prey is about an hour out," Hunter said, his coat billowing behind him as he ran in the night, "But the run should give you a chance to test out your new body." As they ran Hunter watched Zelek, checking that he was keeping up and how he adapted to his new enhanced form.

Hunter saw Zelek rush ahead as they closed on the prey. The boy's inexperiance was showing, he was going to just rush in and kill them. Hunter had something much better in mind. Sprinting on and catching up with Zelek Hunter grabbed him by the shoulder and brought the boy to a halt.

"Slow down," he said, and evil smile on his lips, "There's no rush. They can't escape, we have them entierly at our mercy. Here is one of the first lessons I have to teach you. Blood tastes so much sweeter when there is adrenaline flowing through it. For a far greater kill we shall stalk the prey, causing them to flee in terror. Once we've run them ragged and the adrenaline has perfused through their system, then we move in for the kill."

"First things first," Hunter said, releasing Zelek, "We need to approach silently. Give them the impression that we simply materialise out of the night. Move silently and approach from the left. I shall do the same from the right. Then emerge on my signal, not before. Trust me, the reward will be more than worth the effort."

With that Hunter set off right, moving silently through the forest. He hoped that Zelek could restrain himself and follow the plan. It had been a while since he had had a proper hunt. The buisness with the council was over too short, and involved too much fighting. This should be different, a proper hunt. A proper hunt with his son.

Hunter watched Zelek move off left, not silent, but far from noisy. Making his way into the wood, and keeping one eye on Zelek, Hunter crept right up close to the prey, so that he was seperated from them by a single tree. Checking that Zelek had done the same he gave a nod and the pair stepped into the open.

"What a nice night for a campfire," Hunter said cooly, "All that's missing is a good snack."

"Who the hell are you guys?" the boy, aged about 17, demanded getting to his feet.

"Your worst nightmare," Hunter replied, striding over to him and extending his fangs. Before the boy could react Hunter had siezed him by the throat and lifted him up off the ground.

"No! Please don't hurt him," cried the girl.

"You've got ten seconds before we come after you," Hunter growled, dropping the boy. Choaking and spluttering the boy scrambled to his feet and fled into the woods with the girl. Turning to Zelek Hunter said, "Choose your prey and run them down. And remember, enjoy it."

As the boy tried to get to his girl Hunter seemed to just appear in his way. "Go on," he taunted, "Do it, try and get past me to save her." He could see it in the boys eyes that his nerve was failing. "What's the matter? Value your own life more than hers?" The tears in the boys eyes plainly showed that he was terrifide, and finally his nerve gave way and he fled.

He did not flee far. Hunter calmly snapped a tree branch and hurled it at the back of the boy's leg. The jagged broken edge slammed into his calf, impaling in the muscle and dropping the boy to the ground. Walking at an easy, measured pace Hunter closed on the boy, who was now sobbing with fear and pain and crawling pittifully away from him.

Hunter stalked after the boy, a cruel smile playing across his lips. The scent of fear was strong in the air, and Hunter took in a deep breath of it. Reaching the crippled human he grabbed him by his good leg and with a casual flick of his wrist tossed him back into the tree from which he had broken off the branch he had used to immobilise the boy.

The broken branch was where the boy hit, impaled on the broken stump, screaming in agony as the wood pierced his lung. Reaching the boy Hunter took another deep breath, this time the rich scent of blood filled his nostrils. Extending his fangs he leaned in to the stricken boy and bit into his neck. The warm, life giving fluid flowed fourth from the pair of puncture wounds. Hunter drank greedily, feeling the fresh life coursing through his vains.

Having saciated his thirst for now Hunter set about his next task of making the corpse unrecognisable. Grabbing the right arm and shoulder Hunter gave a quick tug, ripping the limb free. Tossing it aside he repeated the proces with the others. Reming the now limbless torso from its place impaled upon the tree Hunter savagely tore the throat out with his teeth, completely obliterating the fang marks. Throwing the torso to the ground he cracked open the rib cage and tore out several organs. Finally, to leave no recognisable trace he smashed the teeth with a single powerful blow. Then the hands were crushed beyond all recognition, leaving no figer prints.

His work completed Hunter rose from the kill and sniffed the air. Picking up Zelek's scent amoungst the blood Hunter headed in the direction of his son to reguard his work and see how he found his first hunt.

"Superb," Hunter remarked, and Zelek had done a good job. The corpse was barely recognisable, and the fingers and teeth were sufficiently damaged so they could not be used to identify them. Taking the offered tictac Hunter lead Zelek back out of the wood and started to walk back to the labs.

"So, what do you think of your first hunt?" he asked. Zelek had done well, catching his own kill after letting the right amount of fear set in. Hunter could tease a victim longer, make them squirm more, but for a first try Zelek had done very well.