Ash flicked away the stub of his cigarette as he neared the crime scene, noting the crowd gathered at the fringe of the woods. Mostly concerned parents, he was willing to bet. The incident did happen within proximity to the local elementary and high schools, which were located closer to the edge of town. Why somebody chose to build them there was anybody's guess; probably some poor planning on the city's part. Or maybe they wanted to expand outward, into the woods, later on. Fuck if he knew.
What he did know, however, was that there was trouble afoot. It started with the glimpse of a hunter. The familiar face melted into the crowd by the time Ash took a good, hard, second look. What was his name? Jem? Ash knew that he ran with a crowd of other hunters; they formed a so-called group. Being law enforcement—and part supernatural—he was able to track some of these guys but realistically there wasn't much he could bust them for without hard evidence.
Ash was working on that, though—getting evidence. Enough to convict.
He pulled his squad car up to the fringe of the woods and hopped out, glancing around for signs of Minh. There was heavy police presence around, so he could at least rest assured that the hunters wouldn't come out guns a-blazing. Ash's brows lifted as he caught sight of a ranger patrol car too. He heard something about human casualties, but nothing about animals. Hard to tell what kind of mess was left out here, though, without seeing it for himself.
Ash loitered by his car as he scanned the crowd, and finally spotted Minh standing near the front. He trotted up, laying a hand on Minh's shoulder. "Hey man." His expression was serious, brows creased in a slight frown. "Let's go." With Ash's credentials, he could get them past the police barrier. Of course, that didn't stop people from sneaking in through the woods on the other side, but Ash wasn't worried about gawkers so much as he was worried about the shitstorm happening beyond the cordon.
"Saw a couple of hunters," he muttered close to Minh's ear. "Be careful when we head into the trees. C'mon."
What he did know, however, was that there was trouble afoot. It started with the glimpse of a hunter. The familiar face melted into the crowd by the time Ash took a good, hard, second look. What was his name? Jem? Ash knew that he ran with a crowd of other hunters; they formed a so-called group. Being law enforcement—and part supernatural—he was able to track some of these guys but realistically there wasn't much he could bust them for without hard evidence.
Ash was working on that, though—getting evidence. Enough to convict.
He pulled his squad car up to the fringe of the woods and hopped out, glancing around for signs of Minh. There was heavy police presence around, so he could at least rest assured that the hunters wouldn't come out guns a-blazing. Ash's brows lifted as he caught sight of a ranger patrol car too. He heard something about human casualties, but nothing about animals. Hard to tell what kind of mess was left out here, though, without seeing it for himself.
Ash loitered by his car as he scanned the crowd, and finally spotted Minh standing near the front. He trotted up, laying a hand on Minh's shoulder. "Hey man." His expression was serious, brows creased in a slight frown. "Let's go." With Ash's credentials, he could get them past the police barrier. Of course, that didn't stop people from sneaking in through the woods on the other side, but Ash wasn't worried about gawkers so much as he was worried about the shitstorm happening beyond the cordon.
"Saw a couple of hunters," he muttered close to Minh's ear. "Be careful when we head into the trees. C'mon."