The man's stance was too relaxed for someone pointing a weapon at a Hunter. That kind of confidence came from either extreme stupidity or knowing something I didn't.
My money was on the second option.
"Let me guess," I said, shifting my weight to keep Reyna's unconscious body behind me. "You're not here for the monsters."
"Perceptive." He tilted his head. The weapon in his hand wasn't standard issue. Too bulky around the barrel. Too many lights blinking along its chassis. "The Crimson Comet. Valoria's darling. Do you have any idea how long we've been waiting for an opportunity like this?"
We.
So he wasn't alone. Fantastic.
Nel's voice slithered through my consciousness. "Hostile individual. No registered Aspect signature detected. However, the device he's carrying is emitting a frequency consistent with experimental anti-Aspect technology. Prototype-level. Whoever he's working for has significant resources."
