The smell of the fish market two streets down was rank in Caliban's nose. Hands shoved deep in his pants pockets and eyes on the ground, black hair stark against his pale skin, he wove through the floods of people without looking up, occasionally muttering an apology, but mostly just trailing twenty or so feet behind a man with a briefcase, walking briskly ahead of him. He could smell the oddness about the man from here, and only imagined it'd get worse – a swampy sort of smell, boggy. He felt grateful briefly, for the weight of the Eagle under his coat, and shot a glance across the street to where his brother was striding casually along, arms swinging loose. Niko didn't even look at him.

Caliban swung his gaze back ahead of him, to see the man vanishing down into a subway station, followed by a crowd of tourists. He swore under his breath and began pushing more actively through the crowd. He really didn't want to lose the bastard again. Caliban didn't know what it was, just that it had been killing people, and that meant it was going to go.

He took the stairs two at a time, ignoring the protesting noises, eyes focused on the tan suit now only ten or so steps ahead of him, heading for the open doors of the train. They slammed closed, not a moment too soon, and Cal heard the thing hiss as it stopped just short of the tracks before backing off. Cal stuck his hand under his jacket, keeping his eyes on it as it turned around and stared at him. It looked human enough, if you ignored the snake eyes. Cal twitched a glance at its feet, covered in solid business shoes, looking up just in time to see a forked tongue flick out over its lips before it started for the exit.

He followed, keeping a close eye on it. When he was watching, the creature wouldn't kill. Would it?

It climbed the stairs, and he followed after two at a time. But not fast enough as it vanished onto the streets above. Somebody screamed as he burst out into sunlight, blood already pooling on the sidewalk.

The girl wasn't much more than that, a girl. She wasn't dead yet. Just alive enough to lie there gasping as people gathered around, phones out. She wouldn't live for long. Maybe if Cal moved fast, he could do something. He looked for Niko and couldn't find him. Then looked up. Snake eyes, watching him, The tongue flicked out, red like blood. It turned and started to walk away.

He made his choice and followed, feeling rage blazing in his chest, speeding up, finger flicking off the safety, preparing to pull out the gun.

It took a moment for the impact to register as he hit the pavement, sound going in and out, staring at the burning storefront without recognition. Someone's lips were moving, but he couldn't hear anything. His ears were ringing. Niko was dragging him to his feet. "Goddamn bastard," Cal heard himself say, "Goddamn bastard knew I was following him, set it up on purpose…"

Nik was brushing him off. Cal twitched him away and turned to look at the square of sidewalk. Someone was crying. The girl was dead. Niko's face was grim. "We need to go."

Caliban shuddered. "Curses," he said, an attempt at dryness. "Foiled again." Nik squeezed his shoulder.

"We'll get him, little brother."

"You're goddamned right we will."