The lights blinded him instantly. He knew in his mind that they were only dim bulbs, but after a week in total light isolation, he couldn’t stand them at all. Usually the transition was better for him, this time it was a little bit harder. He wondered if the administrators were hurrying him out. Must be a tricky capture.

He was only outside of isolation for two reasons: monthly checkups, or the hunt. There wasn’t a checkup for another two weeks, so he knew that a hunt was waiting for him once he could stand the environment. The administrators paid his family quite well for him to stay in isolation for the rest of the time.

After an expedited adjustment process, he sat in the third stage room and waited for his instructions. They should be coming on the screen any moment now. He was already sharp and ready for another trip out into the wilderness to get the fleeing suspect. They were always called suspects until he captured them.

Suspects usually turned out to be guilty - there was only one that he captured and wasn’t brought to justice swiftly. He could still hear him sometimes, pleading for his capture after the hunt. It was a grueling five days that time, by far the longest capture mission he had been asked to complete. When he was finally captured, he couldn’t walk and had blood all over his body from the harsh environment.

The instructions came shortly. He didn’t pay that much attention. Usually they were basically the same. Suspects had escaped from confinement, or while they were on a transfer from one facility to another right before trial. Sometimes they were aided by accomplices. Not this time.

As the hatch opened, he wondered how long it would take to bring this one down.