They were less than helpful. When we asked about the number plate, the desk lady denied us, saying that we didn't have the authority to look at that information. No matter what we tried, we couldn't convince her to change her mind. I left the building frustrated.
I stormed off to a nearby café where I calmed myself with an iced chocolate. I had a donut and a meat pie. Seb bought himself an iced coffee, a sausage roll and a piece of carrot cake. While it would have counted as lunch for a normal person, we saw it as a snack.
After that, we started to discuss what to do next. Our only conclusion was to walk around, looking for it. At the time, it seemed like it would take forever. But fate was feeling very generous that day.
We finished off our food and started to walk around, reading the number plates of every van that drove by. We literally walked thirty metres, turned a corner and gaped at our luck.
As impossible as it was, the very van we were looking for was parked on the side of the street. It looked freshly washed and it's black surface gleamed in the sun. Someone walked out of a nearby shop and strode towards it.
Me and Seb flipped up the hoods on our jackets and turned around, hiding out identity. Kain didn't bother.
I heard the persons heavy footsteps and the opening and slamming of the van door.
As the engine started, we began to walk away, avoiding the drivers eye. After it had passed, Kain spoke.
"It was the lizard man." He said. "I don't think he recognised you."
I pulled my hood down and checked to see if the coast was clear. "I think that was the lizard man. Ryan, I think his name was."
Seb pulled his own hood down and glanced towards the building our target had walked out of. It looked like a place where you would go to deal weapons or headquarters for a mafia.
It was a large, two-storey house that was a little old and worn. The cream paint was faded but not peeling. The architecture was simple. It looked like a several apartments were converted into one big house, allowing for many rooms with different purposes.
I imagined walking in to see boxes of weapons, money and other assorted goods associated with illegal trade. I imagined men with guns moving them around, making deals and sitting down in the afternoon for a game of poker which lasted long into the night.
Just like the movies.
"We should keep an eye on this building." Commented Seb. "It's likely he will come back."
I snapped out of my daydream. Kain smiled.
"You're right." I glanced back at the building. "We can camp out here but we have to be on guard. If they find out we're here, it obviously will cause quite a lot of trouble for us."
He nodded. Then he grabbed my shoulders and shook me around. He ruffled my clothes. I struggled.
"If we're camping out on the street..." He ruffled my hair. "You need to look the part!"
I pushed him off me. My clothes were messy, along with my hair. I grinned and launched myself at him, roughing him up. He tried to fend me off while I messed up his hair and clothes. I jumped off him and laughed.
We both looked like clean homeless people.
We walked a little bit away from the building and found a place to camp. We found a place where we were sheltered but still had a clear view of the structure and the surrounding roads.
I laid out my extra jumper to sit on. I tried to find something to make the act look more convincing.
Sadly, I couldn't find anything so I just dumped my bag, sat down and began to wait.
••••••••••••
Sebastian came back carrying four shopping bags. He put two on my lap and I jumped at the warmth inside. I opened one to find a whole roasted chicken. I opened the other which contained a loaf of bread and a two litre bottle of Fanta.
"Thanks Seb! I'm starving!" I opened the chicken and tore into it.
Sebastian ripped the cap off his bottle of Creaming Soda and drank deeply. He let out a sigh of satisfaction and rested his back against the wall.
We ate our dinner while the sun touched the horizon. Buildings were switching on their lamps and the street lights flickered to life. We were cast in shadow by the time we finished our meal but our target building was still highly visible. The moon was full tonight, partially obscured by clouds.
The meal didn't fill me up completely, but it was enough. It was around six o clock when the van pulled up again. I pulled my hood up in a hurry as two figures got out. I shook Seb awake and watched as Ryan, the lizard man and another male stride into the building. The second man had a familiar grace to his walk and slender limbs. I couldn't place him.
We packed up our stuff and moved closer. We could hear talking inside. The lowest window was two feet above our heads. I gave Sebastian a boost and he peered over the windowsill.
Kain decided to jump up next to Seb and get a better look. Strangely, he weighted nothing. But what hasn't been strange in the past year?
I heard several different voices and the sound of cards being played.
"Poker." Commented Kain. "They're playing with money, drinking, smoking. All the usual things when it comes to thugs."
He stopped talking when one voice silenced the rest.
"I only came here to discuss the deal, not to play games." The mans voice was smooth.
"Aw, come on Valen, have some fun once in a while!" A rough voice laughed.
"This isn't my idea of fun." He said, a tad dejectedly.
An image in my mind formed of a pale man with a slender, graceful body and wicked fangs. Valen, another of Leona's henchmen had now appeared.
"Do you not find my hospitality to your liking, vampire?" A dangerous voice once again silenced all conversation.
"No, it's just that I came to offer a deal, not play monkey games." Valen was not the least bit shaken. "I have a proposal for you from my commander."
The dangerous voice chuckled. "Speaking of which, why didn't she send her warrior with you instead of this....man?"
"That's irrelevant. I'm only here for the deal and you're unwilling, I'll leave."
I heard the squeaking of a chair as someone leant forward with interest.
"Well, go on. Let us hear it." He chuckled.
"Well," a chair slid and quiet footsteps filled the room, "she has recently gone into the market. Now, I know you have been loyal for many years and that your services have been useful but..." A pause. "Leona wants to buy the factory from you."
Quiet murmurings simmered through the room. I guessed that there must be at least eight people in the room, including the characters whom have spoken.
"Buy the factory?" The dangerous man paused. "Well, this is unexpected. How much is she willing to pay?"
"Five million."
I heard someone choke on their drink. The murmurs faltered. There was silence.
"Indeed, this is unexpected. Will you allow me to think it over? This will, of course, need much consideration."
I was sure Valen smiled, because I heard it in his voice. "Of course....then I will leave you to it. Ryan, meet me outside when you're done with your foolish games."
"Whatever." The rough voiced man must be Ryan.
I heard footsteps and a door as Valen walked out. Seb was getting down when I heard one last thing.
"Ryan, my boy. You deserve a reward for your efforts. As we speak, my men are loading your van with a little shipment of presents we arranged for you and your commander."
I instantly grew alert and looked over at the van. I almost had a heart attack. Three men were picking up boxes and loading them in silently. All dressed in black with some sort of logo on the arm of their jackets. Luckily, they hadn't noticed us.
I warned Sebastian and we tried to half casually walk, half sneak away. I pulled up my hood as the door to the building opened behind me. Footsteps made their way to the van but stopped, hesitating. I kept walking, knowing that Valen was behind us.
I heard him take a breath in through the nose and quickened my pace. My heart beat hard.
"You!" I heard him call. "I know your scent anywhere!"
I broke into a sprint and dragged Seb with me. We bolted down the street, fleeing from the monster behind. Fast as we were, we couldn't shake him.
I turned several corners, ran across roads and even ducked through alleys. I could always hear his laughter as he easily kept pace. I ran across the road at a crossing.
A car slammed on the brakes and a thud resounded in the air. Stunned by the bright lights and impact, Valen lay on the ground, dazed. A terrified human got out to check if he was fine but I took the opportunity.
I saw a fire escape in an alley and went for it. I climbed quickly, quicker than any normal person. Adrenaline rushed through my body. I reached the top and bent down to help Seb up when I saw Valen smack the driver away, sending him flying into his own car where he lay still. Valen's eyes were locked onto me.
I watched, terrified, as he took a running start across the rest of the road, leapt up half the building and pushed off the wall to land on the roof behind us.
We ran, leaping building gaps and weaving around chimneys, satellites and vents. Valen was gaining on us.
As we leapt between buildings, I saw a flash of silver below. Distracted, I stuffed the landing and hurt my ankle, hitting concrete hard. Valen saw his moment of triumph and leapt for me.
As he cleared the gap, something launched upwards and struck him, knocking him away in a small spray of blood. It landed next to me and growled.
In the light of the full moon, thick silver fur shimmered on a wolf head. It was attached to a muscled, mostly human body covered with fur. His legs had an extra joint, like a dog leg. A large tail swished against the concrete. Remnants of clothes were strung over its body.
It crouched on all fours and glared with the most intense green stare. It's gaze flicked between me and Valen, who was recovering quickly. Teeth gleamed as it growled a deep, throaty growl.
I don't know if it was whether he was getting up first, or the fact that he is vampire but the creature decided that Valen was more of a threat. It launched itself with powerful legs, teeth and claws ready for the attack. It latched onto Valen's arm and shook it, tearing flesh.
Sebastian picked me up and helped me to walk as we both tried to get away from him. I hobbled away as fast as I could. But we had nowhere to go.
The gap between buildings was about five metres, too far for me to jump now and there was no door on this roof. There was no fire escape or anything to climb down.
Behind us, the battle was growing intense. The creature attacked violently and quickly, causing scratches and cuts to appear. Valen struck with speed, pulling out his daggers and staining the creature's fur with red. They fought relentlessly, neither side surrendering.
"Jump!" Seb urgently ordered.
"What?!"
"We can make it to the other side together!" He put my arms around his neck. "Just hold on tight and don't let go!"
"Are you insane? There's no way we can make that!" I stared at the gap. "You could by yourself but there is no way you can carry me!"
"Just trust me!" He backed up a little. "Don't let go." He ran for the gap with me piggy-backing.
We leapt into the empty space. Everything seemed to slow. I felt weightless for a moment as we passed between the two buildings but I instantly saw that we wouldn't make it. We weren't high or fast enough. We would fall to the ground, two storeys below where we would be too injured to move. Where Valen could collect us easily.
Sebastian pointed his hands down and back, spreading his palm towards the ground. He said something, but I didn't catch it. Flames appeared, shooting down his arms and propelling us forward. They burned brightly, lighting up the alley below. They curled around my brothers arms, like a flame tornado which extended its reach towards the concrete. It wasn't enough to stop us, but it did slow our descent enough to glide to the edge of the building.
We landed lightly and Sebastian hit the ground running. He ran across the roof and leapt again at the other side. Again, he spoke and fire shot from his arms. His clothes remained untouched by the blaze.
We travelled this way until the fighting pair were far behind us, just a few shadows on the roof. Sebastian glided us down to the ground and I slid off his back.
Sweat beaded his brow in the streets lights. He laughed with relief. "Well, thank god one of us knows magic."
I laughed too, still shaking from adrenaline in my body. "We would've been dog meat." I leaned on him. "We should rent a room or something for the night. Also, something to eat would be nice."
"Sounds like a good plan to me. How is your ankle?" He asked.
I put some weight on it. "It hurts, but I can walk. I think it's just a sprain."
"Well then, let's go."
••••••••••••
We sat in a one bed hotel room, eating some pizza. We now knew that Leona and her gang are connected to the thugs who occupy that building. They were making some sort of deal to buy a factory. But for what? What small-time factory that a gang runs could be worth five million dollars? And what were they loading into the van?
Questions buzzed in my mind while Sebastian laid out several blankets on the floor. He grabbed the extra pillow from the closet and put it on the floor.
I cleared away the pizza, thinking of it as a metaphor for clearing those thoughts from my mind.
"Are you fine sleeping on the floor?" I asked Seb as he lay down.
"It's fine. It's actually refreshing to sleep on the floor. Kinda straightens out the spine, you know?"
I sighed. "Ok, if you say so."
I switched off the lights then snuggled into the only bed. I couldn't sleep at first, my mind was too active. But eventually, sleep and I found each other.
