Mermaid

Chapter 44

Gregory sat in his office, his sky blue eyes staring up at the ceiling of his office. He had been there for over an hour and still he got no news of Erika's return. He let out a breath, the whole waiting bit was annoying him, it reminded him too much of Manhattan. At least Allen was there giving him some comedic support and comfort.

I miss you Allen. He thought dimly, he wished that just once, once, he could see his best friend again and talk like the good old days. But you know you'd probably be not only really proud of Erika, but also worried like hell. I wonder if you were still here how would you react to all of this.

A knock on the door jolted him from his thoughts, nearly causing him to fall out of his chair because of it.

"Yes? Who is it?"

The door opened, and Sherrie poked her head in. "Dad? Someone is here to see you."

He instantly got out of his chair. "Is it Erika, is she back now?"

Sherrie shook her head and then opened the door further; the person that stood in the hallway was someone he had never met before.

He was dressed in a suit, a black suite with a red tie and black vest as he left his suit jacket done up, and he had pale skin, like he rarely ever went outside, dark brown hair combed at one side, honey golden brown eyes that looked more gold then anything, and a pair of thin glasses resting on his nose.

"Who...?"

"My name is Alistair Hawkins; I had been given notification that you have a woman who's become immortal here under your roof. I am here to retrieve her."

When Gregory frowned, saying nothing in return the man named Alistair spoke.

"I believe you and I have a mutual friend, Alice, come here please."

Suddenly a little girl wearing a dark crimson dress that looked like that of a Lolita dress style, who looked no older than eight, with yellow blond hair that was curled, and tied back in a half ponytail with a red lacy bow, and dark brown eyes ran into the room and joined his side. She then handed him a card, which he then handed to Gregory.

His frown deepened, but when he read those three words his head snapped up and stared at the man with total shock. "Society of Shadows, you... you know Karin Slayed."

"Yes," he said adjusting his glasses. "I am the one she reports to when she has completed a task. She would have come herself if not for a task that's taking up her time in Japan. Now then, the woman, where is she?"

"How do you know that? I haven't even called, there's no phone number listed for you guys so I had no idea how or even who to get a hold of, even with all of my contacts."

"We know much of the spiritual world and beyond, you know a bit of what our work in tales, we can sense when something is off, and in doing so find where it's coming from. Thus I'm here."

Gregory shook his head and let out a half laugh. "You sound like Karin."

"Please, she and I are totally different."

If you say so... he thought thinking that Karin would be saying the exact same thing as this strange man.

"Pardon me Mr. Hawkins," Sherrie spoke up. "But that woman won't want to go with you, not until Erika is back with the woman's son and husband."

"Is that so?"

She nodded. "Yes, so you may have to wait a while before she comes back."

"That's fine, I will wait for as long as I have too." he then showed a smile that looked almost evil. "I have plenty of time to kill."