The Last of the Twenty: Broken Pawns

Chapter 21

Mark lit up his second cigar since stepping into Dr. Richardson's house. Dropping the ashes on the carpet without concern, he searched the house for any sign that the doctor had left town. The doctor leaving town suddenly would have come as no surprise, he was after all, a well-known coward amongst his brothers. But Mark found no clothes missing, and there were still at least three suitcases piled up in one of his closets. The refrigerator was still fully stocked with food, and a plate of leftovers that Richardson must have been planning on eating still sat on the top shelf. All good signs. Finding nothing but light beer, Mark groaned with disgust. Still, beer was beer, he helped himself to one anyways before sitting down to think.

The only item missing was the car, something that wouldn't be unusual for a runner except that Mark knew the doctor would never use his car to get away. The doctor had the unusual ability to walk between the worlds, a talent that Alex shared when he wasn't bound. It was a dark and infinite space that could take someone anywhere they wanted to go instantly, as long as they knew how to access it that is. Had Dr. Richardson used it he would have taken his stash of money to start a new life, but Mark had found that as well. The car though? Not a chance in hell. A car was registered to this identity and therefore too risky, he would have simply bought a new one in whatever country he stepped out into.

"So where the hell is he?" Mark asked aloud.

"Oh, you won't find him here." A voice said quietly behind him.

Mark stood up quickly and faced the newcomer. The tall man's eyes were flickering with amusement, mirrored by the grin on his face. Mark cursed under his breath, turning his chair to face man standing before him before plopping back down. Puffing his cigar calmly, Mark picked the beer up off the table and took a long swallow. "So where is he?" Mark asked calmly.

The tall man smiled and shrugged in response. "I have no idea my friend, I came looking for him myself only to find an empty house. Perhaps he was torn apart by all the new vampires that seem to be drifting into town. What a pity that would be, it would take decades for him to wake from between and find a new body, then decades more waiting for that body to grow."

Mark sipped the beer slowly. "And I'm sure you have nothing to do with all the new vampires in town, right?" he asked sarcastically.

The man smiled down at Mark, the lights in his eyes flickered brightly for a second as he spoke. "No brother, I have much better toys to play with now. Vampires are too weak for my purposes."

"And what purpose would that be?" Mark asked

"Oh, I simply want to help, brother, although it looks like I'm too late to help the good doctor. I'm not too late, however, to help you and, is it Alex he goes by now?"

Mark's eyes narrowed, "Help how? By giving up? By giving into what's easy and losing ourselves like you?"

The tall man's face twisted with rage, "We are already lost! You know where we are doomed to go!" his voice amplified, echoing off the walls shaking the entire house. Mark heard several things fall off shelves and shatter on the floor. Mark sat back and puffed his cigar, waiting for the tall man to calm down and smile at him once more. "I didn't give up, brother. I simply made my loyalties known, while I still had a choice." He said harshly.

Mark scoffed, "We'll figure it out on our own, don't you worry about that. As long as he's still at my side, there's a chance." Mark said.

The man's eyes flickered with anger. "He's at your side now, yes." He said quietly, "But for how much longer. He's getting close, your little binding is almost broken. When that happens, he'll remember everything. He'll go to her once more and his choice will be set, and you my friend, will be left out in the cold. Come to me now brother, and I will help you make sure he can never find her again."

"Is this why you've killed her family? To help me?" Mark spat. The man smiled down and held his palms out.

"At last you're beginning to understand. Without the family line it will be much more difficult for her to return, but you and I both know there is only one way to truly end it. Once you do that, he will forget her forever."

"No..." Mark whispered, "That act is forbidden, even to us."

The man shrugged once more. "Perhaps. But tell me brother, now that things are this close, do you have a choice? Will you risk them, remembering, each other?"

The tall man turned and left the house without another word. Mark sat and smoked his cigar, deep in thought. He knew what had to be done, and he knew the risks. But would it be worth it? Would it truly keep Alex at his side? Make him forget her forever?

"I just don't know." He whispered.