Bad Luck and The Law of Averages (The Old Guard Fanfic)

Chapter 10 - Family Matters

The first address for Bryce was a flat share in Edinburgh, but Andy and Nile, in their guise as investigators, soon found out he was currently staying with his parents, further out of town. It was a newer estate with lots of cookie cutter houses and Bryce's parents lived in an end of terrace.

Nicky looked up at the back of the house through Joe's sunglasses. His skin no longer prickled in the sun, something he had been incredibly glad to discover, but the bright light did hurt his eyes. Joe had refused to hear of anything but him borrowing Joe's favourite pair of glasses because he'd had his in a pocket when he had been kidnapped, so they were long gone. He had others, but not in Edinburgh, and Joe had insisted, and Nicky was not inclined to argue with Joe about anything just at the moment.

"They're in position," Joe's voice said in his ear, "and go."

Bryce's mother was in the house as well as her son, so Andy and Nile were playing decoy on the doorstep. As soon as he got the all-clear, Nicky moved.

He refused to think about quite how easy it was to climb the drainpipe and crawl into the open window on the second floor. It was only a small window into the bathroom, but he'd squeezed through tighter spaces. Dropping to the floor, he silently stepped onto the small landing. There were three other doors, one closed, one partially open and the last half open with music and tinny explosions coming from inside. Nicky didn't even have to guess.

Walking to the edge of the door, he pulled his hood down. He didn't want to scare the crap out of the kid and a tall guy in black with shades and his hood up would probably do just that. Although, as he stepped into the room, he realised he needn't have worried. Bryce had no idea he was there.

The sounds were obnoxiously loud and Bryce was clearly playing some kind of game that involved shooting things. He would have waited for a break in the action, but he was on a time limit. Walking up behind the kid, he lightly tapped him on the shoulder. He could have shot him for all the difference it made.

Bryce all but leapt out of his chair, turned and promptly fell over when his knee caught the seat. Nicky lunged and caught him before the kid could brain himself on the desk. The chair, however, still made a crash when it hit the desk and then the floor, just as the music and explosions cut off because Bryce had hit too many buttons at the same time in his panic.

"Bryce," the call came from downstairs almost instantly, "you okay?"

For a moment Bryce stared at Nicky wide-eyed.

"Bryce?" came again.

Nicky made a hopeful gesture that Bryce should reply.

"Sorry, mum," Bryce called after another second, "just got overenthusiastic and knocked over the chair."

"Well as long as you're okay," his mother called back. "Do you want a cup of tea in a minute."

That made Nicky smile.

"Maybe later, thanks, mum," Bryce called back.

Bryce hit a button, so the music started up again.

"You made it out then," Bryce said, voice low enough so it wouldn't carry.

Nicky titled his head to one side in a half nod.

"They thought they staked me, but they messed up," he replied.

Bryce looked at the sunlight coming through his window.

"Then shouldn't you be smouldering or something?" he asked.

"Probably," Nicky said, "they seemed to think so since they left me in a field. Maybe I'm not a full vampire unless I kill someone," he added with a shrug, since he couldn't exactly explain he was immortal.