Dark Hearts

Part III (Chapter 3 & 4)

The Templar

The phone beeped again and for the fourth time he heard her voice message "Hi you have reached Sarah, please leave a message after the beep" George bit his lips in frustration.

"Sarah it's me again, call me as soon as you get this" he rubbed his head "I'm starting to get worried here, please call me" he hesitated before he hung up and then he did anyway. He had no idea where his partner was. Was she still sleeping? Was she mad at him for some reason? Was she mad at Catherine and didn't want to pursuit this case? His mind started piling ideas, overthinking about every single detail like It usually did when it was about someone he cared about, Sarah was not just his partner, he considered her his sister and he hoped she considered him family too.

He didn't want to stop by her house again after what happened last time, so he thought it would be better to give her some time, even though he needed her now, after all he was standing before the enemy's gates.

The Bloody Mary club was the most luxurious nightclub in the city, it wasn't for humans; although some humans hang around here, but it's mostly built for the Creatures of the Night; a safe haven promised by none other than Mary herself. The Templars struck a deal with Mary years ago to save countless lives and unfortunately her business too. No resident of the Bloody Mary hotels or clubs should be harmed and in return no resident will harm any human or middle with the Templars' business.

But finally, Mary messed up.

George remembered Jason's case from a long time ago, it was before even Catherine got promoted to a Crusader, a warlock who sacrificed his wife and daughter to an Archdemon; an Archdemon who went out to kill countless souls, both Templars and none Templars, until finally he was cornered and exorcised, Archdemons are much stronger than normal demons, their magic is much more powerful, some were even said to be able to kill a human with just a snap of their fingers, George thought it was a mere exaggeration, just bedtime stories told to the young Templars to scare them, but he wasn't young and he didn't get scared easily, not anymore.

After the exorcism of the Archdemon, Jason was hunted remorselessly for months, until suddenly without warning he disappeared, vanished, some said that he went to Hell, that he thought it was better than what awaited him if he was ever captured, some said that he fled the country which was a weak assumption, given the fact that the Templars were everywhere. It was last night that George and Catherine deduced whatever happened to Jason back then; he was vanished by none other than Mary herself; she hid him well until his case was partially closed and the Templars focused their attention elsewhere, until he made an appearance last night. And now the Templars had the upper hand on Mary, and they intended to twist her arm until they snap it.

George approached the doors of the club, he has called Mary earlier and she was expecting him, first thing in the morning he told her, at night this place will be crowded with Creatures, but that wasn't his concern, he just wanted to close this case as soon as possible, Catherine herself had already called Mary and took some information, but she needed George to take a written statement and perhaps make her slip and give him the information she wouldn't give over a phone call.

George entered the club, it was empty, all chairs turned upside down and placed on top of the tables, there was no one behind the bar, he looked above him and found a man with a fedora hat watching him from the glass window above, George walked to the other side of the bar and went through the burgundy curtains, he climbed the iron serpentine steps which led to a small hall that led to Mary's office as he approached the door; it opened from inside and the man in the fedora hat was there; he looked coldly at the Templar who simply smiled.

"Let him in, Sam" a voice called from behind him, Sam kept looking at the Templar for a moment then moved aside, George entered the room and glanced above his shoulder as Sam closed the door and stood guard "George" Mary greeted him with a sweet smile, George greeted her back and she signaled him to sit on the sofa in the right corner of her room "I consider this more of a friendly visit than a business one" she said as he sat down, she got up from behind her desk and sat on the cozy chair beside the sofa, she crossed her beautiful bare legs and clasped both her hands over her knees.