Val on that same night left the former vampire hunter’s apartment with the smell of something in the air. He has to deliver the two cases at The Wild Clover before three o’clock when he walked down the street with his boot heels clocking on the cracked and broken sidewalk. The old-fashioned six-shooter hung on his hip when he walked closer and closer to the Gran Torino that is parked next to the parking meter with both of the windows cracked down with some eeriness in the cab of the car. Eerie; I can see everything. Val smiled his predator smile through the windshield of the car when he heard a clatter of something to his right when he spied a cat coming out of a garbage can. The black cat looked at him when Val cursed his red laced eyes at it when the cat growled. He thought about pulling out his gun when the cat scurried away, jumping down and making tracks when Val shrugged and walked past the Gran Torino that is parked in the gutter.
He had to think about nostalgia of worlds long past when he considered to walk and walk, ticking the coins that are in his dusty pockets when he remembered the day that he died and the day that he was reborn again when the towers were not built and the people were scarce in the woods that are long and winding. He considered stopping outside the strip bar with the various people that are standing outside of it, seeing the guy that is sprawled up against the wall with congealed puke all over his casual shirt with an anime character that is ironed on it. He didn’t care about the man, just the fragrance that is coming off of him when Val came closer to the veil of the night that is getting later and later, slowly approaching dawn when somewhere, someone got shot and someone died in this city that is no good, no more.
Val got back into his car some moments later and fished the key into the ignition, priming the carb and starting it when he pulled the car out of the spot with the meter almost clicking off to the add coins flipping up in the plexi-window when he flashed his lights on in his Gran Torino as it traveled to the Wild Clover with his sword coming out the back of the car that is still in his stylish sheath. He walked up to the bar and pushed the door open when he met two young vampires that was walking out of the bar, talking of silent questions that Val considered to hear when he asked of them:
“What is the buzz, children?” Val looked at both of them with sincere interest.
“I heard the Management is making lesser scores since the bigger men came into town.”
The young female vampire stretched her skinny arms behind her back.
“Who are the bigger men?” Val asked.
“The bigger men; the Legions of the Nine,” The boy vampire added in, licking the blood off of his lower lip from the drink they had moments before.
The Legions of the Nine; the vampires that birthed their own race; they never talked about how it happened, it is all hush-hush.
“When did they arrive?” Val looked over their shoulders and casted a look at the bartender that is sitting behind the bar, also a vampire when he thought of Fred who is working for The Management.
A vampire hunter who works for them? How can you wrap your head around that?
“They arrived in town last Sunday. They did raise a ruckus about what happened. It was all over the news.” The female vampire added in when Val dropped his hands on both of their shoulders.
“Be safe out there. The Sticks are watching.”
They walked out the door into the night. He picked up the two cases and walked up the steps to where The Accountant is with his sunglasses perched on his nose and his stubble cut down to a clean shave around his mouth, leaving those gay sideburns that are on each side of his head.
“Evening, Mr. Lioncourt.” The Accountant stretched over his assortment of computers that are all over the desk. He is looking at the inventory that is noted on Excel spreadsheets that stretch so long that it takes about thirty seconds to get to the bottom of it on fast scroll.
“Evening, Lake, another long night?” Val walked around the desk and placed the two cases down next to his desk.
“Couldn’t be more or less better,” Lake slapped a manila envelope on the top of the desk.
“By orders of The Management, this case shouldn’t be opened.”
“Alright, did you take the new guy along for the ride?” The accountant ticked his glasses back against his face.
“Yeah, by their orders though.” Val replied, taking a look over the room.
“What the hell are you doing besides just – everything?” Val shrugged with his mind all in wonder.
“I read comics and manga from Japan. I’m reading this one named Tokyo Ghoul. It’s really good so far.” The Accountant grabbed one of the volumes underneath the table and then put it back where he found it so Val can see it.
Val grunted when he looked around the room, seeing the office space that has been deserted for as long as he can remember when he can see the filth encrusted dust on the windows of the name of a man that he never met as he looked at all of the trash that is upon the floor. The roof is leaking again when The Accountant grabbed a trash can and placed it under where the leak is formed.
The Accountant knew what he is looking at when he came back to the job that is before him.
“Someone has to take a gander up on that roof and get that patched up.”
“Isn’t that what you like to do? You’re building a house in field country.” Val says.
“I don’t own this ancient zone.” The Accountant grunted when he got back to work.
“When you are done you go home and get some sleep. Say, can you do something for me? I’ll give you the details when I’m finished.” Val stood next to the accountant when he replied and waited for what Val is about to say. The Accountant dropped his jaw when Val finished with no tears coming into his eyes again.
He is trying to fight them back. He is really trying.
“Do it, please?” Val added in when he kept his hand on the hilt of his sword.
“That is a big scope of trying to find one woman, especially a vampire like you. If I do this then it would probably bring heat on my head. This is going to be over 10 K if I agree?”
Val thought of where she is when Val nodded his head. For him, he felt a pain in the center of his brain, feeling a headache that is about to come on.
After the left The Wild Clover, he directed himself to wonder down the street in search for something to take his mind off of the pain. He didn’t feel like driving tonight when he left the beast there in the parking lot. He had a lot to think about when it came to his next move.
Fantasy
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