On Ice [part 2/4] PG13

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NocturneInCMoll
Logan's WoW nemesis
Posts: 987
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 8:27 pm
Location: British Columbia

On Ice [part 2/4] PG13

Post by NocturneInCMoll »

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.


On Ice — Part 2

Josef led Beth out to his sports car and seated her in the front, then pulled out his phone and made a call to the Cleaner to get the mess at Anders’ dealt with immediately. He knew they wouldn’t be able to put Talbot off for long before he called SWAT over to the place. He sighed deeply. He’d take care of Mick himself…later. He didn’t know if keeping him like Sarah was an option, or even if Mick would want that. But right now, he wanted nothing but to think of something else. Luckily, for the moment, he had someone else to deal with. He shut Beth’s door and returned for the still-blindfolded Talbot.

“Who are you? What’s going on? Where are you taking me?”

“You don’t get to play 20 Questions with your knight in shining armour,” Josef snapped. He wasn’t really in much of a mood for his usual friendlier version of snark.

He pulled Talbot’s blindfold off when they got to his red convertible. “It’s not exactly a white horse, Talbot—but I trust you won’t complain.” Beth got out to let Talbot into the back, then reclaimed the front seat.

Talbot watched Josef as he walked around the car and got into the driver’s seat.

“I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage. Who are you?” He tried again.

“Wrong. I have you at a severe disadvantage. I could kick your ass at any time, whether you know my name or not.” Josef started the car and sped out of the parking lot.

“You’re Josef Kostan, aren’t you. The businessman,” said Talbot, finally recognizing him.

“And it’s a gold star for the public servant! Yes, I’m Josef Kostan—at your service. Although, seeing as I just saved your ass, I think you ought to be at my service—Benjamin Talbot.”

“Thanks,” Talbot said, holding out his hand. “For rescuing us, I mean.”

Josef ignored Talbot’s hand. “I was actually there for Blondie here; you were only saved because of your proximity to her. But I accept your gratitude.”

“—I don’t understand, though,” Talbot scowled slightly. “What was a big-time businessman doing rescuing a reporter and a district attorney from a psychotic plastic surgeon’s office? How did you know we were even there, much less how to take care of Anders and his goons single-handedly?”

“With age comes wisdom and power, my friend.” Josef kept his eyes on the road.

Talbot furrowed his brow. “It sounded like a cross between World War III and Wild Kingdom in there!”

“Fights to the death do tend to get a little noisy.”

“You killed them?” Talbot shouted.

Josef winced. “Not so loud, I have sensitive ears. And yes, although the goons, as you called them, are not dead quite yet; they will be shortly. I would have thought all the gunshots would have rendered this less surprising. Anders,” Josef bared his teeth, “Anders is dead for sure.” He shrugged and smiled. “I admit that was a little bit of revenge.” Josef tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “He caused a lot of trouble.”

“You couldn’t have just tied them up like they had us and waited for the police? Or called the police yourself instead of being a…a cowboy, coming in with guns blazing?” Talbot was incredulous.

Josef snorted. “First of all, did you or did you not want to be rescued? Second of all, you must really have something against the police. What, did they give you too many parking tickets or something?”

Talbot was confused. “What? No. I just wanted to see those bastards rot in jail for what they did. Not that I don’t appreciate what you did, but for them to die at the hands of some…vigilante…doling out capital punishment...”

“You have no authority to dispense justice over them. I do. And they would have killed the police, had I secured them the way you would have wanted me to.”

“Excuse me?”

Josef didn’t elaborate.

“Does this have anything to do with—” Talbot stopped and started again. “—Did I hear you say something to Beth about Mick not being human? I mean, I thought it was just my concussion talking, but—”

Josef suddenly did a sharp U-turn and accelerated towards a freeway entrance.

“Where are we going?” Beth asked, concerned.

“Le Brea.” Josef said curtly.

“Josef! You can’t kill him!”

“I guess it would be rather rude and fickle to rescue him only to turn around and kill him,” Josef mused wryly. “But he knows too much.”

“Uh, I’m right here!” Talbot reminded them loudly from the backseat. “Do I get any say at all in my fate?”

“Perhaps,” Josef answered. “Do you have a preference for the method used to kill you?”

“Er…I meant,” Talbot said with a nervous edge, “What if I promise not to reveal what I…know? You did save my life, after all. And you killed some very bad guys, which, while I can’t condone it, admittedly doesn’t cause me too much grief.” He paused. “Besides, I don’t really ‘know’ what you think I know…too much…of…exactly.”

Josef pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned to stare at Talbot. Talbot uncomfortably tried to melt into the seat. Josef had never looked directly at Talbot for long thus far—insignificant human—but if Talbot was nervous before with the rush of the rescue and the talk of killing him, his heart rate was indicating that he was really nervous now.

“What do you think, Beth,” Josef inquired, keeping his eyes on Talbot, “can we trust the safety of the community to this guy?”

Before Beth could offer an opinion, Talbot protested, “I’m a district attorney—the safety of the community is my job!”

Josef rolled his eyes. “The human community, sure. But that is not my concern.”

“Josef,” Beth interrupted, “perhaps he could help the community. Just like how I’ve sometimes spun stories to protect the community’s secret. It could be valuable to have someone in the district attorney’s office.”

“So…” Talbot let out a shaky breath, “you’re saying you aren’t human? And neither is Mick? And there are more of you—like Anders and his guys…were? ”

“Yes, yes, and yes.”

Talbot swallowed. “What are you?”

Josef cocked an eyebrow. “If I told you, I’d almost definitely have to kill you.”

“Yeah, well,” Talbot smiled weakly, “you seem pretty set on that anyway, so I might as well know what I’m dying for, right?”

“Brave,” Josef commented, looking away. “But I haven’t yet decided on you, human. Beth makes a good point.”

“Uh…Beth, are you, um—?”

Josef turned back to Talbot. His face was pale and his irises were almost white. Talbot shrank back against the seat. He opened his mouth as if to speak or scream, but nothing came out.

Josef grinned, displaying his fangs. “No. Beth is not a vampire.”


To be continued…
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francis
100% Moonlightaholic
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Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:45 am

Re: On Ice [part 2/4] PG13

Post by francis »

Josef is so severely stressed, I’m surprised he even talks to Talbot and doesn’t kill him on the spot. But he has Beth there.
Talbot swallowed. “What are you?”

Josef cocked an eyebrow. “If I told you, I’d almost definitely have to kill you.”

“Yeah, well,” Talbot smiled weakly, “you seem pretty set on that anyway, so I might as well know what I’m dying for, right?”
Josef is getting back to his old form. And I love your Talbot. He has spunk, and I can so see him squirm.
NocturneInCMoll
Logan's WoW nemesis
Posts: 987
Joined: Sat Jan 17, 2009 8:27 pm
Location: British Columbia

Re: On Ice [part 2/4] PG13

Post by NocturneInCMoll »

Thanks, Francis. Yes, Josef is definitely a little out-of-sorts, and Talbot's being a little bold, but he just wants to find out what the heck happened tonight. He didn't like being blindfolded.
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