SB 08 - Preparing (Josef's POV) (PG-13)

[francis]

Thank you to Eris for borrowing Karl, the bodyguard.


As soon as I heard the freezer lid close I silently went upstairs and took a very long cold shower. I really needed some cold to rest, but I couldn’t. So I sat down in the dark at the top of the stairs and began to think about what happened and how to get out of this.

Just in case Mick couldn’t find the attacker, I would need to relocate. I always had a couple of new identities ready, but now that it was time hated to go away. I liked the people I knew here, my staff, Mick, the freshies. When had I started to get so attached to people? Mick’s attitude must have been catching. But it had to be. I had to leave, I already put Mick in danger, and everybody else I knew here.

First I would need cash, I couldn’t use my credit cards for the time being. Then buy a new cellphone, contact Karl to get my papers, as Ryder was out of town. Meet Karl at the airport and get the hell out of here. Philadelphia would be nice, I never lived there before. It was nearer to Sara, too. Let Mick find the killer or not, the killer would not find me.

My mind made up, I raided Mick’s closet and took one of his long coats and a cap. I had an echo of bad conscience when I took Mick’s car keys, but it served two purposes. One, I had no money yet for a cab. Two, he wouldn’t be able to follow me that fast. I would leave the car at Kostan Industries for him. And he was one of my beneficiaries, I would compensate him nicely for his troubles. Of course, most of my money would be transferred to my new location and name. Karl would take care of everything.

I parked the car in a dark corner, then pinched in the emergency code as my keys were probably lying in a molten heap at the place where my desk had been. A part of me was curious how the office looked now. But on my way there good old Tom ambushed me. I told him to keep it a secret, and hoped I could trust him. He had called and cooperated with Mick and gave him the security footage, but still, the assassin should have never gotten that far during Tom’s watch.

But I would be away in an hour or so, it didn’t matter any more. I asked him to get back to the surveillance room and entered the office alone. It was quite a shock to see everything burned down. Somewhere within the grey ashes on the floor the remnants of Tim and Dan were mingling with burned furniture and other grime. The fact that all my collected artwork, all my personal belongings were gone consolidated my decision to go.

I don’t know how long I stood there, watched the mayhem around me and reminisced about the last 50 odd years I had spent on and off in L.A, the latest 20 in this office. Finally I headed for my fireproof safe and opened it. I sorted through the cash, but then I took out the one thing that was more important to me than money. Her locket. I couldn’t wear it all the time, didn’t want the questions, didn’t want the constant reminder of my failure, but I needed to take it with me wherever I went.

Abruptly I was ripped out of my engrossed state when someone turned up behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw Mick hitting the man hard. I must be really beside myself if I didn’t even sense neither the human nor the vampire come in. But Mick had it under control.

I wanted to talk to him, but the assassin got back up. He was really strong for a human. Mick took care of him again, and I could see he tried not to kill the man instantly. That may be why Mick was stabbed, which made him really angry, but then he got the upper hand and manhandled the human to get information out of him. I watched, part amused, part anxious, part defeated.

Then there was the name. Whitley.

Could it really be Whitley? All those years I had someone watch him. He was over 90 years old now and quite sick, and he never found out where his daughter went, but I always had the impression that he knew, somehow. After Sara I relocated, but I visited New York in regular intervals and once, in the 70s, I saw Whitley at the airport. His head snapped towards me and he stared at me. I acted as if I didn’t know him, avoided his gaze in that typical newyorkish way and went on loading my luggage on the cart. He made two hesitating steps towards me, then pivoted and ran off.

But he couldn’t know, could he? He might have taken me for my own son, or a doppelganger, but never could he have thought it was me. Why hadn’t he just asked a polite „Do I know you?“ Were his memories of Sara too painful to face? I know that I took her away from him, I would have even if everything had gone right, and I never pitied him before. At that day, I did.

When it was Whitley who tried to get me killed, was Sara still safe? Did he find out where she was? I felt like my world just had crumbled to dust. Mick asked me about Whitley, but of course I couldn’t tell him. I couldn’t look him in the eyes. This was the last time I saw him, and I really wanted to apologize for everything, just say something meaningful, but I couldn’t. When he was busy with the guy I vanished as fast as I could. I couldn’t even say goodbye. This was not so much fun anymore.

[mitzie]

Another great chapter!! Sad for Josef!!

Off to read more!

mitzie

[Fleur de Lisa]

Now I feel bad about giving Josef a hard time in my comment on the last chapter!

He is one complicated man. He just needs to let Mick in, and let him help.

[Luxe de Luxe]

wow.... I started to feel really sorry for JOsef by the end of this one, francis.

[moonshine]

Josef is making me very sad in this chapter. He finally gets the name of the one who wants to kill him and it hit him in the face that maybe there has something to do with Sarah.
Good chapter!!

[francis]

Thank you, dear readers. Yes, it's a sad chapter, something ends and something begins. Josef fears for Sarah and has to leave his best friend behind. Stay tuned.

[bluedahlia3]

I'm not sure sure I thought this was as sad as perhaps more a condensing of Josef's thoughts. He needs to get control of himself, the sitution and sometimes that takes inner reflection. Great job francis.

[jen]

Wonderful, Francis!

It never occurred to me before that Josef considered relocating and I always wondered why. The attack was so public, he was clearly at the scene and that was established by other witnesses.

Once again, very nicely fleshed out!!

Thanks!

[maggatha3]

No, not so much fun anymore! So, Josef planned to relocate without letting Mick in on his new home? Ouch! At least, Josef fears for Sarah! He does have a hurting heart!