Dangerous Trails - Chapter 11 (PG-13)
Posted: Wed Jun 20, 2012 5:52 am
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1.
Chapter 11
Mamo had kept Doris at a cottage on the Big Island until she was able to stay without her sire, then she relocated to Japan. “Why Japan”, he had asked her, as she would stand out like a sore thumb among all those Asians, but she just shrugged. “I want to put my new identity to use. I was a housewife far too long, now with my new teeth I could actually do some good.”
He was shocked. “You want to work John’s case? You want to go after the Yakuza alone?”
She smiled. “Don’t fret. I’ve learned so much in the time with you. You are a warrior, and it certainly translated to me. I will be fine. John is still in danger, and I need to do something. I know I can’t contact my family, the kids think I’m dead, but there is someone else behind all this, someone who is not really part of the Yakuza clan. I need to find and destroy him to keep my family safe.”
Mamo nodded. “I can understand that but I’m still worried. You are barely two years old. You think you’re invincible just because you trained martial arts for two years. These guys you’re after have trained since they were kids. And don’t forget, whatever you do will put your family in danger, too.”
Doris hugged her sire. “Mamo, thank you for everything, but now I need to spread my wings. You told me there are more vampires among us. Tell me who is the leader of the Japanese council and I will make sure to stay in their good graces. Maybe they can help me with my task, maybe not, but I won’t get into trouble.”
Mamo gave her an adress and then he smiled. “You are a lioness. I always knew there was something behind your demure teacher personality, but I didn’t see it until you turned. Take care.”
That was the last time he saw her. She called him every other year or so to tell him a little about her life and what she achieved. With the help of a CIA agent who had also been a SEAL she managed to find the man behind her untimely “death”, and killed him. But instead of keeping John safe by doing so, he got threats against his children from the Yakuza family. They had no choice but to send them away to the mainland.
Doris never talked to John again, using Mamo to get information about him and about her children. Lately he had lost contact to her. After he told her of John’s death she hadn’t called again.
He wondered if she was angry with him. He sure felt guilty that he hadn’t seen it coming and hadn’t been able to protect her husband and his friend. He felt guilty that he had turned her, taking her away from her family only to let her drown in her need for revenge.
Maybe now was the time to make it up to her by keeping her son safe.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mick had found Mamo’s source without problems. It was a small shop with Hawaiian herbs and fruit, looking more like a Chinese drug store than like a grocery shop. The woman behind the counter was a middle-aged native woman who smiled at him as soon as he entered.
“What can I do for you?”
“Mamo sent me. I need some special refreshments.”
She nodded, unfazed by meeting a vampire. “Go through to the back. There’s a fridge at the left with everything you might need.”
Self-service? That was new. Either she trusted every customer to not steal or she was squicked out by taking the merchandise into her own hands. He found the fridge and was stunned to see not only sealed blood bags but also pitchers with fresh blood of at least two types.
He looked around. He surely wouldn’t buy an open pitcher with at least a litre of A positive. The woman pattered towards him with her flip flops and tried to look around his form. “There’s a glass on the shelf, you can drink up here or I can give you a travel mug. Which one will it be?”
He turned around and grinned. “How about one glass for the way and another pint in a travel mug?”
She nodded. “A positive, please,” he added when she hesitated. His assumption about her was wrong, because she handled the blood as if it was a juice bar. He drank the blood standing in the back room, with her busying herself to fill his travel mug. It was of a young female, native, not much over 20. He could taste the sun and the surf.
He leaned against the table and debated with himself if being nosy about the business would be appropriate. “So, you have many customers like me?”
She laughed. “We’re here for Mamo and whoever comes for a visit. I don’t know of any other resident – bloodsuckers – except for the tax contractor.”
It was a slight and a bad joke, but he still laughed. She was so uninhibited about the whole thing. Still, she gave him an information that he wasn’t sure Mamo wanted given. Was Mamo all alone on the islands? It seemed lonely, but also there wasn’t such a big population, so the secret wouldn’t be safe if there was more vamp activity. Maybe it was easier this way. Mick wondered if Mamo ever turned anyone.
He took out his wallet but she stopped him with a gesture. “That’s on Mamo. You’re his guest.” He didn’t want to be in the man’s debt any more than he already was, but didn’t want to offend the woman and Mamo, either. “Would you accept a tip?” he asked and slipped her a twenty. She made a graceful bow as some Asian cultures did, and he reciprocated with a clumsy nod of his own.
He was just going through the front door when his phone rang.
“Josef? Hey.”
“Mick, whereever you are, take cover NOW. I’ll explain later.”
Chapter 11
Mamo had kept Doris at a cottage on the Big Island until she was able to stay without her sire, then she relocated to Japan. “Why Japan”, he had asked her, as she would stand out like a sore thumb among all those Asians, but she just shrugged. “I want to put my new identity to use. I was a housewife far too long, now with my new teeth I could actually do some good.”
He was shocked. “You want to work John’s case? You want to go after the Yakuza alone?”
She smiled. “Don’t fret. I’ve learned so much in the time with you. You are a warrior, and it certainly translated to me. I will be fine. John is still in danger, and I need to do something. I know I can’t contact my family, the kids think I’m dead, but there is someone else behind all this, someone who is not really part of the Yakuza clan. I need to find and destroy him to keep my family safe.”
Mamo nodded. “I can understand that but I’m still worried. You are barely two years old. You think you’re invincible just because you trained martial arts for two years. These guys you’re after have trained since they were kids. And don’t forget, whatever you do will put your family in danger, too.”
Doris hugged her sire. “Mamo, thank you for everything, but now I need to spread my wings. You told me there are more vampires among us. Tell me who is the leader of the Japanese council and I will make sure to stay in their good graces. Maybe they can help me with my task, maybe not, but I won’t get into trouble.”
Mamo gave her an adress and then he smiled. “You are a lioness. I always knew there was something behind your demure teacher personality, but I didn’t see it until you turned. Take care.”
That was the last time he saw her. She called him every other year or so to tell him a little about her life and what she achieved. With the help of a CIA agent who had also been a SEAL she managed to find the man behind her untimely “death”, and killed him. But instead of keeping John safe by doing so, he got threats against his children from the Yakuza family. They had no choice but to send them away to the mainland.
Doris never talked to John again, using Mamo to get information about him and about her children. Lately he had lost contact to her. After he told her of John’s death she hadn’t called again.
He wondered if she was angry with him. He sure felt guilty that he hadn’t seen it coming and hadn’t been able to protect her husband and his friend. He felt guilty that he had turned her, taking her away from her family only to let her drown in her need for revenge.
Maybe now was the time to make it up to her by keeping her son safe.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mick had found Mamo’s source without problems. It was a small shop with Hawaiian herbs and fruit, looking more like a Chinese drug store than like a grocery shop. The woman behind the counter was a middle-aged native woman who smiled at him as soon as he entered.
“What can I do for you?”
“Mamo sent me. I need some special refreshments.”
She nodded, unfazed by meeting a vampire. “Go through to the back. There’s a fridge at the left with everything you might need.”
Self-service? That was new. Either she trusted every customer to not steal or she was squicked out by taking the merchandise into her own hands. He found the fridge and was stunned to see not only sealed blood bags but also pitchers with fresh blood of at least two types.
He looked around. He surely wouldn’t buy an open pitcher with at least a litre of A positive. The woman pattered towards him with her flip flops and tried to look around his form. “There’s a glass on the shelf, you can drink up here or I can give you a travel mug. Which one will it be?”
He turned around and grinned. “How about one glass for the way and another pint in a travel mug?”
She nodded. “A positive, please,” he added when she hesitated. His assumption about her was wrong, because she handled the blood as if it was a juice bar. He drank the blood standing in the back room, with her busying herself to fill his travel mug. It was of a young female, native, not much over 20. He could taste the sun and the surf.
He leaned against the table and debated with himself if being nosy about the business would be appropriate. “So, you have many customers like me?”
She laughed. “We’re here for Mamo and whoever comes for a visit. I don’t know of any other resident – bloodsuckers – except for the tax contractor.”
It was a slight and a bad joke, but he still laughed. She was so uninhibited about the whole thing. Still, she gave him an information that he wasn’t sure Mamo wanted given. Was Mamo all alone on the islands? It seemed lonely, but also there wasn’t such a big population, so the secret wouldn’t be safe if there was more vamp activity. Maybe it was easier this way. Mick wondered if Mamo ever turned anyone.
He took out his wallet but she stopped him with a gesture. “That’s on Mamo. You’re his guest.” He didn’t want to be in the man’s debt any more than he already was, but didn’t want to offend the woman and Mamo, either. “Would you accept a tip?” he asked and slipped her a twenty. She made a graceful bow as some Asian cultures did, and he reciprocated with a clumsy nod of his own.
He was just going through the front door when his phone rang.
“Josef? Hey.”
“Mick, whereever you are, take cover NOW. I’ll explain later.”