otherways - August 2005

[h2_muses]

"Let me guess, I'm going someplace cold and icy and life will suck there, but I'll have to destroy evil creatures anyway."

DeClerque smirks and turns back to Michael. "Well, yes, that might be true if I was sending you to Australia, but, I'm not. You are going someplace else..."


******


"Toronto? Why the HELL are they sending you to Toronto?" Angie asks, nearly squawking.

Michael shrugs and stuffs clothing into a bag. "Vampires."

"There isn't someone already IN Toronto who could handle that?"

Michael gives Angie a Look. "What the hell do you care? The only thing you want from me is a good fuck anyway. Which, by the way, I'm not giving you before I leave. So, why does it matter to YOU where I go?"

Angie looks wounded. "I'm not allowed to care because I like fucking you? Come on, Michael, you know it was more than that."

He growls at her. "Yes. I'm more than aware. And I'd like to thank you for snitching for the Cardinal. Don't come looking for me again. Send me weapons, send me assignments, send me paperwork, but don't come to see me."

The look of shock on her face speaks almost more than her words. "What? What are you talking about? Snitch?"

"I know you've told the Cardinal things. I don't know what things, but I know that he's done things, made decisions, denied things to me because of information you've given him. Now get the fuck out before I throw you out."

He knows... he knows a lot. He knows he's been screwed over by Angie and the Cardinal, but the Cardinal had been mostly up-front about it. Angie had used him. He knew that. He didn't know what information she'd passed on, but he knew he was pissed about whatever she had passed. The Order always seemed to know just a little too much.

He doesn't bother to watch Angie go; he just listens for the door to close... slam... then goes back to his packing. He is not loving this idea, something feels off about it, but he goes where he's told.




******



Toronto

You know you travel a lot when you can pack everything you'll need for an extended stay in two bags, check neither and still not get harrassed going through security and customs. That, or you have connections. Maybe both. Crossbows and Tojo blades don't usually travel well in the cabin, but Michael's never had to check any of his weapons.

Off the plane, to the hotel... nowhere near a five-star. He should feel lucky the god-forsaken place has indoor plumbing. "Jesus. Figured they'd at least let me have a place bigger than the lavatory on the plane. I've seen suitcases bigger than this," he grumbles and tosses his bags to the floor. True, he wouldn't be spending much time here, but wouldn't getting a decent night's sleep on a bed that actually was a bed be better?

Apparently not.

Right now, he's not tired, so, off to find a place to get a drink, maybe something to eat, then he might sleep.


****** bet you thought he'd walk back into Milliways from there, huh?


Michael stands across the street, watching. Waiting. He's been sent to take care of some vampires. One vampire in particular. This one. The one he is currently watching. The one who lives in what appears to be an old industrial building.

The sun is high and bright and warm, yet he stands, watching, eyes moving purposefully behind dark sunglasses. He's ready to fight whenever, but prefers the challenge of facing an opponent who is awake, not one who is sleeping lazily during the daylight hours. That poses no challenge at all.

So he waits.

When dusk falls, he returns to Gateway Lane, ready to fight. Ready to kill. Everything he has been told indicates this is a vampire that should be eliminated. He had also been issued warnings that this vampire is a powerful psychic and he should take care to not fall under his unholy power.

Psychic. A psychic vampire - how much more unholy could one creature be? He doesn't want to find out. He only wants to kill this vampire, kill the others and get back to Rome - hopefully to get some rest.

He has the long leather coat, weapons stashed beneath and inside it. Walking around to the back of the building, he glances up to where the heavy metal blinds have been raised and readies the grapple-gun - some things just work too well to get rid of them. He pulls the trigger and the grapple flies into the air, latching onto the ledge of the roof.

Michael sits, watching the vampire through the skylight... watching him move around until he disappears beneath the loft, then Michael leaps into the apartment through the skylight, sending shards of broken glass to the floor below and Michael onto the couch. Bending his knees to take the landing, he manages not to tumble off the piece of furniture onto the floor while brandishing a crossbow in one hand and a cross in the other...