I'm not normally fashion conscious, but take pride in my appearance since I need to look like a professional. I had to juggle between looking sharp and the very real risk of having anything I wore get trashed and finally decided to dress respectably. It's not like it would matter to the ravaging hoard, but if I dressed well, I could at least claim I had been mugged when building security tackled me on the way out. I shrugged and put on comfortable working clothes - black slacks, a dark button down shirt, and dark leather shoes. This way, I'd at least look like a native when I got to her building.
The T.V. blared the latest Gorezone from the other room as Obie clapped and laughed like a delighted child. As far as I know, his set works perfectly well, but he still prefers to watch in our apartment. He probably feels guilty about constantly scaring the hell out of the little guy he lives with and it occurred to me that I didn't even know the geek's name. It wasn't much of a loss since the 714 probably ate him by now anyway.
"Obie! Turn it down!" I yelled, but the T.V. was too loud for him to hear me. His laughter boomed as he stomped his feet and clapped, ensuring that the tenants below and to each side would be thoroughly ticked. At least they'd be able to cut costs and go in on the blanket party/lynching together.
I walked in, turned it down to a reasonable level, and felt the weight of his full attention behind me. He rose into a half crouch and stared at me from less than five feet away, then pulled in a slow, deep breath. I see how being the focus of his attention could be pretty intimidating for someone who didn't know him. Sort of like the constant state of fear his roommate must live in.
"You smell funny."
I smiled and picked up my jacket as I pushed his tusks out of my way. Even then, I had to duck and shoulder past his arm. "It's called cologne. You ought to try it sometime, along with mouthwash."
"Why? I not lookin for wimin."
I punched him lightly on the shoulder as I went past and distracted him with the remote. Making a good impression isn't one of his priorities and that's the first reason I never take him to parties. The second is that he's entirely too protective of me. And nosy.
"Whoizit?" he asked.
I laughed and shook my head. If I didn't head this off quickly, I'd be here all night. His innocent sets of 20+ questions can double or triple pretty quickly.
"I'm going to visit Nix and then go to a party."
"With Nix? She not your type."
I shook my head and pushed past him. Maybe a tactical retreat was my best option? I made for the door.
"Look! Sour Blood is getting trashed again!" I said as I stepped out. He managed to look at the T.V. and answer me at the same time. Now that was a feat of engineering.
"But Gaelyn iz," he said.
I stopped and leaned back in to see a big grin on his oversized head. With the tusks and heavy fangs, a smug look on a Chagrin's face is a pretty unsettling sight.
"Look, I'm just going to a party and that's that. GOODNIGHT!" Yes, Gaelyn is absolutely gorgeous and I'm attracted to her, but there was no way I'd admit to him. He tends to read far too much into things and the next thing you'd know, he'd be scribbling my initials multiplied by hers on my notepad. I'd hate to have to try to kick a Chagrin's ass over something stupid.
"Have lotsa fun," he said as he turned back to Sour Blood's latest whipping. It turns out that the bald pansy actually was on the T.V. after all. As usual, it looked like he was getting his clock cleaned.
"See you 'morrow morning," he added as I closed the door.
As I made my way down the hall, Angus came out of the elevator carrying a stack of Domo's pizzas. He weaved into my way as he came towards my apartment and I backed up, and then unlocked the door for him.
"Thanks, mate!" he said cheerfully as I swung the door open.
I really, REALLY hate their greeting ritual when they get together to watch Sour Blood get his ass kicked. It makes my teeth ache and the T.V. is never loud enough to drown it out. I swear that the Frother is corrupting the Chagrin, but the concept is sort of funny when you think about it. I probably ought to blame it on advertising and it's effect on impressionable minds.
"WHAZZZZZUP!" the Frother started.
"WHAH-ZZUP!" boomed from the apartment.
"Guys! Clean up the mess this time, OK?" I asked and Angus waved me off. I billed them the last time they wrecked my place and I'll do it again in a heartbeat. As I got into the elevator, it occurred to me I've never been to Angus's apartment and I wondered if he even had one. Any concerns on his housing situation or the fact that I might not have any soon because of him vanished as I hit the hard rain and slipped into street mode.
I had only been to Gaelyn's apartment on two occasions, once to pick her up enroute to the crib and the other time with K'rth to kick the hell out of a boyfriend turned stalker. It's in a nice section of the suburbs and a serious step up from the lower suburbs I live in. Operatives are the most common occupants in my tenement while hers has mostly suits and upper level employees. All I can say is that I've never been snubbed in my building, but assaulted and thrown up on are always possibilities.
I made it inside a half hour and shook the rain off once I was in the lobby. Considering the downpour, I was glad that I had thought to double wrap Nix's gift certificate before setting out since it wouldn't have survived otherwise. Maybe she'd actually use it before it expired, instead of storing it away like she did everything else I've given her. I had given her a long handled skinning knife for her last birthday and it sat on a mantle for months without her ever using it. She said was honoring it, but I think she was really just being practical and waiting for her last blade to need replacing. I also wrapped the 8x10 prints of the photos from the Glades and hoped that I could get Gael alone for a few minutes to look them over.
From the moment I stepped into the lobby, I knew I was out of my element. The building's lobby floors and walls were a faded ivory with surfaces polished so well that they were nearly mirrors. The air was thick with a scent that reminded me of dead roses and it reinforced the cold antiseptic impression that I get from most uptown buildings. As I crossed past the security desk, my movement was the only sound and I realized that I was uneasy. I just couldn't put my finger on why, but the chime of the elevator seemed so loud that it made me flinch.
By the time that the elevator opened to the fifth floor, my paranoia was gnawing at me with a vengeance. I don't mind being alone. It's just that I don't like being alone in places that should be filled with people. In the years before I became an op, I used to live in crowds of strangers, but this place was as desolate as an alien world. Or a morgue, my subconscious added. The cool air sent a shiver up my spine and I picked up my pace.
I was relieved when I found the apartment, but I must have been early because I didn't hear the Wraiths raising hell yet. Whenever you get a handful of them together, they're wilder than a mob of sloshed Frothers. I paused a moment to silently pray that none of Nix's friends got bombed out of their skulls and came at me the moment the door opened. Taking in a breath, I steeled myself and hit the doorbell, still praying that Gael instead of a drunken Wraith in heat opened the door.
After a few moments, Gael opened the door and smiled. She seemed pretty relaxed for someone playing "Queen of the Wild" tonight and I let my breath out. Okay, no ambush yet, but the furball was probably hiding behind the door.
"Hope I'm not late." I said.
She stepped back to let me in and I knew something wasn't right. The room was quiet and I caught the perfumed scent of the candles that lighted the room.
"No, you're not late." She said and I looked at her quizzically.
After a moment, she shrugged and smiled again. "No one else was invited."
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