Ethan Cain: Ending Twilight

Chapter 4

     The next morning was cold. A fresh new winter front had settled in for the city dropping a few inches of fluffy snow on the ground. Years past Ethan was smart enough to swipe a pace heater as it came in handy this morning. Selene huddled close to the heater, wrapped tightly in her blanket, and refusing to move from the desired heat.

Ethan suggested that he go out and get food since he knew the city and area better too. Also, he would call Officer LaMasters and set up a time to talk with him.

"Do you want to tag along?" Ethan asked, getting his jacket on.

"Yeah. I want to know what he knows, if anything, and see if he can be trusted," Accalia replied.

"Okay, I will set up a time and a place, then come get you guys."

Accalia voiced that she had heard him as Selene told her mother she didn't want to go out in the cold. Accalia responded by wrapping her arms around her child and whispering something in Selene's ear. Ethan couldn't make it out but whatever Accalia told her daughter, changed Selene's mind immediately.

***

Out in the subway the people were going about their day going in and out of the subway station. The surface was colder and new snow was beginning to fall. Ethan kept his head down making his way to a payphone, one of only a few left in the city. He pulled from his pocket a card with Officer LaMasters' cell number. Dialing the number and listening to the line ring. Twenty seconds went by, and Ethan was about to call it quits when the line connected.

"This is Officer LaMasters."

"Uh, hey this is Ethan."

"Ethan, what's going on, man?"

"Are you alone?"

"As alone as one can get. Why?"

Ethan paused for a moment making sure this was the right choice to make.

"Ethan?"

"How deep have you looked into this missing person's case?"

"Well, it's Detective Phelps' case; I was doing some of the leg work."

"That's not what I asked," Ethan replied, doing a quick scan of the areas around him.

LeMasters sighed.

"Let's meet at the corner of Mulberry and Grant Street," Ethan quickly suggested.

"You're thinking of the underground coffee bar place...what's its name...?"

"Below Hot and Cold Brewery."

"Yeah!" LeMasters chuckled over the phone.

"Meet me there at like one?" Ethan asked.

"I'll be there."

"Good. Oh, and come alone."

Ethan immediately hung up the phone. He chose this brewery for a few different reasons. First being, not many people know this place exists, second, it's hard to find; you must either stumble into it or been invited by a patron. Ethan found it the hard way. Regardless, Ethan thought this was a good placed for a discrete meeting with LeMasters.

Yet, there was a strange feeling he couldn't shake, like there was something or someone watching. It was his paranoia playing with him, now, that he knew the Institute was here in this city and possibly Twilight. The archangel was waiting for the right moment to strike.

After Ethan grabbed some for Accalia, Selene, and himself he headed back, but taking the longer way and making several different, unplanned stops along the way just to make sure he wasn't being followed. At home, the place was nice and warm. Selene was still in front of the heater, but Ethan could have sworn Accalia was asleep on the mattress. However, when the door opened, she was up, ears perked, and tail swaying.