Prophecy: Tome of Embers

3. It's a Brave New World

Nina didn't necessarily trust Toby, but fortunately she did trust Cliff enough to do what he'd asked her to. When she and the stranger were discovered during the lockdown she hadn't given him up, and instead she'd went about her business as usual, drawing his blood and pretending that everything was normal. In the back of her mind, even though she was still weary, she believed that if he had really meant to do her any harm then he would've done it already. That didn't stop the horrible image from replaying in her mind, and she continued struggling to understand it. She wasn't the only one, and Cliff had also been trying to wrap his head around it, even now when everything was settled after he'd played his part in the investigation into the missing officer, Markowski.

Nina played her part too, giving the transfusion to the mysterious, dying man. They weren't able to name him based off of his blood, an anomaly she contributed to him being inhuman, yet his dental records were a different story. Once they'd got a match they had identified him as Austin Spencer, and being able to think of him as something other than a nameless enigma made them all feel a little better. Even though Nina wrestled with the fact that all her worst nightmares were real, she still did her job without faltering, as was her skill.

On the other hand, Cliff didn't seem to share her practicality, and though Toby had expected that he would've been the same way, the beefy cop seemed shaken. Perhaps he had convinced himself that he had seen the worst the world had to offer throughout the years—that by patrolling the streets he had learned to prepare for anything. Yet what he'd just witnessed had not been of this world, and he was hung up on it. Or maybe it was something different entirely, and perhaps his unease was from being bitten on the neck by a man he'd known for years.

"Are you sure I'm not going to turn into one of those things, like in the movies?" Cliff asked as they arrived at the bar, the one Toby had visited when he'd first come to town.

"It doesn't work like that. Can you focus?" A glare was the only warning Toby gave as he shook his head, ignoring the absurdity of the question.

"I am focusing. Why's it so important we find this woman anyway?" Even though Cliff was following the orders he'd been given—to search for the mysterious woman that had followed Toby into the bathroom—he was curious why they were wasting their time looking for her instead of the thief.

"She was the one who sent me to find Austin. I already told you how it all happened, and I want to know how she knew, it might help me figure out what the hell is going on here."

"Us. You mean it'll help us figure it out." Cliff corrected, chagrining his new partner, "I'd rather be trying to catch our thief—that guy's still not safe from her."

"He has a name, and Austin will be fine for now. That thing, your buddy, was there for him, he knew right where to go. There's a connection here that I'm just not seeing, I know it." Toby gave up after searching the bar, knowing that they'd hit a dead end. They were quiet as they strolled down the sidewalk, trying hard to think of where they should look next. The chances of finding the woman were already low, especially since they didn't know anything about her.

"Maybe we should split up, for all you know Markowski and the thief could be working together. I could look for her while you keep on here." Cliff shrugged, refusing to let it go as he found a way to circle back around. The suggestion had obviously annoyed Toby because he stopped and stared at him dryly. Before he could respond, however, they were joined by a figure from the alley.

"Look no further, I assume I would be the thief?" Lorelei revealed herself as she emerged into the light and stood in front of them. The men looked surprised, but she only smiled, "if I was a murderer then you two would be dead by now, I've been following you for five blocks." She seemed amused with herself, and Cliff reached for his cuffs before she could get away again.