Blood-Born

Chapter V - Body Farm

"When the prison doors are opened, the real dragon will fly out."

- Ho Chi Minh

Transit Station

Other than the occasional gripe about the rough road from the enclosed coach beneath him, the trip had otherwise been fairly smooth and uneventful with supply stops for Poe and the stretching of bored legs or other things mysteriously vampiric for Abby.

She had proven rather adept at remaining subtle – as yet they had not been pursued by villagers carrying pitchforks or torches, he mused at her unknowing expense.

Abby had also made a point of having warned him up front about the nature of the people that they would pick up along the way, perhaps to allow him the chance to observe a morph or two up close in the process.

There were three that rotated as guides, two men and a woman trusted and well compensated to do what only they could apparently do.

Such was the supposed nature of morphs and their abilities along with the mysterious place to which they were headed.

The transfer building for the guides was simple; a boarded up two room mid-sized shack surrounded by rough wooden rail fencing that corralled several horses that appeared well kept and strong.

With his disgruntled charge left to watch through veiled cut holes for security purposes that she studiously maintained were not required anymore, Poe dismounted and approached the closed door.

When he moved to reach out and knock, he realized that the door was not as closed as he had first assumed, left open just a crack; enough so that he could gently tap it open with the toe of his boot, while cautiously having rested his hand upon the butt of his pistol.

He flicked the holster strap off as an afterthought before he tapped his fingers on the pistol butt and his thumb rested upon the hammer.

"We've been expecting you, Mister Poe." A light hearted voice sang out from somewhere inside. "Please come in and sit a spell before you dry up in that hot sun."

Once he had stepped in and crossed the threshold, he paused to let his eyes adjust from stark daylight to deep gloom.

Lamplight from the far end led him to the other room where a thin well dressed man sat at a table with his back to him; something anyone with any sense that found themselves out alone in the plains would never have willingly done.

He was caught off guard and jumped just a bit when the front door swung closed in the room behind him.

With reluctant embarrassment he flicked the holster strap back on before his nerves caused him to do something really stupid.

As he stepped into the room and moved towards the man, it happened in a blur: the man swirled like liquid to face him while he silently thanked Abby for her words of warning and that the strap had indeed saved him from literally jumping the gun.

He appeared more banker than manager; vested suit, pocket-watch with gold chain, tie and bowler. Light grey eyes framed behind rounded glasses that rested upon the narrow bridge of his thin nose.

The hand that he held out was cool and soft when Poe clasped it with his non gun hand.

Some habits were just too ingrained to ignore.

"I was told that you'd know what I was," The man mused while a smile formed on narrow lips. "My apologies, let us start over ...." He stepped back and performed a mock bow.

"Hello, my name is Sven and I will be your guide for much of our journey."

Poe could only smile as he shook his head.