The Ghosts

Chapter Four, Part One

Strong language to follow. 

Chapter Four

I sat in the back seat of a black town car while David and his partner sat in the front, talking to me about strategy. Unconsciously, I was tuning them out as I watched the buildings pass outside my window.

“Princess, are you listening?” David asked.

“No,” I said. “Sorry, what did you say?”

He rolled his eyes and popped his gum. I hated when people did that, then again I hated gum chewers on principle. David was over six foot and was bald. I couldn’t tell if he shaved his head or if he’d prematurely lost his hair. He was whiter than an Irishman and it made me wonder what the hell he did over the summer.

At first I thought his appearance would bother me because on the outside and from the back, he looked like Jason. But he didn’t have the same presence as the Vampire. Which was good.

“You need to listen.”

“I have other things on my mind.” My eyes scanned the buildings and it was then I was certain I’d seen them before. That sent shivers down my spine and not in a good way.

“Like what? Boys?” His partner, Parker I think his name was, laughed and David joined him.

“No. I’m not the type of girl who thinks about boys.”

“Girls than?”

I looked away from the window and glared at him. “No.”

“Then what’s so important?”

“I was thinking about the last time I was here, at least I think this is the same place. It looks the same.”

Both men in the front seat went quiet when I mentioned my previous visit to New York. I didn’t know if Gregori told them to stay away from the topic or if they just read my file. Hell, there might’ve been a report about the whole occurrence that I didn’t know about.

“Can we make a stop?”

“Um, Georgiana, I don’t think that’s a good idea. We’re on a schedule…”

“On the way back then?”

David shared a look with Parker. “I’ll call and ask.”

I nodded and went back to looking out the window. They blissfully stayed quiet for the rest of the drive. We stopped in front of a rundown building that looked to be scheduled for demolition by the end of the week. At least that’s what the notice said.

I stood on the sidewalk and looked at the building.

“What’s inside?” I asked.

“An Otherworld shut in. This is the third time we’ve been by to tell him it’s time to go and every time he tells us he’s leaving.”

“Still hasn’t left by the look of it,” Parker commented. “See the fourth window from the left on the third story?” I nodded. “That’s him.”

“What is he?”

“Bear. Grizzly to be specific.”

“Goodie.” I waited for them to step forward first. “Well? I hope you don’t expect me to lead. This is your operation, not mine. I’m just here to keep you two out of trouble.”

David just looked at me like he was expecting horns to grow out of my head. I rolled my eyes.

“I’m not taking the lead. I’m the recruit, remember? I’m not that stupid.”