Postitas higgins 13:33 3. Nov 2006
"There isn't!? This fucker should be put into the Arkham Asylum or wherever he escaped from," Damien said, pointing to the Psycho Jack.
The wolf-woman crouched in anticipation. "If you are one of the Pure, then prepare to die!!!" she challenged the psycho quite loudly and growled.
Meanwhile, over towards the scene of the car accident – or more precisely beyond it – came an older woman dressed in her nightclothes. She carried with her a cordless phone. "I called 9-1-1! Are you OK? Is everyone all right?" She visibly squinted her eyes to get a better look at the scene before her.
When the wolf-woman had issued her challenge, the old woman replied with concern, "No need to get physical. The police are coming. Your cars are just a material things – they can be replaced, people can't..."
Now that was a pretty fucked up hairy chick... Damien looked at her for a brief moment and then turned to the homeless-looking guy who had offered protection moments ago.
"Um, if you´re going to protect us... I think it would be nice to do it before the chick decides the psycho is too clean for her and kills him," Damien proposed. "I have cash," he added after hesitating a bit.
Also, Damien heard the other guy stating that he was a police officer.
"The woman is Valo... Valsta and she's a friend," the broad-shouldered guy said, gesturing, "I don't know the man you hit, but Valsta's watching him so he won't hurt either of you now... and keep your money."
"Whoa! You two know each other?" Damien felt rather uncomfortable discovering that. He had thought that Valsta and the psycho were somehow connected, but now this guy as well? He glanced towards them and then focused on the broad-shouldered guy again.
"The way she looks...?" the broad-shouldered guy asked, noticing Damien's discomfort, "Right, like the guy who jumped on your car. They can both change their appearance. I can, too, and that's only one of several shapes we can choose. Uh, I can really explain this better when we have more time and privacy." He punctuated his last remark by glancing at the fallen psycho to make sure Valsta and the cop still had the situation under control.
"Look, we need to talk. I have explanations, but this isn't the right place. You can pick the place," the broad-shouldered guy added, realizing Damien wasn't likely to wander off with him at the best of times – and this wasn't the best of times, "Um, as long as we can hear each other and no one can eavesdrop." He tried to read Damien's reaction.
Damien looked at Amber as if she was the one deciding on this. Other than that Damien seemed rather confused, but not actually freaked out. The cop seemed to have convinced the old woman that he has eveything under control and so she left.
"Look, what's your name? Mine's Brandon. I know there's crazy shit happening right now, but I promise you it's just going to get crazier and more dangerous. There are going to be others who'll feel what's happening to you and want a piece of you. I can tell you what's happening and why. I can protect you. I know you don't have to trust me... and you're wondering why should you. I'm going to give you a choice. You don't have to talk to me now. Many others won't give you that choice. If you walk away now, we'll probably meet again... if you live. Think about it."
"I'm Damien," he replied to Brandon, figuring they all will know each others by name anyway when police arrives.
"Damien. Good to meet you." Brandon hesitated a second, started to reach out his hand for a handshake, then let it drop to his side again. He started drumming his fingertips against his leg in a complex rhythm.
"How... how do you know he wanted a piece of me? And who don't give me a choice?" Damien demanded.
"I don't know what he wanted," Brandon said, "what I do know is that there are things out there that will want you dead or twisted into their servitude. They are the ones who won't give you any choices. Before you ask, you did nothing to deserve this or cause it. It's about what you are... What you're becoming. You're changing and there are others that can sense it. Now that I'm near you, I can sense it, too."
Amber shook her head slowly and demanded, "How is it that you know? Tell me what you think is happening to him... at my private place, then." She had a decidedly suspicious look upon her. "I will not brook any aggression," she warned.
Brandon met her gaze unflinching as she threatened him. "I'd ask you the same question. And what's your interest in him? You're not Uratha," Brandon added.
Damien glanced at the psycho and others while getting out his cigarillo case. Before going for the lighter, he tapped the ends of two other smokes out of the case and looked to Brandon and Amber if they also needed a smoke, making a soundless gesutre of offering. Amber nodded her assent and took one of his smokes. Brandon hesitated, then agreed.
Brandon inhaled the smoke deeply before talking to Amber again: "Where is your place? Perhaps a neutral, but private, meeting ground would be best."
Then Brandon met Damien's eyes again. He saw Damien watching him and kept looking at Damien's red contacts time to time.
"Damien, I told you you had a choice. I'll go where you feel most comfortable. Or I'll leave you alone if you tell me to."
"Amber already said she would be protecting me... or something alike... So, if she's okay with it..." Damien shrugged. "Oh, and what's with this urethra?" he added as he had recalled something. "I did smell some guys disease today, but I don't think it had anything to do with pee..."
"Okay, so we'll go talk... uh, Valsta's with me. I can vouch for her," Brandon said, worrying it would be a problem.
"And it's 'Ooh-rah-thah'," Brandon sounded out, "Uratha means... werewolf. Sounds crazy, right? But you've already seen two of us shape change."
Brandon looked in Damien's unsettling eyes for a moment before adding: "And you're one of us... or you will be soon. As I said, we have a lot to talk about."
Nüüd aga tuleb Higgins ja räägib, kuis Asjad Tegelikult On. - Payl