Chapter 6: Dinner with Malcontents

 

     The Hall was filled with noise as the night progressed. As we ate we all swapped battle stories and myths. After a few courses the conversation broke down into smaller sections. With less attention on me I felt safe enough to ask my next question.

     “So,” I said over a third serving of steak, “what do you guys know about Dracula?”

      The tall dark one, I’d learned his name was Tarence, snorted, and their leader, Kevin looked at me.

     “Is that what you’re here about? Julie had told us that there was some one coming our way who was looking for him, but I didn’t think that was you. Huh.”

     “Umm…Who’s Julie?” I said around a mouthful of steak and potatoes.

     “Our scout. She monitors the Am Trak and tells us whatever she can find out about people she sees coming our way…I’m surprised she couldn’t tell us what you looked like. She was under the impression that there were about five of you.”

     “Well,” I said abashedly, “I kind of can change myself to fit the situation…I only did it on the train though. She should have been able to figure out that I was the only one actually doing any tromping around.”

     “You were? As you are right now?” It was a woman this time. Julie I presumed. She seemed surprised.

     I hesitated. “Yes…Why?”

     She all the sudden looked worried. “Because I’m Julie, and I have a record of at least three people actually looking for Dracula. And three coming here. None that match your description.”

     I frowned at that little tidbit of information. That could definitely not be good.

     Kevin stood, looking grave. “Akira, are you sure you didn’t look as any one else? Not even once?”

     “I’m sure. Being in someone else’s skin gets a bit uncomfortable,” I looked down at the reflection in my water glass. “You always expect to see the same old person in the mirror and then you don’t. It gets confusing. And kind of scary to be honest.”

     He shook his head. “Then we have to go, none of us are safe here.” He looked up at Tarence. Tarence nodded and left, soon followed by everyone else at the table, leaving me alone with Kevin and Julie.

     I picked at the remainder of my food, too nervous to eat anymore. I felt Kevin and Julie’s gazes boring into me, urging me to speak or move. So I spoke.

     “Will you need any help defending yourselves if they mean harm?”

     “No,” He sounded sure in his answer. “Julie will tell you what you want to know as she drives you out of town, so if you please.” He added the last part as if he were afraid to order me to go with her. I smiled and got up.

     “Don’t worry, I’ll go with her. You guys just be careful, okay?” I smiled even wider, “Good luck.” I hugged the nearly complete stranger and slipped out the door with Julie. What can I say? I’m a trusting person, not to mention very easy to connect with. At least on my side.

     “Why do you care?” she asked, shaking her head as we walked to her dark blue Porsche, confused by my worry about complete strangers.

     “Well, it may be my fault that you didn’t catch them. You might have had a better chance of nabbing them if I hadn‘t come and jammed your radar.” I said, being completely honest as we stepped into her car.

     Her forehead wrinkled as she turned the key, the purr of the engine music to any car-enthusiast’s ears. We sat silently as we began to fly through the night, each waiting for the other to start. So I began the dance.

     “So what do you know about Dracula and his current whereabouts, my dearest Julie?” She smiled.

     “A lot more than most,” she said, “For one thing you were right to look in Germany. Believe it or not Dracula impersonated Hitler for a while. Only a couple of hours though, because Hitler’s wives tried to murder him a couple of times.” She shook her head, laughing, but stopped abruptly, looking sad. “And then they went suicidal because of Dracula not dying when he was being Hitler, it made them think Hitler was unkillable.”

     “Huh…” I was truly at a loss for words. How could I not be when I’d just been told such a horrible thing. I mean geez… She sighed.

     “And, yes, then he came here and impersonated Rasputin. Another point for you. How did you guess these things anyways?” She looked at me curiously. Kind of like I was a whole new animal, actually, which I most certainly was.

     “Well,” I started, “Germany wasn’t a guess, I went to a story teller in Transylvania, that was my first stop. His daughter brought me to him. And when I was in Germany I remembered my World History class and, well…”

     “And here you are.”

     “Yeah.”

     By this time we were at the Am Trak station again, and it was time for me to go. Julie handed me a card, it was for a pub in London, some instructions, not to mention her cell number, were written on the back.

     “Take care, Akira.” She smiled, “I actually kind of like you.”

     I smiled back, fighting the giggles. “Yeah, likewise. Talk soon.” And then she was gone, speeding into the darkness of the lonely road.

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The suspense is killing me I want to know what happens great work...