The Second Record

  People adorned in traditional Chinese clothing dance along the music filled street, waving their lanterns back and forth. The Festival of Lanterns. I weave through the crowd, in search of a man in a brown bowler hat. I hear a familiar clank of metal against the stone road. I need to get out of here and quick. I dash down the nearest alleyway, but am met with a dead end. The only way out is up. I search through the dark alleyway for a possible escape, but it’s too dark. The only source of light is the bright red lanterns on the main road, which did not provide enough light to illuminate the alley. I feel around and my fingertips brush against a cold metal rail. A drainpipe. It probably won’t hold my weight but it’s my best bet. I scale the freezing drainpipe carefully, but it creaks and bends under my weight with every move. I finally reach the roof and after a great deal of struggling, manage to pull myself up onto the roof. I scan the multitude of festival goers for the man in the brown bowler hat. I see him just below me, buying dumplings from a street vendor. And just two yards away from him stands Vaughn Allitt, smoking a cigar. I’ve got two options. Take down Allitt, and the man get’s away, or take down the man and Allitt might kill us both. I take a deep breath and draw my dagger. I slide down the other side of the roof and land on the ground with a thud. I weave through the mass of people and sneak directly behind my target. I run at him, and bring him to the ground. He grunts in pain as I turn him around, holding my dagger to his neck. Allitt flashes an crooked smile.

      “Good to see you too son.” He comments, wiping blood from his lip.