Hollenbeck Collateral, Challenge #154 -- PG-13
Posted: Fri Feb 14, 2014 6:43 pm
This is a very late entry for January’s 500 word conversation challenge. Thanks, again, are due to Allegrita for beta'ing.
Sometimes, the catalyst for a new phase of life is tragedy.
Hollenbeck Collateral
“I’ve got to say, Mick, the moralistic tone of that speech you gave me a while back about being careless with others’ lives is starting to sound pretty damned ironic.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, think back. Any instances of, oh, say, leaving a drained corpse in front of a whole pile of terrified witnesses? That ringing any bells?”
“You’re talking about the bar?”
“The Hollenbeck Bar? Yes.”
“I did what had to be done.”
“Really? You had to go in, start a fight, show off your decidedly unnatural strength and speed, and kill a man in the office by ripping his throat out?”
“Tejada had to die.”
“That’s debatable.”
“He ordered Josh Lindsay’s death. It wasn’t personal, Josef.”
“So he killed the guy who was sleeping with that blonde you’ve got the hots for. Seems like he did you a solid.”
“You really are a bastard, Josef.”
“Just practical.”
“Right.”
“Look, Lindsay died. So what? That’s what humans do. Look up the definition of mortal.”
“You think I don’t know that? Hell, I said as much to Beth at the time. But he was a good man. He didn’t deserve to die like that.”
“Good men die every day. We don’t have to deal out vampire justice for each of them. You should’ve let it go, Mick.”
“I’m not sorry I took out Tejada.”
“Yeah, I gathered that.”
“So what’s your problem?”
“The Cleaners’ report on the Hollenbeck includes collateral damage of eight other bar patrons that had to be eliminated, and three dancers – one of whom was 16 – who chose to become freshies, and who are on their way out of the country as we speak.”
“That doesn’t sound exactly willing.”
“Oh, trust me, given the alternative, they were more than delighted at the opportunity.”
“Jesus Christ, that’s cold, Josef.”
“Do not – I repeat, do not – blame me. You were the one who let them see what they never should’ve seen. This was on you, Mick. And I will be sending you the bill.”
“All right, all right. I was careless. Whatever the bill is, I’ll pay it.”
“Damn straight. And I haven’t even gotten to the little matter of the news crew that was intercepted two blocks away. You were that close to getting us splashed all over CBC News. The Cleaners were able to divert them, but it was close. Any closer, and that news van would have had a tragic accident. Think about it. Your little mortal is a reporter, isn’t she? Good thing her boss didn’t send her that direction.”
“You can yell at me all night, Josef. I deserve it. But making threats against Beth isn’t proving your point.”
“Yeah, I think it is. And that’s not a threat. It’s a certainty. If you keep getting involved with her life, and being careless, I will not be able to save either of you. What are you laughing at?”
“It’s not a problem right now, Joz’f. She won’t even speak to me.”
“Good.”
Sometimes, the catalyst for a new phase of life is tragedy.
Hollenbeck Collateral
“I’ve got to say, Mick, the moralistic tone of that speech you gave me a while back about being careless with others’ lives is starting to sound pretty damned ironic.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, think back. Any instances of, oh, say, leaving a drained corpse in front of a whole pile of terrified witnesses? That ringing any bells?”
“You’re talking about the bar?”
“The Hollenbeck Bar? Yes.”
“I did what had to be done.”
“Really? You had to go in, start a fight, show off your decidedly unnatural strength and speed, and kill a man in the office by ripping his throat out?”
“Tejada had to die.”
“That’s debatable.”
“He ordered Josh Lindsay’s death. It wasn’t personal, Josef.”
“So he killed the guy who was sleeping with that blonde you’ve got the hots for. Seems like he did you a solid.”
“You really are a bastard, Josef.”
“Just practical.”
“Right.”
“Look, Lindsay died. So what? That’s what humans do. Look up the definition of mortal.”
“You think I don’t know that? Hell, I said as much to Beth at the time. But he was a good man. He didn’t deserve to die like that.”
“Good men die every day. We don’t have to deal out vampire justice for each of them. You should’ve let it go, Mick.”
“I’m not sorry I took out Tejada.”
“Yeah, I gathered that.”
“So what’s your problem?”
“The Cleaners’ report on the Hollenbeck includes collateral damage of eight other bar patrons that had to be eliminated, and three dancers – one of whom was 16 – who chose to become freshies, and who are on their way out of the country as we speak.”
“That doesn’t sound exactly willing.”
“Oh, trust me, given the alternative, they were more than delighted at the opportunity.”
“Jesus Christ, that’s cold, Josef.”
“Do not – I repeat, do not – blame me. You were the one who let them see what they never should’ve seen. This was on you, Mick. And I will be sending you the bill.”
“All right, all right. I was careless. Whatever the bill is, I’ll pay it.”
“Damn straight. And I haven’t even gotten to the little matter of the news crew that was intercepted two blocks away. You were that close to getting us splashed all over CBC News. The Cleaners were able to divert them, but it was close. Any closer, and that news van would have had a tragic accident. Think about it. Your little mortal is a reporter, isn’t she? Good thing her boss didn’t send her that direction.”
“You can yell at me all night, Josef. I deserve it. But making threats against Beth isn’t proving your point.”
“Yeah, I think it is. And that’s not a threat. It’s a certainty. If you keep getting involved with her life, and being careless, I will not be able to save either of you. What are you laughing at?”
“It’s not a problem right now, Joz’f. She won’t even speak to me.”
“Good.”