Chapter 2: The Perilous Meeting
I dutifully complied with him as we ventured out into the corridor and descended to the lobby, where I quickly surveyed the surroundings in search of an opportunity to escape. My gaze landed on the public restrooms, and I halted, indicating them with a gesture. "I require the use of the restroom."
He turned to me with a profound scowl. "Can't you endure it?"
I shook my head. "No, but it won't take longer than a minute."
Before he could object, I hastened into the women's restroom, leaning against one of the stalls and clutching my chest. Something was gravely amiss here, and Benjamin's correspondence indicated that he knew I would be in jeopardy. The main predicament I faced was distinguishing between what was perilous and what was secure. Benjamin urged me to head to the warehouse, while the police officer insisted I go to the precinct. As a law-abiding citizen, I felt inclined to choose the station, yet the officer had already lied to me about Benjamin's ring. I retrieved the document and the ring from my pocket. Whom should I trust: my deceased friend or an unfamiliar cop who had already lied to me?
Indeed, the contest was rather one-sided. If the officer genuinely intended to merely interrogate me, he could have apprehended me later. At present, my priority was to reach the warehouse. Consequently, I surveyed the restroom and noticed a ventilation aperture positioned at the far end of the stalls. It rested a mere four feet above the floor, and considering my moderate build, I tucked the letter back into my pocket and, as a precaution, slid the ring onto my finger. With that, I approached the window.
I hoisted myself over the ledge and maneuvered my way through the open, slanted window. As I neared the point of exit, I heard a knock on the door. "Nearly finished?" the officer bellowed.
"Almost!" I shouted in response. Regrettably, due to my head protruding from the building, my voice echoed oddly, arousing the officer's suspicion. He hastened into the room just as I managed to pass my legs through.
"Hey, halt!" He dashed towards the window, but I swiftly rose to my feet and sprinted down the alley, heading toward the street.
I swiftly darted around the corner and caught sight of my vehicle stationed at the curb. Alas, my momentum abruptly halted as I noticed the presence of the police car, occupied by the cop's accomplice. I promptly reversed my direction and dashed down the alley. Midway through, I detected shouts emanating from the front of the building and stole a glance over my shoulder. Two law enforcement officers were in hot pursuit, with Officer Phil among them. Fortunately, my physical condition surpassed theirs, and propelled by fear and adrenaline, I pressed on..
After a few blocks, I successfully lost them and sought respite in an alley, panting heavily. "I... am... in grave trouble," I wheezed. I had just eluded a pair of policemen, and undoubtedly, they would spread the word to their fellow officers. Retrieving the letter from Benjamin, I let out a sigh. "I hope you're correct about this, Ben," I murmured under my breath.
I cautiously stayed concealed within the obscurity of the alleys, my heart experiencing irregular flutters whenever the wailing sirens of a police vehicle reached my ears. The address inscribed at the bottom of the letter guided me toward the river, where a series of antiquated, rectangular, forsaken warehouses stood upon a small island, positioned a hundred yards from the shoreline. As sunlight gradually faded, a chilling breeze from the water swept over me, causing a shiver to run down my spine. Hastily, I traversed a narrow paved road that intersected the water and led to a chain-link gate and perimeter fence. The entire island was encompassed by this barrier, its upper section adorned with spirals of barbed wire. Amidst the warehouses lay decayed crates and pallets, with an aged guardhouse situated behind the gate.
A narrow patch of gravel ran along either side of the fence, and it took me a few minutes to find a hole beneath the fence that had been made by wild dogs and stupid kids. I wiggled my way through the loose gravel to the other side and I followed the peeled numbers on the buildings until I found the right warehouse. They followed the bank's length, and I was looking for the one that was closest to the distant shore. I felt a wave of dread as I peered over the metal and broken glass panes. The area seemed eerie, and the low light didn't make me feel better.
A slender strip of gravel extended alongside the fence, and it took me a few minutes to locate an aperture beneath the fence that had been created by feral canines and misguided adolescents. Carefully, I maneuvered my way through the loose gravel to the opposite side, following the faded numbers on the structures until I arrived at the designated warehouse. Aligned lengthwise with the riverbank, the one I sought was situated closest to the distant shore. Peering through the shattered window panes and the corroded metal, a sensation of foreboding washed over me. This place exuded an eerie atmosphere, and the dim illumination failed to offer solace.
With anticipation, I eagerly ignited the lamp and settled onto the improvised bench facing the elongated container. The atmosphere inside the warehouse carried a musty and refreshing coolness, compelling me to rub my arms in an attempt to soothe and warm myself. Outside, as the sun completed its descent, darkness enveloped the world. To occupy myself, I retrieved the letter and perused its contents once again. I earnestly wished that Ben had provided a few more precise details regarding what I was expected to anticipate.
I didn't have to wait long. While engrossed in reading the letter, the light emitted by the lamp began to tremble. Lowering the letter, I fixed a glare upon the lantern. The flame remained resilient and unwavering, yet the entire structure quivered. It was then that I realized it wasn't the light flickering, but rather the lantern itself. My eyes widened as the lid of the elongated box stirred. Reacting swiftly, I seized the lantern and leaped backward, just as the lid blew off. A shadowy figure emerged from within the box, prompting me to extend the lantern towards it.
My eyes widened further as they fell upon Victor, and his expression conveyed displeasure upon spotting me. "What are you doing here?" he demanded to know.
What on earth had he been engaged in inside that confined space? What on earth had he been doing within the box? "I-I..." I stammered.
Victor swooped towards me with such velocity that, before I comprehend the situation, the lantern and letter were forcefully knocked from my grasp. The paper fluttered down to the ground, while the lantern clattered upon the unyielding floor, yet remained illuminated. A shrill scream escaped my lips as he thrust his pallid visage close to mine, and within the lantern's glow, his teeth appeared unusually elongated.
"What are you doing here?" he snarled.
I stumbled backwards, colliding with a stack of crates. "B-Ben instructed me to come here. Something befell him," I responded, my voice quivering.
Victor straightened himself and raised an eyebrow. "What transpired?"
"H-He was murdered," I disclosed.
Victor's eyes widened, and he promptly placed a hand over his chest. Whatever emotion coursed through him, it caused his thin lips to twist into a contorted grin. "So, he's finally dead? How delightful."
"Delightful?" I gasped. After evading the authorities and covertly navigating through half the city to arrive at this location, this deranged individual emerging from the box was the person I had been anticipating meeting? I cursed Ben for his foolishness in leading me here, but I refused to allow anyone to celebrate his demise. My hands clenched into fists as I approached Victor. "Ben is dead, you imbecile! Don't you comprehend what that signifies?"
"Yes, but you fail to comprehend." Victor lunged towards me, his hands seizing my shoulders. He forcefully propelled me backward, causing my back to collide with the crates, jolting their weighty frames and expelling the air from my lungs.
Amidst the dizziness, I caught a glimpse of stars, but amidst those stars, I discerned the unnatural gleam in Victor's eyes. "What on earth are you doing?" I exclaimed.
Victor's grin widened as he leaned closer, allowing his nose to graze against my cheek. I recoiled at the touch of his frigid skin against mine. His nostrils flared. "Human beauty is remarkably fragile. A solitary bullet can snuff out your radiance." I flinched when one of his hands glided up my thigh, coming to rest upon my waist. He pressed his body against mine, firmly securing me against the crates. "You possess such exquisite beauty, but I shan't preserve it for eternity."
"W-What are you implying?" I gasped. "Ben simply instructed me to come to this place, and-"
I startled as Victor tightened his grip on my shoulders, causing my bones to groan under the pressure. "Ben was a fool, and I shall repay him for these extensive years of servitude by extracting every last ounce of your life force," he whispered. A jolt of fear coursed through me, and I wriggled within his grasp, but his strength was unfathomable. His gaze descended to my neck, then returned to my widened, apprehensive eyes. "Wouldn't it be a fitting revenge?" he pondered aloud. He played with me as a cat would with its prey. His amusement swiftly vanished when his attention shifted to my left hand. His eyes widened with a mixture of fury and dread, prompting him to withdraw his face from mine. "What is that doing there?" he growled. I puzzled over his words until I recalled the ring adorning my finger. "Remove it!" he demanded, as one of his hands swooped down, attempting to snatch the ring away
A brilliant, luminous glow erupted from the ring. The intensity of the heat seared through my flesh, leaving an indelible mark upon my finger. Victor unleashed a piercing scream of agony, relinquishing his iron grip on me. I plummeted to the ground, hastily rising onto my side just in time to witness Victor stagger backward. He clutched his left hand, where a similarly radiant light emanated. It dawned upon me that he wore an identical ring to mine. Several yards away from me, he collapsed to his knees, consumed by the engulfing brilliance. My sole instinct was to rid myself of the ring before suffering a similar fate. Clasping the ring tightly within my hand, I exerted force. Gradually, it glided along my finger, while in the backdrop of my struggle, Victor emitted agonizing cries. The moment the ring slipped off my finger, the light abruptly vanished, leaving behind a scorching pain within my digit. The ring plummeted to the ground, rolling away. I cast a glance at my trembling hand, observing a few fading engraved letters on my skin, merging seamlessly into my body.
I slumped against the wall of crates, my breaths escaping in ragged gasps. Victor groaned, capturing my attention, and I turned my gaze towards his prone figure. He huddled, coiled into a quivering ball, but soon emerged from his cocoon, fixing his gaze upon me. His eyes bore a perplexing amalgamation of hatred, anger, and trepidation. Struggling to his feet, he loomed above me, while I remained as feeble as a lamb, capable of naught but occupying my position, powerless and vulnerable.
I anticipated his renewed assault, yet to my surprise, his limbs slackened, descending limply by his body, while a twisted grin slithered across his lips. "So, that was his intention," he rasped, his voice laced with sickness. "Clever lad."
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone