Part 613 – Doing Improv

It wasn’t until the two vampires were standing in front of The Institute’s Mark Caten-faced door that they realized that there was a significant hole in their plan.

“Hey, stupid. How we gonna get in there without permission?”

“It used to be a public place. So—”

“It sure ain’t open to the public now. You can bet all of your hair on that.”

“My…hair? Why my hair?”

“Because you got so much of it, dummy.”

Raven looked down at his gloves’ fingertips and quietly obsessed about the holes.

I hope they can be repaired.

If not, I will have to throw them out.

Such a waste of good gloves.

He lowered his hands. “Do you have any suggestions, sir?”

“I’m workin’ on it.” Robin walked up to the door and examined it. He growled quietly. “Don’t this thing have a doorbell?”

“Not likely, sir.”

“Shut up! If you ain’t got anythin’ positive to say, then shut the heck up! I need to think. I need to think.”

Raven shrugged. “I suppose we could be direct about it.” He knocked on the door.

Robin glared at him. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Improvising, sir.”

Robin’s glare chilled out. “Improvise.” A smile spread across his face.

“What is it, sir?”

“Okay. We’re gonna improvise. Knock harder. Bang it. Make them come runnin’.”

“Sir, if you are planning to—-”

“Never mind what I’m plannin’. Just do it.”

***

Pete scratched his neck. “One more night, Zeke, and I am so done with this place.”

Zeke readjusted his security guard hat. “Whatcha plannin’ to do with your life?”

“Oh, you know. The usual. Watch tv all day. Drink beer all day. Finally get married to my childhood sweetheart.”

“Aww, that’s so nice.”

Pete pulled a folded and creased picture out of his slacks pocket. “See? This is her. Emily Dovecot.”

“Aww, she’s lovely.”

“Yeah.” Pete smiled at the picture before refolding it and stuffing it back into his pocket. “She sure is. After we get married, we’re gonna move to Nebraska.”

“Nebraska?”

“Nebraska. It’s such a beautiful state. What with the—-”

Someone bashed their fists on the front door like they were trying to hammer it down.

Pete sighed. “Guess I’ll get it this time. I can’t wait for retirement.” He left the security office and walked around the corner to the front door.

The door bashing increased.

“Yeah. Yeah. Keep your clothes on.” He patted his holster to make sure his gun was still there.

He opened the door. “Yeah?”

A gentleman with asymmetrical black hair and an old styled military jacket stood on the other side. He was holding a rabid looking vampire in his clutches.

Pete took a step back. “Uhh…”

“May I come in, sir?”

The vampire growled and snarled.

Pete thought about the Whipshot Stake Blaster sitting on his desk and fidgeted. “With that thing? Uhh, no.”

“You do not seem to understand, sir. This is an important prisoner. He escaped from Olessa Caten.”

Pete’s mouth dropped open. “THE Olessa Caten?”

“The one and only. I was told if I brought him here, I would be given a great reward.”

“Wait. Who told you this?”

“Isellta. He was the fey who worked for Miss Caten.”

The vampire squirmed and struggled to break out of the other man’s grip.

“Please may I come inside? I worry about him escaping on me. It would be far easier to catch him in there than it would be out here.”

Pete hesitated. There’s something ripe raw fish about this.

“Please, sir. It is cold out here.”

“So, it is.”

“May I come in?”

Pete looked past the two men at the cold night. “Well. I guess there’s no harm in letting you in. As long as you hold on to that—-”

The vampire roared and tried to head smack the other man’s face.

He missed.

“—-that creature.”

“Of course, sir. I want my reward.”

“Of course. Please come in.”