As we arrived the city, it's bustling streets whispered tales of adventure and history; we found ourselves immersed in a whirlwind, the distinctive music playing at the corners of each street, cuisines of all sorts on display and I could hear various dialects, all unique and beautiful in their own way. The streets were beautifully covered in colorful decorations, as though preparations for a festival. Matteo was pumped, a new city to explore, me? I couldn't wait to be out of the public's eye, I've always found change unsettling, especially when it's big and happens all of a sudden.
We arrived in the city just before dawn. The plan was to get off the streets before it was dawn, and I had no notion whatsoever where we'd go next. Luckily we had Malcolm with us.
"We need to get a place for the night, luckily I know a place not far from here. Let's hope I'm still welcome there." Malcolm said, taking charge of our arrangements.
Driving through the streets of the city was more fun than I expected it to be, I felt a strange sense of comfort as though I'd just returned home from a long boring social event. Only this time, I wasn't in a hurry to get to my bed.
We arrived a pub just a few streets away from the heart of the city, the locals called it the quarter. Smooth music played from inside, Jazz – I've heard about the music of the soul, but I've never once listened to it. I wonder what was so special about this music, that the whole city loved and played it so much.
"You lads wait out here while I get the situation sorted will you?" Malcolm instructed, before going into the pub.
The pub wasn't filled at the time of our arrival, the only two customers left within the minute Malcolm went it. It was faint but we could hear the arguing behind the door, it was a woman's voice I was sure of it. The sound of smashing bottles followed, 'maybe an ex lover' I thought to myself. I wanted to step in, as I approached the door, I could hear Malcolm's voice a little more clearly, " let me explain, Elaine please calm down." I was convinced, I didn't need to step in and he didn't need any assistance.
The smashing was over, the arguments too and a few moments later Malcolm walked out the door. Half his face was covered in blood, he could barely open his left eye. I bet half that smashing was on his head, but What'd he do to have that coming?
Despite all our unasked questions, he led us in, he proceeded to introduce us to Elaine who would host us for the night. "Guys! Meet Elaine, you'll stay with her for the night. I'll meet you guys here tomorrow. Don't leave the pub." He announced to us. We all couldn't ask about his face, we'd all assumed he had it coming.
"Hello Elaine," we all said in unity.
Elaine looked at us, wrinkling her nose as though there was a bad smell, we could all tell from her smirk and the eye rolling, Elaine wasn't pleased.
"Wait! You're leaving?" I asked
"Yes, I'm not welcome here and you'll be safer here with her, I promise. It's just for the night. We'll be out and about our business tomorrow." Malcolm explained.
"Alright. Thank you, Elaine. For helping out." I responded.
"It's not like I have a choice. There are three rooms just behind, you can take the first two, the last room is mine. Guys in one room and the lady gets the other. And you can't visit her at night. House rules." Elaine said as she led us through a passage beside the bar.
It was already dawn and the bar was getting filled with all sorts of people, drunks, music lovers, fight lovers and sexual predators alike. We got settled in and I decided to go back out for a conversation with Elaine. Maybe get a scope about what the city was all about, and of course the juice on how she and Malcolm know each other.
"Is it cool I leave you guys in here? I need to go speak to Elaine for a moment." I asked Matteo and Bianca.
They both nodded with dim eyes, despite the warning, Bianca didn't want to be alone, so she set herself up in I and Matteo's room.
As I went out to the bar and sat, Elaine was receptive towards me, I couldn't sense the hostility she had earlier. 'must've been her feelings towards Malcolm,' I thought to myself. 'I wonder what he did to her.'
"Can I join you for a moment?" I asked sensing the change from earlier.
"If you're wondering what he did to me to get me so riled up, you shouldn't. It's of no use ranting to a kid like you anyways." Elaine said as she dropped a tumbler glass in front of me.
"Kid? I'm 23, I'm pretty sure by the standard this days I'm not a kid." I replied.
She was a little surprised as she gave a second look at me and took back the tumbler she had dropped and replaced it with a lowball glass.
"You're still a kid," she mumbled.
"I know, but were you about to serve me juice?" I asked with a creeping smile.
"Would you have rejected it?" she replied with a question of her own.
"No! I don't drink alcohol, but after what I've been through the past 48 hours I definitely need a drink, and a juice just won't cut it."
"So, what would?" She threw another question at me.
"I have no idea, I've only had alcohol once, and I swore not to anymore. So, whatever you suggest."
She didn't say much after my reply, she just turned back and looked at the back of the shelf. She brought out an old bottle. I couldn't tell what was written on it and I didn't ask, it was only a drink after all and I remember you father saying, 'Drinks are like cars, the older the better, but only when preserved in good conditions.' So I was kind of curious to taste.
She brought out another glass for herself and as she poured our drinks she asked, "Where are you from kid?"
I couldn't help the smile, "I'm from River plate, not the most peaceful place, but it's the home I grew up to know."
"So Malcolm, how do you know him?" she threw another question at me.
"He's a friend of my dad's, we've been with him since our parents passed."
"Friend? That snake doesn't have friends. What's your father's name?" She asked curious, who'd befriend the man she hated so.
"Stefan de Luca, or don Luca as they called him back home."
I looked as the light drained out of her eyes, she was so struck she couldn't speak, her expression slacked, her chin trembled as she chugged the entire drink. She felt it. There was clearly a lot of didn't know.
In a calm, flat monotone voice and an empty stare in my eyes, I proceeded, "you knew him, my father. Were you friends too?"
"Not really, your father knew my sister, they were set to wed, before it changed everything." she said, her eyes clouded with memories.
"What changed everything?"
"There was an incident and he was forced to marry Liana. He kept touch though, with the family but couldn't save my sister, she who needed saving the most. It haunted him for a long time…that bitch" she whispered to herself.
"Hey, that bitch is my mother, but I do get your point."
"So if what you say is true, then you are…" I leaned over across the bar and whispered, "a witch."
She smiled and whispered back at me, "Yes!"
"How'd he die? What killed him." Another question.
"Not what, who!" as I replied I could see the shock on her face, her expression had changed once more.
"He was murdered?" she stuttered, her expression was blanching, going pale she asked, "are you sure?"
"He was shot right in front of me." Baring my teeth, I pounded my fist into the bar table. I didn't know when it happened. "I'm sorry." I added.
"So that's why you're here. Listen kid, you'll not find anything good in this city, trust me, some books are better left unread, ignorance is bliss. Leave now while you still can, what you might find may not be what you hope for."
"I can't, he wanted me to come here and I must find out why."
"Trust me kid, there's a whole part of this world you don't want to be involved in. It's free advice, leave while you still can."
"I can't. Up until this morning I didn't know anything of where I'm from, and suddenly I realize I've been living in a two sided world, I already know enough to have questions, and an unanswered question may well mean the difference between life and death." I responded, nothing would've changed my mind in that moment.
"As stubborn as he was I see. Do as you please."
"You mentioned an incident broke his engagement to your sister, do you know what that incident is?"
"it was 24 years ago, my sister never really told us anything about that. The next year she was stolen and sold as a slave to a crime gang out of town. Your father couldn't free her and she died a slave, it was his breaking point."
"Wow, I never knew he was engaged before my mother. It's hard to imagine it all. He did mention your sister in a letter he left me."
"So, how do you know Malcolm?" I asked, hoping she'd been loosened enough.
"Not a chance, not now anyways."
As we spoke a tall gentleman walked into the bar and approached where Elaine and I sat discussing, I could tell he was trouble. From his leather jacket to the rising dragon tattoo on his neck, cold eyes and an unending ego, he casually walked up like he owned the place and sat a few seats away. She recognized him from tattoo on his neck, but she remained composed.
"I'll have a bottle of whiskey." He said directing at Elaine.
"I'm busy, have Jane over there attend to you." She replied pointing at the other bartender covering the counter.
"I have no business with Jane, Vincent sent me. He wants to meet tomorrow at dawn or Malcolm dies, he said you know what he wants and I'll have that bottle of whiskey to go."