Logan found himself pushing open the doors to the Slainte pub for the 3rd time this week – and what a week it had been. From battling Kaoshian demons at this very spot, to the attack at The Graveyard, the man had seen more action in seven days than most people see in their life. An on top of that, the week had seen an abundance of coincidences. Everyone he had met in the last few days was at the Saturday night bloodbath; the cop, the reporter, the Harpee (he shuttered), Cadee – it was weird, really weird…almost as if the events were planned. I’m being crazy he thought dismissively as he scanned the room for the blonde waitress. Sure he was here to follow up on last week’s meeting with Angus, but his top priority was making sure the girl had gotten out of the Graveyard unharmed.
Sundays were good days at the Slàinte. Not so many cops and the ever present happy-hour yuppies, and more family people and dates. It wasn’t the best of days for tips, but they were easier to handle, and after last night, she needed easy! She slid two orders of the Slàinte special in front of a couple –obviously a first date– and moved back to the bar, stopping at other tables on her way. She was taking another order, when she saw Logan moving towards her. She smiled, and voicelessly greeted him, before writing down what the client was asking in her little pad.
The man breathed a silent sigh of relief. Cadee was clearly A-ok and at work which meant both she and Anne made it out alright. He plopped himself near the bar, waiting until Cadee finally had a second free. “I’m really glad to see you here. I really wanted to call you last night to make sure you and Anne were ok, but realized I don’t have your number”.
“That makes two of us,” Cadee lied. She had seen him, after the whole thing had finished, and she knew he had been hurt, but made it out alive. But well, she was supposed to be hiding behind the bar all the time. She smiled, “maybe we should solve that and exchange numbers?”
“Yeah…you know, in case there is another weird gang shooting that we’re involved in thanks to you ‘jinx-eeness”. The two shared a laugh as they exchanged numbers in each other’s mobiles. “Look, I know you’re pretty busy, and I need to have a word or two with Angus, but I’m not in a rush. Your shift end soon?”
“Actually, not that long,” she said, glancing at her watch. “Maybe 20, 30 minutes.”
“Mind if I stick around?”
“Not at all.”
A grin crept onto the man’s face as he settled on a stool and watched Cadee disappear back into the kitchen.
Suddenly, a booming voice pulled Logan out of his reverie, “Hasn’t been a week yet”. The massive red-haired owner was now standing opposite him on the other side of the bar, glaring at Logan with definite suspicion.
The young man returned the bartender’s cool gaze. There was no doubt Angus likely intimidated most, but Logan was not one to back down. “So do you need more time? I came to check on Cadee after last night but I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone.”
“Did you now…” Angus‘ voice trailed off, his face unreadable behind the massive red beard. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, the burly Scotsman spoke, “Well you can go back at tell your boss I can’t help”.
“Can’t or won’t?” Logan didn’t even know what Balthazar had asked of this man, but he had a hunch Angus was hiding something.
“Just what are you implying?” The tone was icy, bordering on angry.
Logan stole a glance back at the door Cadee had gone through. He could tell the situation was heating up and the last thing he wanted was to make a scene. “Look, I’m not implying anything. But, if you know Mr Romano, which I have a feeling you do, you know he gets what he wants. I just want to save everyone a lot of time and trouble”.
Angus’ face started to turn as crimson as the hair on his head. “I don’t like your tone kid. I said I couldn’t help and it ends there. And, if Balthazar has a problem, you can tell him to come see me in person.”
Logan was a surprised and a bit impressed. He could appreciate the man’s guts if not his questionable judgment. I just hope this doesn’t come back to bite you in the ass big guy.
“You got me boy?”
“Yeah I got you,” Logan conceded, deciding not to press the issue before speaking with Romano. “But if you ever want me to tip, you better not call me ‘boy’ again - you got me? Now how about a beer?”
Angus huffed - what he wouldn’t give to wring the neck of the arrogant young man.
The day had been good, Cadee thought again, happier this time, the bar closed earlier and her shift was shorter. Quickly, she took off her apron and vest and put on a light jacket from her locker, then she looked at herself in the mirror and let her pony tail loose, combing her hair with her fingers in an unsuccessful attempt to put some order to her curls, and finally she applied some gloss, with better results. When she was satisfied with her looks, she returned to the bar.
She knew Logan was still waiting for her, she had seen him talking with Angus when she left to the personnel area, hopefully he would be done by then. She smiled when she saw that he was sitting alone, sipping from a long neck beer, Angus busy on the other end of the long bar.
“I’m ready when you’re ready,” she told him, leaning on the counter next to him.
“Definitely ready,” Logan replied, struggling to get off the stool. His face grimaced as a shot of pain erupted in his leg where he had been stabbed the night before.
“What’s wrong?” Cadee asked concerned, though she already knew the answer. She had seen the zombie stab him, of course she couldn’t let the man know that.
“I banged up my leg during the fight last night.” It wasn’t a lie per say, but Cadee definitely didn’t need to know the extent of the injury - no need to worry her. “I’ll survive though,” he smiled, as they left the bar, “they make’em strong where I’m from”.
Didn’t push the subject. “Good to know. So, where are you from by the way?”
“New York”.
“Oh, you’re a born and bred New Yorker then?”
Logan opened his mouth to answer, but the words never came and his mind clouded over. Huh…what? For a moment, the man couldn’t focus and he completely lost his train of thought. “So nice night, eh?” he said, changing the subject.
Cadee looked at him, puzzled; that was strange. Maybe he wanted to go somewhere and didn’t know how to propose it? That was even stranger, he didn’t seem the shy type. She looked at the night sky, the moon was shining brightly, even if it wasn’t full already –fortunately – and it wasn’t cold. “Yeah,” she finally said, going with the flow, “it’s a great night, much better than yesterday!”
He couldn’t hold back the laugh. “Well, it doesn’t take much to be better than last night. So,” Logan began with a playful grin, “every time I seem to hang out with you I find myself in some sort of trouble. Think I'll manage to get through the night without getting shot or shanked?”
“I don’t know… but it’s worth a try,” she answered, grinning, and fervently hoping they didn’t find any vampires in their way. “I don’t live too far, just a couple of blocks. But I need to get my bike from the back alley. Mind walking both of us home?”
"Well, I'll walk the bike home, you, not so sure," he answered teasingly as the two made their way into the night.
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