Plus ca Change: Part 2f
by Tom MacCarrol
"See what I meant? First night out and you get a nibble. Doing better than I am." Liz offered. "Night's not over, you can try again. And there's always other times, other guys. Come out mid-week, and you'll find a whole different scene to check out. It's a *lot* less crowded, you can make better contacts than in this mob scene."

"Yeah. They usually have a DJ, or a local acoustic act, or something. It's really mellow, like having a crew over to your house for an evening or something.", Chris added.

"Have to try it then. In fact, let's try again now, I'm feeling much better. Enough tea and sympathy, let's rock."

"If you're really up to it. Hey, maybe we can spot your mystery man for you."

Chris insisted that they take a break after the next couple of songs. Leaning on the balcony rail, Anne spotted the guy again. "That's him. Oh drat. Dancing with that girl in blue."

"ERRRT. You loose this round.", Lou said. "That's Felicity he's with. Number one bubblehead in my class, and champion guy magnet. If she's hooked into him, that's game over for the rest of tonight. As Liz said, try again next time."

After another hour or so, the band took a second break. Liz caught Anne checking the time. "You haffta bail? When does you Mom expect you?"

"Soon. I should go. It's been a long day, and I have stuff to do tomorrow..."

"I could stretch it longer, but what the heck...I'll walk you home."

They split up, Chris and Lou staying on, the other two leaving through a side door. It let them out into a service ally, utility boxes and ranked trash cans the major decor themes. They'd almost reached the street end when the light dimmed as someone came into the alley, blocking most of the passageway and almost all the light from the cross-street.

Thomas was feeling very mellow. It had gone quickly, almost too quickly. The silly little girl had hardy put up any fight at all, there was still plenty of time to try for a double-header. He decided to sneak into the club through a different door than the main entrance, no reason to let the bouncer get another look at him, call attention to 'the guy who came back again'. Caution was the basis for continued success.

He startled for a moment when he detected movement in the alleyway, then he made out the shape of his first choice, along with a female companion, walking toward him unaware of his presence. Surely the Old Ones smiled on him tonight. He broke into an answering grin, and stepped forward.

Anne recognized 'her' mystery guy from inside and relaxed slightly. A heartbeat later, her comment to Liz was cut off by the abrupt onset of the now familiar gastric unease. It felt like she'd swallowed a basketful of live snakes that were wiggling around inside her belly looking to get out. This was getting old, fast.

Liz had spotted him too, calling out, "Hey. We were looking for you inside before..."

"And I'm looking for you, too. Or someone like you" Thomas replied, an icy hardness creeping into his voice. "Not just seconds, but desert as well. How nice."

"I'm starting to not like this, lots. Anne, stay behind me.", Liz urged, reaching one hand toward her PET. "I don't know what your game is, but we're not playing. Back off, right now! My friend and I are leaving. You try to get in the way, I'll have the cops all over you like a cheap suit."

"Leaving? I don't think so. You two aren't going anywhere, ever. Say good-bye ladies." Thomas's voice was all ice now, words practically glittering with menace in the dimness.

"That's it, you just crossed the line." Liz was very obvious about pulling out the PET's activation pin.

Unfortunately, she wasn't any more subtle in noticing that the unit had malfunctioned. "Oh. Shit.", she breathed, almost as a profane prayer.

"So sorry you're disappointed," Thomas oozed, "A successful hunter always studies how to defeat his prey's defenses. I make sure to carry a neutralizer for those pesky things." He indicated a small device on his belt. "I've played around enough for tonight, time for the endgame." He started walking toward them; slowly, deliberately, easy arrogance in every step.

"Back off! I mean it!", Liz had her canister out, held braced in a text-perfect two-hand firing stance. Anne felt ashamed that she was so incapacitated by the sickness surging inside her. She should be doing something useful, help somehow, not leave Liz to face this creep basically alone.

"Now chemicals. How predictable." Thomas ignored both the weapon and the determination being displayed and continued to close with his target.

Liz popped the safety cap off with a single thumb movement, then hit the firing stud. With a roar of releasing pressure, a thick stream of partly aerosolized liquid shot across the gap, sousing the stranger's head in an instant. The three-quarter second burst ended, and both girls stared intently to see the result.

Thomas wiped his eyes and flicked the excess fluid onto the pavement. He continued calmly walking toward Liz. "Oh. Let me guess, I was supposed to breath that in, then fall down twitching? Well, I have bad news for you. I no longer breathe. Worse news, too. I still *FEED*"


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