The House of Heron

[Corwin]

Interesting, he muses, even as he shifts the box to his left arm, fishing for his phone with the other. He flips his cell open and presses it to his right ear in a negligent motion, saying, "Raven," into the mouthpiece.

[Carthrat]

"Hey, Rave, it's me," says Mei-Li's accented tone, rendered slightly tinny by the mobile through which she speaks. "How's thing? Met up with your old man, yet?"

[Corwin]

Raven grimaces despite himself. "Got here too late, seems like. Old man's dead, and the place's trashed."

[Carthrat]

"Oh. Oh god, I'm so sorry," says Mei-Li, lapsing back into Mandarin. Dimly, though the phone, you can hear a band playing, or at least practicing. "Are you alright?"

[Corwin]

"Dunno what I thought I'd find here, but that so wasn't it," he says, sighing heavily. "And to see it happen, powerless to do anything during the replay...."

He pauses, thinking hard for a long moment. "Hey, be careful over there, k? Just in case." Raven glances at Liron, adding, "I think I'll stick around for a bit before returning, just to make sure no one's tailing me."

[Carthrat]

"Yeah, actually, that's why I'm calling you," replies Mei, worry evident through her tone. "This guy showed up asking around for you."

[Corwin]

Raven tenses, gripping the cell firmer. "Oh?" he saysin a deceptively casual tone of voice. "Is he still there?"

[Carthrat]

"We sent him away, but he knows you stayed here," replies Mei, worry tinged on her voice. "He.. I don't know, I had a real bad feeling about him. He was.. man, I can't remember much, I think he was blonde, pretty well-built.. came around for last nights gig.

I'm worried, Rave. Do you know who he might be?"

[Corwin]

"It might," he says, resisting the urge to sigh again. "The guy who killed Heron had crew-cut blond hair and he all heavy-set and muscular. Seemed like he went through lots of exercize to get to his build and strength." Raven pauses, thinking back on the image he saw. "He wore a cheap suit with a tie. The face was kinda bland, and he was caucasian; a bit on the short side at 5'8 or so."

Trying to keep worry out of his voice, he asks, "Fit the profile of my stalker?"

[Carthrat]

"Sort of," replies Mei, thinking slowly. "He wasn't heavyset. Kinda tall, actually, but he was pretty fit. All lean, like a dancer.

He was wearing a suit, though."

[Corwin]

"Hard to say if it's the right guy," Raven tells Mei, another grimace appearing on his face. "'Course, no one said he has to be working alone, the bastard." His thoughts shifting, he asks, "So what did he want to know about me? And, hell, just how much did he seem to know about me already?"

[Carthrat]

"'I just want to ask him a few questions,' replies Mei, doing a fair imitation of a salaryman. "I don't know how much he knew about you, but if he knew enough to ask me after a gig, I think he knows too much."

[Corwin]

Raven nods, even though he knows she can't see him. "You must be right." He exhales, blowing on his bangs and watches silently as they settle back on his forehead. "If he returns or anything else happens, don't be shy about going to Granny. Heron was pretty strong, and he was done in by the guy I saw, so people like us...." Raven trails off, unwilling to complete the sentence aloud.

[Carthrat]

"Even if we're.. special.. we're still humans," says Mei, suddenly. "And so is this guy, whoever he is."

[Corwin]

"Heh, you're right, Mei," Raven says, his spirits strangely lifted by her last words.