Lindsey nervously rubbed his hands together. It was a miracle he still could. The firm’s doctors were amazed that the re-attachment had taken, let alone so well. It was as if the last few weeks hadn’t happened at all. Except for that small uneasy feeling that sometimes crept into his soul? ... Heart? Wherever it was something were starting to bother him, like the monthly round up for Halldor.
A vampire with a fetish for street trash Halldor was one of Wolfram and Hart’s regular clients. Only thing was he wanted them brought to him. He would select a victim and the rest were set free. This time it was Lindsey's turn to supervise.
As the ‘ladies’ were brought in the room you could sense they were afraid. A john was one thing but being snatched from their corners and hustled into a downtown law firm was another thing. As Halldor made his selection Lindsey looked over the rest of the girls. Then he spotted her.
In the instant he met her glance, time stood still. More like it was paused while at the same time it rewound. Lindsey felt like his life was flashing backwards before his eyes. Then wham! It stopped. His 8th birthday.
After moving around for a few months the McDonald’s had finally settle in some low rent apartments on the lower south side. Even though it was suppose to be his party it had turned into a drunken stupor for his father’s and his friends. His mother tried to comfort him but Lindsey had been heartbroken. To now have his birthday taken from him was too much! It was little consolation to be able to sleep in his parent’s room ... but it was nice to have a bed to all to himself. Slowly little Lindsey cried himself to sleep.
He awoke slowly, dazed and confused. He choked on the smoke that had now filled the bedroom. Sirens could be heard in the distance. Lindsey was no longer dazed but still confused. He was even more confused to see a strange girl in his parent’s bedroom. She said nothing, simply took his hand and led him through the fire to safety. When she removed her hand and tiny mark remained. A star shaped scar on his right wrist.
In the instant that the memory hit him it was gone. He glanced back at the woman who had caught his attention. He motioned to the guards. After giving them new instructions Lindsey headed to his new office.
A few minutes later his mystery woman was escorted in. Lindsey silently set the guards out. He was about to speak but she beat him to it. "I’m not a hooker you know. I was just walking by and these goons jumped me!"
Lindsey felt a strange sense of relief at her outburst. He still didn’t know who she was but he knew what she wasn’t, it was a start. "Who are you?" The lawyer’s instinct kicked in and his question was straight forward as he hoped the answer would be.
She arched her eyebrow and stared for what seemed an eternity. "“You mean you don’t know who I am?"
Lindsey shrugged, "Should I?" Two can play this game he thought, why give her any information if she wouldn’t return the favour.
Gaining confidence the woman strolled over to Lindsey. "I am the Ying to your Yang, we are two sides of the same coin, the same yet different. One good, one evil,’ with that she reached her hand up and slowly stroked his cheek, ‘thing is. Which one of us is good and which is evil?"
TBC