Advertisement
Advertisement
Von svitlana glumm
Table of Contents
English
Book 2 – wrapped in fog
From Russian
Chapter 7.2
Lucia parked the Ducati engine and took off the motorcycle glasses. Last week the weather in Frisco was sunny, without a single cloud in the clear sky. And if it hadn’t been the light breeze that blew from both the bay and the ocean, one could have complained about the heat.
The girl breathed in the air that was crossed by sea salt, in which tiny grains of sand hovered, which further away from the center District were blown. The stench of old age and neglect joined the usual smell. Huge cracks in the asphalt, abandoned front gardens with dried rose bushes from last year and crumbled stone fencing.
Today Lucia was wearing Schwarz. Although no surveillance was expected. And she had more weapons with her than the meeting required – one dagger in the pockets of her jeans and one in the openings on the back of her sneakers. You never know what the people she would have preferred to go through your head – but an command is an order.
Leo parked his Kawasaki alongside Lucia’s motorcycle, which was parked next to two thirty years old cars, and hurried towards the two -story building. The girl was already waiting for him on the veranda.
The brick building, the facade of which urgently had to be renovated, fit perfectly into the series of just as bleak houses. Windows dirty by dust with overturned lacquer on the frame, fluttering laundry on the balconies that was blown back and forth by the wind, black roof tiles covered by dirt, old rain gutters, which would fall into pieces during the next storm.
Lucia picked up the iron door and stepped into the stairwell. She moved her face because of the heavy smell after moisture and the decay gesture of a dead rat in the basement. Sunlight fell through small windows under the ceiling. The former white walls had turned into yellow-gray areas, with dark mold in the corners.
“We have to go to the ground floor,” said Leo. He didn’t care where he had to perform Elijah’s mission, but this extremely poor quarter was really pathetic. Leo put on the railing, but pulled his hand back immediately and looked at his dust -smeared palm.
“This is not just the most remote quarter of San Francisco“He whistled through his teeth,” but also the dirtiest. And of all things to Bayview-Hunter’s point, she ended. “
Lucia climbed the old stone stairs, gave way to stuck lumps of dirt that had been left generously by the house residents, and stopped on the stairs.
“You know the reason, Leo,” she said and turned. “And we have to make sure that this is really the case.” The girl raised her head and tried to recognize a picture in the dirty-gray streaks on the ceiling. It either looked like a huge head of a floppy -eared dog without eyes, or like a holy boot with a lump dirt, or like a long nose with a large wart.
“Although it is clear anyway that there are no tenants here.”
Leo grin.
“You are wrong, sweetie,” he said, and had ran up the stairs in no time, was now next to the girl. “You won’t believe it, but penniless immigrants can be settled in exactly such houses.”
“How do you know that?” Lucia stopped looking at the ceiling and looked at the apartment doors – they were already expected behind one of them.
“There is a miracle called the internet,” said the boy, kissed her on the cheek and gently nudged her on the tip of the nose with the fingertip.
Lucia smiled ironic.
“Nice, dealing with me has an effect.”
Leo stepped onto the stairs and stopped in front of a door painted in bright green, on which the number two was fastened. He clashed his hand to tap – but the door was already torn open, and the stairs were immersed in yellow light.
“Like normal people, it doesn’t work,” said the boy, gave Lucia a look and then looked at Patrick, who was in the door frame.
“We are not normal,” replied the rough voice of the man, which echoed through the dark staircase. “Come in,” he asked the guests.
Lucia was in Inheritance At the door and entered the apartment close behind Leo.
“And why is it so deserted outside?” She asked, in the role of an ordinary visitor. “Are everyone extinct?”
The hallway of the apartment was narrow and the three guardians ensured a considerable crowd.
“Don’t forget, Lucia,” replied Patrick, “you are not only the poorest, but also in the most brutal neighborhood.”
“And the evening is approaching. Where one gang goes, the next comes. When a criminal disappears, a good citizen, whom he still tyrannized yesterday, start to harass his neighbors.”
“Has the Law 91 never found its way here?” Lucia pulled up an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Patrick replied, “and as you can see, even quite successfully. Half of the residents of BayView Hunters is gone. But you know the perishable inclination of the people – to raise your own.”
Although the guard was talkative and Lucia’s questions without hesitation, there was a tense atmosphere in the apartment. The tension was not only based on the guards in the living room, but also from Patrick himself – although he tried to mime the friendly host. The apartment was empty due to the “cleaning”. Or was temporarily inaccessible if you were allowed to believe Leo and your internet research.
“I know,” said Lucia, struck the door behind her, which made the small, square hallway even closer.
Well, will you finally invite us to the room, Patrick, or do we stay here like sardines in the can? Thought the girl and looked at the man with a strict look.
Patrick pressed his lips together and gave way back. He crossed the threshold and stepped into a room where no light burned.
And where is your big flap there, guard of San Francisco? put Lucia the abrupt Behavioral change of the man compared to her first encounter. Are you no longer the heroes?
“And why did you settle yourself here?” Asked Leo, entered into the living room after the invitation.
“Not settled – we arranged a meeting,” said a woman’s voice from the room. “Come in, Lucia,” said Erin with a friendly tone, but a false undertone joined.
The living room was surprisingly bright, with clean windows – amazing for such a dilapidated house – and quite cozy. A soft sofa with roared holes from which white foam quoll stood on the wall.
Ken had settled on the sofa with legs spread. There was no lighting in the room, but Lucia allowed the breaking gray of the evening to recognize a small fold on his forehead. When her eyes met, the guard mashed his lips to a smile, which also formed wrinkles around his mouth.
“I’m happy to see you again,” Ken greeted the guests with a nod.
Lucia snorted, but replied his greeting with the same nod. Leo went to the man and handed him hand.
Two soft armchairs stood in the back of the room and were only visible when you entered the room. Erin was sitting in one of them. The dark, chestnut brown curls fell over the deep cleavage of their red blouse. In her hand she held a half -full bottle of ale. Next to the armchair there was a small wooden table with an unequal long legs, which is why it was wrong. Two locked bottles of Ale were waiting for their use under the table.
“Do you want what?” – Erin nodded towards the bottles.
“No, thank you,” Lucia rejected.
“And you, prettier?” – Erin turned to Leo and in her eyes it sparkled amused.
Ken pointed to the free armchair with a gesture, which – in contrast to the sofa – had no holes in the upholstery, but whose back was smeared with blue color. Then he took a look at Erin – the guardian who had allowed herself a certain cheek towards the guests.
The good old one Patriarchy So didn’t changethought Lucia and sat on the edge of the armchair. The first thing you should do with you should be billed. She straightened her back and looked at Ken directly.
The man put his arms on the backrest of the sofa, which left no more space for someone else.
Leo stood behind the armchair in which Lucia was sitting.
Patrick stepped at the inclined table, leaned and grabbed one of the bottles. With his teeth he tore off the crown cap and spat it in a high arc into a corner of the room. The metal cap clinked over the floor, turned several times and finally came to rest.
Erin raised his head. Ken narrowed his eyes in played cunning.
Lucia addressed her full attention to the trio, which was considered the center of power in San Francisco. She didn’t want to miss any emotion. Because little things often led to the right track: a look, a smile, a detail in clothing, a habit of talk – even the nervous twitching of a leg or an evasive look when speaking could reveal that the interlocutor log.
“Your trip to this abandoned nest was certainly not out of mere curiosity, right?” – Ken’s eyes sparkled angrily and made it clear how little welcome the guests were here.
Lucia smiled sarcastically.
If you only know what’s going on in your heads, people. But unfortunately you are not people – otherwise I would have looked through your plans to open the doorshe thought and took a deep breath. So then: improvise.
“Why not?” – Lucia gave back and kept the two guards in mind. Leo was supposed to take care of Patrick – she had signaled this through a small head movement towards the bald man.
Erin contemptuously drew up his lips and took a sip ale. Ken was silent and Patrick approached the sofa and leaned against it. His bottle was already half empty.
The neck dry, my dear? Or did our appearance make you so nervous? thought Lucia.
“How are you?” – Leo tried to steer the tense conversation in a somewhat friendly way. “I hope you have the vermin in Chinatown get under control? “
Erin twitched slightly, but quickly caught and got an arrogant look.
“What, don’t you get along?” – asked her with a smug smile and licked himself over the bright red -made lips.
You should rather keep your mouththought Lucia. As long as you don’t talk, at least you don’t look quite as stupid. The girl’s mouth twitched slightly.
“Everything is going well with us,” replied Leo and ignored Erin’s snappy tone.
“With us too,” said Ken in a rough voice, which echoed through the living room, in which the ripped white color of the walls had exposed bizarre holes and patterns. “How long does you think of staying, friends? We have our hands full today.”
“Don’t worry, we won’t keep you long,” replied Lucia Kühl and threw a look at her wristwatch to give her statement. “We have another meeting in an hour,” she added, watching exactly how the hosts reacted to this information.
– Sequel follows –
“Angelsklingen – fatal blow” is now also available as Paperback. You can order it among other things HERE!
Svitlana Glumm was in Rare Born in Ukraine. The 45-year-old studied history at the university there and later at the university in Kiev Journalism. As a journalist, she worked over ten years for newspapers in Kyiv and Kropywnyzkyj. She wrote several books, manuscripts and short stories about the topics of fantasy and mythology. She has lived in Solingen since April 2022.
