Under the Floorboards (and In the Walls)

Fittes Furnace-Lucy

Something bothered me about that theft. We'd had relic men try to rob us on the way to the furnaces before. It happened to other agents a lot. You had to decide through the risk of taking a source home with you or the relic men attacking you in the night. It was part of the job, you could say. But we'd never had a relic man succeed against us before. To be fair, we were almost run over by a truck. And that bothered me. I brought it up to Lockwood and George late the next morning.

"You think it was a set up?" Lockwood was buttering the toast. He finished the last slice and passed the plate to me first.

"It would make sense," George mused over a plate of eggs and bacon.

"I think they tried to hit us so that they could rob us."

"I wouldn't put anything past a relic man." Lockwood said, taking a bite of toast. "They must have been following us for some time."

"How's that?"

"They knew your pack had the source, Lucy. We were all carrying bags, yet he only grabbed yours."

The thought chilled me. I could handle ghouls and visitors and all manner of the undead. But I did not like living people attacking me. Lockwood patted my hand reassuringly. "Chin up Luce. We'll be on guard next time."

Hey!" George exclaimed excited "Maybe we could trap them. We could set up like a sting operation where they think we have a source and then when they attack we'll be ready!"

Lockwood looked like he was considering it for a second.

I was honestly surprised at Lockwood. "No! I can't contact visitors, but you want to play chicken with some relic men?"

"Of course not Lucy. Terribly foolish idea."

We sat in silence for a few moments. I sipped my tea. Lockwood had kindly made it up for me and I don't know how he did it but this was exactly how I wanted my tea this morning.

I think it is a wonderful idea.

I jumped. Lockwood looked at me with concern.

Ha! Still got it.

"You've got nothing. I'm just tired." Lockwood glanced over at the skull which had started glowing on the countertop.

Big night last night?

"Like you care. We almost died again."

I do care. When you do die, and I know it will happen someday, I hope to witness it. Especially Lockwood. I will relish his scream.

"I don't think he'll scream. He never has before."

George choked on his tea.

Oh but when he dies he will. His last breath escaping his lungs in a desperate plea for help. Blood gurgling out around his mouth and over his pearly white skin.

I didn't say anything to that but I pushed my breakfast away.

Of course, I could witness it now. What if I said that someone tampered with the sugar and you're all poisoned.

"Then George and I would be dead and you'd be stuck with Lockwood. Maybe he'd put you on his nightstand." I retorted. Lockwood and George exchanged a glance."

Ewww then I'm glad I was lying.

"The source last night was a skull. I was carrying it and..." The skull made a particularly nasty face and I stopped. "What?"

After all we've been through? Lucy! I never thought it of you. I'm injured. We had something special.

"The other skull wasn't a type two. Besides," I said with a smirk, "It wasn't my type."