Frauleinstein

Chapter VIII: Monstrous Developments, Part III

"So, that's your story?"

Dr. Pretorius was not happy. These two idiots had one simple task, to get Dr. Engel safely on a plane to Austria. Instead they came back with some insane tale, and Dr. Engel nowhere to be found. In the past they had never given him cause to doubt their word. And yet...

"That's exactly what happened? You haven't left anything out?"

Septimus Pretorius was in his early sixties, although his age was not obvious and a casual observer might say he was anything from fifty to seventy-five. He was tall and lean, almost to the point of emaciation, with an impressive shock of white hair. Educated at the prestigious Royal Academy of Sciences, Pretorius had developed over his lifetime an almost permanent, pretentious sneer, although he considered it merely indifference. He had little use for the lower classes and generally attempted to minimize his interactions with them. Dieter and Friedrich would prove to be a challenge.

Dieter and Friedrich looked at each other.

"Yes, that was everything," said Dieter.

"Everything," agreed Friedrich.

"Mostly everything."

"Almost, mostly just about everything."

"Maybe not everything."

"Yeah, maybe just one or two, minor things."

"A few, other things. Not much," agreed Dieter.

Dr. Pretorius slapped his face in frustration. "Then perhaps, you should tell me again. And this time, include everything!"

Dieter and Friedrich looked at each other, both hoping the other would start. Finally Friedrich spoke.

"So, I was driving the old lady..."

"Dr. Engel!" suggested Pretorius.

"Dr. Engel," continued Friedrich. "I was driving her to the airport."

"I was in the back with her," Dieter added.

"And then she says, we got time, so let's go to some place for lunch. And we're driving through Bistritz so somebody says we should go to a place, I forget who."

"That was me," Dieter chimed in. "The Golden Crown. It was recommended on Yelp. The restaurant had mostly four or five stars, so it sounded good. But after being there, I thought the service was slow."

"Yeah, the service was slow, wasn't it? Except I didn't really mind that so much. It's more the kind of place where you want to relax, take your time, you know?"

"Well I guess it depends on..."

"Enough!" interrupted Dr. Pretorius. "Write your Yelp reviews on your own time. Tell me what happened next!"

"Oh, okay," said Friedrich, continuing the story. "So I dropped them off in front of the restaurant, and went to park the car."

There was silence for a moment, as everyone looked at Dieter.

"Right! My turn," he realized. "So we go inside and sit down, and in no time this really old guy comes up and starts telling off Dr. Engel."

"So?" questioned Dr. Pretorius. "You are her bodyguard, are you not? Could you not handle one 'old guy'?"

"Oh, I did!" Dieter said. "I handled him. Except, you know, I say he was old, but he wasn't really all that old. He was maybe..." Dieter looked to Friedrich for support.

"Really old," said Friedrich.

"Not so old," Dieter continued. "Like, uh, forty... two? But a really fit forty-two! That's old, right, but he was like..."