Anarameha

Chapter 16

The shutters were done, but Jiro knew that Ana was here. He'd been to ground level and checked the entrance lobby where the mailboxes were. It was a little known fact about them but something that vampires knew because the gangsters told them, at least according to Bran, they had. The locks had lights around them, and everyone believed they indicated if the box had mail in them. Many thought it was a system that regularly failed because they'd open the box to find nothing inside it.

It was, in fact, an indication of someone being in the apartment.

The system was flawed because if someone owned a pet, the light would always say that someone was there. Jiro didn't know why the gangsters did this but assumed that it was all part of the system that Ana was caught up in. The system that he wanted to help her get away from.

So based on the green light, Jiro knew that Ana was home. He walked up the stairs that glowed green from the lights that lined the sides, lighting up the dark walls. Reaching the tenth level quickly, Jiro began the maddening search for Ana's apartment. In the corridor, there were at least two dozen doors, maybe more. Jiro knew that the building turned at the end and beyond that were probably as many apartments again.

He walked down the corridor, checking the numbers as he went. Turning the corner, Jiro realised that it was a shorter section, and it still did not contain the door to Ana's apartment. It was halfway along when he finally found it. Further along the corridor at the end, Jiro could see a sign that pointed to the stairs. He'd gone the long way around the circular layout.

Knocking on the door earned Jiro nothing.

"Ana, it's Jiro," he said softly.

Warily the door opened, Jiro gave her an awkward smile.

"Why am I not surprised that you know where I live?"

"I'm not a stalker, I promise."

"Uh-huh. Why are you here?"

"I have something for you."

Jiro pulled out the envelope and passed it through the gap. He didn't like that she wouldn't open the door fully for him but understood that she was having a lot of trust issues at the moment. Ana took the envelope, and with a heavy frown on her face, she pulled out the contents.

"Where did you get this?"

"I broke into Marama's apartment, and that's all I'm going to tell you because I don't want you to be an accomplice to what I do next."

"Pretty sure death is common for vampires. Killing her won't solve the problems, you know."

"Oh, I don't know. It might solve a few. Anyway, that's all that I found, so if she says anything, she won't have the proof to back it up."

Ana nodded. As far as gifts went, this was probably the best. Saving her from a situation that could turn any number of ways. The very least was Marama using it to blackmail her.

"Thanks, Jiro. I appreciate it."

Jiro could see the hesitation in her eyes. He leaned an arm over his head on the edge of the door frame.

"I'm not going to let her destroy your life. You've not done anything wrong to her, so this mission she's on is ridiculous. When this is done and provided that things go okay for me, I'm going to come back here."

"Is that right?"

Ana couldn't help but grin, more so when Jiro nodded with enthusiasm.

"We're going to pick up from where we left off. Fun nights out while I distract you from the goon's world."

"That world pays for my life."

"That may be so, but it's dangerous, and you deserve better."

Ana thought it was sweet, but she couldn't have a legitimate job.

"You know the reason that I need an unconventional job."

Jiro rolled his eyes, reluctantly relenting to her need to keep the risky job.

"Well, something else then. But it's happening, okay?"

"Sure."

Jiro nearly jumped out of his skin when something wrapped around his legs. He looked down at the cat that meowed at him.

"Is this Mister Tinkles?"

Leaning down, Jiro scratched the top of his head. The cat enjoyed it for a second before wandering into Ana's apartment.

"Still a freeloader, I see."

Ana nodded, smiling at the cat that had jumped up on her bed.

"I'm going now. Got a problem to figure out."

Jiro began to back away, this time taking the short route to the stairs. He smiled with a slight wave. His mood brightened when Ana opened the door more, watching him as he walked away. Before she saw the smile increase, Jiro turned. He was almost at the corner anyway, and he didn't want to back into the wall, looking like an idiot.

Jiro didn't know what his plan was. He didn't even know where Marama was. It was a flaw in his terrible plan. Find her, end her life, throw her into the wasteland and do it all without anyone seeing him. That way, he could pretend that he had no idea when Bran asked where she was.

He'd made it as far as the long entrance path. It was beyond the gate that was curiously void of life. When Jiro reached the end of the path, he heard a noise to his side. Slipping into the darkness, he quietly moved to the end without revealing himself.

This was an alternative route to the open area where they dumped the dead. It was a direct path down to the wasteland. In the darkness, Jiro watched as Bran and Marama talked. It looked a little heated. With a disinterested flick of his hand, Bran wordlessly told his goons to finish this farce.

Jiro stared at his master, who did the job he wanted to do. Well, the goons did. One broken neck, and she was gone. As her body was thrown over the edge, Bran ordered them to search the area again for Jiro. Fearing that his life was in danger, Jiro turned and fled the drains.