Can There Be Only One?

Chapter 43

Richie ran in and it startled the Hell out of me. I turned around and he ran into my arms. I almost fell over and looked at him, noticing he was completely out of it.

"Richie, what is going on?" I asked and tried to sit him down, but he would not calm down. I kissed him and that didn't work, I offered everything and he would not calm down.

"I am going to jail," he said and threw his helmet at the wall. I staggered back and he saw how frightened I was... so he walked up and hugged me. I kissed him and kissed him and he eventually calmed down.

"An immortal is following me around and he is... he is killing humans and I have been blamed for it every time. He... I don't know who is or what he wants so I... I..." I hugged him again and sighed, feeling like I remembered something of the sort. I looked at him and ran my hand through his hair, which was full of sweat.

"How about we just go to Duncan and talk this through with him." He nodded and I drove him to Duncan's barge, where we went inside.

"Richie and Maria... What are you doing here Richie?" He sat down and stayed silent for a minute before trying to say it before rethinking it.

"Mac... There is an immortal after me and he is killing mortals... the police think it is me. I had nowhere else to go except here." I sat next to him and he put his hand on my thigh, smiling, which was weak.

"It started in a hotel where he killed all of my friends that I had made that night. I ran and he has been trying to kill everyone everywhere I go. I don't know what to do." I nodded and hugged him, feeling so bad for him. I looked out the window and saw the mystery man and I looked back at Richie, not knowing what to do. I looked back at the mystery man and he threw down a file, leaving and I sighed and walked out, going over and picked up the piece of paper. I stared at it and it was a bunch of newspaper clippings of the events that were happening with Richie. He really had been following him all the way here and it was scary to see. I looked back at the barge and back at the paper and realized who it was. I looked up and realized that the mystery man was there again. I looked back down at the paper and beck up at him, feeling scared and I didn't know what to do. I put my arm up as if waving and ran back to the barge and entered, Duncan and Richie staring at me.

"Richie, we have to go, now," I said and began to pack a bag when Duncan grabbed my arm and stared at me. He took the paper and stared at it, looking back up at me.

"What is this, who did you get this from?"

"Abe, look, I have to go -we- have to go, Richie now." I tried to get Richie up again but he shook his head and backed up. I sighed and threw my head back, trying to think. I looked back out at the mystery man and he was closer again.

"I don't want to run anymore. I am safe right here, tell me what the Hell is going on." I sighed and realized that Richie running would make him look more like the killer, so I sat down.

"Okay, don't go anywhere, it is probably better for you not to run from the police any longer. I am going to sort this out, I will-" That is when I saw the police lights. He ran out of the barge and I ran after him.

"DON'T RUN RICHIE, IT WILL MAKE YOU MORE SUSPICIOUS!" He didn't listen and tried to drive off, but police cornered him in the end. The police took him in handcuffs and I looked over at the mystery man, but he wasn't there anymore.

"PLEASE, he is innocent," I said, running up to them.

"Miss, if you don't back up and head back into the boat then we will arrest you too." I sighed and Richie looked at me and I began to freak out as they drove away. I looked back at Duncan and he just stared at nothing as the events unfolded in front of us.