Live & Learn (ONC 2020)

A long way from home

"Now, we..." Leo started to say, but he was distracted by the TV behind the bar broadcasting the news.

"...As you can see behind me the snow is already starting to pile up higher. After the last few days of continuous, but light snowing the snow is now getting thicker, and whitin a few hours you won't be able to see further away than a few meters. People are advised to stay off the road and inside until the weather clears..."

"...apparently will not be going anywhere soon," Leo said when he turned back to Luna.

Frowning, Luna turned to the TV. The words being said probably sounded like a talking penguin to her, but the pictures displayed on the screen told there own story. When she turned back, her expression was gloomy.

"Well, so much for my plan of lifting our way back to England."

"Yes, there goes that plan out of the window," Leo answered somberly.

Luna pursed her lips in thought. "That leaves us with the option to book a flight with the risk there might not be any--"

"There is no airport here, so you can send that plan after the lifting-back-to-England one," Leo interrupted her.

"Oh, well that leaves us with the option to buy or rent a car and face the risk of this snowstorm, I'm not particularly fond of that plan, or we can stay here and wait until we can take the train."

Leo nodded, neither of those options really appealed to him.

He looked back at the TV and the photos of the damage the storm had done so far displayed on it. Stupid snow, Leo thought angrily.

Suddenly someone blocked his view. The person was wearing a trench coat, and walked over to the bar. He was on the phone, and seemed to be in a heated conversation.

Leo couldn't help himself, he listened to the rapid french speaking guy.

"I can't believe it!"

Neither did Leo. He had ended up in France in some mysterious way for crying out loud! However, the man on the phone probably didn't have that in mind. So what did he mean?

"As if that makes it all fine! You're over fifty years old, start acting like it."

The reproachful tone of the man was interrupted by some mumbling on the other end of the line that Leo couldn't understand.

"No, I trusted you with this task and you messed up. I was finally so close to getting the bastard, and you're telling me he escaped!"

The mumbling continued, but was broken off by the man. He seemed familiar to Leo in some way. The longer he looked the stronger he felt like he had seen the man before. Leo didn't like the feeling. He was in France right now and this was a french man, if he knew the guy that couldn't mean anything good. While Leo pondered over that question he kept listening to the man.

"I would come over there now and find him myself, but there is this snowstorm going on. As you know I cannot teleport to England. You have to figure this one out yourself while I go and look for Cesar/Oliver."

Leo squinted his eyes. If the man could just turn around, than he could see who the hell he was. He was sure he recognized the man.

"And don't let him get away, Sinclair," the man added.

For the umpteenth time that day, Leo stiffened. The man turned around after angrily smashing his phone on the counter. Quickly Leo head snapped back to Luna. The panic was written all over his face as he realized why the man had seemed so familiar.

First of all, the man had called the person on the other end of the line Sinclair.

Second of all, the man wasn't a man at all. He had a different haircut, but Leo could still clearly recognize him. It was none other than Daniel Dirboue. Species, warlock. He had hunted Leo for some time when he had fled France. Leo could be accused of a lot of things, in fact he had been accused of a lot of things, but having a bad memory wasn't one of them.

Luna gave him a concerned look, clearly noticing that something was up. Was he that obvious?

"What's wrong, Leo? You look like you just saw a ghost."

That was very unfortunately not the case, Leo thought to himself. He'd wish the Dirboue son was a ghost. The guy would still haunt him, but at least he wouldn't be a threat anymore.

"Not a ghost. A Dirboue."

That earned him the raising of eyebrows.

"A Dirboh," Luna said slowly after him.

"Yes, a Dirboue!" Leo whisper shouted back. "Daniel Dirboue, to be exact. The man who is very upset with me because of reasons I explained to you back in England."

Now understanding flashed in Luna's eyes. Finally she got it, and she leaned closer.

"Where?"

As inconspicuously as possible Leo pointed at Daniel, while shielding his hand with his body. He could see Luna scan the direction he pointed at. One almost perfect eyebrow shot up once she found him.

"Is that him?"

"Assuming you're looking at the right person, yes that is him," Leo answered, still not daring to take a peek himself.

"Is he wearing a trenchcoat?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm looking at the right person."

It was silent at their table as Luna stared at Daniel. Around them it was, despite the late hour, no where near silent.

Finally, Luna broke her too long stare.

"We should get out of here than, shouldn't we?" she said while getting half up from her seat.

Leo's arms shot out so fast he didn't even really notice what he had done until after he had grabbed Luna's arms. Quickly he sat her back down.

"We can't just leave! It will draw attention and he will notice me," Leo said indigenous.

"I don't think--" Leo shushed Luna's attempt to speak.

"We have to come up with an escape plan." He inconspicuously looked around the restaurant with squinted eyes.

How could he get out of this mess? He would get out, as he had gotten out of merde many times before. Not all of them were even completely his fault! Experience had made him a professional of getting out of merde. He was a good plan maker, terrific even.

With his hand still pressed against Luna's lips, Leo leaned closer so he didn't have to speak up.

"We need a distraction," he finally decided.

The eye roll Luna gave him he didn't notice.

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Problems, problems, and catastrophes. Poor Leo, and especially poor Luna for having to deal with my (possibly our) favorite failed warlock.

This chapter took an entirely different turn than I had initially planned (though I didn't have much planned), but I think I like it. And I hope you liked it too.

If you did like it, please consider giving this chapter a vote. Any feedback back is also much appreciated. From pointing out spelling or grammar mistakes, to flat characters or things that were unclear.

Now I better get ready to make some escape plans ;)