[Sodium_noir] John Black

[Bill]

John Black/Carthephius
Tokyo 

The Roman sat in the small Tokyo bar, sipping a
Japanese beer and watching the people come and go.  He
was in a back corner with privacy curtains, though the
curtains were currently open.  Travelling the King's
Highway had taken a little longer than he had planned,
but he'd made it to the meeting place with time to
spare.

Carthephius was old.  He had been granted eternal life
three days after witnessing the crusifiction of the
carpenter's son from Nazareth.  He still remembered
their conversation the night before.  The Roman had
been drunk, angry that the man who had murdered his
sister had been pardoned.  His intention had been to
find and kill the governor and temple priests, then
kill Barabas, but first he went to confront the King
of the Jews and demand an explanation.

It was interesting in that no matter how uncertain his
memories became, certain things remained crystal clear
no matter what.  His family, joining the Legions to
earn his citizenship, and his conversation with Jesus
the night before his death.

Such thoughts always came forward when he was in
uncertain territory.  He was meeting someone he
couldn't remember very clearly.  Carthephius had vague
recollections of Hiro, but nothing that might tell him
why he was here.

A waiter came and placed a silver tray, covered, on
the table before him.  He placed a second beer before
the Roman, and the closed the curtains to give him
privacy and walked away.  Carthephius lifted the lid
and saw on the tray a human skull, grinning at him.

"You have to be kidding me."

"Do I look like I'm laughing?"  He heard the voice
with his mind, not his ears.  

He took a drink of beer.  "Pretty neat trick, mailing
me that amulet Hiro, considering your current
condition."

"Fuck you.  I didn't ask you here to point out the
obvous or gloat over my condition."

"I haven't started gloating yet.  What happened and
where's the rest of you."

"Actually, it's being shipped to your store.  It'll
probably arrive in another day or two.  The body's
mostly intact, but a grave robber managed to steal my
skull for a bar ornament at the cemetary.  Seems
someone's openning another Whitechapel club.  Anyway,
I managed to get away . . ."

Carthephius was trying not to laugh, but his composure
began to break.

"Knock it off!  I have no doubt your enjoying this. 
Do you have any idea how embaressing this is?  Look,
my temple isn't too far away, and inside there are
several of your old amulets and materials you left
behind last time you were here.  All I want you to do
is babysit me for a little bit while I pull myself
back together."

He took a drink of beer.  "Why me?"

"Because I need to get the hell out of here.  And
Gotham is as good a place as any.  I have some of your
tools and I'd heard you were up and about again so it
made sense."

The Roman laughed warmly.  "Very well."  He pulled out
a backpack and picked up Hiro's skull, preparing to
put it in.

"Wait! Wait! Wait!  I am not going to be carried
around in a backpack.  It's humiliating!  Summon the
waiter and he'll bring something more appropriate."

A few moments later the curtain was parted and a
beautifly carved oak box was placed on the table.  The
inside was lined with purple velvet and there was just
enough room for Hiro's skull to rest without getting
knocked about.

"Better?"

"Much." the skull replied.  "My temple is only a few
blocks away."

Carthephius lowered the lid and left the bar, leaving
a generous tip on the table.  

TBC

Yahoo Messenger: wconnell95
-------------
"I swear, as God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."
-- Les Nessman

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