I could feel Gina and the Inspector tighten up at the question, but I had an answer ready.
“I'm a tracker, ma'am.”
“A tracker?” she said, a frown flashing across her face.
“Yes ma'am. Born and raised in the Adirondacks. Worked with Search and Rescue. My gramps trained me, ma'am.” I sounded like a hick. A slow-witted hick. The big guy in the doorway snorted his opinion of my statement. The light of victory in Agent Duclair's eyes dimmed a little as she took in my statement, the truth of which was written on my face.
“A tracker. Martin why the hell would you put a tracker on the team?” she turned, bewildered, to the Inspector.
“Why Briana, Gordon here already proved his worth at the Park with those Hancers. It's amazing the way he can recreate the crime timeline from tracks.” Roma answered, swiftly recovering.
The big guy in the door swiveled his head like a tank turret, his eyes once more locked on me. “You're the one in the youtube video. You took down the last perp when he broke his cuffs.” he stated, his voice deep. Now it was his turn to appraise me, but I recognized the gaze as one fighter evaluating another. Apparently he wasn't impressed, because he snorted again and went back to watching Sommers and Takata watch him.
Duclair still looked bewildered by the tracker stuff and Gina chose that moment to intervene. “Well, if the introductions are out of the way, I need to talk to Chris about his previous evaluations.”
She pointed at her door like I was a new and somewhat slow student on the first day of school. I took her cue and slipped into her office. She closed the door behind me and then shuttered the blinds on the window into the conference room. She turned to me, let out a breath of relief and smiled.
“That was fast thinking Chris. And you did it without lying.”
I shrugged. “I had the creepy feeling that she could read micro expressions like you do.”
She nodded. “Briana and I were in the same class. She can pick up a lie in a heartbeat. But I'm afraid you have only bought us some time. She's smart. She'll think about it, do some digging, look at your files and know you’re not just a tracker. But you did throw her for a loop. That's not something that very many people can lay claim to.”
“Brian felt that I was the reason she was nosing around here in the first place,” I said.
“And did he tell you what she would do if she found you?”
I nodded. “Yeah, offer me a job and a big fat raise.”
She looked surprised. “You aren't interested in her job offer?”
“Well, from what I understand, they cover the whole country. That kinda of travel would be difficult in my situation.”
She smiled. “I hadn't thought of that. Would Tatiana be upset?”
“Well, not if she went with me. But that would stir up the all the vampires. And if she couldn't go with me, she would just follow on her own.”
“Well, stirring up all the vampires in the city should be avoided,” she smiled again.
“No Gina, I mean, it would stir up ALL the vampires, everywhere. Tatiana is the Prodigal Daughter, so to speak. I haven't yet met a vampire that didn't either want to worship her or want to control her.”
Her eyes got wider and wider as I spoke.
“That puts you in a tough spot, doesn't it.”
“Well, it makes me unpopular with the ones that want to control her. As if I needed that. I already have problems with vampires as it is.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Well, apparently, I'm particularly attractive to most vampires.”
“I can understand the females, but males too?”
“Huh? I smell good to all vampires, something about AB blood types. What were you talking about?”
She studied me for a moment, surprised.
“You really don't see yourself very well, do you?”
“If you mean, do I know that I'm a freak, then the answer is yes. Most people figure something is wrong with me when they see my eyes.”
She smiled again, shaking her head. “No Chris, you're really far off the mark. Most women don't see you as a freak, they see you as hot.”
I frowned, not sure what my body temperature had to do with it. Then an alternative meaning to her words hit me. “Ah, no, I think you made a mistake, people have always been weirded out by my eyes.”
“Maybe when you were younger that was true, but I can assure you that almost every female that I've observed come in contact with you has found you attractive.”
Before I could argue further, there was a knock at the door and Roma popped in, the rest of the team behind him. “Alright, I got rid of her, and Olivia's got the door locked,” he said. “Quick thinking Chris!”
“Er, thanks Sir,” I replied.
“Gina, what do you think? Will she catch on?” Roma asked.
“Sir, with Briana it's a matter of when, not if. She'll start sniffing around in earnest and the pieces will come together.”
“You're right, of course,” he admitted. “Hmm, I better talk to the Commissioner and the Mayor.” He looked at his watch. “Chris, you should head out soon. We don't want Halloween traffic to make you late for your engagement, now do we?”
I nodded and he was gone, headed to his office to make calls.
Gina looked at me with a hint of amusement. “So, we'll see you on Monday at nine AM, unless we get called out. Have fun, and be careful.”
Chapter 18
I wished her a good weekend and left, saying goodbye to the others as I headed out. As I walked to my car, I started a mental list of things to do. First, I needed to call Gramps, second, look up any info on Briana Duclair. Third, figure out what in my pitiful wardrobe would be fit to wear tonight, as Lydia's delivery had never made it. Traffic was bad, and it took me forty frigging minutes to get back to my part of Brooklyn. When I got off the elevator, a package was waiting in front of my door. I took it inside and hit the answering machine as I opened it. There were four messages on the machine, all from Gramps, starting from late last night to this afternoon. No real message, just a terse 'Chris, call me'. I tried his number but got the answering machine at the farm house. Next, I called his cell, but it must have been off, because I got shunted to his voicemail. I left a quick message on both and then looked at the contents of the package.
When I got the box open, I found a note on top of a pile of clothes.
'Chris, THIS is what you need to wear tonight. Your black Sketchers will do for shoes. NO JACKET!
L'
On top of the stack was a fitted white v neck long sleeve tee shirt made from very light cotton, and according to the label, five percent lycra. Bloody red ink drops flowed from the v neck and became gothic letters spelling 'Plasma's best: AB+' with a black stencil underneath 'Property of TAD'. Across the back was a drawing of a fanged vampire skull under the words 'Suck Off!'. Hmm, subtle. I was pretty sure this was a one of a kind shirt. Under the tee was a pair of soft black leather pants, cut like jeans. I didn't bother to try the clothes on, trusting that Lydia pretty much had my sizes down pat.
Thinking I was in for a long night, I made myself a huge plate of cold chicken, three kinds of cheese and fruit from the fridge, washed down with a Sam Adams Octoberfest that I found behind a gallon of full fat milk.
Tanya's gift was in a flat, black box, with a fitted lid that would pop right off. I wrapped it in deep red metallic paper that I had picked up before work and tied it with long piece of black ribbon from the same store. Then I just hung out and chilled, listening to my iPod, and trying not to think of anything at all. When I couldn't stand waiting around anymore, I looked at the clock, eight fifty-two. Close enough. I called a cab, got dressed in my Lydia approved clothes and headed out.