Dante’s mood took another dive and came back to the surface, having changed from depression to annoyance. Not making the mistake of looking in the stalker’s direction once more, Dante twisted the throttle and let the engine roar as the bike surged forward.
’Keep a tag on the bastard.’ He thought aloud, clicking his tongue while turning a corner. ’I will deal with him later.’
Letting the brat live was starting to feel like a mistake. Dante was tempted to go finish the job, and he would have done so if not for his desire to avoid ruining his mood even further.
Still, it was difficult not to wonder about how the brat managed to track him. Volcan would have noticed trackers if any were placed on him, and since he had been on the road for most of the past week, it was difficult to imagine the brat following him around all this time.
There was still another thirty forty-five minutes by the time Dante arrived at the Triple Jackpot. Trying to forget about his problems, he sat down with Boris as he ordered some lunch for the two of them. They had some burritos from an authentic Tenebrosan restaurant, Chips and Guacamole, and some soda to wash it down.
Of course, each of their portions was worlds apart, with the big guy ordering a family meal all for himself to enjoy. Victor wasn’t too happy when he finally came out of his office, but mainly because the big guy didn’t bother ordering something for him.
"C’mon, boss, you never accept any of my invitations."
"Just shut up and go grab me something," Victor said with a grimace. "I probably won’t get the chance to eat after this."
Boris rushed to a nearby place and got some chicken wraps, one with next to no salt for his boss and the rest for himself. With the clock ticking, they ate in their car while Dante followed after them on his bike.
"So, where are we going, exactly?" Dante asked as they stopped at a red light.
[Just follow, kid.] Victor replied. Instead of texting, they were having a proper call for once. [It’s not anywhere worth mentioning.]
Frowning, Dante turned his attention inward.
’What about the brat?’
A map appeared in the corner of his vision, and Volcan spoke a moment later.
[It seems he’s still in Hollowgrid. I have failed to locate him on any of the surrounding security cameras, however.]
Looking at the map, Dante understood the problem right away.
’He’s inside one of the apartments...’
The brat chose a building that’s a dozen miles from the one Dante moved to recently. Normally, that distance would have ensured they wouldn’t cross paths, but since the brat had tracked him back to the district, Dante had no doubt that it was only a matter of time before he narrowed down the location of his apartment.
Boris drove to the other side of Nightsun and soon they reached Yellowstar street. They entered an inconspicuous road that branched off the main one, and stopped at what appeared like a dead end with only an entrance to a small bar.
The sign hanging beside it showed the yellow silhouette of a bird with a long beak, and right under it were the words Golden Hummingbird written in a fancy cursive font.
A strange van was parked nearby. Its walls were covered in complex graffiti while its roof had a peculiar bulb attached to it. Going by experience, Dante knew right away that it was a collapsed satellite dish, which gave him a hint about the vehicle’s purpose and what its owner did for a living.
Beside the van, there was also a bike left in one of the corners. The model was different from Dante’s Raven, but it was the same jet black color. As he stared at it, he felt a pat on his shoulder and turned around to find Victor looking at him with an unreadable expression.
"Kid, I... uh..." pausing, he coughed in his fist. "Just, try to be understanding, okay? And keep an open mind."
Whether intentionally or not, the fixer rang the alarms in Dante’s head. Something very bad was about to happen. There was no doubt about it. Of course any attempt to ask for details was ignored, and since he couldn’t afford to back out now, Dante had no choice but to keep going.
Boris remained in the car while Victor lad the way into the bar. With his guard raised to the maximum, the first thing Dante did was scan the interior trying to determine the source of potential danger that forced the fixer to give him the previous warnings.
The bar seemed to be the kind of establishment meant for a small number of regulars. The interior was small but far from cramped, with a small bar counter and three booths furnished with quality sofas. The best word to describe it was elegant. Only one person was inside, which wasn’t very off considering it was barely noon.
"Ah, Mr. Sokolov! You’re just in time!"
Greeting them was a tall man dressed in standard bartender attire. The white in his hair and beard spoke of his age, though that was directly countered by his straight posture and clear voice.
"Been a while, Thomas. How have you been?"
"Better than ever, Mr. Sokolov. Though I have to say, it has been a little lonely without your patronage."
"Sorry about that, old friend. It’s the only way I can fight the temptation."
"I see." Smiling wistfully, the old bartender turned his gaze to Dante. "And who might this gentleman be?"
"Ah, this is one I’ve told you about," Victor said. "Go ahead, kid. Introduce yourself."
Dante wanted to curse the fixer then and there, but he managed to hold back. Facing the old bartender, he spoke in an even tone.
"Nice to meet you. Call me Dante."
"Dante, huh?" Nodding, Thomas went on with a smile. "Mr. Sokolov spoke highly of you. My name is Thomas Walker. I hope that you will grace our humble establishment with your presence in the future."
Dante wasn’t too sure what his fixer said about him behind his back, but from the looks of it, it wasn’t too bad. Giving him a courteous nod, the old bartender glanced at Victor, then turned to the other end of the room. "Your guests have arrived not that long ago. I suggest that you join them soon."