The Touble With Assassins 11

Part 11 of 14

A man was sitting at a large desk made of fine wood. His was in his late forties, but age was already showing on his face well beyond his years. His graying hair was slicked back, and his eyes were a dark speckled gray and possessed a darkness about them. He was just putting down the phone when he looked up and saw one of his guards standing there with Lucas straggling behind trying to hide himself as much as possible.

“What is de meaning of dis?” Marius looked up and said.

“Sir, I didn’t mean to disturb you, but this gentleman says he knows about the attack on Julien.”

Marius shot up from his chair. “What does he know?”

“He wouldn’t tell me. He said he would only speak directly to you,” he said.

“Very well,” Marius said and approached Lucas. “So who are you?”

“My name’s Lucas Lansing,” Lucas said nervously. “Ah own the Blue Star Hotel.”

“And what you know what ‘bout the attack on Julien?” Marius asked.

“Ah think ah know who did it,” Lucas said.

“An’ how you know dis?” Marius asked, circling around Lucas.

“’Cause the girl is stayin’ at my hotel,” Lucas said.

“A girl?” Marius laughed at the thought. “No mere girl could get de drop on my son.”

“How ‘bout a mutant girl,” Lucas said. Marius looked intrigued. “There’s somethin’ else, the Thieves Guild.” Marius’ eyes grew wide. “Or more specifically, Jean-Luc’s boy, he’s got somethin’ ta do with it. He came sniffin’ ‘round lookin’ for that girl. You know he’s a mutant. Ah think maybe he’s tryin’ ta recruit her for the guild.”

“So how you know dis girl got power?” Marius asked.

“Ah could sense it,” Lucas said. “Ah can always sense when mutants are around.”

“Dere’s more to it den dat,” Marius said. “You know what her power is?”

“Not sure but…” he hesitated for a moment before continuing. “Ah have a cousin who lives in a little town in Mississippi. A few days ago somethin’ happened there. It was a mutant girl. She knocked a boy clean out into a coma with just a touch. Then she disappeared. Her boy Kalvin was at that party where it happened, an’ the girl at my hotel, she fits the description. Now, a girl with that kind of power would make a perfect recruit, an’ don’t you want ta get to her before the Thieves get their hooks in her?”