Chapter 80
New York City, New York, USA, 1887
Fall was quickly turning into winter in New York City, and James would’ve probably cared if he still felt the temperature the same way. All the people rushing by them on the streets seemed to be walking even faster than he and Jeffrey were, despite the fact that both Guardians could’ve sprinted blocks in the amount of time it took them to take a few steps had they been motivated to do so.
“We’ll meet up with the rest of the team at the Broadway Hotel,” he said only turning his head slightly. “I think you’ll fit in nicely here, Jamie.”
“Sounds good,” he replied. When they’d arrived in the city earlier that morning, Uncle Culpepper had introduced him as Jamie, and he began to realize that he was never going to escape that nickname. He may as well start referring to himself that way.
Jeffrey appeared to be in his mid-to-late forties, though Jamie was certain he was much older than that. He had a handlebar moustache, a style that was quickly losing its popularity, but he likely didn’t care. He was slightly taller than Jamie and a bit rough around the edges. He didn’t have much to say as he walked them around the space his team occupied near Battery Park. They all lived in the same building, meeting and planning for the most part on-site. Jamie learned that there were a lot of what were referred to as independent Hunters and Guardians in the New York area. Technically, they were under Jeffrey’s direction, but they mostly came and went as they pleased, operating in different sectors around the city. Jeffrey commanded a smaller team which answered directly to him. There were seven permanent members, including Jeffrey, and they had gathered in the hotel to stage a hunt they would be embarking on in just a few hours once the night fell and the Vampires came out to play.
Jamie followed Jeffrey into the lobby of the hotel. It was a nice establishment with gold-painted filigree and carved wood. He nodded at the few people they passed coming out and followed Jeffrey down the hall off of the lobby into a conference room.
A cloud of smoke hit Jamie in the face as he entered the room between thick oak double doors. There was roar of laughter, and Jeffrey paused just in front of him as a cigar smoking young man who seemed to be only a few years older than Jamie finished a story. “Then, I jumped on top of him, pulled out my knife, the same knife he’d laughed at earlier mind you, and sliced his head right off. And before he disappeared, I said to him, ‘Not much of a knife, huh?’ Course, he couldn’t hear me by then, but I got the last word in, that’s for damn sure.” There was another roar of laughter from the group, and Jamie tried to sum this man up. He would have to keep an eye on him. He seemed like a bit of a hot head, full of himself, and perhaps a little impulsive.
“You done with your story, Sol?”
“Ah, I’m just getting started,” he replied, waving a hand at Jeffrey who gestured for Jamie to take a seat next to him as he pulled out the chair at the end of the table.
Jeffrey adjusted his lapel and chuckled, clearly used to this man’s attention-seeking. “Ladies and gentlemen, as I mentioned before, this is Dr. Jamie Joplin, here from Boston to help us out tonight. Jamie’s specialty is healing.” He looked at Jamie very critically, as if he wasn’t quite sure whether or not he was capable of everything he’d heard.
With a deep breath, Jamie forced a smile and looked around the table, nodding. “Hello. It’s nice to be here.”
Pointing at the woman to his right, Jeffrey said, “This is Bridgette and her sister Gidgette.” Jamie could see that the two redheads were twins, though the first one, Bridgette, appeared to be a little taller. They looked pleasant enough and they exchanged greetings. “You’ve already heard the famous storytelling of our main Hunter there, Sol.”
“Howdy doo,” Sol said, a crooked grin on his face. Jamie waved hello but still wasn’t sure what to make of the man. Dressed in an undershirt with suspenders attached to dark brown work pants, he looked out of place, but he certainly didn’t seem to care. He was the sort of man his sister Margie would be attracted to, he had no doubt, though Sol would probably leave Helms in the dust when it came to an ego war, and that was saying something.
“Over there we have Joseph. He’s a Guardian like the girls here.” This man, a tall African-American with cropped hair, had a genuine smile, and Jamie immediately liked him. “And next to him is another Hunter, Abel.” A big burly man, Abel turned his head slowly to look at Jamie, and he wondered if that was his usual speed. He looked like he could’ve been his uncle’s age, but since he was a Hunter and not a Guardian, who aged much slower, chances were they weren’t even born in the same century.
“And finally, next to you there, this is Kit. She’s a Hunter. A newbie.”
Jamie turned his head to notice the young woman sitting next to him for the first time. She definitely wasn’t much older than him, maybe a year or two. She had a timid smile on her pretty face, and her thick brown hair was tied up in a bun on the back of her head beneath a stylish hat. Her brown eyes flickered with kindness, though she didn’t speak first. “It’s nice to meet you,” Jamie said, realizing he was staring and shifting his eyes.
“You, too,” she replied, her voice quiet. Clearly, she hadn’t adjusted to this team yet either, and he thought they might find a bit of solace in each other’s inexperience.
