Chapter 293
The males stayed in the car while Maeko took Katelina inside a fast food restaurant. The signs and brightly lit interior were familiar, but the bathroom was like something from a sci-fi movie. The toilet stall had a panel of buttons illustrated with bizarre little pictures and shot water at her instead of flushing. It was an adventure in itself, and by the time she figured it out and joined Maeko in the restaurant, she felt like she'd conquered a super computer.
The menu was as weird as the bathroom. She let Maeko order her something that sounded edible. The pint-sized vampiress carried the tray, loaded with Katelina's food and a kid's meal, to a nearby table. Katelina was too hungry for conversation, and wolfed down her burger, strange toppings and all, while Maeko went straight for the plastic wrapped toy.
She bounced the plastic cat along the table and mumbled a series of high-pitched catch phrases, while Katelina finished her sandwich and moved to her fries. TVs were scattered around the establishment, running some sort of news program that Katelina couldn't hear.
"Once you've fed, Kate-chan, we'll look for Jorick-ue."
Katelina took a long slurp of soda, then said, "He's probably back at the pier. They were all hiding in a container. Kai was supposed to let them out and they were going to hide until the sun went down."
Maeko nodded. "And then they were to meet you and your friend at a hotel, right?" Katelina started to ask how she knew that, and the girl smiled. "I heard it in your mind, of course! Your thoughts are very loud. I can pretend not to hear them if you'd prefer?"
"No," Katelina mumbled wearily. She was starting to feel like the masters in Munich. Why bother talking when everyone could hear what you were thinking, anyway? But there was a more important question plaguing her. "You know Jorick?"
"Oh yes! Though I haven't seen Jorick-ue for a long time. I was so excited when I heard he was coming!"
Katelina stopped eating and watched the girl through narrowed eyes. The Guild had tracked the credit card and told the Sodalitas in Munich, but who told Maeko? Was she in league with Wolfe? Or was it Sadihra? "Who told you?"
"I've known he was coming for at least a week, but no one knew when. Yesterday the Sodalitas told the Yononaka that his boat docked today, and they told the Keiri, and what the Keiri know, I know. You could say that I have connections."
So Munich had contacted the Japanese version of The Guild - the Yononaka - for back up, which meant that the identically dressed vampires at the ferry terminal were probably-
"Yes! They're Keiri! In English you'd probably call them killers or..."
"Executioners," Katelina said weakly. "But how did you know for a week?" Jorick hadn't contacted anyone that she knew of, had he?
Maeko's smile grew. "That's a surprise! Now eat up, please!"
Katelina wanted to argue, but the girl's pseudo politeness stopped her. She turned back to her fries, half of her attention on the TV in the corner. Suddenly, a familiar scene flashed across the screen. It was the ferry terminal!
Maeko turned towards the television and tilted her head to one side, as if listening to the audio that Katelina couldn't hear. "It says that the incident at the port has been resolved and that the terminal will be closed for two days due to damages caused by a Russian extremist group."
Katelina choked on her food. "Extremists? You can't tell me that no one saw the vampires? There were people everywhere!"
"People see what they want. Besides the ketsumochi changed their memories."
It was another foreign word to add to Katelina's ever growing vampire lexicon. "The what?"
"The ketsumochi follow after all the major vampire events and change the human's memories. I don't know what you call them in the U.S."
"I don't think we really have them." We. Now that was an odd choice of words. "Some of the Executioners are whisperers and they just send them in afterwards."
"Really?" Maeko's eyes lit up. "A whisperer, as you call them, would never deign to be a Keiri. All people who deal with death, or whose ancestors dealt with death, are tainted outcasts, though they say that's changing now. I don't know. I don't spend as much time with humans as I used to."
Katelina was confused enough, so she finished her meal in silence. When she was done, Maeko took the tray for her and led her back to the car. Once inside, she had a hurried conversation with Hikaru. He nodded sharply and climbed out.
The young vampiress turned to Katelina. "Hikaru-san is right; there's no reason for us all to remain targets for the Keiri. If you are agreeable, we will go to our apartment and Hikaru-san will find Jorick-ue and bring him to us. Will that be satisfactory?"
Despite the question, Hikaru was long gone, so Katelina doubted her opinion mattered. Still, it was nice to be asked. "That's fine."
"Wonderful! Then shall we go?"
***
The ride was mostly quiet. It was only as the car drew to a stop that the girl made a soft squealing sound and rubbed her hands together. "I hope you enjoy your surprise, Kate-chan!"
Katelina stiffened and suspicion surged through her. "What surprise?"
"You'll see!" Maeko chirped as the driver climbed out and opened her door with a bow. "Come, please!"
Katelina slid across the seat and out into the night. They were parked in front of a tall apartment building with wide glass double doors. Maeko led Katelina past the uniformed security men and through a shiny tiled lobby to the elevator. Katelina leaned against the wall, nervous hands concealed in her pockets. "You mentioned a surprise?"
The girl winked and placed a finger to her lips. "Just wait, please!"
The elevator opened on a private, paneled lobby. Katelina had seen enough movies to know they were at the penthouse. The shiny floor and bright lights were a change from the vampire dens she'd experienced before, and it wasn't a change she was sad about.
She followed the child to the door and waited as it was unlocked. Her mind raced as she tried to determine what kind of surprise lay in wait for her.
Inside the door was a small entry way where a row of slippers and shoes waited. Katelina took in the odd assortment of footwear. There was a pair of motorcycle boots, a set of sparkly emerald heels, a pair of tennis shoes and-
"Are you following us or what?"
