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A great many characters in the subsequent parts of this story don't belong to me. Click here to see my usual standard disclaimer.
Brooklyn, New York
The sun had set hours ago, taking with it not only the light but also the heat it had been providing as well. The lights in the neighboring houses cast a slight glow onto the sidewalk. The rest of the sparse lighting was provided by the streetlights. One of which only worked when it felt like it. A streetlight with an attitude, only in New York.
Reina Molestador inhaled deeply as she stepped out into the crisp autumn air, wrapping her trench coat around her 5'9" frame. Fall was one of her favorite times of the year. The other time being spring. Since becoming immortal, or more aptly, since entering the game, Reina found extreme temperatures even more intolerable than she had before dying for the first time. In the year and a half since her first death she'd endured sweltering heat and blistering cold. The draft from an open trench coat allowing cold air in the winter and the presence of the trench coat in the summer made her uncomfortable. Now she understood why Reynaldo wore those God-awful bulky sweaters in the wintertime. Immortality may have its advantages but personal comfort out of doors was not one of them. She almost wished that she had been alive during the days when swords were carried openly.
Reina shook her head as though to shake the wistful thoughts from her head. She had more interesting and amusing things to occupy her mind, such as what she was going to do this weekend. Reynaldo Montoya, her teacher, godfather, and friend was expecting guests for the weekend. He had refused to tell her who was coming, saying that it was a surprise. Reina hated surprises. She looked at her watch. They were going to be late. She turned toward the house looking for Reynaldo.
Reynaldo Montoya descended the stairs, surprised that Reina, his student and goddaughter was waiting for him. No matter what his young protégé said, in his vast experience, all women had no sense of time and were frequently late. Reina, despite her claim to the contrary, was no exception.
"We're going to be late," she said nonchalantly. She was trying not to smirk.
"You're right. We'd better hurry."
"Are you sure you don't want to take my car?" Reina asked sweetly.
Reynaldo swallowed the lump that threatened to form in his throat. He was over 800 years old; he lived through the inquisition and had been through countless sword fights. He survived Franco, but the idea of sitting in the passenger seat of a car while Reina drove terrified him.
"That will not be necessary Niñita," he said a little too quickly. "Your car is too small. If you are not willing to sit in the back seat of it, you certainly can't expect our guests to do so."
Reina smiled knowingly. "I offered," she said as though she suspected nothing.
"Come on. Let us go before…," Reynaldo stopped in mid-sentence, his senses heightened at another immortal's presence.
Both student and teacher turned toward the newcomer.
"Reynaldo Montoya. It has been a long time," the newcomer said.
"Well, if it isn't Mark Tuttle. It has been a long time."
"I have taken a few heads since our last meeting."
"So I've heard," Reynaldo said, unimpressed. "Although you haven't taken any fairly. You have no honor."
"You sound like one of those Klingons your student is so fond of watching," Mark sneered.
"You could learn a thing or two from the show," Reynaldo told him.
"Go away little girl, we have business to take care of, Reynaldo and I," Mark said turning his attention to Reina.
"Little girl?" Reina repeated indignantly.
Reynaldo ignored Mark Tuttle's obvious attempts to bait his student. "Reina, you have the flight and gate information. Go pick up our guests."
"But…."
"¡Reina, vaya!"
"But he's a cheat!"
"Let me worry about that."
"What a sharp tongue this one has," Mark laughed. "I thought you would have tamed her by now. Sometimes I yearn for the days when women knew their place."
"You're a pig!" Reina spat.
"Perhaps."
"Reina," Reynaldo turned to his student. "¡Vaya ahora por favor! I'll see you when you get back."
"How am I supposed to know who I'm picking up?"
"You'll know Niñita. Now go!"
"But...."
"Go!"
Reina took one last look at the offensive immortal before heading for her car. The last thing she saw as she pulled away was the smug grin which crossed Mark Tuttle's face.
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