15 Conrad Talks to John

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After dinner Taylor took his leave. John couldn't help but like the man. Before he left Taylor reviewed a map with George for her reap location, which was a bit far. John knew she had easily ghosted farther just for that reap near Corvallis, but it was far enough that George would not be back until much later. She was going to be sleeping in till late tomorrow.

John and Reggie were in a bedroom that Reggie had picked at the end of the hall. They were unpacking and putting their few things into one drawer of a large dresser. This mini suite had its own restroom and was furnished with a king size bed. There was an expansive view - same view as from the fireplace with a floor to ceiling window that reached close to the bedroom wall on either side.

Reggie said, "I like your idea of having this Conrad over for discussion."

"I still feel bad about Maria. The little I talked to her…she was a kid thrown into the deep end of the pool…and it was too much. I'm sure if we could have all talked more she would still be with us."

"That happened in front of you, right? I mean the Dark." Reggie pulled her bathroom kit out and looked for her toothbrush.

He had his own out. "Yes, it did. Right across a picnic table in the back yard of her house. Father Adair and she were sitting on one side and George and I on the other. George was, I thought, making some headway. But Maria got stubborn. She gave us a firm no, and that Dark thing appeared and she was gone." He stopped to remember that nightmare. "I'm certain that if that thing had showed itself and she knew she had just two options. Come back with us to Seattle and be a good reaper, or go with Mr. Big Bad and Dark here. I'm certain she would have elected to come back with us."

Reggie sat down on the bed. "Can George really call up that…whatever it is?"

John took a seat in an easy chair close to the bed. "I don't think she can, at least not alone. You know, this is something…and I think it's probably true for Ice…and that Henry too…they don't decide someone is to be taken by the Dark, or to dust some reaper. It's decided by that higher power, Death, or Fate maybe, and they just carry it out."

"You mean like their reaps?"

"Exactly. I know for a fact that George did not decide to throw Maria into that Dark thing. She was shocked as I was. When those two San Francisco reapers kidnapped me at the crash site and George chased them down, well, she dusted them because she was directed to do so. And I suspect when she confronts Conrad, it won't be her decision, I mean his fate won't be. She will bring the message, deliver it in front of the other reapers, and maybe the guy has a choice, or maybe, just maybe his fate is already decided. Then something will happen to the kid. Based on what I've seen, he better start toeing the line. I don't know. It's clear though that many of these reapers believe, and perhaps they're right, that reapers like Ice and George do have some choice in what punishments are delivered."

"What do you mean?"

"Think about that story with Rube and Rosie and those Chinese reapers. Ice didn't have to gut the guy before she dusted him, did she? I don't think that was part of the directive from on high, but as Taylor said what's his name, Jung, I think, annoyed her so she gave him a nasty send off."

John caught sight of a young man ghosting through the wall. He stopped next to John. He appeared so Reggie could see him too. "Mr. Merryweather?"

John stood up. "Shit." He put both hands up. "You're Conrad?"

"Yes. I am. I'm sorry for this, I really am, but I need you to come with me."

"Look, Conrad, wait just a second. Don't do this. George and you can have a nice talk, but if you pull something rash she will get in a real pissed off way and…"

"Mr. Merryweather, people are dying every day, every hour, and every minute all over this world. They can't wait. I have to do what I have to do to stop all that from continuing. I believe you can help."

"How can I help?" As soon as the words were out he regretted them.

He smiled. "Yes, how can you help? Let me show you."

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Reggie sat down on the bed. Conrad ghosted John somewhere to show him something. OK. She didn't see this coming. But why was their only reaper off far away right fucking now? John was right though. George may have been willing to talk before, but she would hunt that little Saint Sanctimonious Conrad down and, well… She left the room to find Grace and Mom.

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Grace sat with Reggie and Joy around the fireplace waiting staring into the fire. She and Joy were wearing their sleep wear and robes. Reggie was still in her street clothes. Grace took her eyes from the fire and looked around the awesome penthouse they were given. It didn't seem so great now. What could go wrong tagging along with an agent of Death on a mission to possibly execute a few other agents who, it seemed obvious now, might not go along with the plan? It never occurred to her there could be casualties - not her, not her brother. She couldn't see much of the furnishings. The light was too dim and most of the room was in deep shadow. The only light was from the fire and augmented by what came through the window from the San Francisco night lights. No one seemed to notice the view anymore. No one could sleep or wanted to sleep. With John in danger Grace wanted to stay together around this fire.

She asked eyes locked on the fire, "What do you think this Conrad wants with him?"

Joy answered, "I'm…I'm sure he just wants to talk and tomorrow everything…"

Reggie cut her off, "When George gets back she may be able to sense where he is, and then get him back."

Neither Reggie nor Joy seemed to want to speculate, especially on the darker possibilities. She didn't know George well, but John had told her something of her, and based on what she had learned about George's temperament, Conrad had made a wrong choice. Reggie's big sister would not take this making off with John well and one thing was clear - she tended towards a short temper - aggravated by sleep deprivation, which would be the case tonight. And then, she had a dark side or more accurately a capacity to lean toward the dark side. He told her once about how much death these reapers were exposed to day after day. George was running off to do reaps every day and night. It had to have an effect. Conrad it seemed maybe reached some personal limit early and broke. That would be understandable. Taylor didn't give them too many details, but what she heard, it was no wonder the guy was a bit off. He didn't ask to become a reaper. One thing she learned from this trip is that being selected to become a reaper was not like winning the lottery. Because she knew so much and was so close to these reapers was it now more likely that she would become one after she died? That did not seem like a good thing at all. She felt a presence at the front atrium. She looked over that way and…yes. It was George. She was standing there - just…standing there. She must have ghosted inside because the door didn't open and close. When she did things like this appearing from nothing it really did disturb her. How long had she been there…just watching them? She must already know John is not anywhere nearby. She didn't know George when she was alive. Now, at a glance she looked young, but closer up in a conversation when she could interact with her eyes, windows into the soul John once said to her, then George seemed older. No wonder Joy was so put off by having her daughter come back from the dead. Reggie was more flexible, actually a lot more flexible than her mother.

Grace stood up and spoke to the statue in the foyer. "George. Conrad took John…to show him something he said."

George didn't say anything. She took a few steps towards them. She was more in deep shadow than not. The feeble light from the fireplace and the city night lights coming through the window strained to reveal any details leaving her more a broken silhouette against the white marble than a defined form. She was wearing that long black hoodie she preferred on her jobs. It seemed amusing at first wearing a black long sleeved sweatshirt with an oversize hoodie. A bit over the top for a genuine grim reaper, but it wasn't funny at all now. Even with the hood down and her long blonde hair falling over her shoulders she was a natural part of the dark dominating the room. She really was more of it than in it. All three of them were standing. George moved closer. Her face caught some of the flickering light from the fireplace and Grace wanted to hide from her. There was no greeting smile. Her face was stone cold impassive part of the marble. She looked dangerous. Would she tell them if any or all of them got appointments? Grace had heard her say that if they did, she would collect their souls, she wouldn't stop them like this Conrad was doing. Death seemed so far away when she had heard that before. She knew seeing her face here that it was true.

George turned her face from them and walked over to the bar, picked up something, a bottle of water probably, and took a long drink. She turned around seemed to be studying them. They were all waiting for her to react. She said, "OK."

Joy worry in her voice asked, "Aren't you going to do something?"

George walked out of the deep shadows to within range of the fireplace light. They could see her face more clearly and Grace did not find it reassuring. "What do you want me to do?"

Joy said, "Go get him." Her voice was climbing.

George sat down on a couch. Grace and Reggie sat down too. She said, "I don't know where he is. Conrad likely took him to his morning reap."

Joy still standing said, "Then you know where he took him?"

"No. But I will find out from Taylor."

"So?"

"So, Saint Conrad is not going to hurt him. He just wants to show him something…and force him to choose…or pretend to."

Joy sat down and narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean by that? Force him to choose what?"

Reggie spoke up, "Conrad said he thought John could help him, just before he took him that's what he said."

George answered Reggie but with her eyes on Joy, "Conrad will take John to his morning reap and tell John whether his reap dies or not is up to him. He will likely pretend to force John to choose, but John won't fall for that. He knows Saint Conrad won't let anyone come to harm, least of all John, or even the person with the appointment. No. What Conrad wants is to get John on his side."

Joy followed up. "How will taking him like this get him on his side? And, for that matter, why does he think that will do him any good?"

"Conrad was alive only a few months ago. John is one of the living now. Conrad will force him to confront the natural instinct of the living to preserve life. That instinct is still running strong through Conrad's thinking, and is contained within his self-image, his self-identity. And then he believes that forcing John to face that particular moral dilemma might convert him to his way of thinking. And, Conrad is meticulous and he probably knows John and I have a history, that I ghosted him. It's well known among reapers especially in San Francisco that I saved him from those two reapers I dusted last year. Now that I'm here and his revolution is coming to an end he figures he has few cards left to play. If he can get John to see the rightness of his cause then John can become his ally to get me in turn to join in his revolution. Because he is so young, he does not appreciate how older reapers have….lost that sense of being one of the living. We hide among you…but are not one of you." George paused to check each of them in turn. Grace put her hands together. She knew on one level what she was saying was true, but some part of her regretted ever showing up at that cemetery to meet her great great undead ancestor. She could have remained ignorant of all this stuff. She forced herself to focus on George's words. "In his mind it's possible for reapers to force Death to change course."

Joy asked, "But isn't it? Couldn't you decide to join this revolution and maybe this Conrad is right? Maybe he's starting something good… Maybe…"

George leaned closer towards Joy. Joy reflexively pulled back. Grace hadn't realized until this moment just how afraid Joy was of her daughter…former daughter in her mind. George said, "Conrad still sees himself as one of the living." She smiled at Joy. Grace was not the object of that focused attention but something cold went down her own spine. George's eyes were saying better than her words that she was well aware that she was not one of them. She was a grim reaper - a collector of souls. "He foolishly believes his little fairy tale that he can subvert the will of Fate. He has no more chance of succeeding than a mayfly has of stopping the afternoon sun."

Joy watched her. Joy made no secret of her belief that George worked for the down under team. But John was in danger and George was practically the only one who might do something about that disturbing fact. She cleared her throat and asked, "So what are you going to do?"

George took another drink from her bottle. "I will call Taylor. Get the reap details. And maybe…maybe I will be nearby when it goes down. Just in case."

"Just in case of what?"

"Just in case I'm wrong and Conrad has too many loose circuits. And if that's the case I will squish the little mayfly then and there."

Joy smiled, like for once she appreciated having an ex-daughter working for the down under team.