Benny sat at his desk in the Grey's office building, packing up some of the papers he needed into a manila folder. He and Mr. Grey were meeting with some new investors in five minutes. As Benny closed the folder and started to get up from the desk, the phone started ringing.
"Mr. Coffin," he greeted. "Oh, hello, Allison. No, I didn't forget. I'll be home right after the meeting. Okay, I'll see you then. I love you, too. Bye." Benny hung up with a smile on his face before glancing up at the clock. He'd better leave now if he wanted to make it in time for the meeting. Tucking the folder filled with the needed files under his arm, Benny exited his office and proceeded down the hall. However, as he neared the end of the hall, he heard the sound of an argument around the corner. And one of the voices sounded very familiar. Barely believing that he'd be here, Benny turned the corner, confirming his suspicion. From the looks of it, one of his subordinates at work was attempting to throw a pair of young men out. One of them Benny knew only by face, not by name, and remembered seeing him on stage as part of Roger's old pre-heroin band. But he'd never have any trouble recognizing Mark.
"Listen, you two," the subordinate was saying. "You can't just come running in here and expect to see Mr. Coffin just like that."
"But you don't understand," the band member was saying. "We need to see him right now. It's important."
"Mr. Coffin is a busy man, and he's due at a meeting, one that is far more important then anything you'd have to say."
"Mark?" Benny took that moment to interrupt, walking up to the three arguing men. "What's going on?"
"It's Roger," Mark explained. "He left the Condo late last night, saying Robbie had called him up."
"Even though I never did," Robbie added.
"Anyway, he never came back home, and now no one knows where he is," Mark concluded.
"Hasn't he contacted Mimi at least?" Benny frowned in concern for his old friend.
"That's why we're so worried. No one's heard from him at all." Benny winced internally, remembering. This was just how it started when Mimi had disappeared, after Angel had died and Roger ran off to Santa Fe. But this time, there was one major difference. Roger didn't have any obvious motive for disappearing. Last he'd checked, Roger had been quite happy with his life, and with his family.
"What can I do?" Benny asked finally.
"We're trying to find Roger in any place he would normally be," Robbie clarified.
"In that case," Benny announced, "I'm coming with you."
"Mr. Coffin!" the subordinate suddenly cried out, aghast. "Mr. Grey is counting on you at the meeting."
"You can tell him that I'm sorry, but something important came up," Benny insisted.
"This meeting is important," the subordinate argued. Benny stood firm for a moment, fixing the subordinate with a piercing stare.
"Buisness and meetings were my top priority before," he replied finally. "And it nearly cost me something more important. You may tell Mr. Grey that I had a valid excuse for missing this meeting, and that I'll make up the time later, when you deliver these papers for me." Without another word, Benny pushed the manila folder into the subordinate's hand and followed Robbie and Mark to the elevator.
The stars that would have been shining brightly that night were completely obscured by the dark rain clouds that sent torrents of water pouring down to the city streets. The light of the streetlamps cast their luminescence on the rapidly forming puddles on the pavement. Because of the weather, the sidewalks were deserted, apart from one teenaged boy heading home from a late night out with his buddies. The boy jogged down the street, using a newspaper as an umbrella, his feet sending up splashes of water that drenched the legs of his pants. He was unaware of the two ominous figures surveying his nightly amble from the rooftops.
Kain sneered at the boy before turning to Crimson, who was watching the hapless boy intently, the way a hungry wolf would watch a deer.
"Crimson," Kain spoke authoritatively. "This will be your first hunt, so it is very important you make it yours."
"I understand, Master," Crimson nodded, waiting until the boy was in front of an alleyway before he leapt off the roof, flying like a jet toward the unsuspecting boy. Within seconds, Crimson collided with his victim, sending the two of them back into the alley as the boy let out a startled cry. Crimson effortlessly pinned his hunt to the ground, feeling a twisted satisfaction from seeing the unparalleled fear in the boy's face at the sight of his attacker. The terror that was given off from the struggling victim intensified the smell of his blood, making Crimson's hunger grow even stronger. Relishing in the boy's tangible horror and his pathetic struggles, Crimson bent down, sinking his fangs deep into his prey's neck. Immediately, the warmth of the boy's blood flowed into Crimson's mouth, drenching his tongue in its strong, sticky taste. The struggles of the boy were growing feebler by the moment, until, with a shuttering gasp, the body went limp. Finished with his feeding, Crimson returned to his feet, wiping away a small trickle of the ruby liquid that had escaped his mouth to flow down the corner of his stained lips. Crimson's tongue darted out to lick away the blood from his finger. Turning, he saw Kain at the entrance to the alley, watching with approval.
"You are becoming more of a find every moment, Crimson," Kain complemented. "I have never seen such a fast learner."
"Thank you, Master," Crimson accepted the praise. "Where do we feed next?"
"Wherever you like," Kain waved an arm toward the city in an invitation to go off. "This is a large city, Crimson. There are plenty of mortals out there for the both of us to feed to our satisfaction. But be sure to be back before dawn."
"I will be," Crimson smiled, filled with anticipation for his free rein on the city.
Mark made his way out of the subway station in poor spirits. He, Robbie and Benny had searched everywhere, but to no avail. At ten thirty, they had to call off the search for the night, and Benny and Robbie had both went to their separate homes, with Robbie accepting Mark's offer to let Rupert and Jerry stay at the Condo for the night, since it was so late and because the boys were probably both asleep by now anyway.
As Mark made the journey back to the Condo, he tried to prepare himself to break the news to Mimi that they hadn't found any sign of Roger. He couldn't stand to see his friend this worried and devastated. He hoped he and Emily could get her calm enough for her to get at least some sleep. He remembered when it had been Mimi who had been missing. Roger had barely slept that whole time, and was out looking nearly every second. The only time he'd give in and get some rest is when the others would promise they'd be looking while he slept.
"Roger, you better be okay, for Mimi and Rodolfo's sakes if nothing else," Mark muttered, half to himself, and half to the night, as he entered the building to head up to the Condo, unaware that he had just been targeted by the figure in the shadows who had followed him from the subway stop.