Chapter Eight: Inconvenience

Garfield pulled his new red Saleen Mustang in front of the restaurant. He got a phone call earlier today from Victor to meet up with him this afternoon. Garfield hadn't realized that it had been two weeks since he became a Messor. The man didn't have any time for his friend. He was either doing his homework, going to class, sleeping, and doing his uncover duties as a Messor. Garfield realized that this job was simple and he was able to balance it with his schoolwork. The only thing he didn't have time for was to hang out with his friends. Finally, he had an afternoon free from college and work. He now considered being a Messor his new job. After all, he was able to trade in his old raggedy car to purchase his new Mustang.

The man walked into the restaurant and noticed Victor sitting near the farthest window. Garfield walked casually towards his best friend. Victor was smiling as he held out a glass of soda. Garfield greeted him and Victor welcomed him to the table.

"What's up man?" Victor said "Haven't seen you in weeks or heard from you until today."

"Sorry dude. I've just been really busy lately. I'm sorry I haven't been in touch with you." Garfield replied.

"It's fine man. I just wanted to keep in touch with you." Victor said "How have you been since Marshall got left?"

It has been weeks since Marshall's murder and Garfield barley remembered him. He hated lying to his best friend, but what could he say. Oh I've been just fine. I haven't thought about him since he was slaughtered by demons. Oh and by the way, I have his job now.Victor might call him insane. "It's been tough. I miss his snoring from the other side of the apartment. He didn't even say goodbye. Marshall packed all of his belongings and then left. I haven't seen him since we left the night club." Garfield spoke.

"I see. It's weird that he's gone. You'd think he'd leave a note or a phone number to call him. No one has heard from him, but he probably moved back home. He might show up in the future." Victor said taking a drink of his soda. A waitress came around and Garfield ordered a soda as well.

"I couldn't help but notice, you have a new car. Where did you steal that from?" Victor said smiling knowing his friend would never do such a crime.

"That's my car dude." Garfield replied.

"Damn, and where did you get the money for that?" Victor asked in curiosity.

Garfield was speechless. He had never come up with an excuse for the car. It was indeed his car, but he worked as a Messor to get the car. Victor knew Garfield would never dip into his parent's live insurance money they left him after their death. Garfield refused to touch the money. He worked for scholarships for college and did not need any loans. The man was saving the money for the future. He simply said this, "Oh funny Vic. It's my car. I've been working a new job at the animal control."

Victor raised his eyebrow and gave the man a questionable look. "Now how the hell did you get that job? I thought you hated animal control."

"I did before I worked there, but now as I experience it, it's not as bad as I thought about it. The job does have its cons, but the benefits outweigh them. I saved up some money and traded in my crappy car for this sweet mustang." Garfield said hiding behind his lies. Victor just nodded.

"I thought either that, or you found a girlfriend with a lot of money." Victor said poking fun at his friend.

"Oh funny funny Vic." Garfield said and suddenly his phone began to ring. He sighed in frustration and gave his friend a sad look asking if he could answer it. Victor replied with a nod and Garfield gave his friend a reassuring smile. Garfield took his phone from his pocket and looked at the caller identification. The screen read, "Raven" and Garfield frowned in frustration. It was his afternoon free from school and she was pulling him into a mission for tonight. He would have to admit, it was getting tiresome. Knowing if he didn't answer the phone, the man would surely feel the woman's wrath. So, he answered the phone with a cold greeting.

"Yes?" he answered coldly to the woman on the other side of the phone.

"Hello to you as well Mr. Logan. I don't even want to bother asking how you are, as I can see you are quite fine with something stuck up your ass."Raven said irritated.

Feeling her anger, Garfield sighed and relieved his frustration. "Sorry. What is it you want? I'm kinda busy at this moment."

"Well excuse me as I take time out of my day to tell you of your mission tonight.But,I guess I have to move my planner around. I need to fit in your demise. Let's see, let's see. Hmm, I'm debating whether I should hunt you down now, or wait until later tonight. Oh what to do, what to do?"the woman spoke with her cynical, yet graceful voice. Instantly, her calm tone seemed to strike fear in the man.

"Listen, I'm sorry. What about tonight?" Garfield apologized. Victor looked over the man across form him with a questionable look. Victor can clearly hear that it was a woman's voice on the other side of the line. Victor became suspicious.

"I may have to disregard your previous attitude. Anyway, we have an important mission tonight that needs some preparation and informing. I need you here within the hour. Fail to follow instructions, and I may have to follow through with my scheduling plans."Raven said.

Feeling disappointment, he agreed to meet her and hung up after they ended the phone call. Garfield looked over to his friend and Victor had a smile on his face.

"What?" Garfield asked.

"Nothing man. You don't need to lie to me man. I know you were just talking to girl and she sounded pissed. Are you sure you don't have a girlfriend?" Victor asked leaning forward.

Garfield stood up for his seat and gave his friend the money for his drink he did not receive yet. "I told you, I don't have a girlfriend. The woman I was talking to was my boss and she wants me to come in now. Sorry I have to cut this short, but she will ring my neck if I don't show up on time."

"Sounds like a girlfriend, but whatever you want to call it. I guess I'll see you later." Victor waved goodbye and watched his friend leave the restaurant. Garfield's drink arrived and Victor drank it.

Garfield parked his mustang in the parking garage. He finally got a parking permit and the code to enter the facility. He trudged through the hallway, elevator, and the Raven's office. He knocked and without hearing a voice, he entered. He found the woman not fully dressed. She wore a thin black undershirt showing a glimpse of her red bra, and she wore black lacey underwear. Startled, she moved her trench coat to cover herself. Garfield was immediately embarrassed and exited the room. His cheeks were hot and beating red. The man would have to admit, she had a body of a supermodel. She was thin and her breasts were larger than they looked when under her trench coat. He thought that she looked . . . sexy. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear the door behind him open and fell on the floor. His head ached from the fall and looked up to discover Raven sheering mad. Her amethyst eyes glared into his eyes. Garfield quickly scooted away from her and stood up. He was instantly scared, and knew he was surely dead. She glared at him with her cold and focused eyes for moments and she spoke.

"You've been here for this amount of time and you clearly do not remember not to enter my office without me saying to come in or not." Raven said leaning against the door seal. Garfield gulped.

"My bad. I'm sorry." he said under his breath.

She raised an eyebrow. "Just act like you didn't see anything okay?"

"I didn't see what?" he said playfully. She simply scowled and motioned for him to enter her office. Garfield hesitantly entered the room and sat in to chair across form her desk. She walked over to her desk and held out a photograph. The photograph showed two men that looked similar. They were both pale, and had dark hair. There was only one difference, one had crimson eyes and the other had dark brown eyes.

"For our mission tonight, I need you to go after the man on the left." She pointed to the man with the blood red eyes. "The others are occupied at the moment and I need you to go after this one. He has a twin brother and he has some information quite valuable to us. I need you to lure him outside and I will take care of him. This is a strong demon and I need you to be armed and cautious. I don't need him or his brother dead. Please don't do anything impulsive either. Do I make myself clear?" Garfield nodded. "Good, Cleaver gave you your weapons. After the others have finished their tasks, they will meet up with us. We leave in half a hour and we will leave in my car."

"Sounds fine." Garfield said looking down at the picture. The picture next to the demon appeared strange. If these two were twin brothers, wouldn't it make sense that both men were both demons? But the man on the right appeared to be normal. He didn't ask Raven, but he left the room. Without saying goodbye Raven laid her head on her desk in frustration. Suddenly, there was a knock on her door.

"I'm decent." She said with her voice muffed. The door opened.

"I'm glad to hear that Miss Raven." Dante said with a clipboard in his hands. "I've got the results from the lab." Instantly Raven lifted her head from the desk.

"Well?" she urged the man to speak.

"The lab went through all the tests we had, but everything came up negative. He's a normal human being."

"Then what will explain what happened during training?"

Dante shrugged. "A sudden rush of adrenaline?"

"Like hell it was. Something in his aura changed. His domineer changed and he was not a human when he fought that demon. Something has to be explained. That wasn't a case of an adrenaline rush I swear to you."

Dante raised an eyebrow. "What do you swear on? Your father's life?" he said bitterly.

Raven slammed her fists against the desk making Dante slightly shaking. "Don't you dare mention him. I don't have anything to swear upon. Besides, I've already sworn on my mother's grave and I'm keeping that promise. If you know what's good for you, leave now." she shot with venom in her voice. Dante immediately scrambled out of the room leaving a trail of fear behind him.

Raven leaned back in her chair looking up at her ceiling. She reached into her trench coat pocket trying to feel for her cigarette box. She found the box and opened it. To her disappointment, there were none left.

Damnshe spoke to herself. She stared at the ceiling for some time having the image of Garfield Logan in her mind.

"What the hell are you?" she questioned to the empty atmosphere.