The Red Lion Hotel, Sacramento.

Olivia thought about his question for a second. "Well...It's been there for kind of a long time. I don't think it would have been towed as long as it's not in the way, and hopefully it wasn't stolen. Can you even drive it right now?" She couldn't go with them but she was concerned about the two's safety. She wanted to at least see them to their destination as long as she wasn't too much of a burden. She took a moment to open the door to the room she had so she and Argyle could gather their things. She rolled over to the bed so Praetorius could sit and began to pack. "I'll definitely go with you though, if you'd like, to see if it's still there." As she packed and thought about what to do with herself something else occured to her. All the money she had saved, plus interest, she could probably buy herself a small house. She still wasn't sure about what to do for a job though. She wasn't keen on working anywhere else and other circuses weren't as nice as the Red Star. There weren't many jobs she could do anyway. She refused to wear clothes. Perhaps she could find some way to make money on the internet. She winced a bit at the thought of that. It sounded stupid even to think. She sighed, things were uncertain; she'd just have to see how everything panned out. "So, would you like me to come with you to the motorcycle? If it did get stolen or moved, I can talk to the police and stuff for you."

Praetorious thought for a moment. "No, I suppose driving it really wouldn't be safe at this point." As if to emphasize his and Olivia's words, his right leg spasmed, causing him to almost trip. "Sorry," he said, trying to sound sincere. Today was just not his day. Or rather, the last two days hadn't been. He'd been shot in the head, attacked, and a sample of his blood was now in possession of a servant of Edo Edi Essum. If servant was what that man was. Praetorious was now itching to murder someone.

Who would it be? While he hadn't planned on attacking for at least a couple days, he had an idea or two in mind. There was Kyle A. Light, a 20-year-old small-time gangster. Praetorious was rather interested in killing him, for he had taken the Pill from the Holder of Choice. He would feel the pain more acutely than any other of Praetorious' victims. His screams would be far louder, would make the Ritual that much more intense. Of course, there was the issue of obtaining an immaterial Object. Would it pass to him when he killed Light? Or would it stay with him? He wasn't sure if killing Light before he had the answer to that question was such a good idea.

On the other hand, there was Kathryn Andrews. She was 37, a somewhat wealthy businesswoman. She had the Bow of Belief. Killing her would be somewhat tricky, since she lived in an apartment building, but that could also prove entertaining. Praetorious had some cables and ropes left over from a previous victim that would be perfect.

Oh, the possibilities. Of course, he'd have to see what his damaged brain had to say about it.

For now, though, there was the issue of getting back. "So, Argyle," he said, "can you walk? I'm not staying too far from here."

"Yeah," he said. "My body kind of hurts but I can walk."

He thought for a second as he looked down at Olivia. Praetorius was already a little uncomfortable with having Argyle stay with him, so he sure he wouldn't accept Olivia. Yet, at the same time, he didn't want to leave her completely on her own to die.

"Do you want my number?" he asked Olivia hesitantly. "Just in case you get into trouble."

"Well I certainly won't be getting into trouble. I hope." she smiled wryly. "but sure, I'll take your number. I don't know if I'll have a cell phone though." She rooted around in her bag and handed him a piece of paper and a pen to write his number down on. "Uh, well you see I don't know exactly where I'll be going. I have quite a lot of money saved but I can't really get a job anywhere..." She frowned as she tried to decide what to do. For some reason she wanted to tag along with them but she had a feeling they wouldn't appreciate the company. Argyle was at least nice to her but he was still obviously anti-social, and they were involved in things they didn't want her sticking her nose into. She didn't wanna stick her nose in their business anyway, but they were still both a little paranoid. She smiled reassuringly at Argyle. "Don't worry, I won't be homeless at all or anything. I just might have to live in something similar to a nursing home. I'm too picky to work at any other circuses. It's my own fault really." She finished packing her things and held out her hand for the paper with Argyle's number on it. She hoped she would be able to call him. "Oh and of course, once I get ahold of a phone number, call me if either of you need anything. I know you're involved in some wierd stuff but if you need a place to hide or anything like that, I'll be in touch. "

He nodded and handed her the slip of paper with her number. As it left his hand, he suddenly felt uneasy, and he was surprised. He wasn't sure what it was... Was he being too hasty in giving his number away? He was virtually a wanted criminal for all he had done as a weapons dealer, and there were many people scattered about America that wanted him dead. What if this came around and bit him?

He shook the thoughts out of his head. This woman shouldn't be dangerous, but he still felt a measure of uneasiness that he couldn't shake. He took a deep breath and looked around. It had been a troubling few days; perhaps it was just the collective stress. After being attacked time and time again, he was just ready for some relaxation. Perhaps it would help that his Cane was gone now.

She smiled and put the paper somewhere safe. Then she turned to Praetorius, " If you want, I can go pick up your motorcycle anyway, to make sure it doesn't get taken or anything." she motioned for them to follow her as she rolled. She headed to the elevator and pressed the button for the ground floor. She had decided she would buy a small house, a very small house. She would find a way to make money soon, surely. She rode down the elevator with them and exited on the ground floor. She stopped and shook their hands. "Well, I have a lot to do today. If you guys don't want me to go and make sure you get to where you're going safely, I should probably get going." She felt she would miss Argyle slightly. He was pretty cool, maybe they would come visit her sometime. Behind Argyle she saw a young boy with bright red hair and grey eyes reading a book. He looked oddly familiar. She shrugged it off and waited to see if they'd let her go with.


Chael leaned against the wall and pretended to read as his father stood right in front of him with the man who had gotten shot in the head. He smiled mischeviously. It would be fun following them to where they were going to go. He wasn't sure if he was going to kill his father right now, but he did at least want to shake him up a bit. He sucked on a caramel apple sucker. Oh how he loved those. Also perhaps if he stayed close to Argyle and the other man, the concentration of seekers would bring back Muramasa. Then he might not even have to bother with killing his father at all. Chael smiled brightly and waited anxiously for them to leave.

"Well," said Praetorious as he shook Olivia's hand, "it would be a good idea to get it back, if you can spare the time. I like that motorcycle." That was the truth, actually. It was quiet, yet aerodynamic and powerful enough that he could still achieve rather high speeds on it. He definitely wouldn't want to see it stolen.

However, there was no way he could let Olivia stay at the steel mill. Argyle was rather tolerant of the fact that he killed for pleasure, but he highly doubted that Olivia would be so understanding. Not that he blamed her, of course- he'd be apprehensive if he knew he was in the presence of a millennia-old serial killer. He'd decided on Light; he felt he deserved a treat after all he'd been through. He was sure anyone as insane as he was would sympathize.

Suddenly, a wave of apprehension struck him, as it had just a few minutes ago with the strange man. Another presence? Praetorious wished this day would end. He'd just about had enough. Still not being able to tell where the presence was, Praetorious glanced around as surreptitiously as he could, but no one in the lobby seemed a likely candidate. A red-haired boy in his very early teenage years stood out to him, but other than that he had no idea. And he doubted the boy could be much of a threat.

Argyle saw Praetorius suddenly look around him suspiciously, and the hair on the back of Argyle's hair stood on end. It was exactly the same thing he had seen him do before Marnin attacked. He clenched his teeth and looked around with him. They should probably get out of here if they were going to be attacked again. He saw his gaze come to rest on someone reading, and his own gaze followed.

Chael lowered his book slightly and waved, enthusiastically. A wide and innocent smile was on his face, belying the poison underneath.

Argyle's pupils became pinpricks. Without thinking, he grabbed Praetorius' shoulder. "Time to go. Now." He didn't think about how commanding he was being against someone proud like Praetorius, but his voice was noticeably filled with nerves, even more so than when Muramasa or Marnin had attacked.

Praetorious' reverie was shattered by a firm grip on his shoulder. He followed the hand to its owner, and he could see that Argyle was severely perturbed. His eyes had become slits, his mouth tightening around the edges. His muscles tensed visibly.

"Time to go. Now."

Was it the child reading the book? He doubted it. However, he was the only one that even faintly constituted the presence. Of course, no matter how good his sixth sense was, Argyle obviously knew something he didn't. Following him, Praetorious limped as briskly as he could, trying to keep pace.

Who was that child? By this point, Praetorious knew that he was the presence. And yet, how? He'd seen a lot, but barely pubescent children weren't high on his list of threats. But the way Argyle had reacted begged to differ. How strange... and intriguing. He would have to talk to him about it later. For now, though, there was getting out.

Pushing through the revolving door, right leg spasming awkwardly, he managed to force himself to lean against the outside wall of the building. He looked at Argyle inquisitively.

"Care to explain?"

Oliva wheeled out of the way of Argyle and Praetorius as they left quite suddenly. She stared after them for a moment, then sank down into her chair. She looked around now as well. What had spooked them both so? A young boy came up to her then. He had quite the sweet smile on his face and sparkling gleeful eyes. "Hello," Chael said with a bit of a giggle in his voice. "Do you know that man?" Olivia stared at the boy with an odd look on her face before answering. "Um....kind of..." She began to roll away but he grabbed her chair.

"Do you know where he's going?" His smile didn't change...or at least the thought it didn't. It seemed threatening somehow.

"No, I don't. I've only just met either of them, really, we haven't even specified which one you're talking about." She looked the boy over. Quite a slim figure, cute boyish face, grey eyes, red curly hair....the hair. Argyle's haircolor. It must be Argyle this boy was talking about but how on earth could he be related to...oh yes. He had had a wife, Elata had said it. But why would he run away from his own son, if this was his son.

Chael stared into her eyes and smiled his poisonous smile. "Oh Miss, you know who i'm talking about, don't be silly," he grinned widely and leaned in close to her; Olivia shrunk back.

"I do...now that I look at you, but I honestly have no idea where they're going. They didn't tell me." Chael stared at her for awhile longer and then stood back up.

"Okay! Thanks a lot anyways!" He let go of her wheelchair and skipped off. It was only after he was gone that Olivia felt a weight lift from her chest, she hadn't realized how heavy the air had become. Was it all from that boy? She shivered and waited awhile before leaving the hotel. She didn't want to catch sight of that boy again. After a few minutes she finally went out. She needed to look at some real estate. And definitely find a way to call Argyle later.

Argyle looked back at the doors, making sure that they hadn't been followed out. Then, he turned back to Praetorius, trying to soften his face. It wasn't working.

"Sorry, but it's... It's Chael. My son. No... he used to be my son. He's been with Jack Empty for about ten years now." He paused as he remembered Chael in his younger years. His ability to write complex mathematical equations at three, his ability to impossibly balance objects, be able to tell the mass and force of a flying ball just by looking at it.

"Despite how he looks, he's most likely more dangerous than Muramasa and the man that attacked us earlier."

"Your son..." Hadn't Praetorious heard about something like this? Jack Empty's children? They all seemed warped in some way, but Praetorious hadn't expected anything like that. This "Chael" seemed far more intense. He was surprised, albeit slightly. Still, though- Jack's children. He wasn't sure they existed, as the Hollow Man didn't seem like a lover of children. Praetorious certainly wasn't.

How intriguing.

"Come on, then," Praetorious said to Argyle, motioning to him as he limped off. "The place I'm staying at isn't too far, and it's also quite secure. We'll know if anyone tries to get inside. And maybe you can tell me more about Chael, if you're up to it. If he's as dangerous as you say, it would pay to have some information."

He limped further before another idea struck him.

"Why don't you come with me to return a few Objects later? Holders are remarkably eager to answer questions under the right circumstances. Maybe they'll know something."

Argyle's eyes widened. "That sounds interesting. I'd be up for that. I'd certainly like some questions answered."

He walked along with him, constantly looking behind him. He wasn't sure if Chael was following, but there was nothing he could do about it. He had better tell Praetorius more about him.

"Chael has an incredible gift. He can look at anything and tell everything about it. Mass, velocity, momentum, age, composition. Every physical property. And he is as smart as Einstein. He can throw a rubber ball from the Sears Tower and know instinctively its exact path as it bounced along, to as many decimal points as he pleased. He excels at finding solutions to any thing he sees. That probably includes predicting your movements and seeing your weak points as easily as reading a book."

He paused. "I'm pretty sure... Jack partially created him."

Chael was on his father's trail. He was far enough away that neither of them would see him, and he certainly didn't need to see them. He could smell them, he could feel the difference in the air where the other man had passed, from being part of Essum. He could see the temperature of their footsteps but he preferred to navigate by the smell of his father and the feel of the other man. It was easier than calculating the footsteps. He breathed deeply and picked out the smell. He would never forget his father's smell. He had loved it once when he was small, it's too bad Argyle hadn't felt the same. He hadn't loved anything about Chael, he had pushed him away cruelly, and he had to go through so much, feeling he was unwanted, even by Thomas. If Argyle and Bayle hadn't abandoned him then he wouldn't have had to witness Thomas dying. Though he did get Jack because of Thomas' death, it was still a little hard on Chael's mind. Jack was the only one that really wanted him. The only one who didn't take him just because he had to. He hoped he would understand what he was doing, but he wasn't going to let his mind drift too far down that path. He had more immediate things to occupy him. He could smell the men's paranoia. He walked along with a bounce in his step and a smile on his face. Tonight, he would have revenge against the man who pushed him away so cruelly. Luckily Jack had long ago taken care of his mother, he didn't have to bother with that. He still didn't yet know what he would do to Argyle, but there was nothing wrong with improvising!

"Predicting movements and weak points? Wonderful." Not another one, Praetorious thought to himself as the pink-eyed man briefly came up in his mind. "Well, let's stop by my place first so I can collect my Objects. I've also got a car back there, which we can take to the Sutter Center of Psychology. Fair enough?"

He started down the sidewalk a couple feet before his leg spasmed again. He managed to catch himself before he fell, shifting his weight to his left foot as soon as he felt himself lose control of his right. He might have a damaged brain, but he was learning.

His mind drifted to Andrews. How would he do it? She'd be discovered far too quickly if he waited in her room. People would notice when she didn't come out. Which would mean taking her somewhere outside. But then, how would he get her inside the room? That was, of course, the obvious kill zone, but he couldn't simply carry her through the building. Hmm. He could wait up in the room, he supposed, wait until no one was looking, knock her out, and pull her up the side of the building. Her room was toward the back of the building, so it wouldn't be hard to be inconspicuous about it. The only issue would be getting her to stand under the window.

Oh, how Praetorious enjoyed the planning.

"Alright, sounds like a plan," said Argyle. "Let's get going... He's probably following me. That's the only reason I can think of him being there anyway. Unfortunately... I don't know if there's any possible way to lose him."

What would Chael do to him? Kill him? That sounded too easy. Out of the many things Chael could do to him, he would prefer that. No, it was probably something much more horrible. He'd rather not think about it. He needed to...

He needed to what? An invisible goal was hanging in front of him. He was walking briskly, but not as if to escape from Chael. It was as if to get to something first. What did he want? He wanted a way to escape from this pattern of defeat. He wanted to break the pattern he was in. Whatever this may be, he needed to get it before Chael got him.

"I know we're already in a hurry, but... let's hurry."