Two Dead Guys In A Cab

[beastly]

It wasn't anything like home. New boss, new streets, new people, new buildings. Jonny didn't so much hate it as much as he felt completely overwhelmed, lost, a fish on the pavement. In an effort to try and adjust, form a new routine, the ghost had begun wandering when he wasn't needed. The streets and roads were alien, though, wrong in a way that made something inside his cold dead chest crawl. Nothing was right.

Frustrated and uncomfortable, Jonny had recently taken to carrying out a classic haunting. The disappearing passenger. It was simple, you hailed a cab, rode across town, and when the vehicle took a turn, you phased through the cab. It wasn't anything special, nor particularly exciting, but it was familiar. Jonny had pulled it for years in New York, and right then he needed a little familiarity to anchor himself. It was a craving for repetition.

A cold friday night, and Jonny was eager to run the haunting. The airport was always a solid bet, and that was where the ghost was currently. He stood on the sidewalk and smoothed his suit, sharp eyes scanning the vehicles arriving, departing, and waiting. Things had gotten more tricky with technology, apparently a lot of things happened on the line. Finally, he made eye contact with a driver, and approached.

"Evening, gotta get to," Jonny paused for touristic effect, " 'Noble Mills Hotel'. You do that?"

The hotel was on the opposite side if town, he'd made a point to look into it earlier in the week. He grinned.

[jarahamee]

It wasn’t quite the yellow cabs that Jonny was used to; this was a sleek, black car, not unlike unmarked government cars, though it carried the familiar taxi sign and license he had come to know and probably love. The door popped open of its own accord, without the cabbie’s help, but that wasn’t really unusual either with newer cars. As Jonny entered, the driver turned around a little where he sat, the barest sliver of his pale face visible as he listened to his passenger.

The fellow was different than most of the drivers that Jonny had summoned. Moon pale with almost-white blond hair, he looked as if he hadn’t seen the sun in a very long time. Maybe he was one of those albinos that Jonny had heard about. Even his eyes were light in color; an almost grey blue that reflected the moon’s light. He wore a very dark business-type suit with a reddish shirt and a dark tie. Unusual to wear given his job but not so unusual that he hadn’t seem it. Maybe he was jut a lady’s man.

As Jonny seated himself and addressed his driver, the driver merely nodded and plugged the address into the GPS before he started driving, and pressed one of the buttons on the radio.

Eerie, echoing music sputtered out of the car’s stereo system, from at least four decades past. Beautiful but a little discordant, haunting, meshed with synthesizers. This guy was either really into music or maybe was something of a retro sound fanatic.

After they were driving for a little while, the driver turned over his shoulder, smiling faintly;

“So, what brings you to Noble Mills? Are you here on business, Mr….”

[beastly]

Jonny blinked at the self-opening door, intrigued, and carefully climbed inside the vehicle. Once seated, the ghost took in the driver, passingly curious about the man. Maybe he was an albino? Should the eyes be red, then? There was something else there, something he couldn't put his finger on. Whatever the case, he liked the guy's suit. Not enough modern men took care about their appearances, in Jonny's opinion. Fashion now days wasn't what it had been. He counted himself lucky to be eternally stuck in his own suit, his good suit.

He'd seen a GPS enough times that he didn't gawk, but was quietly impressed. The music wasn't old enough to be anything Jonny found familiar, but he was able to identify that it wasn't currently what was being played on radios. Interesting.

"Jon's just fine," the ghost provided a grin in return, modern people were less formal, " Yeah, business. Security, nothing to write home about. What's your name, pal?"

Jonny liked to jaw with cabbies, make things up. He liked to think it made a bigger impact if someone you were talking with just up and vanished. ...And maybe the company was nice.

[jarahamee]

“I’m Ru, it’s nice to meet you, Jon.”

He leaned back in his seat, gently breaking as he meshed with the flow of traffic. It was a pleasant evening, the cool evening air transitioning into deeping foggy night. It was pleasant, this early evening time. He used to prefer this time for hunting whenever possible. People were rarely drunk enough to make his efforts easy, but his interactions felt more natural, less forced and awkward.

He turned his head a little, his pale eyes making contact with those of the man behind him. Though his expression was calm, a certain chill went through his undead spine. It always did in the presence of the dead.

A spirit… clearly, truly. The one that he was hunting for. The ‘taxi cab haunt’ so to speak. His tips had been spot on. A male ghost, sharp features, looked kind of old-timey, disappeared in a cab after chatting up a cabbie.

Ru swallowed hard. He always hated this part because spirits could become confused, restless or aggressive once he started to break their delusions. He had never met a ghost who could seriously hurt him, but he knew some existed, and there was always a first time for everything, right?

“So… security..Was that what you did? Do you have any family? People you love and miss, Jon?”

[beastly]

"You as well," the ghost nodded, settling into the routine. He looked out the window briefly, watching the unfamiliar city pass them by. That part was wrong, but he didn't need to look out the window. His dark brown eyes found their way back up to the rearview mirror, looking at the pale man.

His face scrunched up briefly in confusion at Ru's next words, the incredibly personal questions were not fitting the scenario.

"I- what?"

The gears in the dead man's head spun and clunked as he tried to assess the situation, pausing noticeably as he blinked at Ru. The cabbie was asking about his family, using the past tense 'did'...? Did he have people he loved and missed? Finally, it clicked and the confusion on Jonny's face turned into disappointment, then irritation. Somehow, the guy knew he was a ghost. It didn't occur that maybe he'd been a little messy with his hauntings.

"No, see, I'm not doing the sad ghost questions- what is this??"

A ghost hunter? The spirit squinted, looking for cameras.

[jarahamee]

“Sad..ghost questions?”

As Jonny looked in the mirror, he saw no reflection looking back at him. At first this seemed a little strange, then, outright impossible considering the angle the driver was sitting at. As if challenging physical probability, the driver looked casually over his shoulder, and then leaned against the center console of the front seat.

“I’m here to help you, Jon. I want to do what I can so that you can be comfortable, either in this world or the next.”

The vampire’s pale eyes caught the yellow sheen of the moon’s light, glowing faintly greenish. A flash of wolf-like fangs as he spoke. His thin fingers were spider-like, even in gloves, perching upon the steering wheel. There was something otherworldly about his mannerisms and his beauty, his fine features were just a little too handsome.

[beastly]

Jonny sat, thoroughly confused, eyes shifting from Ru's face to the mirror. What a strange, beautiful man. There was something in the way his eyes shone, it didn't feel right. And he was talking about 'helping' him. It didn't seem like somebody stumbling around trying to talk to spirits, either. He didn't see a camera, not that it meant there wasn't one. No, the suit and bus were too ritzy for that. Something wasn't adding up, but Jonathan Angello had never been very good at math.

"Drop the head doctor baloney, what do you want?"

The ghost frowned hard at Ru, still trying to puzzle together what was going on and determine if there was a threat. Obviously, he wasn't there to just talk. He had to want something- information about the boss? He felt it was probably something in that ballpark. He considered leaving the cab right there and then, but he wanted more information himself now.

[jarahamee]

Ru looked back over his shoulder, dropping in speed as he did so. The last thing he needed was a crash on his records to go along with the one that ‘killed’ him. He somehow felt a little better about being such an obvious vampire, knowing people thought the pale skin, the make-up and everything were just part of his whole goth routine.

And maybe that was how it was meant to be. He really didn’t mind looking three hundred years old, when he was only thirty years old. Maybe someday, he’d even like it, if it was true, like Sarkany said, that there was no way to make him human again. A part of him did not want to admit the man might be right, but something in his gut told him that it must be.

“I’m a social worker, for ghosts. My job is to make sure you have everything you need to be happy and comfortable, and, if you want, to move on from this world.”

He did his best to sound friendly and reasonable. If this ghost was as self-aware as he was, then maybe this would help disarm him. Honesty was the best remedy, or so he thought. The vampire then smiled, in what he hoped was a comforting way.

“This is an old city, with a lot of spirits who could use a little bit of assistance.”

[beastly]

Jonny's expression softened, and he leaned back in his seat, looking the man over again. He seemed honest enough, and from what he'd been told Wathais had a heavy supernatural presence. 'Ghost social worker' wouldn't be a stretch. It didn't seem like a lie.

"You help ghosts?"

Jonny tilted his head, thinking. There was no help for him, of course. Hell was the only thing waiting for him beyond earth, and a hundred year old mistake ensured he was stuck in his current situation. His soul was beyond help, and that was his own fault. He cracked a grin and gestured broadly to the back seat around him.

"Everything's copacetic here, I don't need any help."

[jarahamee]

Ru’s eyes widened a little bit as he processed the ghost’s words. The vampire’s jaw worked. He didn’t need help? Then why was he still on the mortal plane? If ghosts were happy, didn’t they move on? Was he bound here? Did he bind himself on purpose?

“I do help ghosts. I want to make sure they have the happiest arrangement they possibly can, no matter what the circumstances.”

He paused, hesitating as he considered all the options, and then made a cough sound, which functioned more to give him a moment to think more than anything else. The vampire rested a single hand on the steering wheel, moving it gently from side to side as he drove down the turnpike. Ru then smiled faintly;

“I… know normally when people are happy, they move on. Were you bound here? Do you have business to finish? Is someone holding you captive? I just want to make sure you are free.”

[beastly]

Jonny's grin twitched. Ru was getting a bit too close to the truth for his comfort. Not that he needed to let the man know that. He absently grabbed his lighter from his pocket, turning it over in one of his hands. It was a gold little box, a fancy little thing. His thumb smoothed over the engraving on the bottom.

"I said, I don't need help," the ghost shrugged, " You can't help me."

He fiddled with the lighter, looking Ru over again, and it hit him. Fangs, weirdly pretty, pale, strange aura-. Jonny snapped his fingers and pointed at Ru.

"You're a blood drinker! A vampire!"

Jonny suddenly seemed much more animated, grinning broadly, and appeared to be very pleased with himself for figuring out Ru's 'hidden identity'.

[jarahamee]

“What do you mean, I can’t help you? Are you trapped?”

Ru’s voice suddenly became somber as a ghost’s himself. Ru had drifted towards the curb, pulling the car in as if considering stopping there. There was something oddly personal in the way he said ‘trapped,’ but he was quickly distracted by the rest of what the ghost had to say.

“A..blood…well… yes, I am a vampire. That’s how I was able to tell you were a ghost. I have that power that came with becoming undead.”

The vampire sounded oddly resigned to his fate. For whatever reason, he didn’t find the subject of being a vampire very exciting. Perhaps he was turned against his will. Or maybe undeath wasn’t all it was hyped up to be. Either way, he continued driving, slowly.

“Are you bound to something? Or someone? Here? I can help you escape from it. We have magic specialists in my department. Or we can even rebind you to something else you have more control of if you want…that way you…you know…”

He gestured towards the darkness of night and the pale yellow glow of the moon.

[beastly]

His grin faltered entirely. Jonny needed to stop this train of conversation. He felt guilt and paranoia settle in his ghostly insides even hearing Ru talk about it. In part because, to some small corner of his mind, it was tempting, which sent the rest of him sweating bullets. He was loyal. He did his job. He never allowed himself to think about wiggling out from whatever magic Sprinkles had on him. He didn't want to even be caught looking like he was thinking about slipping away. The pixie was downright terrifying when he was mad, and Jonny himself had been sent multiple times to deliver his wrath. Jonny wasn't in range of him now, but his living family was. God knew what the new boss was capable off, because Jonny sure wasn't.
No, this wasn't a good topic. All of it ended with him in hell.

"Do you have bats in your ears?" Jonny asked, trying to sound more irritated than nervous, " I'm saying a third time, I don't want your help. I'm not... trapped. I don't know what you're getting out of this that has you so insistant to help. They pay you by how many ghosts you get off the street or something?"

He leaned forwards, he'd caught on that there was some kind of reaction when Ru had acknowledged he was a vampire. Jonny would much rather talk about that. Time for a blatant subject change. He wasn't sure why he just didn't walk out the back of the vehicle, but he still wanted to talk, despite the feigned irritation.

"When'd you join the undead? I Like the suit, music is older, right?"

[jarahamee]

Ru looked somber. There was more to this than Jonny was willing to admit. It sounded like he was stuck in some kind of deal, or binding situation, and did need some help out of it, but if he pushed it much more, the ghost might just up and vanish. He’d have to think of another way to reach him.

He cleared his throat;

“No, they don’t. I look for people whose lonely souls call to me. That’s why I found you.”

The vampire drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, changing the subject as his gaze drifted into the middle distance, through the windshield and into the darkness. It was a blessing that he could see and perceive so far into the gloom, without the headlights help, or the drive would have been tricky. Instead, he nodded.

“I’m…a music enthusiast, and a costumer, but I’m actually in my mid-thirties. I got turned by vampires only a few years ago. I was part of a film crew, making a movie about vampires…then we became vampires. You know.”

He cringed internally, trying to make it sound casual, when all he could hear was the screaming, the oppressive darkness of the mansion. The voice of the Elder, calling to them. Commanding them. He shivered, despite himself, squeezing his eyes closed.

“Being handsome doesn’t always get you to good places.”

Ru’s smile became knowing, sad.

[beastly]

Jonny made a noise of annoyance. The idea that his 'lonely soul' was calling out to anybody sounded absolutely pathetic. He didn't much care for the phrasing. Could he argue he wasn't a lonely soul? Considering he was still in the damn cab, not really.

"Uh huh."

He was far more interested in hearing about the vampire. He'd worked with quite a few, Sprinkles had employed them. Connections to old, old, old vampires, things he didn't quite understand. They were all very attractive, and Jonny had never worked out if vampires were all gorgeous because they were vampires, or because vampires only made gorgeous people into vampires.

"Mmh," He gave a nod, "You're just getting started then, aren'tcha? Not over the moon about it, though?"

It didn't seem like Ru had become a vampire willingly, which was a bit of a shame. A thought occurred to him, and Jonny made a noise of consideration. What he'd do if he was right, he wasn't sure, but he followed the impulse.


"I'm sitting the passenger seat, you're not a real driver," Jonny warned off handedly before he crouched and phased the seat, "Are you trapped, Ru?"

Maybe that was why he was harping on the idea so hard. A cry for help. Not that Jonny could do anything for him, or even would if he could. The last thing he wanted to do was disturb vampire politics between his boss and any old vampires.