The Cabbie and the Cop – 14

Vergil pressed his fingers to his ear as he listened to what Lieutenant Brewer had to say. The receiver and the transmitter were very powerful despite their micro size; one was in his ear, the other buried just below the corner of his jaw. If anyone were to spot it they’d think it was just a small mole.

“We should be able to get you out of there tonight,” the lieutenant was saying. “The conversation between you and Harwood came over loud and clear. The ADA says it should be enough to get a search warrant for the house and from there, hopefully, we can move on to the other one and the day labor offices.”

“Good. I’m already more than ready to leave. That man is, these men are the scum of the earth.”

“So we heard. Hang tight. We should be there in a couple of hours.”

When they broke the connection Vergil stopped his pacing, flopping down on the bed to stare up at the ceiling. He knew he could leave under his own steam at any time---but not without raising questions he wasn’t willing to answer, now or ever. He liked this world much more than the one he’d grown up on. The idea of having to leave it and return home was unacceptable. But it would happen if anyone even suspected he wasn’t human. That was the price of his freedom—to remain here and never reveal what he was. He’d broken his vow only once, with Simeon, and that had not been his fault. Not that his people would care.

Maybe I should change careers. The thought flashed through his mind as it had a few other times, usually when he was undercover and had to wait for the job to end before he could return to his normal life. But I won’t. I feel… useful. I make a difference.

Restless, he got up again. He might be confined to the house but that didn’t mean he couldn’t do a little exploring as long as he was careful. Cautiously he opened the door and peered into the hallway. It was lined with doors, all closed. It was late enough that there should be clients and yet he didn’t hear anything which told him the rooms were soundproofed. Not surprising under the circumstances.

Moving swiftly but silently he made his way to the stairs leading to the ground floor. He knew if he went down he’d find himself at the end of the hall he’d been in when he first entered the house. And somewhere along it there should be an office, considering this is a business. With that thought in mind he walked down casually as if he had the right to be there.

He heard voices coming from a room close to the front entrance. One of them belonged to Mr. Harwood. He sounded upset. Vergil walked closer, trying to overhear why that was. Another man’s voice said, “Don’t give me any of your bull. I don’t care about your ‘interrogation’, he’s a plant. Somehow he was able to avoid answering your questions.”

Vergil smiled slightly, even though he knew they were talking about him. He was well trained in controlling his mind and speech under questioning, something he’d learned to do in his past life. It would take a much stronger drug than GHB to loosen his tongue. It bothered him however that someone seemed to be on to him. There has to be a leak, either in the department or at the DA’s office. Maybe that’s how they found the witness they killed so quickly. Not by the phone but because a mole warned them.

“Get him down here now!”