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Ghost Taxis #331: "Meanwhile, back at the warehouse..."


    “Showoff.”  a soft accented voice teased Vinnie De Soth as he paced the abandoned warehouse.  

    He looked around nervously, as he thought he was the only one there.  The Westminster people had left to join the scavenger hunt - being the only one remaining neutral, he had the whole place to himself, save the spiders and bugs, and buzzing of high powered light fixtures.

    Though at first the echoes of the huge room made the voice seem unfamiliar, he did eventually recognize it.  He then relaxed...not just because he knew the source of the voice, but also because it was someone who made him feel safer.  Before she arrived, he was a little worried someone from the Necropolis company might remain behind, in the shadows, to kill him.  He was understandably on edge.

    “I’m supposed to be Sorcerer Supreme now.”  Vinnie answered Liu Xi Xian, as she walked out of thin air right beside him.  

    She stared at him with those dark eyes, and she pushed aside some of her long, jet black hair.  She was wearing a long coat over her casual clothing.

    “I know.  I’m not saying anything about that.”  she replied with a warm smile.  Liu Xi moved aside some of Vinnie’s blank index cards, left in a folding chair, and sat down.

    “You said I was showing off.”  he repeated.

    Liu Xi picked up some of the blank index cards and waved them in the air.  “Pick a card, any card!”  she mocked in her Chinese accent.  She then giggled.

    “Oh, that.”  Vinnie blushed.  He sighed, and sat down directly beside her.  “Can’t I be a little theatrical as the Sorcerer Supreme?”

    “Yeah.”  Liu Xi smirked.  “Next time you should bring things that explode, or shower everyone with glittering stuff.”

    Vinnie sighed.

    “You don’t really need to do that stuff.”  Liu Xi shook her head and leaned closer to him.  “They listen to you.  Me, not so much.”

    “They take your advice more than they take mine,”  Vinnie pointed out.

    Liu Xi shook her head again.  “Only if I speak through someone.  I tell Jay, and he passes it along...because he’s the leader, and people listen to him.  I have spoken at Lair Legion meetings and nobody pays attention.”

    Vinnie shrugged.  “I’m going to say something with the wisdom of the Sorcerer Supreme...Hopefully without being too theatrical.  It’s a tradeoff, Liu Xi.  You have a lot of power, so...it’s kind of good for you, that you’re in the background.  It keeps you humble.”

    Liu Xi started at him blankly for a moment, leaving him wondering if she was going to take his head off.  But then she smiled and nodded.  “That’s pretty good,”  she agreed,  “For wisdom of the Sorcerer Supreme.”

    “Really?”  Vinnie tried to confirm.

    “Yeah, really.”  Liu Xi laughed and gave him a quick hug.  “So are you just going to wait here for the scavenger hunt to end?”

    He shook his head.  “Mostly I was afraid to walk out of here and get beat up or something.  This isn’t a great neighborhood, even without the Westminster Necropolis Company hating me.”

    “I love how you’re so honest with me.”  she said with a laugh.  “Want to get something to eat?”

    “Sure.”  he said with a shrug.  “Nobody will be back here for a little while.”

    Liu Xi stood, and out of habit, brushed back her hair on one side again.  She waited for Vinnie to stand too, and then she pushed aside the chairs.  She noted his nervousness at the thought of leaving the warehouse.

    “Don’t worry.”  she said, “We’re not taking the door.  If there’s anyone waiting for you outside, they’ll be waiting a long time.”


-- Story written and copyrighted (C) 2009 by Jason Froikin, and may not be 
--    reprinted without permission.  
-- Yuki Shiro designed by Jason Froikin, based on designs by Masamune Shirow
--  Liu Xi Xian and the Psychic Samurai are original design by Jason Froikin
--  Lara Night is an original creation by Jason Froikin