31 City of Ravens 17 (1/2)

After I helped Alex and Claudia, I got into a different taxi and went to Montreal. I slept for a while in the cab but as the drive was only three hours when we arrived there. It was still dark and a few hours till the museum opened. The sun was soon to rise, and some diners were open already.

I ate while waiting for the museum to open. As there was not much to do, I started to read a compendium about monsters in the northern Quebec Hunting grounds on my phone.

A few hours later the museum was already opened, when I walked in people were going around and admiring the exhibits. I started looking around the place for the tablet that Emily wanted me to find, but since I was already here there was no hurry, and I looked around.

Thirty minutes later I found the tablet standing beside the wall in the ancient history section. I hanged around there for a while and when none was aping attention to the picture of the front and back of the tablet. I had to stuff my hand behind the glass casing to do that making the whole thing look suspicious.

With no need to stay there any longer I left the building and started to walk towards the bus station. At this point, I was getting tired of taking buses and taxis and decided to buy a car. I got a learner permit at 16, then got a probationary license, and now I have a full license.

I didn't drive a lot, but I know how to.

When I was walking past a clothing shop, I had a weird feeling, as if I had something on my back. As the feeling continued I started to look back, and it was then that I noticed two people. Wearing black suits and sunglasses. They were following me.

They had to be people that are after Emily!

I picked up the pace and made a sharp turn, I checked, and they were still following me. Now I was sure they were after me!

The tablet! They knew that it is necessary to translate the symbols! They had to observe it for people that would take a picture or check the back like I did.

I looked back again to get a closer look at their faces, one was old, with grey hair but a solid build. The other person was younger, he had greyish hair and slim physique similar to mine.

There was not much I could do in the middle of the city, I took a picture of them and made a quick turn before running! Behind me, I heard that they started to run, but one of them, the old one, suddenly stopped and only waved at the younger one.

The younger one kept chasing me, and slowly he was catching up! It was hard to believe at first before I realized that he must be an artist! My body was almost at the peek of human realm, and after the symbols started to enhance my body I already entered the realm of Martial Artists!

With no choice, I quickly took the Izanagi Mask and put it on as I activated my soul image on my legs increasing my speed multiple times. I looked back to see my pursuer astonished.

I disappeared, or so I thought. When I saw him running even faster than me, with cold air surrounding him, I knew he only now was serious!

Avoiding the pedestrians and making sharp turns I tried to lose him, but it didn't work.

'Swish!' something flew by me, hitting the wall on the side with a quick glance I realized it was a big needle made of ice! He wasn't playing cat and mice anymore!

As he threw more ice needles, I activated my soul image fully. His aim was terrible, but when one of them brushed past me it ripped apart my soul image as if it was nothing! People started to notice that something was happening when they realized it was two Artists they screamed and run.

With so much open space he now had much more space to throw the ice needles, after another sharp turn I kicked open a back door of a building and rushed upstairs. Right behind me, the man followed.

I got to the roof and hid, prepared to ambush him. When he stepped out the door, my fist landed on his body! A sound of cracking and cold feeling on my fist made me realize that something was wrong before my eyes saw a layer of ice covering the face of the man!

I retreated a few steps and prepared mentally to fight!

”There is no need for a fight. Surrender and everything will be fine,” he said like it was the most casual thing in the world. His eyes showed that he didn't fear me or considered me any kind of threat.

”Why would I surrender? I did nothing, it was you who chased after me for ten minutes straight!”

”… if you did nothing why did you run? Look there is no point in this just give up and come with me. We will ask you a few questions and let you go.”

”If you have questions, ask them now. Maybe I will answer them.”

”Fine. Where is Emily Flores?”

”I don't know who that is.”

”Ok. Why did you take a picture of that stone tablet in the museum?”