Part III - Chapter 10: THE LAKOTA BLOODLINE

 

 

Chapter 10

The Lakota Bloodline
(Ó 2010)

 

- - - It was the following evening, just 8:30 PM, and it had been just over ten minutes since the taxi cab had dropped Logan of across the street from Le Club Argenté D'oiseau. He was nervously going over everything in his head again of how he was going to approach Lily, of what to say to her, of who he is, and let her know of the real reason for being in the club the night before. He was going through his thoughts what he was going to do when he saw her again since he woke that morning. It had been quite a distraction from his earlier work that day also and Jean-Luc noticed. 

 

The interrogation of Theo Buchin had gone better than anticipated. His true cowardly nature came through and his cooperation came without any intimidation from Captain Theibulet at all. However, with the Captain, just his presence could be intimidating. His bull like stature, black hair combed back, piercing eyes and raspy voice. The Captain could use all of these to his advantage. The information coming from Theo was incredible, and the Captain told everybody to stand by, that he was going to be going with some sort of tactic soon.

 

Jean-Luc had to nudge Logan a couple of times to make sure he was paying attention. Afterwards, back down in the war room Jean-Luc asked, “Is everything alright with you today Logan?”

 

“What? Oh yes Jean, just have something on my mind”.

 

“Is it that woman from last night?”

 

Logan gave a slight smile and answered, “Yes, it is. How can you tell?”

 

Jean placed his hand on Logan’s shoulder, “Because I was the same way when I first saw my Lisette. I could not concentrate on my work, my mind wandered, even at important things, like what is going on now.”

Logan saw the look of concern on Jean-Lucs face. He looked around to make sure they both were alone. Then asked in a low toned voice, “What should I do Jean? I mean, I have been with other women yes, but, I haven’t had a, like, steady girlfriend since I was a teenager. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve felt anything like this.” He paused to look around again and then continued, “My life? Well, it’s been very complex, with the Legion and all. Plus, she thinks I’m an American, and I was lying to her the whole time I was there, because of what I had to do.”

 

Jean-Luc looked at the big man. He had pleading eyes and needed an answer. “Logan, go back to her and just start to tell her everything. If she has any feelings for you, she will understand.” Jean-Luc said assuring him. “How complex could everything in your life have been?”

“Enough where I couldn’t lay it all on her at once.”

 

 

Jean-Luc raised his eyebrows at his answer. He knew of the Legionnaires and how they guarded their privacy, especially of their pasts. He knew to never try to have Logan divulge anything of his past. When Logan would feel at ease to reveal something, it had to be of his own choice and on his own terms. Jean-Luc respected that. “Perhaps then Logan, you should then explain that to her, and reveal yourself a little at a time. I mean, you have lots of time for her to get to know you and vice versa. Take it slow, easy, maybe it is what you need.”

“That sounds logical,” Logan agreed, “I mean, I have been so long removed from the ‘relationship game’, that maybe I have to go slow, just to even see if I have what it takes to do this sort of thing again.”

 

Jean-Luc patted Logan’s shoulder, “Go back to her then, and start to tell her things as they are, gently and slowly, for you and for her.” Jean-Luc paused and saw the look in Logan’s eyes. “You think this woman is special, yes?”

 

“Oh, Jean. She’s was just … just so damned beautiful. You should see her. And the way she spoke to me. Damn!”

“I believe you Logan,” Jean-Luc said, but now his tone turned serious, “but I also know this. I am going to need your mind on your work, especially with what will be coming up. Theibulet? He has got something coming with this, and I am going to need you at your full capacity.”

 

“Yes, Jean. I understand,” Logan answered, “will you be needing me tonight by chance?”

 

“No, I do not believe so.”

 

“Would it be alright with you if I checked out a little earlier?” Logan asked. “Her friends told me that she’s there at that club with them practically every night. Maybe she’ll be there tonight”.

 

Jean-Luc gave a little smile, “Sure Logan, I will cover for you. I never see you going out anyway. Go see your special girl tonight.”

 

“Thanks Jean, I’m indebted to you.” 

 And now he stood there looking at Le Club Argenté D'oiseau, going over how he was going to handle every situation. What if this should happen, or what if she asks this or that? However one question kept going through his head, what if I mess this whole thing up? 

He did decide to take everything slow and easy. His life and his past, well, that was all well beyond the definition of complex. So, he would go in, still as the American that they all met the evening before, then somehow get her to be alone with him and confess that he was a French national at least and take everything from there. The fact that he WAS an officer with the French National Police, and that he WAS working undercover? Well, if you were a woman, would YOU believe the man if he were telling that to you?

 

Yes … complex indeed. 

 

He was very nervous, and he couldn’t believe that he was. Of all of the situations he had to face in his past, in Chad, Zaire, Lebanon, French Guiana, and even jumping out of aircraft, he was nervous of what was about to happen with this woman Lily.

 

“It’s just that, jeez, she’s so damned beautiful.” He whispered to himself. A thought suddenly came to him. What if tonight she didn’t come with her friends? What if she were someplace else? What if she decided to stay home? Worse yet, what if she were out with some other man tonight? Logan then realized that he wasn’t going to get the answers to any of his questions by just standing there across the street, so he took a deep breath, and crossed the road to the entrance of Le Club Argenté D'oiseau. 

 

 The same doorman from the evening before was there and he recognized Logan. Logan though was dressed in more proper attire than before. Medium gray heather dress slacks, black turtleneck sweater, black polished dress shoes, and a black leather jacket. He stood, then turned around for the doorman’s inspection. The doorman nodded approvingly and opened the door for Logan to let him enter. The street sounds now were overcome by the music that poured from the door as Logan entered the club.

There were many more patrons in the club than from the evening before, the entryway had many men standing around trying to hear what each other were saying over the music. Many of them were the Friday night regulars and their attention immediately went to the new man that none of them had never seen in the club before. Logan felt their stares and had to proceed slowly around all of them as he made his way toward the main area of the nightclub. Some of the men stared, others made eye contact and smiled, and some even said “hello” to him. He remained calm and stayed very cordial, returning any greeting he received. However, he felt as he once did when he was a small boy back in South Dakota, on the reservation, and running the gauntlet with his grand-uncles.

 

He made his way into area of the nightclub to where he was the evening before. He first looked to the dance floor where the gay men and lesbian women were dancing. He recognized the song they were dancing too. It was “Body Strong” being performed by Sylvester. He scanned the floor to see if Lily was dancing, but he couldn’t see her there.

He then began to make a slow scan in segments of the entire club, checking each table in each part, until he came to the table that he and her friends were sitting at the evening before. Everyone from the night before were there at the exact same table. The two women, Cosette and Miriam sat together, with them, with her back to him was Lily. The two men, Clive and Bricey, were there also, and they were having what seemed to be a happy conversation. 

 

Logan though seemed to be frozen in his footsteps, he watched as Lily and her friends talked and enjoyed each others company. He was also again very nervous, too nervous to approach the table. He stared at how Lily’s head moved on her neck as she spoke, and the movement of her hands and fingers. He was focused in on her, he felt the same emotions looking at her as when he looked at the art in the Lourve.

 

 

Bricey at that moment broke from his conversation with Clive to turn and pick up his glass of wine on the table and immediately noticed Logan standing there. He eyebrows raised up and he opened his mouth wide. He raised his fingertips of his left hand over his wide open mouth and then rapped the table top with the knuckles of his right to get the girls attention. When he succeeded and they looked at him, he just pointed over their shoulders to Logan’s direction. All three women turned to look at what was making Bricey so excited. When Lily saw Logan standing there, her eyes widened for a split second and a smile came to her face.

 

She turned and looked to Cosette and Miriam with an expression of disbelief, and then stood up from her chair. She was wearing a lavender lame’ mini dress with a silver chain belt, black fishnet stockings black heels, and silver hoop earrings. Her curly hair was worn up and she had a strand curls going down either side of her face of her face. She then walked over to him, which was good for Logan, because he seemed to not be able to move.

 She now stood right in front of him just inches away, Logan could smell the fragrance of gardenias again, and she looked up at him and said, “Well, good evening honey! What brings a nice straight boy like you here tonight?”

“A nice straight girl.” He answered.

 

She gave him a tight lipped smile, then looked behind him to see all the gay men staring at him. She then stepped to his right side and took his arm with both of hers, “Come on with me my sweet, the vultures are circling behind you, you’re causing another stir in here again.”

 

Logan looked over his shoulder behind him and saw the men looking at him, some very seductively, a few even blew kisses at him. 

 

He then looked down to Lily and she said, “Don’t worry about a thing luv, I’ll protect you.” and she escorted him back to her table with all her friends. She stopped just short of the table and looked up to him with her head bowed slightly and her eyes turned up, “I’m sorry about the situation with Charles last night sweetheart, do you forgive me?”

 

“Of course, that ain’t your fault.”

 “I came back in and you were gone. The girls and I came to look for you outside, didn’t we ladies?” She said looking down at Cosette and Miriam. Both were nodding ‘yes’ in agreement. “You seemed to have just vanished.”

“Well, I told them I had a couple of guys I had to see about last night,” he said feeling like he wasn’t lying with that answer, because he did have to get back to Jean-Luc and Henri, “but everyone informed me that y’all are here practically every night, so I took the chance and came back. Hello y‘all.” Logan raised his free hand in a small wave.

 

Clive answered with his ever present smile, “Good evening my boy, it is good to have you back, please take a seat.”

Lily said, “Yes, let’s sit down honey.” Logan pulled out the chair for Lily to sit and settled her in back to the table. He took off his leather jacket and placed it on the open chair that was between Cosette and Lily, then sat down. Lily then moved herself and her chair as close to Logan as she could get, then took him by his right arm again.

 

“So my sweet … tell me,” she said to him, looking at him flirtatiously, “did you miss me? Did you think of nothing but me all day today?”

 

Logan felt a warm flush from the top of his head to the middle if his waist and it traveled right behind his ears. “Uh, …well …as a matter of fact … yeah … I did.” He answered.

 

Bricey then intervened, “Oh, Lillian! Stop! You are making him blush!”

 

She looked at Logan’s face and had the same tight lipped smile as before, “Am I? Am I causing you to blush luv?” She brought her face close to his as to get a better look. “My Lord I am! Oh, that’s so charming honey.”

 

Logan dropped his head and looked downward, and Clive came to his rescue, “Lillian dear, don’t discomfit the man, come on let us get him a drink. A lager Logan my boy?”

 

“Yes, Please.” 

With that Clive called over a ‘waitress’ which actually was a very slender man wearing a waitresses uniform and took the drink order from him. The ‘waitress’ then gave a little curtsey then proceeded to the bar.

 

Logan then looked at everyone, “So, I take it that this is your table? It’s the same as last night.”

 

Miriam answered, “Actually this is Claude’s table. We are all close friends so this table is always reserved for all of us.”

 

“Nothing wrong with having an ‘in’ I guess.” Logan said. Logan now began to think of how he was going to tell Lily the truth about the evening before and of himself. He was a bit nervous, but decided to let things flow and when the moment came he would start to reveal himself.

 

Lily’s eyes were glued to him and he felt her stare. Every time he looked her way she would give him a tight lipped smile. She could see that he was restless, but she seemed to take some delight in teasing him.

 

“So, here you are.” She said, and she placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her fingertips, all the while keeping her other hand on his forearm, caressing it.

 

“Yep, here I am.”

 

“Did you find the club with no trouble this time?”

 

“Yes, I did.”

 

“And now you’re not lost, and you know where you are?”

 

“Yes, exactly.”

 

It now became silent at the table, nobody was speaking. Lily kept her gaze on him, and when he repeatedly made eye contact with her, he quickly looked down at the table. Every time he did so, Lily smiled even more. She seemed to take some delight in this teasing of him.

 

Ah, now,” she said, leaning towards him, “we’ve come to the proverbial awkward moment. You poor dear, you probably have thought of a hundred things to say to me and a thousand different ways to say them, haven’t you?”

 

Logan began to smile and looked at her from the side of his eyes, “You got me down pegged don’t cha?”

 

She leaned in closer to him, he could smell the scent of gardenias again, and she whispered into his ear, “Relax honey, I’m not going to bite you,” then she leaned back to sit up in her chair. She picked up her glass of wine, brought it to her lips, then gazed back at him and said, “Not yet anyway.”

He now gazed back to her and they both stared at each other while the other people at the table watched them, all the while no one spoke. Then Miriam nudged Cosette and gave her an eye signal towards the dance floor. Cosette then stood, “We are going to dance.” She told the group, both of the women then went arm in arm to the dance floor and joined the rest of the bodies moving in rhythm to the music.

 

Logan watched as they disappeared into the dancing crowd and Lily then asked him, “Do you want to dance Logan?” His head snapped back at her and he had an uneasy expression on his face.

 

 “Dance!? Oh … I … I … can’t do that.” He said to her nervously.

"You can’t, or you don’t?” 

 

“Exactly, both. I can’t dance like that,” he said pointing at all the people on the dance floor, “therefore, I don’t.”

 

“Oh come now honey,” she said as she put both hands on his arm again, as if trying to coax him onto the dance floor, “nobody will look at you.”

 

“Oh yes they do, and if you dance as bad as I do, they can’t help but look.” He said, now he seemed more relaxed in his self criticism, “I know what I’m talking about because I’ve had some bad experiences.” Then he started to laugh a little, “Besides, I wouldn’t want to hurt cha.”

She then released his arm, crossed her legs, rested her elbow on her knees, and then rested her chin on her fingertips. She was giving him the gaze she had been doing since they sat down, but she wasn’t saying anything, just staring at him, waiting for him to say something.

 

Then, he smiled and said, “But … I can dance the slow ones though.”

She now raised her eyebrows, and closed and opened her eyes slowly once, “Well, now. The slow dances? How charming.” She said, and then she leaned towards him again, “Good thinking my sweet, you just can’t wait to be get your arms around me, can you?”

 

Logan let out a sigh, smiled and looked down. Lily could see that he was again blushing. 

“Oh honey, you’ve simply got to stop that.” She said giggling. “You’re making teasing you far too enjoyable for me, and if that happens, I won’t be able to stop doing so. Well, it looks as though I am going to have to give you a little help.”

 

“What do ya mean?” He asked.

 

She stood up from the table and said, “I’m going to see Claude for a second and make an arrangement.” She then cupped his face with both her hands and leaned down to him, “Stay put here darling, I’ll be right back.” Her eyes darted around looking at his face, she then gave him a tight lipped smile and walked away.

 

Logan watched her as she disappeared into the crowd. He then turned back to the table and took a deep breath. He then looked over to see Clive and Bricey both looking at him and what was going on between he and Lily. Clive had a big smile on his face and said, “Well well, it looks as though our Lillian is quite taken with you.”

 

Bricey then added, in his feminine manner “It looks as though Logan’s feelings could be mutual.”

 

“She …” Logan began to answer slowly, “… she is really something, ain’t she?”

 

Clive agreed, “That she is my boy, that she is. I love that girl as if she were my own daughter, and I already have two of my own. She is very special indeed, to all of us.”

 

 

“Oh! Everybody loves Lily!” Bricey exclaimed, with a joyful expression on his face, “I can not think of anyone who does not like her.” However, the joyous look quickly left his face and he said, “Except maybe, la bête.”

 

“La bête?” Logan asked, knowing he was saying ‘The Beast’, he did not want to reveal himself to Clive and Bricey. He felt that Lily must be the first one to receive that honor.

 

 

“La bête,” Bricey answered, “you know, how do you say a big animal, like monster?”

 

“Beast? Do you mean a beast?” Logan asked.

 

“Yes,” Bricey said, “that is it, the beast.”

 

“You mean that guy from last night?”

 

“Yes, him. It is so as you say, it is not love for her, it is obsession and control,” Bricey said, and he was getting agitated, “I despise that man!”

 

Clive placed his hand on Bricey’s shoulder, “Easy! Rest easy my boy. Do not let Charles get to you so.”

 

“I can not help it. He comes here all of the time! He travels a great distance all the time to bother Lily and to throw his vile insults at all of us, always degrading us!” Bricey said, now getting a little emotional. Logan could see some tears welling in his eyes. Logan saw a few dry cocktail napkins on the table. He reached over, took a couple and handed them to Bricey.

 

“Merci.” Bricey said drying his eyes.

 

“What’s his story anyway?” Logan asked, “This Charles guy I mean, what’s with it with him?”

 Clive took it upon himself to answer, “Lily’s mother is French, her father is English, she was born in London. Her mother would bring Lily to France always, Lily grew to love it here and always wanted to come here since she was a young girl. During here teen years she met Charles in school, they were boyfriend and girlfriend for a long while. When she began to learn her coiffeur skills, she also began to feel her independence, and saw Charles for what he really is. She was determined to live her dream to live in France, but Charles? He did not agree with what she wanted. You are right Bricey, he is controlling. Lily? She began to break away from his control, so she broke it all off with him, and moved to Paris to get away. It’s been almost five years, and still he comes.”

 

“He’s sick,” Logan said, “but that’s no excuse. Lily‘s probably the only steady girlfriend he‘s ever had.”

 

 

“I agree,” Bricey said. “If she were to give into him, she will be most unhappy for the rest of her life.”

 

“Let us not speak of this anymore,” Clive said waving his hand to Bricey, “she is on here way back over here.”

 

In a few seconds Logan felt Lily’s hands on his shoulders, she stood behind him and leaned down to say to him close to his ear, “It’s all been arranged with Claude luv.”

 

“What has?”

 

“You’ll see, don’t worry, you won’t have to wait long.” She turned her look to both Bricey and Clive, “Are you two giving him words of encouragement?”

 

Clive gave her a paternal type wink and a smile, “Oh, you need no help from us my dear, I believe you have him completely under your wicked spell.”

 

With that said, the lights from the dance floor started to dim, the fast paced music began to fade, being replaced by a softer and slower paced sound. “There we are luv, a nice long set of slow music for you to dance with me with, and charm me with all that you have been rehearsing for me.”

 

“How did you arrange that?”

 

 

“Like you said honey, it’s nice to have an ‘in’.” She said, then took his hand. He stood up with her and she then led him by the hand to the dance floor. They both stepped onto the dance area and she took him towards the middle. She turned to him, he wrapped his right hand around her waist and placed his hand on the small of her back. He then held her hand in his left, in a classic slow dance style.

 

 

She had her hand on his bicep, and she was caressing it on through the soft material of his sweater. “My, my hun, is that really all you under this?”

 

“I’m afraid so.” He said quietly, he was now in like a trance looking at her.

 

“Are you blushing again dear?” She asked.

 

“I think I am, my ears feel warm.” 

 

“How utterly adorable,” she said, then gave a imitated serious look, “but you better start saying what you have been rehearsing, I have arranged an extra long slow set of music for you, but your time is still limited.”

 

“Do your eyes always sparkle like that?” He said right out of the blue.

 

“Now there’s a nice start,” she said smiling, “straight, simple, and to the point.”

 

“No, no, that wasn’t any of the things I been planning, that just came out now.”

 

 

“Oh, well then, that’s even better,” she said, “spontaneous too, I can’t wait now for the rehearsed words, come now, tell me.”

 

 

He looked to the lights in the ceiling for a second to gather his thoughts. The moment had come to finally start to “come clean” with her. “Well, I should start with last night, you see, things with me aren’t really as they seem.”

 

She pulled her head back and asked, “Oh, Logan. You’re not going to tell me you have a wife and children back in America are you?”

 

“No! No, God no. Nothing like that,” he said firmly, “no, I’m not married, never have been.”

 

“Then I trust that you’re not really gay then, are you?”

 

He looked down at her and she had that tight lipped smile on her face, “No, no it isn’t that either.”

 

She felt a slight trembling in his hand, “You have to relax luv.” She said.

 

“I can’t help it,” he said, “that’s the effect you got on me, and I’m afraid that I’m going to mess things up, or say something stupid, or be totally misunderstood. You see … I’m not very good at this stuff.”

 

She slid her other hand that was on his arm and put her fingertips on his lips, “It’s alright hun, I won’t tease anymore more,” she said, then her smirk returned, “for awhile anyway. Just say what you want to say, no one can hear you but me.”

 

He saw in her face that she was being sincere, “Okay then, let’s see, when I came in here last night? Well … now this is kind of complicated … well … my life in general is very complicated … but … when I came in here … I … well … ya see … I …”

 

 

Just then Logan felt three hard jabs to his back right between his shoulder blades, somebody was behind him … and wanted his attention. When he turned to see who it was, standing there with a angry and aggressive expression on his face … was Charles. He was wearing the same black suit as the evening before, with a white shirt with no tie, and a white handkerchief in the breast pocket.

 

“Excuse me sweetie pants, but I’m cutting in.” Charles then put his right hand on Logan’s shoulder and began to push him to the side, “Well, well Lillian, what is this? You find one that goes both ways?”

 

“Hey man! What’s your problem?” Logan said to him.

 

“Charles, leave him alone!” Lily said in a low toned controlled anger.

 

“What’s this?” Charles said, looking Logan up and down. “He’s a bloody Yank too?”

 

“Charles, what is that you want?” Lily said, still keeping her voice down, “No wait, let me guess, you just have to talk to me again right?”

 

“That’s right babe.”

 

“And it sooo important right?” She said sarcastically.

 

“Don’t get smart, come with me and talk right now, or I’ll bust a few of these pansies up, starting with the big Yank here.”

 

Logan stood calmly there and then said, “I don’t think so pardner.”

 

Charles gave Logan an angry look, stepped right up to him pointed his finger right into his face, and said in an angry low cockney tone, “Listen to me you fucking faggot, stay out of this, it doesn’t concern you. I don’t give a shit how big you are, if you don’t shut that cock sucking mouth of yours right now, I’m going to cut your fucking wanker off. Then you’ll be down to only one choice in life, won’t you?”

 

Logan then began to feel the old rage, the rage that came to him long ago … before he was Logan. He could feel his heart starting to pound, and his breathing was heavy. His muscles began to tighten, and he began to look for the advantage.

 

Lily then intervened, she stepped in between Logan and Charles, she looked up to Logan and said, “It’s alright Logan, go back to the table and wait for me. I’ll go with him, but I’ll only be a minute. I’ll come back, just let me see what he wants. It will be alright, I swear.” She then looked at Charles with distaste, “Come on then Charles.”

 

She left with Charles and Logan stood there alone on the dance floor for a second. He then left the floor and made his way back to the table where Clive and Bricey were still seated. He watched as both Lily and Charles made there way to the entrance of the club, he had her by the arm and it looked as though he was squeezing it a little to tightly. In a second they were both out of the door.

 

Logan now stood at the table and Bricey asked, “What was he doing here?”

 

“You see that ?” Logan asked, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. He saw that while he was gone, the ‘waitress’ had brought his lager and placed it where he was sitting. He sat down in his chair and took a drink of the beer, “That guy?” He said, now tapping his index finger to the side of his head, “He’s nuts! Crazy!”

 

Clive asked, “Is she coming back my boy?”

 

“She said she was,” he answered, he kept looking back to the entrance waiting to see if she would be coming back in, “he doesn’t like force her to stay with him does he?”

 

 

"He use too,” Bricey answered, “when he first started coming, but now she just lets him rattle on until he realizes that she is not going anywhere, then he yells and screams and eventually goes away.”

 

 

"How long has this been going on?” Logan asked, with his eyebrows pinched together, looking puzzled.

 

Clive sighed, “Ever since the poor girl moved here. Sometimes he will be gone for a month or two, sometimes he comes every weekend. It all seems never ending.”

 

The three of them then sat at the table silently for a few minutes. After some more time passed Bricey said, “She is out there without her jacket. If she is going to have to be out there she might as well not catch cold.” Bricey then stood from the table and picked up Lily’s black denim jacket, “I will tell her you are still waiting dear.” He said to Logan, “I can not believe she insists on going out of here alone with him every time.”

 

He and Clive both now watched as Bricey went through the front entrance with Lily’s jacket. Logan then turned to Clive and asked, “Does this guy ever like, you know, get violent with her?”

 

“You mean in a physical way? I don’t think so, however, someone of his temperament, well, let us just say I do not trust him. Why do you ask?”

 

“I, just have this feeling,” Logan said calmly, his expression was one now of concentration, “the way he was on that dance floor, and he threatened me.”

 

 

“He threatened you?” Clive asked, surprised by what he heard. “For some reason then, he must think you are weaker than him. He must think you are like us, or one of us. Men like Charles, they can only instill fear in those who are weaker than they.”

 

“You mean he’s a bully.”

 

“Ah, oui, a bully as you say, precisely.”

 

“Well, I have this thing about bullies.”

 

“And that is?”

 

He brought his beer glass to his lips and said, “I just don’t like ‘em.” Then took another drink.

 

Both men now sat quietly. Two more songs played and then Cosette and Miriam returned to the table. “Where is Lily?” Cosette asked.

 

“Charles has decided to join us again this evening.” Clive informed her. Both women then showed an expression of disgust.

 

Cosette then asked, “And how long has she been gone this time?”

 

Logan looked to his watch, “I’d say almost fifteen minutes now.”

 

Then Miriam asked, “Where is Bricey?”

 

Logan said, “He went out to give Lily her jacket, but that was a little while ago too.”

 

Cosette then stood from the table, she looked somewhat angry, “I am tired of that man ruining our time together. Plus, she has a guest here tonight, I am going out to find them and tell her to get back in here.” She then turned and began to storm out, Logan heard her say, “Ridiculous!” As she walked away.

 

Again, Logan now sat at the table feeling a bit awkward now with Clive and Miriam. Logan picked up his glass and finished the rest of the beer, then set it down with a little aggression. He then started bouncing his right leg up and down and began drumming the table with his fingers.

 

“Do not be angry with her my boy,” Clive then said trying to comfort him, “it is nother fault really.”

 

“Angry? At Lily? Oh no, it isn’t that,” Logan answered, “I’m angry at the situation. There were some things I wanted to discuss with her about. I’ve been like, preparing myself all day, you know. I was looking forward to seeing her and everything, and it like got all screwed up.”

 

“Don’t worry Logan, she will be back soon, and you can do it then.” Miriam said.

 

“I don’t know,” Logan said, now sounding concerned, “I don’t have a good feeling about this for some reason, I ain’t comfortable with this.”

 

 

A few more minutes went by, and now not only was Logan feeling anxious, Clive and Miriam were as well. Logan kept his eyes on the front entrance, then suddenly Cosette came back in. She looked disturbed and frightened. She was making her way back to the table with some haste. When she reached the table she started to pull at Logan’s arm. “Could you help us please?” She asked, her voice was quivering and she was out of breath.

 

“What’s the matter?” Logan asked with concern.

 

 

“Please come with me, help us.” She was beginning to cry some, and she was trying to communicate in English to him, making her effort to get his help more hard.

 

 

“Sure,” Logan stood, “take me to them.” Clive and Miriam started to get up, but Logan held up his hand, “No, stay here. Everyone will be okay whatever it is, I can take care of it. Just wait here. Take me to them Cosette.” With that Cosette lead him by the arm to the entrance and outside of Le Club Argenté D'oiseau, once outside the door, she lead him to the right to the end of the building, where they turned to the right again, and Cosette guided him through the walkway toward the back alley of the club. As they came closer to the back alley, Logan could hear Charles screaming in a fit of rage.

 

 

“Please help us,” Cosette pleaded, “do not let him hurt Bricey, please help.”

 

They both now came into the back alley, and what Logan saw again sparked the old rage that was dormant within him. The back alley was a large open space so that trucks could park there if need be. There were two street lamps from the building on the other side that illuminated the alley way, however the black pavement help to keep everything still somewhat dark. Bricey was lying on his left side facing Logan, it looked as though apparently Charles had thrown him to the ground, for the knee in his pants were ripped as with the sleeve of his shirt. The front tails of his shirt were pulled out from his trousers and some of the buttons were torn off. Charles was over Bricey, screaming obscenities, Berating, insulting, and threatening Bricey. Bricey was indeed frightened, he was cowering and on the verge of tears, and he was still clutching Lily’s jacket in his hands by his head, as if that could shield him.

 

 

Lily was standing behind Charles yelling at him, “CHARLES! … STOP! … LEAVE HIM ALONE!”

 

 

It was as if Lily was not even there, Charles was now in a state on uncontrolled anger, screaming at Bricey, pointing his fingers at him while he was on the ground. “YOU FUCKING FAGGOTS! WHAT THE FUCK IS IT WITH YOU ALL! YOU AND YOUR FUCKING SMART ASS BULLSHIT WISECRACKS! YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST SAY ANYTHING TO ME YOU FUCKING COCK SUCKER! USE YOUR FUCKING MOUTH FOR THE ONLY THING IT’S GOOD FOR YOU FUCKING FAIRY! I OUGHT TO KILL YOU! RIGHT HERE! RIGHT FUCKING NOW!”

 

“HEY!!” Logan screamed, and he was louder than Charles. Suddenly, it was all quiet, both Charles and Lily’s heads snapped to his direction. Then Bricey, who now had his face buried in Lily’s jacket, slowly removed it from his face to look also. There to see Logan standing there with Cosette. Then, when he felt that he had everybody’s attention, Logan calmly said, “Just what the hell do ya think your doing?”

 

“Well, well, the Yank fag!” Charles said to Logan, “This doesn’t concern you sweetie pants!”

 

Logan now focused his stare on Charles, “Step away from him.” He said and began to step toward the three of them, “Now please, if you don’t mind.” His voice was matter of fact and spoken with authority.

 

Charles stood up straight and took three steps back from Bricey, standing away at his feet. Logan stepped right up to where Bricey was lying. Bricey was shivering with fear. Logan looked to Lily, she stood there with her arms crossed, she looked not only frightened, but embarrassed and ashamed. She too was shivering, not only from being afraid, but from the cold. Logan could tell she was fighting back tears, and she had to brush the clear mucus that was slowly starting to come from her nose.

 

Logan looked down a to Bricey, he then bent down, offering his hand to him to help him up. Bricey took his hand, and Logan then bent down a little more and place his other hand under Bricey’s arm, and then gently helped him to his feet. 

 

 

“You got me a bit confused sweetie pants,” Charles said sarcastically, “who are you with tonight? Him or her? Or is it like I said before? Both maybe?”

 

 

Logan completely ignored Charles, then turned his back to him, and began to help Bricey brush the dirt and dust off of him. Logan asked him softly, “You alright? You hurt at all?”

 

Bricey answered, his voice breaking because he was about to cry, I… I … I was j-j-just … b-b-ring--ing … h-h-her … h-h-er … j-j-ack-k-ket.” Logan helped him to straighten himself, then he turned to face Charles. Lily now was just to his side on the right, but still between he and Charles.

 

 

Her turned back to Bricey and whispered, “Go over to Cosette.”

 

“I was just bringing her, her jacket!” Charles said mimicking Bricey, then her looked at Logan, “And you, now wasn’t that just fucking sweet of you, helping the boyfriend that way? You fucking, two way, Yank faggot!”

 

Logan now stepped close to Lily, just slightly past her. Her turned his head slightly to her and looked to her from the corner of is eyes. He slowly took his right hand and placed it on her side of her crossed arm. She looked up at him and he gave her a slight head movement and glance with his stare, motioning her to also go stand by Cosette. She stepped behind him and went to the both of them.

 

Charles watched her as she walked over to them, Cosette was now holding Bricey trying to comfort him, she lifted one of her arms and offered it to Lily. She accepted and Cosette was now holding and consoling both.

 

“Bringing her the jacket my bloody ass!” Charles said to them, “That pissy little fem came out here and do you know what that little shit said to me?”

 

Logan answered in a very calm and deadpan manner, staring directly at him, “It doesn’t matter what he said to you.”

 

 

Charles did not like to hear that, and began to get agitated again, “It DOES FUCKING matter what he said! Nobody, NOBODY! FUCKING bloody talks to me like that! NOBODY says what he said to ME!”

 

 

Logan kept the same stare on Charles, then in the same deadpan voice he said, “Even a guy that you have an easy hundred pounds on?”

 

Now Charles began to focus his attention to Logan, just the way Logan wanted it. “What the FUCK it that supposed to mean sweetie pants?”

 

“I mean,” Logan said still calmly, now slowly shifting himself into position, “do you only show your aggression to those who you know are weaker than you. I mean, do you get your rocks off when you can frighten someone like him? Whatever he said? Means nothing. His sarcasms are all he has to fight you with.”

 

Charles now took one giant step towards Logan, but he didn’t move, he stood fast.

 

“So, what this?” Charles asked, “Does the Yank fag really think he can do something here? Does the American fairy think he can scare me? Let me tell you something about fags my friend, doesn’t matter where their from, or what they may look like, they can’t fight. They WON’T fight! They don’t FUCKING have it in them!”

 

Logan kept his eyes locked on Charles’s, looking into them, waiting. Waiting for that one slight sign. Logan felt the old rage building, but, he remained calm. His eyes now started to squint slightly, his eyebrows began to pinch together. He felt his jaw beginning to tighten and his teeth clench. He could hear himself breathing.

 

 

Then Charles slowly stepped closer to Logan, “However, I don’t like to take chances either.” He said. Then suddenly everyone heard the ‘click’, and instantly Charles brought his right hand up. In it was a six inch Buck Knife. The blade was opened, it was a polished stainless steel, it was also an inch and a half wide, with a ivory bone handle. Charles had brought it up right up to Logan’s left eye, about a quarter of an inch away.

 

Logan froze. He could see the reflection of his eyes in the polished silver blade. Logan now gasped through his nose, and his began to breath shallow, yet fast. He felt his chest , neck and arms flinch and tighten.

 

 

“Caesar.” Logan whispered, barely audible.

 

“What did you fucking say?” Charles asked angrily.

 

Then flashbacks started to come - - -

 

- - - The jungle - - - French Guiana - - - Caesar lying on the ground - - - slowly bleeding to death from the wound in his back - - -

 

- - - “Surprise, surprise.” Charles sang mockingly. - - -

- - - being held face down in the jungle dirt - - - the back of his shirt being cut open - - - the burning pain of his flesh being sliced - - -

 

- - - “What? Now you got nothing to say?” Charles continued, he could see he was in control, and it was just as he liked. Logan began to show a panicked look in his eyes, he began to shake, and his breathing became short little quick snorts through his nose, His mouth was close and his teeth were still clenched. - - -

 

- - - the one guerilla holding his arms behind him - - - the other guerilla ripping open his shirt - - - the burning pain of his flesh being cut again - - - and again - - - and again - - - his screams through his clenched teeth - - -

 

- - - “What is you said to me there in the fag club?” Charles asked, “You said ’I don’t think so’, tell me, what the FUCK do you think now?” Charles then moved the knife over to Logan’s other eye, the reflection from the street light made him flinch - - -

 

- - - the look on the guerillas face - - - the fight to break free - - - the leg breaking - - - being stabbed - - - the sound of a neck breaking - - -

 

 

“I asked you faggot!” Charles said in anger, “What the FUCK do you think now?”

“I think … ” Logan started to say.

“What you big fucking fairy,” Charles said taunting him, now moving the blade back to his left eye, “what?” - - -

- - - the guerillas on the ground - - - pulling back their heads by their hair - - -

 

- - - “I think,” Logan said again.

 

 

“What!” Charles yelled. - - -

 

 

- - - knife at the hairline - - - slicing - - - his firm quick pull - - -

 

- - - “I think … ” Logan said one more time. Then … he thought he heard … the drums … he began to refocus on where he was, and the situation he was in.

 

 

“WHAT!” Charles now demanded.

 

 

“I think … that you’re gonna … look real funny … ” and then suddenly, Logan stopped shaking, in mid-sentence, his face became a scowl, his eyes were in a flex, eyebrows pinched together, nose scrunched, it quivered, lips were pulled back, they were tight, and his voice went from deadpan, to a calm anger as he finished speaking through his clenched teeth, “with that knife sticking in your ass.”

 

Logan’s eyes again locked in on Charles’s, looking deep into them, waiting for the sign. The sign from Charles that he had the doubt, the doubt that he was still in control. Logan remained motionless … until … there … in his eyes … Charles had that slight look of doubt, the slight look that the tables were turned, the slight sign of fear.

 

 

In one quick movement, which Bricey would later always tell everyone that it was only a quarter of a second, Logan swept his left hand between his and Charles’s body, slid it up his chest ,along his right arm to the wrist of the hand that held the knife, clamped down and twisted his wrist. Simultaneously, he brought his right forearm, and with all his power, struck Charles directly to the middle of his face. There was a loud noise from the impact mixed in with a cracking noise.

 

Logan took a quick step to Charles’s side, still holding on to his wrist, twisting it backwards into and awkward position. Charles stood as if paralyzed for a split second more, the Buck Knife dropped from his hand. His face was now an ashen color, and his nose and mouth grotesquely distorted and instantly bruised. His knees then buckled and he went to them while Logan still held onto his wrist as if guiding him down.

 

When he reached the ground kneeling, Logan released his wrist, and Charles immediately placed both his hands over his face, and began to scream into them. He was now in intense pain, from the middle of his face it radiated to the back of his head, up to the top and even into his ears. Blood now started to come out from between his fingers.

 

“Surprise, surprise back to you Charlie,” Logan said through his clenched teeth, “I’m not what you think I am!” He then stepped over to where the knife was lying on the ground, he crouched down to it, and then picked it up with his right hand.

 

“Jeethus!” Charles screamed while his face was still covered with his hands, his voice was muffled, and the talking made bubbles in the blood between his fingers, “you broke me Pff-ucking noth!” Then he started coughing something up from the back of his throat. He removed his hands and spit to the ground in front of him. There, mixed in with the blood and the spit, was the bottom halves of both his front teeth. Charles then looked at it in shock, and exclaimed, “THHIT!”

Logan stayed down sitting on his haunches, looking at Charles’s face, his scowl now subsided somewhat, he was examining Charles’s face, still holding the knife in his hand, and he said through a more relaxed set of clenched teeth, “Your right … it is broken … compound fracture too. Man … that’s gotta hurt like a son-of-a-bitch.”

 

Charles then placed his hands over his nose and mouth again, but this time he kept his attention on Logan, Charles was now frightened of him. He looked at Logan, with the scowl on his face, albeit a more relaxed scowl, but a scowl just the same. Plus Logan now had the knife in his hand.

 

“Charles huh?” Logan asked him, his voice seemed deeper and coming more from his throat, “That’s your name?”

 

Charles nodded yes.

 

 

“What?” Logan asked now in a sinister calm tone, “I didn’t hear you.”

“Yeth.” He answered through his hand.

“Charles then … is it?” Logan asked again.

 

“Yeth,” Charles answered again, and then began to moan because of his pain.

 

“Charles? Like your prince?” Logan asked.

 

“Yeth,” He moaned.

 

“Yeah … well … he’s a fucking asshole too.”

 

 

Logan continued his stare at him, he was taunting Charles, he wanted to see him scared, let him feel what he has made all the others weaker than him feel throughout his life. Logan’s eyes were locked in him, however, he didn’t speak. Logan then began to twirl the knife between the fingers of his right hand. He was doing it very skillfully and Charles watched him as he did it. Logan knew what he was doing, he wanted Charles to realize that he has done this before and has done it for sometime with other knives.

 

“Logan?” Lily said quietly, breaking the silence, “Let’s go, leave him here and let’s go.”

Logan turned his face to her, and she herself flinched when she saw the scowl on his face. “No.” He said still calm, quiet, yet sardonically, “I’m not done yet.” He then returned his gaze back to Charles. He then twirled the knife faster between his fingers, then snapped it to a sudden stop in his hand with the blade straight up, as if it were at attention. He reached around Charles with the knife. With the tip of the blade he pulled the handkerchief from Charles’s breast pocket and handed it to him. Charles looked at it, he was still moaning from his pain.

 

“Here Charlie,” Logan said quietly, “this should help that bleeding somewhat.”

 

Charles took the handkerchief with one trembling hand, then put in his cupped hands and placed it over his nose and mouth. His pain was starting to make him dizzy.

 

“You feel like passing out Charlie?” Logan asked. Charlie nodded yes. “Well … don’t.”

 

Logan held up the knife for Charles to see, he held the blade straight up, with the end of the handle being held by his fingertips. He was now turning it clockwise and counterclockwise. He stayed silent, and let the reflection of the streetlights from the polished blade shine in Charles’s eyes.

 

“Tell me something Charlie … excuse me … may I call you Charlie?” Logan asked, keeping his sinister calm tone.

 

Charlie nodded ‘yes’ again.

 

“Thank you … tell me something Charlie … what is it that you know about knives?”

 

Charles glanced right at him, and then to the knife in Logan’s hand. The blood on his hands was now becoming thick and tacky, and the white of the handkerchief was slowly being covered by red. Charles did not answer, the only sound he was making was his moaning from the pain.

 

“I can tell first of all that you have great taste in them.” Logan said, now glancing from Charles, to the knife, and back at Charles. “I mean, this is a good one. Tempered steel, case hardened I bet, ivory bone handle, great balance, perfect weight, and sharp … man … is that sharp. I bet you could shave the hairs off a rats ass as it ran past you.”

 

Charles remained silent except for his moans. He noticed that the scowl on Logan’s face had subsided. It was now Logan’s calm demeanor and the quiet way in which he was speaking that was frightening him the most. Logan was now tipping the knife slowly back and forth, like a metronome.

 

 

“Yep, I bet this one set you back quite a bit of your English Pounds all right.” Logan said looking at the knife and then he returned his stare to Charles, “You want it back?”

 

Charles still remained silent, his eyes also kept going from the knife and then back to Logan.

 

“Really Charlie … do you want it back?” Logan asked sarcastically, then he suddenly stop tipping the knife back and forth, “I’ll give it back to, honest to God. But you gotta tell me Charlie … what is it that you know about knives?”

 

Charles was now so scared to talk that he could not feel his pain anymore, he remained silent.

 

“Charlie, what‘s the matter?” Logan asked, sounding concerned, “Two minutes ago you couldn’t shut the hell up for anything. I ask you again, … what do you know about knives?”

 

Charles chose to continue to stay silent, he was now frightened and confused. He felt that now matter what he would do or say that it would be the wrong thing.

 

“Maybe I should clarify myself then Charlie.” Logan said, his voice was now shifting back to the quiet angry tone, and Charles noticed that the scowl was beginning to return to his face, “What I mean is that, like … have you ever REALLY stuck one of these into somebody? I mean, have you EVER cut someone’s flesh with one of these? I mean … have you ever drawn somebody’s blood?”

 

Charles was now being overcome with both his fear and pain, he began to look pleadingly at him, then over Logan’s shoulder to Lily.

 

“Not answering me? Well, that is your answer then!” Logan said aggressively, “I thought so! NO! You just like going around waving this into somebody’s face … don‘t cha! It’s all part of your bullshit act and you only do to those you can scare .. don‘t cha! You fucking bastard!”

 

Charles now tried to say something. However, he was stuttering as he did so and it also made his pain worse as he spoke, “Led meed go.” He said quietly.

 

Immediately, the scowl came back to Logan’s face, he stood up halfway in his crouch clutching the knife tightly in his right hand and began to bellow at Charles, “WHAT?! WHAT?! Let you GO! You want me to LET YOU GO! NO … NO WAY! NOT … UNTIL … YOU TELL ME … YOU TELL ME DAMN IT … TELL ME … WHAT IT IS … THAT YOU KNOW … ABOUT KNIVES!!! DO YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO USE ONE … OR ARE YOU JUST FULL OF SHIT?!!!”

The whole alleyway was silent, except for the panting of Logan’s breathing. He was breathing hard through both his nose and clenched teeth, making a hissing noise with the rhythm of his breath, and the cold air made it visible. He appeared to be like a bull in the ring while still crouched over Charles holding the knife in his hand. His anger was so great that everyone could feel it, Charles was crouching down as if he were waiting for the worst to happen.

 

“Logan?” Lily said quietly from behind him, she slowly stepped up behind him, and carefully placed her hand gently one his left shoulder, “Logan? Please … he’s had enough.” She could feel the tension of his muscles, then she felt him starting to relax. He slowly stood up straight, and composed himself. When he turned to her, the scowl was gone, and he was as normal as he was earlier. “Please honey … let’s go … leave him here and let’s go now.”

 

He looked at her face, she was pleading he felt, he then just whispered, “Okay.” He looked back down to Charles and then back to Lily. He looked at the knife in his hand, “Just one more thing.” He said. Then he stepped behind Charles on his left side and kneeled down next to him, putting his right arm over Charles’s shoulder, the knife still in his right hand. He placed his head next to Charles, and cupped his left hand over Charles’s left ear, the blade of the knife was now tilted so that it was barely touching Charles’s forehead.

 

Logan now whispered into Charles’s ear, very quietly, so that no one else could hear him, “Come back here again … bother her again … bother her friends again … and I’ll take your scalp with this. Unlike you, I DO know something about knives.” He then stood up and stepped back to Lily, he flipped the knife in his hand so that he was now holding the blade.

 

 

“Lily?” He said to her calmly, “What is it that you want from him?” He pointed at Charles with the knife handle.

“What do you mean?” She answered timidly.

“I mean, what is it that you want from Charlie here? What is it you want him to do?”

She looked at Logan, then to Charles and answered, “All I want is for him to go back to England, and stay the fuck out of my life.”

 

Logan turned around and looked back at Charles. He then held his arms up a little from his sides in a mockingly pleaded way and said in a normal tone, “Charlie? Go back to England … right now … and stay … the fuck … out … of her life.”

 

He felt the knife blade in his hand, and started looking around the alley. On his left a little over twenty feet away he saw a wooden fenced area that was covering a stairwell to the basement of the building. There were four by four wooden support posts on the outside of the fence facing them.. Logan then in one sudden movement of his body turned to his left and threw the knife hard overhand ending with a fast snap of his wrist. The knife made a hissing sound as it sliced through the air which lasted about a half a second and ended with a loud thud. The knife hit the one of the wooden posts …the one he aimed for … head high and dead center.

 

He looked down at Charles and said calmly, “You can pick that up on your way back.” He looked at Lily, Cosette, and Bricey and said, “Okay, let’s go now.”

 

Cosette and Lily began to way back to the walkway, Bricey was still staring at the knife stuck in the wood post.

 

“Bricey! Come!” Cosette said sternly.

 

Logan then whispered to them as the came to the walkway, “All of you go in front of me in case he wants to retaliate.”

 

Then Charles called out to them as they were leaving, “Hey! I needuh hothbidol!”

 

Logan looked over his shoulder and shouted back as he continued to walk, “Last I heard, there are plenty in England!”

 

They all now walked through the passage way without talking. It was dark and Logan welcomed it. He was now beginning to be consumed by the emotions from his flashbacks. He had his eyes closed and was breathing deeply through his mouth quietly. He did not want the others to notice. In another minute they were back out on the street in front of Le Club Argenté D'oiseau. They all four stopped in front of the club to gather themselves. Logan saw that Bricey still had Lily’s jacket and held his hands out for it. After he gave it to him, Logan helped Lily on with it. 

“Thank you dear,” she said, “are you alright?”

 

“Not really.” He answered.

 

“Come on honey,” she said to him sweetly, “let’s go back inside then.”

 

“I don’t know if that will be a good idea.”

 

“Why?"

 

 

"Well soon, Charlie back there is going to make his way to a hospital, and knowing him, the police are gonna get involved, and then they will come here looking for me.” Logan explained, “I don’t want any trouble for your friend Claude here. Maybe I should just take off and come back some other time.” He then looked to Bricey, “You, if you’re going to stay here, I suggest you go home, clean up and change. If the cops do come, they’ll be looking for someone who looks as though they were involved in a fight.”

 

Then Bricey just couldn’t contain himself anymore and asked enthusiastically, “Where did you learn to throw a knife like that?”

 

Logan looked at him surprised, gave a little smile and laugh and answered, “From my grandmother.”

 

Cosette now looked back at Logan with a wide eyed look, “Your grand mama taught you to throw knives?!”

 

“No, no, not my grandmother herself. Sorry, I’m a little mixed up right now,” Logan said, “I was taught by her brothers, my grand-uncles, and by her people.”

 

“Her people?” Lily asked.

 

“Yes,” Logan said and a slight expression of pride came to his face, “you see, my grandmother, she was a full blooded Lakota Sioux. You know, an American Indian. When I was a boy, I spent my summers on the Cheyenne River Reservation where they live and they taught me the ways of the Lakota. We had target games all the time throwing knives and axes, you know, tomahawks, and shooting bows and arrows. I just kept practicing and perfected it over the years.”

Lily then asked, “Then that makes you part Indian also … part … what is it … La-ko-ta?”

“Yes, it does”

“That must explain your beautiful black hair then.” Lily said, and she reached up with her right hand and began to stroke his hair, “Hair that could look much better, you simply must let me do something with it.” She looked at him for a second and then asked, “You’re not staying then?”

 

“No, I’d better not chance it.” 

 

An expression of disappointment came to her face, “Then I’m not going to stay either honey. Could you walk me home then? I don’t live to far from here.”

 

“Sure, I’d love too. But, I left my jacket inside there.”

 

“I’ll get it!” Bricey volunteered.

 

 

“Wait one second.” Lily said then turned to Cosette, “Tell Clive and Claude what’s happened,” she turned to Bricey, “do as Logan says and change clothes and tidy up if you‘re going to stay here, hurry and get his jacket.”

“Be right back.” Bricey said then ran back into the club.

Lily noticed some distress with Logan, “None of this was of your doing sweetheart.”

“I … I got a little carried away back there,” Logan said looking in all directions, “sorry.”

They stood quietly there for a moment, then Bricey returned with Logan’s jacket, and right behind him was Clive.

“Lillian, my dear, what in the world is going on!” Clive asked with great concern.

“Cosette will tell you everything, Logan is going to walk me home, aren’t you dear?” She answered. “I’ll see you all tomorrow, good night.” She then gave Cosette, Bricey, and Clive a kiss good night and then stepped over to Logan and took him by the right arm.

 

“Night all,” he said sadly as he took his jacket from Bricey, “sorry ‘bout all this.”

 

“No,” Cosette said holding up her finger to him, “thank you. Thank you for helping us. Nothing here is your fault.” She then stepped over and kissed Logan on his cheek.

 

Bricey then said, “Yes, yes, thank you so much.” Then he to stepped over to Logan to give him both a hug and kiss on his cheek.

 

Logan looked surprised, and blushed, “Uh … thanks?”

 

“Come now my sweet, it’s this way,” Lily then said, and began lead him past the club in the opposite direction, “my place is about six streets from here.”

They both then began to walk away briskly, Lily believed him when he said that the police may show up and she wanted to get him away from the club. When she looked over her shoulder, she saw Cosette trying to explain the situation to Clive, but Bricey seemed to be interrupting her.

 

“Bricey!” Lily shouted back, “Tell him later! Go now and change your clothes! Hurry!” She turned her head to Logan and she could see he looked distressed, even a little ashamed. He seemed to be in deep thought, as if he were in another place. They both walked together for two streets without speaking when Lily suddenly stopped.

Logan snapped out of his daze, looked around and then to her, “What is it?” He asked, she motioned her head to tell him to look behind him. They were both standing in front of a coiffeur salon. On the window in an elegant script was painted, “CLIVE’S COIFFEURS”. It was dimly lit but Logan could see the elegance of the shop.

 

“This is where I work.” Lily said.

 

Logan leaned to the window to have a better look, “My, God! It’s beautiful in there. It’s like the Lourve with barber chairs.”

 

“I haven’t quite heard it described in that way,” Lily giggled, “I simply have to tell that to Clive.” She pointed to the chair that was right by the window, “That’s my station.”

 

“Right by the window huh?”

 

 

“Yes, usually when you are new to an establishment, they put you by the window intentionally, and the more seniority you have, they more they move you to the inside of the shop.” She was looking into the window with him. “However, I didn’t want to move, I love watching the people outside, and the weather changes, and just the city life in general.”

 

He looked to her, “You really like it here don’t you?”

 

What? Paris, oh I absolutely love it here. My mother is from France, Marseilles actually, and she and I would come to Paris all the time on her way there to visit her family. I’ve always wanted to come here to live, it was my dream as a girl, and that was one of the problems I had with Charles.”

 

“Was he your boyfriend?”

 

“At one time, but, I didn’t like what I saw in him. I saw that a long time ago. He was always trying to prove how masculine he was. In school, he was on the rugby team, and I thought he was as you Americans say, ‘cool’ and everything of that sort. But, that was back in school, and I grew up, he couldn’t accept anything that I wanted to do in life. I mean, I understood that behavior when we were younger, but, he never outgrew that.”

 

“I can understand that.”

 

“You can?”

 

“Yeah, I, uh, I knew someone like that once.”

 

Lily looked at his face, she wanted to kiss him right then, but she knew she had to hold back, “Anyway, Charles never believed me that I wanted to live here, he thought that I was silly to hold onto that dream. He wanted me to marry him and stay in England, and, - - - all that.”

 

“Don’t you miss it at all?”

 

 

“Miss what honey?”

 

“England, after all, it’s your home, where you grew up.”

 

“Oh, yes sometimes, but I think it’s because I have dual citizenship. Mother being from here and all.” She said, then she corrected herself, “Well actually, Mother isn’t from here originally.”

 

“She’s not?”

 

“No, actually Mother is originally from Morocco. Her family moved to Marseilles after the war. Since Morocco was under French rule then, she and her family were considered French.”

 

“Really? So, I guess that makes you part Moroccan then?”

 

Lily stood and smiled, “Why, yes.”

 

“That must explain the sparkle in your eyes.”

 

Lily then smiled and placed her hands over her mouth.

 

“Hey!” Logan said, “Now look who’s blushing.”

 

“Come now honey,” she said as she took him again by the arm, “it’s just a little further.”

 

As they continued walking, Logan again grew quiet, and seemed to drift back and forth from some place in his mind to where he was now. Soon, Lily stopped him again. They were standing in front of a three story apartment building, “This is it hun, I’m on the top floor. Would you like to come up?”

 

“No, I don’t think I should. I wouldn’t be great company right now anyway.”

She stood in front of him and placed her hands on the sides of his arms and caressed them, “Are you alright Logan?”

 

“No … no not really.”

 

“Honey, none of this was your fault. You did the right thing, you did what you had to do.”

 

“It’s not only that,” he said solemnly, “It’s that, well, I, uh, I wanted things to be, you know, nice tonight.”

 

“Oh, you did?”

 

“Yeah, like I said, I wanted you to get to know me, and I you, and, there’s well, there’s things I have to tell you, I had to let you know something.”

 

“You can do that now.”

 

Logan just continued, “I mean, all night last night and all day today, you know you were right, I was going through a hundred different things and a thousand ways to say them, I was nervous about how your going to react and, DAMN IT! This whole thing, it came right out of left field.”

 

“It’s alright Logan, we’ll just try it again.”

 

He calmed down with that, “We can?”

 

“Yes, yes honey.”

 

“I mean, right now we should have been back at that club, talking things over, having fun and stuff but now I’m … I’m … I’m just …”

 

“Just what dear?”

 

Logan looked to the ground, “Back there … with Charlie … it …it just … it took me back to a bad time in my life.”

 

“It looks as though it has had a bad effect on you, would you like to talk about it?”

 

Logan looked up and sighed, “No, no, I can’t do that right now.” He still had his jacket over his arm and he put it in. “Lily … my life … my life is so … so complicated … that … well … maybe it would be best if I just like, dished it out to you a little at a time.”

 

He zipped up his jacket, and then Lily motioned to him with her finger to bend down, She then gently cupped his face with both of her hands. “Would you like to try again tomorrow?”

 

“Could I?”

 

“Yes,” she whisper to him, “tell me then that you want to see me tomorrow.”

 

“I would like to see you tomorrow, and try this again.”

 

She then got the tight lipped smile and asked, “You were up all night thinking of me, and what to say and do?”

“Yeah.” He said and nodded.

 

 

“Then here’s something that you can think about tonight.” She then placed a long gentle kiss on his lips. When she was finished, she pulled her head back to look at him, right into his eyes, and then, she gave him another one. She pulled back to look at him again, when his eyes opened she said, “You have pleasant dreams then honey” She turned and walked to her building.

 

“Where’s your place?” He asked, “You gotta wave to me so that I know you got in okay.”

 

“How wonderfully chivalrous” She then pointed upward to the building, “The top floor, to the right on the street side here. I’ll wave from the window dear.” She took her keys from her purse and unlocked the entryway glass door, she stepped towards the stairs inside and looked over her shoulder at him as she disappeared going up the steps. Logan step back so that he could look up to the third floor window. In less than two minutes, light came on through the window that Lily showed him. The curtain pulled back, and he saw her then looking down to him and she gave him a wave. He waved back and then began to make his way back in the direction from which they both came. He went to the end of the block, he turned to look back before he turned the corner, and she was still there watching him. He gave one more wave to her, and she returned it. He then continued to walk away.

 

Now, he was alone walking. He was being pulled in two different directions emotionally. One was the joy he was feeling over being with Lily, the other was from the flashback memories that he was struggling to suppress. However, with Lily now not being around him, the memory was beginning to overcome him. He felt his throat begin to tighten, and his eyes would start to burn. He walked faster trying to hold it in, he could feel himself hyperventilating slightly. His legs began to feel heavy, and he started to think that he was not going to be able to hold it in. He needed to get home, he needed to get home quickly. He began to search for a taxi.

 

He continued to walk for only a few more minutes, but it seemed like an hour. He looked at his watch, it was only 10:30 PM. Just when he began to believe that every taxi in Paris had stopped running for the evening, he found one, waved it down, and soon he was on his way home.

In the cab, he was somewhat in control, maybe because the driver was talking and rambling on and on his philosophy of the ways of the world and how it should be, or maybe it was just because there was another human being with him. At one point, they passed the street where Le Club Argenté D'oiseau was. They stopped at the corner and Logan looked down towards the club expecting to see any police vehicles, however, there were none.

 

Soon, they arrived at Logan’s apartment complex, he quickly exited the taxi, paid his fare, and turned to enter. Now alone again, the emotion began to take him over again, he fought to suppress the final memory of his earlier flashbacks, but, it slowly began to seep through - - -

 

 

- - - sitting holding Caesar - - - rocking him - - -

 

- - - Logan placed his hand over his mouth, suddenly stopped, and bent slightly at the waist. He came to the entry of his building. He then had to force his way up the stairs to the second floor where his small apartment was. The memory was now leaking through the dam he had built in his mind - - -

 

- - - talking to Caesar - - - telling him “Hold on paisan…” - - -

 

- - - He felt himself choking now from the pain in his throat. He made it to the door to his apartment, jammed the keys in and pushed the door forcefully open, and quickly shut and locked it behind him. He never bothered to turn on any lights. He unzipped his jacket and tossed it quickly to his chair and made a fast pace to his bedroom. As he passed the bathroom that was on the way to where his bed was, he yanked a large bath towel off the towel ring, and then went right to his bed. 

 

He sat down on the side of his bed, still not bothering to turn on any lights. He then succumbed to his memory and let the dam burst - - -

- - - Caesar - - - dying in his arms - - -

 

Logan then buried his face into the bath towel, and while sitting in the dark, he began to weep uncontrollably - - -

 

 

- - - The quiet of the apartment was … for the last time broken by the voice of Dean Watson on Chicago Talk Radio, telling his audience what was going to be discussed right after the news. Logan came out of his thoughts, his throat was aching and there were some tears in his eyes. He cleared his throat and wiped his eyes dry, then stood from the chair. He went back to his bedroom and switched the radio off, so that the alarm would never go off again. Then he went to where his briefcase was, and took from it yellow legal pad. He went back to the living room and took a pen from the breast pocket of his suit coat. He then went to his dining table, sat at it, and tore the top sheet of paper off the pad. He wrote a note to Josephine, telling her a personal matter came up, and that he will not be in the office today, to please take care of anything that would come up.

 

He then took another sheet and wrote second note. When he finished he signed it, folded it , and placed it in an envelope. 

When he would get to his office, he would place the note for Josephine on top of his desk, the second note that was in the envelope would be placed in the top center drawer of his desk. He would then get the bag that was locked in his office … and leave to catch “The Wolverine.”

If everything would go as he has been planning it, by the time anyone finds the second note in his desk … Logan would be well out of the country.