Widow

When I finally finished in the restroom and rinsed my mouth several times, I shakily left the stall and headed back to my seat. Jonas must have heard me coming and got up to make room for me.
"Are you okay?" he asked as I sat down.
"Hm," I grumbled, putting on my hood and lounging back into the cushion.
"So far, there's rarely been anyone who's had such severe side effects from this stuff," he said, sitting back down and now opening a book.
"You mean apart from lions and elephants?", I grumbled sarcastically.
"I'm afraid there's not much that will knock your species' socks off in a very short time," Jonas apologized without looking up.
"How long have we been flying?", I then wanted to know after a short silence.
"For about three hours. This is a non-stop flight, that's..."
"I know what a nonstop flight is you moron," I interrupted him as he was about to launch into an explanation. He looked at me scrutinizingly.
"...We're flying for another four hours or so." he then said, putting a bookmark in his book and setting it aside.
"Dirt.", I muttered.
"How many times have you flown?"
I fell silent.
"First time?" he asked, because I didn't answer.
"Yeag.", I admitted grumbling. He handed me something and I realized it was gum.
I hesitated for a long moment, but then took it in a sharp movement.
"If you don't swallow it, you should be able to tolerate it," he said, watching me as I unwrapped it and wordlessly popped it into my mouth. Then I sat up again. As long as I felt this sick, I wouldn't get a wink of sleep anyway.
"Where's your entourage?", I asked, since I hadn't seen the two agents anywhere yet.
"They just took you to the plane and then went back to the quarters. Along with the data carrier they found in your pants pocket.", he looked at me as if expecting a confession.
"The things you carry around with you," I shrugged and leaned my head back.
"You're not too good for anything, are you?" he asked me, pressing his lips together in disappointment.
"I've peeked into the data, and since I don't know your intentions, nor those of the original client, I don't really think much of letting the thing fall into someone else's hands."
"So you're just a concerned citizen who wants to help.", he nodded with a playfully bona fide look.
"Funny. Do you even know what's on it?"
"Not quite."
"I don't know if I should believe you," I said mumbeling, checking the screen on the back of the seat in front of me.
"Unlike you, I'm not a compulsive liar," he tracked my every move with his gaze.
"The words of the reviewer?", I asked rhetorically, snorting dismissively, "I have different priorities than you, or other humans. Among them, that the formula for a newly developed nerve poison should not necessarily fall into the wrong hands."
He would inspect the contents of the disk anyway.
Eventually.
Jonas came to attention and gave me a serious look.
"Nerve poison?" he asked slowly, and I could tell for a moment that he was a little worried.
So he actually had no idea what was on that flash drive.
"Maybe you should get a hearing aid if you can't hear me properly," I replied pressedly, the corners of my mouth twisting a little downward. He'd better not speak so loudly.
"There are enough effective toxins, why develop a new one?", so he started talking to himself. But for me to have an expert opinion.
"What I would wonder much more is what a clan would want to do with it," I gave him the food for thought.
"Do you know which clan it was?" he inquired.
"I don't know. But little Vampirella had the action with the fire imposed on her as an entrance exam. And if that clan risks attacking the leadership of a government agency without restraint, I think there's something behind it that doesn't bode well in any case," I muttered emphatically quietly, so that other people wouldn't be able to eavesdrop on our conversation so well.
"Hm.", Jonas murmured, "You're smarter than I thought."
"Under other circumstances, I'd be flattered right now," I shook my head and looked through the movies.
Yikes, Drama.
"Maybe you are a help after all.", he said considering and I saw his slight grin out of the corner of my eye.
"If I knew what to help with, I'd certainly be more of use," I grumbled, finally putting on the headphones.
"Don't worry, you'll find out what's going on at the meeting at the latest," he said encouragingly.
But I felt rather uncomfortable at the thought of a surprise that I probably won't like.

________________

I spent the rest of the flight listening to music by a band called Linkin Park. I didn't get much of the songs though, because I fell asleep after the third one.
Jonas nudged me as we prepared to land.
Due to the fact that I was still sick to my stomach, I didn't like this part of the flight as much as the fact that I was in a steel bird in the air.
"You could have let me sleep until we landed," I muttered to him as we got in between the other passengers and disembarked. Since we had no luggage except for the ugly travel bag, I was glad to get out of the noisy airport quickly.
What awaited me, however, I also did not like very much.
It was already sunset and Jonas spent a short time calling a cab.
Meanwhile, I surveyed the airport of the city I had avoided for so long.
It was nowhere near as dirty as it had been in the 19th century, but still, too much had happened here to make me feel comfortable with the area all over again.
"Get in." said Jonas to me, pointing to the black car parked on the side of the road.
Ah yes, the cabs here looked different. I only knew the newer cars from pictures on the Internet.
With a grumble, I got in the back and this time Jonas sat right next to me in the back seat, but kept silent the entire ride.
It was pretty dark as we drove through the streets. Not dark enough for me not to be able to read the street signs, though. Several brought back unpleasant memories.
After just under an hour, we passed St. Paul's Cathedral and I remembered how I had marveled at this impressive building with Norman way back when.
Wistfulness pierced me as we drove further along the main street and past all the old stores.
When the cab had to stop, my gaze lingered on an alley.
I would never forget this alley.
Never in my life.

* F L A S H B A C K *

"You go around back, I'll shoo them into your arms," Norman whispered to me.
"You know we should wait for backup," I muttered, loading my revolver, "We don't even know how many of them are in there."
I didn't agree with this approach.
But he knew that.
"And you know Scotland Yard will then take credit again. This could be our break, this is our chance!"
"We don't get much of that shit if we're dead, though. I doubt they'll bury us in Westminster Abbey for a heroic death as private detectives," I muttered. But I knew there was no point in arguing with him about it. As Norman was about to launch into a protesting justification, I raised a hand and gestured for him to be quiet.
"It's all right. Just don't get picked off, you're paying for dinner tomorrow, don't forget that," I then said quietly and slipped into the small, dirty side street. Even as I took up position next to the back exit, gun raised and safety off, it began to rain.
I stifled the curse I already had on my lips and concentrated on the sounds of the surroundings. After a short time I was soaked to the bone and still no sign of my partner.
However, I hadn't heard any gunshots yet either. I wiped the drops from my eyes so that they would not impair my vision even more than the darkness already did.
The light of the lanterns did not reach into the alley. For a long time the splashing of the drops on the muddy ground drowned out almost all other sounds. Occasionally, a few carriages could be heard passing by, but only when the animals made a noise or the coachman shouted something.
Then suddenly the door was pulled open and as soon as I realized that it wasn't Norman, I aimed at his shoulder and wanted to pull the trigger. But the moment I crooked my finger, I was put in a headlock from behind and the bullet missed its target.
I cursed and tried to free myself with a yip.
"Good job, George.", the man in the doorway handed a small bag to the man holding me and then walked past us. Again I squirmed in the hold, this time more desperate, but my tormentor's headlock was like stone. I made an effort to turn a little to the side as he cut my air.
Just gasping for air once. I was starting to feel dizzy. I groaned softly as I didn't manage to move much and thought about what to do.
"Don't forget to get the other one out of the way, too. He should still be busy inside with our show. Otherwise, bon appétit." the other man said, and I heard him step out onto the paved paths and move away, along with the rush of my own blood.
I took advantage of the moment when the man who held me captive was still listening to the other and rammed my elbow into his ribs with full force. He turned me with a growl, face first, to the wall of the house and wanted to have me rammed against it.
However, I finally managed to turn slightly to the side, gasped for air briefly, and when I felt the rough brick scraping my cheek, I braced myself against the wall with my legs and pushed off with all my might, so that together we crashed against the other side of the alley.
The grip loosened and I landed on the ground, gasping.
I had no time to breathe and frantically searched for my weapon, but I couldn't find it in the dirt and rain.
Just as I was about to stand up to face my opponent, a knee was rammed into my side.
My ribs cracked, I gasped heavily for air and landed broadside in the mud.
I had often been kicked before, even in the chest, but never with such force. My right side hurt badly, probably this kick had broken some ribs. I tried to catch myself again and wanted to call for Norman, but the man bent down and closed a hand around my throat, by which he then also lifted me up. Before I could even make a sound he bit me.
I was too horrified to realize what was happening.
After the first moment of shock and the burning pain on my neck, I then noticed a steady suction. I felt dizzy and my hands went numb.
I could no longer fight back. My head slumped to the side and panic pierced me.
I could do nothing.
In the corner of my eye I perceived a movement and a few shots, then a curse and finally a horrible, wet crack.
After that, there was silence.
The man's weight sagged off me and I toppled to the side along with him.
After a few moments, I then realized that I was staring into the dead eyes of this madman.
Or rather into the eyes of his head, which lay separated from the rest of his body in front of me.
Horrified, I pulled up. Immediately everything starting to spin. I lifted my eyes to Norman who, cursing, threw away an axe and then came to my aid. 
"You decapitated him?!", I asked, still panicked.
My heart was racing incessantly and I couldn't take my eyes off the man.
"I shot him three times in the back and once through the skull, he didn't let go," Norman hissed and I could tell he was just as panicked as I was.
"C-can you walk?" he then asked me anxiously.
"I think so, I...", I tried to push myself up, but my arms were shaking like the branches of an asp, "Just give me a minute to catch my breath.", I said and sat back down on the muddy floor.
My muscles felt like pudding and my heartbeat just wouldn't calm down.
Then I raised a hand to the place where this madman had bitten me. I didn't feel much, only my blood, which was still running happily from the wound. As I stared at the body parts, unable to move much, I realized something.
"Shit," I muttered, then stared angrily at Norman.
"What?" he asked, frowning.
"Where do you get off hitting a guy in the neck with an axe?! You can't even hit while chopping wood!"
"Sorry, knee-jerk reaction.", he raised his hands.
"I...", I started to snap at him, but interrupted myself.
I wasn't angry at him, more angry at myself for not managing to handle the situation myself.
With shaking hands I stroked through my wet hair, "Sorry, no.... I just went through. Wasn't your fault.", I closed my eyes for a moment to sort out my thoughts.
"Look at the teeth on that one," I then said to Norman and slowly pushed myself back up the wall of the house, one arm wrapped around my, still aching, chest.
I hadn't found any major bite marks on my neck, and yet it was bleeding like hell.
Norman did it immediately and I heard him mutter something softly.
"What?", I inquired, not having understood him because of the rain. But when he turned to me, pale as a corpse, to make a communication, a terrible twinge ran through my chest and everything went black.

*END of  F L A S H B A C K *

"...Widow?", Jonas asked me.

"Huh?", I released my gaze from where the alley had been earlier. Now rows of houses were passing by the window again. I lazily turned my head around to face him.
"Are you all right? I've been talking to you for a while," he said a little bit worried, seeking eye contact. Probably to make sure I was actually responsive.
"Hm. Just tired.", I mumbled and looked out the window again, "Was it important?", I then added when he didn't say anything even after several minutes. Jonas sighed and shook his head.
"No, it's okay. We'll be right there and you can get some rest. The meeting is tomorrow morning," he said and a short time later the cab stopped in front of a cozy little house.