(3) When all else is lost the future still remains

Shan watched Race as he escorted him into his home. The kid, well very young man he supposed, looked around Shan’s large and well-appointed living room with something approaching awe.

“It’s just a room, Race,” Shan chuckled as he opened the envelope Race had delivered. “Well now, this is interesting,” he commented as he read the short note it contained.

Race turned from checking out the DVDs that sat on a shelf beside the large flat-screen television at one end of the room. “A threat,” he asked.

“Now why would you presume that?”

Race shrugged. “A strange man asks someone who dumpster-dives for food to deliver it, and pays way too much to have that happen. I’d say it probably wasn’t a love note or an invitation to dinner.”

“You’re right about that. You’re certain there’s nothing you can tell me about this man?”

Frowning, Race tried to picture the man. “Well he was tall, close to as tall as you, and I think well-built. Hard to tell though because he was wearing a long coat, like those cowboy dudes in the movies.”

“A duster or long-rider coat. Okay. Hair color?”

“I think dark, but he made sure to stay in the shadows. I just got a glimpse of it when he walked out of the alley. He definitely isn’t blonde anyway.”

“Tall, well-built and darkish hair, not the best of descriptions. It could fit several people I know who might want to see me dead.”

“Several people? What the hell do you do that you have them after your hide, if you’ll pardon the term.” Race grinned slightly. “Oh, and what are you by the way or would you rather not say?”

“Makes no never mind to me. I’m a Were-leopard, among other things. I’m presuming that’s what you sensed.”

“Why just that?” Race plopped down on the long leather sofa, looking up at Shan.

“What else I am would still come across as human, I think.”

“And you’re not going to tell me what that is.”

“Not at the moment, no.”

“Is it why someone’s after you?”

“That, or what I do for a living,” Shan replied as he sat down.