09-22-2014, 09:02 PM
Nikolai crossed the threshold and passed a glance at Michael. "Seems like a nice person."
His comment was without expression: his attempt at humor.
Valdir Schenzek showed them toward the living room. The hallway was dim, but tidy. A row of shoes was lined along the wall. A narrow flight of stairs led upward. The carpet running its center was worn by years of footprints, but without stain or smell.
In gesture, Nikolai swiped the moisture from the bottom of his shoes before properly following. The sounds of a television wafted from afar, but otherwise no chatter of person or pet broke the silence, Valdir excluded.
"Mister Schenzek we need to have a discussion,"
Nikolai called in perfect accent. The man in question returned to view carrying a tray of coffee mugs. Strings of tea bags were draped over the edges.
"Apologies, apologies! So long since a guest! I have tea! Come in, come in."
Valdir backed against the door to the room the television was in. His guests looked at one another in turn, and for not immediately complying, the man's very presence grew like a tumor on Nik's mind.
"SHUT THE DOOR!"
His screech pierced, carried by threads of power like a blizzard on the wind. The blast passed, and Valdir smiled. His normal voice returned to him. "Come in, please."
A deep sigh, and Nikolai gestured that they close the door. He paused when he reached the threshold to the room Valdir chose for tea. "Mister Schenzek, do you know who I am?"
He kept his voice level like he was speaking with a child. Something told him he was. A very, very dangerous child.
Valdir straightened. The blankness of his expression coiled its way up and down Nikolai until it shifted to recognition.
"Oh yes! I am so sorry! I didn't recognize you at first! I am a big fan! A big, big fan."
He grabbed a black contraption that Nikolai recognized from his youth and with it flipped through tv channels. "You should be on right now! I watch you every night."
Nikolai frowned, curious more than concerned. "You watch me do what?"
Valdir dropped his shoulders, and turned to face them. "You're the host of Family Fortune! I watch you every night. It should be on right now. Why isn't it on? Its all these dumb fireworks."
He finally gave up searching. The channel he came to rest on was running a live New Year's Eve special. Fireworks around the world. Moscow's would be starting within the hour. Nikolai was obviously going to miss it. Of course, nobody would know that.
But Family Fortune? Valdir had mistaken the Ascendancy for the host of a game show?
That answered one question. Valdir was crazy. Harmless, perhaps, but crazy. Nikolai didn't have the time nor interest in adopting a hopeless case. Was anything in the man salvageable?
Suppressing a sigh, Nik slipped his gloves to his pocket and stepped into the actual living room. And realized they weren't alone after all. This time, his frown was one of disappointment, and perhaps, strangely, slightly impressed.
He waited for Michael to notice. "A pleasant man, indeed."
His comment was without expression: his attempt at humor.
Valdir Schenzek showed them toward the living room. The hallway was dim, but tidy. A row of shoes was lined along the wall. A narrow flight of stairs led upward. The carpet running its center was worn by years of footprints, but without stain or smell.
In gesture, Nikolai swiped the moisture from the bottom of his shoes before properly following. The sounds of a television wafted from afar, but otherwise no chatter of person or pet broke the silence, Valdir excluded.
"Mister Schenzek we need to have a discussion,"
Nikolai called in perfect accent. The man in question returned to view carrying a tray of coffee mugs. Strings of tea bags were draped over the edges.
"Apologies, apologies! So long since a guest! I have tea! Come in, come in."
Valdir backed against the door to the room the television was in. His guests looked at one another in turn, and for not immediately complying, the man's very presence grew like a tumor on Nik's mind.
"SHUT THE DOOR!"
His screech pierced, carried by threads of power like a blizzard on the wind. The blast passed, and Valdir smiled. His normal voice returned to him. "Come in, please."
A deep sigh, and Nikolai gestured that they close the door. He paused when he reached the threshold to the room Valdir chose for tea. "Mister Schenzek, do you know who I am?"
He kept his voice level like he was speaking with a child. Something told him he was. A very, very dangerous child.
Valdir straightened. The blankness of his expression coiled its way up and down Nikolai until it shifted to recognition.
"Oh yes! I am so sorry! I didn't recognize you at first! I am a big fan! A big, big fan."
He grabbed a black contraption that Nikolai recognized from his youth and with it flipped through tv channels. "You should be on right now! I watch you every night."
Nikolai frowned, curious more than concerned. "You watch me do what?"
Valdir dropped his shoulders, and turned to face them. "You're the host of Family Fortune! I watch you every night. It should be on right now. Why isn't it on? Its all these dumb fireworks."
He finally gave up searching. The channel he came to rest on was running a live New Year's Eve special. Fireworks around the world. Moscow's would be starting within the hour. Nikolai was obviously going to miss it. Of course, nobody would know that.
But Family Fortune? Valdir had mistaken the Ascendancy for the host of a game show?
That answered one question. Valdir was crazy. Harmless, perhaps, but crazy. Nikolai didn't have the time nor interest in adopting a hopeless case. Was anything in the man salvageable?
Suppressing a sigh, Nik slipped his gloves to his pocket and stepped into the actual living room. And realized they weren't alone after all. This time, his frown was one of disappointment, and perhaps, strangely, slightly impressed.
He waited for Michael to notice. "A pleasant man, indeed."