Looking back into the ballroom, I found Claudia alone. I wanted to hurry to her, but I wanted to see if what I suspected was true. Moving into the lobby, I saw him in the distance, walking away. Where was Joseph?
I hastened. I wasn’t surprised he was lurking around. It was the “why” that I wanted to know. Quite certain he was here for Dr. Nicholson, but what was he looking for? What did he know?
It scared me. Was Claudia in danger?
He exited the building and I followed quickly, rounding a corner of the hotel where the light was dimmer. A single lamp post shone over a parked car to my left. Jonas was nowhere to be seen. Walking past a few vehicles, I passed a darkened post that should have been lighting my path, and stepped on broken glass.
I stopped, looking down. A shadow stepped from beside a car. I nearly jumped into action.
“Should you be out here?” he asked.
I narrowed my eyes. I could ask him the same.
I couldn’t see the man’s face in the dark, but I knew it was Jonas, Dr. Nicholson’s bodyguard. Oddly, he was wearing a pair of dark shades. I knew what they were; he hadn’t worn them inside, though. That eased some of my worry.
“Strange … I was gonna ask you the same, Jonas.”
He merely grinned.
“What do you want? I thought we were pulled off the mission? Why are you here?”
“Just because it’s over, Slater, doesn’t mean the boss is done with you,” he sneered.
Jonas was bold, talking to me like that. He knew he could because Dr. Nicholson was the boss, and he had authorization to be a dick with me.
“Don’t forget, Slater, you’re here because Dr. Nicholson allowed it. I heard Joseph pulled some strings for you? Enjoy it while it lasts.”
“Is that why he sent you here … to remind me of his generosity?” I asked sternly.
“Exactly, boy.” Jonas came closer, stopping but a few steps from me. He took off the glasses.
I wanted to respond but, of course, dared not out of concern for Claudia.
“I’m disappointed the director didn’t give me the chance to take care of your distraction. We could have easily ended all this.”
Moving toward him, an arm extended and stopped me.
Jonas didn’t even flinch.
“Now, let’s keep it civilized, boys.” Joseph declared, intervening.
“Let me go, Joseph!” I growled. “I’m gonna rearrange his fuckin’ face!”
Jonas stepped closer, standing under the light of the lamp above.
“No, you’re not, nephew. Calm down.”
“You want me, boy? Come get me.” Jonas laughed scornfully. “We all know the consequences of those actions, don’t we, Joseph?”
Joseph remained silent.
“Once Slater is back at The Academy, do you think that Dr. Nicholson will allow you to mentor his valued hunter after this disaster?”
“What? Joseph, what’s he talking about?” I demanded, pulling away from him.
“You haven’t told him?” Jonas laughed again.
“Shut up!” Joseph snarled back, narrowing his eyes at him.
“Ah, I guess I’ll leave you both to that. You have a lot to discuss. I have a question for you, John Slater.” He took a step forward. “Why would a smart boy like you leave such a lovely and beautiful girl like Claudia Belle all alone? If you’re not careful, someone might claim her.”
I leaped up, but Joseph grabbed me. I could easily break away from him, but I didn’t.
“Your date is getting lonely,” Jonas said with a mocking smile and wink before he walked away.
I turned toward Joseph, who hadn’t moved or said anything for several seconds, watching Jonas vanish.
I looked towards the entrance of the hotel; cars were still arriving. I worried about Claudia even more because of Jonas’ words and what he had revealed.
Before I could voice my concerns, Joseph spoke. “I made him promise not to put you into confinement, but I knew if that were the case, it would also mean I would lose you as a potential. I would no longer be your guardian.”
Perhaps I didn’t understand the rules of guardianship as much as I thought I did.
“Kid, going into confinement makes you forget everything and so Dr. Nicholson insisted on another guardian, that’s all.”
“Does it matter Joseph? I’m not staying, you know that.” I didn’t want another guardian, that much was true. And I didn’t want Joseph to go through whatever guardians went through when they lost their hunter. Yet I didn’t fear the outcome because I wasn’t planning on staying around to find out.
“No, I guess not.” Joseph nodded in agreement.
Why was he sweating it?
“I just wanted to convince Jonas. He has to believe, right?” he finally asked.
But he wasn’t convincing me.
“Kid, don’t, sweat it. He wants to get under your skin. Don’t let him.”
I wondered why it seemed to bother him, if we had a plan. “What happens to you?” I wondered aloud. I had never asked him that.
He avoided my question and that concerned me. “I’ve been through worse. Listen, kid, you need to go back in there. Miss Belle is alone; she needs you.”
I didn’t know what to say, but I wanted to say something. He had to come with us. I didn’t want anything to happen to him.
He reached out and patted my shoulder. “Yeah, I know; it sucks. I like you too, kid …”
“I can’t do this,” I whined. “We need to talk about this.”
“Shut up, John. Get in there. We’ll talk about this later. Okay? Go. You’re missing your prom.” He patted my cheek and I moved away.
When I turned back towards him by the hotel entrance, he was standing alone under the parking lot lamp, looking in the opposite direction. When he caught me not moving, he motioned me to go.
“You coming?” I asked.
“Yeah, I’ll be there in a minute.”
I hurried back to Claudia.