The journey was a short one. The tour bus pulled up to a quite well-kept auto body shop, and everyone exited. Fully regenerated, Roman led the group inside.
There were people in the waiting room. They eyed the new arrivals uncomfortably.
Roman rang the bell at the front desk. “Gerald! Get your crusty old ass out here!”
The others all exchanged glances.
The door behind the counter opened, and the elderly mechanic stepped through. He took one look at Roman and sighed. “Alright,” said Gerald. “I’m sorry to everyone who was waiting, but we’re closed now. I need you all to leave.”
“What?” said one man, standing. “But you have my car. I need it tomorrow--”
Roman stepped in, smiling. “I know it’s inconvenient, but trust me, pal. This is for your own good.” He grabbed a pad and paper off the counter and scribbled a quick note, handing it to the customer. “Here. Go to this address and give this note to the cute blond girl there. She’ll provide all of you with new vehicles, free of charge.”
The man’s expression faltered, and he read the note. “Wha--this address isn’t even in Sescoria. This is a hundred kilometers away!”
Roman’s smile waned. “Then I guess you’d better get going.”
“This is ridiculous!”
Helen intervened, and the stranger did a double take. “Please listen to him,” she said. “Some very bad people are coming here. They will kill you if you stay.”
It didn’t take much more convincing after that. The customers soon filed out of the building.
“So who’s coming to kill us?” Gerald asked.
“Abolish,” said Roman. “Two members, both pretty strong, but nothing we can’t handle.”
Gerald’s expression darkened, and he looked over the group another time.
Roman scratched his bare chest. “By the way, you got any spare clothes?”
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every night at midnight PST by ~400 words.