Geran's Story:
When I got to our apartment there was a big limo parked outside. Once I entered, Nicole was on me.
"Get ready! We have a dinner date with some rich guy who says he has information we need." She pushed me towards the bedroom where my clothes were already laid out for me.
She was dressed in a slinky red mini-dress with a plunging neckline. I could tell she wasn't wearing any underwear.
"This wouldn't happen to be a tall, slim guy with expensive tastes in clothes would it?" I asked while dressing.
"You saw him too? Yeah, I think it's the same man. He has a strange aura."
"He has a dangerous aura. OK, I'm ready. Let's go meet Mr. Mystery and hope this isn't another set up. You ready for combat if it comes to that?"
"Better believe it."
We got in the limo and rode the short distance to the restaurant.
Nicole looked excited, "We haven't been here. It's supposed to be really good."
When we entered the maitre d' know who we were and escorted us upstairs to a cozy horseshoe shaped booth with a small round table where the man was sitting. No one else was sitting upstairs. He rose and shook our hands.
"My name is Dane Stevens. Thanks for meeting with me. We have many things to discuss. Please sit."
He sat on one side of the horseshoe, Nicole scooted to his right in to sit next to him and then I sat next to her on her right. The tablecloth was long and hid everything under the table so Nicole slipped her leg over mine spreading herself for me. She gave me a mental wink, *In case you get bored now you have something to play with.*
The upstairs was fairly dark and the table was only illuminated by candlelight.
Dane said, "I hope you don't mind the seating arrangements, I'm a southpaw and didn't want to bang my elbow into this lovely young woman all through the meal." He motioned the waiter over and ordered several bottles of wine.
I was suspicious and acting very cautiously towards him. I could feel he was very powerful but I couldn't quite identify what type of power. Dane caught my eyes.
"You don't know who or what I am, do you? How is that possible? I can plainly see you are Conquest and she is War. You haven't tapped your abilities yet? If that's the case how did you manage to send out a signal announcing you were here?" He looked slightly aggravated with me and bedazzled with Nicole.
"You're a Horseman?" I asked. "You don't have the right feel."
"How would you know? She's the only other Horseman you have encountered. Will you permit me to hold your hands? You first Geran." He held out his hands and grasped mine. I felt a power crack open a door in my mind. The aspect of Conquest poured through the door and then it was gone.
"You'll be able to do that by yourself from now on. Now you, my dear"
He held Nicole's hands a little longer than mine and almost caressed them. "Now you know a tiny bit about yourselves. Feel my aura now."
We spoke simultaneously, "Pestilence."
"Nice to meet you both. We have to discuss the upcoming Apocalypse, when and if it should happen, and what shape it should take if any. I'm old. Much older than you can imagine. I really like a lot of what this world offers, but I can certainly enjoy a pandemic or two." He kept talking.
Nicole tapped me mentally. *Geran, he's playing footsies with me.*
*Do you want me to tell him to stop?* I asked.
*No. It feels pretty good."
