"H – how can you be so sure he's a Redman? Can't he be a minor doped aggressive guy who got high and lost his control –" Alan said.
"He attempted to kill you. It's not Rocket Science. Spotting a Redman can't get more easier for me." Raymond told him but he knew even a well aware man like him couldn’t discover a Redman (unless they showed signs of being a Redman). Redmen's involvement were often rumored for paranormal incidents but not a single person was ever accused to be one of them. But the rumors surrounded in some specific circle of people that First Order of Aitóuntes (the highest ranked individual in society) could sense presence of divine - satanic forces called The Prophets.
Not long ago in Anderson Island, the First Order had confidentially been to unveil a strange force in Benjamin Hansen's house. Since then Hansen hadn’t been seen again anywhere. Only a dead body was found there who was insignificant for cops but First Order had confirmed him to be The Prophet. The only Prophet who had lost his life…He knew presence of one Prophet meant presence of others like them too.
The sighting was nothing more than a cold blooded homicide to the outer world but was chaos for deep circle of people in Aitóuntes society. Since then, the manhunt had taken place. The same event had triggered the dormant group to be active again. And the call to O'Connell had taken the role of pivotal point.
"Have you brought your car here?" Raymond panicked.
O'Connell nod.
"Blue Ford with big dent on the bumper? Is it the one?"
He nod again in amusement of how much the man already knew about him.
"Good, I had doubted if it was yours or not. Let's leave now."
After reaching downstairs O'Connell pointed at his blue Ford in the lot. Till now, the murdered Redman was yet to be discovered by a drunkard with extreme urge to use the bathroom.
Raymond kept watching O'Connell taking out his car from parking lot and stop in front of him. Then the door swung open from inside.
"You must go alone. He's in Wells Fargo Bank. Hmm…follow route 705 towards north and you'll see the bank at Pacific Avenue. Get in the bank and meet someone named Henry Taggart. He may feel awkward to help you but take my name and watch the result boost up. He will help you at any expense." Raymond told him in hurry and slammed the door close before O'Connell could even open his mouth in order to speak.
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"Why don’t you come with me if it is hard to convince Taggart-?"
"NO! No means no! I'm restricted because I've got a duty for tonight." Raymond stopped him in mid question, "Consider you lucky to have fought off, and somehow win, against a Redman. Minutes later maybe dozen of them will come and you won't be so lucky then –"
"They know I am here. I'm sure they also know my car's number. I am not safe this way either. Just your assistance can help me now, not Taggart. So I beg you, get in!" O'Connell was now pleading and the Ford's door swung open again.
But Raymond again slammed the door but this time in fierce tone as if he was a Lieutenant commanding a new recruited troop, "Find Henry Taggart."
"Are you thinking to trick me and send me straight where Aitóuntes is supposed to be? I presume you're one of them for you know everything about the society –"
"If I wanted then I could have kept you locked in until they arrived. If I wanted to ruse you then you would not have seen my face. Instead it could have been you instead of poor Redman dead in the restroom."
"Let's call cops. I think it will be wise if I'm in custody."
"If they find out you're in custody then they'll either wait until you come out after a bale or they'll send someone to kill you. The idea acts as an elixir, not as immortality nectar. So, get your ass in the bank and meet Mr. Taggart. Tell him you're here because of me and he'll help you for sure. I will call him and you too…"
"Does the asset belong to Taggart?" O'Connell asked when he was about to step on the accelerator.
"It doesn’t belong to him either."
O'Connell was disappointed once again, "You mean to say, whatever is in there, it's just mine?"
"Not just yours. It belongs to Célestine D'Amares from Chateau Village in France."
"Who's D'Amares now?"
"Enough. Move your ass now. Take it and I'll tell you want to do next."
To his surprise, O'Connell pressed the accelerator and without any further question and moved on in dawn for Wells Fargo Bank.
When O'Connell was out of Raymond's sight then Raymond slowly went towards his car and unlocked the back door. There he looked at a coffin which had been inside his car for the entire day.
He took a long breath and smoked for a while in momentary peace. I may get killed for doing this. Taggart can face the similar fate. If my current plan goes wrong then I'll have to switch it with backup and … act as elixir…
Raymond took out some coins from his shirt's pocket along with a badge carved with R,2Ord.