Without saying another word, the bailiff took Fenrir by the arm and guided him to the other side of the jail. The ordinary thoughts of escape flooded his mind, of course, but he knew his helplessness at this particular moment: this particular bailiff had the ability to null the powers of others. A useful ability, to say the least.
When he’d finally reached his destination, he found himself filled with questions. However, he hid under his blase countenance and continued into the office of Julia Byrne.
“Mr. Fenrir. Please, have a seat,” as Julia spoke, the first thing Fenrir was impressed with was the warm smile on her face. Somehow, amidst all the chaos of the prison, she had managed to stay pleasant. He’d heard the rumors to that effect, but somehow seeing it in person made it all the more real to him.
“Thank you,” he grunted, sitting.
“Do you believe in second chances?” she began.
“I’m a mythological being. The line between belief and reality always gave me trouble.”
“I see. Well, we need you, Fenrir. And if you’re willing to help us, we’re willing to take ten years off your sentence.”
Fenrir stroked his chin, thinking the proposal over, “What do you need me to do?”
“It’s a simple job. You just have to guard a sorority for one night.”
“If it’s so simple, why do you need me?”
“Well, the girls have super powers and we want someone who would be able to protect them against--”
“Something so powerful a whole sorority of super-powered girls couldn’t handle. What are we talking here?”
“That’s the problem,” Julia said, “We don’t know.”
“Well, I never was one to miss a fight.”
Even Ragnorak, he thought.
“That’s what we were relying on. You’ll do it?”
“Sure.”
It was all kind of a whirlwind after that. They gave him street clothes to change into--a t-shirt, jeans, and converse, allowing him to blend in on a college campus--and he couldn’t help but smile at the shirt. It was for the Canadian heavy metal band Thor. Not something he would have worn normally, nor a god he would have supported, but he appreciated the effort none the less. Within ten minutes of agreeing to it, he was in a car sitting in the passenger seat next to Julia, on his way to the sorority.
“You don’t have your bailiff with you,” Fenrir said.
“Pardon?”
“Your bailiff. The one who can keep me in control. He isn’t here with you, to stop me. Why?”
“You may find this difficult to believe, Fenrir, but I’m quite capable of handling myself,” Fenrir was puzzled by the warm smile she had on her face, as she continued driving the car.
Transitioning into a half-wolf form--something akin to a wolf who could stand on his hind-legs--Fenrir put his snout into Julia’s face. “Have you ever talked to a god before?”
Her composure remaining the same, she responded, “Actually, I have. Now please, don’t distract me while I’m driving.”
With that, Fenrir felt a pain surge into his brain. For a brief moment he went into a seizure, which stopped as soon as he transformed back into a human. After that, he blacked out.
He awoke to the words, “You remember your assignment?”
“Yeah,” Fenrir replied, shaking his head as he looked out the window, “I remember it.” Seeing the car was parked in front of the sorority, he got out.
For the first few steps up, he stumbled, but finally he made his way to the sorority, when he knocked on the door. That’s when she opened it. He was surprised, to see her standing there. She was tall, maybe 5’11”. Her blond hair reached a little down past her shoulders. But it was her vibrant, ruby red lips which captured his attention. Stuck in-between them was a lollipop, which she rolled around with her tongue.
Taking it out for a second, she spoke, “You’re not much of a talker, are you?”
“Uh, hi,” Fenrir said, trying to wake himself up, as if he’d been caught in a trance, “Name’s Fenrir. I’m your bodyguard.”
“Shouldn’t you wait in the car, or something? Isn’t that what cops do, when they’re assigned to protect someone?”
“I’m not a cop,” Fenrir said.
“Good. But you are here to protect us?”
“Uh, yeah.”
“Alright then,” she said, “You can come in,” where her body had previously been blocking the doorway, now she had moved to the side, allowing Fenrir to enter. She put her hand on Fenrir’s back as he entered, stating, “They call me Allure. You?”
He moved away from her hand, “Fenrir. Name’s Fenrir.”
Now that he’d entered, he was able to see what he was protecting. It was unsettling, in many respects. In the two-story dorm room, he counted four different weak spots. Someone could come through a second-story window and descend the stairs. They could enter through the kitchen, though the front door, or through the wall-sized window.
The wall-sized window was the most worrisome element, he realized. Placed right next to the television set, someone could easily burst through it and take everyone out before Fenrir had time to react.
But he’d work with what he was given. Besides, this was just a simple bodyguard job, done more to alleviate concerns than actually thwart danger. What were the chances this creep would attack the girls now, so soon after his last murder?
He let out a sigh of relief and moved towards the couch, where he saw a well-muscled girl watching an episode of some sitcom.
“What’re you watching?” he asked.
“Good Times,” the girl responded, “I like TV Land.”
“Interesting,” Fenrir said, “Your name?”
“Crusty.”
“Crusty?”
“Yeah, m’name’s Crusty. You got a problem?”
“Er, no. That’s a good name.”
“You don’t have to act like you’re interested,” Allure interjected.
Choosing to let the comment pass, Fenrir asked, “Shouldn’t there be more of you?”
“This dorm was meant for six people,” Crusty said, taking a can of soda from the table but not taking her eyes off the television, “But one of the girls moved out.” She took a swig of the soda.
“And another’s dead,” a newcomer said, descending the staircase. She had straight black hair and moved as if possessed.
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