Suspicious Man

For the next few days, I kept the scale of the destruction low. One day I evaporated a pond, another froze a part of the river, and yet another caused a fire in the park… There was no need to overexert myself trying to lure the organization out. So far, they haven't shown up again, but it was only a matter of time. At this point, they would probably continue hunting me even if I were to stay quiet. And that was not possible in the first place.

At least I could get a bit of rest, with no attempts on my life, neither from the organization nor from the world.

Tension was high in the air, people were feeling extremely uneasy because of all those unexplainable events. But they couldn't just pack their bags and leave the city. They had jobs to do, and their bosses obviously weren't willing to let them off so easily. Most people didn't have enough money to just ignore it and do whatever they wanted, so they had no choice but to stay.

Thanks to that, the city was still functioning more or less normally, which meant that I could go out in the evenings to enjoy myself. The bars and nightclubs were emptier than usual, because in such uncertain times, many preferred to stay at home, but they were still open. And that's all that mattered.

It felt as if I had my old life back.

I couldn't help but wonder, would things ever return to the way they were before? Or will the same thing happen in every world I move on to? Not that I minded having a little challenge for a change, but if they were to keep on chasing me forever, it would get quite annoying eventually.

It was early in the evening, and I was sipping my whiskey by the bar, observing my surroundings. There were a few okayish girls, not really my type, but they would do if no one else appears. I wasn't all that picky.

One of them glanced in my direction and our eyes met. She quickly turned back and whispered something to her friends, giggling. Soon all of them started throwing glances at me, trying to act secretive, but failing completely. They were chatting in hushed voices. I was too far away to pick up on what they were saying.

Eventually, the first girl looked back at me again, flirtatiously twisting a strand of her long blond hair around her finger.

I returned her stare, with an air of slight indifference. I got quite lucky, she was the second prettiest of the bunch, with a cute round face, and large boobs. She wore a fitting red dress which accentuated her voluptuous figure. Not bad to look at at all.

But my sight was soon drawn to the entrance instead.

A tall, elegant man in a beige suit has just entered. Not paying attention to anyone, he went straight ahead, taking a seat on the opposite end of the bar from me. He ordered some sort of red wine.

Now, I don't usually pay any attention to men. I'm not looking for a friend, and when it comes to hookups, I'm only interested in women. I would occasionally chat with a barman when I'm bored, but that's about it.

But there was something… off about that man. I couldn't quite put my finger around it.

He looked just like a normal businessman. Around 30 years old, his light brown hair neatly combed back, cold blue eyes hidden behind a stylish pair of glasses, a serious expression on his face, his clothes neat and proper. He looked very professional. I'd say he probably holds some sort of higher executive position. That's the vibe I was getting from him.

He took out a file from his leather briefcase and started reading it, fully focused, just sipping his wine and ignoring everyone else.

Technically there was nothing weird about him. But I just couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy.

It was an unsettling feeling, somewhat like the one I got from the snipers, but at the same time very different. And definitely much weaker.

Was he not from this world as well? If so, then was he a part of the organization? Or just someone like me? How strong was he? He didn't seem very strong. And not a fighter, that's for sure. He seemed like someone who does a desk job.

Lost in my thoughts, I didn't even realize that I was staring at him intensely. He eventually noticed, and lifted his head, looking straight at me with his eyebrows raised, as if he was asking what the hell am I doing.

Yeah, what the hell am I doing indeed?

I turned my eyes away, gulped the remaining whiskey, and got up. I needed a smoke.

Staring at the guy like that won't give me any answers. I should just try to secretly follow him later. Once I figure out what's the deal with him, I can just kill him.

"Do you have a light?" The girl from earlier followed me outside.

Did she come here to flirt with me? Too bad, but I was no longer interested. I had more important things to do for tonight. Taking care of the suspicious man was the priority. I can always find another hookup tomorrow.

I handed her my lighter without a word.

I finished my cigarette quickly and as soon as I had my lighter back, I walked away. She seemed to have wanted to say something, but I just ignored her. I didn't have time for that.

Once I was sure that no one could see me, I jumped onto the rooftops and found a spot from which I could get a clear view of the bar's entrance while remaining hidden.

It was best to wait for him here rather than return inside, even if it was a bit boring. If I were to leave right after him, then he might notice he's being followed. And if I waited for too long before tailing him, then I might lose him.

And so I sat on the rooftop, smoking and waiting patiently.

After what felt like forever, he finally went out of the bar.