Under a blood red sky

It took Michael the vampire four rings to answer his office phone, but he did. He sounded unrested, stressed and annoyed.

He had the office next to Phaedra.

Michael was 150 years old. He'd started his life in New York City and grew up in the Five Points. He was Irish, and part of one of the gangs that became part of the book, and then the movie, 'Gangs of New York.'

He was 23 when he was turned and had killed 15 men. Some of them brutally.

He was the closest thing to a friend Phaedra had at work.

"Sorry," he said, quickly, realizing who he was speaking to, who the phone call was from. "What do you need?"

His accent was all but gone by now. He'd made an effort to lose it.

"I need you to tell me who hired me on, for the job Joe just sent me the other day."

There was silence.

"Michael, come on."

It was as simple as typing a few commands into the computer. Or asking Joe. That's all it was.

"Phaedra..."

This was Lindsey's life. The hemming and hawing was concerning her. She closed her hand around the phone more tightly.

"Just tell me."

"The contract was rescinded," Michael said. "Apparently the client felt you were taking too long, or weren't going to follow through. Doesn't sound much like you. But Joe just kinda... blew his top and then slammed a few things around and let it go."

Phaedra never lost contracts. Ever. They also didn't get taken from her. And if someone thought she was dragging her heals, they must be in York. They must've seen her.

"Michael, just..."

But she could already hear him punching the keys. "Second," Michael said. "Got it. Jack Robbins. And there's an address.