The Distinguished Mr. Rose Chapter 71: Chapter 70: The Triumphant Return of Tetanus

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Chapter 70: The Triumphant Return of Tetanus Now, Lucius had been trailed by the odd pursuer here and there occasionally in his younger days, but oftentimes it was for a clear reason: such as out of frustration after he had defaced the Statue of Liberty, or that one time he caused the collapse of Mount Everest. In this world, however, the gentleman had been on his relatively best behavior. Surely there were none who held grudges toward him, were there? At the very least, his stalker didn’t seem to harbor malice. They quietly followed him from behind, weaving through the crowd whilst donning their strange cloak of camouflage colored like those found in the military, or a big-game hunter seeking their next trophy. Perhaps in the midst of a forest they would blend right in, but this was right in the heart of a city. They should have stuck out like a sore thumb; so why was no one reacting to this strange fellow’s presence? They were clearly a player, so Lucius could rule out being trailed by the Peers. A member of the expedition disgruntled by his sudden promotion, perhaps? Unlikely. Lucius had memorized the appearances and skills of everyone who joined the voyage. True, someone could be hiding their ability, but he didn’t notice any… ‘stealthy’ inclinations among them. Beside himself, of course. There was really only one way to solve this conundrum, and that was to personally take matters into his own hands. Lucius whistled a merry tone and continued his jaunt through the streets. His stalker followed, naturally, but as the gentleman sauntered, he gradually delved into less populated venues: alleys, corridors, the backstreets hidden from the common eye. Eventually, the crowd dwindled until there were but two, and as Lucius turned at a fitting corner, he quickly leapt up, clung to the wall, and waited as his secret admirer passed underneath. They swerved around, confused by the gentleman’s sudden disappearance. That confusion would not last long, for Lucius elegantly landed behind him without making a sound and then tapped his shoulder. “Good afternoon, my sneaky little friend,” he said. “What may I do for you on this fine day?” The shady sort stumbled in shock and then fell straight onto their rear. As a result, the hood of their cloak was pulled straight back, and Lucius was met with the bearded visage of a brown-haired, stocky, and gruff looking man. He looked like the very picture of the stereotypical mid-western American lumberjack; although it was not an axe he wielded, but a hunting rifle. One that he soon pointed at Lucius. “Oh dear, we can’t have that now, can we?” Lucius snatched the rifle before the man had a chance to pull the trigger and then playfully swung it around as if putting on a show. The man paled, sweat dripped from his brow, and he quickly jumped back before pulling out what appeared to be a swiss army knife. “Ah, shit. Really got myself in trouble now,” the man muttered, muscles tense and ready to spring at a moment’s notice. Lucius was quite the opposite. He was as relaxed as one could be. “Language, sir.” “Yeah, yeah. Apologies.” The man jerked and mouthed a silent ‘What?’ as if he didn’t know why he just replied. Lucius smiled and motioned for peace. He emptied the rifle’s chamber faster than one could blink and held it in his arms so that the muzzle was pointed away. The man acknowledged the act, but he still gripped onto his knife, albeit with less caution. “Now that our nerves have been alleviated a bit, I suppose introductions are in order. My name is Lucius Rose, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” The man kept a steady eye on the gentleman, watching his every move. “Funny time for introductions, but alright. I’ll bite. The name’s Colt—Colt Hemingway.” “It is nice to meet you, Mister Hemingway. Now would you kindly explain as to why you’ve been following me?” The man known as Colt hesitated, unsure how to properly respond. A scuffle had transpired between the two; but Lucius could see that he di