Gabe pulled his coat tighter around his thin body and continued down the sidewalk with his usual dazed expression. He was not used to all this cold. Well, it was cold to him. He was adjusted to the climate of Texas in the US, not the seasons of Canada. By this time of year, it would be hot in his town.

My town, he mocked himself. As if he belonged to any town or any country. He was as much a misfit in Texas as he was here. He might as well have tattooed "American" on his forehead, or better yet: "Weirdo". What he referred to as his town was a rundown house in the middle of nowhere. The neighbor's cows were more liking to know his name than his own neighbors.

"Got any money?" A smelly, filthy man on the corner asked him, pulling at his pants' leg. The man's blue eyes were glossy and distant. Gabe just shook his head and pulled away. Though his eyes lingered on the man, almost pitying him, Gabe was too frightened to help him. The man might be one of them.

They took his parents that stormy night. They could be anyone, anywhere.

Gabe hurried down the sidewalk wandering about the city, hoping to find some clue. Some place to start his search. His hunt was all important; otherwise he would not be out this late at night. He paused in front of a family-owned store that was closed, but offered security cameras and a corner streetlight. He struggled with his left, side pocket to get his cigarettes. As he lit one he looked around.

The sky was clear and crisp, stars and half a moon shone down. Their brightness offered no comfort tonight. Not in the city. Gabe hated cities. To his dismay, he noticed the cameras on the store front were cracked. Much use that would do him! At least, there were people around, right? He snorted. Yeah, homeless druggies, he said outloud, sarcastically.

He sighed. Aliens took his parents; he knew this for a fact. But why? And how? Who were they? The only clue he had were strange holes in their necks. That was all the police would let him find out. He was only a child, then. At first, he thought moving to Canada to live with his aunt would hinder his search. But, what if they're are after me? What if they...are everywhere. Taking over? he thought. Then it would not matter where I started my search...I will find them.

As he put his cigarette out, the streetlight popped. He was in darkness. Great.

What a beautiful night to take a walk in the city. Especially if you were a vampire gone hitman. Of course he was simply going for a stroll, no hits for this vampire. Michael MacManus let out a sigh as he strolled down the same street as the strange man. He was wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of black jeans with matching boots, so he looked kind of like a ghost with only a head and arms. Of course since he was Irish it was only natural that he was pretty pale, but also because of him being a vampire he was a little paler.

Michael worked his hand into his pocket pulling out a pack of cigarettes and went to light it, but of course only sparks, no fire. So his zippo was out of fuel. "Shit...I'll have to get some later." He sighed and put his lighter back into his pocket. Then he saw a flame a little bit in front of him. Hmmm, maybe the guy felt like being hospitable.

Walking over to the man he sighed and spoke to the man. "Hey you got a light?" He asked trying to act as friendly as he could. Maybe he'd be lucky.

Gabe jumped a little at the sound of another man's voice. He turned and offered a weak greeting before handing the man his lighter. "Sure," Gabe answered. The lighter was given to him, why not share?

Must be a loner, Gabe thought. The other man was pale, probably lack of sunlight, and his clothes were simple and black. Worked nights more than liking, with no normal friends to be social with during the day. Gabe was sure this was one the many men that lingered at bars all night. Of course, these were all assumptions. He decided to take the chance and introduce himself to a possible local. Maybe this man could help him.

"So, ah. I'm Gabe," he told the man, offering a hand for a shake. He smiled awkwardly. He was never that great at people skills. The broken light and eery feeling of the city did not ease his tension either.

Michael gratefully took the lighter from the man and lit his cigarette. Inhaling deeply the vampire let the smoke settle in his lungs for a little while before letting it out in a cloud of smoke. "Thanks, my damned lighter ran out of fluid." Michael handed the lighter back to the man and listened to him. It seemed like he wasn't the only loner out tonight. It seemed as if the guy was new here, because he was bundled up like it was winter when it was pretty warm out. If he had to guess, Southern U.S.

"Nice to meet you." He said taking the guy's hand. Much warmer compared to his, but Michael could come up with some bullshit excuse. "I'm Michael." It seemed as if Gabe was new here, and he didn't know much about the city. "Where're ya from?" He asked with a warm smile hiding his fangs.

"I'm from the US," Gabe told him, as if that explained everything. He truly did not have a set home, thanks to his hippie parents. "I've traveled most of my life. First time to Canada," he said, shoving his hands into the coat pockets; he needed a drink to warm him up. Gabe figured the other man must have liked it cold, his hands were freezing. "How about you?"

He licked his lips. Gabe always had the most difficult time staying still. He shifted his weight from right foot to left, then rubbed the back of his neck. Strangers might have thought he was nervous. He was.

Michael nodded listening to the man. So he was from the U.S.? Not exactly specific, but he didn't say a word about it. "I'm from Ireland. Been here for a good five years." Looking at the man Michael could tell that he wasn't really one to stand still. "Hey I know a pretty good bar around here. It'll be a good way to get to know the sites too." He said shrugging. It wasn't a night to feed, at least on this guy. It seemed as if the guy'd have a heart attack if he did. Not exactly the most appealing thing ever.

"What brings you here to Demaitre?" Michael asked as he started to walk. He wanted to get to know this guy a little bit. A strange guy, but Michael couldn't really say anything since he was a vampiric hitman. He was researching his next target, but he had a few nights before he had to do anything.

Gabe nodded and started to walk along with the stranger. He had been to a few bars before, but only for research. He had never found anything promising. Bars were culture all to their own.

"I'm living with my aunt, now," he told the man. "I'm hoping to do a little research here in Canada." He paused. "The foster care in the US doesn't want me anymore."

Gabe hated how they treated orphans. He lit another cigarette. Bad habit he picked up from one of the many hichschools he attended.

"What brings you here?" Gabe asked the man. Even if he did not lead him somewhere useful, it was a start.

Michael paused for a second as the man mentioned research. "What kind of research? If you don't mind me prying." The stranger seemed like the kind of guy to be interested in aliens or something like that. It was just a hunch the vampire had, and he wasn't going to laugh or anything. "It would seem you grew a little too old for it." He said with a shrug. Michael didn't know anything about that system, and he didn't really want to find out. He had enough on his mind with Billy being pregnant and him being back in the assassination business.

Michael took a long draught of his cigarette and sighed. It was a bad habit, picked it up since he was only fifteen. It was a bad habit, but it one that he didn't have to worry about now, well at least while he wasn't around Billy. "I heard that my father moved here, and decided to follow him with my brother." He said knowing full well it was a lie. He was pretty damn good at telling lies nowadays, especially since Billy didn't know what he did to keep food on the table. "My brother died a few years later in a gang shooting." Much closer to the truth this time around.