The Chronicles of L.J. Stevans Part 3

    PART 3. RESPONDING TO ALEXANDRA FUELLER                                                                                                                        

                                                                                                                                            by David VanCura


Hello again friends, I was not originally going to post another tale until tomorrow but after reading the words Alexandra wrote earlier...... I had to respond. It brought me back to a series of firsts for me. It was the first time I had ever been to Milton, the first time I ever crashed a party. It was also the first craziest thing I had ever done along with the first but certainly not the last time I would put myself in danger even when my brain was telling me to run the other way.

I was still a young man at the time, no more than 23 years old, truth be told this was in actuality the first real adventure that I was on my own for. Even before I learned about Alexandra and her family, I knew of William and the troubles the faced the town of Milton. You see after I discovered the true nature of my 1st family (which I promise you all I will get into when the time is right) I started to look into their contacts and determining if I needed to intervene or not, in most cases I would indeed throw myself into the frying pan, even against the urging of the practical side of my brain. I do not make the claim to be a brave man or a great fighter or adventurer, I just can't seem to turn away the opportunity to right a wrong. Even more so when it, even in the least involves my 1st family.

It wasn't hard to find William upon my arrival, in fact I found him in the first bar I entered. I would later discover that when a criminal does not hide away, but instead leaves himself in the wide open, it is usually for 1 of 2 reasons. He is either stupid, or as was the case with William, confident and well connected. By this time my name was becoming known for both good and bad reasons, depending on how you look at it. I find that my status as such would be a good thing in the minds of most shady characters. When you have the kind of power William and men of his ilk possess, you tend to not trust the people who appear all "bad", for the simple reason as the man who is all "bad" will more than likely turn against you when it suits him the most. Nor do you trust those with the reputation of being all "good". And really it's for the same reason as not trusting or keeping permanent company of men you view as smarter than yourself, because they, at some point will see the best opportunities to take what they "think" is entitled to them. In either scenario you are out of a job at some point, and more than likely dead. So these men in power love to work with people such as myself. People who appear to be straddling the fence of good and bad, because they can serve your purposes the best. Because in most cases they are only truly interested in the same thing we all are.....monetary upgrades.

When I arrive in a place and I need information fast I use that blurred reputation I built to acquire it. Within 45 minutes I had spoken to and gambled with almost all of Williams men and within an hour I was able to earn an audience with the man himself. I was viewed by him as a passer by looking for a way to fill my pockets before I moved on, and once we got around to the heart of my visit and I revealed my true family name.....well....then I was afforded all the information I required.

I saw the present with the fire bomb within it , and knew it's purpose after my conversation with William. Funny at one point I almost had him convinced to allow me to deliver it, but I though better of that course and figured it was better to let the box with a bomb in it to leave before I made my move on William. Since this was the first time I was actually putting my life in danger I felt it was best to use the easiest and most basic tactic available, intimidation. For the first time I leaned on my 1st Families name to scare a group out of town, I even got him to pay me off before he left, most, but certainly not all of which I would later give to Alexandra's family. In reality I knew it was a dangerous ploy to use my 1st families name to scare off someone, and because I would learn soon after this event that doing so would catch up with me and have near fatal consequences, I wouldn't be using such tactics again.

After feeling secure in the fact that William would indeed be moving his operations out of Milton, I knew I had little time to waste if I wanted to intercept his "little birthday surprise". So off to the Town Square and Alexandra's party I ran, I saw the celebration was reaching its peek and soon the gifts would be opened. It was then I knew I would have to put my self in real danger and snatch the gift and run from public reach and just hope that this token of Williams "affection" wouldn't erupt in my face. I got out of sight quickly and threw the package away from me at a safe direction just as it was about to explode. I managed to only get a tad singed and a concussion from the ordeal. However I knew there was a good chance that someone from the party would give chase after the thief of a random gift, before I blacked out I only hoped they would see my true intentions and give aid instead of ......well you know killing me as a thief right there in the road.

I awoke some time later in a hospital, with a beautiful young woman sitting at my bed side, whom I quickly identified as the Birthday girl from the events that led to me being in this hospital bed. After a little friendly banter about the safety of the other guests, she asked the age old question of WHY. I explained to her I had a tendency to be in the wrong place at the right time, and that I had a way of learning about my surroundings when in a new location, and she seemed satisfied with my answer.
When I was well enough to travel I went to Alexandra's house to deliver a single rose to her as a replacement present for the one I "stole", as well as an envelope to her Father as well as a reminder that I would keep my ear open and if I heard he has fallen back into crime, no matter what the circumstances our next meeting would not be as pleasant. With that I was off, back on the road to a new destination. It didn't take long for my exploits in Milton to come back with the intention of biting me in an uncomfortable place......but that friends again is a story for another time.

I wanted to close this entry with first a message to you Alexandra, it means a lot to me that you kept the memento I gave you all these years, and I was happy to be of assistance. Also to answer your question about the man with the opposite affliction of my own. Yes I have heard the stories of his existence, and I pray they are what they are, just stories. Because if a man like that truly exists he would easily be the most sinister and dangerous man in the world. If you ask me though, his existence does not seem probable, I mean I don't think a man like that could function in today's world. Then again I wonder how many people have said the same about me over the years. Perhaps one day the answer will reveal itself.

Again thank you all for joining me here in these chronicles and I just can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring. In fact the day I stop yearning for another day of possible adventure or reminiscence of adventures past, is the day I no longer wish to inhabit this world. Till next time friends.
L.J. STEVANS