1 Lemuel

Lemuel reached up and touched the silver and gray collar which trapped his neck. The dark haired male narrowed his eyes at the other before him. He shifted in his seat putting both his arms on the gray table interlocking his fingers, the only thing separating the two men.

"You think this will stop me?" Lemuel asked tilting his head to the left. The man swallowed thickly trying his hardest to stay calm.

"Yes, it will. No more of your filthy tricks." He growled. His deep voice vibrated like gravel was stuck in it.

"Okay." Lemuel sat back stretching. "I'm looking for a girl." He paused making eye contact with the other. "About five, four; red hair usually pulled back. Seen her anywhere?"

"No, sorry never seen your girlfriend around; neither will you for a very long time." The short man smirked at the younger. Lemuel sighed looking back at the table. "Damn. I was hoping she would be here." He stood from the uncomfortable medal seat. Thin fingers reached up to the necktie, loosening it slightly.

"Oh, before I leave" A finger tucked in between the collar and his flesh. A snapping noise echoed throughout the silver shining room. "This is yours, detective. Nice doing business with you Reynard." The named man froze holding the now broken collar in his hand. He stared open-mouthed at the contraption. When Reynard looked up, the man was gone without leaving a single trace. Again.

The detective stood from his seat storming out the door into an empty hallway, devoid of all life and movement.

Lemuel carefully slipped his dresscoat off folding the cloth over a closet hanger. Loosening the neck trap he sighed then began unbuttoning his shirt. He smoothed out the thin material over the back of his desk chair. Without the protection of clothes, the creaking of every joint was more noticeable. His light gray eyes glued themselves to the ground as he made his way to the dresser. He reached in grabbing a thick black sleeved shirt slipping it over his head. He tucked the ends of his dark gray pants into his boots, lacing them tightly around his joints. The creaking of the steel was dulled by the thick cloth. Lemuel slipped a coat on. He glanced up at his reflection in the dresser mirror taking in his human appearance. The drawer opened silently revealing a dozen of ticking pocket watches, each one different than the last, and closed for protection. Gingerly he wound each one setting them to a more confident tick. He pulled a smooth silver one out of his pocket, letting it down carefully into the empty space. A bronze covering with visible gears in the back replaced its silver companion in his pocket.

"You really like those things don't you?" The less than human boy turned to see a girl standing in the doorway.

She spoke with a thick English accent with a touch of French every other syllable. A coat clung tightly to her waist before flaring out and hanging loosely to her mid-thigh. Tight pants swallowed up by her boots with a striking resemblance to the ones on Lemuel's feet.

"They keep track of time better than anything I've found." He said lacking any accent from this world or another. His gray eyes met with her brilliant blue eyes. Her thin lips curved into a smile.

"Good to have you back, Lemon." She stepped towards the other. "What did you bring this time?" She asked.

"It is a cassette player. Considered old where they are too, so it is older than old." The girl looked at the device in her hand enthusiastically.

"What does this do?" She questioned turning it over in her hands.

"It plays music." Lemuel pressed down onto a button on the side of the player. Static began humming out of the speaker, then the music started. The girl jumped smiling at the device.

"It's incredible!"

"I'm pleased you like it." Lemuel turned back to his drawer closing it tightly.

"How are your joints?" She asked tucking the now silent music player into her pocket.

"They're fine, I think I bent the finger a bit." He showed his right hand where the pointer finger looked askew.

"Yeah, fingers should bend, but not quite like that." The girl grabbed his hand leading him. "I can fix that easily." The two made their way through the bronze halls. Sound bounced off each metallic surface giving the house a ringing noise during the day. A door stood still at the end of the hall.

"Fred, can this not wait?"

"Nope, gotta do it now." He looked at her with his narrow blue-gray eyes.

"Did you finish your chores?" The other ignored his question pulling her into the room and pushing him into a chair.

"Sit." The girl continued to her desk hidden underneath the layers of papers and empty cups. She shuffled the papers thumbing through them. A tray to Lemuels right held tools of all sorts on display. They looked well used and well taken care of. "Roll up your sleeve." He did as he was told. Soft white skin hid underneath. He sat still as the young girl drew her knife. Grabbing his arm, she set the point onto the underside of the arm. She pulled it down slowly cutting into the skin. The tip dipped beneath the skin but didn't go any farther. There was no blood. Fred cut two more lines at the ends of the original cut. She pulled the skin back looking at the steel plates underneath. Lemuel watched her hands move fluidly. She unscrewed a plate exposing his wires.

"Stop watching me." The worker did not hesitate or look up at her patient.

"It's my body, I have a right to know what you're doing."

"Yes, but you don't like it, so stop." Lemuel's eyes lingered on the brightly colored strings inside.

"Watch the fingers." She began lightly tugging on each wire moving the finger it was attached to. Lemuel listed off each finger that moved with each string she pulled for what felt like hours.