Magi Saga 2: Shadows of Darkness by Andrew Dobell

mouthed off about the skinny red head who was too good to queue with the rest of them.
    Amanda ignored the comments and stepped inside.
    Colour and sound exploded around her as she entered into the main club. The whole room seemed to move and undulate as the huge throng of people danced to the music that reverberated through her chest.
    She scanned the room and saw a few other members of the security team around the club. Her enhanced vision soon picked out Howie, stood towards the back of the room with two other security guys next to the VIP entrance. She started to walk round the room, making her way towards him, watching him the whole time. He seemed happy, laughing and talking animatedly to his colleagues about something.
    She stopped and leant against a pillar where she had a good view of him. She wanted to just look at him for a while, without him knowing she was here.
    Seeing him happy, enjoying his work, melted her heart and gave her a lovely warm feeling inside. Howie had been kind to her when no one else had, he had taken her in and got her off the streets, which in turn led to everything else that led her here, today.
    A true friend and gentleman, he didn’t like it when Amanda took to the streets with Georgina, prostituting herself. She understood why he didn’t like it, but at the time, it had been the right choice for her, something she had to do. Her options had always been limited anyway as an illegal immigrant, she would just have been deported had she come to the attention of the authorities.
    She smiled to herself, she was still trying to justify herself to him, even in her head.
    Well, it didn’t do her any good waiting here, so she walked round the club and got closer to Howie, stopping a few meters from him and stood with her back to a stone pillar, facing him.
    It took a minute or so for him to see her, and he did a double take when he did spot her as a look of surprise and disbelief crossed his face. She smiled back and motioned her head for him to come over.
    He excused himself from the conversation he had been part of and walked over, dodging drunk dancers as he approached her.
    ‘Amanda, wow, it’s great to see you, how are you?’ He asked, clearly happy to see her.
    ‘Hiya, I’m grand thanks, it’s great to see you. One of the guys said you’ve been promoted, is that right?’
    ‘’Yeah.’ He said, rubbing the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed about his success. ‘I run the security for this whole place now, I’m not just on the doors these days. Seems they like what I do here.’
    ‘That’s excellent Howie, I’m pleased for you.’
    ‘How about you? How have you been? It’s been ages.’
    ‘I know.’
    ‘You’re looking great by the way.’
    ‘Thank you.’
    ‘Are you still with Georgina?’
    Amanda’s face fell slightly at the mention of her friend. Howie clearly didn’t know what had happened. But he saw right away that her mood changed.
    ‘Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…’
    Amanda smiled and put her hand up to stop him mid flow.
    ‘It’s fine, don’t worry.’ She said, and took a deep breath. ‘Georgina has, passed away.’
    ‘I’m so sorry.’
    ‘No, it’s no bother. It was a few years back now, I’m over it, mostly. Took some time out, went back to Ireland, made some new friends who helped me get through it so I did.’
    ‘So are you just visiting New York?’
    Amanda smiled more fully again, looking back up at Howie’s soulful eyes.
    ‘No, I’ve moved back, so I’m here permanently.’ It felt good to say that. To hear it out load that she would not be leaving the city any time soon. Not of her own choice anyway.
    ‘That’s great Amanda, are you working then? What are you doing?’
    Amanda wasn’t sure if Howie was fishing to find out if she were back on the streets or not, or if this was just a genuine question, either way, she chose to put him out of his misery.
    ‘No job at the moment. I came into some money a little while back so