[ WP ] Killing another human now allows you to exchange your remaining lifespan the victim 's . Young people live in fear while the elderly plan their attacks .

The cherry on his damp cigar hissed and popped as Eldridge took a long drag, watching the people in the street scurrying around the horses and carriages to get through the rain. He walked the same beat most nights, keeping an eye out for signs of fraudulent souls. 
 
 *Do n't you know smoking can make your life shorter? * said a little girl walking by. 
 
 *So can talking to strangers, kid. * he muttered in a gritty voice. 
 
 The girl's mother grabbed her hand and hurried her away, turning to give him a dirty look. He winked at her, and tossed his stogie into the puddle as he turned to walk back to the Bureau. The rain poured over the brim of his hat and down long coat. He walked slowly as the rest of the world hurried around him, still scanning all of the passers by. 
 
 A young woman walked by him on the left and he looked her up and down. An old man limped by him on the right. Eldridge turned to glance at him, and went back on his way. A flash of distant lightning illuminated the face of a woman standing boldly in his path. 
 
 *You still owe me an interview, El. * She said. 
 
 Eldridge chuckled and motioned for her to follow as the thunder rolled over the city. 
 
 *Can we go someplace nice this time? * She asked. 
 
 *You really are persistent, kid. * Eldrige growled at her. *I'll give you that. * 
 
 She smiled to herself and followed him closely. 
 
 -- - 
 
 They walked through the rain for a few blocks before El stopped and pointed to a door beside them. She gave him a look of disappointment, and walked inside. He stepped to the curb as a carriage pulled up next to him. He pulled out a small vial and handed it in the window. He nodded, and the carriage pulled away. 
 
 As he walked into the bar he looked slowly across all of the patrons. There was Valerie, sitting at a booth in the corner, wringing out her wet hair. Her eyes met his across the room, and lit up with excitement when she saw he finally decided not to ditch her. Eldridge sat down across from her, removing his hat and placing it on the table between them. As she took a breath in, deciding what to ask first, El put up his hand. 
 
 *Hold on, sugar. * he grunted, gesturing the `` number two'' toward the back of the room. 
 
 Val slunk down in disappointment and stared at her notebook, patiently waiting for any sign that he was ready to begin. 
 
 A waitress walked up and put two drinks on the table in front of them. She stood there looking at El, then at Val, then back at El again. El met her gaze, neither had any discernible expression on their faces. Valerie looked on in confusion for a moment, and the waitress walked away. Eldridge looked back across the table, and gently nodded to her. 
 
 -- - 
 
 *So how long have you been doing this? * she asked. 
 
 *Kid... * El grunted. *Did you really think we were gon na start with the one question you never ask a lifer? * 
 
 *I had to try. * She smirked back at him. *It's the only way I'm gon na get any readers. * She continued. *So... How did you find yourself on the job in the first place? * 
 
 *You're not gon na get a big story from that. * Eldridge muttered in his grisly tone. *I got started the same way most of us do. I was police 28 years. Died on the job. When I woke up, there was a man next to my bed. Asked me if I wanted to keep on living. I said yes. * 
 
 *How... * Valerie paused. *How did it happen? * 
 
 Eldridge sighed, pulling out another cigar and striking a match to take a big puff. *There was a girl. * He said softly. *Disappeared from... Uh... I guess it was just called North Side back then. * 
 
 *The case fell on my desk so my partner and I followed all the usual leads. The whole neighborhood was sure it was her father. Nobody saw him for a few years, but there were rumors he was running tonics for the local bosses and sending some of the gold back to his wife. I tracked him down, on a hunch, to an old bar in the desert. * 
 
 *Wow. * Val whispered. *So it was like some real cowboy shit. Did you get him? Like an old fashioned shootout? * 
 
 *Nah. * Eldridge grunted. *I found the guy dead and buried out back. * He chuckled. *Turned out the neighbor had the kid tied up in a closet. My partner heard her crying from out in the hallway a few days later. * 
 
 *Oh! * Valerie recoiled. 
 
 *Yeah. * El shrugged. *I kicked the door down and the bastard shot me in the head before I knew what was what. * 
 
 *Oh. * 
 
 *My partner took him out, and dragged my body to the Collectors. * 
 
 -- - 
 
 Valerie stared quietly at her notebook for a moment, then took a big swig of her drink. 
 
 *Do you still work with your partner? * She asked. 
 
 *Nah. * El sighed, taking a long drag of his cigar. *Cancer. The man must have collected 200 years of souls, by the books, and he died in his bed on his 43rd birthday. * He continued, raising his glass and then finishing his whiskey.
