Scalis Squamata sat in the chair, as he looked through the window, into the room across from him. Laying in a bed was an elderly woman, who was hooked up to a number of machines, monitoring her vital signs. She was talking to some younger people, her teenage grandchildren to be specific.
Scalis was glad for this: it had taken some time to track them down, as their parents had been killed in an accident ten years back, and they'd been adopted by a pair of Reptilians, who had also gotten to claim their parents' bodies as meals. Eventually, they'd moved, and the woman had lost track of her grandchildren as a result. Luckily, Scalis had some contacts, who were able to help locate the family, and since the woman was dying from a rare form of cancer, the Reptilians took some vacation time and brought their stepchildren to see their grandmother. That had been six months ago.
Scalis looked at the Reptilians, who were also watching what was going on. They'd been friends with the woman's only daughter and her husband, which explained why they had claimed the bodies, as well as adopted the children.
"So, what do you plan afterwards?" he asked.
"Probably head back," said Slish, the stepfather. "We've made our home on the West Coast after all."
"We could try locating their other grandparents," said Mirsh, the stepmother. "I'm certain that they might still be alive, although Danny never talked about them much."
"Can't blame him," Slish muttered. He looked at Scalis. "She did leave our children money, right?"
Scalis handed him a packet. "Two separate trust funds, one for each of them. They cannot touch the money until they turn eighteen years old."
Slish chuckled. "Figures." He then became a bit more serious. "What about your fee?"
Scalis chuckled back. "I've already been paid with plenty of money, and if what I've been paid is just an indication of what she has, your children won't have to worry about any debt for a long time, providing that they invest their money wisely."
"I see," said Slish. He looked through the window. "Does she have a Designated Predator?"
Scalis nodded. "That would be me. Once she dies, I get to claim her body. That's part of the deal I tend to make, especially in cases such as this."
"I hope that you enjoy her," said Mirsh. "To be honest, I wish we hadn't lost contact with her all those years ago. But, you know how it is, when one moves around, and change telecoms, and all that."
"At least they got the last six months," said Slish.
That was when they heard a sound, looked up, and saw that the machines listed the woman's vital signs as none. The older teenager held onto the younger, once the truth started to sink in. The pair eventually walked out.
"At least we got to say 'Good-bye' to grandma," the younger one said, tears in their eyes.
"You'll see her again some day," said Mirsh, as she and Slish comforted their children. "Now, let's head on down. I'm sure that Rez and Mir are missing you while they've waited in the cafeteria."
A while later, Scalis was walking home. The elderly woman didn't make much of a bulge in his stomach, especially given the way her health had deteriorated during the last few weeks. Still, he felt that he was lucky to have known the woman. She'd held on long enough to see her grandchildren, and spend six months with them, making up for lost time. It was something to be admired.
Eventually, he made it to a place in the wealthier section of the city. He walked up to the door, and opened it.
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