establish a dual ID so that he could move freely
as Cowan, whose cowl he first donned on this trip (the cowl would
have many configurations over the years). But above all, he stayed
around to see Kicia Blessing. The job he chose was as a cab driver;
he was utterly fascinated by taxi driving.

Alec began hanging out at
the club for a few weeks, getting to know Kicia's father; they became
fast friends. Ray approved of Alec, and Alec alone, as a match for
his now 19 year old daughter. Acacia had returned to India for a
time, but Ray wanted her back at the club, their differences aside.
Alec made some young friends who frequented the Lucifer Club, much to
their families' dismay. From Gossingham, he met Shirley Townshend
Drake and her husband Shelby and son Lance.Lance was only six years
old and already craved heavy metal and occult imagery; his favorite
group was the infamous White Rabbit, led by the rowdy Hasty
Greenhalgh, and his favorite shop was Bradcroft LTD. Lance loved
Alec; Alec wasn't sure what to make of this kid but appreciated the
cameraderie. Lance's uncle was preparing to open a comic book store
in Hallmark called Origins, but for now, was holding mini-conventions
at Northland Mall in upper Hallmark. H. Sidney Drake looked down on
his relatives, especially nephew Lance's proclivities as Sidney was a
devout born again Christian.

One of Alec's drinking
buddies was a fellow cabbie at Zenith Cab: Renee Pointier, a French
immigrant who was in her 30s and certainly an alcoholic. She and Alec
had a few drunken nights of wanton sex, but he felt he was getting
far off