The Ashlanders - Chapter 6: The Blind Man's Last Gambit (Closed, Started)

[Fappy]

"When we get money from... whatever the fuck our next job is, remind me to put you onto my guy for sheet metal. I mean come on, Bennie, you can't tear apart the plumbing and not expect consequences down the line!"

Bennie laughed. "I don't doubt it," he said with a grin on his face. "Anyway, I've got some preparations to make. We're doing hand-to-hand training today. I would ask if you'd want to come along, but I reckon you've got your hands full down here. Let me know if you need anything, okay?"

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Might be I opened the door for him once, but I might o' dreamed that."

"I was afraid of that," Tsubaki admitted. Pacing over to the window, she sighed. There was a fresh platoon of new recruits running laps around the field outside. "I understand he's a difficult person to deal with. Impossible, even." She chuckled, sadly. Crossing her arms over her chest, she turned to look at Bryan. "I know it's asking a lot, but I don't know what else to do. I'd do it myself had I the time, but with all the excitement surrounding the engagement I will be tied up for the next week or more."

She stepped close to Bryan and smiled. "You're a... people person. Maybe you can help him come out of his shell."

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Sprout had been trying his best to avert his gaze. Amy was RIGHT THERE! What was this game she was playing with him?! He knew, she knew, he knew what she was trying to do! Didn't he?

Wait, what was she trying to do?

Fuck my life...

While Sprout's head spun round-and-round, he failed to notice Maria's sudden appearance.

"You know, hiding in a corner like this just screams 'I want to avoid someone'. So... What's up? I'm guessing it isn't one of the newbies."

Sprout blushed. "Wh-what?" he stammered. "Oh, uh, it ain't a thin'. Don' worry, Maria!" His weakness getting the better of him, he couldn't help but look past Maria, to the Golden Rose once more.

THE FUCK?!

And there he was.

Jesse.

"That fuckin' cock suckin' mother---" Sprout covered his mouth in embarrassment when he realized he was speaking out loud. "SO, UH, what are you doin' today, Maria?!" He practically yelled as he attempted to change the subject.

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"C'mon, we have a meeting-that will probably end up in a shootout-to go to."

"Five more minutes," Cameron grumbled.

Rolling over, she buried her face into Pixie's pillow and fell back asleep. Shortly after, Pixie came in and literally kicked her ass out of bed.

An hour later...

Pixie, in her understated disguise, followed behind Carlos as he led the party of Maidens into one of the seeder parts of town. Though she hadn't spent all that much time in Feroxi before now, Pixie was more than familiar with this place. They called it 'the Barrens'. Junkies, thieves, assassins, you name it, they could be found here.

Not the greatest place to raise a family.

My kinda town.

As they got closer to the saloon, Pixie thought it wise to brief Aesop and Cameron before they arrived. "We're gettin' purdy close ta' the place, I reckon," she whispered. It was always best to keep your voice down in this part of town, lest you draw unwanted attention. "Contessa's contact, the one we're meeting, she's a waitress that goes by the name 'Bonnie'. Her real name's Patricia Giovanni. She's like, Contessa' 3rd niece or somethin'. Low-rankin' nobility. Apparently she's a spy fer the old bag an' has been keepin' tabs on Feroxi's underworld fer the last few years. Anyway, I'm gonna need y'all ta' keep watch fer us while we do the talkin'. Carlos says there's a backroom we can use." After a brief pause, she added. "Any questions?"

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"Stunning."

Elizabeth couldn't help but grin.

"Shall we?"

"Of course," Elizabeth cooed as she took the man's arm. As depressed as she had been lately, she was hopeful things were turn around soon. With so many others from around the Rock in attendance, surely she could forge an alliance with someone.

The pair made their way out of the apartment and took the elevator up the tower, to the ballroom a few levels bellow Dio's penthouse. After being swarmed by attendants, correcting Elizabeth's appearance in the tedious ways they had been trained, she and Asad were allowed a small meal before the room began to fill with guests. She was sat at the back of the room, at a long table that was supposed to accommodate the most elite of Dio's court. Dio himself hadn't arrived yet, however.

Raphael approached the young noble and bowed, "Excuse me, M'lady, many of the guests are just now arriving in the city. Lord Basilio is seeing to their reception as we speak."

ELizabeth nodded, "Thank you, Raphael."

"Can I get you anything while you wait, M'lady?"

"Some wine would be nice, thank you," Elizabeth said.

"Right away, M'lady," he said as he turned to fetch her a drink.

Elizabeth chuckled. "Do you think it is too early to start drinking, Major?" she said with a mischievous grin. "Make sure I don't drink myself into another coma, please."

 

[The Funslinger]

"Anyway, I've got some preparations to make. We're doing hand-to-hand training today. I would ask if you'd want to come along, but I reckon you've got your hands full down here. Let me know if you need anything, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," said Ruffles, pulling his goggles back down and adjusting the telescopic lens. "Hey, if you see Allie around, you might wanna ask her what elbow grease is. She'll know what it means. Then tell her I said to get some water and go lie down."

====================================

"You're a... people person. Maybe you can help him come out of his shell."

"Ah, ol' Moony's shell all the way through," Bryan replied. "But for you, fine. I'll babysit the grumpy little blighter."

With that, he produced a fine bladed knife and spread his left hand flat, palm down on his bedside table. There was always the old favourite hobby to fall back on. Slowly, he began bringing the knife tip down. First, between finger and thumb, then between index and middle, then back to finger and thumb, then middle and ring, then back to index and thumb, and then finally between ring and pinkie. He repeated this pattern, picking up speed each time, until his right hand was a blur, the knife tip machinegunning between his spread fingers. "Anyway," he said. "If you're all busy, like, I won't keep ya. Just make sure ya let me know when me and me reluctant ol' roomy are good to move in, yeah?"

===================================

"Even in such desperate times, the best of us always make time for a little civility."

The insincerity of the gesture was almost enough to make Owain gag. Regardless, he didn't react but to take the Gentleman's hand in a firm grip and shake it. "Agreed. Now, let's get going."

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Just like the night at the restaurant, Asad felt out of his element amongst the wealthy elite of the Rock. The Major wondered, out of all those attending, how many of their number would actually want to be in the room, beyond acts of sycophancy or token appearances.

The man hid his distaste well however, enjoying the small meal that had been prepared for him and Elizabeth.

"Make sure I don't drink myself into another coma, please."

Raising an eyebrow with amusement, Asad slowly chewed his food before swallowing. "I did try to warn you last time." He dabbed at his lips with a napkin. "You wouldn't heed my wise council, however." He smiled. "Or do I have to start treating you like the child you are so desperately trying not to be?"

The Major had no doubt that talking to the young noble in such a way would have been frowned upon by anyone other than the girl herself.


===================================

"Who knew Ruffles could be such a badass sensei, huh?"

Lilith reached into the back pocket of her shorts, pulling out her pack of smokes and lighter. "Badass?" The woman chuckled as she lit up a cigarette, taking a drag, she blew the smoke from her nostrils. "The girl is what? Thirteen? Fourteen?" Placing her smokes and lighter back in her pocket, the woman held her arms above her head, her heels rising from the ground as she stretched her entire body.

"Either she'll burn out, or her mind will snap and she'll kill us all. Possibly with robots." Lilith grinned. "I hope it's robots."

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

"Agreed. Now, let's get going."

"Just, one more thing." The Gentleman continued, sternly, not releasing Owain's hand when he tried to pull back. "I feel it would be remiss of me not to make this clear. The criminal arts are my business. When doing business, there are certain standards that I like to maintain, and so expect of all my associates, lest their actions reflect poorly on me..."

There was a dangerous flash in The Gentleman's eyes.

"I would hope, as we will be planning the Crime of an Era together, that your attention will be satisfied not to waver. Nevertheless, should you find yourself getting bored at any point in our travels... try reading, or taking in a show. Anything, really, so long as there are no repeats of that poor girl in Frostfall. Contrary to popular belief, I do not treat people like playthings, and you don't want to find out what happens to any associates of mine who do. Do I make myself vividly, abundantly clear?"

===========================================================================================================================

"Or would you prefer to bicker about the prices of... certain goods?"

Amy wasn't sure if she'd rather trap his balls in a vice, or spew coffee all over him in a fit of laughter, by way of showing her appreciation for his little jibe. It really was some kind of absurdist masterpiece, the picture of him reclining there, with his easy eyes and easier grin...

He actually thought he was something special.

Taking a second to maintain her composure, swallowing her mouthful of coffee in as dignified a fashion as such could be done, she peered at him over the rim of her mug with aloof eyes.

"Allow me to save you some time, 'Jesse'..." Amy said, her tongue garnishing her words with a thick coating of condescension. "There's nothing in this world someone like you can make me feel embarrassed about. Innuendo, coming from a boy with less practical experience of the... 'mechanics' of anything, than the girl currently searching for Elbow Grease, falls a long way short of scoring any points."

Amy returned to her toast, as if the conversation was over and had forever been erased as a subject of her attention.

"What you can do..." Amy continued suddenly, just before Jesse could get another barb in. "Is irritate me, and on that score congratulations! We really should continue this conversation with Bennie, so he can have the chance to honour you for your stinging wit. Only..." she smiled "It's really only fair that he know exactly who he's honouring. Tell me, do you think The Captain will settle for just throwing you off the ship, when he finds out that you've been lying to everyone all this time, and that a member of the nobility has infiltrated our ranks at such a vulnerable time; or would he decide to through you from maximum altitude? A quandary for you."

Indulging herself in a long, pleasant sip of coffee, Amy put her mug down and licked her lips.

"Alternatively, you could shut the fuck up and do me a favour, in that order, and I might just have a suitable reward for you."

 

[Terratina.]

"SO, UH, what are you doin' today, Maria?!"

'¡Dios mío! Guess I was wrong on that front.' Maria internally cursed as Sprout was busy being as subtle as Sprout could be. Did he think that she wouldn't notice the non-stop glances at Amy? Well, that might have something to do with the fact about Sprout being a horny teenage boy. Maybe. Either way, he was being a bit silly - denial didn't help anyone.

"Nothin' much." Maria answered after taking a bite of her toast. Then she put the slice of toast down and lent in, playing with the crumbs, "I was thinking of seeing what's up with you and maybe lending a hand, but apparently I'm seeing things that aren't there. Seems I'm far too old to deal with kid stuff, anyway."

He really wasn't fooling anybody.

***​

"...Alternatively, you could shut the fuck up and do me a favour, in that order, and I might just have a suitable reward for you."

"How dull; bickering over prices it is." Astor yawned, covering a laugh from Amy's rather overblown tirade. Just what exactly had happened to the Golden Rose? She seemed to be struggling to hold onto that composure of hers. He then inspected the nails of free hand while thinking things through.

The way Astor saw it, everything was fine and dandy as long as he wasn't being bullied by his boorish brothers or being forced upon some poor low-ranking noble's daughter in marriage - seriously, even a commoner could guess the quality of their breeding just with a look. Of course, pissing off the most notorious bandit crew in all of the Ashlands wouldn't do any good. Even the prospect of being a good-looking corpse would be denied for him.

Moving off a less morbid subject, Astor glanced over the mess hall and found Sprout with that doctor-type. Astor had caught the lewd lad looking over his way before, there was a good chance he would do so again. The Noble-turned-Maiden couldn't deny there was an opportunity to annoy Sprout once more but would it be worth becoming a pawn in the Golden Rose's game?

Astor put his hand back behind his head with his other one, "I see blackmail is your true calling, Miss Turner. Are you incapable of having a little innocent fun, I wonder? Teasing is only teasing, after all."

He drew in closer, "Serious games bore me but I'll bite. Just know I'd like to take my payment in advance."

And there, he went in for the kiss. One last bit of whimsy before becoming a pawn.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Amy let there lips touch for less than a second. Long enough for the action to be noted, but not so long as for Amy to appear a willing participant. After that, Amy grabbed Astor by the collar and pushed him back, tripping his leg beneath the table to put him off balance. Wrenching the young noble out of his seat, Amy swung him round and pinned him to the wall behind them, delivering a swift but sharp knee to the groin.

"Nothing fun is ever innocent." she whispered in his ear, her arm braced across his neck keeping Astor from doubling over in pain. "I decide what your reward is, and when you get it, but thanks for the help."

She released him, before sauntering back to the table, and downing the rest of her coffee. For the finishing touch, she looked over her shoulder at where Sprout sat, inert. There was disappointment in her eyes, and a little hurt. Turning on her heel, she marched out of the cafeteria. Practically the only thing she didn't do was attach a sticker to her back, reading GO AFTER ME! in big letters, though at this rate, even that might have been too subtle a signal.

 

[Fappy]

"We'll be arriving in Feroxi in about ten minute, M'Lady," said a voice over the intercom.

Nodding to her son to open the mic, Contessa grinned. "Thank you, Captain," she announced. "It has been a most pleasant flight. Make sure you and the crew enjoy themselves during our stay in the city."

"Thank you, M'Lady. We will."

Her and her son were riding together in her personal suite aboard the Lombardi family's most prized anti-gravity transport. The rest of her noble entourage were together in coach. Though, 'coach' had a very different meaning for nobles. Still, they took every opportunity allotted to them to complain.

Nobles were fickle people. The Lobardi's, especially.

"So," Franz began, crossing one leg over the other, "busy week, huh?"

Contessa's glanced out the window beside her. At one point in human history there would have been something magnificent to see from way up in the clouds. The ocean, perhaps. But now, on the Rock, it was nothing but dirt. "Yes," she agreed, "very busy."

"Do you think she will go for it? Lady Maribel, I mean."

"What other choice does she have?" Contessa asked. "She has nothing. No friends. No allies. She will do as I say."

"What about that 'Bandit Queen'? Won't she try to rescue Elizabeth once she's inside the tower?"

Contessa's smile grew more sinister. "Yes, there is always that possibility," she said. "However, as part of our negotiations I will promise the young lady's safe return home. If she doesn't need to worry about her, Monroe will be free to focus on her main objective."

Franz nodded. "Makes sense," he agreed. "What did happen between those two, anyway?"

Contessa's smile vanished and a long silence followed. Still looking out the window, she spoke with a frown. "He killed my goddaughter. Someone very close to her. To both of us."

"Oh," Franz said with surprise. "This isn't about revenge, is it?"

Contessa scoffed. "Please, don't insult me, Franz," she said. "Such pointless endeavors are better left to people like Monroe."

"And what is she?"

Contessa smiled and looked at her son. "A monster."


**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

"Hey, if you see Allie around, you might wanna ask her what elbow grease is. She'll know what it means. Then tell her I said to get some water and go lie down."

Bennie cocked his eyebrow. "Right," he said. "Well, you take it easy down here, okay? Keep us alive, sure, but do the same for yourself." After a swift nod, Bennie turned around and saw his way out.

After making a brief stop in the captain's quarters to change into workout cloths, Bennie made his way to the hangar. Dressed in a white tank-top, blue sweat pants and designer brand sneakers, Bennie stepped into the center of the room to get a good look at everyone. From the looks of it, Whiskey had gotten them started early. Spotting the cowgirl and Lilith together, the big man approached them.

"Hey girls," Bennie said with a grin. "How're they looking this morning?"

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"I was thinking of seeing what's up with you and maybe lending a hand, but apparently I'm seeing things that aren't there. Seems I'm far too old to deal with kid stuff, anyway."

Sprout smiled sheepishly. "Come on, Maria," he said as he looked at the woman, "you ain't that old. Hell, I'd still plow you if you asked!" After a brief laugh he spotted some peculiar happening across the room. Jesse and Amy were very close, and then---

What the shit?!

They kissed!

They did!

What kinda slut---

Before Sprout could finish damning her, Amy had delivered swift justice to the man who had apparently wronged her.

Oh...

He watched as she stormed out, completely lost as to what had just happened. His attention snapped to Jesse as a small groan escaped his lips. "Uh, you think you should see if he's okay, Doc?" He asked pointing to the crippled boy.

The fuck's goin' on here?

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"Or do I have to start treating you like the child you are so desperately trying not to be?"

Elizabeth did take those sharp words as playfully as they were likely intended, but couldn't help frowning. Not because she was insulted, but because, in truth, he was right.

"Maybe," she muttered as her eyes searched the mostly vacant ballroom. "To an adult such as yourself, it must be frustrating to see someone like me trying to be something I'm not. There's so much I don't know. So much I don't understand about this world we live in. And really, that's to be expected. I'm not expected to be anything more than a sheltered, naive young woman."

Finally, she looked to Asad. She smiled warmly, but her gaze was piercing. "I need to defy such expectations. I need these people, my allies and enemies, to know that I am a formidable woman, even if I am not. Will you help me, Major? Will you help me deceive those who would see me for the weak little girl that I am?"

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"But for you, fine. I'll babysit the grumpy little blighter."

Tsubaki smiled silently.

Then, all of a sudden, he was trying to chop his own fingers off. She almost reprimanded him for his stupidity, but thought better of it. After all, not only was she not currently his CO, but he had a lot of steam to let out. The Yakuza did it all the time too.

And lost a few digits in the end.

She settled for giving him a disapproving look.

"If you're all busy, like, I won't keep ya. Just make sure ya let me know when me and me reluctant ol' roomy are good to move in, yeah?"

Tsubaki nodded. "Of course," she said. "Hopefully I will have time to talk with him tonight. Until then I---" She was cut-off by the sudden buzzing of her pager.

It was Dio.

"That's my cue," Tsubaki admitted, sadly. "Take it easy, Bryan. Hopefully I will see you later tonight!" She said quickly before practically running out of the room.

The high-ranking noble guests had apparently just arrived.

Including Lady Lombardi.

 

[Terratina.]

Astor quickly staggered back to his seat, grabbed what remained of Amy's coffee and chugged the bitter black down. So, the Golden Rose did have thorns. He slammed the mug down and cradled his head in his hands while coughing, wheezing and laughing.

The pain was... incredible.

The statement about innocence Amy had left him with could also be described that way. How cynical! That statement alone spoke volumes about what sort of life she had lead. Regardless, how was he supposed to train in this state?

***​

"Hell, I'd still plow you if you asked!"

"I'm old enough to be your mo--!" Maria quickly snapped in shock but was interrupted as the subject changed all too quickly. When was the kid going to give a straight answer instead of staring at Miss Tits & Ass over there with the resident Casanova Jr., though Maria had to admit that watching the kid getting kneed in the groin was pretty amusing. However, it didn't provide any answers as to what exactly was going on. Damn kids and their shenanigans.

"Uh, you think you should see if he's okay, Doc?"

"A knee to the nads won't kill him, but sure." Maria shrugged. Afterwards, the doctor quickly went over to the injured boy and asked, "You okay?"

After a jumble or noises 'Jesse' managed to cough out while forcing a smile, "Of course, I like 'em feisty! Ahahahaa..."

Maria turned back to Sprout, "See? He's fiiiine."

 

[Fappy]

"See? He's fiiiine."

A little part of Sprout was disappointed to hear that. "Great," he said, his attention clearly elsewhere. After a short time of staring at the entrance to the hallway, Sprout stood up. "Ya-you think I should, um, see if she's okay?" Without waiting to hear an answer from Maria, he crossed to the other side of the room and started down the hallway.

What the fuck am I doin'?

She had been playing him, right? This was all some kind of game, right?

Had she set that whole scenario up? No, there was no way she'd hit him so hard if it was an act... would she?

You really know how ta' pick 'em, Ma'.

Thinking of his mother at a time like this was bad form. Sprout immediately began to feel woozy again, slowing his pace. And then, suddenly, it was all gone. The simple sight of this girl had that effect on him.

There she was, silently brooding from the looks of it. She certainly appeared upset by what happened.

Be careful...

"H-hey, Amy," Sprout said as he approached her from halfway down the hall. "Are you okay?"

 

[Daystar Clarion]

"To an adult such as yourself, it must be frustrating to see someone like me trying to be something I'm not. There's so much I don't know. So much I don't understand about this world we live in. And really, that's to be expected. I'm not expected to be anything more than a sheltered, naive young woman."

Asad furrowed his brow. Frustration was probably the wrong word. He didn't want to see any kid grow up before their time, it didn't matter that it was expected Elizabeth, she shouldn't have to be out into the situation to begin with, and she should certainly have a choice in the matter.

Control. Ultimately this whole song and dance was about control, and Elizabeth was trying her best to retain as much over herself as she could, how could he deny her that?

"I need to defy such expectations. I need these people, my allies and enemies, to know that I am a formidable woman, even if I am not. Will you help me, Major? Will you help me deceive those who would see me for the weak little girl that I am?"

The Major looked at the young woman in front of him. His eyes searching her's. For a few moments, his eyes lingered before he averted his gaze. Raising the wine glass in front of him, he took a small sip of wine before placing it back on the table.

The girl was giving herself less credit than she deserved. Not many could retain as much dignity as she could in her situation. Why was it matter of deceiving others? Deception would imply she wasn't capable of the strength she saw herself lacking.

Without looking at the girl, the man continued with his meal. A few silent moments passed as Asad swallowed a mouthful of food.

The man smiled. He always did a fondness for the underdog. "How can I help?"

==================================

"How're they looking this morning?"

Lilith raised an eyebrow, the cigarette hanging loosely from her lip as a smirk curled her lips. Crossing her arms over her chest, the woman tilted her head as she looked the man up and down.

"Still wearing the expensive trainers? Really? Not afraid you're gonna scuff 'em on some poor kid's head?"

 

[The Funslinger]

"I would hope, as we will be planning the Crime of an Era together, that your attention will be satisfied not to waver. Nevertheless, should you find yourself getting bored at any point in our travels... try reading, or taking in a show. Anything, really, so long as there are no repeats of that poor girl in Frostfall. Contrary to popular belief, I do not treat people like playthings, and you don't want to find out what happens to any associates of mine who do. Do I make myself vividly, abundantly clear?"

Owain rolled his eyes as he yanked his hand free of the other man's, wiping it off on his trouser leg as though he had just handled something revolting.

"Yes, mother. I promise I shan't terrorize the civilian bystanders. I'll be on my best behaviour! Honest!"

Now it was the Gentleman's turn to roll his eyes. "Very good," he replied, as though Owain had agreed with him in earnest. "That's that, then."

With that, he turned on his heel and strode for the large double doors that would lead them out into the courtyard. Owain, however, merely stood and watched him go, his glare burning a brand on the other man's back. Dipping a hand into the sleeve of the other arm, he noiselessly drew a small matte black stiletto knife from inside it.

The Gentleman's back was an exposed target, but Owain would do one better than that. He would stick the knife up to the hilt into the base of the Gentleman's skull from twenty paces.

His arm was already traveling its well practiced arc when the sound of the side door, behind him and to his left intruded. Checking his motion, Owain flipped the knife in his fingers in a motion that was almost comical. The weapon disappeared up the sleeve of the hand that was holding it, and he hurriedly folded his arms as he and the Gentleman both turned to react to the sudden intrusion.

A man in the refined yet inferior clothes of serving staff stood in the door. He inclined his head to each of them.

"Master Owain. Mister, ah... Gentleman. I've been told to inform you that your transport is ready to depart, and that your luggage has been stowed, so you needn't keep yourselves. The Lady Contessa left strict instructions that you depart with the greatest of haste.

"I see," replied Owain. "Thank you, Burthold."

"Stannis, sir."

"Whatever."

Owain looked back at the Gentleman as they made to leave. His chance was gone, and most of his blood lust with it.

Most of it.

He got the feeling he would likely regret the missed opportunity.

=============================================

"Still wearing the expensive trainers? Really? Not afraid you're gonna scuff 'em on some poor kid's head?"

"They'd better not scuff his trainers," Whiskey chirped. "Wouldn't wanna see what he'd do to those poor kids if that happened."

She had worried talking to Bennie might be awkward, since the prior situation, but the recent days had shown her apprehension to be unfounded. Everything was flowing smoothly between them once again. Smoother, even, now that she knew the limits of her behaviour once again.

================================================

"Take it easy, Bryan. Hopefully I will see you later tonight!"

"I'll be right here," said Bryan, his eyes locked on the knife in his hand.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Amy suppressed a smile when she noticed Axel's approach.

'Got him!'

"Are you okay?"

Sullenly, Amy leaned against the wall with her arms folded. She did little more than look to the side to acknowledge him.

"I told you I could handle Jesse, didn't I?" she told him, before fixing him with an accusatory glare. "Not that you can blame him for trying his luck though. I mean, it's not like anyone else is giving me any attention."

Sprout furrowed his brow. "Oh," he muttered. "Are the other Maidens givin' you a hard time? I can crack some skulls if I 'ave to."

The boy wasn't dumb, he knew what she was getting at. He was just hoping it was something else. Anything else.

Amy facepalmed so hard she almost broke her nose.

"Forgive me for stating the obvious, but you're really not very good with women, are you?"

Sighing, she shifted her position so that she was now leaning on her shoulder, facing him.

"Look, Axel..." she said, downcast. "You don't have to dance around me like I'm going to jump you at any second. I get that there's stuff we need to talk about. So fine. Let's talk, but stop avoiding me! Stop only looking at me when you think I don't know you're there." She looked down at the floor, miserable. "I don't know if the other's have warned you off me already, convinced you that I'm damaged goods, but I'm not the one playing games here Axel. I'm the one trying to stop them."

"I'm sorry," he whispered. A profound sense of guilt set in as he realized how foolish he had been. Why was he so afraid to confront the issue at hand? Why did he feel the need to tiptoe around it? Avoiding her like he had would only exacerbate the problem. His mother wouldn't have sat on her hands like that. No, the moment she understood the issue she would have confronted it. She never bullshitted anyone.

Hadn't she taught him better than this?

Sprout frowned and forced himself to look at Amy, waiting for her to meet his gaze. "Look," he said, "I don' really get what's goin' on here. Not really. I don' know if yer... 'in to me' or if this is jus' some act or what, but... I like you. I-I mean yer a cool chick an' I wanna be yer friend." He sighed. "An' her hot as hell. But, I don' know... you fucked my Ma' fer cryin' out loud!" He couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.

"Ax, it's okay." Amy replied, smiling hopefully at him. "I am 'in to you', but I understand that this isn't easy for anyone to wrap their heads around. The last thing I'm after is to pressure you into something against your will. Before anything else, I need you to understand that that's never what I'm about."

Rubbing the back of her neck, and blushing, Amy suddenly came over a little furtive.

"Do you mind if I tell you a bit about my work, before I came here? I promise I'm going somewhere with this..."

"N-no," he stammered. "I don' mind at all."

"Right..." Amy said, giggling nervously. "Well, when I first started doing what I do I was... younger, than you are now. Since then, let's just say I've seen, and done, a lot of peculiar things, some of them far less pleasant than others. There are people who like to hurt you, people who like you to hurt them, and that's just the boring stuff. There was this one guy, a lesser Carmichael if I remember right, who once had me tie him up, and do things to him with a whole pineapple that were..." she suppressed a snicker. "Okay, the less said about that one the better!"

Serious again, Amy found Axel with a piercing stare.

"The point is, I've been around. I've been around enough to not really give a damn anymore about what other people think is 'weird' or 'wrong', because Other People, they don't even know the half of it! So yes, I was with Pixie. A lot of people thought that was weird, and I didn't care. Now, I want to be with you, and those same people are probably going to think that we're even weirder because of it... and I don't care. You don't have to care either, because in your own way, you know what I'm talking about. You've grown up with bandits! You've seen more of the world than most people your age too. You know enough to know that if there ever was an arbitrary number of years that denoted innocence, and would make all the sick and disgusting things in the world think twice before hurting us, we both went past it a long time ago."

Now she was getting to the heart of the matter, and as she did, she recalled the wisdom that Madame Camille had imparted to her years ago...

"It's never just about your body, no matter how fine it may be. Men high and low can go just about anywhere to get their kicks for free, if that's all they want. The ones that will come to you, will be searching for something particular, something special and unique to them. They come here because there's a question they can't help but ask themselves, and every hour of every day of their normal, mundane lives it drives them mad. They may not even know what the question is, specifically, and it doesn't matter. If you can convince them that you're the answer, then they'll never be able to stop themselves from coming back."

Axel was the son of Meredith Monroe. The Bandit Queen; a living legend... and he was surrounded by people who ruffled his hair, told him what was best, and treated him like the boy they thought he was. 'Sprout' was still holding on to this comfort of innocence for dear life, but not all of Axel was Sprout. If Amy could tease that other side up to the surface, the side that longed for responsibility and respect... he would be hers.

"Ax..." she said again, letting the sound of that name hang there while she smiled warmly at him. "It's great that you've got so many people who look out for you. I'm not trying to take that away; but at the same time, you don't always have to heed what they think is best for you, especially if that gets in the way of what you want. If you don't want me, you only have to say. I'll walk, and we'll pretend none of this ever happened..."

She took a step closer to him. Just a step, still cautious.

"But, if you do want this, and the only thing holding you back is some meaningless notion that it would be wrong, then I want you to know that there's nothing someone like you could want with someone like me, that's anything to be ashamed of."

Sprout stared back at her, wide-eyed. His mind had gone a million different directions at once and he couldn't make sense of any of it.

As different parts of his consciousness struggled to reach consensus, he could only manage one sentence. "Why me?" he asked. His tone suggested a sense of awe.

Amy had to be careful here. The truth was, it was a question she hadn't entirely examined herself beforehand, beyond her practical goals. To come up with a convincing answer, she'd need to open a window to the feelings she'd been trying to keep her distance from for several days.

"Because..." she started, bashful. "because all my life, everyone I've ever known has wanted something from me. Not always the same thing, but something. They look at me, and they don't see a person, they see a doll that they get to dress up however it suits them. Any comfort, any protection or companionship I've ever had has come with a lot of strings attached. I'm used to it, and I've learned how to get what I want from them, just as much as what they get from me... but you're different. You don't see a hopeless case, or a work in progress, or just a free ride. You see... me. And, for the first time I can remember, 'me' feels like it's enough."

Taking another step forward, Amy took Axel's hand in her's.

"I'm right, aren't I Ax?"

Sprout nodded. "O-of course," he assured her. "I don' reckon why anyone would need more, really."

Smooth, Sprout.

Scratching the back of his head nervously, he blushed and averted his gaze. Was she serious? "I can' deny that I, um... well, want you too, but... isn't this, I dunno... goin' too fast? I mean, we've only known each other fer like one or two weeks, right? If you an' Ma' are done an' dusted, shouldn't you wait a lil' bit? Like, I dunno... I..."

He sighed. "I don' wanna jus' be some consolation prize," he admitted. "I don' know shit about relationships, but I've heard the term 'rebound' used in situations like this before. D-do you know fer a fact that, um... you like me in that way?"

"Ax," Amy smiled. "Don't you think I know the difference by now between a kiss that means something and one that doesn't?" She leaned forward and kissed him again, a softer kiss than the one they had shared before, their lips only parting slightly, but still held for a long moment, before they broke apart. "You're nobody's consolation prize."

"But hey," she said perkily "This is your party just as much as it is mine. If you want us to take it slow, then we'll take it slow, do things one step at a time. I'd like that." Her smile broadened. "But no more skulking in the corner, okay, or Jesse might think he's still in with a shot."

"Jesse can go fuck 'imself," Sprout said with a nervious laugh. This kiss felt good, it really did. Maybe he could make this work. All he had to do was not think of his mother.

God dammit...

Sprout's face was bright red. "Uh, yeah, hey... um, yeah," he mumbled, not sure what he was intending to say. "I, uh--I think we should take it slow 'cause... ya' know, I...." He looked down at his feet instinctively as embarrassment took hold. "I've never done this kinda thin' before. Lily... she told me I shouldn' rush into stuff like this, ya' know?" He looked Amy in the eye. "It's too important."

'No half measures.'

Amy laughed softly, her hands having moved up to Axel's shoulders.

"Ax, for the last time, there's no pressure here. So long as I you're not going to run scared every time you see me coming, I can wait as long as you want me to. And, when you are ready..." she leaned forward to whisper in his ear "Count yourself lucky that you'll be learning from the best."

Amy knew the perfect time to end a conversation when she saw it, she slipped past Axel, their hand's running across the other's until they were both at almost full stretch, before they finally let go. Setting off in the direction of morning's practise, Amy left Sprout alone to think about what she'd said... and to watch her leave.

 

[Dogmatic99]

"Wouldn't wanna see what he'd do to those poor kids if that happened."

"Would it be anything like the beatings the usual guy dishes out?" Gale called over from where she was doing her warm ups. She was pretty much wrapped up anyway, may as well just mosey on down and stand before the folks at the adult table.

"Not that I really wanna ask for another ass whoopin' but since trainer prime isn't around an' I reckon if I can't take down a guy my own size by kicking him really hard then it probably wont work on mean-ass criminal types." Was she rambling? It felt like she was rambling. But, then, Gale was born of a culture of literal ramblers.

"So uuuh... any of you vets feel like a partner up?" She shrugged, feeling like a little kid asking if she could play with the older boys' toys.

 

[Fappy]

"How can I help?"

Elizabeth's lips curled into a mischievous grin. "We can start with respect, I imagine," she half-joked. "Not just the 'yes M'lady', 'as you wish M'lady'. Those are just learned behaviors. When I am standing before my adversaries, I need you to be there by my side. They need to know that, despite being Lord Basilio's soldier, you adhere to and understand my influence." She closed her eyes and took a conservative sip of wine. After placing her glass back down in front of her, she leaned forward with her elbows on the table and her fingers laced together. "Most people would chalk this up as you simply being a well trained soldier. Those people are not the issue.

"No, those that I truly need to concern myself with? They will take notice. It is not loyalty they will see, per say. Just, as I said, respect." She pursed her lips. "Maybe with your help I can show these people that I will not so easily submit to Dio's power. If he is to wed me, they will all need to know I will live up to my sister's example. She was a strong woman. From what I hear, she never gave that man an inch. When Dio looks at me, he must see that same resolve, even if it is not genuine."

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

"So uuuh... any of you vets feel like a partner up?"

Bennie shrugged. "I was actually going ask Lilith if she wanted to trade a few blows," he said with a grin. "We haven't had a proper match in years. What do you say, Lily?"

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************

"You're late," Ortega whispered just as Tsubaki arrived. "Most of them have already been processed." Dio's security detail was gathered around the man himself as he welcomed his guests at the front gates of the tower. Fake smiles and shows of affection were being exchanging between himself and his colleagues before they were each escorted into Basilio Tower.

Keeping her eyes on her lord, Tsubaki pursed her lips. "I'm sorry," she said. "They weren't supposed to get in for another hour."

"Soldiers should always be able to adapt to any changes on the battlefield."

"Does this look like a battlefield to you, Colonel?" Tsubaki countered.

"Not even remotely," he replied, bitterly.

It should come as no surprise that black ops soldiers prefer doing what they were trained to do. But this? This was basically playing mall cop.

"Has Lady Lombardi arrived yet?" Tsubaki asked. "I've never seen her in person."

Ortega nodded in her direction. "That's her right there, standing by the limo. She just stepped out."

****************************************************************************************************************************************************

"Again, you have my sincere condolences Lady Tigereye," Dio assured the woman as he held her hand comfortingly. "Please, make yourself at home. Anything and everything is at your disposal here, including myself, of course."

Contessa watched this exchange from afar with a smug smile on her face. Once Tigereye had left through the gates, she and Franz approached the Lord of the house. "Lord Basilio," she cooed, "it's been too long."

When Dio turned to see his new 'guest', he greeted her with the most transparently fake smile Tsubaki had ever seen. "Oh, why yes it has, my good Lady! How have you been, Contessa?"

Tsubaki cocked an eyebrow at that. Using her first name?

An insult, surely.

She could already tell what kind of job this would be.

I'm gonna need wine and chocolate cake after this is all over...

"Fabulous, of course," she replied in a courtly fashion. "Why, I had a magnificent visit from an old, mutual friend of ours just the other day. Oh, did he have some thing to say about you!" Like a proper lady, she covered her mouth as she laughed.

"I'd love to hear about it later," he lied. Looking to Franz, his smile was slightly more deceptive. "And how have you been, Franz?"

Franz's grin was the most legitimate of the bunch. "Oh, you know, doing everything mother says," he joked. "She is quite a demanding woman."

Dio laughed. "Yes, well, they don't call her the 'Golden Queen' for nothing, now do they?"

"Quite right," Franz agreed.

Dio looked over his shoulder to Tsubaki. "Well, there are a few more guests to see to," he told Contessa. "Please, follow Commander Saburo to the ballroom and make yourself comfortable. Your luggage will be brought to your rooms shortly."

"It is always a pleasure to receive such hospitality, Dio," Contessa chirped. Her false praise was not at all lost on Tsubaki.

Stepping forward, the commander stood closer to the gate, waiting for the two nobles to follow her.

They ended their brief greetings and started for the gate, but just as Contessa was passing Dio by, she placed a hand gently on his shoulder and whispered something into his ear. Tsubaki was too far to hear, but she could read her lips rather easily. It was a simple, obvious phrase.

'I'll kill you.'

Spoiler: LOL

Tsubaki stood wide-eyed as the pair continued past Dio, who had already turned to greet the next batch of guests. Standing before the stunned soldier, Contessa giggled. "Is something wrong, Commander?" she asked.

"N-no, nothing's wrong M'lady," she lied. "Follow me."

Holy shit...

 

[ProtoChimp]

Dressing as simply as he could, yet still managing to look somewhat flamboyant, in a plain black waistcoat and a pair of blue jeans that did, not, match. At all.

"Any questions?"

"Yeah, ETA on when this becomes a complete clusterfuck?"

 

[Daystar Clarion]

"I was actually going ask Lilith if she wanted to trade a few blows,"

Lilith raised an eyebrow, her lips pursed curiously.

"We haven't had a proper match in years. What do you say, Lily?"

Taking a long drag of her cigarette, the girl shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno, I mean, it wouldn't feel right to beat up an old geezer." She joked as she looked up at the huge man, a twinkle in her eye. It had been a while since she sparred with anyone, let alone Bennie. Maybe that's what she needed? Just get it out of her system.

"Yeah, why not, it's been oh I don't know, days since I last had my arse kicked." She sighed.


==============================

She was a strong woman. From what I hear, she never gave that man an inch. When Dio looks at me, he must see that same resolve, even if it is not genuine."

Asad shook his head, a small smile curling his lips. "I already respect you, my Lady." He took a sip of wine. So she wanted to appear as though she had some power, even in a situation like her's, would that even come across? He doubted the effectiveness of the girl's plan, but it couldn't hurt he guessed.

"Sooo, what? I just strong arm anyone who looks at you funny?" The Major chuckled.

 

[The Funslinger]

"So uuuh... any of you vets feel like a partner up?"

"I'd do it, but I'm taking a breather," Whiskey replied, taking another swig from her bottle of water. "But you know what I really wanna see?" A mischievous grin spread across her face. "I wanna see how the original boy wonder does against the new blood. Somebody oughta go find Sprout and make him be your partner."

 

[Terratina.]

"Ya-you think I should, um, see if she's okay?"

Maria frowned as Sprout left before giving her the decency of a chance to reply. Now she was left with some kid who fancied himself a lil' Casanova. It was hard to see the resemblance with him snivelling and laughing at the same time. Just how long could he keep this up anyway? A few deep breaths and stretch from the lad gave Maria her answer.

"You good now?" She asked.

There was that grin again, it looked so punchable, "Excellent, dear doctor. Now if you would excuse me, there seems to be training on my agenda. Oh, thank you for the assistance. Even though it wasn't needed."

"Hold up, I have to oversee the training anyway. In case of injuries." Maria quickly came up with.

"I wouldn't disagree to having you as my entourage, doctor." Astor beamed.

Maria didn't bother with replying to that.

The two then arrived at the usual training spot. Astor himself was glad to see that he had found where the ladies were hiding. Although, it was kind of a disappointment that Bennie was there as well. Amy's words echoed in his mind as the grin briefly turned into a sheepish one. It wasn't like he would actually throw a non-threat like Astor off the Iron Maiden, right?

 

[Fappy]

"Yeah, why not, it's been oh I don't know, days since I last had my arse kicked."

Bennie put his hands on his hips and laughed. "Give yourself some credit, girl," he said. "I'm sure you'll last a few seconds at least!"

The two of them walked to the center of the hangar together. "Listen up, everyone," Bennie announced. "Lily and I are going to put on a demonstration. Quit kicking the shit out of each other for a seconds and gather around." Looking to Lilith, Bennie gave her a shit-eating grin.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************************

"Sooo, what? I just strong arm anyone who looks at you funny?"

Elizabeth hummed in amusement. "Eventually, perhaps," she began, "but not quite yet. I think we should be a tad more subtle for now." She took a small sip of her wine and looked past Asad. The room was starting to fill up. Perhaps she'd be needed soon?

"Tell me," Elizabeth said, "does this kind of environment suit you? I'd say you take to it well enough, but are you actually comfortable surrounded by such sterile... falsehoods?"

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************

"Yeah, ETA on when this becomes a complete clusterfuck?"

"Same question," Cam chimed in.

Pixie rolled her eye. "You'll know when shit's hit the fan," she assured them. "Reckon I brought the right people fer that. Y'all ar' quick on yer feet, aren't ya'?"

Cam shrugged. "Quicker with a gun, I'd wager."

"Even better," Pixie replied. "Look, we're here undercover, right? Be discreet, but don' act like yer beenin' discreet? Jus'... be casual."

"Whatever that means," Cam said with an amused chuckle.

"We're here," Carlos suddenly said. He pointed to the bar down the street. "I'll go on a head."

Pixie nodded and looked to Aesop and Cam as soon as he left. "If somethin' smells funny while y'all ar' on lookout, I wan' you ta' do that obnoxious laugh ya' do, Cam."

Cam nodded as if knowing exactly what Pixie was referring to.

"An', Aesop," she said, looking to the bearded bandit, "like I said, discretion. Don' go whippin' yer gun out unless there's gonna be a fight. Alright?"

 

[Dogmatic99]

This was seriously it?

Florian had figured that recent events had left The Hussars a little light handed, that they'd have to call in some low level help or something but this was just pathetic. It was like these kids didn't even know why they were here, this was beyond rookie level this was just kind of sad. The groan of the poor punk he'd managed to blindside before storming the room and messing up the small gathering of young men who should have made better life decisions.

["I'm glad you agree, how do you expect to get a branch up and running with this kind of business ethic?"] This place looked more like a shambling party house than a functioning drug dealing hub.

Then again, what would Florian know about that? Even back in the prime of his 'career' he'd tried to steer clear of drug deals where possible. Something about the smell of the people you had to deal with had always made his skin crawl, besides, the Bejic's were a ballistics family; they'd never had much concern for narcotics. At least they used to be.

The north was turning into their playground and the free market of the criminal underworld was going into overdrive as every dealer, hitman and thief was clamoring to get under the black winged banner and the possibilities it could offer in these parts of the rock now days. The call had gone out, the family was getting over its teething pains and Frostfall was being carved up into the official territories now. Irena had been scrambling for as big a slice as she could and Florian had been doing his best to help her under the radar. Of all the captains she seemed to enjoy having a silent enforcer the most as they kept the other lower crews guessing as to who the psycho vigilante that was making them look weak was going to hit next. Thanks to the intel they'd gotten here Florian could help out another block and strengthen the foundation for what was to come.

'Just need to clear out the last of their wares.' Florian thought absently as he made his way down the stairs and began to scour the basement floor.

There was even a scattering of little drug packets, all stacked into neat little pyramids. It all seemed so text book , like a-

Some rapid clicks in the silence, movement, then the quiet. SHIT!

Spoiler: Lovely fight music

Florian threw himself down low and made a mad dash for the nearest door as gunfire rattled over his head and rang in his ears. Ambush. He should have seen this. It was all getting too easy, he let himself get sloppy. Didn't matter now, he had to get some room to maneuver. He'd been in houses like this before, the backdoor was close. Florian drew his pistol and fired a quick burst of shots into the wall his attackers were trying to round, timing it just right to give them something to think about, all while on the move, he could get out in a few seconds.

Except he couldn't. As the rickety frame of the backdoor flew inwards right at Florian's face, sending him leaping backwards and weaving in desperation to dodge the hail of violence coming down on him as the limited view of his full face breather mask was filled with the looming form of the giant in front of him.

["You've sent me on a good chase, boy. Well done."] Erik's voice rumbled over the distant sounds of panicked residents.

This wasn't good, Florian was fighting with gloves on as it was, he wasn't ready to go up against Erik yet, much less when he was standing right in the way of his escape route. Going around him wasn't an option, he'd have to go through, though not before Erik tried to do the same! He rushed at Florian with speed unexpected from a man of his age and size, swinging out a forearm hit meant to smash the air out of Florian's lungs and send him flying. Get him clear and in the open, less risk of crossfire. Florian had to fight every instinct he had to get clear of his vastly larger opponent as the two of them danced ans weaved around each other, each of Erik's hits coming just short of impact and breaking some bones. It was just like old times.

The two of them did of good job of putting the other through their paces but it was all just delaying the inevitable. The backup was slowly flanking, looking for a clear shot and Erik was working him further back, closer to a dead end. And they both knew it. Florian had to fight back. He ducked another punch and came back up sending a flurry of light but rapid hits to Erik's abdomen, the kevlar vest didn't help. So he aimed low, using his superior speed.
======================================================================
Erik hadn't worked up a sweat like this since the tower battle, this little fuck was good. It wouldn't matter for long though, in a moment all he'd have to do was- what the shit was he doing?

Little bastard came in closer faster than a teenage boy trying to seal the deal but before Erik could make a distant grapple he felt a sharp pain bat the inside of his leg aside as the masked do-gooder gave a rapid chop near his joint. Erik gave a bark of pain as he stumbled just low enough to receive an open palm to the side of his jaw and what might have been an elbow to the temple, he wasn't sure, lights were exploding in his eyes.
=======================================================================
'Sorry.' Florian sighed internally as he bolted to the two gunmen, using Erik as an unwilling push off point.

The two of them weren't expecting a frontal assault, people with rifles rarely do it seems, as the frantically moved to raise their weapons. It was a little tricky though, considering Florian was making them dance awkwardly by peppering the ground by their feet with what was left in his ammo clip. That bought him enough time to close the distance and smack one of the rifles to the side, he didn't have time to be pretty about this one and followed up with a headbutt and a swift kick to the crotch.

The other one had some more composure though and managed to level his weapon in Florian's general direction. The mask hid just how wide Florian's eyes went as he kicked the poor guy who's genitals he'd just brutalized out of the way and sending himself backwards under the light footed momentum, clearing them both of the burst of automatic gunfire. Though chances were one of them would be cursing tinnitus before the end of the day. He had to put a stop to this. Flipping his pistol round he grabbed the shuddering assault rifle with his free hand and smacked the side of the Bejic man's neck with the butt of his weapon. It was one dull thud after another as he hit the floor.

Nothing was letting up though as Florian was sent jerking for cover as Erik quickly regained his footing and opened fire with renewed fury.

["See now I am REALLY pissed off!!"] He roared over the thunder of the various cannons he carried around with him.

Florian huddled for cover behind a wall that was quickly disappearing behind him, blasted to tatters a piece at a time. He should have been afraid, coming out in cold sweats and begging God for some miracle. Maybe even having flashbacks to that hellish week in the hotel room. But honestly Florian had to stop himself from giggling, not even nervous, terrified giggling, he was having more fun than he'd had in years. Erik wasn't pulling any punches, the new crews were soemthing different and not allowing himself to kill any of them was adding such a challenge. On top of him being rusty from years out of the game. It was like being a kid again!

The rest of his mind went cold as Flroian slipped into that familiar feeling of a distant observer living in his own head. 'Find yourself in the place of ash...' Just like old times. He had one bullet left in the clip, little cover and running out of time to reload. But he did have a table full of white powder within arms reach, that would work!

For Erik it must have all happened in a flash. For Florian it all happened... at a manageable pace, maybe because his adrenaline was having the time of its life. He threw one of the packs of crack in a high arc as he broke from cover, blasting it apart with his last shot as it spun through the air and showered the collected group in snow like powder (a shot he'd feel all too pleased with himself for making later). Erik raised a hand to shield his eyes as he got a face full of powder, giving Florian enough time to slide between the two prone goons and scoop up an abandoned AK. It was a cruel thing to do but he swung the rifle by its barrel square into Erik's ribs, sending a nasty shudder through his whole body.

["So sorry!"] Flroian blurted out as he dropped the now dented weapon and made a B-line for the door and burst into the back alley as fast as he could.

Ten vital minutes later Erik managed to haul himself to his feet between groans and throat ripping splutters. He did not need this shit right now! ["Son of a fucking *****!"] He howled, kicking a chair into splinters.

Florian hadn't stopped moving for he idn't know how long, always looking over his shoulder, doubling back on himself, taking every step he could think of to lose and evaid anyone still following him. It was about half an hour later until he was finally satisfied and stopped for a breath and ended up coughing up a cloud of narcotics that had showered his clothing. Except... he rubbed a bit between his fingers and gave a cautious sniff.

["Where did they get talcum powder?"] Let alone that much.