...
83 Fall 516
It was still warm for an early autumn evening as both men walked purposefully down the cobbled road. More people were out than usual that time of year but they'd just have to deal with it as a matter of course.
"So I usually wait around the Heap coz there's always something happening there."
"I .. uh." Mitt couldn't quite voice his full hesitation about that area. Stalker said he'd kill him personally if he ever crossed past there. Nervous dark blue eyes peered through the last rays of the setting sun and he didn't see any sign of the Watcher. Although that certainly didn't mean he wasn't there, or would show up there later.
"I know it's a creepy place kid but-"
"No it's not just that." Mitt said in a quiet voice. "I kinda made an enemy of someone if I cross the line over there."
The tall man gave a brief laugh.
"Kid we all got enemies breathing down our necks in every corner of Sunberth! Welcome to the gods damn club."
Basher looked at Mitt with a serious frown and asked,
"Seriously you know I don't walk too many places alone at night in this city. Not if I can help it. Now Rat fired my brother so that means I need you to have my back Hammer." He paused and looked face to face with him. "I know you're twelve years younger than me, but because you're my partner each night, we keep each other safe, no matter what." He put a large hand on each of Mitt's shoulders.
"I gotta trust you to always have my back every chime we're out here. Can I trust you with my life?"
The sixteen year old tried and failed to keep the look of shock off his face but he held the brown eyes with his own. Mitt took a deep breath and answered with conviction,
'Yes you can, or at least I'll die trying. You can count on me."
"Thanks Mitt."
The teen just nodded as he realized that it was probably the first time the guy had ever used his real name. With his thoughts drifting off to only the Gods knew where, night crept in around the city and the nightlife began in earnest.
As two of the tallest guys walking down that block, they were given a pretty decent amount of space. Two large tall guys dressed in black walking at night in the city? No one was gonna walk within spitting distance of them. While Rat had made it pretty clear who his goons were, he still ran only a small operation within Daggerhand territory. So even though it was technically fine to go where ever you wanted to, at least the local group did know each member of Rat's guys and girls so they could step in to help. But once you crossed the Heap, you were on your own.
Mitt had no idea that Stalker's warning was just a deterrent to protect the teen from his own dumb actions. They stood on the diagonally opposite corner from the Heap and made sure their hoods were on if nothing else. Both of them each had a small bag of supplies tied to their belts but they weren't given any weapons to do whatever it was that needed doing that night.
"Ok so the hardest part is waiting. This four block area has five pubs and two brothels so anyone of those could be leads." Basher kept looking around him on full alert. "Some of them's as go home about now and then head out to somewhere with a pocket full o' money. That's when thieves hit-usually Daggerhand. You know our guys, so if they take one out, then he or she is fair game for us."
Mitt nodded, taking it in but he was still nervous as al hells. How the hells do you just walk around openly with a dead body to get to the surgeon? That was the most important part wasn't it?
"And do we just watch someone get ganked and walk off out in the open with a freshly dead body?"
"Kinda, yea. Depends when and where it happens really. It's a little too early to pretend it's a drunk passed out friend at least for another few bells. And don't immediately rush over to it until whoever it is, fully kicks the bucket. I've been caught out a couple times doing that."
The night eventually grew colder and they both gratefully put on their warm heavy cloaks and gloves. It wasn't just for protection against the elements obviously.
"Oh and keep an eye out for Watchers too."
"What? No way." he denied scornfully.
"Some of the ones in the biggest danger are smart enough to hire a Watcher from half a block behind them. I don't know much about 'em but I do know that."
Mitt stayed quiet and thought about that little gold nugget of wisdom for a few chimes. Just how much did Basher know about them? He thought they were all mysterious until he got a single night with them. Should he share what little he knew? Or would Basher already know what the teen did? How much exactly was guess work for those who hadn't worked with them?
'Whatcha know about Watchers?"
"They get paid the big bucks. Stone cold killers."
He gave Basher a flat stare.
"As compared to us....?"
"They enjoy it though. And they got a secret underground group that runs though the tunnels under the city."
"Really?" Mitt tried to scrutinize his features beneath the hood. What a load of horse shit.
"As bad as all that?"
"Whatever your thinkin' kid, they're even worse than that!"
Hmm. They didn't seem underhanded, over- organized or savage killers. They had a strict no public violence policy. How much else did Basher think he knew?
Basher whispered to him,
"If we get only one, we won't get paid much. Two would be a good night. Three or more, we could only hope to be so lucky. It's pay day for most places so it does up our chances pretty good though."
WC 1,032
83 Fall 516
It was still warm for an early autumn evening as both men walked purposefully down the cobbled road. More people were out than usual that time of year but they'd just have to deal with it as a matter of course.
"So I usually wait around the Heap coz there's always something happening there."
"I .. uh." Mitt couldn't quite voice his full hesitation about that area. Stalker said he'd kill him personally if he ever crossed past there. Nervous dark blue eyes peered through the last rays of the setting sun and he didn't see any sign of the Watcher. Although that certainly didn't mean he wasn't there, or would show up there later.
"I know it's a creepy place kid but-"
"No it's not just that." Mitt said in a quiet voice. "I kinda made an enemy of someone if I cross the line over there."
The tall man gave a brief laugh.
"Kid we all got enemies breathing down our necks in every corner of Sunberth! Welcome to the gods damn club."
Basher looked at Mitt with a serious frown and asked,
"Seriously you know I don't walk too many places alone at night in this city. Not if I can help it. Now Rat fired my brother so that means I need you to have my back Hammer." He paused and looked face to face with him. "I know you're twelve years younger than me, but because you're my partner each night, we keep each other safe, no matter what." He put a large hand on each of Mitt's shoulders.
"I gotta trust you to always have my back every chime we're out here. Can I trust you with my life?"
The sixteen year old tried and failed to keep the look of shock off his face but he held the brown eyes with his own. Mitt took a deep breath and answered with conviction,
'Yes you can, or at least I'll die trying. You can count on me."
"Thanks Mitt."
The teen just nodded as he realized that it was probably the first time the guy had ever used his real name. With his thoughts drifting off to only the Gods knew where, night crept in around the city and the nightlife began in earnest.
As two of the tallest guys walking down that block, they were given a pretty decent amount of space. Two large tall guys dressed in black walking at night in the city? No one was gonna walk within spitting distance of them. While Rat had made it pretty clear who his goons were, he still ran only a small operation within Daggerhand territory. So even though it was technically fine to go where ever you wanted to, at least the local group did know each member of Rat's guys and girls so they could step in to help. But once you crossed the Heap, you were on your own.
Mitt had no idea that Stalker's warning was just a deterrent to protect the teen from his own dumb actions. They stood on the diagonally opposite corner from the Heap and made sure their hoods were on if nothing else. Both of them each had a small bag of supplies tied to their belts but they weren't given any weapons to do whatever it was that needed doing that night.
"Ok so the hardest part is waiting. This four block area has five pubs and two brothels so anyone of those could be leads." Basher kept looking around him on full alert. "Some of them's as go home about now and then head out to somewhere with a pocket full o' money. That's when thieves hit-usually Daggerhand. You know our guys, so if they take one out, then he or she is fair game for us."
Mitt nodded, taking it in but he was still nervous as al hells. How the hells do you just walk around openly with a dead body to get to the surgeon? That was the most important part wasn't it?
"And do we just watch someone get ganked and walk off out in the open with a freshly dead body?"
"Kinda, yea. Depends when and where it happens really. It's a little too early to pretend it's a drunk passed out friend at least for another few bells. And don't immediately rush over to it until whoever it is, fully kicks the bucket. I've been caught out a couple times doing that."
The night eventually grew colder and they both gratefully put on their warm heavy cloaks and gloves. It wasn't just for protection against the elements obviously.
"Oh and keep an eye out for Watchers too."
"What? No way." he denied scornfully.
"Some of the ones in the biggest danger are smart enough to hire a Watcher from half a block behind them. I don't know much about 'em but I do know that."
Mitt stayed quiet and thought about that little gold nugget of wisdom for a few chimes. Just how much did Basher know about them? He thought they were all mysterious until he got a single night with them. Should he share what little he knew? Or would Basher already know what the teen did? How much exactly was guess work for those who hadn't worked with them?
'Whatcha know about Watchers?"
"They get paid the big bucks. Stone cold killers."
He gave Basher a flat stare.
"As compared to us....?"
"They enjoy it though. And they got a secret underground group that runs though the tunnels under the city."
"Really?" Mitt tried to scrutinize his features beneath the hood. What a load of horse shit.
"As bad as all that?"
"Whatever your thinkin' kid, they're even worse than that!"
Hmm. They didn't seem underhanded, over- organized or savage killers. They had a strict no public violence policy. How much else did Basher think he knew?
Basher whispered to him,
"If we get only one, we won't get paid much. Two would be a good night. Three or more, we could only hope to be so lucky. It's pay day for most places so it does up our chances pretty good though."
WC 1,032