"Hawk, my dear girl, I believe there is someone interesting coming your way. From Cripple's Walk, of all places."
Jacel paused.
"Oh? You already see them?"
He smirked, held back his giggle with supreme effort.
"Surrounded? You don't say. How dreadful."
His eyes crinkled as he considered the words on the other end of the line.
"Yes, I think that is . . . quite a good idea. We wouldn't want our prize getting cut up before his big day!"
Jacel dropped his hand from the linkpearl, and returned back into the parlor. "Lord and Lady Greenwell, do forgive my lapse of manners! Important call, I dare say. Now then, shall we discuss business?"
___________
Faller had the bastard in sight, his people blocking him from running, when all hell broke loose.
It came from above. Rather, she did, some gigantic roe woman, axe in hand and a snarl upon her face. Ugly face it was too, was his confused impression -- a fighter's face.
The gun went off, its trajectory blown off course by her foot, and his man killed within the same breath.
Rorojino. He had kids. He was a good man. The loss hurt, but he pushed past it as the bitch swung her weapon into the next man. Her surprise attack was effective. More than effective.
He couldn't wait to see what else she was doing and how his men fared -- Osric had hit the water and he could not let the bastard get away. There'd been a casualty already, and he wasn't going to let it be in vain.
Faller hit the water, and he swam for all he was worth.
__________
Zhi saw Lale.
Her blood went cold. He was walking back through Hawker's, back from the direction she'd seen Faller going. Had they. . .had they already. . .? No. No, no, no.
"Shit!" The word was an afterthought as she saw the direction his eyes went -- the same man she was watching. Raz.
Oh.
But he was walking past with his usual lame-ass gait, the glance a brief one rather than one with intent. No, he was headed somewhere else.
But he had seen Raz.
Zhi felt the cards slipping from her hands as she dumped the bag of grain and shoved her hands in her pockets. She wanted to see Lale dead, but knowing him he'd already reported in. Knowing him, and his skills, they wouldn't be able to kill him unless they trapped him somewhere. And that? Not today.
She needed to move Raz. He was her backup, dammit, not Galine's piece to move about as she pleased!
She ran into him. "Razzy-lad, move yer ass. We've got trouble, an' we need t'get somewhere low. If ye unnerstand, head t'the walk 'twixt Hawker's alley -- we'll head fer th' Fisherman's Guild an' drop tails from there. Get ready t'climb, mate."
He had to respond. He had to obey her. They had to get ahead of it, and fast.
Jacel paused.
"Oh? You already see them?"
He smirked, held back his giggle with supreme effort.
"Surrounded? You don't say. How dreadful."
His eyes crinkled as he considered the words on the other end of the line.
"Yes, I think that is . . . quite a good idea. We wouldn't want our prize getting cut up before his big day!"
Jacel dropped his hand from the linkpearl, and returned back into the parlor. "Lord and Lady Greenwell, do forgive my lapse of manners! Important call, I dare say. Now then, shall we discuss business?"
___________
Faller had the bastard in sight, his people blocking him from running, when all hell broke loose.
It came from above. Rather, she did, some gigantic roe woman, axe in hand and a snarl upon her face. Ugly face it was too, was his confused impression -- a fighter's face.
The gun went off, its trajectory blown off course by her foot, and his man killed within the same breath.
Rorojino. He had kids. He was a good man. The loss hurt, but he pushed past it as the bitch swung her weapon into the next man. Her surprise attack was effective. More than effective.
He couldn't wait to see what else she was doing and how his men fared -- Osric had hit the water and he could not let the bastard get away. There'd been a casualty already, and he wasn't going to let it be in vain.
Faller hit the water, and he swam for all he was worth.
__________
Zhi saw Lale.
Her blood went cold. He was walking back through Hawker's, back from the direction she'd seen Faller going. Had they. . .had they already. . .? No. No, no, no.
"Shit!" The word was an afterthought as she saw the direction his eyes went -- the same man she was watching. Raz.
Oh.
But he was walking past with his usual lame-ass gait, the glance a brief one rather than one with intent. No, he was headed somewhere else.
But he had seen Raz.
Zhi felt the cards slipping from her hands as she dumped the bag of grain and shoved her hands in her pockets. She wanted to see Lale dead, but knowing him he'd already reported in. Knowing him, and his skills, they wouldn't be able to kill him unless they trapped him somewhere. And that? Not today.
She needed to move Raz. He was her backup, dammit, not Galine's piece to move about as she pleased!
She ran into him. "Razzy-lad, move yer ass. We've got trouble, an' we need t'get somewhere low. If ye unnerstand, head t'the walk 'twixt Hawker's alley -- we'll head fer th' Fisherman's Guild an' drop tails from there. Get ready t'climb, mate."
He had to respond. He had to obey her. They had to get ahead of it, and fast.