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Post by awesomepossum on Sept 11, 2010 23:31:04 GMT -5
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Post by crickety ricket on Sept 11, 2010 23:41:14 GMT -5
patrickgleeson.com/media/cqimg3.jpgTrent shook off the dizziness and spat. Which way was it? He couldn't remember if it was this turn or the one three blocks ago. They all looked the same now. He tried his best to hide the fact that he had a couple and gripped the hilt at his side.
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Post by awesomepossum on Sept 11, 2010 23:48:26 GMT -5
Lani heard the man round the corner before she saw him. She froze. Could she look intimidating if she tried to?
She fingered her knife. A small knife.
"What's the password?" she called.
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Post by crickety ricket on Sept 11, 2010 23:56:49 GMT -5
Trent turned suddenly at the voice. He stumbled drunkenly into a crate, blowing whatever cover he hoped he had. Little flashes of light danced across his vision as he fell to the ground hard, getting a face full of mud.
He groaned and decided to lay there for a while, feeling much better spread eagle on the ground than he did standing up.
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Post by awesomepossum on Sept 12, 2010 0:03:06 GMT -5
There was a crash and Lani jumped, hand flying to her knife. The man lay facedown in the street. He didn't seem to be getting up.
Lani knelt, smearing mud on her dress, and tapped him. "Are you the man I hired?"
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Post by crickety ricket on Sept 12, 2010 0:12:48 GMT -5
"If the money's right," He slurred.
Trent slowly turned his head and squinted up at the voice. She was kneeling next to him when he saw her face.
"Of course, good looks are always a plus."
He got to his feet, swaying slightly.
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Post by awesomepossum on Sept 12, 2010 0:15:39 GMT -5
Lani pushed him.
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Post by crickety ricket on Sept 12, 2010 0:21:45 GMT -5
Trent stumbled but didn't fall. He held out both his hands.
"Alright, alright. No harm intended." He smiled. "This is me. This is my knife. Tell me what ails you, miss. Who do you want to see dead?"
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Post by awesomepossum on Sept 12, 2010 0:26:34 GMT -5
"You're a drunk," said Lani. "I paid gold for you. I paid all the gold I had!"
His breath stank. Lani turned away, taking a deep breath. Think, she had to think. Despair swam at the edges of her vision and threatened to drown her.
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Post by crickety ricket on Sept 12, 2010 0:35:40 GMT -5
Trent could clearly see that she was in distress. Don't cry. Please don't cry. He threw his head back and groaned.
It had to be today. Of all days. Trent cursed under his breath.
"Alright." Trent cleared his throat. He dusted himself off, smoothed back his hair, and held out his hands, waiting for her approval. It didn't come.
He sighed. "What was your name again?"
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Post by awesomepossum on Sept 12, 2010 0:42:17 GMT -5
"Lani," said Lani. She turned back around and saw his outstretched hands. She stared at them, dumbly, as she spoke. "They said you were the best man they had. They said you'd get the job done."
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Post by crickety ricket on Sept 12, 2010 0:50:25 GMT -5
Those idiots. He saw Lani's distant gaze and noticed her trembling. Trent closed his eyes and groaned inwardly.
"Remind me of what this job was again."
He walked over to the crate he crashed into earlier, picked it up and set it on the ground in front of Lani for her to sit.
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Post by awesomepossum on Sept 12, 2010 1:03:51 GMT -5
Lani looked at the crate, looked at the merc, and bristled. "You were supposed to rescue my son," she told him, and wondered how stupid she'd be to anger a drunk man with a knife.
She decided not to care.
"He's in prison," she continued. "Lord Alfred has him. He was one of those born with the birthmark. The sign of the devil, they call it, but he's not. He's two years old."
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Post by crickety ricket on Sept 12, 2010 1:49:42 GMT -5
I don't do rescue missions. Too many things can go wrong. This I knew all too painfully well.
Now hits? Hits were easy. A little more open to creativity as well.
A man's got to make his way around here. This was the job to do it. There was always cash on the table because there was always someone somewhere who wanted a someone else killed. If I had to be the one to carry out your dirty little deeds for some booze money, then so be it.
Hell, I loved every sickening bit of it.
But rescues were out of the question.
"Listen lady. We've all got our own devils to deal with. I'm not only talking about me here. And I've been in the been in the lockup before. It's next to impossible to get out." Trent stuck his fingers into his eyes. "And with Lord Alfred?" The name alone was enough for Trent to make his mind.
"I'll give you back whatever money you paid me. Find another sword."
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Post by awesomepossum on Sept 12, 2010 21:47:46 GMT -5
Lani studied him. Finally she held out her hand. "Fine."
"You're under arrest," came a voice.
Lani whirled around.
Three soldiers of the night guard stood at the mouth of the alley. Swords gleamed naked in their hands. Behind them, a ways off to the side, stood someone Lani knew. Her eyes widened.
"By order of Lord Alfred," said the middle soldier, "for treason in his city."
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