Bliss sat on her bike behind the hospital awaiting Siena. He was late. The thought that perhaps someone had finally managed to kill him drifted through her mind. She didn’t imagine there would be many tears shed if he had met his end. She, on the other hand, would be really annoyed if she got all geared up for nothing. Her usual attire was back at Caine’s compound. She’d been surprised by the image she’d seen in a glass door at the compound. She looked like someone else dressed as she was in a black duster, shirt and jeans. The body armor beneath the clothes made her look more bulky but she liked the look of it. It made her look less like a wisp of a girl and more like someone to be reckoned with. She had discovered during her short life that the meaner or more dangerous you looked the less people bothered you.
She leaned forward on the bike giving the tank an affectionate pat. The buzz in the back of her skull suddenly spiked. Her deep brown eyes scanned the darkness. A hand found it’s way to the butt of her pistol. A tiny figure stumbled into the circle of light. Bliss blinked. It was a very young child making his way towards. The child’s clothes were nothing more than tied on rags. He or she was so dirty it was impossible for her to distinguish hair or skin color.
The kid hesitantly edged his way closer. "You Bliss?"
She nodded slowly worried the sound of her voice would send the tike running.
The kid held out a folded piece of brown paper. "Da man say to give dis to you."
Bliss took the paper from the kid’s hand. Even the voice didn’t give her a clue as to whether she was dealing with a boy or a girl. She unfolded the paper. It was a message from Siena. ‘Detained. Reschedule for one week from tonight. S.’ "Great." She sighed glancing down at the kid. "Thanks for the message."
Wide pale eyes focused on her face. "Da man say you pay me."
"Oh, the man did, did he?" She watched the kid. Something just didn’t feel right. The buzz in her head was still on high and it wasn’t the kid who was causing it. "Okay, come on kid and I’ll get you something to eat."
The little head shook quickly from side to side. "No! You pay." The quick glance the kid took over his shoulder showed her the child did not come alone.
Bliss drew her pistol leveling in the direction the kid had come in. Her free hand snaked out to grab the kid by his clothing. It took no effort at all to sling him over the bike so that he ended up on the other side of her bike.
A red dot appeared on her chest. "Don’t make me hurt you. Just pay the kid and we’ll split."
She aimed her pistol just over and to the left of the source of the red beam. This made no sense. If Siena had sent him, he’d have paid the man already. "You’ve been paid. Don’t even try to scam me into to paying you twice. I’m already real annoyed."
"It’s too bad Siena couldn’t make your meeting chicky. He said you’d pay me upon delivery, so pay!"
"Siena pays his own debts." Bliss grinned. "Go find someone else to shake down."
"Have it your way. Siena won’t miss one ‘piece.’ He’s got so many." A rasping laugh emitted from the shadows. "So I’m just gonna have to kill you and take your pretty bike as payment for my troubles."
Maybe she was supposed to be so scared of his threat that she would faint away or something but Bliss wasn’t the type to be intimidated. She gave half a shrug. "Oh, well." Her pistol barked once and she heard a groan as the bullet hit something living. She swung her leg over to get down behind the bike for cover but she didn’t move fast enough. A bullet’s impact sent her spinning around. She ended up sitting on the pavement with her back to the bike. Spitting out every curse she could think she checked the damage to her side. It hurt like blazes but the body armor had held. There was a hole in her shirt but no hole in her. "Well, now I’m really, really annoyed." She spied the kid cowering next to her behind the bike. Smart kid. With a wince she turned her body. "Are we done playing now?"
"Ya killed Gatess!" The voice yelling was higher than the first by still distinctly male. "I’m going to make ya hurt for that!"
Bliss glanced down at the child. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Either of those two your daddy?" The kid’s head shook. "Nah, I think me and the kid here are going to go into the hospital and have some dinner while you and Gatess visit the morgue." She almost laughed at the angry squeal that accompanied the bullets that whizzed over head. The guy was either a terrible shot or he was trying not to hit the bike.
"The boy is mine!" The voice whined. "Gatess is dead so now he belongs to me!"
Well now she knew the kid was a little boy. She drew her other pistol and rested them both on the seat of her bike. She shot the kid a wink. "Keep your fingers crossed." She fired both pistols blindly never lifting her head from cover. "Oh to be able to see in the dark." She heard a high pitched squeak and ceased fire. She calmly popped the empty clips from the pistols and reloaded. "Are we done now?" There was no answer to her question. She waited. Not like she was in any hurry, besides the buzz in her head was still way too loud for it to be safe. She heard a shuffling sound coming closer and fired both pistols at it. A figure fell into the light and didn’t move. "Any more of them kid." The child shook his head again and the buzzing in her skull eased telling her it was as safe as it was ever going to get. "Wait here."
She slid on pistol back in it’s holster and checked on the two men, both were dead. The question was, now what was she going to do. She really didn’t want to have to explain this to Terra or Garth. It didn’t take long for her to figure something out. She left Gatess where he was and dragged the whiner into the light to make it look like they had shot each other. "Good enough." She returned to her bike. "You got a name kid?"
He nodded. "My ma called me Runt"
Bliss shook her head and sighed. "Do you want to go back to your ma?"
"No." Runt’s bottom lip quivered. "Ma give me to Gatess. Ma said never to come back."
She sighed again looking down at the grimy child who thought his name was Runt. "Well kid, I’m going to call you Keaghann after my great-great grandfather, that okay with you?"
"Keaghann?" He looked a bit confused but nodded.
She holstered her other pistol. "Good, come Keaghann let’s go in the hospital and get something to eat." She held out her gloved hand to him. "We’ll get you cleaned up, checked out and maybe some real clothes." She frowned as the kid backed away. "What?"
"Bad place. They hurt me. Eat Runt." His eyes were wide; he believed every word he was saying.
Bliss chuckled. "Tell you what Keaghann. If anyone tries to hurt you or eat you I’ll shoot ‘em."
The boy reached out a grimy hand wrapping it around one of her gloved fingers. "Okay."
Bliss smiled and let him into the hospital. It was going to interesting trying to explain Keaghann to Garth and Terra but she wasn’t going to worry about that until he was fed and checked out by the Doctors. "Tell me little Keaghann, have you ever had candy?"
She could feel the throbbing beat of the music before she even reached the door of Club Abyss. It would be a surprise to her if ninety percent of the regular patrons of the Club weren’t at least partially deaf. Bliss ignored the lineof people waiting to get into the club and walked directly to the door. The arm of the bouncer at the door slid in front of her barring her entrance.
"End of the line Blondie." He leaned in a fraction, a lewd grin spreading across his ox like features. "Less you are gonna start being nice to me."
Bliss jammed the muzzle of her pistol into his rib cage. "How’s this for nice?" She pitched her voice low. She was in no mood for this. "I’ve got an appointment inside. You make me late, I’ll make you bleed."
The bouncer took a half step back. "Mang Blondie, I was just fun’in wit ya." He lowered his arm so she could pass. "You need to learn how things work around here."
"I already know." She flashed him a fierce little smile as she passed through the portal into the Club. Goddess the music was loud. The base thrummed through her body. Of all the places to meet he had to pick this pit. Bliss weaved her way through the throng of people while glancing about for sight of Siena. She knew she wasn’t late by there was a good chance he would be early. That’s if he even survived his run in with Miss Black and the rifle toting gent. There he was sitting in the central booth near the back of the club. "Dead center of the action, I might of known." Bliss headed for his booth her dark eyes taking in every detail of the scene before her. Siena was stretched out as if in the lap of luxury surrounded by three females who probably weren’t much older than she was. She noted there were three empty bottles of what she assumed was alcohol strewn about the table. Siena reached over to pop open another bottle, letting a hand caress the cheek of one of the women strewn about the booth. Bliss didn’t have a lot of experience with drunken people but she knew drunk when she saw it. Siena was one step ahead of just plain drunk, he was plastered. He looked up from his bevy of bimbos and she saw the flash of recognition in his glazed eyes.
"Missy!!" He waved her over.
Goddess, she hated when he called her that.
"Come join meesh!" There was an unmistakable drunken slur to his voice.
She went to pull out a chair but Siena patted the seat next to him. He shoved one of the women out of the booth so that she landed on her hands and knees on the floor. Much to Bliss’ surprise the affronted woman just laughed and crawled of towards the bar. "Over ‘ere Missy." Siena winked at her patting the booth again.
With a soft sigh she released the chair and slid into the booth next to him. "Evening Siena." She raised her voice so it was loud enough to be heard over the din.
"Evin to yous too." He tipped the bottle to his lips guzzling down the bubbly liquid.
"I see you survived your little altercation with Miss Black and the stranger at the hospital." It was a non-committal remark.
Siena waved his ands about excitedly "Peeesh of cake." He giggled then hiccuped.
Bliss laughed softly. She couldn’t help it. He looked and sounded so cute. That thought brought her up short. Siena was a lot of things but cute was not one of them.
"I shee ju survived too!"
"Of course. I kept out of it and remembered to duck." She used his phrase even though she wasn’t exactly sure what it meant. "Piece of cake."
He motioned to the two scantily clad women sitting in the booth. "Chew met Nix and Nox? Da twins?"
She wasn’t impressed by she nodded to be polite. "Evening Ladies." She received identical blank stares in return for her greeting. "Don’t worry, I’m not staying long." Bliss felt distinctly unwanted. She leaned back in her seat and folded her arms across her chest.
"Okay ladies shove off!!" He pushed the twins out of the booth. "Business before pleasha." The twins toddled off wearing disgruntled looks leaving Siena and Bliss alone in the booth. His alcohol soaked brain slowly registered her last comment. A boyish pout played across his features. "No? And her’ I though chew would ‘ave a drinksie." He held the bottle out to her.
"Don’t drink. Messes with the mind."
He goggled his eyes making a silly face. "Mind already messed with little Blissy." He cackled tossing the bottle back the bubbly liquid drooling down his chin.
Bliss kept her face as neutral as possible. So far this evening she’d learned Siena liked trashy women and drank to excess. This was not a glorious start to their business association. "Which is why I don’t drink. I can’t afford any more of a mess."
Siena set the bottle down wiping his chin with a sleeve. He sat up a bit straighter and smiled. "Time of buzness no?"
The inside of her skull pounded in sync with the music’s heavy base. She tilted her head from side to side trying to ease the pressure by making her spine crack. "That’s why I’m here." Certainly not here for the atmosphere she thought while growling as some punk with spiky hair that had just winked at her.
"Zometimes da drink numbs the madness Bliss." He smirked. "Makes us remember da past. Nay?" His eyes began to cross. "Good!" His fist slammed down on the table. "I like a woman who knowz what shee wantz!"
The man changed subjects faster than most folks could think. "I don’t have much of a past to remember." She grinned at his crossed eyes. They were a lovely shad of green.
Siena gave a snort. "Bah! Everyone has a past. Trust me on dat." A lone finger moved through the air as if tracing a pattern only he could see.
"Didn’t say I didn’t have one, just not much of one." Bliss wasn’t paying much attention to him at the moment. She lifted a hand to the back of her neck, rubbing it. Let him trace invisible patterns in the air it gave her a few second to reach into her pocket and get a pill for the pain.
His eyes focused on her again. A smile spreading across his face. "Okay. Now ‘ere is da dealio. Chew lissenin?"
Bliss nodded. "Yup." She popped a pill into her mouth swallowing it with a gulp.
His smile became a frown. He waved his hands in front of her face. His voice became a growl. "Drugz is bad Blissy."
"What?" Okay, so she wasn’t paying attention. Her head was throbbing. The base was thumping. There were too many people in Club Abyss and it was really starting to get to her.
"I said!! Drugz is a no-no!!" He was not pleased at having to repeat himself.
Bliss chuckled. ‘Drugs are a no-no’ coming out of the mouth of a man so drunk he was having a problem keeping his eyes from rolling around in their sockets. "It’s a prescription from the Docs, it helps my headaches."
"Suuure." He shook his head and tried to straighten up. "Okay. Lissen up. You have tech skillz no?" He took another slug from the bottle.
"Yes, I do." She wanted to say ‘If you weren’t so drunk you’d remember that I do.’ But she kept that comment to herself.
"So, if I supply chew wit da tech chew can fix da ‘puters?" He tossed the bottle to the side the bubbly liquid spilling on to the floor. "Enuff of dat."
Finally they were getting down to business. "I can but try Siena. They may be damaged beyond anyone’s skill to repair. Hopefully I can pull the data off the old hard drives though."
His head cocked to one side, his eyes narrowing. "Dat sounds like you might not be able to help me? Is dat what I’m hearing?
"Nope, that means I will do my best." She gave him a reassuring smile.
"Eider do or do not do. No in-between. Chew understand?" He frowned. Perhaps she was going to disappoint him after all. "Always someone elze who can help."
"I understand, but if the computer is damaged beyond repair, then it is. Even an expert can’t repair tiny fragments.
His fist slammed down on the table. "Unaxeceptable!!" He growled fast becoming disappointed, which was not a good thing.
‘Never try and be truthful and realistic with a drunken lunatic.’ Bliss carefully made a mental note then tried a different tact. "Siena, aren’t you putting the cart before the horse? Don’t we have to find the computers before we can worry about repairing them. One step at a time."
Siena just stared at her blankly for a moment as him muddled brain absorbed her words. A smile slowly bloomed on his face. "Oh yeah." He hiccuped again. "Where are dey now?" He reached in his pockets as if searching for something and failing miserably to find it.
"Meanwhile I can study any prints or manuals Elliot 7 might have on file about the library computers that might aid in their repair. Not to mention the blueprints of the building's themselves to save time in finding for the computer mainframe. She noted Siena was just staring at her as if he were looking right through her. She waved a hand in front of his face. "Siena?"
He broke out of his reverie with a blink then reached for something under the table. He tossed a heavy sack on to the table. His staring gaze returned to her face. "A bit of payment up front."
Bliss very carefully opened the sack. She half expected to find someone’s decapitated head inside but to her relief it contained medical supplies, ammo, a hand held two-way radio and a jug of water. "Supplies, a great start." She was so intent on her mental inventory of the supplies that she missed the change in Siena’s demeanor. He was sobering up and fast. His hands twisted in the air as he summoned a brief spell. Bliss winced visibly as a white-hot spike of pain lanced through her brain. She bit her bottom lip in an effort not to alert anyone else as to her distress. This was not an atmosphere in which one showed the tiniest bit of weakness unless you wanted to be ripped apart by the bloodthirsty patrons.
The spell effects washed over Siena clearing the toxins from his system. He leaned over the side of the booth and vomited his guts out, effectively purging himself of any alcohol left in his stomach.
The pain in her head eased as quickly as it appeared. She quickly looked away from her puking companion lest she lose her own dinner. "Ewwwwwwww."
It was a waste of good champagne but he needed a clear head. He turned his gaze back to Bliss unaware the capillaries in his eyes had burst in a few places from the effects of the spell. "My apologies." His manners momentarily remembered.
"Drinking will do that to you." She was careful not to breathe while facing him.
He rubbed a hand through his dark hair tousling it a bit. "I think you will find those supplies useful and adequate as far as payment." He squinted at her. "I did not ask your opinion on my habits."
"I wasn’t giving it." Bliss kept her voice neutral. These sudden mood swings of his were starting to get annoying. She didn’t even want to know how he went from being falling down drunk to stone cold sober in the space of a few seconds. "The supplies will be very useful, thank you."
Siena let out a loud laugh. He slipped a knife from his boot and stabbed it into the tabletop. It was more for dramatic effect than anything else. To his surprise Bliss didn’t so much as blink. "We will strike out for the first location four nights from now."
Bliss lifted a pale brow at the sight of the knife. I was as much of a reaction as she would allow herself. "Nice knife." She casually commented. "Four nights from now, that will work."
"Thanks. I killed three people with that knife." A proud smile beamed out at her. "Yesterday."
"You are a busy man Siena." What else could she say? It wasn’t like she was impressed by the supposed body count. Anyone with a bit of time on their hands and a knife could kill three people in a day. It was entirely too easy to kill in her opinion.
"Not really. I’m just fighting off the boredom. Last thing you want me doing is getting bored."
"Who could get bored around the Ballroom?" She chuckled softly. Lovely, Siena killed to alleviate his boredom. It hit her as being rather odd. Killing never had that effect on her. There was not elation, no thrill to it. To her killing was just something that had to be done, when it needed to be done and when it was over it simply was finished. She supposed she should be plagued about no feeling any guilt or remorse but somehow she couldn’t seem to muster the energy.
Siena tapped the table with his index finger to gain her attention. "The rules of our expedition."
"Rules?" She turned her gaze back to him amazed the man even understood the concept of rules.
He held up a finger. "One: Only you and I go. You bring anyone or if they just so happen to show up, I’ll kill them.
"I’ve got no plans to invite company." She made a mental not to make sure none of Caine’s people were following her that night.
"Two: I check you out before you go. Anything on you I do not like, it stays."
"Like what?"
"Three: You do what I say. Question my commands, I kill you." He smiled. "Shush, I’m explaining the rules. Question time is later. Four: Bring a gun."
Bliss nodded. "Okay."
"Five: Bring a knife in case bullets do not work."
"Check."
"Six: If the Church shows up, shoot to kill and ask questions later."
"No problem with that."
"Seven: Watch your own back. I do not have the time to watch it for you."
"Always do."
"Eight: If you die, no one will care so prepare yourself mentally."
"Already knew that."
"Nine: Bring a gun."
"Okay, two guns." She chuckled.
"Ten: Do not hesitate. Hesitation breeds indecision. Indecision breeds death. Questions?" He leaned his elbows on the table, his chin resting on his folded hands as he stared at her.
"Regarding question two. What kind of stuff?"
"Anything I do not like. Next question?"
"Like what?"
"Like a hairbrush. You women always bring the silliest things with you." He shot her a masculine smirk. "We travel light, lean and mean."
Bliss let out a pleasant laugh. "I don’t carry that sort of stuff when I’m working. ‘Sides, no one cares what my hair looks like."
Siena pounded his fist on the table and laughed. "You’ll be carrying a few things this time my dear. I think we will get along just fine."
"We should if one of us doesn’t kill the other."
"Any other questions Blissy?" He slumped back, his arms resting along the top of the booth. Her remark was causing him to chuckle. Either the girl was clueless or she had big brass ones. A part of him was looking forward to finding out which.
"Mind if I tell you my rules now?"
This amused him. This slip of a girl was going to dictate rules to him. "Oh please do." He couldn’t manage to keep the edge of sarcasm out of his voice.
"I don’t have as many as you do, just two in fact."
He kept silent giving her what some would call a charming smile.
"One: Cover your own ass ‘cause I’ll be too busy to do it. Two: Touch me in any manner I do not like or want and I’ll cut off the offending appendage." She sent him a sweet smile. "Any questions?"
"Just one, what’cha gonna use to cut it off?" He leaned in closer.
Bliss lifted a hand to the back of her neck. A common gesture for her but this time she slid a long double edged dagger free of it’s sheath on her back. "This. And if can’t do the job I’ve got a pair of spares in my boots." A crooked grin lit her angular features.
Siena softened the timber of his voice. "Don’t worry Blissy. If I touch you, you’ll like it and afterwards you will want it again. So I do not think your rules will get broken." He plucked his knife from the table and held it towards her.
A shiver ran up her spine at the tone of his voice. She released a mock sigh. "You know, that is what they all say right before I cut something off."
He eased his arm against the blade of his knife letting the blood drip on the table. "A deal them?"
She looked at the blade, then at him, her head tilted to the side. "It’s a deal."
A hint of insanity flickered in his eyes ever so briefly. "Blood on blood Blissy. You know the rules."
"Don’t know this rule, explain it to me."
Siena laughed. "I let blood. You let yours. That way we do not spill it against each other. The old ways, although I am not surprised you do not know them."
Bliss rolled up the sleeve of her duster. "I’m a youngster but a quick study." She laid the knife against her arm and made a cut deep enough to let the blood flow on to the table. She was careful not to show any indication of pain. If he could play it tough so could she. "Hope the management won’t mind the mess."
Siena tossed a coin on to the table. "They will not mind." He slipped from the booth and stood behind her looking down. He spoke in soft tones again. "You screw me and you will not leave New Rydinn alive."
She glanced up from watching her blood mingle with his on the tabletop. "Never been in the habit of screwing over business associates."
He turned and walked from the table, the music droning out his laugher.
Bliss watched him go then gave her head a shake. "Dancing on razor blades with a lunatic. Big fun." She rose from the booth pulling her sleeve down over the cut on her arm. She had taken one step towards the exit when a drunken man bumped into her.
"You alone?"
She flashed her knife and growled. "Yeah! And I like it that way!" She repressed a chuckle as the drunk’s eyes widened and he turned and ran away. Bliss made her way towards the door. She didn’t bother putting her knife away, she’d do it later. Right now all she wanted was out of Club Abyss as quickly as possible. It was going to be an interesting, this deal with Siena. There was much for her to learn if she survived it and Siena.
Thank you, Siena for all your help in writing the final two chapters of this little tale.
All Times of Tribulation information, places, and ideas are copyrighted by their creator Todd Rourke.
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Wednesday, April 07, 2010