"Alright, that's enough for the day," Nega said as she looked over the sheet target. She smiled, nine out of ten shots in the heart or head, and the tenth was probably still close enough to the right area in the chest to be fatal. Only a month, and Wrench had been all she'd hoped for and more.
Brushing the dust out of her hair from the Tribe's outdoor shooting range, she folded up the paper and handed it to her trainee, who was practically hopping up and down, waiting for his praise.
"I think you're doing incredibly well," she said. "For you to be this good after just a month, and you can dissasemble the rifle in under a minute? Now if you can only apply that kind of skill to your hand to hand fighting, you'd be set."
She smiled.
"You know, I know today is Saturday, and we only go to the Valley on Sunday," she said casually, "but I think you deserve a decent weekend as a reward for your hard work. Wanna see Chimes early?"
Nega cried out in surprise as she was lifted in the air by her trainee, wheezing a little from the hard squezze as she was quickly set down. Grunting at his apology, she rubbed his stomach a little.
"Yeah, you can hang it up if you like," she said the n suddenly squatted down, swinging her legs under his legs and bringing him down, her hand at his throat in mere seconds as she sat down roughly on his stomach. She did not hide the malicious little smile on her face as she taunted him in her head.
'Surprise me, will you,' she thought tauntingly. "Look kid, your target won't always be nearly a mile away. Hand to hand is always important. Just remember, it doesn't matter if your the best in one thing if your horrible in all other feilds. That's too many weaknesses to worry about."
Wrench went down with a starttled howl that made a few look their way. Graoning at the hard impact then her ontop of him, his head rung catching most of her words. "..too many weaknesses if horrible .. got it." He winced. "For a small rat you're heavy." He grinned cheekily.
Nega frowned and got up, not bothering to apologize as she stepped on his stomach.
"Why don't you go check for messages Wrench?" she suggested. "I'll be in my cave getting packed for the weekend."
She waved at him over her shoulder, the rifle slung over her shoulder as she walked, snickering to herself. Hoo boy, that kid was getting cheeky. She hoped it wasn't just her fault for making him such a smart aleck.
"OOOF!" Wrench huffed as she stepped on him. he mocked glared at her while semi-pouting. "Messages.. right." He gathered his rifle and poster, getting up and heading to the message trench. "Anything for Nega or Sleet?" Wrenched asked the sorter.
"One for Nega." The rat handed the message to the trainee.
"Thanks." Snatching it up Wrench hurried down the trails to the cave. "Miss Nega, Message." He grinned flipping the folded paper into her bed and grabbed his messanger bag to quickly pack what gear he needed.
"Hmm?" Nega asked from where she was cuddling with Sleet on his lap. "Just a sec baby."
She slid off of his lap and snatching up the letter.
"Mm, this might mean a change of plans," she told Wrench as she opened it. "If we have a long job then..." She trailed off as she read and swallowed. "Wrench... forget it, your staying here."
"WHAT!" He whirrled around. "NO! I am NOT staying here! You're my trainer, I GO on jobs WITH you." He snapped throwing down his bag. "There isn't ONE good reason why I have to stay behind!"
"First," she snapped at him, "don't you DARE yell at me or tell me what to do. Second, yes I'm your trainer. That mean you do what I SAY, not the other way around!" She sighed, calming down. "This is a job request from Madam Sligh... One of her girls were killed, but she didn't say who."
Sleet watched from his perch. He wanted to say something but kept his mouth shut. Nega had every right to train her own without his input. He winced hearing the job, feeling sorry for the boy.
Wrench winced at her words. "Sorry Miss Nega." his anger still bubbling but cooling off. She was right in every sence. Until she mentioned Sligh and killed.
Wrench's heart sank. "What about Chimes?" His ears went back, looking at her terrified. "I have to go Nega. Please!" he begged tears he didn't want pooling up in the corner of his eyes.
Nega shook her head.
"What if it was her?" she asked softly. "You can't ignore that possiblity. If it was then I... You would be too emotionally distraught to..."
She trailed off, realising asking him to stay in uncertainty was much more harsh than going to find out quickly.
"You'll come, but I tell you to go back you will do it." She turned to Sleet and mouthed, 'Come with please. I'll need your help with him.'
Sleet stood up. "I'll come too."
Wrench trembled slightly. "I have to know.. if it is her.. can I stay to.. see her... ..put to rest?" he swallowed hard trying not to think of that, trying not to think of Chimes gone.
"Pup, don't think about it. It's a job first, put that in your head, her in the back. Deal with it in priorities." Sleet offered going to Nega and squeezing her shoulder.
Nega sighed, smiling tiredly at Sleet.
"You can," she answered as she looked back to Wrench. "But... this could seriously interfer with your work. No matter what happens... you are going to need to do your best to keep your head clear. This things happen sometimes, and you need to learn how to deal with it."
She wiped his tears away.
"Chances are she's fine," she tried to reasure him. "Madam Sligh has plenty of girls working for her. I'm sure Chime is okay."
She tried not to admit that to even herself, that was a rather hard to swallow story.
Wrench nodded. Swallowing agaain and looking at her hoping behind the tears that she was right. That Chimes was okay.
Dred lingered in the back of his skull. Why would she write if it was someone else killed? He didn't voice it, He couldn't, then that would be he would be admitting it really could have been her.
"Don't worry Wrench." Sleet tipped up the pups chin. "We'll be with you alright? No matter what.. this is a skill of strength we all hate and have to go through."
Wrench nodded picking up his bag. "Can we go now? Before sundown?"
"Yes," Nega answered. "We'll leave as soon as possible. I'm mostly packed, just give Sleet and I a chance to get ready. Won't take long."
She pulled Wrench in a hug, trying to comfort him.
"I'm sorry," she breathed. "I really really hope she's okay. For your sake, and hers."
Wrench hugged her back lightly. "Can I wait at the bikes?" he asked glancing at Sleet putting his gear together. It looked more than just a quick run into a town and back gear.
"No... head to the messhall and grab some rations for the trip." Sleet spoke before Nega could. "We'll meet you there. Its on the way to the garage-caves."
Wrench looked at Nega to make sure it was okay to listen to him.
"Go ahead kid," she said with a nod. Watching him run off, she shook her head. "This is all my fault. What was I thinking doing this to him? He's just a pup. He has his breeding runs ahead of him, and I had to go get him a hooker to get his mind off of a mouse he had found attractive? If she's gone..."
"You cna't blame yourself, heck, you know I would have taken a hooker if Stone offered one for me.." He chuckled hugging her. "I bet he never thought of it either... I should ask him sometime."
Sleet grinned at his wife.
She smiled and snuggled into him.
"I hope she's alright," she whispered. "He isn't mature enough for something like this. He's so attached, not to mention how crushed he was when he found out taking her here was impossible. If she's dead..."
She shook her head.
"We should get packed."
Sleet grabbed his gear. "Yeah.. " He turned around and grabbed his quick packs and weapons. "Done." He smirked.
Wrench hurried up the trails to the messcave and tapped his foot as the stupid serving grunts took FOREVER to hand him some rations for the road.
Nega smirked.
"Smartass," she muttered. "Come on, lets go get the kid."
Walking to the mess cave, they saw Wrench waiting for them impatiently.
"Hey, I take it your ready?" Nega asked.
"More then." He held up the small pack of rations. "let's go." He hurried off out of the cave and up the trail.
Sleet glanced at Nega. "Was I like that with you?" he asked as they followed the pup.
Nega shook her head.
"You have't had to deal with the thought of me dying..." She trailed off when she remembered Yough and Krick. "Yeah, you were." She leaned over and gave him a fast kiss. "Lets go. I wouldn't put it past him to leave withouot us right now."
"Me neither. That's why I told him to meet us here. Keep him a bit occupided." Sleet hurried with her.
Once at the garage, Wrench was already on Nega's bike with his helmet in place and the bike started. He sat on the bitch seat tail waving impaitantly.
Sleet took a running start and lept onto his bike. "Come on Nega, he's going to waste gas sititng here."
Stopping at the brick building of the Ladies of the Valley, Nega parked her bike and slipped off. Giving Wrench's arm a soft squeeze she went up to the door and noticed the bouncer was gone. Instead there was a rusty sign on the door procaiming that brothel was closed for the day.
After a small knock, the door was opened by a teary-eyed white furred mouse.
"Nega?" Maxine asked softly and saw the other two with her. "Come on in. Thanks for answering the letter. I'll let my mother know you're here."
Wrench looked around the inside of the fancy place. the silk and velvit wall hangings and pictures of famous mice and rats that visted the place.
He looked into rooms trying to spot Chimes, ignoring anything and thing else.
Sleet stared at a mouse with a corset and a short see through skirt with garters and black lace undies matching the corset.
He swallowed hard seeing a rat in even less clothing, although weeping, he saw the allour of such a place.
He wasn't going to tell her right now, but his mind raced with banging Nega as hard and fast as soon as he could.
"It's this way," Maxine statted and led the way through the building. They passed several rooms full of lace curtains, dim lights, and weeping girls. Nega swallowed, knowing these girls thought of each other as family from the few times she'd visited on Sunday with Wrench. This had to be truely hard for all of them.
She looked up suddenly when a door slammed open and laid her hand on her pistol before they saw Chimes running at them. The young call girl slammed into Wrench, wrapping her arms around him and sobbing uncontrollably.
"Oh Wrench!" she cried out. "This is so horrible. Janice... she was... she was..."
"They were good friends," Madam Sligh said, coming from her office, the room that Chime had emerged from. Her face was steely, a strange look for a usually kind woman. "This has been very hard on her. On all of us really, but they were exceptionally close. Please, won't you come in and sit down?"
Wrench stumbled back a step catching her, wrapping his arms arounder her. "I'm here Chimes... For you." Wrench whispered stroking her hair and easing her back into the offive behind Sleet and Nega.
Sleet frowned at the poor girl. He knew death was hard, but Wrench still asked odd questions about his first kill... was this going to STOP him from training? Seeing what was behind death?
"We're sorry for your loss." Sleet stated lamely at Madam Sling.
"We thank you for that," the Madam said and showed them to the chairs. Her office was large, though she did not sit behind her expensive lloking, polished desk. Instead there was a group of chairs sat around a coffee table and she sunk down into one herself once they were all seated.
"Maxine," she said to her daughter. "Get some tea for our guest."
Her daughter bowed her head and scurried off, Nega's eeys followed her movement, hearing sniffling, and then to Chime, who would not let go of Wrench for anything.
"She's distraut," Madam Sligh exscuse. "You'll have to forgive her. First, I want to thank you for coming, especially on such sort notice. I had wanted this matter handled by you specifically, since you've grown so close in this recent time."
Nega was too polite to say otherwise, so simply nodded her head. Truth be told, she had just come here on Sundays to save cost on rooms.
"Janice was murdered," Madam Sligh explained. "No less than two days ago. She'd been missing since a mouse by the name of Beco came to collect her for the evening. We found here this morning on the back doorstep with no clothing and no... Well, she looked like she'd been skinned, with very little care to skill or her suffering."
Sleet frowned nodding at the details. "Beco will be our starting point." He glanced at Wrench. "Would it be too incoveinance to leave Wrench here with Chimes?"
Glancing at Nega. "If you think that is wise for your trainee."
Wrench kissed Chimes forehead. He looked at Nega and Sleet waiting.
Nega sighed.
"Before we start with any of that," she said, "there is something I have to ask. Why did you hire me? Why not just go to the cops."
Madam Sligh shook her head.
"Miss Nega," she said. "Even in a city like Vein Valley, and even in a respectable brothel such as ours, to them Janice is still little more than a dead whore. If the attack from the Plutarkians were not still causing problems, I would probably be able to persuade one of them to help, but as it is... Besides, this needs a much more personal touch. We want whoever did this to suffer as much as she did, if not more."
"Whoever?" Nega asked. "You don't think it was Beco?"
"I never send out any of my girls unless I know the men are gentlemen. Beco has coem here many times, and never given me any reason to turn him away. He's kinder than most, and Janice was his favorite." The Madam coughed lightly into her hand, just as Maxine came back in with a tray, handing everyone a saucer and cup before standing off to the side. "I don't think it was him. If it was, I will never understand why, and I'm not sure I want to. No reason is good enough to make a lady suffer like that. We may sell services that are questionable to some, but we are ladies."
Nega nodded.
"I understand. We'll start immediately. If you could just tell us where to find him?"
"His address in the roster. Maxine can take you there to get all the info you need."
"All right," Nega said and stood, putting the tea down on the table. "Sleet, we'll go and see what this guy knows. Wrench, I think it's best you stay here. She needs you more right now anyway."
Arbiter
Wrenches eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Really? We can go today? Oh NEGA!" He hugged her enthusiastically lifting her off the ground a bit. "THANK YOU!"
Setting her on the ground again. He cleared his throat blushing. "I mean.. Thank you." Letting her go and stepping back quickly. "Sorry.. Miss Nega."
A watching Death Dealer shook his head at the trainee and trainer going back to his study of other pairs working on the firing range.
"Miss Nega.. Is Hand to Hand really nessisary?" Wrench asked rolling up his Traget sheet. "I can hang this over my bed right?"
"There are three things you can count on...."
"Your brains, your bros, and your bikes?" Vandal asked.
"No, Hunger, Thirst, and never a bathroom when you need it." Jacket grumbled.