by V. J. Timlin
The gleam pouring between the gaps of the doorframe did little to illuminate the space she had just entered. She stood in the dark, trying to figure if she should go left, right or just forward.
“Where…” she started when someone moved a curtain aside on her right.
“Here,” Nat said.
The light came behind his back. Anouk couldn’t see his face but his tone was calm which eased her mind a little. She stepped into a dim-lit room. With a single glance, she realised it was the only living space the family had, save the small entry. The spartan furnishings included a table, a couple of benches and three chairs whilst bedding was gathered in a neat pile on a chest in a dark corner. A kitchen range dominated in the opposite corner, taking a quarter of the space of the whole one-room flat. Pans hung on hooks above the cooker, and pots and buckets were scattered on its clean hobs.
The only other light source in addition to the small window facing the street was a kerosene lamp hanging from a low ceiling. Regardless of the cramped space and obvious poverty of the family, the room was tidy.
“Please.” The woman waved her hand towards the two chairs close to the window. She propped the shotgun against the bench before sitting at the table— still, in easy reach, Anouk decided, in case things went bad. Danja and Valintina were sitting at the table, opposite their mother, staring at the visitors. The resemblance between the mother and daughters was striking; they all shared the similar heart-shaped face, grey eyes and small pointy nose. There was no doubt who the girls would look like when they grew up.
“Thank you.” Nat sat on the chair near the window, Anouk sat next to him.
“Girls, you can go out and play, but talk to no one and come right back in if someone approaches you. Mind what I say, or next time I’ll spank you.”
Valintina and Danja bobbed their heads, their plaits swinging back and forth. “Yes, Ma,” they said before running out.
Anouk’s stomach twisted, she had inadvertently caused trouble for the girls.
“Can’t be too careful in a neighbourhood like this,” the woman said.
Anouk suppressed a sigh. It was the closest thing she would get to an apology, but that was fine. There were people who kidnapped children for whatever reason—to sell for labour, prostitution, illegal adoption, organs. No one cared for the destitute. The pecking order seemed the same here as it had been and still was in some places in Anouk’s world.
“That is understandable,” Nat said. “Pray, how do you know my name? I don’t recall seeing you before.”
“Yes, you don’t know me, but you knew Alarik Tarandus. I’m his wife, Rose.”
Nat bowed his head, placing his hand on his chest. “I’m sorry for your loss, he was a good man.”
“Thank you.” A shadow of pain and sorrow passed over Rose’s eyes before vanishing behind the mask of sobriety. “He talked quite often about you.”
“Good, I hope.” Nat flashed a smile. “He did mention once he had a wife and a child, but names were never mentioned nor photographs shown.”
“Alarik wanted to keep us safe and unknown. As you well understand.”
“Aye,” Nat grunted, half turning to Anouk while keeping his eyes on Rose. “Please, let me introduce my friend, Miss Anouk Herring.”
“Just call me Anouk.” She smiled.
“Pleased to meet you, Anouk.” Rose glanced at Nat, her eyebrows arched.
“I inadvertently involved Anouk in my latest case,” Nat said. Was he embarrassed? He certainly sounded like he was. Anouk turned to Nat, a frown on her face.
A crooked smile split Rose’s lips. “Alarik said you preferred working alone.”
“Really?” Anouk asked, directing the question more to Nat than to Rose. Not that she wanted the reward if they killed… no, when they captured Stalo. What would she do with money from his world anyway? She would be going back to London. Still, the thought stung. He had said he would welcome her help, but she didn’t know what her role was or what he expected from her. Was he really that concerned about the money or was there something else behind his solitary tendencies?
Nat met her eyes. “Normally, yes.” He turned his attention back to Rose. “We are looking for the former warlord Stalo De Meriweth who escaped prison three days ago. I tracked him down and wounded him. Unfortunately, he managed to escape. He sought medical help from Dr Arnar down the street who admitted treating him. Now, it seems, Stalo has gone into hiding.”
“Yes, I heard about the prison break, and I thought you might be on the case.” Rose glanced out the window before continuing, “It’s not safe to talk outside. Someone might overhear us.”
Anouk’s heart missed a beat, and she clenched her hands together in her lap.
Nat leaned forward, a keen expression on his face like a hound on a scent. “Yes?”
“My girls said they saw a man covered with blood going to Dr Arnar’s practice. You see so many people with bloodied wounds around here, so I didn’t think much of it.”
Chills ran down Anouk’s spine—life along this street must be awful if they were used to seeing bloodied people roaming about and thought of it as just another day.
Rose continued, “But an hour later when I was heading to market, I saw Stalo leaving, and heading north. I recognised him immediately, of course. Alarik used to have his old wanted poster, you see.”
“Was he still wearing the prisoner’s overall?” Nat asked.
“Yes, and his arm was in a sling.”
“Alright.” Nat rubbed his chin whilst staring at the floor.
“What’s north of here?” Anouk asked.
“City centre and Flower Estate,” Nat replied and turned back to Rose. “Did you notice anything else?”
Rose shook her head. “Nothing I can think of. Although…” she paused, “it’s quite possible he turned to Flower Estate rather than straight towards the city centre. I mean, for the short while he walked in front of me, but then a wagon pushed past between us and I lost sight of him.”
“It’s more likely he headed there rather than to city centre.” Nat rose from the chair. “Thank you, Rose, for the information, and again, my sincerest condolences.”
Rose gave a nod and stood as well. “Yes, it’s usually here or Flower Estate where people like him hide. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open if I hear anything else that might be connected to your mission. You saved my husband’s life once, so I owe you.”
“You owe me nothing.” Nat smiled.
“Maybe not, but I’ll do it anyway. Here in The Pits, it helps to be a local. You hear and see things no one would confine to outsiders.” Rose gave Nat a pointed look. “Especially not enforcers or bounty hunters as you well know.”
Nat bowed. “Thank you. I’d very much appreciate it. I’ll pay you, of course.”
“Better not. It’d raise suspicion.”
“Aye,” Nat murmured. “Well, you let me know if you need a favour.”
Rose inclined her head in acknowledgement.
Nat patted his companion’s arm and headed to the door.
“It was a pleasure to meet you and the girls,” Anouk said.
Rose gave her a crooked smile. “It was a pleasure to meet you too, and I’m sorry I nearly shot you.”
Anouk tried to return the smile, but her lips quivered. “It’s okay. I’m glad you didn’t.”
Rose chuckled. “I bet you are.” She saw them to the door. “Valintina! Danja! Time to come home.” The girls darted past their parting guests.
After walking down the street a couple of blocks, Anouk asked, “Was Rose’s husband a bounty hunter or was he one of your informants?”
“He was a bounty hunter.”
“A friend?”
Nat hesitated before he nodded. “I suppose he was.”
“When did he die?”
Pain flashed in Nat’s eyes. “A month ago. He was ambushed by a gang. He was after their leader.”
“I’m sorry.” Anouk touched his arm. “Were you with him?”
“No, he was with two other bounty hunters, but they were also killed in the same ambush.”
“Oh.” Anouk let a moment of silence pass, chewing her lower lip. “Why do you work alone then? Isn’t it better to have someone to cover your back? After all, chasing the most wanted criminals is a pretty dangerous occupation.”
“I have my reasons.” Nat’s expression closed and his tone tensed.
Anouk lifted her eyebrows. “What’s wrong?”
Nat stopped and faced her. He opened his mouth to say something, but then shook his head.
“What is it?”
Nat looked up the street. Another wagon was heading towards them. He pulled Anouk aside until the vehicle passed before meeting her eyes. He took a deep breath. “Look, maybe I should take you to my camp.”
“What? Why?”
“You’d be safer there, with people I’d trust with my life.”
Anouk frowned. “Hang on a minute. First you dragged me here saying I’d be safer with you, and now you’re dumping me at some camp because suddenly I’d be safer there. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Yes and no.” Nat shifted his weight from foot to foot and rubbed his neck. “It’s just that you almost got shot.” He paused and sighed again before continuing, “And you’re right, this is a very dangerous occupation. Things will heat up even more. I should have thought of it earlier and put your safety first, but I was too keen on pursuing Stalo. This is my mistake.”
Anouk propped her fists on her hips. “Listen, mister. It’s too late for that now. I’m here, and you’re not going to brush me aside. You said you wouldn’t mind me helping, so don’t you dare back out.”
Nat placed his hand on her shoulder, his face solemn. “I don’t want to risk your life. I made a promise to you and your mother.”
Anouk pinched the bridge of her nose and blew air from her lungs with a slow exhale. “I’m not some damsel in distress.” She rolled her eyes. “God, that’s such a cliché thing to say but it’s true. I won’t be treated like some dead weight; I want to help so that I can get back to my life. Please, let me. I might not be a wizard with the sword, but I have some useful skills.” Anouk directed her eyes back to Nat, doing her best at mimicking Owen’s sad puppy look. “I’d rather return to London than let you dump me somewhere safe and assign me new babysitters.”
Nat studied Anouk in silence for several full minutes, and she started to think he would refuse. Either she was failing at capturing Owen’s bravado facial expression, or Nat was immune to such attempts at manipulation. Maybe he was even thinking about taking her to some sort of safe house and not just to his camp for however long it would take him to put Stalo back in prison. If he suggested that again…
“Alright.” He extended his hand. “Let’s make your role official then. You are my business partner throughout this case and you get half of the reward. Deal?”
Anouk’s jaw dropped. She hadn’t expected that. She looked back and forth between his face and his hand. “You mean I am an equal partner and you stop being my bodyguard?”
“Yes. Partners look after each other and cover one another’s backs. I’d be honoured if you accepted my offer.”
Anouk stared at his extended hand. It dawned on her why she was backpedalling on what she had said a few moments ago—she was as scared as hell. Yes, she wanted to help, so that she could get back to London. But could she really be of any help and cover Nat’s back when he needed it? She knew how to use her katana and had trained in aikido for years, but would they be the sort of skills that would make her useful? Or would Nat just end up saving her over and over again?
As if reading her thoughts, Nat said, “You need to understand one thing and fully embrace it if you want to do this—someone, at some point, is going to try to kill you. And you’ll either have to let them do it, or you’ll have to kill them first. There’s no other way around it, Anouk. This is a violent line of work.”
She lifted her gaze to meet his eyes. “I…” She licked her lips. “I know, but going into hiding and letting you or other bounty hunters deal with Stalo is even worse of an option. I mean, if something happened to you…” Anouk closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again. “If something happened to you, I’ve no way of getting back to my own world. I’d have to try to find someone else with a Gadget, convince them I was telling the truth, and then try to find which alternate world I came from. Guarding your back is in my best interests, too, you know. When Stalo broke into my flat and tried to kill me, it became personal from that moment, if you know what I mean. I want to see that man face justice… whatever it takes.”
Nat gave her a soft smile. “Aye. It’s a deal then?”
She grabbed Nat’s hand. “It’s a deal.”
Chapter 7
The day was fading and the street lamps came alive, lighting the cobblestones in a yellow glow. The roads grew busier as tired-looking people returned home or headed to a pub after a long day at work. Anouk remembered from her history classes that during the Victorian times, people worked more hours and under very harsh conditions. Back then health and safety weren’t a priority. Was it the same here in Anglea? Judging by the bent backs and the way everyone dragged their feet, it seemed to be the case.
Maybe bounty hunting wasn’t such a bad career choice here after all. Conversely, it was significantly more dangerous. It might be one of the less respected professions though, if the attitudes in Anglea were anything akin to the Wild West or anywhere else for that matter where people were chasing criminals for monetary gain. But what it had that many other occupations lacked was freedom. If she decided to stay in this world—which she wouldn’t—she might consider doing this for a living. There was a certain appeal in being a steam era version of Boba Fett, although steam-powered jet packs might not be the safest. Luckily Nat didn’t have one!
Anouk glanced sideways. After she’d accepted his offer of partnership, Nat had said very little. Even now his expression was locked as if he was miles away. Was he already regretting the offer? He hadn’t even told her where they were going.
“If you don’t mind me asking, where are we heading?”
“To Flower Estate. There is a person we need to talk with.”
“Does that person know anything about Stalo and where he might hide?”
“Maybe.”
She threw her arms up, scowling at him. “Vying for an answer from you is like trying to get blood from a stone.”
Nat arched his eyebrows in a silent question.
“Partners are supposed to share information, not hold it back. You’re not working alone now, remember?”
“We are going to see Madam Valeria. She’s well connected and might have helpful information. We have done business before.”
“Sounds promising,” Anouk said. Madam Valeria… a well-connected businesswoman. That had a dubious sound to it. Perhaps it was better not jump to conclusions just yet.
The neighbourhoods they had walked through were all areas Anouk would have avoided walking alone, but now they came to an area that looked plain creepy to her. Although there were some gentlemen and ladies passing by in their carriages, the streets were the domain of drunken men, and women clad in outfits revealing enough to almost look normal to Anouk.
“What does Madam Valeria do for a living?” Anouk asked, glancing around. One drunken man had started to grope a woman’s breast. The woman giggled and pressed against him.
“She’s in the entertainment business,” Nat replied, once again adopting his neutral tone.
Anouk started to get an idea what that entertaining business would entail, soon realising that ‘Madam’ meant the same in Anglea as it sometimes meant back home. An uneasy thought passed her mind. Had Nat been getting something more than information from Madam Valeria? She frowned. And why should that bother her anyway? She wasn’t interested in him in that fashion. Yes, he was handsome and behaved like a gentleman—most of the time—but she couldn’t think
of any kind of relationship with him; not now, not ever. They lived in two different worlds… literally. She wasn’t willing to give up her work, her home, and everything she had back in London. She rolled her eyes. Why was she even thinking such things?
“We are here,” Nat announced.
The building looked the same as all the others along the street—grey stone and blocky, with four storeys, and stairs leading to the first floor. Square, once-white window frames pierced the grey walls at regular intervals, and the only colourful feature was the red front door at the top of the stairs.
Next to the main stairs, another set of stairs led below to street level—Nat headed to those. Anouk grew warier with each descending step. Carriages stopped and departed in front of Madam Valeria’s house. Well-dressed gentlemen headed either to the red front door or came down the stairs before stepping into a carriage and driving away. Madam Valeria’s was obviously a very popular venue.
She halted, her foot hovering over the last step. The red door was for the gentleman customers, and the basement for the lower classes. That is why Nat chose the latter. This revelation did nothing to improve Anouk’s mood.
Nat pounded a dark brown door. A flap opened and a pair of stern eyes stared back at them. “Yes?”
“We wish to speak with Madam Valeria.”
“She’s occupied.”
“Tell her it’s Nat Walla.”
The flap was closed with a zap and without another word.
“I don’t think Madam Valeria will see us, or at least that ‘Mr Sunshine’ won’t let us in,” Anouk said.
Nat leaned back against the wall. “Wait for it.”
“You sound sure. What kind of business dealings have you had with her?”
“Sharing information and intelligence.”
“Information, eh?”
Confusion passed over Nat’s face. “Yes. Why?”
“You know.” Anouk tilted her head towards the red door.
“Ah.” A smile tugged the corner of Nat’s mouth. “You don’t approve?”
A burning sensation spread on Anouk’s face and neck. “You’re right. Whatever you do with Madam Valeria is none of my business. My only concern is how it affects the mission and my return home.”