by Juno Wells
He thought Griggs's teeth would crack from clenching her jaw, but he kept his face expressionless so the ladies wouldn't get any more suspicious. She practically left claw marks in the wall as they dragged her back for another outfit. Vrix shoved to his feet and wandered through the shop, searching for anything they might have from Xarav, and had just discovered an interesting present for Griggs when she reappeared wearing a deep amethyst ensemble that set his scales rattling.
It was all beautifully embroidered silk and gauze in a tight-fitting bodice that laced in the front. His fingers itched to unlace it, just to see what it hid. Where the bodice met the waist of the pants, a few peeps of skin showed when she moved. The pants had a matching set of loose purple shorts, overlaid with an almost transparent gauzy fabric down to where embroidered cuffs secured the pants at her ankles. He could hardly breathe looking at her.
One of the ladies smiled, assured he was pleased with the choice, and held up a long silk robe of matching deep purple silk, demure enough in contrast to the rest of the outfit that it just made the whole thing sexier. "And this for when you are walking around, good sir. So that others may not spy upon the beauty of your girl."
He nodded and the woman put the robe on Griggs, securing it in the front, and then held out a pair of matching slippers. Griggs's lip curled and Vrix could only imagine her objections—she couldn't run in slippers, there was no traction, they jingled as she walked so she couldn't sneak up on anyone...
Vrix nodded again, but he gestured at the pile of clothes Griggs wore in. "Put those in a bag for me. Wrap up the green one, and these," and he handed the more modest Xarav robes to the woman as well. "Ring it all up."
Griggs tugged at the bodice, trying to make it cover more of her stomach, and risked having her cleavage pop out of the top. Not that he would mind in the least, but he pointed at the issue when the employees weren't looking and Griggs's face flamed red. He'd learned the Earthers turned red when embarrassed, and sometimes anger, but this definitely looked like embarrassment. He leaned over to whisper in her ear, "You look stunning. Seriously. You nearly blinded me with your beauty."
But she scowled and folded her arms over her chest. "Shut up. I look stupid. And I can hardly move in this shit. There's nowhere to hide my knife or a stunner or anything."
"I'll protect you," he said, and meant it to his very soul. He'd die to protect her. And he'd make sure the Xaravians at Pyix's inn knew the same thing, so they would get her back to the Galaxos at any cost. "I swear. Just put up with this a little longer. From here we can easily walk to the last place the transmission came from."
She didn't look happy as he went to pay. Vrix made sure she didn't see how fucking expensive the flimsy clothes were, or her head might have exploded. It was highway robbery for sure, and the employees smiled like they knew it. They overcharged him on the Xarav robes, but that was to be expected. They might suspect what the damn things were for, and knew he didn't stand a chance of finding them anywhere else. Vrix forced himself to be cordial as he handed over a chunk of change he'd been saving to get his own spaceship, and handed Griggs the packages to carry as they headed out the door.
All motion on the street stopped when she walked out, though Griggs didn't seem to notice. Vrix tried not to scowl at everyone who stared at her, and instead checked his communicator for the proper coordinates and heading. "This way."
She gripped the bags like a lifeline, almost hiding behind them when the wind blew her robe about, and Vrix felt a little bad. Griggs was obviously accustomed to being covered from ankles to chin by that damn Fleet uniform, and even when sparring she wore loose clothes that revealed nothing of her figure. If it wasn't truly necessary for them to fit in on Caihiri, he would have told her to go back to the inn so she could change back into her clothes.
As it was, he had enough trouble pretending to be out for a relaxed stroll as they circled closer to the location, an old abandoned warehouse in a dingier part of town known for underground fights and slave trading. Griggs's focus would have betrayed her under normal circumstances, but no one was looking at her face as they got closer to the warehouse. Her eagle eyes scanned everything—buildings, overhead, the ground, people—absolutely everything. But she looked like she was looking for something, and that could also be dangerous.
Vrix remained as relaxed as possible, though he thought someone might have been following them from the costume store, and took several turns and switchbacks that made Griggs red with irritation again. At one point she nearly smacked him with the shopping bags. "What are you doing?"
"We can't go straight there, nixtava. Calm down." She hated the endearment, mostly because she didn't know what it meant. She still thought it was a curse word of some kind, since that seemed more acceptable than calling her his "beloved." Luckily none of the other Xaravians spoiled the ruse, and neither did Isla. He didn't know why her friend didn't tell her how he felt about Griggs, but that was something for them to work out later.
He'd never live it down if they were ambushed before they'd even been on Caihiri a day. Vaant would have a field day with having to come rescue them. So Vrix slowed his pace and took a more aggressive route to figure out if anyone actually followed them, and kept an eye out for thieves as well. They worked their way closer to the warehouse as the Caihiri sun, huge and flaming orange in the sky, began to set.
Griggs
Griggs tried to think about anything except the ridiculous clothes she wore, and instead took the opportunity to observe everyone around her. It seemed Vrix was right that no one would look too closely at her if she were dressed as a slave—well, they didn't look closely at her face. Half the city would be able to describe her boobs in detail, but she'd put money on no one even getting a glimpse of the rest of her.
They wandered through the city as the sun began to set, and her heart beat faster and faster as they got closer to where Heidi's transmission ended. Every time Vrix made a turn and took them off the path to finding the location, Griggs wanted to wrench out of his hold and take off on her own. She knew someone could be following them, but she needed to find out whether Heidi was already dead. But her better sense took over—if Heidi survived, she needed Griggs to be alive and free to help her.
So Griggs stuffed down the impulse to race ahead, which usually got her in trouble, and let Vrix take the lead. It probably took a few years off her life to keep from bolting straight to the coordinates.
When they entered a dingy warehouse district, with abandoned buildings mixed with smoking factories and bars overflowing with drunk workers, Vrix kept her closer to his side. He still pretended not to notice everyone leering at her. Griggs knew she could fight her way out of almost anything, but it was still a comfort to have the giant Xaravian barbarian right next to her. Not that she would admit it.
The crowds thinned as they turned down a side street to a dank series of abandoned buildings that smelled like stale urine and dashed hopes. Vrix absently loosened the dagger from its sheath, eyes glowing as he scanned their surroundings, and Griggs hiked up her almost-invisible pants in case she needed to kick someone's ass or run like hell. Vrix checked his tablet once more, then gestured at the dark warehouse with all the windows broken out. "There."
His voice whispered through the dense atmosphere and sent shivers down her spine, and Griggs nodded. Vrix held something out and she glanced down, slowly taking the stunner he offered. At least he remembered she needed to be armed and couldn't hide a damn thing in those see-through pants and skin-tight bustier. They searched through the alley for any sign of Heidi or a fight, and came up with nothing. Griggs held her breath, hoping desperately that Heidi left them a clue or some kind of hint of what happened. If there wasn't anything there, she'd be at square one to find her friend.
Griggs's heart jumped to her throat as Vrix tilted his head at the entry to the warehouse and the beads in his hair clicked. The stairs creaked and rattled under his large frame, so Griggs felt light as a feather as she followed in his
footsteps. The thought of feathers had her flashing back to the strange trio of ladies at the costume shop. Something wasn't quite right about them, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She shook off the feeling and figured that was a mystery for another trip, after she found Heidi and dealt with all the other bullshit with Vrix.
Broken machinery and abandoned products created a maze on the main floor of the warehouse, which grew spookier and spookier as the sun continued to set and darkness crept in and shadows created monsters all around. Griggs almost couldn't breathe as she strained to hear any sounds in the large warehouse, hoping and dreading the possibility that somebody lay in wait for them to show up. But it was only Vrix's almost-silent steps and the hush-hush of his breathing that disturbed the quiet.
Griggs circled the perimeter of the room, where it was a little easier to navigate, and worked to the back of the warehouse as Vrix pulled out a small flashlight to illuminate the ground around them. Griggs froze as she saw a shadow splashed across the wall and floor, darker than the other shadows, and gestured for Vrix to get closer. He crouched and studied the dark marks, then glanced back at her. "Blood."
She couldn't breathe. It looked like a lot of blood. Red blood, like Earther blood. It could have been anyone or anything, though. It didn't mean Heidi was hurt or... worse. Vrix moved stealthily around the blood, searching in the small pool of light from his flashlight, then pointed Griggs toward what looked like scraps of cloth. "What do you think those are?"
Griggs eased closer and gingerly picked up the pieces of gray and blue. It wasn't from a Fleet uniform, but it felt like the industrial weight fabric the Fleet used for surface clothes and workout clothes, and the colors were pretty close. She frowned, turning the scraps over, and froze as she found a small embroidered tag inside the largest piece of gray fabric. Altmann. It was Heidi's.
She cleared her throat and held up the tag so Vrix could see. "It belonged to her."
Vrix nodded, still scanning the area with his flashlight as the warehouse darkened further, then pointed at some broken boxes, scattered goods, and some scuff marks. "Looks like a struggle here. She fought."
"She was one of my sparring partners at the academy," Griggs said, trying not to choke on a knot of emotion. Heidi. "She's a good fighter."
"There's more blood," he said, frowning. "But it's not red. So probably not hers."
Griggs squinted as she looked through the dim light in the warehouse and tried to imagine the attack and fight. She put herself in Heidi's shoes and moved through the steps. Sending the transmission, hiding behind boxes. Being found out and starting to struggle. Scuffling through the boxes and breaking things as she searched for any way to free herself. Griggs cleared her throat a few times as similar scenes flashed through her mind, memories more than imagination, and she avoided looking at Vrix as she tried to get her shit together. Dark places weren't good.
She finally stepped through the area of the fight, avoiding the blood, and gestured at the back doors. "She would have tried to get out here."
Vrix nodded, watching her closely, and pointed at a patch of congealed oil near the door. "Boot prints. At least three different pairs."
Griggs stepped over the oil, absently using Vrix's arm to steady herself as she slid through the half-open door. The alley behind the building still had a few trickles of sunlight creating strange shadows, so Griggs almost didn't see the lumpy pile of rags slumped against another building. The mud outside was churned up from a struggle, and more fabric and a few lost shoes only confirmed that at least Heidi put up a hell of a fight. Griggs still scanned the alley for signs of life when her gaze returned to the mound of rags and she saw a foot.
A body.
Griggs froze, clenching the stunner as she stared at the unmoving body. Someone covered it in rags and garbage to hide it away. Vrix stood next to her and took a deep breath. He looked at her and Griggs tried to remain aloof and stoic. She had to assume it wasn't Heidi, even though her heart sank and dread weighed her down. She didn't want to know. She didn't want to see if it was Heidi, but she couldn't just stand there. She started forward, but Vrix caught her arm, frowning as he looked back at the warehouse. "I think I hear something in there. Can you check? Something scuffled near the door."
Griggs eyed him askance but retreated a few steps to peer through the door. "Are you sure? I didn't hear anything."
"I don't want anyone sneaking up on us. Just take a look."
She sighed but eased back into the warehouse, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness as she searched for any sign of an intruder or someone coming after them. Nothing moved in the warehouse. Griggs frowned and stepped back into the alley, starting to say, "There wasn't anything—" but she was silenced when she saw Vrix kneeling over the uncovered body.
He looked back at her. "It's not your friend."
"You didn't hear anything in the warehouse, did you?" Griggs folded her arms over chest, wanting to be furious. "You lied to distract me?"
Vrix didn't look even a sliver repentant. "You didn't need to see your friend, if this was her."
Griggs took a deep breath and let the relief of it not being Heidi roll through her. "Thank you."
He smiled with half his mouth and gestured for her to get closer. "He smells a bit, but he's a good clue to where we need to go next."
Griggs's fancy shoes slid in the mud and Vrix reached out to steady her, his massive hand warm and reassuring against her side through the thin fabric of the bustier, and she used his shoulder to balance as she searched for better footing. Her cheeks warmed as his hand lingered just a little longer than strictly necessary. Nothing like a crime scene and a corpse to bring people together.
Vrix
Vrix intended to save Griggs the trauma of possibly uncovering her friend's dead body, but when the stubborn woman looked like she was going to do it anyway, he pretended to hear something in the warehouse to distract her. The way she gritted her teeth and kept her eyes wide so there was no chance of tears escaping only assured him he did the right thing. The moment she turned away, Vrix flipped back some of the rags and breathed a sigh of relief.
Not an Earther, and not even a female. A green-skinned and lizard-like Slasu male lay cold and gray under the rags, dead for almost a full day based on the way the skin began to shed. Multiple stab wounds and broken bones led to a congealed puddle of oily black blood under the body, staining the toe of his boot as he crouched to rifle through the thing's pockets. And then Griggs leaned on him just a little as she grew wobbly with relief, and Vrix didn't mind for a second when her soft hand braced on his shoulder.
She regained her business-like attitude quickly enough, clearing her throat to get rid of a suspicious rasp, and blinked as she studied the dead body. "What is it?"
"Slasu," Vrix said. "From the planet Siletia, in the Shangris quadrant. This one is a trader of some kind. Most of them are involved in the worst sorts of businesses—the more illegal and detestable, the more likely others won't do it and the Slasu step in."
He took a knife off the body and tossed it to the side, along with a pouch of charms and notes and other mementos. No money on him anywhere. It shouldn't have been a surprise that his colleagues took the money and left the body and everything else there. No honor among thieves or Slasu.
Griggs wrinkled her nose as she patted down the Slasu's legs to search for hidden pouches or other weapons. "So what do you think he's doing here? This seems like a good place to dump a body in general, so he might not have anything to do with whoever took Heidi."
"I think that's wishful thinking." When she frowned, Vrix gestured at some of the stab wounds across the torso. "This is pretty typical for how Fleet officers fight, don't you think?"
She didn't want to admit it, but he was right. Griggs stood and stretched her back, staring up and down the alley as night closed in around them. "What kind of business was this one in?"
"Slave trader," Vrix said. He tossed a couple of manacles toward the knife, wanting to wipe
his hands off after touching the cold metal. "You can see from his belt he's part of the Stone clan. They're known for dealing in illegal slaves and hard-to-find requests. They're a very dangerous clan."
She moved deeper into the alley, squinting at the ground, and said, "There's more boot prints this way. At least four or five different pairs. And... something being dragged."
"They always work in groups of six, so that makes sense." Vrix finished searching the body and gathered up the clan medallion, various pouches and weapons, and the Slasu belt and bandolier. He wrapped everything up in the only clean scarf on the body, and stuffed it into the large bag Griggs carried, hiding the bundle under the skimpy clothes. "An Earther of any stripe is a valuable catch for the Slasu, and a female one even more so. A Fleet officer is nearly impossible, and there are always standing orders for Fleet officers for some particularly nasty collectors. So if the Slasu have Heidi, our clock is ticking."
"How did they find her? How did they know she was here?" Griggs shook her head as she kept searching the ground and walls for a sign. "It's too coincidental that she'd be hiding in an abandoned warehouse and a party of slave traders just happens by to capture her."
Vrix nodded, though his scales rustled and prickled at the feeling of being watched. The darkness hid too much from even his excellent vision, and even the weak pools of light from the main street beckoned. "I agree. But I don't think we'll find that here. Too much has been torn up in the fight or disappeared with the rest of the Slasu. I know a few places we can ask around for information on the Stone clan activity here in Caihiri, but I don't think we should stay out here much longer."
Griggs pulled her robe tight and shouldered the heavier bag, placing her feet carefully through the mud and blood and garbage. "Great. It's getting kind of chilly. Maybe I can layer all three of those damn outfits and get something close to appropriate."