She was also taller than him, likely a little over six-foot. He hadn’t noticed it until she was standing straight in civilian clothes.
“I’m here, then,” said the squad leader.
“So am I. Fancy that,” Rene said. “People call me Mask. What do they call you?”
“What? You don’t even know my name?” the squad leader asked.
“No? Should I? I told you, you were more a convenience than anything else. I didn’t select you specifically,” Rene explained.
I wonder if that plays into whatever mental hang-up she has. Could be that she took me selecting her as some sort of validation.
That she was chosen in some way.
The Monster in his head grunted at that but said nothing. Clearly its attention was focused entirely on the assassin and little else.
“Aurora,” said the woman, looking rather displeased. “Aurora Dean.”
“Well, Aurora, Aurora Dean, have you thought about my proposition?” Rene asked. Pushing hard at his senses, he tried to determine if the assassin was still in the last place he’d seen them. Or if they were moving around to get a better view on Rene.
Then again, they might not be here for him at all.
This could all just be coincidence.
That was pretty unlikely, but it was definitely a possibility.
“Yes. I have. And… I want to talk more about it. What exactly are we talking about?” Aurora asked.
“I’ve been paid to have Rene Anatolis robbed. Do you know who he is?” Rene asked.
Aurora shook her head briefly.
“Son of a rich money lender from out of town,” Rene explained briefly. “So, I’m being paid to rob this young man. The person paying me is Frederick Junk. The master of the Junk household.”
“Wait… what?” Aurora asked, looking confused and concerned at the same time.
“That’s who paid me,” Rene confirmed. “And I reached out to a Lieutenant Ronder. I’m going to be paying him to not show up while I’m working this kid’s house over.
“Except I get the distinct impression that this lieutenant is going to double-cross me. So I’ll double-cross him first.”
“And you want me to… what… exactly?” Aurora inquired, folding her arms in front of herself.
“Bust him for taking bribes. I can tell you where he hides his coin, his black book, and even when he’s likely to show up to arrest me. Which, honestly, I won’t be there. Obviously.”
Aurora let out a slow sigh, turning her head and looking off to one side. To Rene, it was rather obvious she didn’t like any of this. Didn’t like that he was offering her a part to play in it either.
“And who’s to say you’re not trying to get me messed over, too?” Aurora replied, looking back at Rene now.
“Well, nothing, I suppose. Really, it’s just my word but… I’m not so sure you’d take that as it is,” Rene said with a laugh. “And I have no idea what I could offer you to help you through that belief either.”
“I… no, nor I,” Aurora murmured, turning her gaze down toward the ground.
“Well, I could tell you where Ronder keeps his loot,” Rene mused as he thought about it. “But you’d have to wait to get him clapped in irons until after he tries to get me. Otherwise, it wouldn’t work out for me and… I’d have to come visit you at your home.
“By the way, I was impressed with your cooking. It smelled absolutely amazing for what few herbs you used.”
Aurora’s eyes widened and rounded at that. Her face drained of color, and it looked like she wanted to go sprinting off into the distance.
“No, I didn’t watch you take that shit,” Rene said, waving a hand at her. “I mean, it was rather impressive sounding, but I didn’t watch. Nothing wrong with a woman who can really let loose.
“I do have to admit I regret not watching though.”
Bahahahaha.
That’s awful.
Breathing shallowly with a hand at her neck, Aurora looked absolutely mortified.
“Right… then,” she murmured. “Tell me where his little nest is, and I’ll go look it over. If what you said is true, then I don’t think we’ll have a problem.”
She’d neatly ignored the entire subject of her home and what he’d said. The threat was clear and obvious, and he’d done nothing to her.
“In his office. If you’re sitting at his desk facing the door, it’s the right-hand corner. Loose floorboard. Hard to miss, once you start looking. Will sound rather hollow, if you tap it. He uses a knife to open it up,” Rene said, nodding his head. “Once you have confirmation, you’ll know this is for real, I suppose. I’ll just work off the idea you’re already working with me on this one.
“Strange bedfellows and all that.”
Aurora shook her head at his words, clearly non-plussed.
“If you need to contact me, just send a note over to the Tramp’s Tail,” Rene said, grinning behind his mask. “Tell them you need your usual sent over to your place and your name is Constance. Courtesy of the Mask. Then I’ll swing by and visit you at home.
“I recommend using a street urchin to do the work. They usually can’t read, and they just want the coin. No one bothers them too much either.”
“I… alright… I suppose,” Aurora mumbled. “Uhm. Is… that everything?”
“I think so,” Rene said. “Was there something more? Something else you wanted or wished to discuss?”
“No. But I’m telling you now. Just because you’re doing this, doesn’t mean you own me,” growled Aurora, some of her edge coming back. “I don’t owe you anything. Just… you want to get rid of a traitor to you, and I want to get rid of a traitor to the guard.”
Rene laughed at that, then slowly leaned forward toward Aurora.
“Little girl, if I want you, I’ll have you,” he promised. “If you’re going to be my creature, you’ll be my creature. If I want you dead… I’ll kill you. There isn’t anything you can do to stop me if I decide something needs to happen to you. Be thankful that I’m interested in your well-being.
“Though, I will say, I like the bravery. Now, run along home before I change my mind.”
Aurora lifted her chin, not flinching away from him in any way.
“I’m not your creature, nor will I be,” she stated. Then she turned on her heel and left the plaza.
Smirking, Rene had to admire her.
He really hadn’t been able to bribe her, so to speak. She hadn’t asked for coin, favors, or information. All she wanted to do was knock down someone she viewed as a traitor. That was the extent of her desire.
She’d have done well in something like the FBI back home.
I don’t like her. She makes me hate us.
Raising his eyebrows at that, Rene crouched down and activated sneak. Then he moved out from the pillar, leapt up, grabbed the edge of the roof and hauled himself upward.
Looking out toward where the assassin had been earlier, Rene found them gone.
He had no way of knowing when they’d left, only that they had.
Moving over to the chimney, Rene kept scanning his surroundings. If he’d been the one who was up here, he’d have questioned how his target knew to hide where they did. In doing so, it’d relay to Rene that he’d been made somehow.
Working with that information, he’d relocate to a new position where he could see the old one. He’d set up that as the ambush site rather than the original one.
The key to being a good assassin is knowing when to adapt and improvise.
That and being able to actually kill people.
Remember Lauren?
Rene nodded at that. Lauren had died on her very first contract because she couldn’t pull the trigger when she needed to.
He’d been there as backup, just in case she fucked up.
Which she had.
Looking to the chimney, Rene began to scan everywhere around that’d have a clear line of sight back to it. Along with an unobstructed firing position.
> In this world, there were no firearms.
Yet.
Though there were crossbows that fired with more than enough force to be quite lethal to an unarmored foe. Depending on the size, and the strength of mechanism, there were more than a few that could punch through armor itself as well.
You think… maybe there?
Rene was peering off toward a smaller roof across the way. From that position, it couldn’t see the plaza at all. Not any single bit of it. In addition, it had a small chimney sticking up out of it that was long but low to the roof.
It also had a spectacular view of the chimney. Especially where the assassin had been hiding. One could lay down right there with a crossbow and wait.
Lastly, the roofing on that side of the street was thatched. It’d be considerably harder to approach without making noise and difficult to move quickly across.
It’s where we would be, is it not?
I propose we go see, and kill the snot.
Moving with as much speed as he was willing to test against his Sneak ability, Rene dropped down from the roof he was on. He crossed the street and started to clamber up to the roof on the other side.
Whoever this assassin is, if they are really there, they’re certainly more skilled than anyone just starting out.
Pausing right before he pulled himself up over the edge of the roof, Rene found himself looking at a small wire. It was attached to two hooks slid into the thatching of the roof, and it wouldn’t take much to break any of it free.
A trap, hm?
Steadying himself, Rene put both his hands on the roof and then began to climb up again. Carefully, slowly, he made it up over the trap. He had no idea what it would do, or even if it had been laid there by the assassin he was after, but he wasn’t going to spring it.
There was nothing to be gained by disarming it either.
This is more than a beginner, or even someone in the middle part of their career.
They knew where to place a trap for us, assuming we’d follow them.
Realizing that was a very good point, Rene quickly rethought how he wanted to approach this person. It’d be better for him if he took an unexpected line to get close.
Like, say… straight in front of them.
Grinning, Rene stuck to the edge of the roof and moved along it. As he threw constant cautious looks toward where he expected the assassin to be, Rene felt like his attention was split far too thin.
Because on top of those two things, he was also looking for more traps. Just because he’d avoided one, didn’t mean there wouldn’t be more.
Slowly, he crossed the threshold where he’d be able to see around the low chimney.
Surprisingly, he saw a crossbow bolt’s head in the front of the crossbow. It was pointing straight at him, despite his Sneak ability being completely activated.
Pausing, Rene went still.
He stood stock still, staring up at the position the assassin was in. They had him dead to rights.
But they didn’t do anything.
Unsure how to proceed, Rene began to slowly move forward again.
The crossbow followed him, but still did nothing. It made no sense at all to Rene. Coming to a halt directly in front of the crossbow’s position, he thought on what was happening.
It was almost as if they knew where he was, but couldn’t see him.
Peering up at the placement, he could see the crossbow, and a hood. There was no face to be seen.
It’s almost as if… I wonder.
Maybe I’m not the only one who can use Track? Or some form of it?
Clearly they know where I am but… not really.
Could I close on them ever so slowly? If I did it in a way that they should be able to see me, could I confuse them?
Turning toward the assassin directly, Rene started up the roof. Toward the chimney, where his would-be killer lurked.
Sure enough, he saw the crossbow shift, tracking him, but also not. The hooded head was tilting to one side, and down.
As if it was trying to figure out whether Rene was in the building below the assassin, rather than on the roof.
Ah-ha.
So… we’ve guessed it partially. Let’s… mess with them.
Getting down as low as he could manage without losing mobility, Rene continued to advance.
When he got within five yards of his target, the assassin stood up. They pointed their crossbow down to the thatch below them. As if Rene were in the house and coming up below them.
Ha, there we go.
Reaching up, the assassin flipped their hood back, after it slid down over their eyes for the second time.
It’s… a cat… girl?
Standing there, was a woman with short, brown hair that was pulled back in a ponytail. Triangular cat-like ears with bright white fur inside them sat on top of her head and were swiveling this way and that. Trying to track Rene. She had bright electric blue eyes with slit-like pupils.
There was a clean and straight-lined look to her, as well. Rene found her rather pretty, in fact, despite her clearly not being human.
Pulling a single copper coin out, Rene thumbed it and contemplated his next move. He needed to get the assassin to turn around, so he could get her from behind.
Cocking his arm back slowly and then moving it forward with an equally lazy grace, he flicked the coin up over the woman’s head.
When it landed, it did so with a soft pat that even Rene heard.
Pushing off the chimney, the assassin dodged to one side and fired her crossbow toward where the coin had landed.
In that same instant, Rene darted forward to catch her.
Except she was already sprinting away, across the beam that made up the peak of the roof.
Off we go!
Rene sprinted after her.
Chapter 22
Just before leaping off the edge of the building, the assassin turned to look over her shoulder.
And she saw Rene, the Mask, right behind her.
Her eyes went wide as she spotted him only a few feet away.
When he hit the same jump point, Rene didn’t hesitate. He knew that it would take quite a bit to kill him, considering he’d shrugged off catching a throwing knife in the face.
Didn’t even leave a scar.
Landing atop the small shed a scant second behind the assassin, Rene managed to keep pace with her as she hit the ground.
“Don’t run,” he hissed, chasing after her as she darted into an alleyway. “I can follow you forever.”
Growling, the assassin didn’t stop. She just kept sprinting full out. Her boots clacked hard against the cobblestone-lined pathway.
Glancing at the ground as he went, Rene looked at the available trails.
There were three names listed.
He memorized all three and then focused back on his would-be killer.
Stepping up onto a stoop, the assassin bent low as she ran and launched herself up toward a beam that stuck out from the roof.
Not bothering to try and imitate her, Rene simply took the same jump, but aimed for her instead.
He smashed into her around the hips, even as she tried to pull up and away from him.
Sinking his hands into her pants, he clung on to her.
She squealed and her arms went straight at the sudden increase in weight. She dangled from the beam while Rene got a better grip on her by the second.
Wrapping his legs around her left leg, Rene grabbed at her waist. In no time at all, he’d pulled free several daggers and a short sword.
The assassin suddenly kicked her legs out hard, her entire body shuddering with the strength of it.
Grabbing on to the hem of her pants, Rene nearly lost hold of her.
Then she kicked out again, almost with more strength than the first time.
And her pants came right off, sliding from her hips down to her feet. Unable to hold onto her, other than his grip on those very same pants, Rene ended up dangling much further below her.
He landed with a thud, and the back of his head cracked against the stone as he stared up at the assassin.
Nude from the waist down, except for her boots, she was standing on the beam, glaring down at him. A long brown furry tail swished angrily back and forth behind her.
A sword he hadn’t seen was held in her hands, pointed toward him.
Taking a moment, he pulled her pants up to his chest and then tried to activate his Tracking sense. He wanted to use the pants as a way to narrow the field.
One name sprang up.
Irini Dalca.
“That was certainly something I didn’t expect,” Rene said with some mirth. “I’ll see you in a few minutes when I track you down, Irini Dalca.”
Panting, the cat-girl assassin stared down at him.
“I see, then. Would you prefer I wait at my home, or yours, Rene Anatolis?” she countered.
Oh, ho? I’d be curious to see how she knows who I am. Maybe I underestimated this world.
Such a curious woman.
“Whichever,” Rene said, getting to his feet. “Though if we go to my place, I can guarantee some very fine tea and snacks.”
Rene held up her pants and glanced inside. There were no undergarments there.
Looking back up to Irini, Rene gave the pants a shake.
“Care to join me down here, or did you want to go back to my place displaying those fine wares of yours?” he said with a laugh. He was enjoying himself.
He’d found someone to play with, who might even understand him. There weren’t that many people at his level.
Irini ran the tip of her tongue along her upper lip.
“Peace?” she asked, sounding annoyed.
“Peace,” Rene offered. “On the grounds we can discuss a few things. Obviously, why you were here to kill me and how you know who I am.”
Sighing softly, Irini shook her head and then nodded it.
“Agreed.” She stepped off the beam and dropped down to the stones next to him.
Rene pulled off the mask and tucked it away into his shirt. Then made it vanish into his inventory. At the same time, he gestured to her weapons on the ground that he’d pulled free earlier.
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