Roe hurried along the empty streets, trying to stay beneath tents and overhangs to avoid the rain. She carried a box under her coat as best she could, trying in vain to keep it dry. She lurked under an empty tent, preparing to make a dash across a building gap, due to an alleyway.
Roe took a quick step, trotting towards the dry ground ahead.
Startled, she sidestepped, not expecting to see anyone in the alleyway.
She sidestepped again, recognizing the blurry figures as they approached her. She turned her head to hide a grin as rough hands closed around her mouth, pulling her back into the alleyway.
She stumbled, pushing away from the voices and retreating farther back, her boots clicking against the cobbled ground.
"So good to see you again!" Walton lied coolly, spreading his arms wide in a welcoming manner, his two cronies standing loyally on either side of the big man.
Roe said nothing, her lips pressed tightly together as she clutched the box in her arms like her life depended on it.
"I wanted to talk to you bout sum'in." Walton explained, striding towards Roe. "Wanted to talk to you bout the deal we had. And why you broke it."
The Scorpion Den was huge, population pushing six million. But on days like these, when a seemingly endless rain poured down on the city, it was easy to make your way through the typically crowded streets.
It didn't rain often, in fact, they usually got a good rain such as this three times a year, though the last two years the Scorpion Den had gotten much more rain than normal, the rock hard ground hadn't absorbed the water well and minor flooding issues had plagued the city for weeks. Whatever the reason for the extra rain, Tobias appreciated it.
He drove down the damp streets in an old Ford Mustang convertible, receiving many strange glances from the few merchants loyally standing behind their wares, or lurking in a shop window, as rain streaked the car's interior. The car was shot anyways- the frame had rusted out to an extreme level. He wouldn't be able to drive it much longer.
Might as well drive it in the rain.
"Hayy, Tobe, I'go that salve!" A familiar voice called from above.
Tobias looked up slowly, smiling when the shopkeeper met his gaze, leaning over the small balcony. "Giv'm a minute, be'ruh down."
Roe fingered the long, double edged dagger on her belt- she really preferred not to use it, especially on these idiots, the dagger was nice quality, lovely designs etched across the blade.
"I've waited, Gongll. I've waited a long time." Walton sneered.
She owed him money. A lot of money. Money that she did not, and might never, have.
"I'm workin on it."
"I'M wORking oN it!" Walton mocked. "Now where have I heard that? Oh yes! Every week, for the past two. years."
Oh, gosh. Had it really been that long?
"I do not know what you want me to do." Roe spat. "I do not have it, and I have not been frivolously spending money. I've been saving-"
"Oi, seem to remember a time last week where you purchased this lovely dragonet," Walton raised his hands in exasperation.
"That.. is different-"
"You owe me a lot, Gongll. I think it's time we make our demands clear."
The men on either side of Walton rushed her.
Roe dropped the box and retreated, playing her part well. As she reached the back of the alleyway, Roe stopped, letting the men advance closer as she whipped out her dagger, dodging a fist and running the dagger into one of Walton's cornies, as close to the heart as possible. The man jerked back, clutching his shoulder, where the dagger protruded.
"Oi, you are so regretting that." Walton hissed.
A fist came down on her shoulder, and Roe swore, spinning around quickly and dodging wild punches. She trotted deeper into the alley, still facing the man, tripping over a trash can lid, then leaping back and kicking it, sending it clanging across the cobbled ground and into the man's shin.
"Pathetic." Walton sneered from where he crouched beside his wounded friend. "I expected more from you, I really did."
Roe continued to step back, dodging a well aimed punch a bit too slowly. The man caught her cheek, and Roe winced, ducking under his wild throws, and snatching the end of a stick from behind a rotting trash bag.
The stick was much shorter than she expected. Roe made a few careless, mock thrusts towards the man, then let him tear it out of her grip, throwing it loudly against the ground.
"I'd stop." Walton advised, laughing as he stood. "It'll be easier for all of us if you stop."
Roe stopped.
The man caught her shoulder in a tight fist, his free hand landing below her diaphragm. Roe doubled over, stumbling into the man, who repositioned his hold on her shoulder, spinning her to face Walton- Walton's smile vanished as she grinned slyly, cocking the handgun with a loud click.
"Nah, nah, this is great, Farwick," Tobias assured the man, lugging the five gallon bucket into the backseat of the convertible.
"Aye, well lat mi know if yah need some'n else."
Tobias tipped his hat to the shopkeep, leaping nimbly onto the car door.
"Now, Tobe, don't see whay yur wastin that good car loike that."
Tobias laughed, jumping into the passenger seat.
"Ta each thar own, I s'pose, but, August, now, lots folks would put that car t'use. And here yar, drivin it round in the-"
Tobias held his hands up innocently, "Dude, frame's rusted out." He grinned, "It's a joke. Quit taking life so seriously, man,"
The old man laughed, looking confused. "Aye, aye. Whal then, Tobe, have a goot day. See yah at the rally t'night?"
"You know it."
"It has been fun. But I have this thing called 'a life.'" Roe motioned to the wall with the gun, tossing a wad of soaking hair away from her face. Walton obliged quickly, scowling.
"You touch me, I will kill him." She notified the man behind her. His hold loosened on her shoulders, then dropped completely.
"I'll bring authorities into this." Walton warned.
"Ah, mmhm, and you have not already tried? Lies. I must go now. See you later, pal." Roe knelt to retrieve her package from where it lay stained against the muddy ground, still pointing the gun at Walton.
She heard the man's quick steps as he approached, but had little to no time before a boot connected with the back of her head.
The gun went off.
For a moment Roe strained to make sense of what was going on around her, her vision dimed considerably.
Her fist still closed around the gun, but she could feel sharp nails loosening her grip. Roe stood abruptly, the man's chin catching the back of her head as she threw herself back, sandwiching the man in between her and the wall.
An arm snaked its way around her neck, pulling tightly as she strained to loosen his hold on the gun. She could see Walton slowly advancing towards her.
Roe kicked her boot back against the man, still locked in a choke hold. He just tightened his grip, grunting as he wound up and crushed her hand against the wall, forcing her to drop the gun.
Roe straightened, feeling a dull pain tingle through her fingers- knowing it would only get worse as time went on.
"Good fight." Walton clapped. "A losing game, as always, but entertainment. You are clever, Gongll."
Roe gagged, her hands instinctively reaching for the man's arm as it tightened around her throat.
"Ah-ah-ah," Walton warned, kicking her small hand gun further away, and cocking one of his own. "We could have led with this, you know. Decided a good fist fight might be more effective." He swatted her hands back from the man's arm.
Panic began to rise as air flow was completely cut off. Roe stiffened, trying not to move as her chest heaved, hopelessly half gasping.
"Pathetic." Walton growled, raising his fist with a look of disgust.
"Ooh, ooh. This one's fire." Tobias announced to no one in particular as he sat up quickly, cranking the sound knob on the old radio.
There was a clap of thunder, and the rain suddenly worsened, coming down in endless torrents.
He drove through the soaked streets slowly, waving to any merchants he passed as they stared.
He passed stand after stand, building after building, faithfully seeking out anyone he could acknowledge, until he came to an alleyway where curious shadows moved quickly in the corner.
"Allo?" He called, sitting up and turning the radio down.
They must not have heard him over the rain.
Taking his time, Tobias kicked open the car door, squinting through the thick downpour. He could hear shouting ahead, and his pace quickened, walking gingerly to the side of the building where he peeked out to survey the situation.
Big, burly figures.. fighting each other? No- pounding someone? Was that a third figure? Again and again a raised fist met the silent recipient. Strange.
Tobias strode into the alleyway, shoving his hands carelessly into his coat pockets.
"Gentlemen." He called over the rain. The large man spun around quickly.
"Walton?" Tobias asked, his eyes drifting to the shaking, slumped figure.
Walton shook his head and Tobias advanced, "Not here, Tobe. Not chur place, Tobe." He warned.
Tobias swallowed hard, trying to recognize the beaten figure. "What'd they do?"
"Not chur place, TOBE." Walton hissed, glaring as he stormed towards Tobias.
Tobias didn't move, cocking an eyebrow sarcastically as Walton tried to push him back.
"Who is that?" Tobias asked quietly, jutting his chin out towards the motionless figure, who was being propped up by a monster of a man. The figure didn't move as they were dragged deeper into the alleyway.
"Noneyuh, Tobias! Noneyuh!" Walton shouted, spitting in his face.
Tobias rolled his eyes, spitting back. "Out of my way, Walt."
"Told juh, ain't none your businehh-"
There was a sudden shout from behind him and Walt wheeled around as two loud gunshots echoed through the alley.
Instinctively, Tobias ducked for cover, pulling his trenchcoat tighter against himself and hiding the lower half of his face behind the cowl.
Walton collapsed.
Roe panted, wincing as she leaned against the wall, gasping, and gasping, and gasping. The figure beside her stirred and she fired the gun again, without hesitation.
She groaned, blinking the rain from her eyes as she leaned her head back against the wall, feeling her entire body shake.
Someone would come.
Someone would find her with a gun and two dead men.
Roe groaned again, clinging to the slick wall as she stood, her shirt and jeans now streaked with mud and soaked with water.
She blinked, wondering if she was imagining the bright yellow car stopped directly in front of the alley.
Roe waited another minute, listening to thundering rain smack against the cobbled stone.
"Hello?" Someone called.
She froze, cocking the gun again, and sliding down the wall slowly, hoping she hadn't been seen.
"It's Tobias!" He shouted over the rain, "I'm- uh, Tobias." It was a well known name. The hunched figure *should* recognize it, he hoped, and know that he wasn't with Walton's gang.
"Tobe." A female voice called back.
Tobias stood suddenly, hesitating as he put a face to the voice.
He sprinted toward the figure, sliding on the mud as he kneeled beside her.
"Chill, out." Roe exhaled, her breath laced with laughter.
"Did he just-" Tobias looked to Walton's motionless body, "he just beat you up? What the.." he stood, clenching his jaw, still staring at Walton's body.
"Yeah I… owed him money." Roe clarified, stumbling to her feet uneasily. "But now he is dead. Yay."
Her thick Spanish accent and the rain made it hard to understand Roe's slurred words, but Tobias shook his head as he reached for her arm.
Roe shied away. "I am fine, I am fine."
"Yeah, of course, sorry, you look just great."
"Tobias.." she laughed gently.
"That's my car." He pointing to the convertible. "Back to The Den?"
Roe seemed confused for a moment, then shook her head. "Ay, back to The Den."