Jack Sunder
Jack Sunder was late. He hurried through darkened alleyways, trying this best not to trip in the gloom. The first moon had just risen, but the height of the squalid buildings around Jack kept any light from reaching the ground.
He had heard eighth toll a few minutes ago, and cursed his lateness. Lore could be in danger, and yet he wasn't back when he said he would be. He had finished his business quickly, and hurried off in the direction of the Life Aspect temple, but... perhaps he should have run on his way there? Set a later time for meeting?
Turning a street and finding another alleyway to cut through, he became aware of something following him. The crunch of dirt and pebbles underfoot, a little bit of reflection on some broken glass... whoever was following him was trying to be stealthy, but wasn't that good at it.
Nevertheless, the idea of being followed and hunted did not appeal to him. This was a city with over a hundred disappearances in the last few months, and the fact that most of them were from homes did not seem particularly reassuring. But there was just one following him, and he was no slum-dwelling commoner. He had his machete, his muscles, and his wits.
Sharply turning a corner, Jack kept stepping in place, making his steps lighter as time passed. He also drew his machete slowly and quietly, and felt the reassuring weight of the weapon in his hand as he pulled it from its hip-sheath. But he had overestimated how far behind he was being followed – the sounds of steps was still fairly light, and his machete only half out of the sheath when a slightly deeper shadow fell over the puddle in front of him, and a dirty figure rounded the corner.
Reacting quickly, Jack drew his machete in a fast, sharp movement, crushing the pommel of the heavy weapon into the ribs of his attacker. The close impact didn't let him draw the weapon completely, but the pommel dealt a hefty blow that sent his attacker stumbling backwards, hands clutching an injured gut. Jack drew his weapon completely, and lunged forward with it, but his opponent saw him coming just in time, and dove back behind the corner.
Jack make a wide arc around the corner, not wanting to be blindsided by his opponent. The figure was backing away slowly in the alley, but still facing him warily. He cleared his throat and said in a loud voice: “Surrender! You cannot fight or run like that.”
The figure raised a hand in a sign of surrender, then doubled over and vomited. Jack stepped closer, holding his machete warily. The figure swayed sideways, stumbled a few steps, and collapsed into the gloom of a shadow.
Jack sighed. “I take it you surrender?” He thought the figure nodded, but it was hard to see in the darkness. Struck by a sudden paranoid suspicion, he spun around with his blade at the ready, but there was no cohort sneaking up from behind.
Jack sheathed his machete. Walking over to the curled figure, he stopped a bit short, just out of reach of a poisoned knife, or some other underhanded trickery.
“Who are you?” he asked.
The reply was a pained whisper, but he could not hear it.
Jack bit his lip. Paranoia was one of his strong points, and it generally served him well, kept him alive. But it was unreasonable to expect his assailant to speak loudly with an injury like that, and he was a reasonable man... wasn't he?
Jack crouched down into the shadows, and inched closer. “I didn't hear you. Who are you, and why were you following me?”
There was a pained whimper and a whispered word: “Lore...”
This caught Jack's attention. “Lore? Lorelei Panasko? Do you know where she is? Do you know her?”
The crumpled figure coughed a bit more. “Me...” it whispered.
Suddenly everything clicked together for Sunder: the familiar bandolier showing under the grime, the smallness of the figure, and the strange reaction to his attack...
The blood draining from his face, he scooted in close, obvious to any potential attack, and cradled the figure's head in his hands, raising it up to get a better look. Caked in muck or not, he could still the youthful features of the young lady he knew. “Oh gods, what have I done...” he mumbled, stroking Lore's matted hair. “I'm so sorry.”
“My fault... Jack...” said Lore. “Shouldn't have... snuck up on you like that...” The girl coughed some blood on Jack, but he didn't mind.
“You're going to be okay, you hear me, Lore? You're going to be okay...”
“I know... you got me pretty good, that's all...”
“I'm sorry, if I had known it was you...”
Lore gave a strangled laugh that degenerated into coughing up more blood. She lay there for a moment, recovering, then said, “I know... of course you wouldn't have...” She breathed in slowly, painfully. “I'm sorry about earlier...”
“No, I should have recognized you. Or not attacked so hard. Or called you out while you were following me. There's a hundred things I could have done better. Don't you feel sorry about that – it was me who attacked you.”
“No.... earlier... in the temple...” She smiled a sad smile, but a twinge of pain warped her expression. “It was inappropriate.”
Sunder sat there quietly, Lore's head on his lap. “I...” he paused and pondered what to say. Or even what he thought. “I, er, overreacted. I'm not mad at you... I just was surprised, that's all it was.”
“No it wasn't,” said Lore. “You're a bad liar.” The effort of her statement made her cringe in pain.
“Maybe, maybe not.” Sunder put his finger on Lore's lips. “But now's not the time to talk about it. Not with you hurt like this. I promise I'll talk to you about this later, okay? Now... hush my dear Lorelei.”
Laying his coat upon Lore's small frame, Sunder stroked the young lady's cheek in the darkness and the cold.
Selena
Selena woke to the sound of tolling bells. That meant something important. But on the other hand she was comfortable and warm... what to do? Shifting a bit, she nuzzled into the warm form besides her. A warm male form. Perl.
“Oh, no you didn't.” Selena shrugged the large man's arms off of her and stood up. She was instantly cold again. “Gah!” She stomped her foot impotently, and made as if to kick the sleeping man, but stopped a few inches short. “Stupid Perl! How dare you! You were supposed to keep watch!”
Looking around, the street was just as quiet and empty as when she had dozed off. No Lore, no boss-man. Hm. Wasn't Jack supposed to be back after eighth toll? Was that eighth toll?
Making a face at the still-sleeping Perl, she walked quickly around the corner and waved at the door-attendant for the Life Aspect temple. “What time is it?”
“Just past ninth toll.”
“Oh gods.” Ninth toll, which meant that Mr. Sunder would have been back more than an hour ago. Except he hadn't been back, or he would have woken them, probably chewed them out for both sleeping. So maybe he got lost? What if he had come back, but let them sleep? Or maybe he told Perl to curl up around her as punishment? If so, he would be lurking in the shadows, watching over her. She rounded the corner and shouted “It's not funny, Jack!”
Silence. Okay, maybe not. Jack had been late before. So he must have gotten lost. He had gotten lost here before – he went out to talk with a contact yesterday, and taken his sweet time getting back on that. Maybe it was the same thing this time? Except he had been only a few minutes late that time, and this time he was over an hour late. But what could have happened to him? Maybe he got snatched by the kidnappers?
Wait, what about Maureen? Was she still in the temple?
Selena walked around the corner again, and addressed the door attendant. “I have a friend by the name of Maureen. A northerner, hard to miss. Is she still in the temple?”
The attendant (a different one, Selena noted) shook his head. “She came out more than an hour ago, just before eighth toll. I was under the impression she was going to be meeting with her friends, like you. Adoegas was showing her around – he would know more.”
Selena shook her head. So Maureen had left, but hadn't even made it to see them. She must have been kidnapped too. Or maybe... she must have run into Jack, who arrived at the same time, and then the two of them went off to find Lore, and left her and Perl sleeping there next to the carriage, ripe pickings for the kidnappers. Those bastards!
Selena walked back around the corner. “Perl! Wake up!” No response – did anything wake him up? She should condition him otherwise. Except... he wasn't there. Selena gawked at the empty space where the big man had been sleeping. She was the only one left now. Lore was a goner, lost at the start of this all. Then they must have gotten Jack, while he was off on his walk, and Maureen before she could wake them, and now that she had left Perl alone, they had taken him.
...and now she was alone. They were going to get her next.
Selena pulled out something not unlike a crossbow from her satchel. She cranked a handle on it, and pulled a string. The device rumbled, then started making little put-put-put-put sounds. Selena felt better already. She checked that the thing held its full 20 crossbow bolts, and then backed slowly up against a wall. “You're not going to get me!”
“Huh? What?” Perl stepped out from an alley, buttoning up his pants. An imposter, obviously. Must have gotten him and taken his clothing. They weren't going to get her with that.
“Don't come closer. Leave me alone!”
“Hey, why are you aiming that thing at me? Isn't that the...” Perl watched something click in the man's eyes. “Hey! Don't you point that at me!” He ducked back inside the alley.
Apparently they interrogated prisoners fast. No good against her. “And stay there!” She wiped around and pointed her device at cloaked man who had just come around the corner. “And don't you try anything either!”
The man, without missing a beat, reversed direction and went back the way he had come. He probably was waiting around the corner, with a crossbow of his own. Inferior to her Mark VI Rapid-Fire Auto-Crossbow, but deadly nonetheless. She was trapped now, between the man's corner on one side, and Perl's alley on the other.
“Hey Selena! What are you doing!” Maureen, or at least a fake that looked like her, was waving from down the street, with... Rae holding her other hand? Strange, but true.
“Maureen! She's gone crazy!” shouted Perl from somewhere in the alley.
Maureen started at the alley's entrance. “Is that you, Perl?”
This was an elaborate ruse indeed. So many fakes... too elaborate. Maybe she was crazy. How would they have managed Maureen's eyes, anyway? Can't put makeup on the eyes.
“Maureen, tell me something only you know!”
“What? I'm not going to tell you something like that!”
“Something we both know, rather!” She pointed her Auto-crossbow at Maureen. “How do I know you're not an imposter?”
“Oh. Um...” Maureen glanced at Perl, and at Rae. “I can think of something, but I really would rather not with them listening. Could you please put down the weapon?”
“Maureen, she's crazy. I don't know what set her off like this!”
Selena pointed her auto-crossbow at the alley's mouth. “Oh, you have no right to speak.”
“Oh gods, I know!” Perl poked his head around the corner. “Look, I'm really sorry about falling asleep on you like that. You were sleeping, but you looked so cold, I thought you might get sick. So I thought I could keep you warm while I kept a look-out, but I fell asleep. I didn't do anything wrong, I swear!”
Maureen and Rae looked at each other. “Wait, we thought you two were... wanted to...” Maureen looked like she was at a loss for words.
Selena pointed the auto-crossbow at Maureen. “Wait, you saw him on me, and you just wandered off?!”
Rae patted Maureen arm, and stepped forward and a bit away from Maureen. “You were both asleep – we figured that you had wanted to sleep with him, and that we should... leave you both alone.”
Selena's eyes went wide. “Wait, we were both asleep, and you didn't think to wake us?! Asleep, on the road, in a city plagued by mysterious kidnappings?!”
“We... figured that if you felt safe enough to both sleep there, that was your decision. We thought we'd go off and have some... time with each other. No harm done.”
“And hey,” said Perl from the alley. “We couldn't have been asleep for more than a few minutes – it's not even eighth toll yet. At least we both managed to wake up before Mr. Sunder's return.”
All three of the women stared at him.
“What?”
“Hey, where is Mr. Sunder?” voiced Maureen. “We sent back the coachman with a note to let Sunder know where to find us when he returned. We were getting worried about him returning when we heard the ninth toll.”
There was a gasp from the alley. “Ninth toll?!”
Selena put down the gun. “I don't know. I'm really worried about what happened to him. I think he got attacked by whoever is doing the kidnappings.” She pulled up the gun again. “Oh, that was close! Almost had me there, didn't you.”
“Selena! We are who we think we are! I mean, we are who... Look, I'm really Maureen. What makes more sense – that all your friends would get kidnapped, and then replaced by perfect fakes while you were sleeping, or that we are actually your friends, plain and simple.”
“Damnit! And it was a good hypothesis, too!” Selena put down the auto-crossbow and turned it off. Then she ran to Maureen and gave her a big hug. “I'm so glad to see you guys.”
A familiar voice came from down the street, from past Perl's alley. “...and so am I.”
Jack Sunder
All five of them turned to look. Walking slowly up the street, holding a small muddy figure in his arms, was Mr. Jack Sunder.
“Boss-man!” cried Selena, letting go of Maureen and hurrying over to Jack. “We were awake and standing watch at the carriage, but you never came back. We were all so worried!”
“I know.” Jack looked down at the body he was carrying. Following his gaze, Selena recognized Lore. “Good gods, is she dead?”
“No... Jack says I'll live...” said Lore, opening her eyes. “Just had a little accident.”
Maureen and Rae hurried up to Jack as well. “I found out she got through the Temple basement to the undercity. Is that where you found her?”
“Um, no.” Jack kept walking, passing between Maureen and Selena. “I need to get her to temple. She needs healing.”
“Okay.” Maureen and Rae fell into step behind Jack.
Perl walked up. “Hey boss, you want me to carry her?”
“No, I'd rather carry her myself, if you don't mind.”
“You look pretty tired.”
“I'm okay.”
Jack rounded the corner and made his way to the temple's entrance. “Excuse me,” he said, addressing the attendant. “This young lady was badly injured with a... blunt blow to the stomach. She needs care.”
“Ah come right in.” The attendant stood up and motioned for them to follow him. Another attendant took his place at the door. “May I ask as to the circumstances of the injury?”
“Um, there was an accident.”
“Ah, I see. I would like to talk to the lady privately about it afterwards.” The attendant opened a ornate pair of doors. Beyond them was an ornately carved room of white marble, with a bed in the center of it. “Please lay the young woman on the bed, and have a seat outside.”
Jack stepped out of the room, motioning for the others to do the same. He then closed the doors, and collapsed onto a chair, slumping down and staring vacantly.
“Boss? You okay?”
“No Perl, I'm not. It's been a long day.”
Rae walked over to Jack, and took one of Jack’s hands in hers. “Maureen told me all about Lore getting lost. That must have been horrible for you, losing one of your own like that.” She gripped his hand, and then stroked her velvet-gloved fingers up his arm, and over to his chin. She raised his head to face her own. “I know how that is. Please – I welcome you all to stay at my mansion tonight. You've had a long day, as you said: I think that a late supper, a bath, and then a good night on soft beds are in order. Let me be of service to you.”
Sunder turned his head away from her, and sighed. “I don't know. Lore's hurt – she got hurt worse than I thought, at first. I need to stay here with her.”
Rae nodded. “I understand. However, I my offer is also to your associates as well.” She looked at Maureen. “But promise me that if Lore is healed enough to leave this place, you will come and stay with me.”
Jack sighed, and nodded. “All of you, feel free to accept her offer. I...” Jack trailed off, lost in thought again.
Maureen was sitting a few chairs to his side. “Say the word, and we stay here with you. I think I speak for all of us.” There were nods all around, among the associates.
“No. Lore insisted on telling me something on the way back to the Upper Ward. I think she thought she was going to die – it was important. It was about screams deep in the undercity. I think something is going on down there, and not something kind. Something is torturing lots of people down there – some sort of organization... maybe sadists of the Pleasure Aspect. I hope not.”
Jack sighed, and continued. “If they are torturing people, those people have got to come from somewhere, and it's probably not by choice. Whatever is down there has got to be what's kidnapping our commoners.”
“And my sister...” said Rae, covering her mouth. “My poor sister...”
Jack eyed Rae. “I don't want to wait and delay. People are getting hurt down there, maybe even killed. Broken, either way. But I'm not willing to go down unprepared, and wind up screaming for the rest of my life, deep under the city. We rest tonight, prepare tomorrow, and tomorrow afternoon, we venture into the undercity, armed and prepared for the worse. Lore told me she is friends with... a sewerfiend. I don't like the idea, and I obviously don't trust the sewerfiend, but whatever is down there... they don't like it either. Maybe we can work together, maybe we'll have to drive it off. Bring torches, stay in the light – sewerfiends can see in the dark, but in a lit fight, they have nothing on us. I hope it doesn't come to that, but the sewerfiends are the only ones who know where this thing is.”
There was a silence among the group. Rae shook her head. “'Never trust a sewerfiend, friends to you until you are friends to them,'” she recited. “You're crazy to trust a sewerfiend.”
“We're crazy to wander into the undercity without a guide.”
The doors to the room Lore was in opened, and a priest bowed to them, closing the doors behind him. “Your friend suffered severe injuries. The lower half of her sternum was shattered, and the shards had started cutting into her organs. We've been able to heal the sternum, and stop the bleeding, but she is still weak.”
Sunder stood and bowed in return. “I assume she will be staying the night?”
“I'm afraid not. I don't know why. An order came from higher up that we were not to treat any of your associates. I... I talked with the messenger, and he took a fall down some stairs, and had to seek healing before delivering his message. This is all highly unusual, and I'm very sorry about it. Please carry your friend home, pretend as if she's still hurt. I've done what I can. If I can get my superiors to change their minds, I'll have a runner set up to where you are staying.”
“Manor Varnya, under the aegis of Lady Rae, present and speaking.” She curtsied slightly.
“Ah, my Lady,” the Priest bowed again, then addressed Jack. “Very well, please come inside and take your friend. I must bid you goodnight, and speak with my superiors. Fare well.”
Sunder opened the doors, and slipped inside, closing the doors behind him. Lore was lying on the bed, still filthy, looking pathetic. “Hey Jack...” Lore raised her head and smiled at him. “Don't tell anyone, but they made me better.”
Four quick long strides and Jack was by her bedside, bending over and hugging the young lady. “I'm so glad... I was worried that you weren't going to make it. I don't know what I would have done...”
Lore wrapped her arms around Jack, and held him close. “I don't know what I would have done if I had died, either.” She giggled slightly at her own joke, and then took a deep breath. “Do you...” she said, trailing off.
“Do I? Do I what?” asked Sunder. He gave her a gentle squeeze, then stood up. Slipping one arm under her back, and one arm under her legs, he lifted the small lady off of the bed.
“Nothing. I can ask you later.” Lore smiled up at Jack, and he smiled back.