PT2: Persephone: Eavesdown Docks

[Tara Marx]

"Drogo.... has been arrested."

Tara didn't hear the rest of Katrina after that, her only thoughts were straightaway focused on how to stop the bleeding. Drogo got himself pinched....not surprised. She thought to herself. They were truly on their own now, not like much had changed hearing the news, they were already on their own if Tara faced to truth of the situation.

"Well no matter..." Tara retorted without breaking her pace or even looking toward the Doc. "...the wheels have been set in motion, no turning back now. Let's just hope that little lady over there can deliver."

[Katrina Markov]

"...the wheels have been set in motion, no turning back now. Let's just hope that little lady over there can deliver."

Kat nodded,"Indeed." as they approached the group, her eyes falling on Ophelia and narrowing, she looked back up at the rest of the group and around at the surrounding area for a more secure area to discuss the next steps. Her eyes fell on a butcher shop, and her eyes dropped down to the dogs. Then up to Kas and Silje, nodding in appreciation for taking care of their small problem.  "We need a more secure place to speak, there's a butcher shop ahead, perhaps Miss Baptist here could also enlighten us further on the location of our missing friend....Kas, maybe you can find the dogs something to eat while we're there? They seem to like you."

Kat gave the two animals a small pat, their odd behavior growing on her. She gave a nodded to Tara and began walking towards the butcher shop, eventually arriving and holding the door open for her captain and crew.

[Ophelia]

"Always make an impression, don't I," Kas agreed.

Ophelia crossed her arms and stared at the brute of a man, ever annoyed that the dogs didn't seem to mind him one bit. In fact, they looked mighty pleased to have regained his attention, both canines nudging their way past one another to be the primary pet receiver. The blonde's nose scrunched up in confusion and she shook her head slowly, only sparing the others a passing glance. The dogs didn't like them much and they didn't seem outwardly threatening, so she didn't mind their presence.

As Kat and the other woman returned, Ophelia's brow quirked in response to the cool stare the doctor leveled upon her, her chin lifting an inch or two and her own gaze narrowing in kind. The woman really didn't seem to like her, although she couldn't even begin to fathom why. Ophelia was a very sweet girl with amazing manners and all who saw her loved her. Or at least, that's what she assumed. Fear and love looked an awful lot alike sometimes.

"We need a more secure place to speak, there's a butcher shop ahead, perhaps Miss Baptist here could also enlighten us further on the location of our missing friend....Kas, maybe you can find the dogs something to eat while we're there? They seem to like you," Katrina suggested.

The blonde looked down at the data pad she'd been holding against her chest with her free hand and smiled a little. At least they were entertaining the idea of sticking to some semblance of a civilized trade. Information for passage. And for all she knew, she still needed to get Lucky's okay on the whole thing, which she was more than happy to do. Presently. Again, the dogs lifted their heads to bump at the underside of Katrina's palm, clearly alright with her patting. They seemed to think Kas, Silje and Katrina were kindred spirits and that resonated with the dogs in a way Ophelia couldn't even begin to be okay with.

"That sounds absolutely wonderful," the girl agreed, brushing off the already tidy front of her dress with her free hand and bending down to pick up the glimmering leashes she'd released earlier. But still, she didn't move to pull Henri or Jane away from Kas.

[Kasimir Stern]

Katrina and Tara rejoined the group.

"We need a more secure place to speak, there's a butcher shop ahead, perhaps Miss Baptist here could also enlighten us further on the location of our missing friend....Kas, maybe you can find the dogs something to eat while we're there? They seem to like you."

Kas looked up at Kat as she spoke, his head tilting to the side. His eyes took on that extremely unsettling glimmer that they sometimes did. Lunge up from crouch. Won't expect the sudden movement. Quick step forward. Feint with left. Knuckle strike to the throat with the right. His eyes flicked to Ophelia. Straight kick to the chest. Snap the neck, easy, one two twist. His eyes slid back to Kat. Likely recovered enough to mount some defense with arms. Shatter the kneecap with a kick. Break the neck. Move on to the others. The look in his eyes faded back to normal. It hadn't lasted long, and it was gone  before "They seem to like you."

Kas sniffed and made a noise of assent.

"That sounds absolutely wonderful," the Ophelia agreed.

He noticed her pick up the dogs leashes. His eye met hers for a moment, and then he looked back at the dogs. He took their heads in his hands one at a time and brought his face to withing a few inches of theirs. Then he spoke to them low and quietly, almost more a growl. "We'll get you both something good to eat. But you have been neglecting your mistress." He indicated Ophelia with his chin, while maintaining eye contact with the beasts. "Go on, attend her." He said, giving each dog one last affectionate pat to their sides and then gestured towards Ophelia before standing up. Somewhere during his speaking his accent had changed from his usual flat delivery to a distinctly Eavesdown intonation. When he stood there was something different about his posture as well, he stood a little straighter, his head tilted ever to slight back.

Kas looked around at everyone as though nothing had changed. He gestured towards the butcher shop and said, "Well, lets get a move on," and followed Katrina, walking past her into the building.

[Andes Maley]

Andes watched the others from the safety of the shade. No point in burning in a permanent squint if he didnt have to. Tara and the other ladies chatted in hushed tones. What they were saying really didnt matter, it was how they were saying it. Their urgency to find their friend was apparent. The big brute of a man was still playing with the dogs... check that, he was using the dogs as a ruse to while sizing up others. He knew what he was doing.

He continued to watch as one after another they trailed into a butcher shop. Andes doubted that they would find their friend in there but stranger things had happened. He followed silently after the others and made himself comfortable just outside the butcher's like he owned the place. He gave a friendly nod to two law men that passed by.

[Monte Furlong]

Monte watched as the captain and the other lady returned, and indicated going to the butcher shop for further discussion. Whatever had befallen Lucky seemed to be the prime focus at the moment. The Search would follow from there.

He turned on his heal, careful not to cross the Brute or the dogs. The other man by his elbow, Andes? Fell in at the rear of the group, and seemed to be taking rear guard. Monte followed the ladies into the shop, and deferred to Tara for conversation.

[Silje Falk]

"Right..." Silje muttered as she watched the man with the itchy trigger finger simply turn and walk away without bothering to return an introduction. She looked to Kas and shrugged. "I guess I didn't want to know his name after all." A grin played out at her own words as she watched the man clad in brown coat follow the rest of the crew with only her eyes, keeping Kas in her peripheral. And then there was the other silent man. She had to hand it to Tara. Most of the people she picked to work around her were the silent type, with the odd one or two talkers.

Dropping back to the end of the line, almost in step with the other silent man of the group, Silje shoved her hands back in her pockets and ambled along. To the casual passerby, she looked as if she were just out for a midday stroll along the streets. Briefly, she paused and looked over the butcher's shop and then laughed softly to herself, having thought of something apparently amusing. "The butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker..." was all she muttered before heading inside.

[Tara Marx]

Tara paused once she stepped up onto the front entry stoop of the Butcher shop. "Okay Silje, Kat and your quest of course with me inside, the rest of you keep an eye out we won't be long and everyone just take a deep breathe and relax. Kaz you watch the dogs, they seemed to take a shine to you." Tara held the door as the rest entered. 

Once inside they caught the eye of the counter help. Tara shared a few words with the man before he motioned toward a heavy wooden door to the right. The door opened into a small dining room where the shop served their choice cuts on special occasions. The room was quite bare with only one window and a long wooden plank table with several uncomfortable looking chairs. The table was set with mix matched clay tableware.

Tara entered first and moved all the way to the far end of the table. She stayed on her feet  facing the others as they entered. Once in and the door closed she began addressing the young lady. "I'm Tara Marx, Captain of Gryphon.....I understand you would like to parley some information for transportation?"

[Katrina Markov]

A smile curled on Kat's lips, as their deception had become clear.  She looked at Silje, a sly smile creeping onto her lips.  "Applogies, if we, misinformed you before...Tara actually....makes the decisions, not Lucky.  So it would be prudent of you to give up Al's location. Now. Right Silje?"

She grinned at her friend and looked back at the girl, the criminal legacy running through her veins, it scared her how good it felt to threaten someone.   She was sure Ophelia felt that way at times as well.  Or perhaps that was just her family, they had a proclivity for violence. Despite her need to help people through her occupation, Kat often felt conflicted, sometimes relishing a little too much as she cut open human flesh and sewed it back together.

[Silje Falk]

"I'm Tara Marx, Captain of Gryphon.....I understand you would like to parley some information for transportation?"

Silje had no sooner gotten 'comfortable' by leaning over and resting her arms across the back of one of the rickety looking chairs than Tara dropped some reality on their young guest. Pursing her lips did nothing to hide the amusement at the situation and her eyes sparkled with unspent laughter. It was several seconds before she risked a glance at the young Ophelia to gauge just how much fury there was brewing in that small figure. If it were her, she'd already be yelling and swearing at the deception, whether it was intentional or not.

"Apologies, if we, misinformed you before...Tara actually....makes the decisions, not Lucky.  So it would be prudent of you to give up Al's location. Now. Right Silje?"

Tilting her head to one side and then rolling her neck so her eye line crossed to Kat, Silje lifted her hands in mock surrender. "Hey, at the time the bargain was struck, Lucky was the one to talk to, ya? Tara's appearance is just a happy accident that changes the major player in the game." Letting her hands drop, the smile broke loose across her face as she shifted her weight causing the brown blonde braid to slip forward over one shoulder. It was next to impossible for the woman to hold back a short laugh.

The situation was serious as Lucky was currently captured and she was starting to note a familiar feeling. It had been a little while since she'd felt this bubbling up and she shot Tara a look. A particular whistle was already starting to echo in her head, causing her to absently stretch her wrists before looking back to Ophelia. The feeling that things were going to get interesting soon put a different glint into her eyes: one that marked her, as Ophelia had mentioned, as a special kind of crazy.

[Ophelia]

"We'll get you both something good to eat. But you have been neglecting your mistress,” Kas said, standing and nudging the dogs away, "Go on, attend her."

Ophelia frowned up at the man, humming softly in thought. Her brows knit with concentration and for half a moment she wished they’d had Kas in their back pocket back home. He would have made an interesting and likely very useful friend to have. “Kas,” she whispered to herself, repeating the name she’d heard a couple of them use when speaking to him. She’d have to remember him…

The dogs reluctantly left Kas’s side, only pulling at their leashes a little in an attempt to follow after him. A soft clicking of her tongue got their attention and they were still once more. “Kas, Kas, Kas, Kas,” she continued murmuring to herself, following in the large man’s wake toward the butcher shop. It wasn’t the fanciest places to have a meeting but she supposed it would do in a pinch.

As she walked, Ophelia turned her head to look at the rest of the group, the dogs eager to follow Kas but now focusing on their environment as they should have been doing before. Their steps were heavy in the dirt, their bodies tense, ready. The girl eyed Monte and Andes curiously, one brow raised as though assessing them. With a little sniff to indicate that they hadn’t stacked up to anything she though would be useful or interesting, the girl turned to face forward again.

“Kaz you watch the dogs, they seemed to take a shine to you,” the strange woman ordered.

Ophelia looked remarkably displeased at the idea of leaving the dogs behind and for a moment, she clasped a hand atop her heart, fingers grasping at the fabric as though she were in pain. Her porcelain face became all the more pale and she had to take several long deep breaths before the color returned to her cheeks. With her lower lip trapped between her teeth, Ophelia looked up at the man, the barest hint of uncertainty on her face. Very carefully, she handed him the leashes and straightened her shoulders, “Don’t take them,” she ordered, although her voice wavered at the last word, making it apparent to him that she was really asking him quite desperately not to take them away. With that, she moved into the butcher shop, following the others into the back room.

"I'm Tara Marx, Captain of Gryphon.....I understand you would like to parley some information for transportation?" Tara asked.

Blue eyes widened and her gaze snapped first to Katrina and then Silje, accusation and anger plain as day in her expression. What little liars they were! Her grip tightened on her data pad, knuckles white with the intensity of her hold. Again she turned to stare in Kat’s direction, her surprise melting into frigid fury, her expression turning to steel and her shoulders relaxing.

“So it would be prudent of you to give up Al's location. Now. Right Silje?" Kat informed her.

”Hey, at the time the bargain was struck, Lucky was the one to talk to, ya? Tara’s appearance is just a happy accident that changes the major player in the game,” Silje defended, with her ever present grin.

Ophelia rolled her eyes at Katrina’s not so subtle threat. She’d heard threats before and they didn’t bother her much. “I’ll tell you his location once I’ve been assured passage. Otherwise,” she lifted her free hand a bit and shrugged one shoulder, staring right back at Katrina, her chin lifting an inch or so in defiance. Already she was far more fond of the crazy wild woman than she was of the chilly ice queen.

[Mattie Rooney]

While the rest of the women -- and the one girl -- flocked inside the butcher shop to discuss important business, Mattie was left outside with the men. She leaned on the wall in a manner that appeared relaxed to the casual observer, but actually allowed her to keep a close eye on her companions and surroundings without drawing attention to herself. Just a group of spacers, loitering around, minding their own business. Now if only Monte would stop giving off those nervous vibes. If this was enough to get him all flustered she wondered how useful he was going to be when the gos-se really hit the fan.

Her gaze was soon drawn to Kas and the two dogs at his feet. It was funny. It wasn't like Mattie was a huge animal lover or anything, and she certainly didn't need any dumb mutts slobbering all over her right now, and yet... she felt almost jealous of the way they'd taken an instant shine on him.

"Wow, you're a real dog whisperer, ain't ya?" she said, forcing her mouth into a hollow half-smile that didn't have any real heart behind. It didn't matter where he came from or what he'd done, the dogs just wanted to shower him with instant love and affection. What difference does it make? They're just dumb animals.

[Monte Furlong]

Monte watched as the group separated, half going inside and the rest, the Brute with the dogs, Anders, Mattie and himself remaining outside. Mattie seemed to relax, and Monte glanced out and away for a brief moment. Sure, he felt uncomfortable. The initial plan of having Lucky be the middle man between him and Tara... it felt like the whole episode was unraveling.

Maybe this whole trip was gorram tal ma before it started. Somehow Big Al was involved. That wouldn't be good.   

He forced himself to relax and turned toward Mattie. "So, I take it Lucky is a good friend? Seems to need to recover him is primary issue. And thoughts on where he might have gotten hijacked?"

He needed some background on this expedition if he was going to be any use.

[Tara Marx]

[INSIDE BUTCHER SHOP]


"I'll tell you his location once I've been assured passage. Otherwise..."

Some gumption this one has... thought Tara, but she was in no mood to play parlor games with a porcelain princess. With a stern face Tara started for the door. "Okay then, see you around kiddo!" It seemed the apple didn't fall far from the tree and Baptist or not she was done having her strings yanked. "Kat and Silje we need to double our efforts." Though not in the mood for games, Tara was now in the midst of her own and gambling the toddler was in desperate need of that ride off world.

[Mattie Rooney]

[OUTSIDE BUTCHER SHOP]

Mattie raised an eyebrow at Monte when he approached her. Of all the people present, why'd he have to choose her as his conversation partner? She glanced at her companions, at Kas's wolf-like demeanor and the tall, alert form of Maley standing guard. I'm the most approachable out of his options, she realized, much to her chagrin.

"So, I take it Lucky is a good friend? Seems to need to recover him is primary issue."

"I s'pose you could say that," Mattie shrugged. "He's like the annoying cousin that gets on your nerves, but you can't just ditch him 'cos he's family."

"And thoughts on where he might have gotten hijacked?"

She shrugged again. If Tara had made the choice to trust this guy, then it probably wouldn't hurt for her to be a little more open with him as well.

"He sent me a wave from that bar we just came from. He must've known he was close to gettin' snatched when he did that. That's all we've got."

Mattie shifted uncomfortably when she thought back to Lucky's message. The nerve of that stupid grinning cowpoke, choosing to disguise his call for help as a sappy love confession, of all things. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Hopefully nobody else would have to watch it now that they'd made it this far.

[Ophelia]

[INSIDE BUTCHER SHOP]

"Okay then, see you around kiddo!" Tara said in parting.

Ophelia's eyes widened and she turned to watch the apparent Captain moving in the direction of the door. Her lips were parted in barely contained outrage, shoulders tense, her free hand grasping a fist full of the front of her lacy dress. They were going to leave her? After all she'd done for them? They wouldn't have known Al had their man if it wasn't for her and so they owed her. Ophelia wasn't in the habit of doing things for strangers for free.

Her hands shook with anger and the blonde looked down at her data pad, tapping her manicured finger against it in several deliberate motions. To anyone looking close enough, it was apparent that she was about to send a message to someone. Her brows were furrowed in concentration, the heel of one foot digging against the floor in frustration.

These people! Liars and deceivers, all of them, she thought to herself. None of them were as honest and upfront as she was. They'd stolen information from her and were going to back out on a deal? After she'd already given them half of their required information? No. No no no. Had her dogs been inside with her, she'd have had them bite the woman's ankles. See her try to walk away from Ophelia with her Achilles tendon in shreds! However, as it was, all she could do was get ready to send out a message to the oh so sweet Al. Her finger hovered over the 'send' button, not yet touching down on the screen.

[Katrina Markov]

[INSIDE BUTCHER SHOP]

Kat, semi shocked by Tara's response, kept her composure. The woman was known for her cunning capabilities and Kat chose to play along. Ophelia however didn't react the way she had expected.  She certainly wasn't unphased, in fact she seemed enraged.  Kat watched her closely as she typed furiously on her pad, and in one swift movement, before Ophelia had a chance to press send, Kat grabbed her by the ear like her mother used to and held her dagger to the girls throat. She had no qualms with the action, sure it was a child, but was it really?

Ophelia wasn't innocent, she was a brat, a mob brat. Which almost made her more dangerous.  Kat gritted her teeth and what could be construed as a snarl came out,

"You're a little crazy, aren't you. Not afraid, think you own the world." She pressed the blade into the girls throat, a cut beginning to form, "Well let me tell you something.  If you don't give the tablet to Silje I will start taking parts of you, piece by piece, and send them to your father. And trust me, you'll be alive, I won't give you the satisfaction of death. Oh no, I'll keep you, and dismember you until there's nothing left. Got it?" Kat looked directly into the girls eyes, conflicted with her actions as a doctor, but as a the member of a prominent crime family that was born into violence she was unphased. Perhaps there was no hope for her after all.

[Silje Falk]

[INSIDE BUTCHER SHOP]

The moment Tara had started towards the door, Silje had rocked herself upright, caught sight of the beginnings of the message being typed on Ophelia's tablet and started to whistle. She stood watching Ophelia and aware of Kat's actions, but just standing perfectly still and whistling a hauntingly, creepy whistle that carried around the room and outside. No other movement betrayed her as she watched the exchange, but her expression slowly changed from the cracked, cheery and relaxed smile to something cold, calculating and almost blank. The glint in her eyes darkened like the skies before an oncoming and violent storm.

Starting around the table her gait was unchanged at first, still the easy saunter but by the time she rounded the end, her shoulders were squared up and she moved like she were stalking prey. Kat laid out her threats as Silje closed in, stopping just short of the pair, but easily within reach of the tablet still clutched in the girls hand. "We could also leave her for whoever it is her dear, dear Uncle was worried would find her. Maybe even broadcast a nice little feed out to the wide, wide verse." Silje's head tilted first one way, then the other with the over emphasis of the word dear, but flashing blue eyes stayed completely locked on Kat's captive.

"Or maybe, Kas and I can have some fun with her dogs and let her listen." A new smile started across Silje's face, dark and wicked as she reached out to pluck the tablet free before another button could be pressed. She didn't bother to look at the tablet or what was written by Ophelia. The tablet was simply held up to her left side, awaiting her captain to take it.

[Tara Marx]

Tara stopped dead in her tracks as Silje and Kat confronted the young lady. "Okay enough! ....give the tablet back. I know we are all a bundle of nerves with Lucky's disappearance, but this is over the top." Tara could tell they weren't getting anywhere fast except deeper in the hole they found themselves in. She drew her attention back to Ophelia... "Sorry about that but you're the best lead we've found to getting our man back, you want a ride you have one." Tara was afraid to say what she was thinking, but with out this girl's information they would most likely never find Lucky....at least not alive.


.

[Ophelia]

[INSIDE BUTCHER SHOP]

Ophelia stiffened and gasped indignantly as her ear was tugged, her body freezing in place once the tip of the blade pressed against her neck. She was less upset about the pain of it than she was indignant that someone was touching her! No one had ever grabbed her like that, let alone someone so clearly beneath her.

"You're a little crazy, aren't you. Not afraid, think you own the world," Kat growled.

Ophelia reached up with one hand to slap the hand holding her ear, her glacial blue gaze locked upon Katrina's own eyes. "No less crazy than you," she snapped back in response, lifting her chin a little as the blade began to cut her skin. It stung, but she would be damned if she'd let the crazy woman see that. Besides, she did own a lot of the world... just maybe not this world.

"Well let me tell you something.  If you don't give the tablet to Silje I will start taking parts of you, piece by piece, and send them to your father. And trust me, you'll be alive, I won't give you the satisfaction of death. Oh no, I'll keep you, and dismember you until there's nothing left. Got it?" Kat asked.

"You first," the girl countered, reaching down to press the fingertips of her other hand against the shimmering belt around the waist of her frilly pink dress. The top of it swung open to reveal the smallest, cutest little Derringer inlaid with silver filigree. It was tiny and likely only had one small round sitting in it, but that was enough to threaten the one threatening her. Pulling it from its place, she set the tip of it against Kat's thigh, where a big healthy artery pumped copious amounts of blood up toward her heart. At the moment, she was content to stay like that, both of them silently threatening one another.

”We could also leave her for whoever it is her dear, dear Uncle was worried would find her. Maybe even broadcast a nice little feed out to the wide, wide verse,” Silje suggested.

Unlike her uncle, Ophelia was not afraid of the people or person coming after her. She wasn't even sure they existed. However, her uncle had been very convinced and he was rarely (if ever) wrong about things like this. Still, she was just young enough and just naive enough not to be too concerned. But maybe, if she had know what was coming for her, she would have been worried. Terrified, even.

”Or maybe, Kas and I can have some fun with her dogs and let her listen,” the whistling demon added.

Baby blue eyes snapped away from Katrina and the gun faltered in her grasp. It was unclear whether the furrowing of her brows was from fear or the furthering of her anger. "Or maybe I can let my dogs have some fun with you?!" she countered, full of overblown bravado and seething rage.. She hadn't known Kas very long, just a few minutes in fact, but he seemed far more willing to rip Ophelia apart by her limbs than he was to hurt her dogs. She was clearly bluffing... she hoped. Besides, she was too angry to be properly afraid. Although she probably should have been.

"Okay enough!...Sorry about that but you're the best lead we've found to getting our man back, you want a ride you have one," Tara told them.

Ophelia looked ecstatic. Not only did she have a ride off world but these two insane women had been scolded (in a way) and she'd won the stand off (in another way). With a pleased wiggling of her shoulders, she took her tiny baby gun off Kat's thigh and snapped it back into place in her belt buckle before reaching her hand out carefully, palm up, for the data pad, a smug look on her angelic face. Of course, she still stayed very still, not wanting to accidentally get her throat slit. 'Accidentally' being the operative word there. "I'm very happy to hear that, Captain," she crooned, "If I have a ride, then you have a location," she promised, beaming brightly at Tara despite the currently dicey situation.