In Search of Secrets - (Bob)

[Zandelia]

Zandelia found herself being led by the arm by Bob, being all but forced to walk along with him or let herself be left behind – and seeing as there were no discernable entrances where she had led them, even after several minutes of searching, it was the only real option open t her at that moment in time. She could not stand the idea of being forced to let this particular trail go cold wit the ravages of time. No, she had to keep her nose to this one and see what could be ferreted out or she would end up burning down a building in frustration, the mission of finding out exactly what had happened to her parents, or rather the reasoning behind it, an all important spark that fuelled her life – and often threatened to engulf it too. Go one then Bob Barton, show me why you are know and what this Killroy’s place is… she thought to herself as she found, to her horror, that he had chosen for them to go in through the front door itself. Her sense of foreboding was quickly compacted with a sense of angry frustration as they were almost immediately stopped in their racks by one of those watching over the door, Degarde’s bodyguards doing the job they were paid for well it seemed – a rare quality in Sunberth indeed. She cursed all of the gods and goddesses she could name inside her head as the acted scene played out in front of her, Bob’s words and the guard’s melding together and entering her head as she thought rapidly and tried to get herself into the character of a woman who would be in a loving relationship with the stumpy man himself. She looked the guard in the eye and let a broad smile creep over her face at the mention of the word ‘present’ and let herself giggle a little in delight – not quite believing that she was doing it at all. “Oh yes sir, do please let us in! I can’t wait to have a look around, browse the wares and get my present,” she spoke in a higher tone than she usually did, putting as much feminine charm into them as she could bring herself to do, “you wouldn’t let me go without my present would you?” she pouted at the man, stroking the side of his cheek with her fingers slightly. He merely shook her off and cocked his head in the direction of the door, letting them pass as simple buyers of the day, probably reasoning the business would not like to lose business because of the likes of himself. Within moments of that they were through the door and into the establishment – which turned out to be a slave market, independently set up from the other markets of course, and as such a very dangerous venture in some ways. It surprised and shocked her, and she could feel that fact keeping her anger in check momentarily, but knew it would now last long. Still, even Degarde has to get his ‘stock’ from somewhere she supposed to herself as Bob led them to a secluded corner to look over some caged men, clothed only in simple sackcloth loincloths. All were hunched in their cages, their eyes downcast and spirits obviously well and truly broken indeed. She pitied them and could almost feel a sense of injustice, or rather she would have done if it were not smothered with a growing fury she was wrestling to keep under control. “Right,” she said through clenched teeth to Bob, “we are in, in a slave trader’s den, and we are expected to buy something. What in the name of Akajia do we do now?!” she all but hissed at him, trying to keep her face calm and thoughtful, as if browsing clothes. Yes, that’s it! I’m not browsing humans, I’m browsing clothing! she tried to convince herself, not quite succeeding and feeling sullied at the same time. “Let’s just get it done. The sooner I get out of this place the more likely it is it’ll be left in tact” she told him quietly, noting his surprise at her unease.

[Bob Barton]

Zandelia's transition from cold professional to giggling carefree girl was a scary one. Especially the giggling and Bob thought that smiling psychotics were scary before this. He wouldn't mind a giggling woman at his side, under normal circumstances but Zandelia? Bob turned his head over to her and the came back shaking his head, "Brrrrrrr" Oh wait, they were in the middle of trying to fool this doorman and here Bob was acting out of character. At least he still allowed them in but just in case, Bob turned back to the doorman and used his hand to cover his mouth from Zandelia. No words came out but Bob tried to make his lips move as much as possible to try and silently convey to the man "thank you"

Like there was nothing wrong, he held on to Zandelia again and with a "come along honey, its time for us to get you a present" as he led her past the door. And her present wasssss...slaves? Alright this was not like Killroy's. Bob was used to working with animals in chains and cages on a daily basis but not people. He was expecting to maybe see some nice little animals, maybe even buy one to keep Jinsen company hoping that Killroy would never find out Bob took his custom elsewhere. So now Bob had to change from appraising animals to appraising people.

Just as he was shocked, Zandelia was angry? Thats what he could tell from the hissing. Now he preferred if she had continued playing his giggling honey. At least Jinsen had it easy just slobbering happily while looking from the other side of the cage for once. Now Bob has to buy something...someone? How? "Are you sure you don't want to choose your own present honey? Alright..."

Bob just pointed out to Zandelia why he did not want each slave they passed by. He was the one supposed to get paid for this job, not him paying for it. "Too depressing..." that one kept looking at the floor. "Too skinny..." with all the bones showing on his skin, and then Bob would have to pay more for food. Yes the man was a slave but Bob was anything but inhuman "and this one is how much?!?" he exclaimed after hearing the price of another. "A f-f-few hundred mizas?!? Honey you don't want this one do you?" conferring the decision to the one getting the present. After all "its your job, and its your cost and responsibility to reclaim it from the ghost" in an intimate whisper to her ear. If he was lucky then maybe now she would tell him who the ghost employer is.

Now "helloooo there!" he purred at one of the slaves. Someone like that would get his eyes anywhere even if the place was a slave market. Just look at her. "Bright, soft skin, curves and curls, a tight..." These slavers really knew how to present their wares. Bob was thinking of changing his mind to get a slave of his own, only... "you sure you don't want that one honey?" Of course Zandelia did not want her. "You sure? I mean..." trying again he described her just the way Bob saw her, repeating the things he said earlier.

No luck with that, and even one of the slavers had the guts to ask a customer "are you sure you are buying a present for your wife? Then she would want someone like this one" showing one of the greatest male specimens Bob has ever seen. It was everything he hated. "Tall, dark, handsome and muscular. A winning smile" you won't see on any slave too. Bob hissed at the ignorant slaver and in anger shouted "you think he is her type? Are you trying to say that I am not good enough?" before going off. Putting too much focus on browsing the slaves really made Bob get into his role as lover to Zandelia.

All these people looked the same and Bob was tired. "If you are not going to make a choice, I am sure Jinsen could do it" he said grabbing the leash from Zandelia and releasing the dog. Sure enough it went to one of the slaves it had its eyes on. A little boy. Lucky Bob made a scene that he was buying the slave for Zandelia or he would have looked like some deviant right there and then. "Looks like he found your present then" so it looks like Bob's job was done which was to get them in. Its Zandelia's game now. "Anything you want to ask about your present?"

[Zandelia]

Zandelia could not believe what was unfolding in front of her eyes, powerless to control the events, as Bob took the lead and all but dragged her from person to person – from slave to slave. He gave out instructions, pontificated upon the merits and failings of each one as if he were an expert on the purchasing of ‘human cargo’ in the dingy rooms of independent slave markets. She rather hoped that that was not the case as sit would mean a very dramatic and abrupt ending of their ‘friendship’ at the end of this day’s ventures. She did not want to have to kill those who, up until a few moments ago, she had been growing quite fond of – in a professional light. Still, business was business – but rage encompassed all things throughout Mizahar. After all, don’t they say rage fuelled the Valterrian? she thought to herself, trying to find distraction after distraction to stop her rigid control from slipping. She let her emerald green eye wander, but that merely made things worse as it came to rest upon piles of filth, the rusty metal of cages and the coarse hemp ropes used to restrain those who had not yet been ‘broken in’ for their new lifestyles. She could see her own emotions reflected in the gazes of those not yet bent and bowed, their hatred burning like so many glistening suns inside their eye-sockets. She wished that she could join them in their stand of anger, but she forced herself to keep up her act as Bob’s partner, tittering here and waving her hands foppishly there, all the while seeing the guard and the shopkeeper – the only people in the ‘room’ at present. She guessed that Degarde was out the back somewhere, doing a deal. Or perhaps he owned the place and was counting out his mizahar’s with gluttonous glee. “Oh yes! Let’s get the boy, let’s! I always wanted a strapping lad to help out with the workloads dear! Ooohhhh, with a bit of fine velvets and a wash or three and he could be a darling!” she cooed at the boy, winking at him as if she were over the moon as she pulled his chin this way and that, as if studying his looks. She ended by ruffling his hair and patting his cheek, “And we need tog et that door locked and barred to continue” she mouthed at Bob briefly, hoping that he got the message as he asked her if she had any questions. And there’s my cue! she told herself with a streak of barely controlled madness, feeling murderous, icy cold shift into her veins instead of the fiery anger that had been there before. “Why yes I do have some questions. I must go and see the shopkeeper about them darling. Do stay here and deal with the boy won’t you? I know how you like to tell them how the world is dear” she continued, letting a bit of womanly scorn and tedium sift into her tone of voice as she looked up at the ceiling as if asking for strength and approached the counter. As she approached she assessed the situation, seeing a heavy door behind the counter – where Degarde must have gone as it was the only exit she had seen so far – and the shopkeeper between her and it, along with the solid oak counter, scarred and scratched from much coin having been slapped down upon it no doubt. To the shopkeeper’s left, and her right, stood the single guard – seeming for all the world to be a giant one-man army. He towered over them all, almost 7 foot tall, she estimated, and armed to the teeth with weapons she could not even recognize. She would have to find a way to get rid of him, she knew, but how that would be she did not know at that precise moment. “Now! We want that boy over there man, but first I have some questions. I don’t mean any disrespect, you understand, but there are questions we all ask,” she began, not giving him any time to speak and taking his full attention, “well I need to know how old e is, whether he knows nay skills, the last time he had a wash, whether he has any illnesses. How are his teeth do you know? Can he run, jump, walk? He’s not un-natural is he? I should hope not!” she continued, rattling off a great number of phrases and questions that she could think of. Come on Bob! Do something! I can’t keep his bloody attention forever she thought to herself as she kept up her drivelling and imperialistic façade in as good a manner as possible.

[Bob Barton]

"...................." Bob was still shocked at how fast this woman can change from anger to false happiness, or was it the other way around? With woman you can never tell. They were always very...fickle and yet as a man you can never have enough of them. Bob saw that Zandelia for a few moments were focused to the slaves in the less savory side of the stock. "Just like Killroy's..." he mumbled to himself. It would seem that human stock was not much different from animals seeing how both choose to keep those ready to be sold and those not. "You don't want those honey, they will never do for my precious!" Bob said stroking his "woman" to bring her attention back to the boy.

She did know that she was paying for the boy right despite the show they were putting on for the others? "I suppose, he could also use some meat in him if he is going to be put to work." That part was sincere. He looked pretty pitiful but Jinsen took a liking to him and so did Zandelia? Maybe. If Bob really had to end up with the boy then he was going to have to...take care of him? First a dog and then now a boy? A dog he could do but not a boy that was for sure. Nope, "this strapping lad is all yours to help with your work" even after this job.

Wait, locked and barred? How did she expect Bob to do that? There was that shopkeeper she was headed towards and a guard right beside him as far as Bob could see along with a multitude of slaves. Bob was pretty sure that the final group won't give any problems to whatever Zandelia was planning to do. But Bob did not know what the plan was and before he could ask Zandelia any further she was already talking to the shopkeeper leaving him to lock the door and deal with the boy telling him the world was dear whatever that means.

He needed to figure everything on his own. A leader should do a better job at telling her subordinate what she wanted doing but noooooo. First was why would she want the door locked and barred. Was it to keep someone out or someone in, or maybe both? Delgarde was inside this shop, he saw him entering and unless Bob and Zandelia wasted too much time outside to find an alternative entrance this was where he stayed. Or the four guards following Delgarde, one was in here and the other three was...outside. That was it! Now that Bob knew what was going on, he could work on doing what she wanted him to do.

And put the fifty mizas to work right away! Bob was going to tell the boy just how dear the world was now. "So boy, can you talk?" apparently not since he just nodded or it could just be how he was trained as a slave. It was imperative that Bob knew what the boy thought so he asked again "can you talk? Or Jinsen" which was the dog attempting to get the boy's attention "won't get the new friend he wants" to try and explain to the boy what chance he would be missing.

After he got the answer it was "time to find out what you can do." This was not for any of those slavey slavey things the boy would have to do but for what Bob wanted him to do next. Simple things like "can you run? Do you know how to navigate Sunberth? Do you like dogs?" Yes dogs are important otherwise why would Bob keep one around him and Jinsen was going to be important for the boy whether he knew it or not.

Bob looked back at how Zandelia was doing with the distraction. Pretty well, guess that was how it is for someone who work in the field she did. It was like she knew everything she needed to know about slaves unlike Bob who just knew how to point out the flaws in people. Back to the boy. Regardless what he answered for Bob's questions which he felt was kind of alright he was going to have to act and "here is the plan..." a very foolish plan which was "you're going to take Jinsen and run out of here as fast as possible so that the mean men won't get you." That's right, little boy was going to work to escape. "Jinsen knows where you should go and once you get there you wait for me" and if he does not "unless you think you can take a chance by yourself in Sunberth and escape me while I hunt you down" even with his lack of skills in that he always could do it "with my friends." Yes Bob alone won't seem much of a threat but the suggestion that he had friends should convince the boy better.

Now that the boy had his instructions, it was time to give Jinsen's. "Take him home Jinsen, and stay there until I come." Home was an easy concept for Jinsen since Bob normally took him out with him most of the time and made Jinsen lead him back home to Killroy's Kennels where "you'll get some food too alright?" Yes, besides eating Jinsen did nothing. Sometime Bob was hoping to remedy like teaching it how to lead people to places, a skill he was testing out today. Done, he gave a little nod to the boy and whispered into Jinsen's ear "go!"

Once Jinsen pulled the boy out the door, Bob toppled himself to the back and screamed out loud with an "Arrgh!" Alright boy, if you don't run now you are going to get caught. Two of the guards came in from outside where Bob gave a cold glare yelling "What are you waiting for? That boy escaped and stole my dog, get him!" Stupid, stupid, stupid plan! Only one of the guards ran out and the other one was helping Bob up. That was not part of the plan, now how was he going to get the door locked?

Still playing the part, Bob told the guard to "take me to her..." allowing the guard to lead him to Zandelia. There he gave a little sob and told her "the boy...that ungrateful ingrate...he ran, and he took Jinsen!" and put his arms around her sad to give a whisper "I can't lock the doors now but the other two gave the chase I think. What now?"

[Zandelia]

The next few moments were passed in exquisite agony for Zandelia, trying by sheer force of mental willpower to both control her emotions and keep talking to the shopkeeper – keeping him so occupied and bombarded with questions and phrases that he was both unable to focus upon anyone but herself and feeling his concentration slip under her mountain of verbal diatribe. She knew that she had not exactly been forthcoming with Bob, her partner in subterfuge this day, but there really was little to tell him. She, herself, did not know what to do in their current situation. She felt a pang of guilt that she had merely told him to deal with a situation and given no hints or instructions, however she had none to give. They were trapped here, trapped like rats – the only way out to forge onwards as a ‘happy couple’, and though it made her blood feel as if it were about to shoot from her ears it was something she stuck to – with tooth and nail. I’m doing my best Bob, but please do whatever you can think of soon! I’m running out of steam here…and breath she thought to herself, watching the shopkeeper’s eyes begin to droop with boredom and frustration. His guard was all but comatose from boredom too, she noted with interest – they could use that to their advantage, a bored guard being a complacent one, and a useful observation. Then chaos was unleashed, after a fashion. She heard a ruckus from behind her, but ignored it and forged onwards – locking the shopkeeper to his spot as the guard next to him investigated Akajia knew what, but she was willing to bet was Bob’s doing. The guard soon returned, the shopkeeper now looking decidedly worse for wear, and Bob and another guard came with him – the second guard all but standing behind Bob as his small head came to rest upon her arm and his words tumbled forth – her mind trying to comprehend and process them at as rapid a speed as it could. She put a look of commiseration upon her face, placing her lips close to his ear as she put on a show of sugary comfort for their present company. “Oooohhh darling, I’m sure the nice men will get him back – don’t you worry. They had strapping men at the door didn’t they? Hey? Yes, yes they will get back your beloved Jinsen, don’t you fear!” she cooed to him, watching the guard’s faces twist with distaste and their eyes wander at her display of public over-affection. She took the opportunity to come up with and communicate a plan to the short man she was crouched next to – something she hoped would give them the opportunity to not only get the doors under their control, but also dispose of their obstacles. Right, here’s what I need you to do Bob. That guard behind you, right? He’s not paying any mind to you now, and I know you must have some weapons about you. A smooth turn and a swift strike and he’s down – if you can do it without causing much noise then all the better. You leave the other guard and the shopkeeper to me, I’ll get rid of them. You’ll know when to strike, I’ll go for the guard first. Be ready she whispered to him, now letting a look of thunderous scorn cross her countenance as she reared herself back up to her feet and put on as much of an air of affronted vengeance as she could. “And how do you explain this then shopkeeper? Good customers, paying for goods I might add! Robbed of their precious little pet and shoved aside like so much dirt! I’m offended!” she spoke imperiously, pointing a finger under his nose when she had gotten directly in front of him. “All we wanted was a little helper, a darling around the house, and now we have less money and no helper either,” she continued, her legs taking her around the counter now and storming towards the man as if she were truly a woman scorned, “I do hope that you are planning on reimbursing us man or there’ll be more shoving going on today, that there will!” she slapped him verbally, this time prodding his chest. His hands were in a reproaching position, his eyes darting from side to side. “And YOU!” she turned on the guard who had been watching the counter display before, walking up to him now a step or two,” what do you think you’re doing! Just standing there like a great OAF!” she finished, pushing her hand onto his chest firmly – only this time she clicked the hidden mechanism around her wrist and her spring blade slipped out and cut into him. She had chosen her spot well, the soft spot above where the clavicle’s met, a place that was not only lethal but would stop the guard from making much more than a gurgling noise as he fell and died. She did not wait to watch that, however, using the element of surprise gained from a situation shifting from ‘appeasing the scorned woman’ to ‘dying guards’ to it’s fullest. She span around and strode towards the shopkeeper, his eyes confused and frazzled now, pulling her assassin’s beads from their belt pouch. She swiftly pulled them apart, and with one motion lopped them around his neck, pulling them tight. Before he knew it – surprise a startling useful to she was learning now – she was behind him and he was all but dead as she pulled harder upon the beads, cutting them into his flesh, deeper and deeper in their gouging brutality. I only hope that Bob’s dealt with his problem as swiftly and quickly as I know that he can she thought to herself as the shopkeepers hands tried to feebly pull her hands apart behind his neck to save his rapidly ceasing lifeforce.

[Bob Barton]

One short exchange later, or a long depending on how a person looks at it and Bob actually found that there was a real plan to all of this so all that lovey dovey act was not that big a waste after all. Still it was very disturbing especially with a woman like this but Bob had to act professional since there was money to be made. When she started whispering, he moved a little closer and started giggling. Yes giggling for good reason. It was the only way to hide the fact that she was whispering as much as he didn't want to do it. It actually made it look like he was really enjoying this.

Once more she got up without giving him a chance to say or do anything to go and do her own thing. If this was how them working together was going to be Bob would seriously reconsider any such opportunity in the future. It was infuriating that he always had to think out on his own what he needed to do and how he was going to do it. Bob gave a smile at the guard who showed his distaste earlier and told him "don't look away now but that is what I love about her and I always love watching how she handles all these problems. I'm so sorry for your friend though but there is something about that anger which is so captivating" continuing on as the disgusting lovestruck partner.

Then it started. Zandelia was really working it as dissatisfied customer. Bob took this opportunity to get closer to the guard that he was supposed to beat. Zandelia was crazy if she thought that this was going to work. He was so big compared to the small Bob. Standing on his toes he tried to tell the guard silently "once she gets started like this its hard to get her to stop..." They looked at the scene for a little while before Bob decided to try and avert the guard from what Zandelia would do. If Bob was going to know straight away when he was supposed to strike based on whatever sign it was that Zandelia did not tell him about, the guard besides him would pick up on it too and that won't work well for him.

Bob held on the guard's shoulder to spin him around away from Zandelia. "It is all your faults really, Jinsen..." he said with a little sniffle. "Besides her, he is the only other companion I got and...and...your little boy stole him..." he said wiping off a non-existent tear. "Did you know how I got him? He was just a puppy. A cute white ball of fur..." actually not, Bob got it for free from Hannah and that was a woman he'd rather be with compared to Zandelia. "Yes, I found him in a box on my doorstep" which was stupid because who would actually do that in Sunberth? The rats would eat it alive and if the guard was a true Sunberth man, he will know that something is amiss. "And then one day" he said in a voice which got higher "when I was walking him out, he ran away from me and bowled her over." Who was that? It was "my darling. The dog is very special to me my friend. He was what brought me and my honey together." One of the more horrible things Bob had to make up. It would be accepted more easily in somewhere like Syliras, but not here.

Saying that he looked back hoping to see the signal and he saw that Zandelia was already chocking the shopkeeper with her beads. Spotting the dead body on the ground Bob could only wonder how did he miss all of that? The better question was that how did the guard beside him miss all of that too? This woman could be a lot more worse than Antar was and he could not let the guard which was turning his head back to see that too. Quickly he stammered out to catch his attention "please...help me back up. I...I...sob..."

As soon as the guard had his hand to pull Bob up, Bob took the opportunity to pull him back down to the ground with it. But Bob was a midget with not much strength. So at the same time his trusty canesword that he always had on hand came sweeping at the guard's leg. The man could only shout "Whaaaaa-?" before he came crashing down to the ground loudly at which point Bob quickly got up himself.

Bob's expression and voice changed just like his position. He drew the sword hidden in the cane and pointed it at the man's throat. "It would be a shame for someone who would listen through that pile of shyke to die now would it?" He was trying to get back up despite a sword at his throat? He didn't agree with what Bob thought? Then he'll get something to think about. With the cane on his other hand, Bob swept it back towards the downed guard's side and started to repeatedly hit it so that he won't be able to get back up when he was through. "Is it?" he asked again.

Once he had beaten the guard into submission, he will go back to Zandelia but he was not foolish enough to leave a potentially dangerous man alone. Still keeping the sword at the throat Bob looked around. This was a slaver's den so there should be something to bind those that are already subdued. "Degarde, that cheap bastard!" he cursed. For a slaver's den the only thing that Bob could find were ropes. Those will have to do. Rapping the cane at the guard's leg Bob told him to "get up and head to the ropes."

"Now show me your hands behind you. That a good man" and Bob quickly tied up the guard's hands behind him. It that was not bad enough, he took a second rope. "Its not me, its you" really. Bob wound the rope around the guard's head pulling it as tightly as he could at the mouth to try and stop his jaw from moving properly. A few loops here and a few loops there he was done. "I'll probably release you" eventually along with all the other slaves here and if he was lucky he might actually be alive after this.

[Zandelia]

The series of events were over quick enough, though they never could have been as quick, nor as silent as Zandelia could ever desire – though in that regard it could be stated factually that her emotions were beginning to get in the way of the undertaking before them. Still, killing the guar and the shopkeeper had eased the rage within her, tempering it with their cold blood, and the immediate danger of her losing control of herself had now passed – though when it would rear its presence once more within the slaver’s den was a matter for the sages to ponder indeed, as Zandelia never knew its coming or goings – not beyond its link to slaver and related aspects. However, for now she could feel the red mists ebbing away and becoming docile, their thirsts slaked and urges acted out upon. Still, she was letting her pondering take up her precious time, and in the current field of play that was a deadly mistake – quite literally. Pull it together woman! You’ve come this far, and Degarde is here somewhere! Get a hold of yourself she berated herself within her mind, a sour look flickering across her countenance as she toed the guard’s legs aside and took a few moments to sift through the shopkeeper’s apron and pockets – searching for the keys she hoped he would have. “Bob,” she hissed, trying to keep her voice as low and clear for him as possible, looking around and seeing him finishing off the knots of a roped up man, “search his pockets for any keys or something!” she finished, making a note to herself that the guard would have to die like the others. He could identify them after all. Her fingers finally hooked around cold metal, and tearing it from the shopkeeper’s pocket she all but exclaimed with glee as she saw it was a set of three keys around a rather rusty ring of what was probably iron, or used to be at any rate. She had succeeded in her task and now found herself leaping towards the door, eyeing it over to see how best to secure it. She knew that the lock would help, but that it would be easy enough to break down with two men hammering on it – not to mention that as much time they could buy for themselves would be precious. Still, she began by closing the door firmly into it’s frame, sliding the padlock into place through it’s sturdy – strangely grime free – fittings, snapping it shut and turning one of the keys until it clicked audibly. A bar too, of wood she noted, her eyes finally coming to rest upon the wooden slots either side of the door, and the bar itself leaning in a nearby corner. This too she slammed in place, hoping it would add a few more moments to their time. “Bob, we need a way to buy more time. That damned door is as secure as it can get without some bloody props too, but it won’t last long. Think we can buy ourselves a bit more? Any ideas at all?” she asked him, willing to try anything he could think of, aware that the guards would very soon be returning to find themselves locked out of their own place of employment. As she awaited a response from him, thoughtful as he always was, she strode over to the other prone guard, the one he had tied up, crouching down in front of him. She showed him her index finger, pointing upwards, and swayed it from side to side in front of him. He watched it with his eyes, his head unable to move at all. She then stopped, twisted her hands around and triggered the spring blade for his benefit. His eyes widened in sudden fear and he struggled against his bonds. She rapped his forehead with her knuckles, the blade concealed once more, to stop his spectacle. “Now, you are alive for now, but you try anything stupid and you’re a dead man. I don’t give a damn about slavers or their guards, so just think about that before any attempt at heroics. Heroics can be very…messy” she growled at him, leaving him be after that and walking over to the other guard to systematically loot his body. He’s got more weapons than an armoury, but some will be useful to me if most aren’t she told herself as she picked him over – a vulture over a corpse. In the end she managed to find a few crude throwing knives and a bandolier for them. She had never used such a weapon before, however it might make her look more intimidating to Degarde – and if that was the case then it was all well and good by her. She looped it over her shoulder and counted the blades – which were a grand total of three in number. “Bob, you got anything? Because if you don’t then I’m going out back to take care of Degarde now. We don’t have a lot of time I would think” she asked him again, fully ready to continue on now.

[Bob Barton]

Search his pockets - buy more time - get everything. Zandelia may not look like it and tried to act with all the killing on her own but she was one. A woman, unmistakable with her demanding trait of asking Bob what to do. But since Bob did not know what to actually do in this situation he deferred to her judgement and quickly got to searching the guard for...something. Zandelia should have waited for Bob to finish securing his new prisoner before asking him to do something else because even if the gag on the mouth was tight, he rushed through the one for the hands and while not loose either a lot of effort would be enough for the guard to break out of it.

"Don't mind me" Bob told the man. Humming as he rummaged through the pockets. Money pouch? "I'll take that" as part of my share as promised. Some other weapons more or less the same as the ones Zandelia found that Bob did not have much interest with, he threw to the side towards the other slaves and told them "my gift to you, see if you can do anything with it" like get out of your bonds and help the rest of your friends. He just hopes that they were not too broken to think of that for themselves or it would be even more cruel for Bob to release them into the streets of Sunberth alone.

And there was an interesting find. Not a key but looks valuable all the same. "What is this for?" he asked the guard until he realized that the man was still gagged so "no need to answer that, sorry" and pocketed the item despite the man's silent protests. "I found something, but its not a key" he told Zandelia but knowing what the something is for would have to wait for when Bob had a lot more time to spare, while not in a dangerous situation like this.

Bob watched on as Zandelia locked up the door. Locking out all those other guards he sent on the chase but locking them in as well. He could not help but wonder how was Jinsen and the boy doing since he used them to get the guards away. With any lucky they should already be waiting back at Killroy's until Bob returned. "Curses..." he complained after rubbing on his temples. He could barely take care of a dog and now he found that he was responsible for a boy. Not in the sense of a parent or a guardian but now that Bob has released him into the outside world he would have to at least make sure the boy can survive by himself. Another problem to take care of once he was done with this one.

This one meaning that Zandelia wanted to secure the door even more. "Isn't it enough?" Anymore and they would find it hard to get out as the guards would want to get in. Bob was lost in his thoughts as Zandelia made her threat to the captive guard. There was nothing else around...the only thing this place was full of was slaves. He could release some of them to stand guard but he did not trust them at all. The submissive ones would run away at the first signs of trouble. The willful ones might just take the chance to escape while Bob and Zandelia did their business with Delgarde, making it easier for those guards to come back and get the drop on them.

Thinking more, with a lot of slaves there needed to be a lot of things to keep them with. Bob looked around again and saw that there were maybe a few loose ropes, empty cages, chains...how did he miss those for the guard? He voiced out these options to Zandelia but not the flaws that he already knew about just to make himself seem more valuable and possible get more out of this whole job. "We could move a cage in front of the door" but it will waste too much of their time and two guards would have an easier time moving it back compared to a midget and a woman "or we can chain the door" to what? It will just break together with the door once the guards game.

The situation called for another one of Bob's expertise. Not for work, but more as a hobby and it was pranking. He took a rope and a few daggers and showed them to Zandelia with a grin telling her his plan which was "these ropes we tie across the floor as low as possible and trip anyone who comes in" meaning the guards "and the daggers we stick on the floor upright to..." she should get the idea of what would happen without Bob needing to tell her.

When she agreed after wastefully disagreeing with the idea, Bob got to work. At both sides of the door he tied the rope and flicked on it with a "TWANG!" to see how hard it was. Hard enough to trip someone to their doom, or a lot of pain on the daggers that he fixed on the floor. Those were a little harder to do. But with a little ingenuity of putting the hilts into the chain links, Bob was able to make a short line of daggers pointing up and showed his work to Zandelia. "It won't stop them but it will hurt them once they got in." That should be good enough for her.

"I have everything I want", not need because Bob only needed the weapons he got hidden on him. Unless she gave him more time to look around, he would follow her in and on to Delgarde. Somehow he had the funny feeling that they got sidetracked on their job...

[Zandelia]

Zandelia nodded to Bob, taking a deep breath or two to settle herself, letting the tingling sensation of her crackling nerves depart from her body and mind – in essence clearing her entire being of anything other than the moment in question, the present and what she had to do in a few moments time. She did not want her mind and body to betray her, to slip up in some manner and end up getting her killed. Degarde was a man who had information. It was a simple equation to her as long as she removed all personal connotations from the scenario. Degarde had information, she needed that information and she would more than happily kill him to get it. She closed her eye momentarily and then opened it slowly, cold murderous justice in its depths now – rather than the inferno of hatred that had been there previously. She looked down at Bob and smiled to him faintly, nodding once more as she pulled out the Tonfa from their holsters at the small of her back, placing their handles in one hand, ready to use one in each hand if she needed to. “Bob, I just want you to know that you have been of great use today, and I thank you for your involvement. That said, let’s go and kill us a slaver” she finished, turning upon her heels and striding her way toward the door behind the counter. She came to a stop, licked her lips as she placed her hand upon the handle, motioning for Bob to put his back against the wall, and turned it smoothly, pushed the door open and pressed her back to the wall, shifting her weapons so that there were now one in each loosely gripped fist, almost lovingly cradling their cold metal forms. She could hear nothing from the other room at first, and her heart skipped a beat as a striking fear of failure pierced its very depths briefly. That passed after a few moments as a grunt from the adjacent room became audible, along with the chink of metal upon metal, possible coins of some variety she surmised – though here she could not be sure entirely. At least, she hoped, there would be monetary gin today with which to pay for Bob’s services. “Hey! Didn’t you hear me Jallan! What are you playing at you fool, just come on in!” Degarde’s voice shouted out, anger now seeping into his tone. “Right! Fine! You interrupt me without need and I’ll beat you for no reason!” Degarde continued in a tirade of resentment that was all but palpable. Zandelia heard the whisk of metal on metal this time as a scrape that could only be a chair being pushed back across floorboards gated over it quickly. It meant that Degarde would be armed, but they were ready for that and he was not aware anything was amiss as of yet. His footsteps almost echoed in her ears, accompanied by her heartbeat, as her ears strained to judge his position. The sounds came closer, closer and then were right next to her. As she saw his boot begin to enter the room she flicked out the Tonfa in her right hand, closest to the door, and let the handle spin in her palm, bringing the back of the cold iron shaft out and brutally letting it smash into the bridge of Degarde’s nose. This was only the first move and as the man reeled back onto his back foot, a shout torn from his throat, she brought the Tonfa back into its initial cradle, the shaft running up her forearm, and followed him into the room. Time to take you down you bastard! her ice-cold thought process told her impassively. She suited her thoughts by closing upon him, flicking first her left Tonfa out to connect with his right temple, shifting that back and turning the momentum into a resounding crack to his left temple with the other one. That was easy enough to pull back from, and disorientated and all but unconscious now Degarde was easy pickings for a punch to his solar plexus with the head of her left Tonfa, his body curling up around it, his chin meeting an upwards strike from her other weapon. He dropped, a dead-weight, and she kicked him in the ribs for good measure, feeling with some satisfaction, one of them crack. “Alright Bob, looks like we’re all ready to loot the place of what we need. You look around for anything valuable you can find. Money, small items, there’s got to be a few things. I’ll finish this one off and gather up all of his paper artefacts” she told the short man, crouching down by the prone Degarde and searching him for anything of value in terms of information. Finding nothing she shrugged and took out her father’s knife, her only family memento now but for her jumbled memories. She looked at it for a minute or two, letting the light play across it’s blade, the metal glistening gently – almost warmly. She scowled at it, wishing that things had been different for her, and then stabbed it down into Degarde’s back several times, making sure to puncture as many vital organs as were hittable without getting into the rib cage. That done she wiped the blade upon the hem of his cloak and re-sheathed it back into her boot, gently and softly. That’s for you father…mother she thought to herself as she made her way to Degarde’s desk and opened his drawers, one by one. There were many papers, far too many to sift through and choose. She knew she would have to take them all, and she suited her actions by piling all of the correspondence she could find into one singular pile, stacking it as neatly as possible. It made a stack perhaps three inches thick and she knew that carrying it about in the open would merely attract too much attention. She cast her single green eye around the room for something to carry it within, but found nothing until she opened another draw to find several scroll cases – designed for carrying a large number of missives judging by their sheer size, and grinned to herself. She set about rolling the papers up, chunk at a time, and slipping them into the cases. They were makeshift things, not professionally made she knew – possession one herself. The stingy man had probably had one of his guards make it as something rough yet serviceable rather than of any intrinsic value. “Right Bob, I’ve got what I need and we have one less slaver in the city. Hope you’ve found something of value as we need to get out of here as quick as possible” he spoke out to him, the three cases now looped around her shoulder and rattling at her hips.

[Bob Barton]

With what Zandelia had said, Bob felt that he was being used. Not that it was bad in anyway but it was kind of rude the way she told him that. Actually he should not be only ranked as a great since he had to do most of the work. All Zandelia did was kill and if Bob wanted to work with someone like that he knew a pair of savages who would do it, and a lot more better too. That being said "that is all? I thought that I would..." then he realized something. "Wait, wait, wait, kill a slaver?" That wasn't what Zandelia told him to do earlier. Come to think of it, "Since when does research..." involve killing slavers and their henchman? But before he could ask, Zandelia already went on towards the door.

Normally in situations like this Bob would walk straight out of the other door. However this situation was anything but normal. There were two corpses on the ground, a tied up hostage and some wild slaves who expected that they would be released soon. Just their begging and hounding were enough to make Bob unable to evaluate his other options but he still knew what the other option is. Unbarricading the front door and walking out which is dangerous in more ways than one. Besides from the other guards who would be coming back after failing to catch Bob's distraction, there is Zandelia who has just demonstrated just how good she was at killing and if Bob should jeopardize her slaver killing there was no doubt she will turn on him. Not to mention that Bob has already committed so much by adding Jinsen to the distraction as well.

That was how Bob ended up with his back on the wall at the woman's command who was even more terrifying and dangerous than all the slavers in the building combined. He will just stay there as quietly as possible in hopes that the big bad in the building won't notice him. Like an statue Bob stood watch over the entire store. The slaves and the guard won't do much. What he was more concerned about was the door. What would he do if the other guard's burst in? Would they attack him first...or would they attack Zandelia first? To make the choice easier for them, Bob switched from the wall to the counter only peeking a little bit above it so that if the guards really came back, they won't be able to see him first unless they were really looking for him.

It wasn't that hard for Bob to hide himself with all that noise that Zandelia was making with her research, if she was researching how to crack nuts and the nut was probably Delgarde. The tougher he is the more he was going to get hurt anyway and if Zandelia was going to make that much noise, Bob could risk just a little bit more. Quietly inching towards the doorway Zandelia was at he peered through seeing the final blow to the chin she made. Delgarde was going to feel that in the morning and now that the violent job was over, Bob did not have to hide anymore. He got up and walked over to her and then she ordered him to loot the place.

Always with the orders but this order sounded pretty good especially if "this looting is not part of the fifty right?" Bob already knew how the money and spoils were going to be divided but he had to make sure one last time. "Its good that you remembered what your job is too" which meant not killing the slaver though with all that crunching noises, Bob was not that sure. While Zandelia was searching Delgarde for items of value for information, Bob was searching for items of his own. Valuable only in terms of mizas.

So what would a person find in a slavers office? Not the papers on his desk. Bob only needed to see the stack to guess what it might be. Boring bills, contracts and suppliers. Killroy dealt with animals and Delgarde with people but the logistics should be pretty much the same. As much as Bob would like to learn how the business was run there were more important things to attend to...like loo..."OH MY GODS ZANDELIA!" he squealed once he caught his eyes on "Delgarde has a trophy like this?!?" Being a slaver might have been a distasteful job but Bob could not deny Delgarde's good taste in what he chooses to display in his office. It could be just his way of showing how well he is doing to potential customers or show his enemies just how good he is. Either way it is Bob's now.

But that will never be enough looting and Bob still had to look around. Zandelia was already at the desk with the boring papers. While she was sorting them out, Bob had to see if there is anything else he can go through. A few other things on display, books, weapons, "but where does he keep the good stuff?" he asked Zandelia who was far too busy to answer him. No matter, there are always other people who can tell him. Even if they were not here he always tried his best to remember what they said.

One of the stories he heard before, about a true villain much like poor Delgarde here was that they are so paranoid that they always kept their treasures around just that it was hidden. So Bob started clomping around the room, trying to see if he can hear anything different like a hollow sound for a hidden compartment or a heavier sound for a hidden container but there was no such luck. Where else can Delgarde hide his things. Ah ha! Bob knew that there just had to be a reason why with that nice trophy he found earlier Delgarde had such bad tastes in paintings on the wall.

Bob started tearing down all those paintings on the wall and looking through them. A noisy job which hid the sounds of Zandelia doing the service of ending Delgarde's pitiful life. Bob gave his own free service to Delgarde to beautify his office so whatever Bob found he would take as services rendered, and he did find something. A safe, but it was "locked. Petch! Can you open it Zandelia?" and if she couldn't "maybe you found a key which would fit in here while looking through Delgarde and his desk?" because if there was no key on either, Bob had absolutely no idea where else he might find they key and sadly enough they would lose out on the loot.

When everything was settled it was time to leave. "Yes I found plenty but what did you mean by..." Oh no you didn't Zandelia. One less slaver is bad. She just made Bob an accomplice to killing Delgarde. Now what was he going to do? For that he was going to have to ask his mystery employer for more pay later as safety charges but now it was time to escape with all these things that he had to carry on his own.

OOCYou decide if you want to open the safe. This whole thing is a bit messed up because I want to go to bed now. Nighty night!