Chapter - Favors (Assassin)





Anshal reclined on a torn, threadbare couch trying to look relaxed while reading a large book. The book was old and leather bound with fraying edges.

            "I don't take charity cases," he said casually. He didn't take his eyes from the discolored pages to look at the hooded group that had entered his front room. "You five will have to go to Keelan in the East District. He's less expensive for what you want." He nearly spat the last two words.

            The five robed men exchanged glances with each other. They seemed confused that the makeshift man would dismiss them so quickly. One of the five opened his mouth to protest, but was quickly interrupted.

            "Though I will talk to you," Anshal pointed blindly. The smallest of the six stood in the center of the circle and could have been easily missed by anyone, being a full foot shorter than the others. Their face was hidden and seemed to be covered in shadow. Anshal lifted his head and peered down the length of his arm at them. The small figure stepped forward and the man who had begun to speak before opened his mouth again. The small figure turned and hissed at him in a foreign tongue.

"''Terrak mor eame! Vas kehmon." ''

            The man shut his mouth and snapped to attention, fuming, as the small figure turned back to Anshal. Anshal placed a scrap of paper in his book and closed it. He stood and walked to a white wooden door on the back wall that was chipped so badly, there was more door exposed than painted surface.

            "Step into my office," he said as he held the door open for the small figure to enter first. Anshal followed, glaring over his shoulder at the men making sure they had no intention of listening in. He bolted the door fast behind him. When he turned, the figure had removed the hood of their cloak. Stood before him was a beautiful woman with skin that glowed like the full moon. Her blonde hair was nearly white and reached just past her shoulders and framed her high cheekbones and slender face. Anshal gave a start when he found her eyes[, the color of green gems,] piercing into his own.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">            "Hello, Agatha. You're looking lovely as ever," Anshal said to his guest. He hated having her anywhere near him and wished she had never come.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"And you look so…" she looked around the room, smirking. There was a simple cot on the floor in the corner with a worn woolen blanket haphazardly hanging from the edge. A half open wardrobe spilled it's guts of mismatching clothing that would have looked nice in their heyday. The only thing with some sort of order were the stacks of books that took up several of the other walls of the small bedroom. One or two small shelves held particularly old looking volumes and several were held in expensive looking amber glass cases. "…so...very homely." Her voice was silken.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"I have you to thank for that." Anshal grinned over gritted teeth. I wish she had never come here, the old hag.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">            "Oh, nonsense," Agatha fained blushing, "You were the one illegally distributing. This is your doing. Don't get so worked up."

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"You're the one who turned me in to the Wardens.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“I’m not here to bring up the past.” She said matter-of-factly, “I have a job for you.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Anshal looked at her incredulously. “And what makes you think I’ll take any job from you?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Because you’re desperate.” She grinned.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“I think you need to leave,” He moved to unlatch the door.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">She continued. “You’re desperate to get out of this town. I know you’ve made a few bad deals in the wrong sorts of places and that puts you in quite a bind, I’m told. You owe people money.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He paused, touching the door handle. “It’s not my fault. I followed a tip and someone set me up.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Then I think you should consider my offer.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He did consider her words and what they would mean for his future and more importantly his present situation. [Adonai] knows when those bad deals would come back to make life unreasonably hard to live. “What’s this all about, then? What do you want me to do?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“I have information on the whereabouts of a certain person that needs to see the error of his ways. You’re going to accompany a young lady to find this person. You’ll be her… bodyguard, we’ll call it.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Anshal [] “Who is this person you want me to find? And who's the girl?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">            “I’ll tell you that when you agree to do what I say.” Now she was just showing off the leash she had around his neck. Anshal knew this was his only choice. If he said no, it would mean he wouldn’t have the breath to take back his mistake. He needed to vanish.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“And what do I get from you in return?” He had turned from the door to face her. He made himself look her in the eyes. Those shinning [color]. Men had bowed trembling to her with the depth and hardness of those eyes staring them down. His time apart from her had not softened them.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“You get a chance to keep living your life as you like. [Maybe another reason too?] I’ll make your problems disappear.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“I can handle my own problems.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Ignoring what he had said, she held out a hand folded envelope with a wax seal. The impression in the wax resembled [decide on Agatha’s? seal]. “You can start by going to this address tomorrow morning before dawn.”  Anshal took the paper hesitantly. “I knew you’d come around.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“You haven’t told me who I’m finding or who I’m traveling with.” He stood eyeing the paper.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“All the details are in your position now.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">He cracked the seal, his hands shaking as he read her words written in neat inked lines. He knew he had never been this agitated even when he was exiled from the Abyss. He hoped Agatha wasn’t paying too much attention to his hands, but he knew that was unlikely. He sat down on the edge of his cot, reading the note over again. I can’t do this, he thought. He ran his fingers through his hair. ''There are more capable people than me. ''

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“He’s dead,” Anshal said finally. ''He’s dead. I know he is.''

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“I have information that he’s, in fact, very much alive. And living in a small community we’ve been seeking the exact location of for many years now. I’m sure you’ve heard whispers of the mysterious Advent. We have reason to believe that it’s the hiding place of many elusive people.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“The Advent is part of the mythos of (these lands. Cadens?). It died a long time ago, before our time. (The time of the Young Ones).” He waved his hand towards the shelves of books, but never took his eyes from the note.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“And was resurrected by religious, history obsessed zealots. Heretics.” She was fuming now, he could see it. All those years they were together, he could read her face better than anyone. She seemed to be slipping into old habits, letting her guard down with him. Nothing was more important to her than her beliefs. Not even him.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“What do you want me to do when I find him?” The question was meant to distract her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“I want you to send a report to me the hour you set eyes on him! The minute! I want him found, Anshal!” She was speaking with earnestness now. [Insert Ansha's thoughts? Something.]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“I can do what you want. I can find him.” He set the piece of paper on the bed beside him and looked in her eyes again. Beautiful eyes now. Still unfathomable. Still harder than stone. Her shoulders visibly relaxed and she regained her composure as best she could. Anshal remembered when she would (something kind of sentimental Agatha did with Anshal when they were together). All he wanted was for her to be happy then.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Good. Be at that address tomorrow morning.” She put her hood up again, shadowing her face with strange darkness. She turned toward the door. Anshal stood and began unlatching the locks. “Tell me one thing, Anshal.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Yes?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Who is this Keelan in the East District you mentioned earlier? I have never heard of him.” He could tell she was trying to sound emotionless.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Keelan runs an underground brothel. One of the dirtiest places in the city. The prices are so cheap, the lowliest beggar could buy a girl for then night and have a few pennies left over for breakfast.” He could feel her smile at that and he smiled, too.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Now look like I’ve berated you for speaking ill of the Devine Mother,” she whispered. He gained the composure of a dog beaten for stealing from the table and opened the door on the five hooded men whispering to each other. They looked more worried and frightened than when they first arrived.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“It is done.” Agatha said, voice deepened and almost hissing. The men looked back and forth between the two Young Ones (use different name?) and seemed as surprised as they were satisfied. They were still nervous being around Agatha, Anshal was sure.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“You won’t do anything that could be traced back to us or this meeting, would you?” One of them asked (describe him. Just a man from the Church.)

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;line-height:normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“I have full confidence he won’t ruin our plans,” Agatha hissed. The men said nothing else, satisfied with her answer.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">______

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">X What do the five men want? Anshal was being ‘funny’ and sending them to a brothel.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">What was Anshal distributing?

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none">

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">X Anshal is to travel with Elizabeth to the Advent and be a sort of protection for her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height: normal;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Jerrell knows Anshal, so Anshal has to come up with a story that will make Jerrell believe he’s there for good reasons, like he’s done something horrible and needs sanctuary. Which isn’t far from the truth.