Ilceren's little notebook

Subject: Re: Ilceren's little notebook Fri Jul 12, 2013 10:56 am

Here I come with the next part of the story! Longer, with a lot more conversation, and a new character. I hope this shows more about these people and lights the flames of curiosity. Also, as always, please point out anything that seems to be wrong. Any tiny detail is fine, in both plot and writing.
I suggest you to check the glossary in the first post as well, it gets expanded with each new part.

Tavern rumours

Third part

I met the Neko at our usual place, a small plaza in the Low Tier, halfway between our respective homes. She was silent, modest, and undeniably beautiful. Her gorgeous cat-like ruby eyes fixed on me as she spotted me coming close. A half smile came to my lips, answered on her side by a true, big one. No words needed, I extended my arm and she took it, then we started walking towards the Middle Tier.

The setting sun, speared in the myriad of pointed roofs and towers, was casting its last rays before disappearing, painting the city in a deep orange. The walk was silent, not that it was something uncommon, but I felt like changing the habit today. I mussed the words a bit on my mind before I came up with a suitable sentence.

"I wonder how the day has been for a certain someone. Would something unusual have happened to her? May she have met a dashing, charming adventurer before our meeting?"

I saw she intended to make for the little notebook in her pocket, but she stopped herself and just hugged my arm more tightly, resting her head on the side of my shoulder. So I am the best thing that happened in her day, huh? As sad as it may seem, it was an answer leaning to the "good" side. I know how hard it is for her to depend completely on other people, always on the verge of being ridiculed. If it weren't for a few friends she could count with one hand, her life would be a living hell. I decided to change the subject a bit.

"That's good, then." I replied to her silent answer. "The day's been nice on my side too, but I have a feeling that the best part is about to come."

The Neko gazed in my direction, her intentions clearly readable to me.

"If a certain someone would remember, I met a lady two days ago. Well, she didn't come yesterday, as I thought she would, so I looked a bit into it. There was no obvious reason for a normal person not to come except... the case she isn't a normal person. Fem told me earlier this afternoon that there had been a high-society party yesterday at the High Tier. A certain someone should have heard about it too."

Her eyes lighted up in realization for a moment, before she eagerly nodded. Of course she would, she lived with Fem herself in the High Tier as well. No party goes unnoticed there, not even if you aren't invited.

"That's right. Well, I did notice that her beverage wasn't what you would normally see around and her clothes seemed kind of new. Now it fits." I looked at my companion. "I think she will come tonight."

The orange colour slowly faded to red then dark blue as we continued through the city. From the north gate of the Middle Tier, on to the Angel Road and passing near the Grand Market District, the walk was peaceful and quiet. The nocturnal coolness started to settle in, and the street lights were lit. The city slowly drifted from day to night activity, merchants leaving, adventurers coming back and street shows starting.

"Ladies and gentlemen! The Night on Fire show is finally here, taking place just next to your home! Enjoy the daily show of the best firedancer in Negav just here, in your own street! No need to be shy, who would blame you for coming to see such an amazing beauty? Letting the opportunity pass by is what people should be embarrassed about! Over here, completely free of cost! Ladies and gentlemen, you can't...!"

Now that's unusual. I had never seen a night show that had a herald of its own. Either it had a very important sponsor or the show was so popular that it paid off to have one. Still, the show wasn't of interest to either of us, so we moved down the street through the gathering crowd. However, the herald appeared just next to us, trying to nag us into staying.

"Now, what do we have here? A romantic couple out for a date? Why don't you enjoy each other's company while watching the best show in this part of Negav? Satisfaction guaranteed!"

"Not now. Sorry." I answered bluntly. These people would cling to any bit of information you gave, trying to convince you to stay, so it was better not to explain anything at all. Besides, having someone so enthusiastic talking to us was bad. My companion was getting tense; I could feel it in her grip, so I had tried to dispatch him fast. It didn't work.

"Such an answer. Insensitive men, laying waste to all of the firedancer's preparation and eagerness. Surely a woman like y--"

"Don't dare speak to her." I cut him, talking in a slightly higher tone than I had previously. "She doesn't wish to hear your chatter, she doesn't need to stand your gibberish, she doesn't even desire your presence. Leave at once if you don't want trouble. Is that clear?"

The herald cowered in fear at the sudden outburst and hastily left us in peace, at last. There were quite a few people from the crowd that looked our way strangely, but it didn't bother us. Or at least me.

"That was close." I said with a small sigh. "Better get going."

The Neko nodded meekly. We left the crowd behind and continued or little walk. We crossed Fortune Lane to exit the Grand Market District and just a few streets away laid our destination: the Undergrown.

It was a good tavern, three storeys high with two miniature middle floors between them, reserved for tiny use. The front wall was breathtakingly beautiful, with a layer of tinged, carved wood resembling a forest, carefully crafted to fit windows and balconies into gaps and over branches, melting them into the scene. It was truly a piece of art. The circular tower attached to the right of the main building was built and decorated in order to look like a pine tree, matching the rest of the wall.

As we closed in on the main door, music drifted into our ears. This was a relaxed, lazy song, matching the start of the night. Songs and bands would progressively change with the atmosphere, providing a good entertainment, or at least a good background for a drink. The voices of the various couples and groups that were starting to gather mixed into the sounds of the night. I could feel my excitement rising. The more the merrier, they said, and that was even more true for a rumour hunter such as myself. I listened to the conversations intently while my partner signalled for a table for three, centred.

The interior was furnished and decorated just like the exterior, but with metal as well as wood to reinforce those places where it was necessary. The chairs and tables were made of both materials and fashioned after the undergrowth of the forest; plants, bushes, small trees and a rare tree stump here and there. Slender columns rose to the ceiling, resembling tree trunks and sprouting branches and leaves when ten feet high. Up there was the place reserved for the tinies, an open space made by the intertwined branches, vines and tree crowns.

We got seated pretty fast since the Neko was a known customer and the staff cared for her almost as if she was a common daughter. The table's position was pretty nice, next to the small pond that occupied the centre of the room and leaning to the side of the tavern that tended to be more crowded. I would normally prefer to sit closer to that zone, but I thanked the closeness of the pond this time for the protection it offered from keen ears, keeping them far. The Neko took out her notebook and we talked for a while as we waited for our guest to come.

*****

In due time, at the Second shadow sharp, I noticed our guest coming through the door. Noticing her was simple; her colour had a great contrast with the surrounding atmosphere. Even if I had seen her in some other place like a street crowded to the brim with any kind of conceivable creature, I would have recognized her. That's how unique her colour was.

I hurried to meet her at the door and got there just as she was asking the waiter for a man called 'Rudy'. Of course, that was me.

"I'm here, young lady." I called out to her before the waiter could even answer. "I'm glad you have come, we have a table ready."
"Thank you, Rudy. And please, stop calling me 'young lady'. I'm Elarya, Elarya Natim." She said.
"'Elarya', that's not a name you hear every day. Pretty nice too." I replied then motioned her with a hand. "The table is over here. We have a lovely spot, I'm sure you'll like it."

I led Elarya to our table through the maze of trees and bushes. I could navigate around the place with ease, but I understood that a person new to this place wouldn't be able to go that fast, nor want to either, so I chose a relaxed pace so she could admire her surroundings. When we got to the place and I sat next to the Neko, Elarya looked confused for a second before taking her seat.

"Elarya, this is a friend of mine." I said, pointing to the Neko with a whole hand. "People refer to that one as 'Copyneko'. Even though it's not a real name, it's the only one we know, so that's about it." I turned to look at the Neko, thinking for a second. "As I said, she is Elarya. She's the one I've been talking about before." The Neko waved to her as greeting.
"A pleasure to meet you, Co-" Elarya started to say.
"Sorry Elarya, there's one thing you need to know." I hastily cut her, preventing her from fully addressing Copyneko. "You can't talk to her directly." I stated.
"Huh? Why is that?" Elarya asked. A logical question.
"Did you think that name was someone's occurrence? It's like that for a reason. That one seems to mimic each and every movement of the person who addresses her. That's why you should talk indirectly." I explained succinctly.
"Oh, that's... But how do I... I'm sure I'll address her directly sooner or later." She replied, not trusting herself.
"Don't worry, I'll be paying attention. I recommend you to talk to her as if you were talking to someone who wasn't here. I like to call her with 'A certain someone', for example. You could also talk to both of us as a group; that may work too." I said. "Just take your time. Look at me, I've known her for a good while and I still need to pause for a few seconds to think about how to phrase my words!"

Copyneko chuckled at my comment and started writing in her notebook. She then handed the note to the confused Elarya, who read it carefully.

"Ah! I'm glad to mee... Ehem. I'm glad I met 'someone', too. I'm sure 'someone' is a great person once you get past her peculiarities." Elarya smiled; a true smile. She seemed to be interested in Copyneko, not alienated by her as most people were, and that was great news.
"You learnt it really fast, though I guess it was to be expected from a fellow rumour hunter." I said, congratulating her in my own way. "A certain someone doesn't get to be with many people besides her close friends, so she'd enjoy sharing our talk for this night. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all! Really, I'm fine with it. It's not like I am too secretive about the things I hear, I just gather them to know more about the outside world. I don't mind sharing them." She answered. Brilliant.
"In that case, I'm sure we'll have information that catches your interest. Mainly a certain someone, but I may have a thing or two as well."

Copyneko nodded and started writing again, passing the note to Elarya. Her face lighted up in happiness when she read the contents.

"Really!? I'd love to hear them! Well... er, read them. Sorry." She said, lowering her head a bit.

Copyneko shook her head and wrote something more. This time it was a bit lengthier, but it probably explained that Elarya didn't have to apologize for such things. Copyneko had accepted her muteness long ago... partial muteness, that is. It wasn't like she could never talk.

"I understand, but... I'm uneasy when I say such things to a person that can't speak. I get the feeling that they may feel insulted." Said Elarya, looking uneasy indeed.
"Then how about we take away that uneasiness? Would you be able to speak to her normally?" I asked.
"Huh? What do you mean?" She replied, a bit confused.
"Just that if you hear her talk, you wouldn't get that impression of insulting her, right?" I looked at Copyneko before Elarya had a chance to answer, and the Neko nodded. "Copyneko, can you hear me talk?"
"Copyneko, can you hear me talk?" The Neko replied, repeating my words exactly just as I voiced them, and then smiling sweetly.
"I didn't... Woah..." Elarya stopped her protests mid-sentence when she heard Copyneko talk.
"You get it now? It's not like she's mute." I said "So please, regard a certain someone as a normal person. You just need to be careful about how you address her, that's all."
"I understand. 'Someone' is just a normal person. Okay." She nodded.
"Good. Also, don't try to do what I did, or a certain someone will get mad. A certain someone lets me because I know what I'm doing." I said, and Elarya nodded again. "Thanks."

Copyneko scribbled something in her notebook, and she showed it to both of us this time. It read like this: <<Now that everything has been explained, how about we get straight to the matter? I'm dying to tell some of my stories.>> The note ended with a happy face.

"Of course. A certain someone should go ahead. I'll go place the orders meanwhile, if you two don't mind."

*****

More than an hour fled by while Copyneko was telling her stories. She not only wrote them, but enacted them with gestures and putting on faces, receiving delighted laughs and smiles in return. She looked really happy, one of the happiest times that I had seen. At some point, curiosity got the best out of some nearby couples and they asked for permission to sit with us. They were accepted with the condition that they wouldn't talk at all.

After this last story ended, I got a nod from Copyneko, so I proceeded to politely dismiss the other strangers. There weren't any tense moments, thankfully, and soon, the three of us were alone again.

"It was so interesting... It's hard to believe there are these kinds of tales too. The ones I've heard are all about death and tragedy." Elarya said, fascinated by Copyneko's stories.
"You need to find the right people for that. Not everyone has the mentality to see danger that way." I replied, confident.
"That may be true. The outside is full of dangers, be them ugly or beautiful. I wonder how people can live outside. If a loved one..."
"Most people are bitter about death, and that's not the right way. It only leads to anger and desire of revenge, which will ultimately lead to frustration or more death. You can trust me on that." I said, accidentally giving away a part of my true self. I realized I had let my guard down, probably due to Copyneko's light-hearted stories, so I decided to turn the conversation back into track. "Well, Elarya, now that you've had your share, I'm afraid I must ask for something in return."
"Ah, yes, the information contract. If you get then you must give." She said, mentioning a rule of courtesy between rumour hunters. "I don't know if I'll have much to give, though."
"Don't worry; it'll have been worth it even if you don't know anything." I replied. "Do you remember that rumour you heard the night we met? About a 'Surv' guy?"
"I do. You're looking for information on him?" She asked. She was sharp.
"You got me. That's right, I'm interested in him... His antics are too strange, but too rational to be from some kind of madman. I've also heard he goes by the nickname of 'Bait'. If he changes names, then I'm sure there's some reason behind his acts."
"'Bait', huh? I'm sorry, but I haven't heard that name before. That was the first time I heard about Surv as well... Sorry." She said, lowering her head a bit.
"It's fine, it's fine. Just keep an ear keen if you happen to hear any of those mentioned, okay?"
"Alrighty, I will do that. That's the least I can do. Is there anything else you are interested in? I still have that debt..."
"No, I have most of the information I desire. This place is a good one for rumour gathering." I replied.
"Oh... Then, I should go to some other tavern right now and see if I can-- Wait, is it this late already?" She said, looking at the wooden clock positioned over the tavern's bar. It was about to give Fourth shadow, not a time for an early riser.
"A true rumour hunter knows no hours." I stated, jokingly. Copyneko chuckled.
"Ideally. In reality, some people must attend to certain duties during the day." She replied, trying to not give away those 'duties'.
"I understand. You've been of much help. If you find something, you know where to find me." I said. Copyneko nodded.
"Well, I don't think so, but I won't say otherwise. Thank 'someone' for her amazing stories, I loved them." She smiled to both of us, stood up and then picked her cape and adjusted her clothes. "I hope I meet 'someone' again when I come back." She added, more like a personal wish than something she wanted to tell us.

I walked her to the exit, silent this time as well, and waved her farewell while she walked down the street. As I thought, she turned the corner in the direction of the High Tier. I went back to the table I shared with Copyneko and took a long sip from my drink. The Neko wrote something.

<<No luck with her, either.>>
"Well, it's not like I mind. That could mean Surv is not as known as I thought. Which is good news." I replied.
<<But I have heard about him a few times here. May it be you just pick the wrong place?>>
"That's a possibility. That is why she is a good one, she's not like the rest. The other three tend to go to the same tavern every day, but she doesn't. She's kind of a wild card. Besides, I see something unusual in her colour."
The Neko nodded. <<I hope so. You'd be taking too much risk if you pick more. Five or six should be the limit.>>
"I know, I know. Thank you." I said, then squeezed one of her hands with mine. One of the rare signs of affection I allowed myself to perform. She smiled sweetly at that, while repeating my 'thank you' in her warm voice.
<<You are the only one that really understands me, please don't put your life in danger.>>

I just half smiled and squeezed the Neko's hand again while looking in the other direction. She giggled and rested her head on my shoulder. We stayed there for a while, enjoying the intimacy of the silent table. Maybe we should sit here more often, it was not a bad place to be.

Subject: Re: Ilceren's little notebook Wed Nov 23, 2016 11:07 am

Tavern Rumours

Fourth part
Part 4
A sharp, sudden ring startled me as it broke the silence of the night. It was the front door. The series of low knocks that followed indicated me that it was a new job. I already knew that, no one visits me at this time of night. Not anymore. I got up from my chair and opened the door with a tattooed hand, inscribed with the image of a closed eye. Two young men that looked like they just ran a marathon were waiting behind it, breathing heavily, and one of them hastily handed me a piece of paper.

"This one's straight from the boss. You'll have to be quick." He said between his ragged breaths.

I answered him with a single nod to show him I was taking his news seriously. I had known Petrer for a long time and he always gave me useful information along with the orders. If this one was placed by the boss himself, then we could not afford to fail. I invited the two men inside as I read the paper and took in the details.

Two subjects this time, both female, Neko and Human. The place, their description and other useful information like known fighting experience followed. It also had an interesting instruction this time; 'do not capture or engage the male that may accompany them'. Things like that made my job interesting; it was hard to kidnap people without taking out their bodyguards.

I tore the paper into three pieces and swiftly wrote some instructions and materials on the back, then handed the notes to the men that were still recovering their breath.

"You know where to go." I stated, then looked at Petrer. "The second note is for the western backup team, so there's no need to rush on that one, they're closer to the objective than we are."

Petrer nodded then opened the door, motioning to his partner to come with him. The other man waved at me as farewell and went out.

"I'll invite you to a drink when we finish." I told Petrer just as he was going out as well. He flashed a smile to me and closed the door behind him. I could hear the light footsteps of the two messengers as they left in different directions.

"Time to get to work." I said to myself as I flexed my arms to stretch my muscles. It hadn't been long since I had woken up.

In a short time, I gathered some of the most delicate materials we needed; drugs, paralysers, suspiciously strong cables, magic energy drainers, unstable magic components, amongst other things you wouldn't want the police to see. The rest of my team were to store the other, safer items in case they were located by the authorities. After all, I was the only one with no family and nothing to lose, and also the only one under the boss' direct protection.

Whisper. The boss. He was a pure breed criminal from the poor streets, or so rumours claimed. No one ever remembers you for your deeds as a child, after all. No one except your friends, and the boss did have a lot of friends. Knowing people was his trade, and picking the right people for the right task, his art. I was the one chosen this time, so I'd better not fail.

I only needed to dress like a Middle-tierer and I would be ready.

*****

The night. The lively Negav night extends in both directions of the street, making me remain unnoticed as I wait under a building's archway, my dark brown cape covering up to my eyes to protect me from cold and gazes alike. Not many can feel the magical mark I bear in my hand, and those that do are often too intoxicated with alcohol to care. Those who can care try to find another street to walk.

One by one, my group gathers together. We are five in total, and we slowly switch from stealth to disguise in order to not draw attention to ourselves. We start chatting about the latest fights in the Arena, about how that nameless guy won the female bounty hunter's heart by duel, and other pointless things. When we are all gathered together, I take out a neatly folded fibre bag, the many folds perfectly sealing its contents from the outside.

"Why do you like using this method so much, Rakihz?" One of my men asks me, a certain joking tone in his voice.
"Why, because it is exciting, and I get a kiss for my trouble." I answer jokingly as well.
"And you certainly don't mind who the kiss comes from." Adds another one.
"Nah, he's just starting to become addicted to the antidote. Who knows what he does with that bag when he gets back ho-"
"Hey, shut up. I'm trying to work here, stop distracting me." I cut them out, making them regain their focus on our current assignment.

I unfold the bag, taking care to hold the end closed. The more air that seeps in, the less effective it would be. I hold it up to my face and stare at the two men in front of me for half a second before I exhale, swiftly open the bag and seal it around my nose and mouth. I wait the few seconds that it takes for my body to burn through the rest of the oxygen within me, the need for air building up inside. And then, I breathe.

I inhale deeply, filling my chest with all the air of a bag vastly inferior to my lung capacity. It crumbles, but I keep inhaling, forcing the alchemical pebbles inside to produce more gas until I've had my fill. My consciousness starts fading.

I feel as if a thick nail has been hammered into my nose and through my skull. My eyes water, my throat burns. I feel myself fall, but two strong arms hold me while the bag is snatched away and folded once again.

We navigate the city like that, walking unnoticed as your average group with a hopelessly drunk friend. By the time we get to our destination, I have already recovered my balance. I look around, the location being familiar to me. In fact, we might be able to use part of the setup of a previous job.

"Okay, I want two trip wires set in case they try to escape. Fitz, the net and freeze magic." The Neko nods to me in understanding. "Mowes, you get the can opener."
"Now that's my way." He says, fishing the rifle out of his bag and putting it back together.
"O'Peneye, the cans. Water, flash and knockers. Hudens, what do you think about a blur barrier?"
"It's a good spot." He says simply.
"Perfect. After that, you know what to do."

He nods, and everyone starts to prepare their part as I keep watch. It doesn't take long, everthing we use is carefully crafted in pieces so as to be easy to carry or hide and fast to assemble. Except the magical barrier, that is.

As the appointed time nears, I spot a man coming towards us. My new contact in the city maintenance department. With his help, our setup to divert people away from our trap is far more believable; official signs, gear and tools for waterway repairs. He's actually a few minutes early, probably eager to prove he's trustworthy.

"Hello Rakihz." He greets me, unsure how to address a criminal.
"A pleasant night, Filo." I answer, and notice how his eyes wander towards the scenery at my back. "Don't worry, it'll be clean and silent." I affirm, fixing my gaze into his eyes. "As long as you do your part."
He nods nervously. "I will do it. You'll see."
I nod solemnly. "Remember, if someone questions you, we can find you witnesses that assure there was a breakdown and the water couldn't reach them. Now go."

The man turns around and leaves without a word. I smile to myself. He is scared, and that's good.

*****

A slight breeze is the only thing heard throughout the street, no people, only shadows. Everything's set and waiting, the air vibrating slightly with sparks of magical energy. Tension seizes each and every one of us. The wait, more than the act itself, is what scares us the most. The wait where anything can happen, when anyone could come by despite our preparations.

The setup is simple, yet proven effective; a simulated repair enabling us to close up a street, combined with a neighbourhood under our control, where people know better than to look through the window when it's dark. Or that know to go ask the organization before the police.

I look up at the windows to my right, all of them shut tightly. It was clear they knew the drill, and while they... Suddenly, a characteristic mental noise assaults me, my mind expanding and sychronizing to an alien, intrusive presence. My hair stands on end, as it always does, as Hudens' telepathic link stabilizes, just a fraction of a second later. He's the scout on the lookout for the targets, as well as the person to contact in case of emergency.

""Boss. I got a runner. Says one of the targets came out alone, the hot, blonde one."" Hudens conveys, clearly not using his own words for the description.
""The hot, blonde one, huh? I remember there being a blonde in the description. Got it. I will deal with her quickly, you stay in your spot and support Mowes and O'Peneye. Feed me the updated details as we move, specially the ID and route. Oh, and get the runner to the backup team for transportation.""

I force myself to see over the mental feedback of the telepathy, taking a glance around. My team is still on the lookout, unbeknownst to the change of plans. I signal the two appropriate men to stay, then the Neko starts following me as I move, knowing the drill. Hudens' connection slowly disappears as he notices me moving and needing full control of my senses.

We don't bother to hide, as the target is already on the move. A new message will probably come with an updated route, so we just focus on closing the distance for now. We run past itinerant mages, firedancers, spectropeteers, drink dance-offs and many other night entertainments, each with their own crowd. Not many of them pay us heed, busy as they are cheering in merryment. It is about then when I receive a short connection: the target heads towards the Higher Tier. This is going to be interesting.

It is not long before we arrive to our position. The margin is narrow and we lack any barriers that conceal the fight, but it doesn't have to happen. I had someone from the backup team intercept the target disguised as a beggar to give Fitz time to set up a rought trip wire trap as safeguard and prepare his equipment. He then stands put, as do I further up the street, for our girl to appear.

She comes up from behind a corner, and I identify her as our target immediately. She really is a Human beauty, tall, young, with a beautiful blonde mane, and although she has made an effort to look like a Middle-tierer, a hair like that is a clear mark from the Higher Tier. The boss has a good eye. And I am lucky too, I may be able to steal her first kiss. My emotion comes out a bit too clearly as my tail starts to wag. Well damnit, too late to calm down.

I start walking down the street in the opposite way as her. Wagging all the way, my presence is just a distraction from the real threat. As I salute her politely, Fitz appears from a side street slightly behind the Human. He's expertly waving a net over his head with silent motions, and carefully throws it at her.

Surprisingly, the girl seems to sense something and reacts, crouching under the net's trajectory. It passes mere inches from me, making me stop in my tracks. The blonde then tries to recover her stance with Neko-like agility, but she slips on the newly formed ice sheet at her feet with a small cry. That's the opportunity I was waiting for.

I swiftly take a step forward and support her body with my arms, at the same time as I kiss her vulnerable open mouth. She doesn't have time to reject it as my tongue touches hers, the substance that coats it sending a shocking signal up her nerves that's enough to overwhelm and deactivate her brain. The Human girl becomes limp under my hold, the added weight making me slip and fall as well in an awkward position. I can hear you laughing, Fitz. The backup team comes to my rescue just in time, and they carry the subject away in the blink of an eye. It is only a minute before we disarm the trip wire and leave, unseen and unnoticed.

*****

With no time to lose, Fitz and I run back towards the ambush spot. We are more careful now, avoiding going down the streets we used before, or passing by the same entertainments we came across, as they tend to move from place to place during the night. While there are no news about the second target and the bodyguard, they could still be heading towards the trap.

We slow down and take different paths as we get close, slipping into the shadows and keeping low while we take back our posts. Nothing has changed, no unforeseen events, the team is still waiting for our other target to show up.

I yawn. The toxin on my tongue is starting to tickle a bit, so I carefully remove it with a special instrument. I place the waste in a small container, add a few drops of a reagent to make it mostly harmless, and put everything away into my bag while deep in though. Well, it seems like I will soon be unable to use the same method. I'm building up resistance to the antidote, and every time I get less time before I'm vulnerable to the drug. I'll have to pass on the art of the Gentle Kiss to one of the boys... sometime. Not now, at least, I've still a lot to give.

Time passes as I think about such matters, and I barely notice the moon shining its light above, then past our street before I get a familiar feeling again. It's Hudens, it seems like the rest of the operation is called off. I stretch a bit before telling the others: it's time to go home and rest, we did a good job tonight.