Infernal Investigations Chapter 14 - Never a moment's rest

I resisted the urge to curse. Not only would it not do anything, but the assortnt of thugs before and Tolman might think it referred to them.

It did, but provoking them wouldn’t do any good.

Five people stood outside the entrance, maybe a dozen feet away. Most of them wouldn’t look out of place on the street, dressed like vagrants, bearing the stained teeth of those addicted to one substance or another. Of course, most vagrants didn’t stand in a loose line outside the entrance of this place. Most vagrants didn’t possess the very well-kept knives this group was using to do such mundane tasks as picking their nails.

Most also didn’t have a trio of street rats behind them, one of whom was busy making obscene hand gestures at while shrieking insults about my parentage.

There were no Black Fla tattoos in sight, which was not a shock. Part of the reason the tattoo existed was for mbers of the gang to deliberately not have it. Badges of honor and sisterhood were useful for morale, but they were also useful for making the Watch think you had to have one to be a mber.

“I think we’ve been followed,” I confided in Tolman quietly.

“Amazingly, I must agree. Raises the question, why do you think the kid tried to put tracers on us then? It’s not like you renting out of here is a secret.”

“Maybe they didn’t expect us to co here,” I replied before continuing from the front entrance into the street below.

I didn’t recognize any of the Black Fla, although the leader seed a little familiar. I recognized the three orphans in the back, the lead one being the wannabe pickpocket. He had given up on parental-based insults. Now a grin on his face that threatened to bisect his head with how broad it was, eyes taunting.

Ah, the follies of youth. I pulled a pistol from within my coat, not all the way. Just enough for the flintlock hamr to clear the coat. His eyes widened imdiately, the smile vanishing. He and his two friends scampered off into the distance.

The lead Black Fla leader looked at their fleeing forms and then turned her attention back to . “Was that really called for?” She chided . “He already got a chewing out for fucking up the job on you. Poor kid’s also going to get a lashing from Syn, he’s got enough problems for today.”

I folded my arms, not reaching for my replacent saber quite yet. Lashings? Huh, just when I thought Versalicci couldn’t get any worse in managing his little criminal empire. Syn being alive wasn’t too much of a shock. Rats knew the best ways to escape death.

“Considering that he put tracers on my person knowing how this would probably turn out, I don’t see putting a fright into him as so grand sin. Why are you here?”

The leader held her hands up placatingly. “Mr. Versalicci wants to have a chat with you is all. About your mutual dead friend Mr. Golvar.”

“Calling Golvar a friend is stretching it,” I replied. “But if he wants to ask how Golvar died, the answer is simple and doesn’t need . Golvar got stabbed to death by Pure-Bloods, as part of a delivery. He probably knows more than about that.”

I knew this one from sowhere, now that I was focused more on her than the urchin. The asymtrical cheekbones, for one thing, one lower and forced inward compared to the other. It probably had been broken soti in the past and never healed properly. The tail end of my ti in the gang? Probably.

“Mr. Versalicci doesn’t doubt you didn’t kill him. But he does have so…questions he wants answered in person. As well as so missing property he thinks you possess.”

Tolman moved next to , expression calm, but I could read the tension behind that. So could the leader of the group, who now had a hand firmly inside her coat. Pistols? A risk of the Watch, which would normally not be a factor except they’d been here yesterday.

I wish I could tell him to back away. We couldn’t communicate with each other, at least not with the hand signals. I really should have set up so kind of alternate form of communication for us that didn’t have its origins inside the Black Fla.

“You can tell Mr. Versalicci that I will et with him on the subject at a later date, but I do not possess his property,” I said.

One of the thugs chuckled as the smile on the leader’s face grew a mite less warm.

“How about you tell him yourself?” she asked.

“I unfortunately have a very busy day, nor do I particularly want to see Mr. Versalicci. I made it very clear last ti we t I did not want to see him again, no amount of gifts would change my mind, nor any other overtures he might make. If you want to take a ssage back, how about this? I’ve made it clear I’m through with him, and if he insists on continuing his pursuit of , I will reveal things he does not want made public.”

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The leader’s face went blank, and so of the others were muttering amongst themselves. While I didn’t make out much, a few words were loud enough to hear. ‘Think she’s the lady in red?’

What, no, the Lady in Red was dead. Laurata had breathed her last, not being paid back in the slightest for being Versalicci’s….

My mind blanked as I realized what this group of Black Fla was clearly thinking.

The leader cleared her throat. “I was told this was a delicate case, didn’t realize it was that delicate. Miss Laurata, it’s been a while since we last t, but I can assure you this isn’t related to the relationship you had with the boss.”

Tolman started roaring with laughter, making it for a full second before I elbowed him in the ribs.

This needed to be clarified. Imdiately. “You misunderstand , I am not Lau -”

One of the Black Fla glanced to the side and then imdiately turned, knives clearing their coat. My own hand pulled out my flintlock, head turning.

Four humans were heading our way, canes in hand, the one in front bearing a top hat. More Pure-bloods? Why would they be here?

Don’t question it Malvia, I told myself.

The Black Fla leader had spotted them as well. She gestured to the other mbers of the gang, who turned their attention away.

By the ti they turned back to the entrance, and Tolman were halfway to the alleyway.

I resisted the urge to look back as a gun fired behind us. It didn’t impact anywhere near us. The best thing to do was leave and let the two gangs beat and kill each other instead.

More gunshots sounded as we skidded into the alley. I spared a mont to look behind us. The Black Fla mbers were seemingly torn but most had turned on the Pure-Bloods.

I slipped my pistol back into my coat as I ran. No need to present a threat. Ti for the opposite, actually.

Tolman gave a look of fake scandalization as we hurried through the alleyway, a grin threatening to break through the surface. “So did you an to imply you and Versalicci were slee-”

“Finish that sentence, and I’ll remove the repairs on your horns,” I said.

I spared a look behind us. No one had even bothered chasing after us. Both groups probably knew where I lived, they weren’t too fussed about wasting their morning chasing us. I was almost insulted by how little effort they were putting into this.

Then again, they were likely too busy killing each other.

“We can stop. And no, I did not intend to give that impression.” Even considering the thought made my stomach rebel worse than the diabolism had.

“He’ll probably be just as horrified as you if he hears about it. That or he thinks he got things very wrong and thinks you’re really Laurata in disguise. Which well, considering what your disguise as Falara looks like, I can see why.”

I considered the shade of my skin and the adjustnts I’d made in the last few days and ca to a horrific realization. “Oh gods, I do look a little like Laurata. No wonder they suspected I might be her. Why didn’t you tell ?”

Tolman chuckled. “I thought you were aiming for that kind of look?”

Unconsciously maybe. When I was fourteen, Laurata seed to be the most elegant and refined person in existence. Had I gone for a look similar to hers because of that?

I sighed. This disguise would need to be changed regardless. “Okay. Enough on that. Did you recognize the leader of that little band?”

Tolman looked back down the alley towards where the fight must be raging on. “Not by na. She was a new recruit right before everything went straight to hell. Guess she’s advanced far up the ranks since then.”

“She wouldn’t have a lot of competition,” I replied. “Well, it seems from the lack of whistles the Watch is not as on the ball as they were yesterday. We should probably use that to our advantage and get as far away as we can.”

“I’m surprised you want to run. I imagine whoever’s left will try and break into your lab?”

“They will,” I agreed. “I’d say they’d have to make it past the defenses first, but considering last night….write it off as a loss.”

We finally slowed down to a walk. Whistles were beginning to blow, but nowhere near us. I turned back to face where my lab had been. Gods damn it, I’d just built that place up, and most of Lady Karsin’s paynt had gone into that. Pain lanced through my palms.

“Malvia, your hands,” Tolman warned .

My nails had started cutting into my palms. Cursing, I pulled them out, watching as drops of blood started falling. It took half a second to get so cloth out of a pocket and wrap it over the bleeding wounds.

Tolman looked at cautiously. “We can probably take the survivors of that little skir-”

“Don’t,” I cut him off. “I appreciate the thought, but I doubt it’s the last group that will be sent, and we just don’t have ti to move anything. I got the cures for Angel’s Sorrow out last night. It’s not ideal, but we can rebuild, and you are not risking your life over this.”

“Alright. What’s our next move then?”

“Your next move is heading ho before Arsene gets more reason to kill ,” I muttered. “For , next is eting with Halmon and then dealing with Kalasyp’s clients.”

“With how worried you’ve been, I’m surprised you don’t think Kalasyp’s offer is a trap,” Tolman said.

“The thought did cross my mind,” I confessed. “But if they knew where my apartnt is, there’s no real need to arrange for to head to his lab.”

“Wanting to abduct you in a more quiet, isolated spot?”

“His lab is underground and right next to the Delver’s Guild headquarters,” I said. “Trying to abduct would be foolish right next to people who might actually intervene if they see soone being abducted.”

Tolman whistled. Getting real estate in one of the old dwarf quarters was an achievent. “How did he get such a pri piece of real estate?”

“Old deals with the guild masters,” I answered. “He used to be sothing of an adventurer a century or two back.”

“You’re joking. He doesn’t look it even a little. And he’s extended his life?”

“Apparently, they don’t mind too much if it’s done with enemies of the state. Which includes anyone who happens to be in a dungeon the Empire wants to be cleared.” We’d reached the street by now, and after a second Tolman was heading down the street.

I headed the other way, still checking my hands. The cuts weren’t too deep, so healing them could wait. I could take the main tunnels down, but I didn’t want to run the risk of being ambushed by another group of Pure-bloods or Black Fla.

Ti for the smaller tunnels. There were dozens of them, and not well-patrolled. This close to the surface, there shouldn’t be any creatures. But given my luck today, there probably would be sothing down there.

I checked the flintlock. I’d been holding out on buying a revolver, the new weapon costing easily twenty tis a trusty old flintlock. That was changing the first chance I got. But for now, it would have to suffice underground.