9 - Court, Part Two

While Vellum was talking with the Prince, I surveyed the room.

Closest to me, a blonde woman approached us.  Whitney - the newest Sheriff.

"Have you heard about the murders in the Subway?"  She said, visibly suspicious of us.

"Yes, of course I heard about that, you fool." I said. "I wonder if the girl will talk."

"Oh, she's talking, alright.  She gave an exacting description of your friend Cargen Nikto here - even down to that bow tie, which I see he's still wearing."

"Oh."

"However, she's also talking about a man with inch-long, razor-sharp claws that tore one of those gang-bangers in half."  She nodded toward X.  "Kind of hard to forget something like that, I reckon."

"I see."

"And then there's the matter of the train conductor.  Apparently, he saw more than we thought he did, and if he provides a matching description, they'll have to release that poor girl from the Mental Ward.  And that means she'll go to the police again.  And you'd better believe the police will believe them if there's two stories that match up."

"As well," she continued, "if there are any Hunters in Gloryhill, they are more willing to listen where the police do not.  Clean up your messes, dog - or we will for you."  She turned around and walked away without another word.

I found Dr. Hoff again - he was talking with another one I hadn't seen before, and angrier than I'd ever seen him.

"I don't appreciate what you're doing with my wares, Pellington."

"Sir, isn't my reimbursement sufficient?  You command a fair price, do you not?  After all, girls in this state die all the time."

"The reimbursement is for accidental death," Hoff spat,

"the deaths are accidental, I assu-"

"shut your festering mouth, Pellington.  You consistently return my girls without arms and legs, or otherwise mutiliated in some way.  The aesthetic aspects aside, fewer body parts means less blood, means less money commanded for my dolls.  You're cut off, Pellington.  NO MORE."

"But... but sir!"  Pellington pleaded.

Dr. Hoff slapped him across the face.  "you'll be permitted to borrow my girls at such a time as you can prove you won't mutilate them."

"But... how do I prove that?"

Dr. Hoff grinned underneath his Plague Doctor's mask.  "Until you figure that out, you'll just have to hunt for yourself."

--- ---

X, feeling somewhat out of place in the room (since he knew almost everyone, but he knew that no one knew him) found himself a comfortable space in a darkened corner.  Before too long, a cloaked figure sidled up, and nudged X.

"Enjoying - enjoying the view?"  He looked up at X, the lit cigarette briefly revealing his face - sharklike teeth protruding from a rotted mouth.  More like a lamprey than one would like to admit.

X scoffed.  "Pachuco."

Pachuco smiled like a vulture.  "I am the same.  And who are you, I wonder."

X. "I'm a businessman, get it?"

"Ah, good, good, good.  Business, good business brings power, it does."  Pachuco ground the cigarette to dust against the wall before immediately pulling a fresh one from a stale pack and lighting it.

"See any chance we can work together?"

"He's my friend, she's my friend, they're my friends.  For the right price, I'm everybody's friend."  He slipped X a office card.  "If you can pay the right price, you can be my friend too."

--- ---

I spotted Jimmy talking with Erik, and walked up.

"Oh, a pleasure to meet you..." he said, pretending not to know me.

"Emil Stone." I shook his hand, and immediately regretted it.  I came away with my hand covered in ooze, with nowhere to wipe it.  "I'm here to talk about Victoria."

"Oh, is that so?"  Jimmy glared at me, but I continued.

"Yes, I'm afraid she's been hiding things from you."

Jimmy looked scared for the first time since I've met him - but I wasn't about to sell out our mutual friend X.

"I'm concerned she might be getting in over her depth.  I saw her talking with Dr. Hoff before you walked up - and when you did she changed her tune faster than a record player."

Jimmy, relieved, walked away.  Kolbichef seemed sad, but unsurprised.  He said, with a sigh: "I prefer to stay out of her private matters.  She knows she has my aid if she needs it.  Thank you for this, Emil.  I won't forget your candor."

--- ---

After speaking with Kolbichef, I found the Prince again, about to leave.

"My prince - what a beautiful pendant, it truly suits your complexion."

He seemed startled. "A comment more befitting a Daeva than one such as you, Emil.  What is your point?"

"It really seems to catch the light, wouldn't you say?"

"Yes, it really does.  It is a very special pendant, and this is a very special girl.  Go on, introduce yourself, darling."

She looked up and her eyes burned into me like two red-hot pokers.  I felt suddenly at a loss for words.

"Uh. Where - where did you find her?  She is truly... alive."

"How do you say, she found me?"  At this, the girl moved to grab the Prince's lapel, whispering something in his ear.  "well by all means go ahead, darling."

She reached out and placed a glimmering yellow gemstone in my hand.  As she did, her touch on my palm left a red burn mark.  By the time I looked up from the gemstone, the Prince was gone.