START OF 'RETRIEVAL' ARC

29. Big Game

“We need a plan,” Kiren said.

“Yeah, clearly,” Lace answered.

He kept his head down. They sat in a corner of the main hall, talking over lunch.

Bloodhound had done his best to ensure that none of the details of their arrangement leaked, but rumor had spread like wildfire anyway. Everywhere he went, people were giving him dirty looks—apprentices and Heroes alike.

“So? Any ideas?”

“There’s not much.” Lace took a bite of her roast chicken leg and put a hand to her mouth as she chewed it down. “I managed to get Wordsmith to let me take a peek at the official reports. Hyena and Snapjaw weren’t sighted after they fled the scene during the fight with Hulda.”

Kiren frowned. “Strange. They’re big fellows. You’d think someone would have seen them.”

“Hulda was the priority, so I don’t think anyone really cared about a pair of escaped robbers at that time. I guess we have a lot of footwork to do.”

“Hyena was badly injured,” Kiren said. “They must have gone somewhere to get treatment. I know of a few back-alley doctors in the Slog—we could start there.”

“Sounds good. About the only lead we have right now, anyway. We should be careful, though—based on previous experience, going to the Slog for information can be a dangerous business. Did you get anything from the quartermaster?”

Kiren shook his head, gnawing on a heel of bread. “Nope. Would barely even talk to me.”

“Bloodhound specified that we couldn’t get any direct intervention from other Heroes. Handing us some swords and gambesons can’t count.”

“I don’t think he really cared about the letter of Bloodhound’s orders. Pretty sure he would have socked me upside the head if he could have gotten away with it.”

“Shit. Well, do you have any back-alley contacts for, uh…” She shrugged. “You know, that sort of stuff?”

Kiren let out a low laugh. He pulled a bit of chicken off the bone and sucked it down, licking his fingers after. “Lace Amar, are you asking if I know any black market arms dealers? Yeah, one. Mug. He’s gone underground, though.”

Lace leaned back in her chair with a sigh. “I guess we’ll have to do without any equipment, then. At least I have my staff, and you’re practically stab-proof. We should be fine.”

Kiren struggled to keep his face neutral. “I dunno about this, Lace. These back-alley doctors usually have protection of some kind. Maybe it’s better if I go on my own. It’s my punishment, after all.”

Lace gave him the sort of look a mother might give a wayward son. “We agreed that we’re a team. Which means we do this together. Besides, I’ve been to the Slog before, and it went just fine.”

“This is…”

“Different?” Lace harrumphed. “Hardly.”

A tray of food slammed onto the table, and the Kiren’s bench creaked ominously as someone seated themselves.

“Is it true?” Haden thundered.

Kiren looked over to his right. The big, blond buffoon stared intently at him, nostrils flared. Tommyn had a seat next to him and started picking at some greenery.

“Is what true?”

“What they’re saying about you.”

“Depends on what they’re saying.”

“That you freed a bunch of criminals, fought an A-Rank Hero, and defied your master’s orders.”

Kiren sighed. “Yes, yes, and yes. If you’re looking for a fight, I really don’t have the—”

Haden slammed his meaty hand on the table, making the trays jump. His face split in a big, white grin.

“Fight? Are you serious? That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever heard! You fought an A-Rank on your own! You uncovered a criminal conspiracy! You even put a Ludenhaas in jail—which is where they all belong, far as I’m concerned. You know, I might have had my doubts about you before, but now…?” He reached out his hand. “Put ‘er there.”

Kiren hesitantly shook the man’s hand. His grip was like a vice, and he struggled not to cry out.

What is going on? I feel like the world’s upside down.

“Hi, Tommyn,” Lace said with a smile.

“H-Hi,” Tommyn said without looking up. A songbird picked at his right earlobe and had left a tiny black-and-white turd on his shoulder, but he didn’t seem to notice.

“I heard about your punishment,” Haden said. He gnawed at a whole chicken leg dipped in gravy, speaking while he chewed. “It’s completely crazy. How does Bloodhound expect you to capture two Villains unaided?”

“We’re in the middle of trying to figure that out,” Kiren said. “So if you don’t mind…”

Haden raised his hands. “Oh, don’t misunderstand! We’re not just here to chat.”

“We’re here to h-help,” Tommyn said, scratching the bird on the head with his little finger. “We figured, you a-a-aren’t allowed any help from the Heroes, but we’re just ap-apprentices, you know?”

Kiren looked over at Lace for confirmation.

She shrugged. “I mean, it should work. I’d thought of that myself, I just didn’t think anyone would want to join up with us.”

“Excellent!” Haden bellowed, loud enough that it sent an echo through the whole main hall. “What’s our first move?”

“Slow down, Trodvis,” Kiren said. “Why are you doing this? What do you want in return?”

Haden snorted. “We don’t want anything! It’s a matter of honor!”

“We want to help our f-friends,” Tommyn corrected. He put his hand before his mouth to hide a smile. “Honor is a close second.”

“Friends?” Kiren asked, leaning back in his chair. “I think you may have misread our relationship a touch.”

Lace twisted his ear so hard he saw stars. He cried out, but she didn’t let up.

“Kiren, do not ruin this for us right now,” she said in an uncharacteristically mellow tone that reminded him a little of Excelerate. She addressed the other two apprentices. “I’m sorry about him. He’s… Well, you know how he is. He doesn’t mean anything by it.”

Finally, she let go. He rubbed his aching ear as he glared at her. Unfortunately, the longer he stared at her smooth, pale features, strong nose, curved lips, the less he could stay mad at her.

Damn it. You’re lucky you’re so pretty.

“No offense taken,” Haden said with a grin. “Now, any leads? You’ll need to go through the specifics of these Villains with us. We’ve only heard the basics.”

“Hyena and Snapjaw,” Lace said. “Both massive. Bigger than you.”

Haden touched his hard stomach and smacked his lips. “Hear that, Tommyn? Looks like I’ve gotta bulk up a bit more.”

“Hyena’s this big, furry thing,” Kiren continued. “All claws and teeth. He’s fast, too. Snapjaw is what you would expect. He’s a huge turtle, shell and all. He’s also got natural armor plating all across his body, which makes him a tough nut to crack.

“They’re decent enough in a fight, but they’re dumb as bricks. As long as we can find them, we should have no trouble outsmarting them.”

“Do we know how to d-do that?” Tommyn asked. “Find them, that is.”

“Their last known location is in the Slog,” Lace said. “They were badly injured in the fight with Hulda, so we’re thinking they must have gone to one of the back-alley clinics in the slum. We were planning on making a sweep of them all today, but Kiren says it could get dangerous. Since we don’t have any weapons or equipment to speak of, we were thinking of taking a stealthier approach.”

Haden stroked his blocky chin. “Hmm. Well, why don’t we just go to the Trodvis Winter Estate? There’s a fully stocked armory there.”

“And now begins the showing off,” Kiren said idly, looking up at the ceiling.

“You have an armory?” Lace gasped. “Oh, bless you both! This could make everything so much easier.”

“We could go there right after we’ve eaten if you want to,” Haden said. He finished off a chicken leg and spat out the bones, immediately biting into another. “It’s just over in North Side.”

“Great! Let’s set out as soon as we’re all ready.”

Lace set into her food with new gusto.

Kiren picked at his own.

Damn it all to Svarta and back. This guy seems to show up every time I get close with Lace.

He stabbed a bit of chicken with his fork and pulled it apart. He stuffed in his mouth and chewed violently, more to have something to vent his anger on than anything else.