Chapter 9: Escape

Ellie wouldn't have wished this house on her enemies. Stained walls, smeared with an unknown substance. Water damage on the ceiling that made her worry about what was going on in the room above this one. Gaps in the wood-panel floor, with the occasional wayward nail jutting out.

She sat on said floor, her legs positioned carefully as to not accidentally reveal herself. Sitting to her right, Zinnia had insisted that they avoid the couch. Judging by the way it looked, it was one or two more sits from collapsing all together.

The woman that had beckoned them inside sat across from them. The sharpest thing about her face were her eyes, devoid of any fear. Her lips were full, shaped in a way that gave her what looked like a natural pout. In another circumstance, Ellie may have admitted that she was attractive, but that opinion may have been biased by her teasingly low neckline.

"Heiress, it's so good to have you here. My name's Noemi. The guy over there is Lucio." Noemi tilted her head in his direction. He hung in the doorway, not saying anything, just watching the three of them like he was their chaperone. "I apologize we don't have a carpet to roll out for you. We're renovating. Lucio, how about you get the Heiress something to drink?"

"We're running low on our water ration." The hole in Lucio's mouth was impossible to miss, a big empty spot where there should've been a tooth. He was set to lose more. The surrounding teeth were graying.

"It's okay." Ellie said.

"Lucio, why don't you pay Gracja a visit? She's probably lonely in the basement." Something about Noemi's tone told Ellie that that wasn't a question. He gave Ellie one more glance, and then left them alone, his bare feet slapping the floor as he went.

Noemi smiled at her. "What brings you into the neighborhood, Heiress? Are you curious about how the other half lives?"

Ellie made sure not to smile back. This wasn't a friendly chat over invisible tea. This was a stern talking to, from future city leader to current city rat. "I've known Zinnia for a long time." Hearing her name made Zinnia perk up. "She's not this kind of person. You're taking advantage of her, and that's sick."

"Ellie's got the wrong idea." Zinnia's words ran over the ends of hers.

"You told me you're on drugs."

"Not illegal ones."

"It sure looks illegal from here." A run-down house that stank of smoke and sweat. Dark streets full of shady people, each one hiding something more sinister than the last. They were the crusted heel of society, not doing anything to scrape off the dirt and better their conditions. They wallowed in it, reveled in their collective race to the bottom. Zinnia didn't belong with them.

"Are you planning on telling on her, Heiress? It'll be more than her life that's ruined if you do." Noemi said.

Her words lingered as Ellie dug deep within herself for memories of her conduct lessons. Bold voice. Direct eye contact. Never let them see you sweat. "If you promise to never see Zinnia again, then I'll pretend I was never here."

"Stop it, Ellie." It was the crack in her voice that made Ellie look at her. She wished she hadn't. The desperation on Zinnia's face was like an echo, a whisper of another person.

"Look at what you're doing to the poor girl," Noemi said. "You're going to make her cry."

"I'm trying to do what's best for her." Ellie looked away from her, her and all of her trembling. She scooted over to give her a tad more space.

"If that were true, then you'd be looking the other way, Heiress. What kind of leader are you if you can't be discerning? The ripple effect from whatever raid you launch on Arntzen isn't going to be pretty."

Another threat. Ellie couldn't let it slide this time. "Of course it won't be. That's the point! Who the hell do you think you are, anyway? Some kind of drug lord?"

"Ellie!" Zinnia clutched her head in shock.

Noemi laughed. "That's one interesting assumption, Heiress, but sorely mistaken. I'll play along, though. I've always wanted to be royalty. Drug lady, not lord." She lowered her voice. "Hey, what do you think would happen if someone caught wind of you being here with a drug lady like me? Folks saw you willingly come in here, you know, and they're rumor hungry. This could spread wildfire-style. Imagine what the Chieftess would think."

"She'd think I was doing my job of protecting Stockbrunn," Ellie said. "Another criminal off of the streets, one that wouldn't be allowed to prey on girls like Zinnia ever again. I'm not afraid of you, Noemi, and I'd like it if you'd stop trying to scare me."

"This is how we talk around here, Heiress. Gruff's the default. Sorry I forgot my manners." Noemi saluted her. "I'm gonna check on Lucio and Gracja. Give you girls some space."

It took about a minute after she left for Ellie to let out a big sigh of relief. "Phew, glad she's gone. I was scrunching up my 'brows so hard I thought my brain was going to pop." She massaged her forehead.

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A/N: The latest chapter of Redwood Crossing, Chapter 16, is still accepting votes on the main site. Voting will end this Monday at 11:59 PM EST. Visit the main site to vote now.

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Next post on RRL will be 9.2, and that should be the final part to this chapter.