The Colour of Vengeance (23 page)

“It's his fault Jezzet an' Thanquil are dead. Ya may not o' liked 'em, Henry, but they were my friends. I was supposed ta kill Kessick back in Sarth. 'Cos I failed my friends are dead. Reckon that deserves some vengeance an’ reckon I’m the only bastard left who’s like to deal it.”

“Then here's the deal, Thorn.” Henry sauntered over to Betrim and stared up at him. “I'll help ya find an' kill this Arbiter o' yours if you help me kill Swift.”

Betrim would be the first to admit he wasn't the brightest of folk but he reckoned he was starting to piece things together. “Ya know where he is?”

Henry snorted. “Where else would the fuck be but Chade. He owns half the city, sits on the council playin' the blooded lord.”

“Aye. An' where did he get the bits ta buy all that?” Betrim asked.

Henry glared even harder. “Someone had ta get paid fer that last job. We killed H'ost.”

“Far as I remember it only you, me an' the Boss knew who hired us an' the Boss sure as hell weren't tellin' no one after getting' his face bit off in Hostown an’ me… well I was locked up in an Inquisition dungeon.”

Henry went silent. Betrim decided to press the issue. He reckoned he knew the truth now but some things were better off said.

“How'd ya get the limp, Henry?” he asked her.

Took her a while but eventually she replied. “After Hostown I ran. Figured the rest o' ya were dead. Didn't see how no one could survive those demons,” Henry let out a loud sniff and stared at Betrim, truth was he’d never seen so much hatred in a person’s eyes. “Bastard caught up with me in Chade, 'fore I made contact with Drake's people. We fought. He won. Tortured the contacts name out o' me...” Henry gritted her teeth.

Betrim took a deep breath and nodded. “He rape you?”

Henry pushed him hard in the chest with both hands making him stumble back a step. Then she punched him. Betrim saw the punch coming but took it all the same, he saw them all coming and took them. Truth was they hurt like hell, especially the ones in his gut right where the soldier from Crucible had done his own punching, but at least she didn't hit him in the face. After ten or so Henry stopped, just stood there panting, shaking a little and treating the dusty ground to that vicious stare of hers. Betrim waited for her to speak.

“He left me fer dead,” she said eventually her voice more than a little choked. “Right leg laid open an' bleedin' an' he jus'… left me there ta die. Fuckin' lucky a southern couple came by, I guess. Woman was a healer; patched me up an' sent me on my way.”

Betrim nodded. “It's a deal then.”

“Eh?”

“Kessick fer Swift. Both of 'em die.”

“Aye?”

“Aye.”

Henry sniffed and then spat, still staring at the ground. “Thanks then, I guess.”

Betrim didn't think he'd ever heard Henry thank anyone. He stepped forwards and gave her a friendly shove before treating her to one of his least horrific smiles. “What 'bout you, Anders?”

Anders grinned up at them both. “I may not know this fellow but if my lady wishes it I will kill him twice just to make sure.”

“Aye. Then seein' as ya know this place so damned well hows 'bout ya lead us in the direction of a town. Preferably one with a good tavern, eh.”

“I like the way you think, boss. I know just the place. Follow me,” Anders was already up and walking by the time he finished speaking, nothing like the promise of a drink to get a drunk on his feet. “I do have one question. When you said
demons
...”

Swift's people were in place. They would watch and wait and eventually follow. The
merchandise
was ready, under heavy guard in the next room. Swift himself paced, caught between anger and impatience. Gone were the smiles. Pern had noticed his client seemed to smile less and less these days, his mood swings were worse and he was prone to random acts of violence.

Haarin Pern Suzku was standing close to his client as always, ready to protect even to the cost of his own life. It seemed the number of people wanting Swift dead was growing daily. There had been two attempts on his life in the past week alone and while Swift was adamant they originated from Captain Drake Morrass there was no proof of his claims. Nor could Swift claim he hadn't tried to have the Captain murdered right back. It seemed to Pern that the rule of the free city of Chade was based around one true principle;
survival of the cruellest
.

As his clients constant, protective shadow Pern sat in on all the council meetings and he had observed that Swift and Drake were the height of civility towards each other while in those meetings. Once outside, however, Swift would immediately lay down new plans for having Drake murdered and Pern had no doubt Drake was busy planning the same thing. Swift had only one true advantage; he had a Haarin guarding him.

The streets of Chade had turned into a shadow war. The number of murders had risen dramatically and the city guard had no explanation for it, or more accurately they were paid to have no explanation for it. Swift's men killed Drake's men and Drake's men
disappeared
Swift's men.

Just recently one of Swift's most accomplished gang leaders had gone missing from his safe house despite the other six members of his gang being in the next room. Two days later the leader had turned up on the steps of the guildhall in the Craftman's terrace missing his feet, his hands, his eyes, his ears and his tongue. The man was quickly put down but the damage had already been done; his gang conveniently went missing that very day and Swift later received reports that all six men had decided pirating was a more lucrative way of life.

The truth of the situation was Swift was losing his war with Drake Morrass. Despite his torture of Belper Froth, Swift had yet to find a permanent location for the pirate Captain and any attempts to have the man followed only ever seemed to end in yet another spy going missing. Swift himself admitted he had only one play left; both he and Kessick wanted Drake Morrass dead.

“Where is he?” Swift said referring to the ex-Arbiter. “Don't reckon I like bein' made ta wait.”

“Perhaps he was ambushed and died on his way,” said Leese. She was one of Swift's favourite employees. A good leader and more than a little dangerous with a sword. She also had no problems opening her legs for her employer.

“Aye that'd be jus' my fuckin' luck,” Swift said, spitting on the ground and increasing the speed of his pacing. Leese decided to stay quiet after that.

“Things were different back on the crew. Never made any decisions other than whether I wanted blonde or brunette. Jus' did as was told an' got paid. Simpler fuckin' times, I reckon. Could count on folk ta watch my back too. Weren't no-one lookin' ta kill ol' Swift when the Black Thorn were such an easy target. Reckon I'm startin' ta see why he was such a paranoid bastard.

“I ever tell ya 'bout the time we had ta take a tour of the ruins o' Blood Hollow?”

Leese shook her head enthusiastically. Pern just continued to scan the warehouse, looking for possible advantage spots an assassin could attack from. He stopped counting at twenty.

“Whole crew were there. Bein' paid ta off some dumb fuck pissed off the wrong folk an' reckoned he could hide from 'em. Dark place Blood Hollow, used ta be some sort o' city in the middle o' the forest but long since abandoned. Trees taken over the place grow ta some real height, pretty much block out the sun. Could be the hottest day ya ever known but in Blood Hollow it'd be dark an' gloomy with a real oppressive atmosphere, heavy, ya might say.

“Pretty much only thin' left livin' in Blood Hollow is the monkeys. Little bastards 'bout the size o' a cat, but there's plenty of 'em. Steal anythin' left unguarded,” Swift grinned at that. “Taste a bit weird too. Shot one down with my own bow, cooked an' ate it. Ya take what ya can get out in the wilds.

“Rumours is the ruins is haunted. Ghosts or somin'. The dead comin' back ta prey on the livin'. Reckon ya got be more than a little fool ta believe in such but the Black Thorn did. Said he'd seen the dead walk, reckons it happens all the time back in the Five Kingdoms. Dumb bastard kept lookin' round sayin' he could see eyes starin' at us from the trees, from the buildings.” He let out a bitter laugh. “Eyes in the dark.

“Weren't nothin' there sides the fool we were sent ta kill; half-mad an' gibberin' like a moon-born.

“Point is I ain't never met a man so paranoid as the Black Thorn but I reckon I'm startin' ta see why he was that way. So many folk lookin' ta kill ya is enough ta make anyone a bit jumpy.”

It was then the door opened. Some men might have jumped given the topic of conversation but not Swift. He didn't even bother to look that way, just glanced at Pern to make sure it was safe. Pern gave a minute nod in reply. The man at the door was one of Swift's guards.

“Kessick is outside, boss.”

Swift waited, sucked loudly at his teeth and said nothing.

“Um...” the guard said. “Boss?”

“Alright. Send the fuck in,” Swift replied in a surly tone.

Kessick walked in alone but escorted by three of Swift's men. He approached but Pern stepped between the ex-Arbiter and his client before he could get too close. Swift might not like showing such fear but his Haarin didn't care, he was more concerned about his client's life than appearances.

Kessick glanced at Pern through dark grey eyes then dismissed his presence and focused on Swift. His aura was just as purple and just as insidious as the last time Pern had seen the ex-Arbiter.

“Leese here reckoned ya might have been killed by Drake on ya way here,” Swift said without turning to face Kessick.

“If it were that easy to kill me, Captain Morrass would have done it long ago,” Kessick said in a flat voice.

“Which leads me ta a particular area o' interest ta me,” Swift turned to look at Kessick. “Why does he want ya dead?”

“Do you have the people?” Kessick asked, ignoring Swift's question.

Swift snorted. “Aye. I got 'em.” He motioned to one of his men and the door to the back-room of the warehouse was opened. A few seconds later a long line of chained people were herded out into the main room of the warehouse. Some bore the signs of wounds, bruises and lacerations while others were unharmed but the tattoos on their faces and hands revealed them to be slaves. Sixteen people in all; men, women and even a couple of children. They were walked out and stopped in front of Kessick for him to inspect.

Some of the prisoners lowered their eyes deferentially but a couple stared at Kessick and Swift in open hostility. One of the men, a tall black-skinned man with only one ear tried to struggle free. He was smacked on the back of the head with a wooden stick by one of the guards and his struggling stopped. Another man, dressed in the ruins of a fine blue silken suit, offered Kessick money to let him go free. Kessick ignored the man.

“They will serve,” Kessick informed Swift after visually inspecting each prisoner. “It is not enough. I need more.”

“Aye. Well it weren't easy findin' these lot. More'll take more time,” Swift said.

“Time is something we are very short on, Swift. Find me more.”

Kessick turned to go, motioning for the guards to walk the prisoners out.

“Why's Drake want ya dead?” Swift asked again. Kessick stopped. “I mean he seems ta think you want him dead. Asked him why an' didn't have a straight answer fer me.”

“I do want him dead,” Kessick replied.

“Why?”

Kessick turned back and again approached Swift. Pern was still between the two, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “Because powerful people often set themselves up in opposition.

“You are planning to betray me, Swift,” Kessick continued. “Soon. I would advise against it. You are not a powerful person. You are a pawn. Without my protection you would be dead within days. Or more likely Captain Morrass would strap you to the front of his ship as a new figurehead just to see how long you last.”

Pern could feel the anger and suppressed violence flowing off of Swift in waves. His aura was deep and red, boiling and seething around him. It made the atmosphere so thick Pern almost found it hard to breathe. Kessick continued regardless.

“Find me the people I need. I have provided you with ample charms to detect them. I will return in four weeks’ time and I expect to receive at least twice this many.”

Swift's jaw was clenched and he was shaking but Kessick ignored the obvious hostility. With a shake of his head the ex-Arbiter turned and strode from the warehouse, after the prisoners. As soon as the door closed Swift laughed.

“Pretty fuckin' convincin', eh, Suzku?”

Pern turned to look as his client, the aura of anger had gone, he seemed almost back to the jovial man he had once been. “You... I could feel your anger.”

Swift grinned even wider. “Pretty. Fuckin'. Convincin'. Eh?” He nodded to Leese. “Tell the boys ta follow that bastard and make certain they get caught.”

Leese looked confused. “You want them ta get caught?”

“If ya fuckin' heard me then why should I tell ya again?”

Leese backed away a step, nodding, and then turned and fled to carry out Swift's orders. Swift gave a single hand signal into the dark rafters of the warehouse and then turned back to Pern.

He saw something move, a shadow, slightly darker than the darkness it inhabited. Then it was gone leaving Pern to wonder if it had merely been a trick of the eye.

Swift saw Pern staring into the darkness and gave his Haarin a wink. “Best thin' 'bout bein' rich is gettin' ta pay other folk ta do the real dirty work. Back in the crew it were me who'd be doin' the assassin jobs. Rest o' those bastards were only good fer hittin' things in the face. Little less than subtle, I reckon.”

“An assassin?” Pern asked.

“Aye. Comes from the Five Kingdoms. Near as expensive as you were. Now if only I could find that fuck Morrass I could give him the same treatment.”

Some days it took all of Pern's will and training to stop from asking further details of Swift's business. Some days it took too much. “Those people. What does Kessick want them for?”

Swift spat and started walking into the back-room. Pern followed. “Fuck if I know, Suzku. My da' were workin' fer Kessick 'fore me though an' he were playin' around with demons so if I had ta guess... I'd say somethin' ta do with demons.”