Chapter 1: A Glimmer of Hope
The large iron gates were open when Wolf walked up to the estate. It was just like he remembered it, with gorgeous flowers everywhere, birds chirping in the morning air and a gentle breeze blowing in over him. He felt oddly nervous as he came to a stop before the gateway. There was nobody in sight. They were all likely inside. He needed to do this. He was out of options. Ulysses's death three days ago had not only been a shockingly unexpected turn of events, but it forced the rest of Roanapur to be on high alert. Wolf wouldn't have the time to pursue this endeavour himself, not with other matters in the way. That was why he was forced to seek help. He had hoped to leave them in peace, to let them live out their lives without the threat of danger looming over them. But he couldn't think of anybody else for the job. Lucille was someone he wanted to keep close for Usagi's sake and her presence would no doubt be discovered by Hotel Moscow if she went around the city. Otherwise, she would be perfect for this job. Regardless, Wolf was here now. He poised himself for the encounter to come as he strode through the gates and entered the courtyard. The door at the far end opened and a woman came out then, someone he did not recognise. She was a plump woman, wearing a maid's outfit. Wolf assumed she was a temporary employee of the Lovelace household, seeing as how he had never seen her before. She came to a stop in front of him and smiled, although he could practically sense her discomfort.
"Can I help you?" she asked. What a question. He wasn't exactly sure where to begin. He began by removing his sunglasses, bright though the sun was. He didn't imagine they lessened her discomfort.
"I was wondering if Garcia was home," he asked sheepishly. "And his maids. I have…well, I have business to discuss with them."
"Business?" the woman asked. "The Young Master did not tell us he was expecting visitors." Her voice was high and jolly, but her tone was almost rude.
"He's not expecting me," Wolf told her. "Look, he knows me. Just tell him the Wolf is here to see him." The woman narrowed her eyes for a few seconds before deciding it would be wise to just go along with that request. If he did mean them harm, he was sure he'd be dead in a few minutes anyway. It didn't take long for Garcia to emerge from inside. His expression was curious as he looked down the length of the yard at the assassin. He came forward hurriedly.
"Mister Wolf!" he exclaimed excitedly. The assassin supposed that was just how he would be addressed here from now on. He spotted Roberta and Fabiola in the doorway the young boy had come from moments before. They, too, were peering down at him as if to make sure it was actually him. The plump woman looked abashed, now, embarrassed that Garcia actually did know Wolf. "I didn't think you'd come back!" Roberta and Fabiola came up behind him as the unknown woman waddled back inside. Wolf scratched the back of his neck nervously. He had gotten on surprisingly well with the Lovelaces. After the threat of Godswrath and Lucille had been quelled, Garcia offered him a place in their estate. The boy would be disappointed to learn that Wolf would not be staying. Not only that, but he hoped to take Roberta with him.
"Well…not for long, actually," he began. "It's good to see you, though." Garcia did look a tad disappointed at that. Despite the kind, orderly nature of the Lovelaces and his distaste for Roanapur, he was uncharacteristically accepting of the Wolf as a friend of the family. "I actually came to speak to Roberta." Garcia turned to look at his former maid for a second and smiled. She meant a great deal to him. It was obvious to anyone that his feelings for her were far stronger than they appeared at face value. He went on back inside with Fabiola and the unnamed woman, leaving the other two alone.
"I didn't expect to see you," Roberta told him. "All is well, I take it?" His face gave it away immediately.
"No," he said solemnly. "No, it's not. I wouldn't have come if it wasn't absolutely necessary. I know you won't want to hear it, but I need you to come back with me. A lot of shit has happened since you left." She was evidently surprised by this. Even she did not expect more trouble to find Roanapur after the year it had had. While Roberta had once been one of the fiercest human beings on the planet, she had been reduced to a shadow of her former self. In her current condition, her combat skills would not impress like they once had. The fact that Kane managed to down her during his siege of the city proved that much. She would undoubtedly have been able to kill him otherwise. But, when all was said and done, she was still the Bloodhound of Florencia. Her skills at tracking her targets and the relentlessness she was known for were unmatched. If anyone could do what Wolf wanted, it was her.
"You ask a lot," she answered. "I swore long ago to lay down my weapons in service to the Lovelace family. I broke that oath once before, I do not wish to do so again. The Young Master would not approve of such behaviour." She fell silent, but it was obvious she had more to say. Her cheeks flushed with faint colour for a moment. "And…I am not the woman I once was. I doubt I can accomplish whatever it is you need me for." That was disappointing to say the least. Wolf had never seen the Bloodhound's handiwork first hand, but he had heard enough during his training under Sif. Not only that, but she had been a formidable killer even with her incapacitations the last time she had been in Roanapur. "What was it you needed?" she asked then. Where to begin. Wolf wouldn't tell her everything now, there was far too much to go over.
"I need you to track someone down," he started. "There's this assassin, calls himself Black Bear. He, uh…he pissed off a lot of people. Me included. Everyone else is occupied or soon will be. That's why I came to you." Her hand subconsciously went to the crucifix draped around her neck. It was understandable that she did not want to leave. She had been through enough torment and bloodshed for all of them. The only reason she came back to Roanapur in the first place was because of Kane and the threat he posed to the Lovelaces. Now, she had no reason to concern herself with the plights of the city. But Wolf needed her for this, more than she knew. And she could sense that there was more going on than he was telling her. For that reason alone, she almost seemed to be considering it. "The others will not approve."
"I don't imagine so," Wolf agreed. "But you won't be in that much danger. This guy doesn't hold a candle to you. He's probably pissing his pants already with the shitstorm that's waiting for him if he steps outside. All I need you to do is give me a place to look." That seemed to sway her a bit more. Knowing Roberta, she would probably engage Bear rather than just discover where it was he was hiding and directing Wolf there. As long as she survived, Wolf was happy. He just wanted Black Bear.
"Alright," she agreed, much to the pleasure of Wolf. "Just give me a moment." She hurried back inside then to get her things and explain to the others that she would be leaving yet again. If her extended absence was anything to go by, Garcia was not taking it too well that she was leaving him. Before, he had been with her when she left, softening the blow of putting her in danger. Now, he would be forced to live every day without knowing if she was alive or dead. That understandably must have terrified him. When Roberta did emerge again, she wore her combat gear and carried a duffle bag in her hand. They headed out to a military plane that would take them back to Thailand. The pilot was a greasy old man, but the only smuggler Wolf could get a hold of on such short notice. Once they were aboard, Roberta predictably began her questioning. "Now that we have the time, what is it you weren't telling me back there?" Wolf supposed there was no point in postponing the inevitable. He started from the top, explaining that Usagi had come seeking shelter from her father and that the Dead Men were soon to follow. To even recount the tale was unpleasant.
"The fucker's name is Hunter," he went on. "He's supposed to be some big bad criminal back in China. He killed Ulysses not three days ago. He hired these two assassins to take out the city's leaders. Black Bear…he wasn't so easily tamed." He paused for a second and his eyes stared blankly into space as he poised himself for what he was about to say. "He raped Usagi. Just fucking left her there in my apartment. Christ…what a sight to come home to. Now, even Hunter doesn't want anything to do with him. That gives us an advantage, at least." He looked back towards Roberta. Her face hadn't changed drastically, but there were subtleties there that showed how disgusted she actually was. "I need you to find him. I'm not letting him off easy." Roberta nodded, leaning against the side of the plane's interior beside him. She must have been wondering what she had agreed to. This was not going to be easy, especially for her. If the Bear didn't put up a fight, the Dead Men would still be racing her to take out the assassin first. Not to mention how Balalaika would react, of course. She would likely have the Bloodhound killed as soon as she was spotted involving herself in the city's affairs. It was a risky move she was making on the account of the Wolf. He appreciated this. Was it not for her agreement to go along with this, Black Bear might well get away unharmed. Or, worse, the Dead Men might get to him first.
"You should have come back with us," Roberta said then. "After Lucille. The Young Master offered you a place with us." Wolf laughed to himself at the absurdity of the situation he was in. If he had taken Garcia up on that offer, he would likely be living peacefully right now, with none of this business to deal with. Usagi would be dead or under the care of her father back home and the Dead Men would never have come to Roanapur. It genuinely bothered the assassin sometimes how ashes seemed to be left in his wake. He wondered how different Roanapur would be if he never came to the cursed city.
"I wanted to," he told Roberta, still not looking at her. His mind was troubled, more than it had been in a long time. "I really did. Wasn't sure if I'd even be welcome, but it was a tempting offer. But I kept thinking to myself that this is all on me, you know? You weren't around at the time, but Sif…the woman who trained me, she came to the city looking for me. And for Ulysses. After that, Kane showed up with his Marchers. You know all too well the only reason he was in charge of those mercenaries was because, surprise surprise, I killed their last leaser. And Lucille…only reason she even knew the city existed was because of all the shit that happened before her arrival." He paused and removed his left glove, examining the marks and grooves in his skin as if to occupy himself. "I almost feel responsible for the city. Like anything that happens to it is my fault. And I know it's stupid, but…it's not gonna change. That's part of why I didn't come back to Venezuela." The silence that followed was broken only by the thunderous sound of the plane's engines. It would take hours before they were back in Thailand.
"I will find this Black Bear," Roberta assured Wolf. "He will not hide from me, I promise you."