Maka took a deep breath and straightened her black blazer. Her stomach churned but she fixed her expression easily.
This is it.
You're going to do this.
Get in, get evidence, and get out.
Just like how you practiced.
Do it by the book.
Be natural.
You know this stuff.
This is it.
The large black door in front of her opened slowly, revealing a room with dark red walls, heavy and old looking mahogany furniture filling the office space. The curtains were a darker shade of red, matching the cushions as well as the front of the small but well stocked bar to her right.
A familiar face gestured her inside but she made sure to pay no attention to him. Kid looked away disinterestedly and she mimicked the motion.
There, seated delicately behind the large lacquer desk, leaning her pale face against her nimble fingers was the woman herself: Arachne. Her half lidded eyes seemed to narrow slightly as Maka strode through the door, concentrating on her posture. She made sure not to flinch when the door shut loudly behind her.
If she hadn't had been so focused on remaining calm and cool, the two others in the room might have startled her. Both had alarming appearances. Next to Arachne's desk stood was a short, older man. His nose came almost to a point and his beady eyes never left Maka as she stood in front of the door. She had heard rumors of this man, Mosquito, but the other who leaned against the bar was an enigma. Maka was sure if she'd anything about this man, she'd have remembered. The man had stark white hair and dark red eyes, he was twirling a drink in his hands impartially, but when he brought it to his mouth, Maka could see sharp pointed teeth. She made a point not to stare, but it was a downhill battle.
Kid cleared his throat and she snapped out of it,
"Maka Albarn." He announced, to which Arachne sighed and straightened herself up in her chair.
"Miss Albarn," she purred, "I hear you've been doing a few odd jobs for me,"
"That's right." Maka said firmly, "But I'd like to do more,"
Cut right to chase, Maka thought, don't waste her time.
Mosquito was eyeing her up and down, suspicious marring his face.
"Please, take a seat," Arachne gestured to a large chair in front of her desk and Maka was sure to be quick about sitting down,
"Tell me," the small man spoke, "What makes you think someone like you is qualified to work for this family." He seemed to scowl, but Arachne laughed lightly,
"Mosquito, please. I'm sorry love; you'll have to ignore him. He's very… protective."
Mosquito scoffed as Maka smiled lightly.
"I admire that quality. It seems it's one we share." She held the dark haired woman's piercing gaze, not wanting to show even a hint of trepidation,
"And what other qualities do you have? What's important to you?" Arachne lifted her head slightly. Maka had never felt more studied in all her life.
"Loyalty," Maka replied without hesitation, "And responsibility,"
Arachne laughed in surprise, she clapped her hands once and turned to the snowy haired man at the bar,
"Soul Eater! That's very close to what you first told me is it not?"
Soul turned towards the two women, his bored look never leaving his face,
"Very close," he nodded,
"But you didn't say responsibility… what was it?" She reached an arm towards him, her black polished nails gleaming in the light.
"Family," He replied before taking a drink from the dark liquor in his glass.
"Oh of course, how could I forget," She cooed, leaning her head back on her hand and looking at him with glassy eyes. Her gaze wandered over to Kid and she pursed her lips,
"And Kid, yours was… Power, am I mistaken?"
"You are not," Kid replied flatly, a smirk cracking his expression. Arachne sighed,
"I do love my boys," She hummed before turning back to Maka, "And you've done very good work for me. I think we'll have to try you out,"
Mosquito clicked his tongue,
"Are you sure about this?" He turned towards his boss, "There's something off about her,"
Arachne rolled her eyes slowly, "And what is that?" The small man opened his mouth to speak but Maka spoke first,
"Excuse my interruption," She said, focusing intensity and resolve into her voice, "But I am committed to the Arachne family. I would gladly die for them and am prepared to do so. You know what I can do and have seen what I'm capable of accomplishing. I could continue my work on my own, but I know opportunity when I see it. I can be an invaluable member of this family."
Arachne smiled,
"I admire your determination," She said, leaning towards the girl. Her expression remained the same, but her tone seemed to change in a heartbeat, "But if you speak out of turn in this office again, I can promise that your death will not be a painless one, and no one will find the pieces of you left behind,"
Maka swallowed thickly and nodded. Arachne leaned back in her chair. Kid and Soul exchanged glances before Soul went back to his drink.
"But I like you. And I like what you've done for me," She looked at her nails as she spoke, "So; I'm going to bring you in."
Maka glanced at Kid who tilted his head towards Arachne. Maka turned back,
"Thank you. You won't regret this." She said evenly. Arachne nodded to herself, still focusing on her nails, before gesturing with her other hand to the door,
"Kid Death; bring her in to the job you're working right now,"
"Of course," He said, striding to the door. Maka stood and followed him quickly,
"Do not disappoint me Miss Albarn," Arachne purred after them.
As the door closed Maka could hear her asking the man named Soul Eater for a drink.
Kid and Maka walked in silence down a large hall. Their shoes clicked off the black and red tile beneath them. They turned a few corners before Kid sighed,
"Reckless Maka. Really reckless."
"What was I supposed to do?" She whispered back,
"Not getting killed is a good place to start. I can't believe you challenged Mosquito." He ran a hand through his hair, a silver gun on his belt shining slightly in the light,
"I didn't mean to insult anyone," She chewed her lip,
"No, it was good. You showed her how much you wanted this." He looked around another corner before the two stopped, "Just be careful. We can't talk like this. We don't want to blow any cover here. I'm in too deep and you have an opportunity to do even more than me."
She nodded quickly, "I'm going to do this,"
"I know you are," He smiled, "Just don't take unnecessary risks and be patient."
"Who do you think you're talking to," She muttered as they started walking through the halls of the large manor once more. There were paintings of large spiders throughout the building, as well as wrought iron statues and features almost everywhere. The two emerged at the front entrance. A large room with a beautiful fountain, the sound of splashing water filling the place.
"The job I'm doing right now. It's not pretty."
Maka nodded, "Tell me."
"I'm just running it so I'm not getting my hands dirty, but you're going to have to. I'm going to have to put you in with the Hit-men." He glanced around the room for a moment, "You understand we need to do what we need to do and the station doesn't need to know about it, correct?"
"Correct." She hardened her expression, "I want to take them all down,"
"Then you're going to be a different person by the end of it all," He said in hushed tones,
"Kid. I'm ready."
He sighed, "I know. Come on."
He pushed through a large door and continued down a hallway until they reached a long staircase. The two walked down in silence, the large hanging lights dimly leading them down.
The manor was like a maze, Maka would be amazed if she ever learned how to successfully navigate on her own.
At the bottom was another large room, open and dimly lit by the wall lamps. Of course the colours matched the rest of the manor, Maka thought, rolling her eyes at the grandeur of it all. Criminals acting like royalty.
Sickening.
There was a pair of men wearing dark suits standing around a table in the center of the room. Kid strode over to them.
"Boss!" One of them shouted loudly, "Where have you been? We've been doing all the hard work down here. God's shouldn't be trapped in a basement; they should be out in the sunlight! They should be—whoa who's that?" The man who had spoken pointed a finger at Maka.
"Maka Albarn," She piped up.
"Huh. And why's she here?" The man made a face and Maka couldn't help but wonder about the choice of blue hair the man had clearly made for himself.
"I'm bringing her in." Kid said nonchalantly, walking over the table. The other man, large and with dreadlocks, nodded at Kid, sliding a piece of paper towards him.
"A girl?" The blue haired man spat at Kid, "You're making us work with a girl?"
Kid turned away from the table to face him,
"Black Star for God's sake. This is what Arachne wants. Plus, what's wrong with working with women now? You've never had a problem with Tsubaki."
"Uh, that's different. Have you seen Tsubaki?" Black Star let out a low whistle, "Hotty with a body,"
Maka felt rage swell up in her stomach,
"I could kick you flat on your ass," She approached Black Star, "So shut the fuck up and tell me what we're doing here."
Black Star looked shocked for a moment before he burst out laughing,
"Do you guys hear this?" He kept laughing, "Kick my ass, that's great,"
"I mean it," Maka growled.
"Oh I'm terrified!" he cackled, "Watch out, I better not fuck with skinny over here!"
She hardly realised what she was doing when her foot caught under Black Stars. She moved around him quickly taking his footing out from under him. The man stopped laughing immediately as he started to fall backwards. Much to Maka's surprise however, the moment his back hit the ground, he flipped over and was on his feet in a flash. She didn't even have a chance to blink before he was behind her, one arm around her neck and a sharp object pressed into her lower back,
"Kitties got claws," he growled into her ear. She was speechless as she shouted, "And boom: you're dead,"
He dropped the knife from her back and as he walked away she saw him retract it into his suit sleeve,
"Bringing fuckin' babies down here, how am I supposed to get any work done out there?!" Black Star shouted as he looked back to the papers he was working on.
Kid turned to Maka,
"Try to play nice, everyone," He sighed.
She swallowed before walking over to the table and standing across from the blue haired assassin. He looked up at her,
"I'm not babysitting you when we take out Medusa. You die: your fault."
The large man with dreads looked down at Maka and smiled,
"Don't listen to him; he hasn't had a clean kill in months. Too busy shouting about how great he is. You need to be quiet, like the kind of man I am!" He clapped her on the back.
She nodded, a faint smile on her lips.
This was exhausting.
She just needed to remember why she was here.
She needed to remember Kid's words and get all this shit done.
She needed to get her hands dirty.
She could do that.