Let's Make a Deal
Promises, deals, and strange alliances ... but where will it lead?
[Author's Note: This story follows the story Summer Daze, and is the ninth episode of Volume 7.]
"Weiss, I can't say I liked your grandmother much," said Ruby, as they headed back to Atlas. "I mean, she didn't even offer us tea. I thought old ladies always offered you tea."
"All Maidens end up with unhappy lives," said Klein, at the controls of the airship. "Dangers, threats, fighting and conflict, none of it sought. Is it really any wonder that Faber Schnee has turned her back on the world?"
"That which does not kill you," said Weiss, as she stared out the window, "makes you stranger."
Yang and Blake were enjoying coffee in a cafe that overlooked one of the public plazas of Atlas. Beside them were a number of packages, the result of a morning of shopping. On the newscreen there was an article about the Atlas fleet leaving for Vale for the CCT ceremony but it was not what was on their minds.
"I still can't believe you bought it," said Yang.
"Will you believe it when you see me in it?" said Blake.
"Maybe. You know, I never knew you had a tail. Before we ... you know."
"Before we ... what?"
"You know. Started."
"Started ... what?"
"Well, if I had known about your mischievous streak, maybe I wouldn't have climbed into bed with you at all."
"Really?"
"No, not really."
"As I thought. But maybe you don't have to mention the tail thing to Weiss and Ruby."
Yang gave a little laugh. "We'll see," she said. She leaned over the table and they exchanged a long, lingering kiss.
There was an odd hissing sound from the square. They looked towards it, and saw a crack of light appear. It began to grow larger.
"A portal," said Yang. "Never a good thing."
They both drew their weapons and ran towards it, shouting for the people in the square to run.
The portal continued to grow ... and grow.
"I thought they just came in doorway size," said Yang.
"Obviously not," said Blake.
Then, out of the house-sized opening, a horde of Beringels appeared, stampeding towards them. Immediately, Yang and Blake fired, taking down a dozen of the ape-like creatures. But more appeared. Yang switched her mechanical gauntlet to automatic mode and fired a stream of bullets, but the Beringels continued their charge. Blake morphed her weapon into sword mode, slashing and stabbing.
Then they were on them. Yang took a blow on the side of head, sending her down. She caught a glimpse of Blake being grabbed by a trio of them. She was lifted off her feet, and her weapon fell to the ground. Still struggling, she was carried back towards the portal. Then they were through, and gone.
Yang managed to get to her feet, to find that all the other Beringels were retreating. Then a thin, hard-faced woman emerged from the portal. Yang aimed her gauntlets at her.
"I wouldn't do that," said the woman. "Not if you want your girlfriend back alive."
"Who?" said Yang. "Oh, you mean the bimbo I was with? Tell the truth, I hardly know her. Just a bit of fluff I picked up in a bar. You may as well let her go, she's got nothing to do with anything."
The woman gave a crooked smile. "I don't think so," she said. "We have been watching the two of you for some time. My name is Louise van der Twitch, by the way."
"Unlucky you," said Yang. "I'm guessing you're a very under- underling. Or a minion. Not tough enough to be a henchman."
Van der Twitch scowled. "I am a senior assistant of Salem, who will be master of Atlas before long," she said. "And I have a deal for you. I assume you know where Arthur Watts and Tyrian Callows are. You bring them to me, and I give you your friend back."
"Hmm," said Yang. "Let me think about it for a couple of days."
"You have one hour. If you refuse, she dies, and she dies screaming."
"And if I can't deliver them?"
"Then you and she are out of luck."
Yang considered. "I would prefer somewhere a bit less public than here," she said. "There are some empty warehouses near the airship terminal. That's the place."
Van der Twitch nodded. "As you say," she said. "One hour." She stepped through the portal, and it closed behind her.
Yang picked up Gambol Shroud, thinking. She took out her scroll and tried to call Ruby and Weiss. A message said that they were out of communications range.
Fifty-nine minutes left.
She was on her own.
Or was she?
The door suddenly exploded.
"Knock knock!" said Yang, striding through the wreckage. "You know, you guys need a much better lair. This one is really easy to find, if you ask around and break a few heads."
"What are you doing here?" said Mercury.
"Can't it just be a social call?" said Yang.
"Of course not," said Emerald.
"Where are your twerpy friends?" said Cinder.
"Well, that's the thing, you see," said Yang. "Salem snatched one of them. She wants to trade her for Watts and Tyrian. In 22 minutes."
"You know that Salem is completely untrustworthy, right?" said Adam. "Even by the standards of criminals."
"Of course. Which is where you come in. Since you are already on Salem's naughty list. I thought you might like to get some payback. Foil a nefarious scheme, that sort of thing."
"Hmm," said Emerald. "Aside from annoying Salem, what do we get out of it?"
"Well, er, let me see. I guess ... I'll owe you one."
The five of them looked at each other. Neo put up her hand, saying: I'm in.
"Which of your friends did Salem grab?" said Adam.
Yang stared at him.
"I'm in," he said.
"Huh, well, hmm, I suppose we can do you a very big favour, in return for a future consideration," said Mercury. "But this doesn't change anything, you know. We're still on opposite sides."
"And I'll still kill you when the time is right," said Cinder.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever," said Yang. "Now, who wants to go on a little trip?"
"So you can fit 127,963 grains of sand in your pocket," said Arthur Watts. "Who would have thought?"
"Please come up with a game that is more interesting," said Tyrian Callows. "I will go insane if we are here for much longer."
"You mean, more insane?"
"Yes, insaner."
"Well, it looks like we're in luck," said Watts. He pointed to a nearby patch of sand where a portal was opening.
Yang stepped out, her gauntlets levelled at them. Emerald was beside her, guns raised. And Neo, with her umbrella open and over her shoulder. Well, desert.
"If it isn't Miss Headbutt and other assorted pretties," said Watts.
"Your boss wants to trade you," said Yang. "I want my girlfriend back, so come along."
"Wonderful!" said Watts.
"Not so fast," said Emerald. "First, your weapons. Take off your coat and throw it over here, Arthur. And you, Tyrian, lose the blades."
"And if we refuse?" said Watts.
"Then I'll see you in a decade or so, maybe," said Yang. "If I don't forget."
"When you put it like that, how can we say no?" said Watts. He removed his coat and threw it at Emerald's feet. Tyrian detached his blades and threw them onto the coat.
"And the rest, Arthur," said Emerald.
Watts gave a grimace. He took several gizmos from various pockets and threw them down.
"Still more," said Yang.
He scowled again, and took off his shoes and belt, and added them to the pile.
"Now, put these on," said Yang.
Neo held up several sets of manacles.
"Oh Arthur, this woman is perfect!" said Tyrian. Neo gave him another wink.
"I'll let the two of you work out the romantic stuff later," said Yang. "We're on a schedule here, so move it along, please."
So a few minutes later, a manacled Watts and Tyrian stepped out of a portal and onto an empty warehouse loading bay. Yang was behind them, her gauntlets still covering them, but Emerald and Neo were nowhere to be seen. Emerald had stuffed a nasty-looking rag into Tyrian's mouth to stop his chattering.
"I don't suppose I could get my portal stone back?" said Watts to Yang. "We have to sign for them, you see. Salem likes to keep the books in order. Since it's her magic that makes them."
"Nope," said Yang.
"My belt, at least?"
"Uh-uh. If your pants fall down, they fall down."
"You are a hard woman, you know."
"I know. And I will shoot you if you try anything clever. Now I think about it, Twitchy didn't say that you had to be alive."
"Must have slipped her mind."
"Just why does Salem want you back? Given her inherent evil-ness, it seems to be taking loyalty to employees a little far."
"Let's just say that I have a few important projects currently in train. And Tyrian, of course, has significant entertainment value."
"Grumph numph grr mmm grumph," said Tyrian.
A doorway-sized portal formed. Van der Twitch stepped out, with Blake. Blake's hands were tied, and van der Twitch had a crossbow pointed at her head.
"Louise!" said Watts. "I believe that you have still not processed my latest round of invoices."
"I have to say that I think I am getting the better of this exchange," said Yang to van der Twitch. "Now, she walks to me and they walk to you. Simple."
Van der Twitch nodded.
Blake was nearly to Yang when the portal suddenly increased in size. A troop of Beringels charged out, heading for Blake and Yang. Van der Twitch, with Watts and Tyrian, ran through the portal.
"Now!" shouted Yang, as she began to fire.
Emerald, Adam and Mercury stepped out from behind their cover, and fired into the crowd of Grimm. Neo came leaping down from a warehouse roof, sword raised. The blade sliced the cords binding Blake. Neo handed Blake her weapon.
Two Beringels had made it through the storm of bullets, and they lunged for Blake and Neo. In a moment, Blake had morphed her weapon into its sword form. She and Neo slashed out at the same instant. The two Beringels exploded into ashes.
Cinder stepped forward. "So the other end of this portal is in Salem's castle, right?" she said to Blake.
"Yes, it was some sort of library," said Blake.
"Good," said Cinder.
A huge gust of fire burst out of her, and into the portal.
All the Beringels were down, evaporating. The portal closed.
Cinder turned to Yang. She still held a fireball in her hand.
"Huh," she said. She let the fireball shrink and vanish. "Don't forget that you owe us for this, blondie," she said.
Yang nodded.
Cinder led the others away. But not before Adam cast a long, mournful look at Blake. She stared back, expressionless.
Suddenly, Yang and Blake were alone.
And then they were in each other's arms.
END (to be continued)