The Cytokine Storm
Chapter 7
"Orcs don't get sick?" Anna asked, unsettled at how similar the corpse looked to the dying soldier back home.
"All living creatures can suffer from illness, but human illness is different from the other races." Jarlaxle answered, tossing the roll back onto the table.
Should she say something? "Is it possible for an orc to catch a human illness?" She asked. Jarlaxle shrugged. "I have never heard of it happening." He answered.
Anna looked down at the orc's bloated body. It was unlikely this was related to what she had seen at home. She decided to wait before mentioning anything. If this was unrelated then her information probably wasn't going to help. Of course, even if it was somehow related, she still didn't know anything that would make a difference.
Coughing drifted through the window. Whoever it was, they were coughing so hard that they had stopped moving. Anna started. The cough had a strange quacking sound to it. No. Oh please say this wasn't her fault. Moving to the doorway, Anna glanced outside. A child wrapped its arms around its ribs as it doubled over with another bout of coughing. She was about to start towards the child when a hand stayed her.
"Wait." Jarlaxle said, laying a slender black hand on her shoulder. Anna looked up at him to find the dark elf staring at the child in fascination. As if sensing the drow's gaze, the child looked up. Anna gasped. It wasn't a child at all. She wasn't sure what it was, but it certainly wasn't human. A look of fear crossed its face at the sight of the dark elf, but even as it tried to run a fit of coughing took hold of it, shaking its entire body violently. Falling to its knees the child-like creature wiped its mouth. The small hand came away covered in blood. Even from the doorway Anna could hear it struggling for breath. Blood gushed from its mouth as it fell sideways, landing on the dirt road, and then it was still. Anna closed her eyes and sent up a quick prayer for the poor creature lying motionless in the dirt.
"Why kill the halflings?" It was Artemis that spoke first. Jarlaxle silently considered the assassin's question. What benefit could be gained from the halflings' deaths? "Perhaps others desire the same artifact we have been searching for." He suggested. Artemis frowned. "It's possible, though what would a halfling want with the artifact? It would be of no use to them." He said.
Jarlaxle grinned. "Ah, another mystery to unravel!" He exclaimed, tilting his enormous hat to a more rakish angle. The assassin groaned in response and turned away, a long suffering look entering his eyes.
Anna's eyes darted between the assassin and the dark elf. It seemed as though Jarlaxle was enjoying himself. Shaking her head, Anna gave up on trying to understand the drow. She had her doubts about whether this death had anything to do with the mysterious artifact. Jarlaxle appeared convinced there was foul play involved in the halfling's death, but Anna had a terrible suspicion it was something worse, much worse.
Still grinning, Jarlaxle caught a glimpse of the worry in the girl's face. What did she know? For, in truth, she knew more than she was telling. Tucking a glossy curl behind her ear, she moved towards the body, carefully inspecting it. Curious, the drow stopped Artemis with a wave of his hand before the assassin could interfere. Why did she fascinate him so? Although the drow loved females of any number of races, there had never been a female that held his attention like this fragile girl. She looked almost frail with her pale skin and large indigo eyes, yet he had seen those delicate fingers examine the dead as though it was the most normal thing in the world. As she leaned over the halfling her hand shook ever so slightly. She needed to eat. Jarlaxle pursed his lips; he would rectify that situation at the first opportunity. He wondered why she was afraid to eat. Normally he would have assumed she was afraid of being poisoned, but he suspected that had nothing to do with her fear.
"Come, we shall break fast." The drow said, grasping Anna by the elbow and pulling her away from the corpse. The girl squeaked in surprise at his light touch. Jarlaxle smiled broadly. If the mere touch of his fingers unnerved her then the possibilities were endless.
"I'm not hungry." Anna told him, tugging against the hold on her elbow.
"Be that as it may, I am famished." The dark elf replied, taking her hand and tucking it in his arm. She looked about to argue, but sudden dizziness stole the words from her mouth causing her to sway on her feet. Jarlaxle frowned slightly and steadied her. As soon as she appeared steady he steered her towards the nearest establishment that served food. Pushing her into a chair, the drow motioned to one of the serving girls. Silently watching the dark elf, Artemis slid into the opposite chair and indicated that three meals were desired. Dismissing the girl, the assassin contemplated his surprising companion. Why was Jarlaxle so concerned about this girl?
The smell of warm bread made Anna's stomach rumble. How long had it been since her last meal; three, four days? She couldn't remember.
Balancing the steaming plates in her hand, the serving girl set the meals on the table, carefully avoiding the dark elf's gaze. Without a word she scurried away, only to return a few moments later with three mugs of ale. She jumped when Jarlaxle held out some coins to her. She hesitated for a moment and then snatched the coins from the drow's hand and all but ran away. Anna stared after the serving girl, wondering why she was so afraid of Jarlaxle. What didn't she know about the mysterious dark elf?
"Eat." Jarlaxle said, tapping her plate. Anna blinked and looked down at the plate. A thick piece of dark bread, a slab of ham, and some boiled eggs completed the meal. Nothing had ever looked so good. Should she eat? She wasn't in Faery. Would eating trap her here?
"The food is quite safe." The elf said, drawing her attention. As if to prove the point he took a bite and nodded in approval. "Why do you hesitate?" He asked curiously.
Anna's eyes lifted to meet Jarlaxle's. "It is said that those that eat the food of Faery may never leave." She said quietly.
The drow set down his knife. "You believe the food will trap you here?" He asked incredulously. Anna stared back at him. Propping his elbow on the table, the elf rested his chin in his palm and watched her in amusement. "Your fears are misplaced. There are many things that could trap you, but the food is not one of them." He said.
The bread smelled so good. Anna's stomach rumbled again. Louder this time. "I have heard starvation is remarkably unpleasant." The elf remarked.
He was right, if she starved to death it wouldn't make any difference if she ate or not. Picking up the bread, she tore off a piece and brought it to her lips. She wavered for a second, and then popped the morsel into her mouth. Anna moaned in pleasure, earning a laugh from the elf.
Still grinning, Jarlaxle sat back and looked at the assassin. "What was on the paper you took from the halfling?" He asked pleasantly. Artemis stopped chewing and met the drow's sharp red eyes. The dark elf's powers of observation never ceased to amaze him. "An address." He said, after swallowing the piece of ham. Jarlaxle raised a questioning eyebrow. The assassin's mouth twisted in distaste. "A meeting place for the halfling and one of Rassiter's wererats." He answered.
Jarlaxle leaned back in chair. "A wererat? I had no idea they had spread so far out." He said.
"The artifact drew them." Artemis said. Picking up the mug of ale, he studied it for a short time and then set it down.
Leaning forward, Jarlaxle rested his elbows on the table and steepled his fingers. "Do you know this meeting place?" He asked. The assassin scowled and replied. "It's beneath the city." Anna glanced up from her meal to stare at Artemis. As far as she knew London didn't have any sewers at this point in time. Of course she had never heard of a wererat either…
Artemis' voice broke through Anna's thoughts. "Apparently the halfling was to deliver the artifact to the wererats, who in turn would deliver it to Rassiter." He said. The assassin frowned into his ale. "It makes no sense. The artifact would be of no use to a wererat."
"What is this artifact you are looking for?" Anna asked as she peeled her boiled egg.
Jarlaxle transferred his gaze to Anna, considering if she might have any thoughts about the artifact. "It is a mechanical device." He said, leaving out one small detail; the device was said to give its wielder the power of a god.
"Why wouldn't a wererat want it?" She asked. Jarlaxle grinned. "They don't know what it is or how to use it." Anna stared at the drow in confusion. "Not intelligent enough? What does it do?" She asked. The dark elf's smile grew. "I have no idea." Anna opened her mouth and then closed it again. She turned to the assassin who merely shrugged as if to say 'don't bother trying to understand'. Looking down at her plate, Anna pushed the egg around with her spoon. Whatever it was, it must be valuable or the elf wouldn't want it so much. "Do you know what it looks like?" She finally asked.
"It is said to resemble a piece of jewelry that fits over your hand", the drow said, watching her closely. Anna had seen small guns that could fit in a man's sleeve. A small mechanical device was sometimes used to release the gun into its owner's hand. Could it be something like that? "Perhaps you have heard of such a device?" The dark elf prompted. Anna looked up, meeting the red gaze. "I have seen similar devices used to hold weapons, but I don't see how that could be the same thing." She said.
Jarlaxle considered the possibility of the artifact being a weapon. Everything he had heard about the device had spoken of power, though until he was able to study the device it would remain a mystery. More than anything the drow loved the adventure and the treasure, and the device promised both.
Seeing that Anna had finished her meal, the dark elf turned to Artemis. The assassin felt a familiar sense of dread as a huge grin spread across the drow's face.
"Come! Let us pay a visit to the wererats." Jarlaxle said cheerfully.
As they left the tavern, the city's smell hit Anna like a slap in the face. It hadn't been completely gone in the tavern but at least the smell of food had covered it up a little. Covering her nose with her sleeve, she glanced around at the other passersby on the street. No one else seemed bothered by the smell; how did anyone get used to it? Anna gasped when Artemis suddenly grabbed her arm, yanking her towards him. Human waste came crashing to the ground. Anna gagged as what could only be diarrhea splashed against the open sewer that ran down the center of the road. As far as she was concerned they couldn't leave London soon enough.
By the time they escaped the crush of unwashed bodies crowding London's streets, Anna was feeling decidedly green around the gills. Sinking onto a fallen log, she leaned forward and drew in deep breaths trying to quell her rising nausea. She didn't care if the elf left her there or not.
Jarlaxle slowed and turned around when he heard the girl sit down. Crouching in front of her, the elf took one look at her pale complexion and immediately backed up. Having her empty the contents of her stomach all over his expensive clothing was something that he would take great pains to avoid. Reaching into his cloak he pulled out a small vial. Uncorking it, he held it out to Anna. "Drink this." He instructed, stretching out his arm towards her. The girl looked at the vial and shook her head while covering her mouth with her hand. The drow sighed. She really was a stubborn little thing.
Artemis growled impatiently and snatched the vial from the drow's hand. Grabbing a handful of Anna's hair he yanked her head back. "Open." The assassin snarled, holding the vial close to her lips. Instead of opening her mouth, Anna clamped her mouth shut and glared up at him. Jarlaxle's laughter caused both pairs of angry eyes to focus on him. Of course this only made the drow laugh harder.
"Let her be. If she loses her dinner we will simply leave her behind and let her deal with the filth." The dark elf laughed. Artemis Entreri had no way of knowing that his trademark scowl was perfectly mirrored in Anna's delicate features. Still scowling, the assassin released Anna's hair and straightened.
"This will settle my stomach?" Anna asked, pointing to the small crystal vial. Jarlaxle inclined his head. "Indeed." He answered. The drow's smile widened as the girl reached for the vial and quickly downed the contents. Maybe he should have had Artemis yell at her earlier. No, watching the assassin's fierce expression so perfectly mirrored in the face of this delicate girl had been worth the trouble. It really was too bad he had no way of letting Artemis see it as well. The thought brought another laugh to the drow's lips.
Anna's stomach settled; the trio set off once again. The sun was beginning to set when they found the entrance to the tunnels that ran below the city.
"A drow elf?" A voice rasped.
Jarlaxle bowed politely. "We have come to come to make you an offer." Raspy laughter greeted the dark elf's statement as a shadowy figure stepped forward and started towards them.
Standing behind Artemis, Anna squinted past the assassin trying to pierce the darkness that lay beyond the mouth of the cave. The speaker didn't sound human. What kind of Fae would she see this time?
"An offer?" The raspy voice asked. "What sort of offer would a dark elf make?" Wheezing laughter accompanied the mysterious Fae as it stepped out of the cave.
Anna gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth. The Fae turned towards her, studying her curiously. Its long whiskered nose twitched as its wet beady eyes slid down her body. Anna had seen many hideous things in her short lifetime; mutilated bodies, gaping wounds, decomposing corpses filled with maggots, but nothing could have prepared her for what stood just outside the cave. Six feet tall and covered in gray fur stood a rat. It's not that Anna was afraid of rats, she saw them all the time near the trenches, but those rats weren't bigger than her companions. She moved closer to the assassin.
As the rat-like creature turned towards Anna, its lips pulled back in what might have been a smile if it hadn't looked so hungry. "The female is an acceptable down-payment; what else have you to offer?" The ratman inquired.
Author's note: What would life be without a wererat or two?
Anon: Oh, I love Jarlaxle! And I love R.A. Salvatore for creating such a cool character.
Musingsage: I had a budgie! You're right. Jarlaxle…budgie…yep Jarlaxle is a parakeet masquerading as a drow! I like your predictions….unfortunately that's not what is creeping around in my head. Hehehe.
Sushi-san85: Don't worry Anna is not a coward. Just give her a little time to figure things out!
Nedy Rahn: Yeah, I have taken some creative license with the story. I know that the Forgotten Realms is like a parallel earth, but for my story (and what happens will be cool) it needs to be our world.
San-san: Thanks! Yes! Anna finally eats! Lol Oh, and I am getting to Artemis…(Ps..there are multi san-san's..same person?)
General Zargon: Ahhh…be nice to Anna! Just wait until the tables are turned. It won't be Anna screaming anymore. Hehehe. Artemis doesn't know about the relationship….yet…
