Chapter 28: Sneak (pt 2)

I was standing in the alleyway behind the Tavern, hearing the loud music and roars of drunken laughter pouring through the open windows as a soft dusting of snow fell around me. I gnawed at the inside of my cheek, debating between stealth and running in head first.

How about a healthy mix of both?

I moved forward quietly, latching onto the drain pipe that snuck up the length of the building and using it to climb to the second floor. I shimmied sideways until I stood on a window ledge, pulling out a bobby pin to jimmy the lock open. Stepping in silently, my way lit by the moon and the soft glow of the fireplace, I saw a figure with his back turned to me.

He turned as a strong gust of cold wind followed me in, only for my hand to cover his mouth and push him backwards onto the desk. A quick once-over of the man told me he wasn't the boss, since he wore common clothing with no tell signs of wealth.

"Where is Davor?" I whispered hoarsely.

The man shook his head, his arms trying to push me off. I flipped him and climbed onto the desk, pinning his arms with my knees. Pushing his head to the side so he could breath, I asked again.

"Don't make me hurt you," I followed up.

"Alright! He's downstairs. At the bar, like most nights."

"Doing what?"

"Probably collecting money... or getting more clients. I don't know!"

"And what are you doing?"

"Listen," His voice shook. "I just owe him a debt. I watch over his office...his funds and stuff. If I do what he says, he doesn't hurt me or my girl. Alright?"

I pressed my lips into a line. "He owns you?"

He let out a breathy and defeated laugh. "You could say that."

I climbed off him, slowly letting him up. "Stay up here until you don't hear any noise. Then get out as fast as you can. Get back to your girl. And stop doing stupid things, got it?" My finger was in his face.

He nodded vigorously as I turned towards the door. "What are you gonna do?"

"Save a man's daughter."

There was a brief silence before he spoke out. "Marv's?"

I reeled. "Yes. Do you know where she is?"

He shook his head. "She was here. But the boss had her moved. I don't know where they went. You know... kid, you don't have a chance. They're everywhere."

I smirked behind the scarf. "We'll see. Just stay out of it."

I opened the door and descended the creaking stairs, grateful for the loud music. The barroom was packed, full of drunk men hoisting glass pints of alcohol into the air in time with the music. From the shadows, I saw the radio near me, and I walked towards it casually. A few looked at me suspiciously, but they moved out of my way as I stared straight ahead.

I stopped at the radio, my hand reaching out casually. My hand sat on the warm surface for a moment, before abruptly silencing it. Everyone turned, but I kept my back to them.

"Anyone not affiliated with the man called Davor should leave now," I spoke loudly and calmly, staring at the wall.

"And why the hell would we do that?" A call came from across the room. I found him easily with my bending, grabbing a half-full glass out of the hand of the man next to me, and flinging it across the room to nail him in the forehead.

There was a moment of silence before I saw a large balding man nod. About half of the room rose and left the tavern in silence.

"Any of you remaining who no longer wish to be a slave to Davor may leave now, as well. He won't be a problem after tonight."

They all stared at me, and I knew that some of them wanted to walk out by their racing hearts.

"Now would be the best time, gentlemen."

I was surprised as a young woman with far too much makeup caked onto her face rose from beside the balding man, moving to leave. His meaty hand snatched her wrist, tugging her back.

"Where do you think you're going?" He growled.

She yanked her hand away, making eye contact with me, before speeding out of the Tavern.

"Anyone else?" I asked calmly. Three men quickly followed, their hearts pounding. The balding man was seething at me.

"Who the 'ell are you?" I've been asked that a lot today. It comes with wearing a mask, I believe.

"That depends. Are you Devor?"

"Who wants to know?" He growled.

I smiled. "So you're the great man..." He narrowed his eyes at me as I walked forward causally. "To answer your question," I continued as I stopped at a table to fiddle with the glass plates there, the food barely touched. "It doesn't matter who I am, but rather what."

He stared me down as I peered at him teasingly. "Then what are you?"

I let out a small laugh. "The person who is going to end your little business."

The man bellowed a deep laugh, throwing his head back mockingly. "You're quite the humorous one. Maybe I'll keep you. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, bitch."

I glared at him. "Neither have you." I snatched up the knife that was on the table, throwing it at the man beside Davor, embedding it into his shoulder.

"Kill her!" Davor screamed, letting his cronies fight his battle.

One hefted a stool over his head, trying to bring it down on me. Instead, I punched him in the nose and swept my arms out, making him lose his grip and let the stool break over his own head. I turned to my next attackers, flipping over one to land a kick in his back, sending him into the other headfirst. The next came at me with a knife, swishing it back and forth. I dodged backwards, but the blade caught my right arm, slicing a clean red line. I grimaced, stepping inside his reach to grab his arm. I turned, pushing my back roughly against his chest, and jamming my forearm into the crook of his elbow, bending his arm and jabbing himself with his own knife. He cried out as I twisted away, pulling his shoulder out of its socket as I went. I kicked my heel into his diaphragm, sending him backwards into a table.

The next three came at me together, landing a few punches. I leapt at the closest one, wrapping my arms around his neck and using him for leverage as I twisted my body to land a kick to another man's face. I release, landing back on my feet to punch at the man's chi points, making him crumple to the ground.

I reeled backwards as a punch landed on the side of my face. The hit was quickly followed by a kick to my sternum, sending me crashing into a table and gasping for breath. I struggled to suck in air as I rolled to try to stand. The man who had downed me advanced, followed by two more.

You could always bend. No... That not only could give me away, but more oppression of non-benders by benders is the last thing needed right now. I have this handled.

The man stood over me now, and I swept out his legs, twisting until I had twirled onto my feet and knocked him unconscious with my foot. The two men advancing pulled back in shock as I took out another attacker with a swing of the broken table leg that I had picked off the floor. I threw it at one of them, which I followed up with planting my foot on his chest, leaping off of him to jump to the shabby chandelier. I swung off of it, the rusted metal breaking under my weight and abuse, falling onto the two attackers, as well as an unfortunate extra thug.

I sunk into a crouch as more thugs advanced. I landed a hard kick to one's head, followed by another man buckling over as I kneed him in the jewels. I rushed into one man, punching him in the gut and ducking under his arms to get full access to his back. I hit his chi points, making him mostly limp. I caught him, pulling him in front of me another thug swung at me with a chair. It shattered on the poor man I held in front of me, sending him sprawling to the floor. I kicked out, hitting Chair Man in the nose with my heel.

The last two thugs rushed me, and I ran backwards, diving over the bar out of sight. One went to hurdle it as well, only to be met with me clothes-lining him. His head flew backwards, smacking into the metal edge of the bar. His now limp body sprawled forward, sending impossible numbers of bottles shattering to the floor. The last thug grabbed my left arm and twisted, making me cry out as it popped out of place. I tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong.

Devor began sauntered towards me, a cocky grin on his face. My right hand searched frantically on my side of the bar for a weapon. Devor stopped, standing next to his thug across the bar from me.

"It would seem that you were the one who underestimated me," His baritone droned out. My fingers closed around a bottle of whiskey, and I quickly smashed it over the thug's head. I rolled onto the bar, wrapped my legs around the surprised Devor, and flipped my body, dragging him onto the bar with me. I landed above him, my legs on either side of his chest, and the jagged edge of the bottle held threateningly above his throat.

"Are you sure about that?" I asked mockingly.

"You wouldn't kill me," He stated, though I detected fear in his voice, not to mention his speeding heart.

"You never know," I offered. Of course I won't kill you. Idiot.

"What the 'ell do you even want?" He growled out.

"Good question," I spoke in a school teacher voice, but it quickly hardened. "Where's the girl?"

"Who?"

I let the jagged glass rest carefully against his throat, beside his quivering Adam's apple. "The name Marv mean anything to you?"

"Did that bastard send you?" He barked.

I pressed a little harder, drawing a thin line of blood and silencing him. "No, he didn't. Where's his daughter?"

"I'm not gonna-" I moved the bottle slightly, making a small jagged line in the thin skin of his throat.

"I would choose my next words carefully, if I were you," I warned.

The huge man gulped. "There's an abandoned building near 'ere. Used to be an Equalist 'eadquarters. No one goes in there cause of it. Everyone's scared they'll come back."

I'll be damned...

"And the girl is there?"

He nodded carefully. "I swear it."

"You better not be lying. If you are," I put my face close to his. "I'll be back for you." I pulled away the glass and drove my knuckle into the chi point between his shoulder and neck, knocking him out.

I crawled off of the bar, and pulled some change out of Davor's pocket. I moved to the pay-phone in the corner of the Tavern and put the coins in.

"Police department please," I told the operator.

"Police department, what is your emergency?"

"The Tavern down off South Avenue. The men inside have been running an illegal debtors gang. You'll find them inside, and most likely more than enough evidence in the office upstairs." I didn't let the woman respond before hanging up and slipping out the door.