THIRTY-EIGHT

When I came back out to the clinic's lobby, the guys stood right up from where they'd been sitting and came over to meet me. They'd been busy while I was with Lena—Wedge was holding a small pot of flowers while Biggs waved to Sarah, who smiled and hurried outside, her dark brown ponytail flying behind her.

"How's Lena holding up?" Biggs asked.

I sighed. "Not so good. She's tired, weak, and sick. It's gonna take a long time for her to recover. Could be a month or maybe even two. But she shouldn't be left alone. Stay with her, Biggs."

He nodded. "Sure. Figured it might come to that."

"I don't understand," Wedge blinked.

"It's like Dr. Morris said," I explained. "Lena's gonna need help and support to get through this, a lot of it, and her brother's the best one to give it to her. There are… things I have to do. So I can't stay. Otherwise I would. In a heartbeat. As for you, Wedge, we'll need you on patrol in Sector 7, now more than ever."

He scratched his head. "Because of the Vice gang?"

"Right. They've been getting more and more aggressive lately. A lot more attacks in the past few weeks, to say nothing of the monsters out there. Which means that sooner or later, they'll starting hitting us a lot closer to home unless we can stop them."

"So what's the plan?" Biggs wondered. "Any ideas?"

I folded my arms in front of me. "I'm not sure yet. I'll talk to Barret and Tifa, see if we get some help. The watch does good, but to stop the Vice gang we're gonna need someone with a bit more punch. But in the meantime, Biggs, you've gotta protect Lena. If they find out she's alive, they may try to finish her off."

His eyes narrowed. "The hell they will."

There was another reason I wanted him to stay, but I wasn't gonna tell him about it. As long as he was here looking after Lena and keeping her safe, he wouldn't be out there going after Vice himself. He was mad enough as it was—he'd barely managed to keep his temper in check all day since we'd found Lena—and even without knowing about her rape, he was still close to charging into the outskirts to beat as many of those bastards into a bloody pulp as he could.

Having him protect Lena and help her during her recovery was the only way I could be sure he'd stay out of trouble, and it was something I knew he wouldn't hesitate to do. I doubted Vice would attack her while she was still a patient at the clinic, but once she was released and could go home, she would be vulnerable.

I took his shoulder. "Knew I could count on you."

He nodded. "Damn right."

"One other thing," I went on, looking at him and Wedge. "I think it might be best if we kept all this between us for now. We all know what's coming down the pipe with… what we're working on. But if Barret gets wind of what really happened here, he might call the whole thing off or at least delay it for a while. And Tifa would agree with him. She's not as on board with where we're going as we are."

"What do we tell them, then?" Wedge asked.

I thought for a moment. "We'll say Lena's sick from getting stuck in the mako fumes when she was on her way to Sector 7. That they got to her so badly she passed out before she could get away from them. And then we found her and brought her here."

He sighed. "Are you sure?"

"It's still the truth, Wedge. Just not all of it," I told him. "And about the chip, let me handle it. They don't know Lena was supposed to bring it to me today. Only that she and I've been trying to find one. Guess I'll have to look elsewhere now, though."

The guys understood and didn't press me about it, which made me relieved. I'd been a little shady with my last comment, but it couldn't be helped. If they knew what I was planning to do, they'd either try to stop me or go with me, and I couldn't let either of those happen. I had to do this, and I had to do it alone. I was gonna search someplace else for the chip, alright. Just not the way they thought.

I pointed at the flowers, hoping that a change in subject might help cheer the guys up a bit. "Those for Lena?"

"Oh, um, uh… yeah," Wedge stammered. "They are."

Biggs smiled. "Had the kids pick some at the Leaf House and send Sarah to bring 'em over here. Gotta admit, I've missed the little rascals. I'll have to stop by sometime while I'm here."

I grinned. "Good idea! And take Lena with you too once she's well enough to go. It'll be good for her."

"Will do!" he promised.

"Awesome!" I said. "Well, I guess we'd better get going, Wedge. Got us a long trip home, and it's dark outside now."

He handed Biggs the flowers. "Yeah, I guess you're right, Jessie. Just wish that I could, um, see Lena before we leave. Dunno what to say, but I… well, uh… mind helping me out here, guys?"

I laughed. "Just get in there, already. You'll be okay."

"Go on, split," Biggs urged him.

Wedge swallowed nervously, then hurried down the hall and went quietly into her room. He wasn't gone long, only a few minutes, but he seemed a bit more relaxed, if still a little bashful. Biggs and I hadn't sat down this time, so we just walked over to meet him as he came back to the waiting area, all ready to go now.

"You two have a good visit?" Biggs asked.

Wedge shrugged. "She was asleep when I went in there, so I just sat with her for a little bit. I didn't wanna wake her."

I smiled. "You did fine, Wedge."

"Thanks," he said. "I'm ready when you are, Jessie."

Biggs took his shoulder. "Get home safe, buddy. And see to it Jessie does, too. I'm countin' on ya."

Wedge gave him a thumbs up. "Will do! And, uh… whenever Lena wakes up, would you mind telling her hi for me? And that I, um… that I went in to see her before I left?"

"You kiddin'?" he chuckled, holding up the flowers. "I'm gonna tell her these were your idea!"

"Huh!?" Wedge blushed furiously.

Biggs grinned. "Don't worry, I'll give her the message."

Wedge nodded. "Okay. See ya later!"

"You too, buddy," Biggs said. Then he looked at me. "Stay in touch, you hear? I'll still try to come to the meetings if I can, but no promises. Lena's gonna need me for a while."

I hugged him. "I will. Take care, Biggs."

Then, after giving us a little wave, he headed into Lena's room to be with her. I patted Wedge on the back, and we left the clinic. It wasn't as crowded outside now as it had been earlier, so it didn't take long for us to get to the edge of town and start into the outskirts. Once we left the undercity behind, it was quiet.

"So, we going the long way home?" Wedge asked.

I walked alongside him down the dirt trails. "Yeah. Keep your eyes peeled, though. Those assholes are out there."

He knew who I meant. "Right. And they'd better hide."

"If they don't, they'll wish they had," I swore.

"You sure Lena'll be alright?" Wedge wondered. "I know Biggs'll do what he can, but… I still worry about her."

I smiled. "Positive. You really like her, don'tcha?"

"Um, well…" he gulped. "Yeah…"

I giggled. "Thought so. Wasn't very hard to see."

"I wish I could talk to her, but I never know what to say," he sighed. "I always get nervous and lock up."

"Just be yourself, Wedge," I told him. "That's all you gotta do. Don't rush into it, though. Give her some time. She's been through one hell of an ordeal, and she's gonna need space for a while to work through what happened to her and recover."

He nodded. "Sure. I understand, Jessie. Last thing I want is to scare her away or make things worse. I just wanna do whatever I can for her, you know? So I'll wait 'till she's ready."

"Yep!" I agreed. "That's the way to go, Wedge."

"I just wish I could've done more for her today," he said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Hello? You helped save her from those eaters, took care of her when she was hurt, and visited her when she was sick. Believe me, she'll remember that."

Wedge grinned. "Thanks. Guess I did, huh?"

"You bet!" I agreed. "You were there for her when she needed help, and that'll make her really happy. Girls love that kinda stuff, even when they might sometimes say otherwise."

"Do you?" he wondered.

I laughed. "Just between you and me, yes. I can take care of myself, of course, but I've had a guy I really cared about be there for me before when I was in trouble. I might act all tough about it on the outside, but deep down, it makes me weak in the knees."

"Oh, your old boyfriend, I guess," Wedge realized.

"Yeah," I said. "Long time ago. I kinda miss that feeling, you know? Having someone special like that. Being helped, protected… and loved. Don't tell anyone I said that, though."

He gave me a thumbs up. "Your secret's safe with me!"

"Thanks!" I winked.

"Sure," Wedge nodded. "You'll find someone again, Jessie. Probably when you least expect it. So don't worry."

I smiled. "I hope so. And I'll be ready for him."

Wedge ducked his eyes and blushed. "And um, well… I guess we'll see what happens with me and Lena. When the time comes, that is. If I can figure out how to talk to her. Whenever I see her, my stomach gets so full of feathers I feel like I'm gonna float away."

"I know the feeling," I chuckled softly.

We kept our eyes alert and our weapons ready as we made our way down the narrow, winding dirt road, junk piles and abandoned shacks on either side of us. As we passed into Sector 6, we also saw chunks of the old, collapsed plate that had fallen years ago. I shivered as I thought about that, glad that there hadn't been a lot of people living here at the time. If that had happened in someplace like Sector 7, it would've been catastrophic. I shuddered and moved on.

The only sounds out here were our breathing and the crunching of our feet on the ground as we walked. We didn't see any Vice thugs, just a few wererats and hedgehog pies that we easily took down. But I knew those assholes were out here. Their base was hidden somewhere in this empty wasteland of scrap metal, junk, and broken wood, either here or closer to Sector 5. And I was gonna find it.

Wedge and I eventually made it safely home, and over the next few weeks, I gathered as much information about the Vice gang's attacks as I could. I talked to Wymer, Tom, and other members of the watch, and I checked the patrol logs, too. Everything I found—all of the times and places for each attack within the last few months—I saved in my tablet. And between my work and my training with Tifa, I fed all the data into a program on my computer that I'd written to analyze it. Hopefully, I'd be able to use it to find the Vice gang's base.

I stepped cautiously into Drunkard's Bar in Wall Market one night to do a little covert research. Thugs from Vice would sometimes come here to eat, drink, and find company for the night. It was a seedier and rowdier place than the more upscale and respectable Don's Delight just down the road, and fights were fairly common.

I hadn't set foot in this town ever since my run-in with Corneo just before I'd first come to Sector 7, and aside from the few friends that I'd made here—Sam, Andrea, Madam M—I hadn't missed it one bit. But I had to be here now, to find out if Dorian had sold the chip yet. I didn't think he had—buyers for technology like that weren't common here in the slums—but I knew he'd find one sooner or later. Maybe someone in Shinra up on the plate. So I had to know.

I'd done some preparing for my undercover mission before leaving home, buying an enticing little outfit that I knew would be provocative and attract the goons' attention, and I was wearing it now. A bright red tank top that was cut very low, showing off a wealth of skin along with a generous view of my curves. It also exposed my midriff, and below it, I wore a black leather miniskirt like Tifa's, only shorter, and on my legs were matching lace stockings. A pair of shiny black heels and my small studded earrings completed the outfit.

The clothes weren't the only thing. I'd also put on some makeup—a nice, dark eyeshadow, lush red lipstick, matching polish on my nails, a touch of blush, and a hint of perfume. And my hair hung loose tonight, free from the high ponytail I usually wore it in. It spilled about halfway down my back and over my shoulders.

I waved to the bartender and took a seat at a small, round table not too far from the door. She came over a moment later, a girl around my age or maybe a little older, with blond hair that was cut very short, just below her ears, with long bangs swept to one side. Like me, she wore a red top, but hers was darker and really modest, with long sleeves and a white collar tied at the front with a gray tassel.

Her skirt was black and very short but was pleated fabric instead of leather. She also wore matching socks that reached almost to her knees, and on her feet was a pair of comfortable black flats. She looked at me with her light brown eyes, gave me a smile that I could tell right off was more customer service than genuine, and took a pad and pen from the small pouch hanging from her belt.

"What'll it be?" she asked.

I thought for a minute. "Any recommendations?."

The bartender tapped her pen against her lip. "Let's see… we've got the Wall Market Malt and the Honeybee Nectar. Personally, I'd take the Nectar. Has a sweet undertaste to it."

"Sure, sounds good," I told her. "Honeybee Nectar it is."

She wrote it down. "Got it. Be right back."

After the bartender left, I started scanning the room as music from the band in the corner stage filled the air. Vice thugs weren't very hard to find, what with their bright orange mohawks and blue jean jackets. I saw a few of Corneo's lackeys, but no one I remembered. I looked away in a hurry, not wanting to risk drawing their attention. Then, at a table in the back, I found what I was looking for.

He was definitely a Vice thug, but not like the others. His mohawk had streaks of purple running through it, and his jacket was light gray. One the gang's leaders, by my guess. And a good source of information once I got him to talk. He was sitting with two of his pals, drinking and making crude jokes while casting hungry glances at the bartender now and then. I sighed and barely hid my disgust.

The bartender came back with my drink a few minutes later. "Here you go. A Honeybee Nectar. And I know it's probably not my business, but I'd be careful if I were you. With the way you're dressed, you're just asking for the wrong kind of attention."

"Thanks for the warning, but I'll be alright," I told her.

"Suit yourself," she shrugged. "Anything else?"

I sipped my drink. "Why don'tcha have a seat for a minute? I know how it is to be on your feet all day."

This time, when the bartender smiled, there was warmth in it. She sat down in a chair opposite me. "Nothing I can't handle. Still, it's good to take a break every once in a while."

"Always," I agreed. "So, what's your name?"

She ran a hand through her short hair. "Elena. Yours?"

I offered her my hand. "Jessie."

"Good to meet you," she said, shaking it. "I don't know what brings you here, but you might wanna watch your step. This place can be a bit rough, if you know what I mean."

I nodded. "I will. You've been here awhile?"

Elena sighed. "Too long. It's not my only job, at least. I just work in this hellhole part time. Can't wait to get outta here."

"What else do you do?" I asked.

"Talent scout," she answered. "Sort of. And you?"

I took another sip of my drink. "Computer tech, mainly. I fix stuff that needs fixing. Among other things."

"So what brings you here?" Elena wondered.

I pointed at the Vice thugs. "Them."

She followed my gaze, her eyes widening, then turned back to me. "You're crazier than I thought! Those are Vice gangsters, Jessie. Thieves and murderers and worse. I'd never let them in here, but I don't have a choice. My boss has orders from Don Corneo."

"Corneo?" I blinked. "What's he got to do with Vice?"

"A cut of the profits from their raids. In exchange, he turns a blind eye to their activities here in Wall Market. It's a tidy little arrangement. Not so good for the rest of us, though."

I narrowed my eyes. "It's about to get complicated."

"Why do you say that?" Elena asked.

"First, tell me what you know about Vice," I replied. "And that guy in particular, if you can. He a regular?"

She grimaced. "Unfortunately. Tremmel's his name."

I stared at him. "Does he know Dorian?"

"Yeah," Elena said. "They do a lot of raiding together, so I've heard. I eavesdrop on their conversations here sometimes. They don't seem to care about anyone listening in, so it's not hard."

"They think no one can touch them," I said, understanding.

She went on. "Right. But how do you know Dorian?"

I felt my blood burn as I answered. "He and his thugs hurt a friend of mine a few weeks back. Badly."

"Bastards," Elena spat. "So it's revenge you're after."

I shook my head. "Justice, Elena. And something else. Something I need. They took it from her. But I'm taking it back."

She glared at them. "You'll need one of their keys, then."

"What keys?" I wondered.

"The leaders each carry one," Elena explained. "I've seen Tremmel and Dorian wearing them on a chain around their necks. Unlocks their main strongbox. That's where your item'll be."

I nodded. "Thanks."

"But even if you get a key, you'd have to be crazy to sneak into their hideout," she went on. "It's hard to find, and from what I've heard, very heavily guarded. Almost a hundred men."

"I have to," I told her.

Elena stood up. "If you go in there, you won't be coming out again. You'll end up like just your friend."

I smirked. "We'll see. I'm not planning on a one-way trip."

"Good luck," she said. "You're gonna need it."

"Thanks again," I smiled.

She did the same. "Sure. Drink's on the house, by the way. I dunno whether to call you brave or stupid, but either way, I kinda like it. Kick some ass out there, Jessie, okay?"

"Count on it," I promised, winking at her.

Then Elena walked away, sliding quickly behind the bar to get back to work. In the meantime, I turned my gaze back to Tremmel, nursing my drink while waiting for him to notice me. I didn't have to wait long. He looked over and saw me after only a few minutes, and a flashed him a coy little grin. His was bigger, the hunger in his eyes unmistakable. It made me wanna throw up. I had to keep up the act, though, so I forced myself to give him a long, sultry stare.

Tremmel got up and sauntered over. "Hey, baby. Think I'll just take a seat here. Seems you want some company."

"I might," I said, playing along.

"Then I'm your man," he boasted, sitting down.

I sipped my drink. "That depends."

"On what?" he frowned.

"On whether or not you tell me what I wanna know," I answered. "I hear your group recently came across a nifty piece of technology. I can offer you a good price—if you still have it."

Tremmel rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How much?"

"Ten thousand gil," I told him.

He snorted. "It ain't goin' for less than fifty."

I leaned forward. "Then you go to bed cold and lonely tonight. But don't worry. I'm willing to negotiate."

"Forty," Tremmel offered.

"Twenty-five," I countered, unflinching.

He thought for a minute. "Thirty-five. Final offer."

"Deal," I agreed. "You have it?"

"It's in a safe place," Tremmel chuckled. "And only a few of us have the key to unlock it. Including me."

I saw it then, hanging on a thin chain around his neck just as Elena had said. The gang still had the chip, so there was only one other thing I needed to know before I'd be ready for my mission. I'd be able to find the Vice gang's hideout using the program I'd written to analyze all the attack data that I'd been gathering, but I still had to find out where they kept the strongbox. And get the key. So while I gave Tremmel a steamy smile, I quietly kicked off my heels under the table. I'd need to run in a minute, and they'd only slow me down.

"Lucky you," I purred, sliding my hand over his.

He grinned. "You bet, baby. Now, since we're done talking business here, how's about we find someplace a little more private? I know how to show a lady a real good time."

I curled the first two fingers of my right hand around his third one, my eyes never leaving his. "Maybe. But first, I wanna know where we'll make the transaction. And when."

"I got a spot just outside town we can use," Tremmel said. "But I've gotta clear this with Braddock first. He's the main man and has the last word on all the deals we make. Understand?"

"Perfectly," I nodded.

He grinned hungrily. "Then let's go, baby…"

I tightened my hold on his finger. "What's your rush, big guy? You wanna have me all to yourself that bad?"

"Let's get one thing straight, hot stuff," Tremmel leaned toward me. "Like it or not, you're comin' home with me tonight. I'm the face you're gonna be wakin' up to in the morning."

"Okay," I said.

Then I twisted my wrist in a short, sharp motion without breaking eye contact with him. Almost at once, there was a loud snapping noise as Tremmel's finger broke. He lurched forward at once, howling in pain and grabbing his hand as I let go of him.

I winked. "Psych!"

"Shit!" he snarled. "You broke it, you bitch!"

Before he knew it, I reached in, grabbed the key, and yanked it off its chain. Then I seized him by his mohawk and slammed his face into the table. Tremmel yelled again as blood poured from his busted nose. Then I pulled him back up again.

"Where's the strongbox!?" I demanded.

He glared at me. "Go to hell…"

I slammed his face into the table again. "Feel like talking yet? I can do this all night. How about you?"

"Shed… in the back…" he muttered.

"Go on," I said.

He spat blood onto the floor. "Next to… Braddock's office. But you ain't gonna get that far. You don't even know… where our base is. Give it up, bitch. Stealin' from us is suicide."

"I'll take my chances," I told him, standing up.

Tremmel turned to his two thugs, who'd also risen to their feet but hadn't moved yet. "The hell are you idiots waiting for? Get her! Kill the goddamn bitch before she gets away!"

"Catch me if you can!" I teased, upending the table.

The two thugs started after me, but before they got halfway across the room, Elena leaped over the bar and smashed the nearest one with a vicious backhand punch, then drove her foot into the stomach of the second. They staggered back but stayed on their feet as Tremmel got to his, rage burning in his eyes as he looked at me.

"Jessie, run!" Elena yelled.

I did, bolting for the front door and charging on through. So far, so good. I'd gotten the information I needed, now I just had to get away. It didn't look to be as easy as I'd hoped, though. Tremmel and his lackeys came storming outside just seconds later, out for blood. I ducked into a nearby alley just around the corner.

"After her!" Tremmel roared. "That way!"

I ran down the narrow alley, stone walls on either side, as Tremmel and the other two thugs gave chase. As I came to the bar's back door, it opened and Elena darted out to join me, her eyes narrow as she glared back at the Vice thugs following us.

I smirked as we kept running. "Hey there!"

"Never seen anyone put Tremmel in his place like that before," she grinned. "Gotta love it. Come on!"

"Know where this alley goes?" I wondered.

She shook her head. "Not a clue."

We raced onward, splashing through puddles. My purse nearly fell off my shoulder, but I caught it in time and kept it on. It had more in it than just my fake ID and some cosmetics. I'd made sure to pack a little something extra for just this kind of situation.

Soon the alley bent to the left, and we followed it, Tremmel and his boys hot on our tails. But before long, we hit a dead end and skidded to a halt, panting and catching our breath. A moment later, we heard our pursuers coming behind us and whirled around, fists raised as we each fell into a ready stance and got ready for a fight.

"Well, well, well…" Tremmel laughed, wiping the blood off his face with his good hand. "Nowhere to run, ladies."

I narrowed my eyes. "Happy to kick your ass again."

Elena beckoned to him. "Bring it!"

There wasn't much room to maneuver in here, but we'd manage. As Tremmel's two thugs each drew a knife and charged us, Elena and I let loose with a flurry of punches and kicks that threw threw them flat on the ground. They got back up fast, though, swinging wildly. One of the knives sliced through the strap of my purse, but I caught it as it fell and thrust my foot into the guy's gut, causing him to drop the blade. Then I drove my knee into his face when he doubled over. He flew away with a groan and didn't get up as fast next time.

Elena, meanwhile, dodged a right hook from the second thug, then grabbed him by the arm and shoulder and threw him into the wall. He groaned, then turned around just in time to get her fist to his face. The blow dropped him to the ground like a rock, where he spat out some of his teeth as he got to his hands and knees.

"Oh, you're feisty," Tremmel said. "I like that. We caught us a girl a few weeks back who gave us a good fight, too. Short-haired little thing out on the old highway. Got the dirty bitch in the end, though, me and Dorian. We all had us a good time with her, didn't we, boys? And then we fed her to the eaters when we were done."

As he and his lackeys shared a crude laugh, my blood boiled and I clenched my fists. These were some of the men who had assaulted and violated Lena. And now they were gonna pay the piper. My eyes never leaving Tremmel, I reached into my purse and took out what I needed. A raspberry. I kept it concealed in my hand for the moment as I curled my finger around the pin and readied myself.

"Pigs," Elena spat. "You assholes really don't have a clue who you're dealing with, do you? Touch us and die."

"You'll be the ones dyin', bitch," Tremmel scoffed.

He pulled out a knife of his own with his good hand and rushed at me with a vicious slash. One of the things Tifa had taught me was that size doesn't always matter in a fight. Tremmel was huge but slow, and I took advantage of that, ducking under his swing to pound his ribs with punches while keeping a firm grip on the raspberry. Elena covered me, keeping the other two thugs off my back while I dealt with him. They'd managed to get back into the fight, but she easily sent them flying onto the ground again with a chain of quick kicks.

When Tremmel growled angrily and tried to stab me, I dodged out of the way and grabbed his arm. With his other hand hurt, he couldn't stop me, and I spun him around using his own momentum until we hit the wall and the knife ended up buried in his own gut instead of mine. As I let go, he gasped in pain and slumped to the ground, staring at me in rage as I stood over him, Elena at my side.

I knelt down, knowing what I had to do, and showed Tremmel the raspberry. His eyes widened. "The hell's that?"

"Call it a present," I hissed. "From the girl you hurt."

"Who's she to you?" he spat.

I yanked out the pin. "My friend. I'm gonna be coming for Dorian next. And hell's coming with me!"

Tossing the grenade in his lap, I grabbed Elena by the hand and led her back down the alley at a dead run. We raced around the corner just as the raspberry went off in a deafening explosion, flames shooting out behind us as we dove to the ground.

When it was over and the dust had settled, I slowly got up, helping Elena as I did, and we brushed ourselves off. For a moment, all I could do was stand there and gaze at the burning alley we'd just left and think about what I'd done. Those three men were dead now, and I'd been the one to make it happen. I wasn't sure I liked it.

"You okay?" Elena asked.

I tore my gaze away from the inferno to look at her. "I think so. It's just… I've never killed anyone before."

She took my shoulder. "Sucks, I know. But sometimes you gotta do it. Those assholes would've done the same thing to us. Remember that. They more than deserved what they got."

"Bet your ass they did," I agreed, relaxing. "Thanks, Elena. And for helping me out, too. It's appreciated."

"Wanted to kick his ass for a long time," she laughed.

I grinned. "Looks like we got it."

Elena nodded. "Torched it, more like. Things might finally get a bit quieter around here now. Especially if you can take out Dorian. I'd help you, but I've got responsibilities of my own to take care of. Not just the bar, but… other things. Job stuff, you know."

"Your talent work?" I wondered as we started walking.

"Sort of," she said. "I'm still in training."

I glanced at her. "Must be good work, then. You fight really well. Is that part of this other job of yours?"

"Yeah," Elena answered. "You're not so bad yourself."

I smiled. "Thanks. I'm kinda still learning, too. Just like you. I have a friend who's another bartender who kicks ass, and she's been teaching me to fight for over a year now."

She smirked. "You know, with those skills of yours, you'd probably make a good Tu—oh, ah, um, n-nevermind!"

"A good what?" I blinked.

"Nothing," Elena gulped. "You're, uh… good at what you do. That's all I meant to say, Jessie. R-Really."

I chuckled. "Well, thanks. You too, Elena."

She stopped when we got to the back door of the bar. "I work hard. But anyway, I'm sorry about your friend."

"I appreciate it," I said, thinking about Lena. "My other two friends and I found her just in time, and she's alive and recovering now over in Sector 5. It'll be a long road, but she'll be alright."

"Glad to hear it," Elena nodded.

I held out my arm for a fist bump. "Guess this is it. Good luck with your training, Elena. I hope it works out."

She returned it, a small grin on her face. "Same to you, Jessie. And be sure to watch your back when you go after the rest of the Vice gang. Raise some hell in there, alright?"

"Count on it," I promised, winking at her.

Then Elena opened the door and hurried inside, waving as she left. I waved back, then made my way further down the alley until I'd found the entrance I'd used to get in here in the first place. As I headed down the maze of streets toward Wall Market's main gate, I gazed at the small key I'd gone through so much trouble to get. Soon I'd put it to good use and take back what Dorian had stolen.

And then I was gonna nail his ass to the wall.