Rouge's Brothel-Reconcile
Chapter Six
Rouge exited the prison, and hailed a cab. She had just finished visiting with Breezie and was now on her way back to the Brothel. Climbing into the cab, she told the cabbie where to go. Pulling into the flow of traffic, the cab made it's way across town, only to stop abruptly.
"Whoa! What's going on," Rouge asked.
"Looks like there was an accident, ma'am," the cabbie replied.
Rouge gazed out the window and sure enough, there were two cars in the middle of the road, both damaged. Cop cars and an ambulance were on the scene, and traffic was already backed up. Sighing, the cabbie turned off the cab.
"I think we're going to be here for a while," he said.
"Terrific," Rouge growled. "Well, good thing the brothel's not open tonight."
"Brothel? Hey, that's why you look so familiar," the cabbie said. "You're Rouge, aren't you?"
"In the flesh," Rouge replied.
"Man, I can't believe I'm meeting the owner of the hottest brothel in town," the cabbie said. "Me and my buddies have had a great time whenever we stop in."
"Well, glad to hear it," Rouge said, smiling. "We aim to please."
"Hey, you know," the cabbie continued. "Now that I think about it, I picked up a costumer last night who looked a lot like you. Could have been your twin sister."
"Huh. Is that right," Rouge replied. "Well, they say there's a twin out there for everyone." Reaching into her purse, Rouge pulled out her cell phone. "I'd better give Sally a call and let her know what's going on. Oh, looks like I have a few messages from her. Why didn't my phone ring? Ah, crap, I put it on silent. Well, let's see what these are all about."
Rouge listened to the messages left by Sally, frowning, and feeling a bit concerned at the tone in Sally's voice.
"I wonder what's going on," she muttered. "I'd better call her back."
Back at the brothel, Tony was explaining to the girls about how he knew Noir.
"It was about four years ago," Tony said. "I had taken some time off from the brothel to go on vacation. As it is, I went to a tropical resort that had been recommended to me by an old buddy. Well, about two nights in, I'm checking out the local bar to get a drink and imagine my surprise when I see a woman who could be a dead ringer for Rouge. In fact, for a crazy moment, I thought it was Rouge. So I went over to her and actually called her by Rouge's name. It was only when I got up closer and got a better look that I realized it wasn't Rouge after all."
"And imagine my surprise when a total stranger came up to me calling me by my daughter's name," Noir spoke up. "As soon as Tony realized I wasn't Rouge, he apologized, saying I reminded him of someone he knew. However, I wasn't about to let him go that quickly. I wanted to know just how he knew my daughter."
"So, she invited me to have a drink with her and before long we got to talking," Tony continued. "I was pretty shocked to learn that she was Rouge's mother."
"Hold on a second," Fiona interrupted. "You believed her right off the bat?"
"Of course not," Tony said. "Naturally I was a bit skeptical. In fact, after she told me that, I asked her to prove it to me. She not only had some pictures of her with her late brother, but also Rouge as a toddler. She also mentioned other things, such as the Burlesque House Dusk used to own, and some of the employees who worked there. Of course I was still a bit unconvinced. After all, that information could have been dug up and the photos could have been faked. So I asked the big question: If she was Rouge's mother, then where had she been all these years?"
Everyone present waited for Tony to elaborate further.
"And," Sally prompted.
"Sorry, Sally," Tony said. "But that's not for me to answer. That's up to Noir."
"Okay, fine," Sally sighed. "That aside for the moment, what finally convinced you she was telling the truth?"
"Well, after we parted ways that night, I returned to my hotel room and got online and did some research," Tony said. "It took several hours of searching, as well as a few phone calls to some friends I know who have some connections that could get me some answers. I was finally able to find what I needed, including a DNA test showing that Noir and Rouge were indeed related."
"So you really are Rouge's mother," Fiona asked, a surprised tone in her voice.
"That's right," Noir said. "And, if you need further proof," She reached into her purse and pulled out a sheet of paper and handed it to Sally. "Here is the DNA test in question."
Sally took the paper and looked it over. After a moment, she handed it back to Noir.
"It's legit," she said. "You really are Rouge's mother. Um, sorry about how we treated you."
"It's alright," Noir said. "It's natural you'd be a bit suspicious. I know if I were in your place, I'd be suspicious, too."
"Now hold on one god-damn minute," Fiona said. "Okay, maybe she really is Rouge's mother, but there's still the matter of why she abandoned Rouge and why she's suddenly showing up here after all these years. Personally, I think she's here to mooch off of her successful daughter."
"If that were the case, don't you think I would have returned a lot sooner," Noir countered. "Rouge has had this business for years now. In fact, she really hit her successful stride three years ago after the whole casino incident. Why would I wait until now when I could have showed up one or two years ago?"
"She does have a point, Fiona," Sally said.
"Whose side are you on, Sally," Fiona snapped. "The point is, just because she is Rouge's mother doesn't mean she's entirely trustworthy!"
Sally was about to reply when her phone rang. She reached into her pocket and withdrew it, glancing at the screen.
"It's Rouge. She must have finally gotten my messages," she said. She answered her phone. "Rouge? Hey, I've been trying to get a hold of you for a while. No, there's nothing wrong, at least nothing life threatening. Where are you? Stuck in traffic? Do you know how long it'll be? Okay. We'll see you soon. And...be ready for a bit of a surprise when you get here." She hung up and turned back to everyone else. "She's on her way. Apparently she hit some traffic and it's taking too long to move, so she's going to walk back. She should be here in a little while."
"Why didn't you tell her I was here," Noir asked.
"I think it's best she see for herself," Sally said.
"Man, the shit's going to hit the fan the second she walks in that door," Fiona muttered.
"Ugh. If I had known I was going to be hiking across town, I'd have worn different shoes," Rouge grumbled.
She had abandoned her cab, after paying the driver and also tipping him with a coupon for a 50% off discount with his next visit to the brothel. Afterwards, she had begun the long walk back to the brothel. Along the way, she thought over her brief conversation with Sally. While she was relieved there was no big emergency, there had been no mistaking the strange tone in Sally's voice. Something was going on at the brothel and it had Sally on edge. But why hadn't she told her just what was going on? And what had she meant by a surprise?
"Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling about this," Rouge said.
A short time later, the brothel came into view, much to Rouge's relief.
"Ahh, finally," she said. "I don't care what's waiting for me inside, just as long as I can put my feet up for a while."
Approaching the doors, Rouge prepared herself, wondering what she was going to find inside. Whatever it was, she was going to face it head on. She opened the door and stepped inside...only to come to an immediate stop, dropping her purse on the floor, as her gaze settled on the absolute last person she ever expected to see in her entire life.
"Hello, Rouge," Noir greeted her. "Guess who's back."
Elsewhere in the brothel, Ray had just left Jewel's room and suddenly found himself cornered by Tangle.
"Hey, Ray," she said, a big grin on her face. "So, have a good time with Jewel?"
"Uh-oh," Ray said, feeling panic setting in. "Um, Tangle, I...um...I-I can explain..."
"Whoa, relax, stud," Tangle said. "If you're worried I'm upset with you, I'm not. On the contrary, I'm actually grateful."
"You...You are," Ray asked in surprise. That had been the last thing he had been expecting.
"You bet," Tangle said. "I've been saying for a while now that Jewel needs to get laid. She's too uptight. Now that she's finally had sex, maybe she'll loosen up a bit. And she might be more at ease about working here at the brothel. Now if I can just get Whisper to give in. Say, maybe you could..."
"Um, maybe we should let Whisper decide on that," Ray suggested.
"Hmm. Yeah, maybe you're right," Tangle said. "Whisper's the type of person who especially doesn't like being pestered about something."
"Pestered about what?"
Both Ray and Tangle turned to see Whisper approaching them.
"Oh, nothing," Tangle said. "What's up, Whisper?"
"I was just making sure you and Jewel reconciled with each other after your...conversation this morning," Whisper said. "I trust everything is alright between you two now?"
"Oh, I'd say so," Tangle replied, winking at Ray.
Whisper frowned. "Is there something I need to know about, Tangle?"
"Well, lets just say Jewel will be a bit less apprehensive working here now," Tangle replied.
"Meaning," Whisper prompted.
Before Tangle could answer, however, they heard someone shout: "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"
"What was that," Tangle asked, surprised.
"That sounded like Rouge," Ray replied. "I wonder what's going on?"
"Perhaps we'd better go investigate," Whisper suggested.
They hurried down the hall and arrived at the main entrance, only to stop in surprise at the sight that greeted them. There was Rouge and standing right in front of her was a woman who bore a striking resemblance to the Brothel owner.
"What the hell is going on here," Tangle said. "Who's that? And why does Rouge look royally pissed off?"
"Hello, to you, too, Rouge," Noir greeted her daughter, following Rouge's outburst.
"I don't believe this," Rouge said. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Look, I know I'm probably the last person you want to see right now," Noir said.
"You got that right," Rouge said. "I don't know why you're here and frankly I don't care! You can just show yourself out!"
"Listen, Rouge," Noir said. "At least let me explain myself."
"I'm not interested," Rouge said. "Get out."
"Rouge, please," Tony spoke up. "Just hear her out."
"Tony, you stay out of this," Rouge said.
"Sorry, Rouge, but I'm going to have to say no to that," Tony said. "I know you're not exactly happy to see her, but Noir came all this way, so at least hear what she has to say."
"And just why should I," Rouge snapped. "And what business is it of yours, anyway?"
"If you really must know," Tony said. "I've been in contact with Noir for the last four years. I ran into her when I was on vacation before the whole casino incident happened. Long story short, we got to talking and afterwards, I kept her up to date on how you were doing."
"You've been in contact with her all this time," Rouge exploded. "And you never once said a word?"
"Because I asked him not to say a word," Noir interjected.
"Oh, and that's supposed to make it better," Rouge said. She turned back to Tony. "I can't believe you were keeping this from me. I trusted you, Tony. I've trusted you since the day I first started this business. How could you betray me like this?"
"And what if I had told you, Rouge," Tony countered. "Would that have made any difference? And I hardly think this counts as betrayal. I never imagined I'd run into your mother, let alone keep her informed on how you were doing. It just...happened. Look, you think I didn't want to tell you? You think I didn't feel guilty about keeping this a secret? That every day I didn't struggle with telling you the truth and keeping my promise not to say anything at all? You have no idea how conflicted I felt!"
There was a moment of silence, in which nobody moved or said a word. All eyes were on Rouge, everyone wondering how she was going to respond. Finally, Rouge heaved a sigh and turned to Noir.
"My office," she said. "I'll hear what you have to say." Then she turned to Tony. "And afterwards, you and I are going to have a long talk about this, mister."
She turned and strode off down the hall towards her office, Noir following her. After both were out of sight, everyone let out a breath they hadn't realized they'd been holding.
"Well, that could have been a whole lot worse," Sally commented.
"It's not over yet," Tony told her. "At least not as far as I'm concerned."
"Yeah. There's no denying you're in the shit-house," Fiona said.
"Thank you, Fiona," Tony replied sarcastically. "Like I wasn't aware of that."
"Hey, it's not my fault you're in trouble with Rouge," Fiona said. "You shouldn't have gotten mixed up with her mother. Just what were you thinking doing this?"
"Maybe, Fiona," Tony snapped, surprising Fiona. "I just wanted to help Rouge! Because whether she wants to admit it or not, she needs her mother! And Noir needs her daughter! So instead of sniping at me and getting an attitude, maybe stop and think about that!" With that, he turned and stormed off down the hall.
"Yeah, well...whatever," Fiona muttered.
"Alright, let's just calm down," Sally said. "This has taken us all by surprise."
"So, that was really Rouge's mother," Tangle asked.
"That's right, Tangle," Sally replied.
"You don't think Rouge is going to fire Tony, do you, Sally," Ray asked. "She seemed pretty upset with him."
"I'm sure she won't fire him, Ray," Sally reassured him. "Though I feel like things won't be the same after this."
Rouge opened the door to her office and ushered Noir inside. She took a moment to gaze around the room.
"You redecorated it," Noir commented. "I hardly recognize it. Then I again, I hardly recognized the whole building when I got here. You really outdid yourself fixing this place up."
"I didn't bring you here to talk about renovations," Rouge said, taking a seat behind her desk. "You wanted me to hear what you had to say, so lets hear it."
"Forgive me," Noir said, sitting on the opposite side of the desk. "It's just...seeing this place brings back lots of memories. So, where would you like me to start?"
"How about why you abandoned your only daughter and your brother," Rouge said. "That sounds like a good place to start."
"I see. So you think I just dumped you off on Dusk and walked out on you both, is that it," Noir said. "That I didn't want anything to do with either of you? It's not as simple as that Rouge. I didn't want to leave either of you, but I had no choice. As it is, I had to go on the run."
"On the run," Rouge said.
"Yes, something I think you can relate to," Noir replied, a slight smirk on her face.
"Ignoring the snark, why exactly did you have to go on the run," Rouge asked.
"Because I was wanted for theft," Noir said. She chuckled at Rouge's confused expression. "I guess you never knew, did you? About me and Dusk? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised he never told you the truth about us, though. The fact of the matter is, me and my brother were actually a thieving duo back in the day. We worked together as a team, pulling off all sorts of robberies. We stole quite a lot of valuables and jewels..."
"Wait. Hold on a minute," Rouge interrupted. "Are you telling me you and Uncle Dusk were thieves? I thought Uncle Dusk was an escape artist before he opened the Burlesque House."
"Oh, that was just a cover to fool people," Noir replied. "Though as it is, Dusk was an accomplished escape artist. There wasn't a trap he couldn't get out of. Combined with my vault and safe cracking skills, we were quite the pair."
"So what happened," Rouge asked, curious, despite herself. "Obviously the good times didn't last."
"Well, one faithful night, after a particularly successful heist, we went out to party," Noir explained. "We got pretty wasted at the bar, and while we were there, I hooked up with some random stranger and we shared a few drinks. Afterwards, both of us returned to my place and we proceeded to screw each others brains out all night long. Frankly, I'm surprised I actually remember what happened that night, I was so hammered. Anyway, the next morning when I woke up, my drinking buddy was already gone. I never even learned his name or who he was. Though at the time I really didn't care. As far as I was concerned, it was just a one night stand. After that, it was back to thieving and it was business as usual...until a few days later when I started exhibiting certain symptoms. I think you can guess just what those symptoms were. After several days of them, I went to the doctor, and, sure enough, I found out that I was pregnant."
"So...the guy you met up with at the bar was my...," Rouge spoke up.
"Pretty much, yes," Noir answered. "And before you ask, no, I never did see him again. Somehow I doubt he would have stuck around anyway. So needless to say, after I told Dusk, he suggested that maybe it might be about time for the two of us to retire from the thieving business. Seeing as I was now expecting, I went along with it, albeit, a little reluctantly. After some thought, I figured perhaps after I had you, I could still moonlight as a thief. But, oddly enough, after I had you, I found myself devoting more of my time to you, with a little help from Dusk, and pretty much put my thieving days behind me." She laughed softly. "It's funny, really. I never would have imagined I would become the motherly type. And thanks to all of the wealth we had accumulated over the years, we were pretty much set for life."
"So you obviously had no problem with having a kid," Rouge said. "But that still doesn't explain why you left. Or rather, why you went on the run."
"I'm getting to that," Noir said. "Around the time of your fifth birthday, I saw something in the newspaper that caught my eye. A rare gem known as a Chaos Emerald had been bought by a wealthy businessman and was being kept on display at his fancy mansion."
"A Chaos Emerald," Rouge gasped. "Those are extremely rare. I've heard there are only seven in existence and they're worth a fortune. No, several fortunes."
"Exactly," Noir replied. "I won't deny that the temptation to steal it was incredibly overwhelming. I have quite a weakness when it comes to jewels. Not only that, but with a gem like that, we'd really be set for life. I felt that if I were to retire permanently from thieving, then I wanted to go out on a high note. Naturally I mentioned it to Dusk, and while I could see he was also tempted by the notion, he declined. He said it would be best to just leave things as they were. I wish I had listened to him, but I was so confident I could pull it off. So, like an idiot, I decided I'd go it alone."
"And let me guess, things didn't go as planned," Rouge surmised.
"To say the least," Noir replied. "Despite being out of the game for five years, I still managed to sneak in with no problem. The real problem came when I got to the vault where the emerald was being kept. Now, while Dusk had taught me a few tricks over the years, he was by far the better expert at getting past traps and alarms. Nevertheless, I thought I could handle it with what I knew. Oh, how wrong was I. I seriously underestimated the durability of the vault. Not only that, but it had a few hidden alarms wired in that I wasn't aware of. Had I done my research better before taking this job, I probably would have succeeded. But five years out of the game made me too lax and I messed up. Before I knew it, alarms were going off, and security guards were coming after me. I managed to get out of there, but not before the owner of the mansion got a good look at my face. To make matters worse, he had security cameras all over the place which also caught me in the act. I knew it wouldn't be long before the police were hot on my trail."
Rouge found herself remembering her own botched robbery years ago, the very night she had also abandoned Danica to save her own hide, and the consequences that would follow years later.
"I made it back to the house and told Dusk what had happened," Noir continued. "You can imagine he wasn't too happy about it and he let me know it. After he calmed down a bit, our immediate concern turned to what we were going to do. I knew with absolute certainty that there was only one solution: I had to go on the run. I didn't want to drag you and Dusk into my mess. I knew if I stayed, that would only implicate my brother, and you might be taken into some foster home, and I certainly didn't want to make you go on the run, not at such a young age. So, after packing a few belongings, getting enough money to keep me going for a while, and...saying good-bye to you and Dusk, I left just before the cops arrived. I managed to get out of the country, set myself up on a tropical island, and lived an anonymous life. Until that faithful night I met up with Tony and found he was in touch with you and asked him to keep me up to date on how you were doing. That's how I learned about your brothel, and about your near disaster with the casino. He also told me about your past connection with Breezie, or Danica, and how you used to be a thief. And here I had hoped to keep you away from that life. I guess it just runs in the family."
"So what changed," Rouge asked. "Why come back now after all these years?"
Noir removed a document from her purse and slid it across the desk towards Rouge. "During my time on the island, I managed to keep tabs on the events involving the Chaos Emerald. And more importantly, the owner of said emerald. For a good while, he was intent on finding me and seeing me thrown behind bars. While that was going on, I hired an attorney to see if maybe there was some way I could get out of this. We spent much time looking for loopholes or extenuating circumstances that could get the charges dropped. Unfortunately, every option we managed to find were denied. It looked as if I was stuck. And then, something unexpected happened. The owner of the emerald was arrested. It turns out he was involved in several scams and phony business deals and had obtained the emerald through some rather underhanded tactics, including blackmail and threats. So, not only was the case against me dropped, but the emerald ended up being returned to the original owners. My attorney sent me that document a week ago and with that, I was free to come back here. So, there you have it. The whole story."
For a few moments, Rouge read over the document, and then pondered on her mother's words. A part of her understood, and even sympathized with the circumstances Noir had been in. More importantly, it did make her feel better knowing that her mother hadn't abandoned her willingly. However, another part of her, the part that had lived with years of bitter resentment and abandonment, as well as trust issues, was nowhere near ready to accept this and welcome her mother back into her life.
"Okay, I get it," Rouge said. "And I understand why you had to leave. But at the same time, you put yourself in that situation. You just had to have one more cheap thrill before hanging up the gloves for good. And because of that, I grew up without my mother. And as if that wasn't bad enough, you weren't even here for your brother in his time of need."
"If I had known Dusk was dying, I would have been here in a heartbeat, and damn the consequences," Noir said. "And while we're on the subject, Rouge, I was told you knew nothing about his health either."
"Because he never told me," Rouge yelled. "If I had known, I would have been at his side. At the very least I was able to attend his funeral, unlike you."
Noir was on her feet in an instant, her eyes blazing with anger. "Don't you dare imply I didn't care about my own brother, young lady! I was torn up inside when I heard he had passed, and even more so when I learned he was sick! And don't lecture me about being there for others! I heard about how you abandoned your partner and left her to take the wrap! I never would have left Dusk behind if we were in that situation!"
"Yeah, well, I'm trying to make amends for what I did," Rouge snapped back.
"And so am I," Noir replied, slamming her hand on the desk for emphasis.
Both mother and daughter stood there, glaring angrily at each other, the air thick with tension. For a moment, neither one said a word, and if anyone had been in the room to witness it, they would no doubt fear the two would come to blows with each other. Fortunately, it didn't come to that. Both Rouge and Noir relaxed and they sat back down. For another moment, they remained silent, gathering their thoughts and working through their emotions.
"This isn't going to work out, is it," Noir asked, breaking the silence. "You're not willing to give me a second chance, are you?"
"Look, I just...I don't know if I can," Rouge said. "I've been living all these years thinking you abandoned me. I resented you so much for that, and even more so after Uncle Dusk passed away. And now you just expect me to forgive you so easily and welcome you back into my life?"
"To be honest, no, I didn't expect you to," Noir replied.
"Then why," Rouge asked. "If you truly believed that, then why come here?"
"Because at the very least, I owed you an explanation," Noir replied. "And an apology. Even if you don't forgive me, I'll rest easier knowing that you know the truth." She stood up and gathered her purse and the document. "If you really feel like this can't work, then I'll go. I'll be in town for about a week before I return to the island. If you...If you want to talk with me again, you know where to find me. It was good seeing you, Rouge. Take care."
Turning, she exited out of the office, keeping her face turned away from Rouge, lest her daughter see the tears in her eyes. After she was gone, Rouge sat there at her desk, struggling with her own emotions, and feeling the overwhelming desire to go after her mother, to embrace her, and beg her to stay. And yet, she just couldn't. The stubborn and untrusting side of her just wouldn't let her go.
Sally looked up and saw Noir making her way towards the door. She rushed over to intercept her, curious as to how the meeting with Rouge had gone.
"Hey, Noir," Sally said, as she approached. "How'd it go? Did Rouge..."
"No," Noir replied. "She made it clear she doesn't want me around, not that I could blame her. I think it's best if I just go. Anyway, it was nice meeting you, Sally, despite the interrogation session. And give my regards to Tony when you see him."
She turned and went out the door. Sally stood staring at the door, deep in thought...
Outside, Noir waved down a cab and waited for it to pull up to the sidewalk. All she wanted to do now was head back to her hotel room and wallow in self pity. Despite telling Rouge she expected nothing to come of this, she was still disappointed. She had secretly hoped that maybe her daughter would be more accepting towards her. That maybe if she knew the truth of her departure, she might be willing to forgive her.
"I guess I was only fooling myself," Noir sighed. "But at least I was able let her know."
Noir! Noir, wait!"
Noir turned around to see Sally rushing towards her. She frowned. What could she possibly want? Sally halted before her, taking a moment to catch her breath.
"Something I can do for you, Sally," Noir asked.
"You're not going anywhere," Sally said.
"I beg your pardon," Noir said, confused.
"I said, you're not going anywhere," Sally replied. "You're staying and you're going to patch things up with Rouge."
"Look, Sally," Noir said. "Rouge doesn't..."
"Shut up and listen to what I have to say," Sally snapped. Noir fell silent, surprised by Sally's outburst. Calming down some, Sally continued. "Look, I know it's none of my business what happens between you and your daughter, but at the same time, I can't let this happen. You both spent years apart from one another, and it made you both miserable. And now, you have a chance to set things right and reconcile with your daughter."
"Don't you think I want to," Noir said. "I want nothing more than to set things right."
"Well, you won't accomplish that by running away," Sally said. "And no matter what Rouge says, I know she wants you to stay. She wants her mother. She's just afraid and, to be honest, a little too stubborn to admit it." She fell silent for a moment. "Look, I know what Rouge is going through. Before I was employed here, I had run away from home. Long story short, I did it to get away from my overbearing father. In doing so, I left my mother behind. It tore me apart to have to leave her, and even more so when I had to lay low in order to keep my father from finding me. I couldn't visit her, nor could I let her know where I was. And I know it upset her, too. When we finally reunited, it was the happiest moment of my life."
"Hmm. Now I see why you're so hell-bent on getting me to stay," Noir said.
"It's not just that," Sally said. "Rouge is a friend. She helped me out when I had nowhere to go and had barely any money. She gave me a job, even when she hardly knew me. I'll always be grateful to her for that. So if there's anyway I can help her with this, then I'll do just that. Now the question is: Are you willing to give it a try, Noir?"
Noir remained silent, pondering on Sally's words. By that point, the cab had pulled up and the driver had been waiting for the two women to finish their conversation.
"Hey, are you going anywhere, or what," the cabbie asked impatiently.
Noir smiled. "Not right now, thank you."
The cabbie shrugged and then pulled back out into the flow of traffic. After he was gone, Noir turned her attention back to Sally.
"You're right, Sally," she said. "I can't give up, despite what Rouge says. I've been given a second chance, and I'm going to take it."
Sally nodded. "And I'll help you in any way I can, Noir."
"You realize, of course, that by helping me, you'll be risking Rouge's wrath," Noir pointed out.
"I'll take that risk," Sally said. "Rouge can hate me till the day she dies if need be, but I'm willing to bear that burden if it helps you two."
"I'm starting to see why Rouge keeps you around, Sally," Noir said. "I really appreciate this. So, what's our first move?"
"Lets go find Tony," Sally said. "Considering he's already on Rouge's shit list, I imagine he won't have any problem helping us out."
Both women turned and entered the brothel to find Tony, and hopefully fix things between Noir and Rouge.
End of Chapter Six...