Questions
Shaad and Raine disembarked with the crew following behind initially, walking through the docks and examining the ramshackle merchant stalls selling everything from clearly stolen goods with blood splotches still on them to poorly made knock offs and even a couple near the interior with a few quality offerings. Any mystique was lost on Raine as she wrinkled her nose in disgust at the myriad of rancid smells invading her senses all at once. "This place is more of a shit hole than I imagined; the smell of piss and alcohol is everywhere." she complained. "And, all I see are gutter rats and whores."
"Then you should fit in fine," one of the crew, a muscly, bearded man, muttered irritably to himself, his voice low so as to not be heard by the subject of his derision who was embracing Shaad tightly as they walked.
Shaad heard the utterance, but continued on without a hitch hoping Raine had not. Those hopes were nearly shot when he felt the weight of her arm lift from around his shoulders, but he quickly hooked his own arm around her waist in an attempt to reel her in by returning the flirtatious attentions being given so as to keep her from causing a scene.
But, despite how tightly he held her, she wriggled out from him. Shaad released a sigh before slowly turning his attentions around. By the time his eyes got around, the buff individual who made the comment was already beaten and disfigured on the ground, folded like a pretzel with arms and legs all bent to an unnatural degree.
Bystanders either laughed or cheered at the unfortunate and pained man's situation, and the rest of the crew attempted to untangle the man after Raine nudged him along the street with her heel before continuing deeper into the city with Shaad.
While a good deal of the people ignored the pair walking down the streets, they nonetheless received no shortage of prying eyes from shady looking individuals and groups, each working on their own nefarious schemes of robbery, rape, murder, or some concoction of the three plus others. Raine, used to having eyes on her - for better or worse - paid it no mind, but Shaad's senses were in overdrive. Having grown up observing the interactions of the vilest mankind had to offer courtesy of his father's business dealings, none of the people they'd passed or met so far seemed particularly threatening, but the weight of his father's absence truly set in for the first time as he was subject to a completely new emotion from others: outright malice. He was more used to the hidden contempt a rival of his father's might emote after being screwed in a deal; no one who had looked at him with any semblance of something worse rarely lasted long enough to even regret their lack of restraint.
Still, though, Shaad had been trained well by both his father and mother in the art of striking an image, and so he walked, without a hint of trepidation or fear, with his head held high at a confident, even pace letting everyone know that his attitude wasn't just for show and neither were the swords on his back.
"How can we get to what you all call the best hotel on this island?" Raine asked the bartender, a heavily tattooed man with a potbelly and more hair coming from his ears than his head, of a rather rundown bar that she'd led them into. The bar was in various stages of disrepair and filled to the brim with gruff, unsavory individuals who shot them a few threatening and wary stares along the way.
"I only talk to customers," the large man replied in a gruff voice.
Shaad's head sunk into his hand as he let out another sigh, but lucky for him, Raine was apparently in the mood for a drink anyway. "Alright then; two drinks. And, both the alcohol and the information better be good."
"Actually, I don't drink." Shaad interjected somewhat meekly.
Raine looked at him like that was the most irrelevant comment, replying, "They're both for me. You better be able to speak for yourself or we're through; I ain't gon do it for you." Shaad turned his head in slight embarrassment as the bartender plopped the two large mugs of alcohol down with an audible scoff.
"What you're looking for is the tallest building in the city; you probably saw it when you docked. That building's literally at the epicenter of this entire city. "
"Wow; someone lacks imagination," Raine commented as she got up from her seat and prepared to walk out.
"Hey; you gotta pay for those drinks!"
"Shaad." Shaad searched his pockets, pretty sure that he didn't have any money. But, from his back pocket he pulled out a single bill and laid it on the counter, confused as to where it came from, but assuming he knew the answer.
"What about a tip?" the bartender complained.
"Don't try to trick me with the cheap stuff or else next time you won't get that much." Raine's words brought a scowl to the man's face which only seemed to worsen at her indifference. Shaad just looked between the two before casually following Raine out.
The city was much larger than one might imagine, and at the pace they were going it would still be about another hour before they reached the center of the city and the imposing tower at its core. After a while, Raine decided she was tired and took the liberty of jumping on Shaad's back so he could carry her. His thoughts were easily dominated by thoughts of the tender melons pressing into his back as Raine rested her head on his shoulder. 'Why couldn't she have worn a bra?' Shaad questioned himself, feeling two distinct buds poking against his shoulder blades. As his thoughts drifted further, recalling the image of those two glorious orbs completely exposed along with the rest of her flawless curves, his groin began to twitch at the uncensored memory, but a nagging sound pulled him from his private world, culminated by something hitting the top of his head with significant force.
"What!?" Shaad practically yelled to Raine, annoyed at being so rudely jerked from his pleasurable musings.
"You slowed down," she complained before provocatively coaxing, "Were you thinking of me?" while wrapping her leg around to discreetly feel at his crotch with her heel. Shaad attempted to hide his flustered face, resuming walking at a brisk pace under the pretense of making good time. "It's okay; I was thinking about you, too." she teased, nuzzling into his strong neck, and enjoying the reaction it elicited when he briefly tensed up.
"You wanna tell me why you wanted to come here of all places, anyway?" Raine inquired after they'd traveled a few more blocks in relative silence.
"I'm looking for someone. . . Do you know where there might be a fight club?"
Raine let out a disbelieving scoff, answering, "No." She then paused, sliding off the rippling muscles of Shaad's back before continuing, "But I can find out. I'll meet you at the hotel tonight." Shaad agreed and the two went their separate ways.
Raine's feelings about the city weren't getting any better as she walked down the crowded streets, careful not to step on the drunkards and druggies that littered the main pathways. It's not that she was unaccustomed to impoverished and subpar standards of living. She'd actually spent much of her early childhood in slums, mastering the skills needed for survival in such harsh environments and using all of the tools at her disposal whether internal or external. But, upon first being lifted from such rough, unstable conditions, she made a promise to herself to never go back to those uncertain times; times where she was in control of no more than herself and had to depend on others for her survival. Since being introduced to something better, she'd consistently chosen where she wanted to be, and that choice often involved some level of exaggerated luxury such as an upscale neighborhood or resort.
Raine thoroughly searched for some place that might be able to provide the information she was looking for, taking note of subtle signs she'd been taught to keep an eye out for. This was one of the worst districts in the city (which was saying quite a bit) and none were high enough to garner access to the kind of high level dealings she was looking for. Though she learned from, and adjusted her approach accordingly, her initial mistakes that led her into two trashed drug dens, her foray into a whorehouse only secured her a few insubstantial leads to low level fight clubs.
Having exhausted what little the area had to offer, Raine followed a lead she got from one of the hoes, a rather lively young woman dressed in revealing neon attire, as to where she could find some shot callers higher up on the food chain. She must have taken a wrong turn somewhere along the way as she stumbled onto a dimly lit street just shy of an alleyway. In the flickering light available to the front of her, Raine thought she saw someone but continued on ahead, not wanting to be trapped in this place with buildings to both sides and barely enough room to maneuver. She stopped just short of the crossroad to a new street when she spotted a glint from a gold tooth in the blinking light that cracked through.
Even in the dimly lit passage, Raine could make out the evil grin and general physique of the gangly man. She knew better than to take a step back, not only would that show weakness, but, more importantly, if the man's nefarious smirk was to be trusted, he already had a friend behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to check her theory and sure enough, her suspicions were indeed right. Behind her, stood an imposing man who looked like he ate weights for breakfast, but couldn't count to two.
Equipping her most disarming smile, flashing her pearly whites from behind those full, plump lips, Raine spoke with a pleasantly enchanting weight to her voice. "I must have the best of luck to have found not one but two strong, capable men. I'm sure one of you can help me out."
She ended by innocently batting her eyelashes, and the man in front took the bait, stalking forward slowly, licking his dry, ashy lips as he lecherously admired all of Raine's curves. "I'm sure we can, but first you'd have to do something for us," he spoke deliberately, massaging his hands together as he imagined the many vile, perverse acts he'd do with that knockout body of Raine's.
In no time at all, he was already right upon Raine, his rancid breath prickling her neck and bringing goosebumps to her skin as he breathed in her perfume. Raine bit back her own breath so she wouldn't have to breathe in the man's days-old must. In one fluid motion, she pulled out her baton and swung hard for the man's cheek (letting it extend from the force of the swing). The solid tip of the baton cracked squarely across the man's face, leaving a growing welt on his left cheek, but that didn't deter the creep even as he wiped the blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth.
"I like it when they got a bit of fight in 'em." he said with an evil smirk as he lifted himself back to his feet.
"Well then, you'll love me."
At that moment, Raine felt two beefy hands clasp around her ankles. She could only spare a quick glance down - enough to see the hands rising from beneath a manhole cover she was positioned in front of - as she was rushed from both the front and back. Reacting with lightning fast reflexes, Raine jabbed the end of her baton into the solar plexus of the man behind her, winding him and slowing his tree trunk sized arms enough for her to duck down and slam the manhole down on the wrists of the man holding onto her ankles while he wrapped his arms around nothing but the air where her torso was just seconds ago. Just as quickly, she shot up, striking the muscled attacker on the chin with a rising elbow. Her long legs then lashed out like a whip at the angered instigator of this little ambush, connecting with his jaw with enough force to crack bone. The leader's head was pounded through the stone wall of the building to his left by Raine's perfectly toned leg, knocking him unconscious if not killing him.
With the leader downed and the rat in the sewer apparently having scurried off, there was only the muscle left to deal with. Grabbing one of his huge arms, she expertly tossed him over her shoulder, slamming his back into the hard earth causing small cracks to spread along the ground. Raine twisted his arm and planted her heel into the man's throat to get his undivided attention; even if he could overpower her under normal circumstances, she was in complete control from this position, and even he was smart enough to know that and not struggle pointlessly (an act that would only bring him more pain).
"I'm only gonna ask this once, big boy," Raine stated seriously, her eyes narrowing into a scowl. "Where can I get information about the exclusive dealings of the underground?"
The man tried to draw in breath, but that was impossible with Raine's heel firmly on his throat. She moved her foot down to the top of his chest, allowing him to speak in staggered sentences as he sucked in lungfuls of air. "Big G. 'Tected by Tiny. Paradise."
"And where can I find this 'Paradise'," Raine questioned, twisting the man's arm to encourage a quick response.
He lifted his other arm and pointed off in a direction. "Very flashy," he rasped.
Raine nodded her head in satisfaction and flashed a smile before releasing the large man's arm and walking off to the aforementioned location, confident that the man wouldn't be stupid enough to try and attack from behind after being left on his own.
It was around midnight when Shaad made it to the hotel (after taking a walk around the island and getting accustomed to it, plus getting lost for a spell). The hotel far exceeded any preconceived notions Shaad may have had. It was an immaculate marble building that towered over everything else in the city by at least 20 stories. In the center of all the grimy structures covered in graffiti, it was like a beacon of light. It took some time, but Shaad eventually broke free of his awestruck stupor, shaking the stars from his eyes, and walked into the building. The main lobby was basically a giant club, a level below the building's exterior but still elegant by much of the city's meager standards. Shaad walked through the throngs of people, navigating his way past the well-dressed groups of tattooed hardasses, all of whom looked to be veterans of the criminal underworld, though few seemed to possess truly impressive strength in Shaad's eyes.
Shaad approached the bartender, an attractive young woman, and was immediately captivated by her hypnotizing amber eyes. Remembering why he was there, he informed, "I'm looking for a room."
The woman didn't even look up from the drinks she was making, lighting a fire on one before sliding it along the bar, as she responded. "You want Anna, she's by the lift." Shaad, not knowing what a lift was, looked a bit puzzled. As if sensing that, or just annoyed by his continued presence, the bartender nodded her head in the correct direction.
The lift was a vertical tube that extended to the high ceiling and likely much further, and Anna was a curvaceous blonde, equally as beautiful as the bartender in her pinstripe business suit. She exuded a confidence that immediately made her stand out, far from the scantily clad women dancing in cages around the floor's perimeter. He walked up to her and made the request for a room. Anna skimmed through a black notebook she held in her hands before looking to Shaad. She adjusted her thin framed glasses and spoke in an even, business tone. "I'm sorry, there don't seem to be any rooms available."
Shaad started to respond, but, in an instant, Anna pulled a pointed, black hairstick from the bun on her head - immediately replacing it with a diamond studded comb - and threw it across the room. The hairstick sailed through the lobby, oblivious to the sea of people present, and struck home in the hand of a slimy looking gangster, pinning both his hands into the wall just short of one of the dancer's cages, the jeweled adornment at the stick's end left swaying in the breeze as blood trickled from the wound.
The man's pained screams could be heard over the blaring music, but most of the people present merely brushed it off as an annoyance. "It seems a room has just become available," Anna said without missing a beat.
"I was actually hoping for two -."
"That's perfect." Shaad turned around and saw Raine approaching, wearing a new, cropped fur coat. She walked past him, ignoring his bewildered expression and was about to continue speaking to the woman when someone else attracted her attention.