Chapter 2
They stopped outside a flight of stairs leading downwards towards a dirty black door. Nebbit knocked on the door, and an eye-hole opened, where a man asked,
"Password?"
"Behemoth" Nebbit answered
The door slid open, and let them in.
"This way" The man said, and ushered them into the lair. It was a horrible, dirty place, with grime and dirt everywhere. It was poorly lit, relying on dim neon lights to brighten the place up, and everywhere Taka looked, strange people, both human and non-human, were giving them evil looks.
Their 'guide' stopped next to a door, indistinguishable from any of the others save for a small plaque on the door which read 'Jhenn L'Aktok'.
"Mr.L'Aktok is expecting you" The guide said neutrally, and ushered them into the room.
Taka was taken aback originally when he entered Jhenn's office. Compared to the rest of the hideout, this place was a paradise (although that wasn't saying much; Taka thought). The floor had a real carpet, the walls were painted neutral beige, and some cheap furniture; such as a desk and a chair, was stationed in the corner. On one of the walls a single picture frame hung, with the image of a typical smiling family. The picture frame was smashed, and the picture ripped and vandalized.
Taka and Nebbit sat down in two seats next to the desk. A door to the side of them opened, and Jhenn walked in. At a glance, he was an intimidating man, tall, bald and with several stereotypical scars across his face. He was a complete stereotype of a "tough guy". Taka glanced down below his face, and could see two blaster pistols at his waist. And almost out of his line of vision, the tip of a vibroblade. Any normal person wouldn't have noticed these subtlety concealed weapons; but then again, Taka did have a knack of spotting these things. Jhenn sat down in the chair at the desk, and addressed the two boys.
"Nebbit! Taka! So good that you could join me today! I hope you've been well?"
"Yeah, yeah, just cut to the chase Jhenn" Nebbit answered mouthily. The Crime Lord flinched for a second, and then broke out into laughter.
"I forgot your urgency to get to the matter at hand Nebbit!" He said laughing. Then, as quickly as the laughter had started, it stopped, and he took a serious tone again.
"The matter at hand is a very serious one; and one that only someone of your… stature can accomplish"
"Yeah, well that still doesn't tell us what the hell we're doing" Nebbit interrupted
"Patience Nebbit" Jhenn said firmly and coldly, his tone of voice changing suddenly again.
"Your mission is a difficult one. One of my most trusted associates has been captured by a rival gang, and word has it that they're after me next. Unfortunately for them, they don't know where we're holed up. Unfortunately for us though, my associate is being tortured, and there's not that much time left till he cracks. I need you two to sneak into their stronghold and liberate my associate"
"What's in it for us?" Taka asked, speaking for the first time in the meeting.
"What's in it for you? Why my boy, do this for me and I'll make you rich! I'll move you out of the streets, and into my own personal spare home! You'll never need to steal food or sleep in the streets again!" His proposition had evidently gotten to both of the boy's who were mesmerized by what they had just heard.
"Ok, we'll do it!" Taka said eagerly, as both of the boys raced out of the office.
"Good Luck Boys" He said as they left the office, as an evil smile crept across his face. "You're gonna love your reward…"