Chapter 6: Sticky Fingers Part 2

"Where'd she go?" Lost-In-The-Forest wondered out loud.

"Where'd who go?" Sparkticus asked.

"Neema." Lost-In-The-Forest replied. "I went down the alley to deal with you and, when I turned around, Neema was gone."

"Who's Neema?" the thief asked.

"Beige Argonian with green eyes." Lost-In-The-Forest repliied. "She's fascinated with the buildings here."

"Oh!" the thief said, seeming to realize who the mage was talking about. "The woman who wanders around staring at buildings, muttering to herself, and writing things in a book! I know who you're talking about. You should talk to her boyfriend."

Lost-In-The-Forest raised a brow ridge. "Neema? Boyfriend? Since when did Neema have a boyfriend?"

"Look, I actually am prepared to sleep with your friend if it keeps me from getting killed, but I'm going to need your word that you're not going to tell the guards about this whole misunderstanding with your money before I give you information." the thief said, cutting straight to the chase.

"Oh, make no mistake, thief." Sparkticus said with a cruel smile. "Though I find your threats of violence to be highly... exciting, death would be one of the more merciful things that could happen to you."

"What are you saying?" the Bosmer thief asked, "Make up your mind. Are you saying that you want to kill me or that you want to fuck me?"

The disguised Dremora let out a dark chuckle and said, "Either. Both. Either way, I plan on enjoying myself."

To emphasize his words, Sparkticus ground himself against the thief. Immediately, the thief's brown eyes widened dramatically and said, "All right, make him promise he won't rape me to death and and I'll talk!"

Lost-In-The-Forest glanced at the thief and then at her companion and flatly said, "Sparkticus, promise you won't rape her to death."

"I promise that I won't rape her to death." Sparkticus said calmly and evenly. Even if it had occurred to him, he couldn't do it. It was one of the conditions of his arrangement with Lost-In-The-Forest. Another condition was that he couldn't lie to her. He could lie to others. Just not to her.

"You heard the lady." the thief said. "Now get off of me."

Sparkticus glanced at Lost-In-The-Forest, who nodded. He released the thief and stepped away from her. "He's off you." the Argonian said. "Now talk."

"His name is Donato. He's a good looking guy, Imperial with short, dark brown hair and green eyes. He has odd earlobes. One is free and the other is attached" the thief explained, "Alchemist, from the smell of him. He has a scar on his left hand that looks like a slaughterfish bite."

"What else can you tell me about him?" Lost-In-The-Forest asked.

"Well," the thief continued, "he's been trying to get her to meet him in more private places. Probably not because of sex. It didn't stop them before. I've seen those two go at it in whatever dark alley they could find."

Lost-In-The-Forest grimaced. She really did not need to know about Neema's sex life. "There could be other reasons to meet in private. They are a couple." the Argonian said.

"Nah, these past few days, I don't think she wanted to meet him in private." said the thief. "I'm thinking there's trouble in paradise. Sometimes he meets someone at the inn. Never got a good look at his face."

"What time do they usually meet?" Lost-In-The-Forest asked.

"About noon." the thief replied. "So... about an hour ago."

"Donato might still be there." the Argonian said hopefully. "Looks like we're heading to the inn."

"Great!" the Bosmer woman said. "Looks like you don't need me anymore."

"You're not going anywhere, thief." Lost-In-The-Forest said, grabbing the thief by the arm before she could walk away. "I might need your services later."

"Oh, joy." the thief groaned, "The greatest thief in Markarth becomes somebody's pet detective."

"Get over it." Sparkticus grumbled. "If she can turn a ruthless killer into her willing travelling companion, she can turn you into a detective."

"I can pay you." Lost-In-The-Forest offered.

That seemed to change the thief's mind. The Bosmer grinned broadly and said, "Well, since you've twisted my arm, I'll do it. Of course, you can't exactly walk around Markarth calling me 'thief' in front of the guards. My name is Meris."

As Lost-In-The-Forest took the bag of stolen money back from the thief, she said, "It'll be a pleasure to work with you, Meris."

00000000000000000000000000000000000

They'd had to stake out the inn for a while before Donato returned. Lost-In-The-Forest pulled her hood up to conceal her identity just in case the Imperial might recognize her. This time, it was Sparkticus and Meris who had gone in. Meris had changed her appearance a little. The other two would never have guessed it, but the thief was a fairly talented Illusionist. No doubt it was to help her in her endevors as a thief. Her short auburn hair was replaced by shoulder-length blonde hair. She was clad in a dress that emphasized her curves without looking salacious. Her figure was not as curvy or buxom as Lost-In-The-Forest's. Meris was fairly lean in her build and her breasts could be described as unimpressive. She wasn't flat-chested, but her breasts were slightly smaller than average. Of course, this particular dress, combined with the makeup she put on, made her appear to be more attractive. She wasn't ugly. She was just rather... average. There was a certain aspect of her that filled the short Argonian with envy. Meris was a couple inches taller than she was. When Meris entered the tavern, she bought a drink. As she began to pretend to drink it, Sparkticus walked in and sat in an out-of-the-way corner where he could observe the goings-on. Meris didn't trust the man who apeared to be a Redguard as far as she could throw him, but she didn't really have a choice in the matter. Still, he seemed to respect and listen to the Argonian, who was obviously in charge. The Bosmer woman did not look at Sparkticus. Instead, she continued to pretend to drink. As she stood alone, someone approached her. "Hello." he said. "It's not every day that a beautiful woman walks into this place."

She didn't even have to look to tell that it was Donato. She was right about trouble in paradise. What he had said was a blatant come-on, and a lousy one at that. Without missing a beat, she turned around and smiled. "It's not every day I run into a handsome man in a place like this."

Donato grinned. "So, fair Bosmer," he said, "Might I get your name?"

"Inith." Meris lied. "What's your name?"

"I'm Donato." the Imperial replied. "So, what do you think of Markarth so far?"

"The people here could be a bit friendlier." Meris said with a sigh. "The history is fascinating, though.

"Well, I'm friendly." Donato said with a smile. "How about we find someplace a bit nicer to talk about history?"

Again, another blatant come-on. Meris acted as if she were shy as she said, "I'd like that."

The Imperial took the Bosmer's hand and kissed it before leading her out the door and onto the streets of Markarth. From a distance, Sparkticus followed them. Donato, predictably, led her to an alley. Gently, he ran his hand over her cheek. Meris closed her eyes, leaning into his touch. Donato leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. Suddenly, a voice sounded. "Hello, Donato." Lost-In-The-Forest said.

Donato looked around to see a tall Redguard man standing one side of the alley and a short Argonian woman in mage robes standing on the other side of the alley. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I'm a friend of Neema's." Lost-In-The-Forest replied cooly. "I've been told that you might know where she is."

"I don't know where she went." Donato said nervously.

"He's lying." Meris said, her voice sounding as if she were certain.

Donato gaped at the Bosmer woman. "You led me into a trap?"

"Briliant deduction." Meris said sarcastically.

Lost-In-The-Forest reached into herself to access her Magicka and conjured a bound blade. Sparkticus, likewise, drew his Daedric longsword. Donato then felt a dagger against his belly. "So," Meris said, "Where is she?"

"I don't know!" Donato insisted.

Meris poked the Imperial harshly in the stomach, not breaking skin but still causing pain. "You know," Lost-In-The-Forest said casually, "There are other people I could talk to about the disappearance of my friend."

That was a lie. She didn't know anyone else. Donato's eyes went wide as, finally, he said, "She went with a Breton mage! He said he'd give me money if I told her to go with him. They were heading to Rorikstead!"

"That's all I needed to know." Lost-In-The-Forest said with a smile.

Meris squeezed out from between Donato and the wall. Sparkticus walked over to the Imperial and, with a swing of his sword, decapitated the man. He glanced at Meris, who was staring at him. The disguised Dremora explained, "If I allowed him to live, he might have told the mage who had taken her."

Lost-In-The-Forest sighed, but nodded and said, "That does make sense. Come on, we're going to Rorikstead.

0000000000000

It was a hurried journey to Rorikstead. Lost-In-The-Forest was rather desperate to find Neema. She had the feeling that something bad had happened to her friend. When they arrived, Lost-In-The-Forest questioned several people. Finally, she got a good answer. It was said that they were heading in the direction of Morthal. The trio then headed to Hjaalmarth Hold. They'd had to stop for the night. As soon as the sun started to peek over the horizon, they were on the road again. They were still quite a ways away from Morthol. They were accosted a few times by local wildlife. Meris had proven surprisingly handy with a bow. Lost-In-The-Forest was worried out of her mind for her friend. Still, she managed to follow their trail surprisingly well. It was probably because, this time, she was highly motivated. She and Neema had been friends since they were children. She didn't know how well she could take it if something bad happened to Neema.

Halfway to Morthal, they ran out of food. Meris, of course, took the initiative to go hunting. She moved with a great deal of stealth, creeping silently until she was within firing range of a deer. As she took a breath and extended her view, she saw something near the deer. It was an Argonian's tail sticking out from behind a tree. The deer now forgotten, Meris rushed over to Lost-In-The-Forest and Sparkticus. Slowly, they approached the body. When they finally saw the whole body, Lost-In-The-Forest gasped in horror spun around, and buried her face in Sparkticus' torso. It seemed to be a Bosmer's skin stretched over an Argonian's head and body. She was wearing the same necklace that the beige Argonian always wore. It seemed that they had found Neema. Lost-In-The-Forest clenched her fists and turned around. "I'm going to get him." the Argonian growled. "When I find him, I'm going to kill him. If Sparkticus finds him first, he can kill him. In any manner that he wants. Any manner."

Sparkticus nodded. He could see that Lost-In-The-Forest was more serious than she had ever been in the time that she had known him. His expression unreadable, the disguised Dremora said, "As you wish."