Hey guys! I'm back with the third installment in the Tales of a King series! I'm so sorry it took me so long to get this out, but it's finally here! I hope you guys read and enjoy! Title is a bit of a work in progress.
Nate, Sully, and I walked down the street, street lamps reflecting in the puddles scattered along the road. My heels clicked rhythmically against the sidewalk. I tugged at my skirt again. Our current job required us to dress up and to say I was uncomfortable in my current attire would've been an understatement. I hated wearing skirts and dresses, I couldn't fight properly, I felt constricted. And who could run in heels? I fiddled with my short black hair, worried that the damp London air was going to ruin the time and effort I had put into trying to style it for once. My fingers ran down the silver chain on my neck until they felt the rings that always hung around my neck. Nate slipped his hand into mine to stop my fidgeting. He had promised this would be well worth it in the end. I still made him promise to take me out for ice cream after. The guys were looking rather sharp in their suit jackets and slacks and certainly looked more comfortable than I felt. Sully dropped his cigar into a puddle right before we entered a bar. We waltzed up to the bartender, who jerked his head in the direction of the side door. All the while the occupants of the bar, about a dozen or so thugs watched our every move. We entered another room where some more thugs were playing pool. One wearing a black leather jacket approached us.
"Hands up," the thug ordered. The three of us held our hands up. He started patting Nate down.
"Enjoying yourself, pal?" Nate inquired sarcastically as the thug patted down his legs.
"Oh, yeah, you're a comedian," the thug snarked. He moved to me. I smacked his hands as he came too close to my chest.
"Oi, watch where you're putting those," I snapped. He ignored me and moved to Sully.
"Nice warm welcome," Sully grumbled.
"They're clean," the thug announced as another well-dressed man entered.
"My apologies. One can't be too careful," the man said. The three of us walked up to the pool table.
"I'm guessing you're Talbot," Sully said.
"Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Drake, and Miss King." Talbot looked at each of us in turn.
"That's right," Nate replied stiffly.
"Do you have it?"
I crossed my arms. "Money first. Can't be too careful." Talbot narrowed his eyes as I met his gaze evenly. I didn't trust this guy one bit.
"Cutter." The thug grabbed a briefcase and set it on the pool table. Talbot opened the case and slid it across the table. Inside was a bunch of British pounds. "It's all there. Now let's see it." Nate took Francis Drake's ring from around his neck and passed it to Talbot. "I'll need to authenticate it." He pulled out a jeweler's magnifier and began inspecting the ring. I grabbed one of the stacks of money and leafed through it, Nate doing the same. "Silver. 16th century, Elizabethan design… Inscribed with Sir Francis Drake's motto…" He smiled. "Well, it appears to be genuine."
"Well, of course it's genuine," Sully snapped, offended. Something about the money seemed off. I pulled out another stack and leafed through that one.
"If I may ask, how did you two come into this?" Talbot asked.
"Does it matter?" I glanced at Nate with a raised brow to see if he noticed anything about the money. He caught my eye and I could tell he had noticed it too.
Talbot smiled smugly. "My client will be very pleased."
"Don't go anywhere just yet," I interrupted. "Sully, this is fake."
"I assure you, Miss King -" Talbot tried. Without breaking eye contact, I passed one of the stacks to Sully who inspected the money.
"Whoa, whoa, you are right. This is phony as a three dollar bill." Sully tossed the money back into the case and glared at Talbot. "What the hell are you tryin' to pull here?"
Talbot narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps I should be the one asking you?" Nate closed the money case and slid it back across the table.
"This is bullcrap." Nate reached for the ring, but Talbot stopped him. "Deal's off, pal." He yanked his hand away from Talbot and put the ring back around his neck.
"And you? You can tell your client you blew it," Sully said. "C'mon, kids. Let's get the hell outta here."
"You're not really in a position to negotiate. Now give me the ring, take the case, and walk out of here like gentlemen," Talbot said warningly. We still attempted to leave, but Cutter stopped us, shoving Nate back a step. "While you still can."
"Do as the man says, son," Cutter said.
"You're a thief!" Nate accused.
Talbot smirked, leaning casually on the pool table. "Well, now that's ironic." Nate, Sully, and I glanced at each other then the two men grabbed pool sticks and swung them at the nearest goons, breaking the sticks in half. I snatched the chalk square from the table and threw it at another approaching goon, hitting him in the middle of the forehead. The guy staggered back, obviously not having expected that and I used his distraction to my advantage. I aimed a kick at his gut, but I was only able to hit his knee with my skirt in the way. Still, it had the intended effect of causing him to double over. I then slammed my knee upward into his face. I heard a satisfying crack as the guy's nose broke. He howled in pain. I quickly silenced him with a roundhouse kick to the face. I quickly tore a slit up the side of my skirt to allow for better movement. I would've ditched the shoes too, but I didn't want to risk stepping on glass.
I was suddenly grabbed from behind. I struggled to get free, but the guy had a strong grip. Another goon noticed my predicament and smirked. He came over and sent a fist into my gut. I groaned and would've doubled over if not for the thug still holding me. As the other guy pulled his fist back for another go, I braced myself on the thug holding me and slammed my feet into the other goon. He stumbled back, giving me the opportunity to throw my head back, smashing it into the face of the guy holding me. His grip loosened and I pulled free. I quickly ducked under the second guy's swing, causing him to hit his comrade. I grabbed a bottle from a nearby table and smashed it over his head. With those three down, I turned to check on Nate and Sully.
"C'mon. No time to rest," Nate said as he pulled Sully to his feet.
"I think we might've overstayed our welcome," I said.
"I think you're right," Sully agreed. "Let's get out of here." Before we could get to the exit, the door slammed open, revealing a huge goon.
"Hey there, big fella," Nate said nervously as the guy cracked his knuckles.
"I got him!" Sully announced, jumping onto the guy's back. "All right, quick, hit him!" Nate grabbed a stool and smashed it against the thug's head, but that only seemed to anger him.
"Okay, plan B?" I asked.
"Nope, bad idea, granddad," Cutter said. He grabbed Sully and pulled him off the big guy. Sully cursed.
"Sully!" I cried, rushing to help the older man. I heard a smash and turned just in time to see Nate disappear through a stained glass window. "Nate!" I helped Sully finish off the thugs upstairs. "C'mon, let's go get Nate." We hurried down the stairs to find Nate already in the midst of a fight.
"This a private party or can we join?" Sully quipped.
"Be my guest," Nate replied, ducking under a swing from a thug.
I readied my fists. "Who wants the first dance?" The first guy charged and I danced out of the way. I slammed my foot into the next thug's gut. I blocked a swing and slammed another guy's head onto the bar, knocking him out with a bottle.
"Argh, man… this got outta hand in a hurry," Nate groaned. I turned to find him engaged with three goons at once. I grabbed another bottle.
"Nate, duck!" Nate did as told and I lobbed the bottle at the guy he had just been fighting, hitting him square in the face. I rushed over and with practiced movements, we grabbed the next thug by the arms and body slammed him. I stood and turned around at all the goons lying unconscious on the ground. "Anyone else?"
"I think that's it," Nate sighed. Suddenly, he was tackled into the bathroom by the huge guy from earlier. Spoke too soon. I let Nate deal with him while I helped Sully, who was breathing heavily.
"You good, old timer?" I asked, patting him on the back. He groaned in pain.
"I'll be fine," he assured me. "You okay in there? You hurt?" He called to Nate.
"Just my pride," Nate replied. He staggered out of the bathroom. "They're gonna need a plunger."
I wrinkled my nose. "I'm not going to ask."
"C'mon on, you two," Sully urged. He opened the door to the kitchen. "Here, we can get out the back."
"Think we can grab something to go?" I quipped. We fought our way through the kitchen and staggered out the back door, right into a trap. Cutter stood in the alley with his arms crossed, flanked by a few more thugs.
"Oops," Cutter said with a smirk.
"Aww, crap," Nate groaned. I muttered an Italian curse under my breath. Another fight ensued, but this time, they overpowered us. I gasped as I took a fist to the gut. I tried to get a hit in, but the goon caught my swing and clocked me over the head and threw me into a pile of trash. Sully was thrown down next to me. Cutter headbutted Nate and tossed him on my other side.
"Typical bloody yank, all talk." One of the men moved forward to take another go at Sully, but Cutter stopped him. "Hey, ey, ey… He's had enough. Haven't you, mate?" The goons back off as a car rounded the alley. Nate moved to get up until Cutter pointed a finger at him warningly. "Don't. Stay down." Nate obeyed, not keen to get beat up again. I winced as I shifted. I was going to be feeling this in the morning. The car stopped a couple yards away and Talbot got out. He smirked and turned as the other car door opened and a woman with an umbrella got out. The woman stopped in front of us. I narrowed my eyes as the light from the car's headlights illuminated her face. I hadn't seen her in years and quite honestly had been hoping I never would again.
"Hello, Victor," the woman greeted, a smirk on her face.
"Kate," Sully replied coolly, clearly not happy to see her.
"Still wallowing in the gutter with your proteges, I see. Not very dignified for a man of your age." She held her head as though everyone was beneath her.
"Oh and you Brits are all about dignity," I scoffed. Marlowe turned her cold eyes to me.
"Alexandria King, still the same mouth I see," she said. "It's a shame you threw in your lot with these two. With your parents' reputations, you could have made a respectable name for yourself in the archeological community." I glared darkly at her. She had no right bringing up my parents! Marlowe stared at me with an air of superiority as she folded her umbrella.
"Oh, careful now, wouldn't want you to melt," Nate joked. I smirked at the jab.
Marlowe gave a humorless laugh. "Same cocky little shit. So fearless…" She pulled the handle from her umbrella, revealing a hidden dagger. "I wonder what you're really afraid of…" She used the blade to delicately trace Nate's face. I tensed, worried about what she might do. "Not bullets, or blood, or broken bones… No, you get off on all this, don't you? Cheating death - or not." I heard Sully mutter a 'no' and I sucked in a sharp breath. She gave a sinister laugh as she used the dagger to hook the cord around Nate's neck. With a light tug, the cord broke and she snatched the ring. "Mr. Sullivan, I won't harm your precious boy. I merely want what's mine." Holding the ring tightly in her fist, she made her way back to her car. Nate scrambled to his feet with a growl.
"Gimme that back!" Nate rushed Marlowe, but Cutter shot him before he could get further than a couple feet. Nate collapsed, blood blossoming on his chest.
"Cutter!" Marlowe scolded harshly.
"Nate!" I cried, quickly rushing to check my boyfriend's pulse.
"Oh, no, oh God, no!" Sully shouted in despair.
Cutter rolled his eyes. "Shut up!" He shot Sully and the older man dropped next to Nate.
"No! Sully!" I got to my feet and went to rush Cutter, a stupid move in forethought. Without another word, he shot me too. I clutched at my side as I collapsed next to Nate, the world around me going dark.