TWENTY-ONE

As I walked up the dirt road toward Wall Market, I heard voices up ahead. My natural curiosity getting the better of me again, I slowed as I came to a bend in the trail and scooted up behind a nearby pile of junk and broken rock to listen in as I peeked around the edge. Nearby, a line of abandoned shanty houses stood rusting in the fading daylight along with a few gaudy signs advertising the infamous entertainment district. I'd heard a little about it when I'd been staying in Sector 5, and that was more than enough to make me wary of the place.

A large chocobo stable with a paddock and bright lights was just a short distance ahead me, maybe fifty feet at the most, on the left side of the road. Past that, the gate to Wall Market stood open. I saw a carriage sitting next to the paddock, a chocobo already tethered to it and ready to go. Looked like I'd found my ride to Sector 7.

Two men were talking next to the carriage, and it was them that I'd heard. Both were middle-aged, but they were completely different. The first one ran the stable—his brown wrangler's hat, vest, belt with a large golden chocobo buckle, and patterned boots told me that right off. He had a thick brown beard, dark blue eyes, and a leather whip at his side as he stood there with his hands on his hips.

I shuddered at the sight of the guy he was talking to. The man was short, pudgy, with a thin moustache and a strip of wavy blond hair that he'd shaved on the sides. He wore a red fur-lined coat over a white shirt and brown pants, and I could see rings on his fingers and a round gold medallion hanging from his neck. And as a final, tacky touch, the word "love" was tattooed on one side of his head.

"I'm tellin' ya, Don," the wrangler said, "that last gal I sent ya fit the bill just fine. So don't you go tarnishin' my reputation 'cause Vera didn't tickle your sweet spot like ya thought she would."

The pudgy man pointed at him, his eyes narrowing. "This isn't the first bust I've had from you lately, Sam. You're slipping, and I don't like it when my suppliers go sour."

"There's still tonight's audition," Sam answered.

"You'll forgive me if my confidence in you is less than stellar," Don growled. "Ever since M gave you the boot last month, you haven't been the same. You'd best shape up, or the Trio's gonna become a Duo before you know it. Catch my drift?"

Sam folded his arms in front of him. "I hear ya."

Don nodded. "Good. And just for a bit of extra incentive…"

Quicker than I'd thought possible, he reached out a thick hand and slipped it into one of the pockets of Sam's vest. I couldn't see what Don took out at first, but when he held it up in front of him, I recognized it as a keycard. Sam glared at him but kept his mouth shut. A good idea, I thought. Don sneered at him.

"Consider yourself grounded, Sam," he said, putting the card inside one of his own pockets. "Until you send me a real hot little kitten I can play with. You know what I'm looking for. Unless you want to keep my little Abzu company along with Vera."

Then he sneered and waddled away, disappearing through the gate and into Wall Market, a pair of shady-looking goons joining him as he went inside. When Don and his bodyguards were gone, I slipped out of my hiding spot and hurried up the road. Sam was just starting to head inside the building behind him when he saw me.

"Howdy," he tipped his hat. "Somethin' I can do for ya?"

I nodded. "I'd like to see about getting a ride into Sector 7, and I've heard you're the one to talk to. That right?"

Sam sighed. "Ordinarily, I'd be happy to oblige. For a fee, of course. But I'm afraid you're outta luck tonight. Delivery service is closed until further notice. My apologies."

"Why?" I asked, though I had a pretty good idea.

"Got on Don Corneo's bad side, so he's taken away my access to the gate 'till I find a way to patch things up. Been lookin' to start expandin' my business to Sector 5, but it don't look like that's gonna be happenin' anytime soon now. Sorry for the trouble."

I folded my arms in front of me. "Any way I can help?"

"You're new to this town, ain't ya?" he said.

"Yeah, you could say that," I agreed.

Sam eyed me warily. "Don't seem too green, though. Guess you've seen your share of trouble."

"I have," I told him. "More than you know."

"I don't doubt it. You got that look on ya. Name's Sam, though just about everyone around these parts calls me Chocobo Sam. No need to tell ya why, I reckon."

I shook my head and smiled. "Nope! I'm Jessie."

"Pleased to meet ya, Jessie," he shook my hand. "As for my trouble, well… might be a way you could help out, but it's sure to be dangerous. Not too sure you'd be up for it."

"Try me," I smirked.

The corner of his mouth turned up a little. "Got some spunk in ya, girl. Anyway, here's the deal. Don Corneo's the big shot in town. Owns Wall Market lock, stock, and barrel. Lately, he's started lookin' for a girl to be the next Mrs. Corneo."

I barely suppressed the urge to vomit. "Go on."

"Me and two others audition girls around town, send him one each night. We all know the Don's tastes and what he likes. Does a bit of his own scoutin' as well, more forcefully than we do, usin' his cronies to do his dirty work. Most of the ladies that go inside his place are never seen again, whether he ends up likin' 'em or not."

"You send them there, knowing that?" I stared at him.

Sam frowned. "I give the girls fair warning, but if they wanna keep at it, that's on them. I don't make anyone go."

"So what's all this have to do with me?" I asked.

"I need that gate key back, or I'll be outta business inside a month," Sam said. "Don't expect ya to have a good time with the Don, but if we get you in there and you can swipe the card from him, I'll see to it you get your ride into Sector 7. At no charge."

I nodded. "I can do that. How do I get out, though?"

Sam went on. "Got a man on the inside over there. He'll make sure you can escape once you've got the card. Watches the front door, so no one gets in or out without him knowin' it."

"Fair enough," I said. "Where do I start?"

"Ho, slow down there, Jessie. Sure you wanna do this?"

I didn't budge. "No choice, really. If I don't, I can't get into Sector 7, now can I? I'm in, Sam."

"Wanna get in there that bad, huh?" he chuckled.

I did. "It's my only way forward."

He took out a gold coin from his pants pocket. "Then let's see how serious you really are. You win and I let you help me outta this jam I'm in. You lose, you walk away and forget about it."

"Deal," I told him.

Sam flipped the coin with his thumb, then caught it and closed his hand over it. "Call it, Jessie. Heads or tails."

I thought for a minute, finding it hard to believe he'd really leave a thing like this to chance. He had to have something up his sleeve, and I could tell that despite his situation, it wasn't going to be easy to get him to let me help him. And this was also a test, just like he'd said. To see if I really was willing to gamble and take the risk.

"Tails," I said.

He opened his hand. "Heads. You lose."

The coin had landed on heads, just as Sam had said. I could see the chocobo's head engraved on its surface. I sighed, wondering what I was going to do now, but then a thought occurred to me as I wondered why he'd have told me as much as he had only to leave his chance for getting out of the hole he was in to a coin toss.

"Mind if I take a look at the other side?" I asked.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged.

Same handed me his coin, and I turned it over. It was heads on that side, too. I smirked as I tossed it back to him. "Should've guessed you'd pull something like that. So what now?"

He slipped his coin back into his pocket. "Took a gamble with that toss, even though you thought the odds was good. Shows me you're no stranger to risk. Still, you lost, so walk away."

"You cheated, though," I pointed out. "Which means I win."

"Guess that's true. If you want in that bad, then I won't stop ya. But to get into the Don's place, you'll be needin' a letter of recommendation first. And I know someone who can get that for ya."

I nodded. "Thought so. Who's that?"

"Head over to the Honeybee Inn and ask for a guy named Andrea. I'll let him know to expect ya. You'll be needin' a dress, too. That armor you got's good for trekkin' through the slums, but the Don likes a clean lookin' girl, all glamour and style."

"Andrea Rhodea?" I blinked. "You mean him?"

Sam scratched his beard. "That's the one. You know him?"

I'd almost forgotten that he lived here. He had told me back on the plate when we'd first met that this was where he conducted most of his business and had his main establishment. I hadn't seen him much since I had joined the cast of LOVELESS, but I'd stayed in touch. Until I had come down here to the slums, that is.

"He's an old friend," I answered. "From the plate."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "That so? Well, that'll make it easier, then. As for the dress, go see Madam M. She hates Corneo, so she'll be happy to help ya with your little theft. Mind her temper, though. You can find her at the hand massage parlor she runs."

"I'll do that," I told him.

"Good. I'll be waitin' here for ya to bring me the gate key. Just keep your eyes open in there, Jessie. Don's slippery as an eel, and gettin' that card from him ain't gonna be easy."

I smiled. "Thanks, Sam. I'll be careful."

With that, I walked over to the gate, took a breath, and went inside Wall Market. I'd hoped I wouldn't have to come here, but things hadn't worked out the way I'd expected. The place was loud and crowded, full of people going back and forth. Long strings of colored paper lanterns hung over the narrow, twisting streets, suspended between the rows of low, makeshift buildings, and small openings led into a few dark alleys here and there. I passed them quickly.

I found the Honeybee Inn tucked away in a secluded corner of the district. The entrance was full of lights and much showier than the one for the Honeybee Lounge back on the plate. Probably to fit the town, I supposed. Sector 8 was a quieter place, a cultural hub, and Wall Market was a busy entertainment center full of activity, shops, restaurants, and a lot of less savory and more dangerous things, all lit up in bright neon. I sighed and found myself missing my old home.

The inside of the Inn was a lot like the Lounge, though, so much so that I almost felt like I was back there. A long, polished wood reception desk along the left side, the door to the main lounge area ahead of me, and the red carpet laying over the black and white checked floor. A few Honeybee girls stood smiling at the patrons, and a staircase next to the desk led up to the second floor. Behind the desk stood a young guy in a bright yellow and black suit and tie.

I walked over to him. "I'm here to see Andrea."

"Do you have an appointment?" he asked.

"No, but he's expecting me," I answered. "I'm Jessie. Chocobo Sam told him I was coming."

The receptionist nodded. "Ah, yes. Just a moment."

He moved out from behind the desk and went through the door to the main lounge, motioning for me to wait where I was. I did, noticing a few other people sitting in chairs scattered around the lobby. It was as busy as the Lounge had been on the plate.

A few minutes later, the receptionist returned, telling me to follow him. He led me upstairs and down a short hall to a door at the far end, opening it for me before leaving to go back to the desk. I stepped into a large, luxurious suite to see Andrea waiting for me.

"Jessie," he said, striding gracefully across the room to meet me. "A pleasure to see you again. It's been a long time."

I smiled and hugged him. "It's good to see you too, Andi."

He swept his arm out. "Please, sit down."

"Sam told you why I'm here?" I asked, having a seat in a cushioned chair. Andrea sat in another across from me.

"Yes," he answered, leaning forward. "He sent word to me not long ago informing me of the situation and of your needs. Of course, I'll do everything I can to help you."

"Thanks. He said I need a letter of recommendation."

Andrea grinned. "And you shall have it. Normally, I test those who seek my approval. They must prove they know how to move, how to be alive on the stage. But you've already done that."

"You caught me off guard that time," I remembered fondly.

"Yes, I did," he laughed. "But that was part of the test, as you know. To see how well you would do and react, and if you could handle being under the lights again. And you passed wonderfully."

I beamed. "Thanks, Andi. It was fun. I still miss it sometimes, you know. That life, being on stage."

"Reeve told me what happened, and I'm very sorry, Jessie. Though you have lost much, you have endured and not given up. A sign of true beauty, to be sure. You'll do well in Sector 7."

Standing up, Andrea walked over to a large, polished wooden desk, pulled open the top drawer, and took out the letter. After signing it, he came back and gave it to me as I stood up to meet him. The sheet had a seal in the shape of a honeybee at the bottom.

"I really appreciate all your help," I told him. "Means a lot."

Andrea took my shoulder. "You're welcome. I've no doubt you'll be able to accomplish your goal here. You've changed since last I saw you, and in more ways than just your attire. I like it."

I chuckled. "Guess I have, haven't I?"

"More than you know, Jessie. Now, you should go. I believe Madam M is awaiting you. She's as practiced in the art of beauty as I am, so you need not worry. However, she will expect you to partake of her services first. Whatever you do, don't be cheap with her. She doesn't take kindly to those who undervalue her work."

"I'll keep that in mind," I promised. "Sam warned me, too."

Andrea bowed again. "Farewell, my friend. Until we meet again. Be safe, and take care of yourself."

After saying goodbye, I left the Inn and headed back through Wall Market. Madam M's parlor wasn't hard to find. It stood amidst a row of small shops at the end of a short, paved path with a pair of red lanterns mounted on pedestals on either side. As I walked up to the door, I took the handle and gently pushed it open.

The parlor was elegant, the walls covered in elaborate illustrations colored in red, yellow, white, and gold. A wide desk of dark mahogany stood nearby, with a pair of white masks decorating one of the upright poles and a round lamp sitting on one end. Off to the right, a short hall led to another room, which was probably where the customers went to actually get their massages.

Behind the desk was a slender, middle-aged woman, her black hair pinned up with several golden hairpins. She wore a black kimono with golden flowers on it as well as a bright orange obi tied at the front. Her left shoulder was bare, and she held a black and gold fan in her fingers. She smiled graciously as I walked in.

"Ah, you must be the one Andrea spoke of," she said, her voice soft and stately. "Jessie, wasn't it? I am Madam M."

I nodded. "That's right. You can put me in a dress?"

The woman's dark brown eyes looked me over. "All in good time. I know what you're planning. And I'd like nothing more than to help you pull a fast one on Don Corneo."

"I've heard you don't like him," I said.

Madam M's voice changed so abruptly I could hardly believe it was coming from the same person. "Who the hell does!? That fat bastard is a goddamn cockroach! He treats women like toys!"

I stared at her. "Then why do you send them over to him?"

"Are you a fucking idiot!?" she screeched, moving right up into my face. "He's got this shithole of a town right in his greasy little fingers! If I ever stood up to him, I'd lose my position as one of the Trio as well as my business! Maybe even my life! I don't have a goddamn choice but to send him his girls, little miss!"

I remembered then the thinly-veiled threat he'd made against Sam earlier and began to understand the immense pressure that he, Andrea, and Madam M were under. And from what Sam had told me, the girls they sent went willingly and warned. I felt Madam M's piercing gaze on me, but I didn't waver as I met it.

"Sorry," I said. "I'm still learning how this place works."

"Think nothing of it," Madam M assured me with a soft smile, her voice calm and demure again as she took a step back. "You're new here, after all. Now, your hand. Let me see it."

Taking off my glove, I held out my right hand. She took it, holding it gently but firmly in her left as she closed her fan with a single flick of her wrist and used it to lightly trace the lines on my palm. She followed them with her eyes, reading the grooves in my skin.

"Hmm…" she murmured. "A long road. Love, loss… but strength, too. And resolve. The soul of a performer, but a troubled heart. As well as a keen mind. You've come far, Jessie."

"Thank you," I said.

She let go of my hand. "I can't promise you a million gil dress, but I have some connections. You'll look positively stunning by the time I'm through with you. I guarantee it."

"So what's next?" I asked.

"First things first," Madam M went behind her desk again. "Before I give you your makeover, Jessie, I'd like you to have one of my famous hand massages. Take your pick."

There were three different types listed on the small sign next to the lamp—Luxury, Standard, and Poor. Remembering Andrea's warning, I decided on the Luxury Course. I'd made a good living in Sector 5 with my repair business over the past month and could afford the expensive option. And I also knew that staying on Madam M's good side was well worth the extra gil. Friends in high places and all that.

"Luxury Course," I gave her the money.

Madame M smiled as she took it and put it away. "Excellent choice, Jessie. I like you. Come, this way."

I followed her. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," she agreed, leading me over to the little hall.

"What's the M stand for?" I wondered.

Madam M stopped so abruptly I almost walked right into her. She turned around and pointed her fan straight at me, her voice hardening just a little. "More Than You Need To Know."

I blinked. "Right. Forget I asked."

Instantly, she was the friendly, gracious host again, and she led me down the short hall and into the other room. After I took off my gloves and put them on a side table, I laid down on the bed as Madam M took hold of my fingers and gently started rubbing them. She was definitely skilled in what she did, attending to both hands with expert care and a soft, cool cream that did wonders for my skin.

"How was that?" she asked when she was finished.

I sat up and flexed my fingers. "It was incredible, Madam M. Feels good. Really good, actually. Thank you."

She bowed. "My pleasure, Jessie. A customer with good manners is hard to find in a place like this. And you didn't go cheap on me, either. I respect that. Now then, we have a lot of work to do."

"My dress?" I asked.

"Yes. And more. Makeup, your nails, that sort of thing. You may be a tomboy now, but I could tell from your palm that you're familiar with beauty and glamour. We can work with that. Ready?"

I nodded. "Let's get started."

"So, what do you think?" Madam M asked.

I stood in front of a mirror near the massage bed and took a good, long look at myself. It had taken about an hour for her to get me ready for tonight. I hadn't had a makeover like this since the day I'd first met Andrea. And he'd been right when he had told me she was as skilled at it as he was. I smiled as I saw my reflection.

I was wearing a strapless, ankle-length dress of soft black satin, the back open down to my waist. A slit along one side of the skirt exposed my left leg, and on my feet, I wore a pair of matching black high heels. My hair hung freely over my left shoulder, still with the extensions in it but so cleverly hidden you'd never know they were there. She'd curled it a little, too, and it spilled down the front of my chest.

My lips were moist and glistening with a vibrant pink lipstick, and a soft touch of blush colored my cheeks. Madam M had touched up my eyes with just a hint of dark blue eyeshadow, and she'd painted my nails with a smooth pink polish. I also wore a pair of small, studded earrings that sparkled and shone like little stars.

I looked at Madam M. "I love it! I haven't dressed like this in a long time. Kinda miss it now and then."

"It suits you," she smiled. "And I do good work."

"Definitely!" I agreed.

There was one last thing I had to check. I bent down, reached into the slit of my dress, and touched the inside of my right thigh, where I'd hidden a little surprise for Corneo. I had strapped a raspberry onto my leg with a slim band of black cloth, like an explosive garter. Just a bit of extra incentive to get him to talk.

Madam M knew about it, of course. "Everything in place?"

"Yeah," I withdrew my hand and straightened up. "It's all set. I'm as ready to go as I'll ever be."

"Good. I'll walk you over there, then."

I followed her out of her massage parlor and down the main street, getting more than a few curious looks and whistles on the way. I didn't bother responding, just kept on going, though I did smile just a little to myself as I did. Brought back my acting days a little, how I'd often been noticed when I was out, although the neighborhood was very different up there than it was down here.

As I walked, I thought of Kunsel, wishing he could've seen me like this. Spending a night out on the town with him in this dress would've been so wonderful. He'd seen me fancied up before, of course, but still, what Madam M had done just about put a lot of my outfits from those days to shame. Letting out a bittersweet sigh, I brought my attention to where we were going and what I had to do.

Don Corneo's place was something like a red and gold pagoda, and it sat at the end of the street at the top of a short flight of stairs amidst a collection of colored lanterns and small trees on either side of the main gate. The mansion had a central area with two wings, one on each side. It was big and gaudy, and I hated it. We stopped just outside the gate as I took a breath to steady my nerves.

"We're here," Madam M said. "You have the letter?"

I held up. "Got it."

She nodded. "Very well. I'll be at my parlor, so once you leave here, come see me and we'll get you changed."

"I understand. Thanks for all your help, Madam M."

"You're welcome," she bowed. "Good luck."

Then she was gone, moving gracefully back down the road the way we'd come. I watched her go, then sighed and turned back to the gate. I swallowed, my heart pounding at the thought of what I'd gotten myself into, but I couldn't turn back now. The only way into Sector 7 was here, in the Don's Mansion, getting that key back.

Taking a deep breath, I opened the gate and went inside.