.
.
.
Her strides lengthened as she sped up, abandoning the Park pathways and instead flinging herself into the trees and underbrush, her wolf giving an internal howl of approval as she wove between the trees, effortlessly hopping over rocks and debris. She covered the length of two city blocks before she risked a quick glance behind her, her wolf rumbling in warning when she saw that Venom didn't seem to be following her anymore.
Sensing a trap, she skidded to a stop, eyes narrowing as she sniffed at the air. Shit. Where is he? Her hearing strained to it's limits, her breathing completely silent as she let her wolf-gold gaze dart around her surroundings, still constantly testing the air around her for his scent.
A part of the tree to her left seemed to come alive and she flung herself away from it with a yip of surprise, barely managing to dodge the camouflaged, invisible, form that attempted to tackle her, then vanished back into the underbrush when the ambush failed.
Shaking, she landed on all fours and checked the air again, a feral grin spreading over her lips when she finally caught his odd scent. With a smug rumble, she threw her last three throwing stars into the canopy of the nearest tree, her keen hearing picking up the annoyed hiss as the sharp weapons made contact, and she allowed herself a brief burst of pride before she took off again.
"You can't run from us forever!"
"I can damn well try!" The snarl passed her lips as she gave her pursuer the finger then flung herself through another bush, frowning a little when she burst out onto a paved skateboard park. While a part of her mourned the lack of trees, the other part of her took rapid stock of her new surroundings before leaping across the span of a huge half-pipe, sneakers finding purchase as she landed on the other side, never breaking her stride.
She knew by memory that there was a parking lot nearby, and from there, she would be able to sprint the last five blocks before reaching the city's largest public library. Hopefully, she'd be able to hide within the library, long enough to catch her breath at least. I need time to regroup. I have to figure out how to lose him, 'cause there's no way in hell that I'm going to risk leading him back to my Pack!
The wind shifted as she ran, and a quick glance behind her confirmed her error. While the parking lot meant that Venom was unable to track her from the trees, the open space allowed him to make use of his webbing, pulling a curse from her as she poured on the speed, very aware that he could websling as fast as she could run.
She was rapidly running out of parking lot, and Venom seemed immune against any sort of exhaustion. For the first time in her life, the sound of heavy traffic was a relief that was almost palpable. A quick glance behind her warned her in time for her to throw herself to the side, barely avoiding her pursuer as he shot a webline at her. Just five blocks to the Library...
Blaring horns and the screech of tires sounded around her as she slid across the hood of a parked car and darted into traffic, ignoring the negative crosswalk signals as she wove helter-skelter through the intersection. Four blocks... Pedestrians moved out of her way as she bolted down the sidewalk, the screams of fright that sounded moments later a harsh reminder of why she couldn't afford to slow down. Instead, she cut through an alleyway, flinging a garbage can behind her when a shadow alerted her that Venom was getting closer to her than she liked. Three...
But she had to admit, a small part of her was enjoying the run. It was so rare that she allowed herself to cut loose, and her wolf was drinking in every moment of it. Granted, it would have been better if she wasn't running for her life from a predator that posed a real threat to her continued existence, but her wolf knew better than to be so nitpicky.
Two. Her heart soared when she spotted the distant stairs that led into the Library, and she allowed herself a brief smile as she put on a bit more speed, vaulting over a shocked skateboarder with a shout of apology and landing on the roof of a cab. Ignoring the curses from the driver, she hopped up onto a bus and turned to look behind her, grumbling in annoyance when Venom swung out over the traffic, did a mid-air flip, and flung himself towards her with a roar of anger.
"This just isn't my day," Jaz muttered under her breath as she leapt from the bus, eyes widening in horror when a webline wrapped around her left arm, clinging to her cast. Realising that she was in serious trouble, she rose her right hand and sunk her talons into the webbing, tearing at it and wrenching herself free, a howl of pain leaving her as white hot agony spread through her broken arm.
Instinct made her twist to land on her feet, a blare from a horn making her look up to stare at the grill of an oncoming car, the sight sending her rolling to the sidewalk and growling under her breath as the car sped by, unconcerned about the person they had almost hit. Too close. Knowing that Venom wasn't far away, she scrambled to her feet and bolted for the stairs that led up into the Library, taking them two at a time and shouldering the door open hard enough that it banged against the wall.
Apologizing to the Librarian for the rude entrance, she hurried past the reception desk and headed into the stacks, the scent of the books easing her anxiety as she wove her way through the bookcases and headed up the back staircase to the second, and then the third floor. By the time she had found herself a quiet corner deep within the stacks, her breath was leaving her in barely muffled whimpers.
Knowing that she had to do something to support her aching arm, she sank down onto the floor and carefully shucked out of her jacket, hissing in pain as she set it aside, then tugged one of her two tank tops off. After carefully putting her jacket back on, she used her teeth and good hand to rip her sacrificed tank top into one thick strip, then fashioned it into a sling and looped it over her neck.
The result wasn't the greatest looking thing, but until she could think of something better, it would have to do. Sighing, she slid her throbbing left arm into the improvised support, adjusted it so that the sling wasn't cutting into the side of her neck, then leaned back against the bookshelf and wearily closed her eyes. Ow. Geez. And I thought my arm hurt a lot when the break was fresh.
She sat in silence for a few minutes, taking advantage of her current solitude to turn her full concentration towards her appearance. Slowly, she felt the wolf's influence dim; her talons shortened back into something more humanesque, fangs shrinking, senses dulling a little as her boost of strength waned, leaving her feeling trapped in her own body once again. Her wolf grumbled, echoing her unease, and Jasmine stubbornly shoved her rising anxiety aside. This wasn't the time or the place for her to dwell on how much she hated having to hide who and what she truly was in order to walk among the 'normal' human population.
Growling softly, she got to her feet and headed towards the elevators, knowing that there was a women's bathroom in that vicinity. I still have to figure out how I'm going to ditch Venom, she mused as she toed the bathroom door open and headed for one of the sinks. I'm not stupid enough to believe that he didn't follow me into the Library. All he has to do is watch the entrance and wait for me to try to make a break for it. So what does that leave me?
Sighing, she spun the cold water tap on and, once she had carefully eased her arm out of the sling, drank water out of her cupped hands. After washing her face, she rose her gaze to the huge mirror, grimacing tiredly. I look like shit. She spent a few moments fidgeting, trying to tuck some errant lengths of curls back into her ponytail before giving up and yanking the elastic out of her hair, slipping it onto her right wrist before wetting some of the locks in an attempt to keep the worst of her hair out of her face.
With her hair down, it changed her appearance somewhat, and while it probably wouldn't fool Venom, it might be enough to confuse any eyewitnesses that had seen her hurried entrance into the Library. Dammit, I should have kept my backpack. I could have stuffed my jacket into it and changed into the extra t-shirt I carry around for emergencies.
Another sigh left her as she silently exited the bathroom, pausing just outside of it to delicately sniff the air, frowning when she caught a slight hint of Venom's scent. He wasn't on her floor yet, but the fact that his scent, however weak, was being circulated through the air vents told her that he was definitely in the building.
She went back into the stacks and wove through them until she had a good view of the stairs and elevators; the only way anyone could reach the third floor. While she still had to figure out how to escape without getting caught, at least she would be able to see everyone who came and went. Not wanting to seem out of place, she chose a spot amongst the bookcases where she could see the elevators and yet still be hidden from view, then sat down onto the floor and blindly pulled a book from the shelf, one black eyebrow arching upwards when she saw that the book she had chosen was about wolves.
Despite her situation, the coincidence of her picking that specific book made her smile, and she allowed herself a few seconds of looking through the book before she turned her mind back to the problem at hand.
I don't like the options I have, she mused, managing to keep an eye on the stairs and elevators while making it look like she was reading the book on her lap. I might have bought myself a little respite, but I've also backed myself into a corner. On one hand, from everything I've heard about Venom, I doubt that he'll rip this Library apart while looking for me. But... why is he after me in the first place? He mostly goes after lowlifes and muggers, or the rare crazy person that tries to destroy a large part of the populas. His hunting territory is usually centered on the Park. Is it possible that he saw Zoe and I snatch the money? But if he did, why did he wait until we reached the Park to confront us?
Growling under her breath, she rose a hand and massaged her aching temple. I have more questions than answers. Alright, let's focus on the matter at hand. How can I get out of here without Venom catching me? I could either wait until he starts searching the Library and sneak around him and run out the front door - which doesn't seem all that likely - or I can find another way out. There's no back doors, certainly none that don't have a fire alarm attached to them, so that leaves what? The roof? Or maybe I can go back to the second floor and jump out a window... it wouldn't be that far of a jump from the second floor, I can definitely make it.
An off-key chime drew her attention to the elevator, a low curse leaving her as she ducked behind a shelf, peering through the books at the familiar form that stepped out, suspicious blue eyes cutting across his surroundings. If he hadn't been attacking her just a little while ago, Jasmine would have been more open to admiring the fact that he was really rather handsome. For a human, anyway.
Shoving those thoughts aside, Jaz slid the book back into place and crept back into the safety of the stacks, keeping an eye on human-Venom via numerous glances through the bookcases. Maybe I can circle around him and make it to the stairs... Nervously knawing on her lower lip, she headed to the far corner of the room and stuck to the wall as she circled around, making sure to stay in the protective maze of bookcases and out of sight.
Venom's odd scent told her that he was far too close for comfort, and she was debating making a run for it when a footstep from the other side of the bookcase she was next to made her drop into a crouch, her breath hitching in her throat as she froze in place, muscles tensing as she eyed the nearby door that lead to the stairwell.
A startled yip left her seconds later when an inky blackness shot out from between two books and made a grab at her. Her cover blown, she did the only thing she could do. She bolted. Her shoulder hit the staircase door hard enough that it banged against the wall, the thunderous sound echoing loudly. Cursing under her breath, she rushed down the stairs, leaping down each flight until she reached the main floor.
Instead of heading for the front doors, however, Jaz turned and flung herself into the closest row of stacks, using them for cover as she crouched low to the floor. Holding her breath, she watched as her male pursuer burst out of the stairwell, sharp blue gaze cutting across the library. She quickly ducked lower, practically moving on all fours as she silently crept deeper into the shelves.
There was an emergency exit at the rear of the building that led out into a back alley and Jaz knew that if she could manage to slide out unnoticed, there was a fantastic chance that she'd be able to get away. So, staying low, and using every ounce of stealth that she possessed, the mutant carefully made her way to the back of the library. She was constantly testing the air, desperately trying to keep tabs on Venom's location as she wove through the stacks. The last thing she wanted was for him to track her down again.
It took a ridiculously long time, and she was fairly twitching with anxiety by the end of it, but she finally managed to make it to the emergency exit. Keen eyes quickly darted over the door frame, her right hand brushing over the wall as she sent her wolf senses outwards. The scent of electricity and a low hum inaudible to human ears helped her locate the wire that connected the door to the alarm system.
With a quick glance to make sure that no one was looking, Jaz cracked the knuckles of her right hand, then slashed her talons across the wall. Her claws sliced through plaster, jiprock and wire alike, and she eyed the inch deep marks smugly as she shoved the door open and darted out into the alleyway - all in silence.
As soon as the door swung closed behind her, she was off, sneakers pounding against the pavement. Her broken arm sent sharp throbs of pain up her shoulder and across her chest, and it was only by sheer will that Jaz managed to keep herself from throwing up. Her wolf was bristling to the surface, boosting her strength and endurance and helping to raise her pain threshold to a point where the ache of her arm didn't even register.
Predatory golden wolf-eyes glared out from behind black bangs as the mutant lengthened her strides, putting on a new burst of speed as she exploded out onto the sidewalk, vaulted onto the roof of a parked car, and then launched herself into the air. She effortlessly cleared the busy street, landing in a crouch on the opposite sidewalk for a brief second before darting into another alley.
Gotta get some distance, fast. I'm not gonna be able to do that on the ground. Her gaze locked onto a fire escape up ahead, and she mentally judged it's height before she gathered herself and leapt, right hand closing onto the edge of the lowest landing. The ten foot jump didn't faze her in the least, and she ignored her wolf's smugness as she scrambled up the rusted stairs.
As soon as Jaz reached the rooftop, a ocean scented breeze washed over her, flooding her senses with the relaxing smell. Mm. Gonna have to visit the beaches this week. But she couldn't afford to waste time, no matter how much she wished that she could.
Grumbling, and with her wolf giving a mental whine, Jasmine took a second to get her bearings, then headed south, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. It felt great to stretch her muscles, to give her wolf a bit of freedom as she loosened her strict control over her feral side. And while she ached to shed her human shape and shift into her wolf form, she couldn't afford the tax on her strength reserves. While the change would partially heal her broken arm, it would leave her weakened and starving; not to mention that the shift would destroy her clothes, and Jaz was well aware that she and her Pack didn't have enough clothes as it was.
So she pushed herself as much as she could, her rooftop race eating up the city blocks; taking every building as if they were nothing but stepping stones. It was only when she ran out of buildings, almost twenty minutes later, that Jaz stopped. Crouching on an access vent, she eyed the street that lay between her and the next rooftop she needed to get to. Ugh. I can't jump that. M'gonna have to go streetside again.
With a sigh, Jaz readjusted the makeshift sling she wore, then shook her hair back into place. She was moments from going in search of a fire escape when the wind shifted, bringing her a very unwelcome scent. Aw, bloody hell!
She erupted into movement, leaping straight up and raising her casted arm to deflect a batch of webbing, the talons of her right hand quickly slicing through the line before Venom could literally yank her off balance. A boneless-looking mid-air twist let her land on a second roof vent, a feral snarl leaving her as she crouched there, golden eyes glaring at the large black and white form.
"You've certainly led us on a merry chase, haven't you?" Venom drawled, snake-like tongue licking at his fangs as he glared at the woman across from him, quirking a brow when she snarled angrily. "Ooh. Look at you. Scary."
Jaz rumbled low in her throat, eyes narrowing. Her voice, when she spoke, was an angry rasp, a growl heavily accenting her words. "You're one to talk," she sneered. "D'ya buy yer steroids in bulk, or d' you get a discount?"
"Funny girl." Hissing, Venom launched himself at her, talons grazing her ribs as she backflipped out of his reach. Symbiote tendrils lashed around her left ankle, and he grunted when she kicked him in the head with a strength that he hadn't been expecting. With a roar, he threw her at the roof vent, licking his fangs as he watched her bounce off of the dirty aluminium, her scream of pain making him grin. "Aw, did we hurt the little drug runner?"
Jaz clutched her broken arm to her side and glared at him through the curls of her hair. "What the fuck are you talking about?" Her wolf snarled and rose to the surface, heat blossoming over her skin as she rolled out of the way of another lunge, kicking him in the ribs in retaliation for the agony throbbing through her arm. She was at the edge, balancing precariously between her human and wolf form, adrenaline soaring through her veins, her wolf wanting nothing more than to rip into this being that had dared attack her.
Snarling, she went on the offensive. He might have been stronger, but Jaz had yet to fight anyone that was faster than her. She ran right at him, hopping over a backhand and kicking him in the head, twisting in the air to land on her feet before she darted in again and again. Her vision was going red, her fangs feeling too big for her mouth, talons thickening. But she couldn't let up; couldn't risk giving him a chance to retaliate. If he got a hand on her, she'd be finished.
So, she made sure to stay in motion, using every ounce of agility she possessed as she ducked and dodged, effortlessly dancing around his attacks as she put her talons to good use. The blackness that covered him constantly healed itself after every slice and gash that her claws left behind, making her attacks painful, but ultimately useless.
Gotta change tactics. This is getting me nowhere. Tucking her broken arm close to her side, Jaz stepped out of range of a punch, the black fist passing only millimeters from her nose. She dodged a line of webbing, bounced off of a roof vent, then landed two consecutive kicks to his head, landing in a crouch before she gathered her strength and lunged at him. Her right elbow slammed into his stomach, a pained grunt leaving him before she gave him a savage uppercut to his jaw, snapping his head back with enough force to break off two of his vicious fangs.
Venom hit the rooftop and slid across it before whacking his head against the raised edge of it, the impact hard enough to daze him, despite the symbiote's protection. Groaning, he just managed to refocus his pale gaze in time to have a knee crash into his face, the back of his skull rebounding off the ledge with enough force to shatter the concrete.
"I don't know what your problem is," Jasmine snarled angrily, eyes narrowed into feral golden slits as she glared down at him, her fangs bared. "I am no drug runner. And I will not be your prey. Continue to hunt me, and I'll show you what a true predator is!"
A low, hissing chuckle was her reply. "Of course, you're dangerous," he smirked, still dazed from the hit. "If we're not careful, you'll bleed on us."
Her eyes narrowed. "Oh, go fornicate with an iron stick." With a final warning growl, she spun on her heel and bolted, an irritation rising in her when Venom snarled something rather uncomplimentary and gave chase. Oh for the love of... Sighing, Jaz poured on the speed, her surroundings passing her in a blur as she ran. I wonder if I asked really nicely, if the Universe would make everything go away.
Her wolf bristled at the notion of running, but she wasn't willing to see if she could hold up her threat. If she didn't have her Pack waiting for her, if she wasn't already hurt, tired and starving, then she would have happily backed up her bluff. But things weren't in her favor. So that left her with something inherent to every wolf. Cunning.
Venom was used to the usual run of the mill druggies, and the textbook do-gooder superheroes, but this woman, this woman was something new. She wasn't human, that much was certain. Even the symbiote sensed something different about her; so she was probably a mutant. But she was fast. So much faster than any other being he had fought. He was quite capable of webslinging across blocks of San Francisco in mere seconds, but she was actually outpacing him. And she was on foot!
Even her strength had surprised him, especially since she looked like she was living on the streets. The cast on her arm could have been a fake, but the way she had been moving and favoring it meant that it probably wasn't a ruse. But fast. The symbiote hadn't even been able to see her move half of the time, even with it's otherworldly senses, and that was something that even Venom had to respect her for.
Jasmine's breath was coming in rapid pants as she pushed herself, pouring more of her waning strength into the breakneck speed she was struggling to maintain. He's still following me! Damn. How can someone that muscled move so freaking fast?! That's just not fair. Bears can put on a burst of speed, but even they give up after a few miles. Why can't he?! So not fair.
Her sneakers scrambled for purchase on the loose gravel that covered a roof as she changed course, sliding around a rooftop access and hopping over a pigeon coop before she made the jump to the next building. There was a subway station a few blocks away. If she could get there, Jaz was fairly certain that she'd be able to lose Venom in the maze of tunnels.
Her plan, however, was thrown to the four winds when a web impacted against her back. A powerful yank literally pulled her off her feet, faceplanting her into the rooftop. She sunk the talons of her right hand into the gravel, trying to stop her motion as she was hauled backwards, trying to gain some sort of handhold, some sort of grip. Oh, shit.
Growling, Venom slammed her up against the rooftop's access door, pressing his forearm against her throat as he pinned her there, symbiote tendrils restraining her legs when she tried to kick out at him. "What were you saying about showing us a true predator?" he sneered, snapping his fangs at her when she snarled at him, her fingers digging into the arm he was holding against her neck.
Jasmine glared, bristling, barely managing to hold back a whimper when he closed his free hand around her cast, squeezing powerfully. "If you're going to kill me, then kill me," she growled lowly, staring into the pale white pupilless eyes defiantly. "Don't waste my time boasting about it."
He frowned at her, surprised at her boldness. Even as he studied her, the symbiote was fluttering over his shoulders, curiosity peaked by the woman in front of him.
The arm across her throat pressed harder when she tried to struggle free, cutting off her air supply. She snarled and lashed out, a howl of pain leaving her when he twisted her broken arm. White hot agony overloaded her senses, threatening to knock her out, and she fought to cling to consciousness, a weak whine escaping her as more waves of pain bombarded her.
Surprised, because he hadn't meant to actually hurt her - not yet anyway - he leaned back, taking the pressure off her throat so she could breathe. As he moved, Venom let the curious symbiote extend a tendril to brush along the inside of her cast, searching for, and failing, to find any needle tracks, or hidden drugs. The pain the Other could sense from her was real, which meant that the cast wasn't a fake; and now, he had to wonder if he had just rebroken her arm.
"That. Fucking. Hurt." Jasmine muttered, her voice a rasp of pain. Then, as an afterthought, she added, "Asshole."
Venom frowned. "You're not a drug runner." It wasn't a question.
"Had t'almost rebreak my arm t' figure that out?!"
"We thought it was a fake cast," he told her, surprised to realize that he actually felt remorseful for hurting her. "We've seen drug dealers use them to hide their products."
Growling, she narrowed her eyes into dangerous slits, shifting a little against the wall she was pinned to. The black tendrils that were restraining her legs tightened when she braced her feet against the door, but she ignored the pain, letting her rising anger wash it away. "What the hell do you want from me?"
Venom frowned as her eyes flashed from gold to red, the angry growl that was constantly coming from her growing more vicious the longer he stared at her. "Answers. First off - where did that little friend of yours go?"
"Fuck you," Jasmine snarled, muscles in her legs bunching as she launched herself off the wall. The head-butt she gave Venom nearly knocked her silly - she had hit concrete walls that had caused her less pain - but it served it's purpose. When he stumbled backwards, more out of surprise than anything else, Jaz put her talons to good use and sliced herself free of the inky tendrils that encircled her legs, pausing only to deliver a nasty kick to Venom's left knee before she bolted again.
Panting for breath, Jaz leapt off the roof, dropping twenty eight feet to the concrete below. She landed in a crouch, concrete buckling under her before she rose to her feet and ran out of the alleyway she'd dropped into. There was the sound of Venom webslinging after her as she wove between parked cars, ignoring the agonizing throb in her left arm.
Her shaking right hand slid into the pocket of her jeans, fingers ghosting over the change there, her mind mentally counting out the coins she had. Relief spread through her when she talleyed out just enough money to allow her onto a city bus, a small refuge from the one she knew was following her.
Never in her life had she thought that the sound of screeching brakes would bring a relieved smile to her lips. It took the last of her strength, but she poured on another boost of speed, hopping the curb and propeling herself up the steps of the bus. Smiling without showing her fangs, Jaz paid the fare, snatched up a transfer, and moved to the back of the bus.
With a tired groan, she sank down into an empty seat, a shudder wracking her frame as she leaned her head against the window and peered out of it. There was no sign of the horror that was undoubtedly searching for her. Granted, the bus was just a temporary haven. A place where she could rest and try to regain some of her strength. Venom could easily track the bus' path, or even just rip it open, but her instincts told her that he wouldn't endanger everyone on the bus in order to get to her.
Now, how the hell can I get word to Zoe and the others? And better yet, how the hell am I going to lose Fang-boy? Baffled, and in pain, she leaned back and propped her right elbow up onto the windowsill, letting the cool autumn breeze from the open window ruffle her hair as she stared out at the buildings that went by. A particularly bad bump almost face-planted her against the window, and she muttered out a curse before resettling herself, slumping down until she could brace her knees against the back of the seat in front of her, curling up until her feet no longer touched the floor.
Well, this sucks, she thought as she gazed out the window, her aching arm resting across her thighs. Her right hand was in her hair, fingers curling into the thick, fur-like locks as her thoughts turned inwards, her mind trying to figure out a way for her to get back to her friends without leading a very unwelcome guest to them. It didn't really help that she didn't know where the bus was headed, but, truthfully, she hadn't been thinking that far ahead when she had jumped onto it.
A long drawn out sigh left her as she leaned her forehead against the window. "What the hell am I going to do?" she asked of her reflection, mildly disappointed when it didn't offer any sort of helpful advice. Feeling childish, she stuck her tongue out at her reflection in retaliation, the blood draining from her face when she saw who was waiting at the next bus stop, regarding her with amusement.
The bus came to a shaking stop again, and she groaned when the human-guised Venom climbed up the steps and turned to look at her, the sight nearly sending her shooting out of her seat and out the doors. The only thing that stopped her was the knowledge that while she was on the bus, with witnesses, there was a chance that he wouldn't cause a scene and beat her senseless.
Doing her best to seem calm, she forced the wolf's rage away from her thoughts, turning her attention out the window again as she hugged herself, trying to keep herself in check. Her nerves were shot, her muscles aching, her arm a throb of burning pain that was spreading up her shoulder and down her chest. Witnesses were probably the only thing that would get her out of this alive.
"You're not running. We're impressed."
Annoyed, she turned her head to look at him as he sat next to her, close enough to ensure that she couldn't run but still respecting her personal space. A single black eyebrow arched up towards her hairline as she glared at him. "Don't make me mention that iron stick again. And what the fuck should I call you? I'm not calling you 'Venom' on a crowded bus. How's about, Fangs?"
Eddie Brock stared at her, then chuckled, amused by her boldness. His other moved over his skin, it's thoughts once again centred on the woman sitting next to him, oddly intrigued by her. Fangs. Cute. Shaking his head, he countered her question with one of his own. "What should we call you, other than 'thief'?"
"Most people know me as, Stray."
"Stray?"
"Is there an echo in here?"
He growled. "Don't get snippy with us. We're still debating whether or not you're innocent. Maybe you're not a part of the drug gangs, but that doesn't exempt you from protection rackets."
That made her twist to look at him, eyes widening. "What are you talking about?" When she noticed a few people looking their way, she grimaced and lowered her voice. "Are you crazy? Like, crazier than the papers say you are? I don't deal in poisons and filth. And I certainly don't take part in protection rackets!"
"We saw you take the money, and run from the police. We've been watching that store for weeks, biding our time until a runner took the store owners weekly payment to the local gang lord-"
"Wait! Local gang lord?! Oh, bloody hell." With a groan, she slumped forward, lightly banging her forehead against the back of the seat in front of her. "Stupid. Stupid! Stupid!"
Eddie watched her for a moment, amused at her antics. She was telling the truth about not being involved; the surprise in her eyes had been genuine, and he was adept at seeing the truth of things in people's eyes. So, why had she taken the money in the first place? He realized now that he had made a mistake in chasing her; she had obviously given the bag with the money to her flame-haired friend. And we fell for it. We're getting sloppy.
She had fallen silent, her forehead resting on the seat in front of them, and Eddie found that he had to mentally pull the symbiote back, keeping it from reaching out to her. His Other gave what amounted to a grumble, and Eddie's eyes widened when he realized that the symbiote was studying her with what could be termed, 'wide-eyed wonder'. It was only after he gave it the equivalent of a mental nudge that it turned it's thoughts to him. What's gotten into you?
[Her lifeforce is... odd. Something like a mutant's but, different. It calls to us.]
Calls? Frowning, he sent a wave of confusion back to the alien, blinking when his Other merely informed him that Stray was speaking to them.
"...I understand that you were planning to stop a key piece of a drug ring," Stray was saying softly. "If I had known... Gods, if I had known, I never would have gotten involved in this mess. And what a mess this is. But, what this all comes down to is trust, and neither one of us trusts the other. So the question is, what the hell do we do now?"
Eddie sighed and rose a hand, running it over his face, suddenly tired. "We don't know. We believe you when you say that you're not a part of the drug ring that we've been chasing. We..." He couldn't believe that his Other was mentally jabbing him in order to get him to actually apologize. "We're truly sorry." What the hell is with you today?
"I..." Jasmine paused for a moment. Why had his scent just changed? "You realize that I don't really trust you, right?"
A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Would it help if we promised that as long as you don't cross us that we will leave you be?"
"That depends. Are you a threat to me and mine?"
Eddie shook his head. "No," he told her truthfully. "We only went after you because we thought you were part of the local drug gang."
"Which I'm not."
The warning look she gave him made him chuckle. "No. You're not."
Jaz stared at him for a few moments longer, then nodded. "Good. Great. Alright then."
With a sigh, she cast her gaze towards the window, frowning when she realized where the bus was heading. If she could manage to get off at the next stop, she wouldn't have too far to go before she reached the safehouse. Excusing herself, she managed to slide past 'Fangs', studiously ignoring his curious blue gaze.
But, something about him intrigued her now that he wasn't trying to kill her, and her wolf rumbled softly, not in anger, but in wary interest. I must be going insane. Going? Bloody hell, I AM insane. "Look, I don't know the local druggies territory that well, but I do know that a hell of a lot of the higher ups congregate at the one of the Underground Fight Rings. The next one is at an old abandoned juncture in the tunnels under Geary and Jones, in the Tenderloin. Head there this coming Wednesday at midnight. You'll find what you're looking for there."
Eddie stared at her, but before he could question her further, the bus slowed to a stop, the back doors opening to allow her to run out onto the sidewalk. He wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing that his Other wished that she had looked back.
tbc