Chikadzu: In Fate we Tie
Chapter 5: The Serpent Brothers. Part 1, Sibling Rivalry
Unfortunately, the Chaotix were having trouble getting to Duca, one night Espio received a call from Marchesa explaining that blockades have had to be put around the city and that her husband grows ever more paranoid. With little choice, the Chaotix decided to use Janet's 'employee discount' and stayed in a flimsy travel lodge. However, soon after, they were visited by a strange visitor.
As the duck-taped door flew open, the visitor came into clear view, his feral eyes contrasted with his green scaly skin. A wet violet mop of hair flung down to his shoulders, and his fierce black armour screamed psychopathy. As it slithered into the room, Vector grew anxious in case of any more excitement, his nerves would soon be put to rest...
"I have heard of you people, with your ability to accept suicide if it means getting paid...I'm here for just that reason..." Vector's eyes glistened with hope...
"And you are?"
"Oh pardon, my name is Gilles Serpent..."
"Not the Gilles Serpent? Who mercilessly killed all those Watuti-Warriors in Death Gorge with just a slice of kiwi fruit?"
"Yes I am that Gilles Serpent..." After a brief moment of shock, Gilles continued, in a slightly more raspy tone of voice,
"I am here because my brother and sworn enemy, Miles Serpent, has created a doomsday device which he plans to sell to the Dictator-Governor of Duca..."
"Oh my! So what do you want us to do about it?"
"Simple, this device causes agonising pain, but has the side effect of alternating the victims' gender. This is a fatal flaw, I want you to distract the governor and his wife during their memorial concert for their dead son, while I...smash up the device!!! We get declared heroes by the police and the pay is that I share the profits with you 50/50!" After catching his breath, he turned his head in anticipation. Thinking long and hard, Vector countered this strangely delightful offer,
"We're supposed to be a making some sort of delivery to the governor's wife, we can't ruin her concert, she won't trust us!"
Meanwhile in the other room, Espio and Marchesa were having a telephone conversation...
"That's all they've said so far..." Espio seemed calm
"Good, my husband will want to know of this...and...ah...that's a problem.."
"Why?"
"This so called 'memorial concert' is just a scam to bribe the local Mafia group on our side. Tell you what I have a different plan."
"Hold on a moment please..." Espio called for Vector and everybody else, while asking Gilles to step outside.
"So Marchesa, what's the plan?" Vector was on the phone,
"You go along with Gilles', but one of you stay off stage and hide in the room where the device is located. When Gilles and Miles encounter each other, the hiding person comes out, and says, using these exact words...
'Marchesa has given us authority to arrest you on grounds of an assassination attempt.'
You fight them both, knock them out, get them arrested, you get 100 of profit, more satisfaction, and my great plot will move one stage further..."
"What plot?"
"Just to get rid of all the rodents and terrorists infecting my country..."
"You mean your husband's..."
"No mine, he's only there for aesthetics, technically I rule the country...! If you do this, you get extra 20,000 on delivery, and a 10 discount of all things costing krona."
At the night of the concert, a man in a red suit came up to Marchesa,
"Lady Marchesa, this had damn best impress me, or you ain't getting no protection..."
"Trust me old friend it will..."
"Oh, and give my regards to your sister."
"My sister?"
"Yes, Marchion!"
"Oh damn...yes, yes, yes I will..."
The opening act, and several acts after that was Vector doing a pathetic attempt of Irish Dancing. And in another room, Espio was waiting for the Serpent Brothers to meet, but what happened next, was something that nobody could every expect...
To be continued...