A/N: Hello again, everyone, I'm back! Chapter 2 is ready to go! Sorry I can't give an exact updating schedule; I can try for at least every couple weeks, but I'm not the greatest at keeping on top of things, letting you know now.
Anyway, forgot to say this last time, but I would really appreciate you leaving reviews. Thoughts on the chapter, what you think is going to happen, constructive criticism- and I do mean constructive, no flames please- or anything else like that. I know that will really motivate me to get more chapters done quicker, although I promise to do my best to update regardless. And shoutout to redcristal, my very first follower ever! You deserve cookies. (::)(::) Thank you so much!
Enjoy the chapter!
Ja'far stalked them through the capital's back alleys, following slight traces of blood, murmured directions from his network of informants, and his own intuition. There honestly weren't a lot of places a group of over a dozen people could go to ground, and at least half of the options running through his mind were either too bold or wouldn't even occur to unprofessionals. And these men are definitely unprofessionals. Not only did they retreat too quickly- it's difficult to overwhelm or even just match a master swordsman and a Metal Vessel user, but it's not impossible- but it looks like the fools didn't even attempt to cover their tracks! There are bloodstains, for Solomon's sake. In hostile territory, after a failed murder attempt. It won't even be a challenge to kill them.
So. Since they were amateurs, they would be operating under the impression that staying holed up out of sight was safer. That meant they wouldn't be out on the streets, especially the well-populated ones, and would stay away from the busier parts of the city in general. Idiots. There's no better place to lose a pursuer than in a crowd.
Because they'd failed to kill their target- Ja'far suppressed a snarl at the thought, Sin should never be seen as a target, not ever again- they would be panicking. They'd find somewhere quiet and out of the way, and panic while they attempted to hammer out a new plan of attack. Because they would attack again, Ja'far had no doubts about that. Unless he killed them all first.
Based on all that, I'm looking for somewhere out of the way- a building, or possibly a basement- that's definitely on the larger side, well away from populated areas, somewhere they think the city guard wouldn't look. Possibilities bloomed in Ja'far's mind, and under his mask he bared his teeth in a vicious smile. You poor bastards. You couldn't have made it easier for me to find you if you tried.
On the northern side of the city, there was a relatively small collection of large, dilapidated building. Originally, they had been used as warehouses, holding the goods that were to be sold at the market. Unfortunately, it hadn't taken long at all to realize that they were much too far away. The market was located in the southeast of the capital near the docks, where trade ships came and went constantly, to better attract customers. The storehouses were not only in almost the opposite direction, but were too far inland; it was a hassle at best to transport wares back and forth over that great a distance. You might as well move them to a different town.
New warehouses had since been constructed closer to the market, making the old ones obsolete. Most of the time, people didn't even remember they existed. The only reason Ja'far remembered was because he'd had to go through the nightmare of sorting through the paperwork for the whole mess. Including the documents for their removal; but that needed Sin's signature, and although the lackadaisical king had been much more responsible lately, there had hardly been time for him to go through everything that had piled up, and there were more important matters that should be seen to first…
All things aside, those particular papers were probably buried somewhere in a stack of almost identical ones in the unholy mess that was Sinbad's office. And as the approval for their removal hadn't been given yet, they were still standing. No one had reason to go there, it was a considerable distance from the scene of the crime, and all around the seemingly perfect hiding place for a band of would-be terrorists. Ja'far didn't bother suppressing his dark smirk. You would think that they'd have chosen an easier method of suicide. If a criminal makes it that effortless for anyone with brains to find them, they obviously have a death wish.
Taking to the rooftops, he beelined for that section of his city. It wasn't long before the buildings were fewer and a bit run down, and he slipped back down to street level to remain unseen, though now he wasn't far from his destination. Large, obviously weathered structures loomed through the lengthening shadows, dark and intimidating. I am an assassin. A creature so dark and deadly some have mistaken me for a monster out of the very depths of hell. The night is my ally, and I hold no fear of the dark! Ja'far slunk through the shadows quickly and with an ease born as much from years of practice as from natural talent.
There weren't many of the enormous storehouses; perhaps twenty at most. It was laughably easy to follow the faint sounds of men, out of place in the otherwise abandoned quarter. They lead Ja'far to a building somewhere near the center of the outdated stores; light spilled from cracks in the walls and doors. He circled the warehouse, noting possible ways of entry, before deciding on a larger hole on the edge of the roof. Wasting no time, he scaled the side of the building, and peered through the gap into the room beyond.
It was dimly lit and not well guarded, he noticed, and rather than about fifteen to twenty people, there were only twelve of them. Upon closer inspection, the men inside appeared to be little more than thugs; underlings, almost certainly. Ja'far frowned. Where are the rest of them? There has to be more; Sin's not that good at estimating numbers, but usually he'll underestimate, not overestimate. No, the others have to be around here somewhere. Perhaps in a different building? If they're just hashing out a plan, and haven't decided for sure yet what they're going to do, it would make sense for them to hold a separate, private meeting.
Instead of climbing back down and circling around the storehouse, he leapt lightly across the roofs of the structures surrounding it, glancing through holes in the roof to try and spot the missing members. He found them in the building directly across from the first. There were only five of them, and two looked to be bodyguards for a third. The third man was sitting at the head of a small table, his hired muscle standing on either side of him, and listening to the last two argue. Ja'far only listened for about a minute before he was able to draw several conclusions.
The man sitting at the head of the table- he's the one in charge. Most likely he's already decided what they're going to do next, but the other two at the table are under the impression that it's an equal partnership; so instead of flat out telling them, he's nudging them in the direction he wants them to go, not saying much, to make them think it was their idea. Devious. Then their words registered, and he stiffened, eyes going cold and hard as ice.
"That damn king needs to be removed, how's a man supposed to make a living when-"
"-we already tried killing him, it didn't work! We'll either have to make a more subtle attempt or find an… alternate route-"
"The hell with your 'alternate route'! That fucking Capturer needs to go! He's too damn noble; you can't so much as smuggle a fucking bowl without him kicking up a fuss, much less-"
I, Ja'far thought in a sudden blaze of fury, have heard enough. The situation and the motives behind it were rapidly making themselves clear. The men were slave traders, pure and simple, and he was not going to let this stand. They'd tried to get rid of Sin because he'd outlawed slavery, and that wasn't good for business. So now they were taking matters into their own hands.
I'll take out the men in the other building, first. After that's taken care of, I'll come back here, kill the guards and the bickering slavers. The mastermind I'll leave alive for now. I'm sure he'll have some very enlightening information for me. I should be back at the palace before dawn; probably earlier, depending on how long it takes him to talk. Hopefully he'll give in quickly- I'm a bit out of practice with those techniques, and I'd hate for him to die before he tells me everything I want to know. Decided, Ja'far silently slipped away, back to the first warehouse, to begin his bloody work.