Chapter 27, Business

The glow from old worn-down street lamps started to light up the darkening streets and alleyways of Elysian. That was the name the locals gave that seamy side part of town. Every city, no matter how shining, had a dark underbelly, and Central City was no exception. The Queen made every effort to eradicate it; but she succeeded only in driving the residents deeper in to Elysian's nooks and crannies.

Zero knew Elysian well and he easily led Lundgren down through its twisty alleyways. The view was always the same though. Step after heavy step there was nothing but rundown buildings, wandering homeless, pimps herding their whores like cattle, drug addicts begging for their next hit, and out-of-work fathers looking to steal their children's next meal. Lundgren stared at them in shock. He had grown up in Oradour and there was nothing there or in the surrounding villages to compare it to. A fleeting doubt of faith passed through him; was Oradour too perfect? When he was in Church he always gave to the charity collection plate. Father always said that it was to help the downtrodden. If this was how the downtrodden lived then how much was he really helping?

After what seemed like an eternity to him, they stopped in front of yet another run-down building. Once upon a time it may have been a grand residence. But now only broken shutters, flaking pillars, and a few cracked stone steps leading to the main front set of double-doors was all that remained. They climbed the steps and Zero rapped on one of the doors.

There was no answer. Lundgren turned around and watched as the few residents there were on the street quickly walked by. All walked with a purpose and no one stopped to look around or say hello.

Zero rapped again, this time louder.

After another moment's pause the door slowly creaked open. "Come on," Zero said to Lundgren and he motioned for him to follow.

Lundgren's arm dropped to his side. He was ready to draw his gun if the need arose.

They entered the foyer. There was no light other than what came in from the grimy windows. Then they were met with the sweet scent of jasmine. It was an odor that did not fit in with what their eyes told them.

The door slowly creaked shut and after they heard the click of a lock Lundgren drew his gun; however, Zero remained motionless.

The silence was broken by the long draw of metal against metal.

Zero finally spoke, "It's been a long time Kogarashi."

Lundgren cocked and held his gun in his outstretched arm, and slowly turned around in the dark. He was trying to sense where the figure was hiding. He could only hear his own heartbeat in the silence.

Zero reached for his arm, and with an unusual soft touch, pushed it back down. "Kogarashi knows who I am now. Isn't that right?"

Another click was heard and a low hum began to fill the room. Slowly, but surely, the electric lamps mounted on the walls began to light up. It was then that they saw an assortment of raggedly love seats done up in cheap red velvet. Equally cheap dark purple velvet curtains that had seen better days hung from the windows.

In the dim light, they could make out a figure standing underneath an archway. Zero recognized it. He would recognize that figure anywhere. "Atricia," he said in a low voice.

The hairs on the back of Lundgren's neck rose and he abruptly turned around. There, standing behind him, half-hidden by shadow, was Kogarashi. Her long black hair was pulled back in a simple, low slung pony-tail. Her olive skin and bright green eyes were a perfect match while her small and thin build betrayed her hidden strength.

Lundgren's eyes moved down her body and he saw her long, thin swords lowered at her sides. It was then that he realized that this "Kogarashi" was the protector of the brothel that they had entered. Her whole being mesmerized him. He had never seen a woman like her and he felt his breathing quicken a little.

"It's been a long time Zero. I thought that you were dead," said Atricia. Hearing Atricia speak brought Lundgren out of his trance.

Zero took off his imitation tin man hat. "I have been." He walked towards her and heard the almost imperceptible draw of metal on metal again. Lundgren pointed his gun at Kogarashi and held it steady at her head. Their eyes locked and then Kogarashi gave him a sly smile. She was daring him to pull the trigger.

Zero stopped and rolled his eyes with annoyance. Without taking a backwards glance he growled, "God damn it Atricia, will you tell her to stand down?"

Atricia's eyes locked on to Kogarashi's. Nothing was said and nothing had to be. Kogarashi dropped her swords and Lundgren dropped his gun again.

"One can't be too careful and she's proven her loyalty many times," replied Atricia. Her voice was low and sensuous.

This time he did glance back at Kogarashi and said, "No doubt." He looked around the room again and his expression of slight disgust was caught by Atricia.

"Times have been tough. After the Queen sent out her clean-up brigade, we had to move."

He took one last look at the raggedly seats and then turned his attention back to her. He looked at her lustily as he walked over to her, "We have some catching up to do." The Father may have brought him back from the dead but that did not mean that he gave him life. Oradour was a nice place to visit but it did not have all of the comforts that he not only was used to, but demanded.

By now Lundgren could see a few additional faces peer out and around from the archway. A set of blonde curly haired twins with the brightest and biggest blue eyes giggled at him and held their fans up to their faces in mock embarrassment.

Atricia wrapped her arm in Zero's and led him through the archway. "Come on Lundgren," he ordered. Atricia noted the giggles from the twins. As she escorted Zero down the dimly hallway, she told them, "Please keep the boy occupied while Zero and I take care of some other business." The twins giggled again and rushed after Lundgren. Before he could do anything, there was one on each side of him pulling him down the hallway.

Atricia had no sooner shut her bed room door when Zero grabbed her and pushed her up against the wall. He was already hard and he ravaged her mouth with his. She moaned and lifted her leg up high enough to wrap it around his waist. She used it to pull him even tighter in to her.

He released her mouth and whispered huskily in to her ear, "I need Ko."

Atricia raked her long nails down his back and he growled from the pain, but it pleasured him. "No."

He grabbed her, dragged her across the room and forced her down on the bed. He held her arms down and hungrily went at her breasts. She moaned from the savage pleasure. He growled again, "I need her for a job."

"You can't have her. The girls need her…I need her," she hissed.

He released her arms. One hand cupped and squeezed her breast and the other tugged on her hair, pulling her head back. He sucked on her neck so hard it left angry red marks. She cried out in pleasure. "I'll leave the boy to protect you."

She took her long nails and dug them in to the back of his sensitive neck. He abruptly stopped and indignantly said "Ow." He rolled off of her and then reached for the back of his neck. He felt the stickiness of his blood.

Atricia sat up. She hissed at him again. "I said that you can't have her! And you're only going to leave a boy in her place?!"

Zero scoffed at her. He thought briefly of the twins. They were too sugary sweet for him but they would be just right for Lundgren. "He won't be a boy by the time the night's through." Then he mockingly said, "Did you really think that I just came here to fuck you?"

Atricia went to slap him and he caught her arm in mid-flight. She glared at him. "Fuck? Why else would you come here?" she answered angrily. Then she added, "But to take Ko? Never."

He still had a good hold on her arm. She struggled to get away from him but could not shake his grip. He grabbed her other arm and forced her down on the bed again. He smothered his mouth with hers. She resisted but then relented. She forced her tongue deep in to his mouth. Her body started to writhe beneath him and it excited him even more. He never realized what she was going to do next.

Atricia wriggled one arm free and reached down to her side. She pulled out a short dagger and pushed it in to a soft spot between his ribs. Zero stopped with a sharp intake of his breath. He bit his tongue as he decided that he was not going to give her that satisfaction. The dagger had pierced through his clothing and his skin. He looked admiringly down at her. He knew that if he moved or if she shoved it any harder, it would plunge in to his lung.

Her eyes narrowed and she told him coolly, "Bring her back alive."

DG and Glitch ran out of the building and down the walkway. There were going to exit the barracks and then run down to the 9th Street Precinct. They both knew the law. If Jill had been arrested, then there was a good chance that Cain had been arrested too.

"HALT!!" cried out one of the soldiers on duty at the gatehouse.

DG and Glitch stopped in their tracks. Both were panting and had to take a moment to catch their breath.

DG walked towards the gate. The same soldier lowered his gun and again commanded, "Halt!" Though this time it was a little quieter once he recognized Princess Dorothy and Glitch.

"Why?" demanded DG.

The soldier glanced at his other comrade in arms. They all gave him of looks of "you tell her, we're not getting in the middle of it."

"No one is to either leave or enter the royal grounds until further notice," he tried to say as stoically as he could.

DG marched up to him. Again her fists were clenched in anger. She again demanded of the soldier, "And why can't anyone leave or enter?"

The soldier looked at her. "The Princess Azkadellia is being moved."

"Why should that make any difference?" DG said. She was not really asking anyone in particular but found it unsettling that such secrecy was being taken. Then she found herself in a quandary. She desperately wanted to find out what happened to Cain and Jill, but if they were really moving Az, she should be there.

However, the soldier thought that the question was being directed at him. "I don't know your highness. It was our orders."

DG sighed. She silently debated about how far she could push it. Finally she said, "I'm sorry for yelling at you." The soldier only nodded in relief.

The she started to walk away and Glitch took a couple of quick steps to catch up with her.

"What now?" Glitch asked dejectedly.

DG looked up at the twilight sky while folding her arms over her chest. "I don't know Glitch. I guess we go to see what they're doing with Az. I don't understand all the secrecy though… And we still can't get to Cain and Jill, even if they are at 9th Street… And we still need to try to get those books." She threw her hands up in frustration, "God! We just can't be everywhere at once!"

He thought for a moment. Then his head bobbed as though he had just made up his mind about something. "I'll go get Jeb. He needs to know that his dad and Jill are in trouble."

DG's face lit up. "Glitch, that's a great idea!"

Glitch smiled a little, "Sometimes they do happen."

"I'll go see what they're doing with Az, and you can try to find Jeb. Maybe by then they'll be letting everyone back in and out," DG replied.

She approached him to give him a hug. He embraced her but it was not a tight embrace. DG's eyes opened back up and she realized that it felt like she was giving her Great Aunt Edna a hug. She swallowed but then put her happy face back on. She looked up at him, "Be careful Glitch."

Glitch smiled as gently as he could back at her, "You too doll."