Mal and Jay had been the ones to found the three person team. They had meet Evie on their first mission given to them by Mal's mother to retrieve a thumb drive with an important virus Maleficent called 'Dragon eggs' Neither really knew what importance then small green device held, but they had both learned early on not to question their clients. Evie had been a bartender of the inn they chose to stay at, beautiful and full of gossip. She got where they were going and why out of them in a matter of seconds. Needless to say, they all began to form a bond since then. With Jay being the brawn, Mal, the planner and Evie was their information they had the perfect team.
They had been partners in crime for a year now, and practically professionals. Being raised on the streets can do that. Create a criminal out of nothing, that is.
Not that all their jobs were dirty work of course. Although most of them were 'steal this,' 'ruin him' , 'destroy evidence'...unlike the rest, the Carlos case had been a rescue mission. They were approached by a middle-aged man with red whip marks scaring his wrists, ankles and neck. He said he had been prisoner of Hell house, a main base for the infamous Dalmatian gag rumored to be ruled by the mad women Cruel Di Vil.
The man, whose name was Hank, spun his tale to them in a great mess of stuttering explaining how in an attempt to pay his daughters dowry, he had borrowed money from Cuella- who was indeed real and everything the rumors had said- when he couldn't pay it back because he was laid off from his job, her goons had taken him down enslaving him to her to 'pay off' he debt. The conditions were rough and most days she kept him chained to a wall surrounded by bear traps taunting, others days she put him to work assistanting a young boy she called 'pup'
The boy was mute, never spoke a word, never made a sound. Hank proposed that the boy must have been in Cruella's clutches for a long time-perhaps since he was a young child because he was the only one who Cruella allowed to touch and care for her furs.
'Pup' had been he one to save him, unchain him the wall, pushed him out of Hell hall's balcony window to where he could safely climb down. But when he turned around to offer his help to get 'pup' down, there was Cruella half out the window he had just escaped gripping the boy by his collar as he's face sheared in pain and fear. Her first rang in the wind as she shouted out "GAURDS!"
Hank had barley made it out alive, running from crazed guard dogs snapping their jaws and bulked goons with guns. He didn't have much to offer as payment, but he had thrown in enough groveling and begging to boast Mal's ego high enough that she accepted the case of saving the boy.
Jay didn't like the case at all. Any kid who put a middle-age man who was being punished for breaking his word, above his own was an idiot. But there was no arguing with Mal once she made up her mind.
The plan was anything but simple, but it mainly evolved around getting Jay in as a prisioner, getting close to 'pup' and then getting him out. They didn't have much time to plan or come up with anything they needed because Hank kept crying out about how Cruella would kill the kid if they didn't hurry.
.
Getting in was easier than they had originally thought. Jay had barley touched the gate in front of the demon castle when he had been attacked and overpowered by five men- all twice his size. Which was saying something, if you asked him.
They had his hands chained and throut collared before he could even through his first punch. Two men on his sides, griped his arms as they dragged him into the house. They forced him into a large room that resembled a parlor, and dragged him toward the hot fireplace chaining his hands to a hook welded on the side of the wall.
He stayed like that for a bout half and hour, kneeling on the floor and getting licked by the flames as one of the guards stood watched. Jay had just begun to entertain him self by picking and then re-locking the cuffs the twined his hands when the doors flew open with a loud bang
The women's hair gleamed white on the left lightened by the now roaring fire.
"Well! What do we have here?" Her voice was sickening. Running like honey but bitter with her obvious plans of torture. She began stalking over to him, red heals so bright Jay began to wonder if she dipped them in the blood of her victims to get that color.
"Found him trespassing on the land, Miss di Vil."
"Is that so? Well boy,"Cruella crouched down eye leveling herself with the chained teenager "Do you know that trespassing on another person's land is illegal?"
"I wasn't trespassing lady. I didn't even go through the gate"
"Really? Because you seem to be through the gate to me."
The prince of lies glared
"No matter, I know just what to do with you..." standing up and turning away from Jay, cruella cupped har hands around her mouth
"PUP!GET YOUR LAZY ASS DOWN HERE NOW YOU PATHETIC EXUSE OF A DOG!"
Footsteps could be heard runni g across the ceiling as 'pup' answered the call, sound came raining down the stairs before the door was pushed open.
The boy was small for his age-that much was obvious the only hint to why his footsteps had been so loud came from the heavy combat boots he appeared to be wearing. Unlike the goons that had dragged him inside 'pup's was decked in a white shirt styled to appear to be splatered with paint. Hanging from the belt loops of his black shorts was a chain with a falk-at least Jay hoped was fake- dog tail. His face was covered in more freckles than jay thought possible to have and abnormal hair that appeared to be growing black to blonde. However, the most interesting thing about the small blond dark rooted boy was the dark collar strapped to his neck.
It resembled a dog collar, although upon closer inspection later Jay would realize that it wasn't a stylish ensemble resembling a collar, it WAS a collar. It was the Kind you'd buy at Pet Smart or something.
"Pup, meet..." the guard shoved Jays shoulder "Jay." He finished for cruella.
"You remember last week when you were a bad dog and let mommies new prize get away?" 'Pup's flinch at the memory did not go unnoticed to anyone in the room
"I thought so, well, mummy had a new idea. Mummy thought that in order for you to understand why mummy cares so much for prizes would be to give you one!"
The boy stiffened and Jay dreaded what would happen next
Upon Cruella's snap of fingers, troll man unlocked Jays wrist from the wall and forced him to stand up. Cruella smirked in a way that made Jay shutter and leaning in Jay saw why. In her hand was a leash, and she happily clicked it into place on the strip of leather around his neck.
Oh this was not that he signed up for.
She gave it a quick tug, yanking him forward in the process. Before stuffing the leash into the wide eyed boy's hand.
"There. Now I hope, you won't be trying to let this one go, will you?" The last two words came out with a bit to them that made the smaller boy shake his head feverishly in response.
"Good. Because if I find him missing. Well be having a very, very long talk. Is that clear?"
Jay sent a sideways glance toward the smaller boy who was nodding his head with a look of dread on his face.
"Well, not that that's settled be a dear and GET BACK TO WORK! I WANT THE BACK STAIRS SCRUBBED SO CLEAN -" 'pup' quickly became scrabbling toward the doors accidentally choking Jay in the process.
"-I CAN SEE MY REFEC-" the two wooden doors banged shut muffling the rest of Cruella's long and shrill shrieks of stairs.
Jay realised for a moment to late that the younger boy intended to keep running. A mistake that almost made him trip once again as 'pup' raced upstairs with him trying to keep up with the five foot leash yanking by the throat
"Would you slow down!? Your killing me here!
Turning his head the boy gave him a look that made Jay scowl as it seemed to say "hurry up". But the boy did slow the pace down. Although, not by much.
When they got to what appeared to be the back stairs, Jay had a hard time believing 'pup' even had any work to do. The stairs were spotless. In one fluid movement, though. 'pup' tied the leash to the banister and began pulling out certain cleaning equitment.
Sweeping came first although what there was to be swept, Jay didn't know.
He kept quiet for a few minutes although pretty soon the silence got to him.
"So what's your name?"
He received no response, which he supposed was expected since the boy was mute.
"Is this really, Hell hall? Home to the infamous gang leader 'Cruelly di Vil"
Jay, of course already knew the answer to the questions, but as Mal had said he had to be his character.
No response. Not even a head tilt. It was if the kid was full blown ignoring him.
As Jay pondered this with frustration well 'pup' made a grab for a small brush and a substance that he began spraying and scrubbing of the already polished stairs.
"How long have you been here?"
Nothing. Jay frowned again. He hated silence. Always had. As a kid he had grown up near the busiest part of town and often slept under a loud television display
"You don't talk much do you?
.
A shrug
"You mute?"
.
No response.
"Deaf?"
.
Again, nothing
Jay decided to give it a rest. If he came on to strong, he'd be disposed as annoying and he'd never get this kid out without force. Something he'd bet his own lucky lamp on this kid had had to much of.
...
Cleaning the stairs took at least 10x as long as it did at Jays house. Which only took 7 minutes at max to be done since rugs covered most of the shops floor. However, he had to admit the stairs shone clean in a way he never knew existed.
He had hoped that that would be all but it seemed Pup had other planes in mind. After the back stairs, there was washing the walls, polishing the furniture, dusting the rooms…If Jay wasn't so tired from helping (finally) he'd be impressed that the kid was able to have done all this work at an expert level in such a short amount of time.
This fantasy didn't last long as all too soon jay found himself on his hands and knees scrubbing what appeared to be blood of the dark wood that made up the hallway. Beside him the platinum blonde worked furiously as if he somehow believed that he could dig his way out of hell house by scrubbing away at the wood.
"Hey look Patch! It's the freak." At the sound of rough laughter, Jay couldn't help turning his head, only to be yanked by his collar forcing him to look back Pup. Pup dropped the leash shamefully but motioned him to keep his head down. Jay fought down a glare at the kid. Ignoring the fact that the other kid hadn't touched the leather strap since the stairs…
"Hey doggy, you working hard? Or hardly working?"
Pup remained silent and ignored him. Still scrubbing at the floor.
"humph." The Gang member and his companion turned toward Jay who at the time had stopped his work to stare up at them. "Hey dog treat, didn't your mutt tell you it's not polite to stare?" Jay glared at their laughing figures. "Come on, get back to work bone. You don't want me to bit you do you?"
Jay scowled holding his tongue. It was obvious Pup didn't like conversing himself with these losers, but still. He could take these guys down no biggy. Their arrogant egos would be a major asset to him all he had to do was…
*Clank! Swopch*
"oops."
The laughing members stalked away leaving the two teenagers to stare at the new mess of cleaning the dirty water of the floor.
"Sorry."
.
.
.
*shrug
Jay started mopping up the water with his rag
"Are they always like this?"
.
.
.
No response.
"I'm going to take that as a yes skwirt."
This time Freckles raised his head and shot him an amused smile. Jay smiled back. The job took a lot longer, but, neither boys really minded.
***
It was after many more jobs and as the moon had risin leaveang the hallways empty of gang members when a small hand gripped his wrist and 'pup' began to guide him up the stairs and through many twisting hallways "Where are we-" his voice echoed through the corridor, and with a quick glare and motion from 'pup' Jay fell silent. Where ever they were going now, He had a feeling that it was either very close to Cruella or a forbidden room they went supposed to enter.
Looking down at his wrist, Jay realized for the first time, what kind of risky move this kid was taking. Or, maybe he was just stupid...after all, he only need to make two moves and he could be home free if he really wanted, leaving the kid to whatever horrible fate Cruella had planned for him.
'Pup' stopped walking and dropped Jays wrist turning his attention toward a large window that sparkled eerily with the dark sky. The smaller boy quickly pried it open and to the master thief's surprise climbed out onto the slanted roof outside.
"Are we escaping?"
'Pup' turned his and sent another look his way before rolling his eyes and disappearing across the roof.
"Hey! Wait up!"
Jumping out the window onto the awaiting roof outside the secret agent whipped his head around trying to catch sight of the kid. His eyes quickly fell to a part of the roof a bit higher from where he was standing. 'Pup's face smirked down on him with triumph before disappearing from view. Jay was just about to climb up to where he had been when suddenly pups small figure reappeared...soaring over him in one epic leap.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
*SWIsh! Chish! SWitch*
Pup smiled at the shell shocked Jay from his branch. A branch that he jumped to from the roof of Cruella Da Vil's mansion, a jump most certainly could have resulted in his death. He quickly motioned Jay to follow him.
Jay shook his head. Pup frowned and repeated the motion. Jay shook his head more violently. There was no way this kid thought he was crazy enough to just eagerly follow him to his death. No thank you. Jay knew that when a crazy kid jumped off a roof, you do NOT follow him. Even when there is a tree to grab on to. No sir're.
Pup glared and motioned again.
"Dude. I am not jumping."
Pup waved his hand furiously 'come on!'
"No. Unlike you, I prefer my brains inside my head."
The other boy scoffed 'you don't have any brains' his face said. He shook the tree branch.
"I don't care if there's a tree or not. I jump, I fall. It's basic science!"
Pup rolled his eyes as he blew a piece of hair out of his face. Giving Jay a look, he turned and scampered into the leaves out of jay's sight.
The tan boy growled. This kid...
Grumbling to himself, he started to climb up to the higher roof. He was going to die. Screw this mission. Screw Mal. Screw the kid. Jumping from buildings, babysitting and getting collared were not in his job description.
Beating up bad guys. THAT was his job. Plain and simple. Just throw a punch. That was it! Not risking his life following some wirdo that jumped of buildings.
Ok, one...he could do this
Two...no problem, it's just like the long jump in gym
Three-OH MY GOSH, LOOK HOW HIGH UP FROM THE GROUND WE ARE!
Turning from the edge of the building Jay tried to calm his nerves, but the only thing that came out of his mouth was "Nope. I can't do this, I can't do this..."
*thunk
He turned. There was pup, on the branch again. Pup tossed another stick, it clanked against the roof tiles.
The blond looked at him with eyes that seemed to stare straight through his soul. He wave his hand (in a more friendly way) toward Jay 'come on'
"But-"
Pup pointed to his eyes. 'Just keep your eyes on me.' Jay nodded and backed up, preparing to get a running start.
One...deep breath, deep breath..
Two...this is crazy, absolutely crazy...
Three...look at pup, look at pup, look at pUP!
*SWicsh! Thump! SwicSh!
Jay spit leaves out of his mouth as he pulled himself onto the tree branch. He felt Pup grab his arm and try to help, but pup, he realized was pretty weak. Jay laughed to himself as he situated himself on the tree limp.
"Now what?"
The smaller boy stood up, using a higher branch to balance and began walking toward the trunk. Following his motions Jay kept in step trying not losing him from his sight. Pup turned around smiling and made a 'shhh' sound as he pulled Jay closer inside the tree to where a small little wooden house sat amount the branches. Jay was pulled inside through the door- or was it a window? To where Pup let go of his hand he had been holding and began scampering around turning on lanterns. Normally, sunlight would light tree houses, but seeing how many leaves and branches were able to block it from view, Jay realized that the amount of sunlight that was able to reach the small house was limited.
The room was small, and plain, there were was a little book self full of old torn textbooks and plenty of glasses with strange looking liquid in them on top. Next to them was a cardboard box overflowing with mechanical pieces and a table full of what appeared to be unfinished science experiments.
"Nice. This yours?"
Pup shrugged, but his face betrayed him by smiling.
"Uh-huh. Thought so." After scanning the room again Jay said "you like science?"
.
A nod.
"What kind?" Pup looked at him confused. "You know, like what kind of science do you like? Biology, chemistry, physics, technology...you don't know what I'm talking about, do you?"
Pup shook his head sadly.
"That's ok." Jay said trying to cheer him up "I'm sure you know all sorts of stuff and just didn't know that it was classified as certain things!"
Pup looked a bit hopeful, but not by much.
Jay decided to sit down and avoid messing up anything else. Of course, not being conferrable with silence , that didn't last long.
"So...how long has this tree house been here?"
.
Shrug.
It's nice. Did you build it?"
.
Nod.
Really?! That's amazing! How'd you get the wood over here?"
.
Pup smirked down at him 'how do you think?'
"Don't tell me you jumped them over..."
.
" you're kidding."
.
"No way! How are you not dead!?"
.
Pup just shrugged. But his face was burning red in pride. Something told Jay this kid didn't get a lot of attention. At least not a lot of POSITIVE attention.
The kid shifted awkwardly for a moment, not sure what to do before sitting down across from Jay. Jay smiled. Pup smiled nervously back. It seemed like Pup was a lot less guarded in his own area than he was in Hell house. Even if they weren't THAT far away.
It was then that Jay's eyes caught a hold of something hanging from pup's collar. 'Dog tags.' Without a second though he found his hand reaching forward to grab them. Pup started to pull away, but he held on, an action that made Pup reconsider and instead lean closer so Jay could read them easier.
"How long have you worn these? They're ancient."
*shrug
Jay let go if the rusted tags for a moment and ran his fingers along the collar. Despite the fact he was wearing one as well, pups collar was an actual dog collar. Not some piece of leather with a key ring and leash attached. Pup's head quickly came down on his hand and rubbed it against his shoulder. Until Jay remove his hand.
Jay looked at his hand and then back to the Dark Rooted blonde
"Are you...ticklish?"
The freckled face boy wouldn't look at him. But his blush was enough evidence to answer his question.
Jay smirked and leaned closer "You ARE aren't you?" Pup tried furiously to shake his head but Jay quickly launched himself on the other running his fingers across all exposed skin.
Pup squirmed under him but it wasn't any use, the moment his head protected one side of this neck, Jay moved to the other side and the neck lead to the shoulders where it was revealed that along with being covered in MORE freckles they were also extremely ticklish. All Jay had to do was poke a piece of skin and Pup lost it.
Oh, Jay was going to have LOTS of fun with him.
Jay was prepared to keep torturing the boy until dawn tomorrow when he heard the bark. He stopped and saw Pups face fill with terror.
"RUFF!"
There it was again. From the sound of it, the dog had to be at the base of the tree. Was it one of the guard dogs? Had they been caught?
"Ruff!RUFF!RufF!"
"Hey, is that- Dude, are you ok? "
Pup looked like he was ready to have a panic attack. Jay quickly climbed off him and tried to help him up but as soon as he got the kid to his feet, he found himself holding the boy in his arms as the barking got louder.
"BARK!RUFF RUFF! BOW WOW!"
"More dogs?" He wondered out loud. This simple idea seemed to send Pup into fanatics as he began shaking gripping at Jay's neck for dear life.
"Hey, its..it's ok...pup, Pup are you alright? Pup?"
A whimper reached his ear.
Jay looked at the boy trying to hide in his arms and listened to the insane dogs at the base of the tree.
"Oh."
Rubbing his hands against the others back he started talking
"Hey, it's going to be ok. We're all the way up here. Dogs can't climb trees. And besides no one knows about this place right? You're good, you're ok..."
"Blood sucker! Flesh peeler! Brain chopper! Get over here you mutts!"
"Are those seriously their names?" Muttered the larger boy
The barking died away as the dogs returned to their trainer, but pup still help on.
.
Jay sighed and removed his hands from under the boy, dropping pup to the ground. However, still clinging to the thief's neck the kid helped himself to sticking close on the others side. Jay frowned and gave freckle face a light shove distancing them just a bit.
"You're fine."
.
Nod
"Good."Jay sat back down "Now my bet is that you've got some thing in here you want to work on right? Otherwise you wouldn't have dragged me over here."
.
Another nod.
"Ok, well, you do that. I'm going to sit here and wait."
.
Another nod.
With a bit of caution the small boy continued pulling out chemicals, books and machine parts assembling them in strange ways on the table. The noise he created was just enough to calm Jay's subconscious and allowed him lure himself to sleep.