*Hello my peeps! I know it's been a while. For the longest time I was having writers block so, we all know what that means, yaaayyy lack of ideas for the chapter! But I got my groove back and BAM chapter!

Now I have gotten a few reviews, which I appreciate by the way, they where asking for longer chapters. I m happy to oblige, I will gradually get to even longer chapters but for now they will be from 1,000 to 2,000.

Also there was one reviewer that isn't the biggest fan of cliff hangers. So I have a message for you: I completely agree with you when you say you loathe cliffhangers. But they are so great to write. I will most likely not write them every chapter, but there will be one on occasion.

Now, you all may read.

-P.

'Entry 45

Six months since I first met Basso. Things have taken a turn for the worst, the Gloom is killing so many, people crouch in the streets crying and screaming for help but no one can do anything. This man, the voice of the people they call him, Orion is trying to help but to no avail. His methods of curing aren't working, but at least someone is trying to help.

Basso is getting even shorter fused, the Thief-Taker General has a tight grip on almost every "entrepreneur" out there, and sadly he is the midst of those in the Generals tax collecting. Coin is hard enough to come by as is but with the dwindling jobs and the Black Tax… I fear what is to come for my new found friend.'

- E.

Sighing I closed the faded leather book. I put my head in my hands and rubbed my temples, trying to stop the dull throb in my skull.

Very longingly I looked over at my bed, a good night sleep was a rarity now, my time was consumed with jobs and job plotting now. Not to mention that I suffered from nightmares, nightmares of things I never want to see again. And the streets where always filled with the noise of drunk watchmen harassing beggars.

I got up from the small desk in the corner of my 'home' and went for my supplies. With one change of clothing I went from a poor South Sector woman to a low life Black-hand. I had to admit people took me more seriously when I was a thief rather than when I was a woman with no husband barely able to afford a piece of spoiled meat. I had the money to move from South Sector into the Clock Tower Plaza or at least Stonemarket, but in these times that would raise the suspicion of the Watch. Or worse the Thief-Taker General.

I slid a frequently unnoticed grate open and crawled into the tunnel. There is a door to my home but going in and out the front could cause some problems, so I chose the alternative route. A small tunnel blocked by a grate that leads to an opening to the streets. It is the safest way in and out of my house when I am taking on my role as a thief. Watchmen wouldn't dare follow someone into a dark and damp tunnel, no telling what horrors lay beneath the city.

The walk to the Crippled Burrick took longer than expected. Watchmen were strangely alert, and a few were calling out as if looking for someone. I just shook my head and continued to the run down tavern.

I walked through the back doors and heard voices coming from Basso's office. It wasn't out of the ordinary, just not common as it used to be. I took my perch by the open window and waited for Basso to be finished.

Unfortunately for Basso, he wasn't expecting me tonight so he had no idea I was casually eavesdropping on his conversation with this mystery client. It wasn't a very interesting conversation until the client mentioned something about Basso having a job for him. I perked up at the sound of someone else getting a job, the thought that I was no longer the only one working jobs was very comforting.

All of a sudden the conversation stopped.

"Someone is listening in on us."

Basso grumbled for a moment before walking over to the window I had just came through, and called someone in.

Gracefully a body slipped through the window landing on the ground without a sound.

"Garrett this is an… associate of mine, Endy. She, uh, does the same work you do." Basso said awkwardly

I raised my brows but didn't say anything.

This new comer was dressed in thick leather amour. Scratches, from too many close counters with Watchmen, could be seen all over the leather. A heavy looking cloak covered the shoulders of her toned frame. Her trousers were made of a light material that was slightly loser, as to provide more comfort when running. Her face was obscured by a hood and mask.

Dark eyes peered at me, sizing me up. She finally pulled down her mask and hood revealing curly brown, almost black hair, pulled back in to a loose braid. Large brown eyes still looked upon me.

"You are the Master Thief. No?" She asked in a quiet, yet daring, tone.

Garrett only slightly inclined his head in answer to my obvious question.

I quietly continued to memorize everything about the thief, from his tattered cape to the dark circles around his eyes, and then Basso broke the intense silence.

"So now that the two of you have met, how to you feel about working together?"

Garrett and I snapped our heads in the direction of the fence, glaring daggers at the sleazy man.

"I work alone." Garrett said

"As do I."

"I need two people on the job this time." Basso exclaimed

I looked at Garrett, then back to Basso. I sighed and nodded my head in agreement. The Master thief took a little longer to agree but eventually gave in.

"Okay. So. Here's the gig: I need you to obtain a ring for me."

"Getting married?" I asked with a smirk

"Never again." Basso said with a chuckle

Almost subconsciously Basso reached his hand underneath Jenivere's beak, which inevitably led to her pecking his bandaged fingers. "Achh! Oh you mangy bird. I swear someday I'm gonna make you into a hat!"

"And loose the brains of the… uh… outfit." Garrett said as he sauntered over to Basso's small desk.

The fence chuckled darkly before speaking, "I'm running out of fingers."

"The job Basso." I said, wanting to get it over with

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Basso said as he walked over to a messy shelf, "belongs to a guy named, uh, Cornelius Greaves. One of those hoity-toity types who doesn't have any shit on his boots."

Basso handed us a newspaper with Cornelius's photo on it.

"What's the catch?" Garrett asked

"Eh. He's dead." Was Basso's reply

I started to reply to Basso, but Garrett started talking. "I'm a thief Basso, not a grave robber."

I shot him a glare, but didn't interrupt Basso.

"Only recently deceased. My sources say he never took the ring off."

"Doesn't seem much of a challenge," Garrett and I said together, I rolled my eyes while Garrett glared daggers at me.

Basso only chuckled at us and continued to fill us in on the job. "Ah, challenge… will be getting to him before the caters pick him over. Rumor has it that they have been taking bodies to that old, uh, foundry near Cinderfall? Crawling with the Barons guards for some reason. Now… best way to that place… is through the old chapel."

Garrett and I started walking away.

"Endy I need to speak with you. Oh and Garrett use the door please… still… it's good to see you."

I took my usual perch on the edge of his desk by Jenivere, I stroked her ruffled feathers and waited for my friend to start talking.

"Don't mind Garrett, he talks big but he would never put anyone in danger on purpose."

"I just want to get this job done with, after that I'll look for a new fence. No hard feelings but this was his territory first."

Basso let out a small laugh but agreed to my decision, and waved me to the door.

I walked up the small set of stairs and started walking to the door that would lead to Stonemarket, but I was pushed into a wall by none other than the Master Thief.

"You stole my fence, I don't like people stealing my things."

"That's rather hypocritical of you Garrett, you are a thief after all." I spoke out stupidly. I was in the weaker position and he made that clear by pressing more weight onto me.

"We will do this job, and then you find yourself a new fence. Meet me outside the Old Chapel."

With that he was gone. Into the shadows to sneak off.

I hit the wall behind me and exited the tavern, setting off toward the Chapel.

*Well I hope that was to y'alls standards!

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PS: From now on my chapters will be spread out, school has just started and writing long chapters takes a while.

- P.