Chapter 2! hope you like :) please review! If yah think im worthy . hehe...
Chapter 2
The Job.
"Angelina? Angel are you awake?" Jenn asked as she saw the young girl stir slightly.
"Jennifer?" Her small voice croaked and Jenn sighed in relief.
"Thank god you're awake, how are you feeling? Can you sit up?" She asked as she helped Angel sit upright.
"I ache all over," She replied, "What happened?"
"W-we…we got beat up, again," Jenn said as she watched Angel slowly recall what happened, "They took our money so I came here, but the emergency money was gone."
"I remember," Angel nodded.
Jenn's eyes drifted to the floor boards before she dug into the paper bag she had and took out plasters and medicine, Angel eyed them wearily.
"Head up," Jenn ordered as Angel did so, placing the plaster on a small cut she had on her chin.
"Where did you get the medicine?" Angel asked, slightly afraid of the answer. Nothing was free in the underworld and she didn't want more thugs after them.
"I bought it," Jenn replied swiftly.
"Where did you get the money? You said the emergency money was gone," Angel asked again, she had a feeling she wasn't going to like the answer.
Jenn sighed, "I took a job and got half the money in advance."
"What job?" Angel immediately asked as Jenn handed her medicine for her to take.
"Before I say I want you to think about this, after the job they said they would give us above ground citizenship," Jenn revealed. Angel's eyes widened.
"Above ground citizenship?!"
"Yeah, and some money to support us. Think about it Angel! Eating fresh fruit and veg everyday, a house of our own and not one of those shitty shacks they have down here, we could both get decent jobs! Something like a messenger or working at a bakery. We'd see the sun rise everyday and watch the stars," Jenn excitedly said, already imagining her life up on the surface. Just feeling the morning breeze on her face would be enough.
"Ok, wait this seems a huge reward," Angel snapped out of her little fantasy life on the surface and brought up the mysterious job, "What do you have to do?"
Jenn chuckled nervously before scratching the back of her neck, "I have to infiltrate the Survey Corps and steal some documents that's all." Jenn waited for the reaction.
"THAT'S ALL?" There it was, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT'S ALL?"
"It's a quick job just in and out, I can take care of myself."
"That's besides the point Jennifer! Do you know how much trouble you can get for this? You could go down for a long time! Plus, the Survey Corps, they fight Titans!" Angelina argued.
"Pfft," Jenn scoffed, "Yeah wings of fucking freedom my ass! All they do is go outside the walls and come back with less then half of their men! What's the point? What do they even do on the outside have a picnic? They bring misery to the families who have lost their children and they have made no difference to society what so ever!"
Angel wasn't sure if she agreed or not but one thing she decided not to do was argue with Jenn's opinion. It wasn't as if Jenn was going to yell at her for it, it just wasn't what was on her mind at the moment.
"So, when do we leave?" Angel asked.
"What do you mean we? I took the job and I'm doing the job on my own," Angel was about to protest before Jenn gave her that, argue and die, look.
"Do you even know what documents you have to take?"
"Of course! Its something about a five-month schedule of the delivery of Three Dimensional Maneuver Gear and I have to take this notebook about Titans. Besides I'm not exactly taking them from the rooms, there's a contact, a sort of spy in the Survey Corps who is going to meet me with the stuff and then I just have to return them here safely."
"B-but it seems such a big payment, did they tell you why they need those things?"
"No, and I'm not to question it, besides how different could this be to the job I did a few months ago?" Jenn shrugged as Angel poked her tongue out.
"That was different!" Angel answered, "you were safely here and it was only to teach some guys a lesson, this is the Survey Corps we are talking about! And you'll be on the surface, you know nobody there when you are in trouble," Angel felt tears spring in her eyes, "I'm just really worried about you Jennifer, I don't want to lose my sister... not after..." She didn't continue as tears started to stream down her porcelain face.
Jenn's eyes softened as she scooted closer to Angel before wrapping her arms around her head, gently bringing her in to an embrace as she rested her cheek on the top of Angel's head.
"You won't loose me mong face, I'm not that easy to get rid of," Jenn replied and Angel couldn't help smile sadly.
"I hope so… ass hat," She said before feeling a kiss on top of her head.
"How will I know I'm talking to the right person?" Jenn asked as she walked along side the man who offered her the job. They walked towards the stairs leading up to the surface.
"They'll be the only ones to meet you at the location, which I remind you will be behind the horse stables," He said as they continued walking, "I'm not in a position to tell you anything about the contact."
Jenn raised a brow, "How the hell am I supposed to know if I'm talking to the right person?"
"You will! Just not stop asking so many questions! You're making me nervous," The man hissed, making Jenn glare at him.
In a flash she grabbed the collar of his shirt and shoved him up the wall of a nearby building making him wince as his eyes became as wide as saucers.
"You will not. Talk to me that way," Jenn growled, the guy was getting cocky so now seemed like a good time to remind him of his place.
"Y-yeah, I'm sorry, my bad!" The man held his hands up in surrender as Jenn let him go before sighing.
"Let's just get this over with."
After paying for both of their toll fees to travel up to the surface, the man, who Jenn still didn't know the name of nor did she care, showed her the way to the Survey Corps base. She couldn't help the suspicion rising in her stomach, the job seemed far too rewarding for something that seemed so easy. Why not just get their spy to bring them the documents themselves? But at the same time if this job was true, it was an offer she couldn't afford to pass up. If he was lying, she would hunt him down.
"Wear this," The man said as he pulled out the signature green cloak with the wings of freedom imprinted onto the back, "You're not wearing their full uniform so try not to attract too much attention, remember this is just an in and out job. Once you are done I will meet you in the Underground City outside the brothel where we first met. I shall have your payment and you are to bring the documents with you. If anything happens to them then the deal is off."
Jenn just grunted as she put on the cloak and brushed the hair that fell in front of her eyes before lifting the hood up. She quickly patted the object lodged between her belt and her hip, a knife just in case.
"Good luck, remember behind the barn, don't enter the base unless you absolutely need too."
"I got this."
After a carriage ride later, Jenn watched the man leave before striding confidently towards this big castle like structure, with each step she took her confidence dwindled until her palms became sweaty. It was like every instinct in her body was telling her that danger resided in that place, that she should turn back. Jenn may have a strong shell, but inside she was just like everyone else, anyone else who had to infiltrate the lair of Titan killers and give them a reason for her to become an enemy would be feeling the same, she hoped.
"Just in and out, simple," Jenn muttered to herself as she continued to walk towards the base. She started doubting if the cloak was enough, maybe she should be wearing the full uniform altogether. She walked the long way around the base and to her surprise she didn't see anyone, at all. Seeing a wooden structure in the distance, she could only assume that it was the stables.
Jenn sighed before walking over. She gazed up and lost herself in the beautiful sky, its bright blue colour and soft fluffy clouds almost made her loose track of what she was meant to do. The sun beamed down on her face, making her skin warm up comfortably. The fresh air wasn't something to be laughed at neither, it actually felt cool and fresh unlike the undergrounds stuffy and damp atmosphere. Oh how she couldn't wait to bring Angel out here.
As Jenn felt a surge of motivation to get this job over and done with she started jogging towards the area she was supposed to meet her contact. Jenn turned the corner and froze.
There laying on the ground in front of the horses stables lay a body, their iconic green cloak with the wings of freedom crest stained with blood. Jenn finally released a breath she didn't know she had been holding. No one seemed to be around except for the agitated horses, who either paced in their boxes or poked their heads out and neighed.
'Was this my contact?' Jenn wondered as she cautiously took steps toward the body, as she crouched next to the corpse she rolled up her sleeve before touching the pool of blood around her, 'Still warm,' She noted and reached behind her to take her knife out, 'They could still be around.'
Seeing a dead body wasn't exactly a big shock, she was used to them all the time in the underground but she never expected the above world to be the same, or, it wasn't the same and something really bad was going on here. It was starting to become too much of coincidence that she was assigned on this job and the same day she acts it out, there's a body in the survey corps base.
"The documents," She muttered to herself before looking under and around the body for the papers, the only thing that could confirm that this job was still real, "They're not here!"
Jenn felt panic overwhelm her before sitting back and running her hands through her hair, making the hood of her cloak fall back. The documents weren't there, either someone had taken them or this job was a fluke. She cursed herself for being so damn naïve, but she needed the money otherwise Angel's injures may have led to infection, or worse death. Plus, she still had left over money to last her and Angel for at least a month just relaxing, eating as much as they please and having a bed everyday. Although it cost a whole lot more to actually get above ground citizenship.
There wasn't even a guarantee they would get that even if you had the money, you had to pay for not only the citizenship, but pay bribes. If not the process or documentation could take months even years and it wasn't because of the paperwork. All they had to do was get a piece of paper stamped and signed and that was it. But they were extremely reluctant to do so, the 'higher ups' didn't want scum from the underground to be able to roam around on the surface. The only way to get anything done around there was bribes, and plenty of them.
That's why everyone who was born in the underground, was probably stuck there for the rest of their lives. Above ground citizenship was a fantasy, a dream, something completely out of reach. And considering this is what it had to take just to get one person up there.
There was no way Jenn and Angel could have that kind of money for the both of them. This job was the only other chance and Jenn took it without hesitation. If only it was real.
Suddenly a gasp behind Jenn made her whip around, startled to see another member of the survey corps. She was female, with blonde hair and pale trembling hands that carried a feed bucket probably for the horses.
"Commander!" She suddenly screamed before dropping the bucket and running back round the corner from where she came, Jenn made a move to go after her before stopping herself.
"Shit! I'm in deep shit if I try to catch her, I'm not exactly supposed to be here," Jenn said to herself before getting up quickly and running the opposite way, making it her goal to get out of there as fast as possible. The job had failed, it was either a set up or they had taken the documents, for the meantime the only thing she could do was crawl back into the underground and wait for things to calm down.
She hoped.
"Angelina!" Jenn called as she entered the abandoned building and jogged up the crumbling stairs.
"Up here," Angel's croaky voice echoed slightly as Jenn moved to crouch beside her, "J-Jennifer," Angel stuttered as she saw the state the older woman was in.
Jenn had long abandoned her survey corps cloak but the blood she touched had already spread as smudges along her fingers and palm, she also brushed back her hair without even remembering about the blood so now the crimson smudge travelled from her hairline and into her hair.
"What happened?" Angel asked as she looked over Jenn for any injuries.
"The job, the contact I was supposed to meet ended up dead, the papers were gone," Jenn explained, "Its either set up or someone got to the contact before I did, what's worse is that someone saw me."
"Are you serious?!" Angel gasped before wincing from her still aching body. Noticing this Jenn dug into the medical bag they had nearby and took out a spoon with a bottle of medicine, she opened the top before pouring the syrup like liquid onto the spoon and hovered it towards Angel's mouth.
"Keep taking this it will help you heal faster," Jenn said, relieved for the time being that the subject had been changed.
"What about you?" The large eyed girl asked as she swallowed it.
"I'm taking some now, but my body is more used to hits, yours isn't," Jenn said before taking some of the medicine.
"Ok, well what about the job? How did you even get here this quickly?"
Jenn looked to the side, guilt written all over her face, "I stole a horse."
"What?!" Angel exclaimed, her eyes mixed into a pool of panic and anger, "First the survey corps thinks we killed their own and now you go stealing horses!"
Jenn sighed, "Yeah I get it Angel," She huffed, slightly annoyed, "I messed up, big time."
Sea foam green eyes softened, "You didn't mess up, you were just looking out for us," Angel sighed before putting a comforting hand on Jennifer's shoulder, "Mum would be proud."
"You think?" Jenn shrugged of her hand, "Look at us, wallowing in the dirt jumping at any opportunity for money. I'm so stupid, going for that job just because of the reward offered without finding proof on how it was going to be funded or accomplished."
"Jenn it doesn't matter your intentions were good, we still got half of the money out of it, we can at least use that to get some rest before finding a job maybe!"
"Angel we've already discussed this; you saw for yourself no one offers a decent job in this place. The only way we can get by without murdering someone or stealing from the poor is the fighting bets and jobs," Jenn explained before Angel reluctantly nodded in agreement.
"I just don't like seeing you get hurt," Angel sighed as she began to massage her right leg to help ease the ache from the bruises she had.
"Don't worry too much Angel," Jenn smiled before ruffling the younger girl's hair, "Your sisters tough as nails."
The following week Jennifer and Angelina used the remaining money to hire a place to stay for a couple days while they laid low, only occasionally going out to buy essentials. Both of their injuries had healed up nicely and although Jenn got the worst of the beating there was only a small scar on her jawline, which sat directly in line with her right eye, to show for it. Angelina's injuries weren't visible any more but she still ached slightly whenever she bent down to pick something up or moved round too quickly.
"What's for food?" Jenn asked as she sharped her new switchblade, something she got in the market a few days ago.
"Just some tomato soup and bread, why are you sharpening that thing again? That's like the 10th time since you got it! Its like your baby," Angel replied as she turned back to the stove and stirred the soup.
Jenn chuckled before putting her sock covered feet up on the table she sat at, "It is my new baby, I love it."
Angel chuckled before serving the steaming soup, Jenn folded the knife before setting it aside and digging in, moaning in appreciation as the soup smelled so good.
"I wish we could live like this forever," Angel commented as she ripped of a piece of bread before dunking it in the soup.
"One day we will," Jenn replied as she just dipped the whole piece of bread into the soup without ripping it off.
"You're such a slob!" Angel giggled as she watched her sister munching away happily, not bothering to wipe away the soup that dribbled down her chin. Jenn merely poked her tongue out before suddenly hearing a knock on the door.
Both girls froze, spoons hanging mid air whilst wearing confused expressions. The knocking happened again before Jenn slid her switchblade across the table and into Angelina's hand.
"It could be them, answer the door. They haven't seen your face," Jenn instructed as Angel gave a determined nod before she got up and walked towards the door as Jenn hid behind the half wall by their table.
"H-hello?" Angel stuttered as she opened the door ajar.
"Hello there miss I'm sorry to bother you, I'm looking for a woman with dark hair known around here as Cindy Waters. I was told she was renting this place?" A tall man with blonde hair that had been neatly combed for a side parting and bright blue eyes stood before her. His gentle smile seemed friendly but his recognisable green cloak and maneuver gear made Angel tense up.
Without looking behind him she could see four figures, a short grumpy looking man with an undercut, a giant with blonde hair in a centre parting and a woman with light brown hair like herself.
"I'll just go get her," Angel said before closing the door rather abruptly before running over to the next room, Jenn had already heard everything and packed whatever food they could find along with their remaining money before running upstairs and opening the shutters of a window so that they could escape.
Jenn was the first to climb over and drop to the ground before urging Angel to do the same. Once out they ran as fast as they could down the alley way.
"Squad leader, they're escaping out the back," The giant with the centre parting informed as the man with bright blue eyes sighed.
"I thought as much," He muttered before hearing the short man scoff.
"Tch, did you really think they were just going to hand themselves over? Idiot," He said before pushing himself off of the wall he was leaning on.
"Well it was worth a try, this should be easy," The squad leader said before taking out the handles of his maneuver gear, "Their capture is currently our top priority, forward!"