Scene III - The Engineer.

Takes place in: Month I - Day 4.

"I am going to need more rare materials than you got."

Rosie frowned at the words. She had expected her supplies to be stretched thin, not gone in three days. Had she really been neglecting technology this much?

Of course she had. There was little desire in her little town to go above a certain threshold. It had been far worse before the Victorian era came about after all. She, much like that old crone Susan, had been stuck in the medieval ages. But that changed and Rosie found her own little 'time capsule' and piece of Heaven in Hell.

But those changes, like her old views and preferences, Rosie knew needed a change here and there. And the one she now had the right help for? Her little fleet. A whole warehouse full that she had rushed and were, in a way, unfinished. So now her little fleet of cars had two souped up vehicles done in record time, reinforced enough to withstand at least one singular high powered attack, like a rocket, and capable of going against modern vehicles, while still adhering to her tastes.

And that had emptied her people's vaults.

"I had expected… more to be done. I had little compared to many others, I know that, but still." Rosie was still smiling, as always. This time it was strained as she looked at the little mechanic. "Has it been worth it?"

Zana was quick to lay a hand on the first car she had modified. One of Rosie's Cadillac 352 Town Sedans. It seemed to be completely unchanged, but Rosie knew much better than that. Mechanics did a lot more in Hell than in the living world, that was for sure. A coating here? The right material would meld with previously laid plates and strengthen them. The right mix to burn? Longer lasting, stronger drive, a more powerful engine as the mixture merged with the machine. Even leather and glass were at the mercy of the one tending to them. Alchemic compounds and expertly handled materials were as important to a mechanic in this land as just the machine itself.

"Three sixty km/h top speed if needed. Can turn on a dime. Bulletproof except against top demonic weapons and, of course, angel steel or the rare blessed type bullet, for those willing to shoot money at you." Zana began, a clear proudness in her voice. "Glass is even sturdier, but don't expect it not to break under the right onslaught. I have also reinforced three different sets of tires for both cars and two spare engines for each. You don't have that many different models, but the bodies require a lot more than the smaller parts, of course."

"Of course." Rosie's smile tinned. Oh she was happy about the results as she looked at both her cars, don't get her wrong. The other was a LeBaron Marmon Sixteen Limousine, a nice little vehicle, at least aesthetically speaking. She had used this particular one a few times, the small silver sign looking like fangs next to the door was a simple, clear sign for those under her employ to know. "What about the limousine?"

"Lower speed at a perfect three hundred. Handling? Superior. Armor? Even better. You probably could take a proper tank shell once or twice with this baby, more if they don't hit it properly, but enough blunt force will at some point get the job done. Hell crafted cars like these are sturdy as all get out, so upping their armor with modern materials and coatings was easy, if expensive." The imp made a face. "Whoever constructed these also wanted to be creative, but didn't finish the job. There are runes for folding space inside both cars, but whoever did it had the balls not to complete the most expensive parts. I know shit all about magic, but I know things related to my field, and if properly finished you could 'enlarge' these models to have ten to twelve people inside, respectively, without compromising the structure, instead of just the two on the back."

Now that was a more than good set of news. Sadly Rosie hadn't been able to meet the demands back when she ordered most of these cars, only because she had requested many of them be finished quicker than originally offered. It was a balance between need, time and money. She was an Overlord, but she wasn't bottomless when it came to cash!

And those fucking usurpers, the Vs, hadn't given her time when she required her vehicles.

"I see… And could you finish the job?" Rosie hummed at the thought. She had many cars of this model. A small army could move quickly if all were equally gifted.

"I know the theory, but I have shit all in magic abilities." Zana was both sincere, blunt and obviously miffed. "I know my machines and what they can do. I even got two cars done in a day after checking the manuals and learning all I could about them. I went faster than I ever have just to give you an example of what I can do." The imp then looked at the Overlord's expecting face. "Don't ask me to do the impossible here. You'll need an arcanist of some kind. They generally have a worse time with the machine part, so I'll supervise."

Rosie gave a quick nod. "And is the speed what caused my men to tell me you had ransacked my supplies?"

"No." Zana shook her head in distaste at the thought. "The cause is your men not knowing how to properly get these things up to date, so they didn't know what to stock. These vehicles need specific care to match modern technologies, and even then a modern car with the best mixtures is going to leave them in the dust… not that Pentagram has anyone skilled, or patient, enough to do that. So for all intents and purposes you have something that looks 'ancient', but is ahead of anything non purely demonic or magic in Pentagram City by, say, four to five decades."

Well, that was that. Great news when it came to these TWO cars, but it was just two in the end. Rosie wasn't going to be angry about it. Her Cannibals weren't incompetent, but she had never required high quality mechanics or experts in any of these things. Few people ever dared fuck with her anyway, and if they did, mobility was USUALLY not required.

Cannibal Colony going out in a rampage usually meant flesh, bone, metal and stone all got chewed up and spat out if they couldn't swallow. The cars were for finer moments more than carnage itself.

Now, that could change.

This detour to her original visit to Zana's new workplace was nice and all, but Rosie came for a different reason.

"Well, now that that is concluded…"

Zana was quick to turn and face the Overlord again. "Don't you want a list of what I need?"

"In a moment, dear, in a moment." Rosie chuckled. She had expected the imp to be a workaholic. Besides, she knew the woman was going to try and ignore the other reason Rosie came about. "I was going to ask if you'd be interested in going to a play, you see."

The imp sent Rosie an inquisitive look. "A play, now?"

"Yes, Evelinde is going to take both Leonor and Carlos…"

"I'll pass."

Curt, direct, final.

But Rosie knew how to move people.

"Are you sure, my dear?" Rosie wouldn't say she was surprised, because she wasn't. A woman like her knew when someone was averse to love for many possible reasons, and past abuse was clear on this one's face. "I am sure Carlos would love to have all three of you there."

"Oh, I am sure he would." Zana snarked, but not with real bite. What little time she had spent with the man didn't paint him in a bad light. But it had been such a short while and she was used to honeyed words. "But I have a job to do here."

"With what resources?" Rosie chuckled. Much as this depletion to her materials irked her, it came with its own usefulness. "I will need time to get what you need. Two cars out of my little fleet? That is not exactly useful. And I know they are well maintained. You have nothing but time right now."

Zana lifted a claw and opened her mouth, only to frown and adopt a more relaxed pose. "Point." She conceded. "How long until you restock?"

"Depends on how much you think we may need." And that was the honest truth. Right now Rosie was sure she could get everything the imp wanted, but likely not from just local suppliers. That, and she was going to make sure to cut down any possibility of being scammed. As such, even if Rosie wanted it done NOW, it would take some time. "So how about using that time for your own benefit and relaxing your mind to boot? I have been told how ready you are to shoot some of my people."

"But I haven't."

"Yet." Rosie pointed out. "My Cannibals will do nothing to you, my dear. You need to calm down."

The imp didn't want to agree. She wanted to be inundated with work and ignore her deal for a little longer. But, on the other hand, she wasn't opposed to getting some time with those that were part of the Contract. Right now she wanted to think it was for her to find a way out at some point, but in time she'd find the idea far too alien to contemplate.

"Ffffine." She conceded in the end. "Tell that prissy fop that I'll go with her. Am sure Carlos will love the surprise."

"Marvelous! Oh, and do pass me the list after I am done, will you?"

Rosie went for her phone, a smile wide in her lips. No one had escaped her guidance in romance before, and this little woman wasn't going to be the first. All Rosie needed was a little touch here and there and she'd make sure Carlos got all of them in his pocket.