Valencia Vorpal
The Informant
A cigarette was pressed in her lips as she walked up to the establishment. An old nightclub in the seedier parts of the city, once upon a time having a proper name lit in neon signs that had since been vandalized, leaving the building unmarked. Word on the street had it go by a different name - the Devil's Den. Where partygoers came to let loose and under-table deals happened in the VIP lounges. You could get anything you wanted here, if you knew where to look.
Valencia gave the front doors a long look before she grunted under her breath, stamped out her cigarette, and walked in.
The music thumping off the subwoofers hit her first. The bouncer eyed her as she walked up to the curtain, and he pulled it aside, revealing a lounge and a dance floor lit up with dim neon lights and strobes.
Valencia didn't care for the floor or the bodies moving to the beat. She made straight for the bar, ordered a shot of vodka, and sat in one of the stools.
Her eyes glanced around the bar and lounge. Her contact would know she was here, had probably already spotted her, and meant she could get down to business quicker.
She took her shot stone-faced, and waited.
“... Ms. Vorpal,”
The information broker,
Isaac Allen Kane, walked up to her, tapped on the bar, and took a seat next to Valencia. “... What can I do for you today? I didn’t imagine you showing up in a place like this.”
He dug into the pockets of his brown suit jacket and pulled out a cigar. "Do you want one?”
Valencia held up a hand, pulling out a pack of cigarettes instead.
“I’m good, Boss. But there is something you can help me with…”She pulled out a fresh stick with her teeth, shoving the pack back in her pocket and popping a light. Blowing out a thin trail of smoke, she paused a moment before fishing into her suit jacket. She pulled out a small envelope and, with the cigarette smoking between her lips, she opened it and pulled out a small picture of a girl.
“Know anything ‘bout a Kari Wilson?”Isaac took a puff of his cigar, put it back in his mouth, as he grabbed the picture. He looked at it for a few moments, rubbed his chain, before he said, “...Doesn't ring a bell. She’s cute, though.”
He gently set the photo down, before he grabbed his cigar, “Tell me who she is… And who she is to you. Maybe I can do some digging for the right price.”
“Some Sycamore who died, apparently. Got into the wrong sorta crowd, but no one seems to know who.” Valencia said, flicking her cigarette off to the side.
“Mother is very interested in her. Or, more exactly, what she represents. That girl has a secret, and Mother wants her hands on it.”She smirked.
“Are we talking the regular fee, or a little something extra?”“Just the fee,” Issac took a puff of his cigar. “I take tips, though.” He smirked.
Valencia nodded at that, biting her cigarette a bit as she sifted through her inner jacket pocket again, pulling out a thickly padded envelope. See placed it on the counter, sliding it towards him, before adding one more to the pile.
“The tip,” she explained, the end of her stick glowing cherry as she inhaled.
Isaac grabbed it, opened it up, and laughed.
“… Mother Cards must really want her,” He contained his laughter. “Give me… two days. And I’ll see what I can dig up.”
Valencia nodded.
“Good, good. But, since you’re here, I have one more I need looking into…”She pulled out another small photo and laid it out on the counter. She propped up on an elbow, side-eyeing the broker. If he dropped any hints of surprise, or recognition, she’d catch it.
“Lionel Hunter, anything you can tell me about ‘em?”Isaac laughed.
“Lionel, my boy… He was a client of mine,” Isaac began. “He was waging a one man war against all the crazy bastards that roamed into the city. He fought the Elite, 8th, even those crazy skinheads. Though, not surprised he got axed. Everyone was gunning for him ”
Isaac awkwardly laughed, before taking another puff of his cigar. “Anything specific you need knowing?”
Valencia gave a nod,
“So he had skin in the game.” She was silent a bit before her gaze caught Isaac’s.
“Know anything ‘bout the circumstances around his death?”“I heard he was tracking a serial killer… Downtown you know,” Isaac scratched his chin. “He got stabbed to death outside of the Port-AWE club? Maybe he was just trying to get his freak on and tried sticking his dick in crazy…” Isaac laughed, taking a puff of his cigar.
Valencia let out a half-chuckle before her eyes narrowed, and she asked.
“Any of his personal files survive?”“Not sure,” Isaac shrugged. “8th ransacked his office and house.”
Valencia grinned at that.
“My man, you have made my day.” She slipped a hand in her jacket pocket again, pulling out one more fat envelope and sliding it across.
“I think that’s all the questions I have for now. Unless you want to stay for a couple of drinks?”Isaac smiled.
“Of course,”
Valeician’s smile twisted, and she turned to the bartender.
“Couple ‘o drink this way, Boss. Make ‘em strong.”
Phantasia Vorpal
The Dollhouse
“No, I told you, we’re gonna get what we want.”“What if we don't, Mother? What then?”Two women sat at the bar stools in the center of the Apothecary, dark and ruffled dresses a contrast against the rich mahogany and red plush accents of the speak-easy. Mr. Roosevelt stood behind the counter, idly polishing a glass. The patron seated on the left seemed agitated, though kept this behind a mask of placid calm - Isabella Blackthorne. The one on the right, recognized as Phantasia Vorpal by her wide brim hat, stared hard at the e martini set in front of her, hand rimming the crystal.
Her chin turned towards her Under Boss.
“Then it’s back to business as usual, Isabella.”She glanced behind her. Some of her men were idly smoking, playing cards in the booths near the steel front door. But even they could feel it. The ominous clouds that hung over the House of Cards ever since Phantasia made that deal with Edict.
What would come of this?The doors were thrown open.
“... HOOOOOOOOOOWDY!”
Natalie screamed as she threw the double doors open. She had a wide grin on her face.
Behind her was Shaquita, and be
sides her was Luis on one side… and the enigmatic third in command of the Dollhouse organization:
Heinrich Thormer. Appearing as a tall mannequin-doll-like thing, he stood over twelve feet tall and barely looked as if he could stand up straight.
“Ding, ding! A surprise visit from Dollhouse!” Natalie shouted. “Would Phantasia kindly have a talk with us? We have to discuss everyone’s favorite Coven!”
The suited men in their booths immediately snapped to their feet, unholstering guns, pistols gleaming silver. But they froze the moment Phantasia raised a hand. She turned in her seat, only the lower half of her face visible as she appraised them.
“Isabella, take a walk.” She said in a low tone to her number two. As Isabella bowed her head, Phantasia half-turned her head to the Cards bartender.
“Mr. Roosevelt, we have guests. Please make them comfortable.”Mr. Roosevelt stood a little taller,
“Yes, Mother.” He moved to the side door, holding it wide for Phantasia and the Dollhouse. Phantasia slowly got off her stool, patted down her dress, and gestured to the back room.
“We can discuss matters with a little privacy, yes?”Luis looked to Shaquita, who gave him an affirmative nod. He clapped his hands together, as he said,
“Gladly,” He said before he walked in, followed by Natalie, Heinrich, and Shaquita.
Phnatasia followed closely behind them, hand hovering on the handle of the door. She turned back to the main lounge, and eyed her men, chin jutting to the front. With hurried nods, the men left out the front door.
Mr. Roosevelt pulled out the cushioned seats around a poker table, now cleared with only the lingering scent of alcohol and cigarette smoke. The room was dimly lit, not as polished as the front, yet held all the privacy in the world. Not a window in sight. Mr. Roosevelt hovered by the last chair, waiting for Phantasia to take her seat before he pushed it in slightly.
Phantasia pulled out a cigarette and her holder, lighting it quick as cherry smoke suffused the room. Her hands, momentarily busy, hid the slight tremor.
Mr. Roosevelt stood courteously to the side,
“Any drinks for the young masters and ladies?”“Some whiskey, please,” Luis said, taking a seat at the poker table, before he looked at Natalie.
“... I’m good,” Natalie rolled her eyes, taking a seat. Heinrich and Shaquita remained standing…. Not saying a word. Mr. Roosevelt nodded, leaving for a moment. It was only about a minute later that a whiskey was placed on the table in front of Luis, and Mr. Roosevelt took his leave.
Phantasia kept silent, taking another inhale of smoke before leaning forward at the poker table.
“I imagine you want to get straight to business. I’m all ears.”Luis grinned.
“... A little birdie told me that there is a little… Issue,” Luis began, taking a sip of his whiskey, “An issue between the House of Cards, and Sycamore… Would you mind telling me what that's all about?”
Phantasia thought long and hard about
not giving Dollhouse the scoop. They had no business trespassing and sticking their nose where it didn’t belong, after all.
But something kept her mouth from running off. That little seed of trepidation, that dry throat, that metallic taste in her mouth. There was House of Cards, large, fearsome. And then there was Dollhouse. A group so secretive even
she had no idea what their aim was, or what they wanted here.
Instead, she relented, her voice dropping a note.
“Some thought it wise to seal a close friend of mine - an apparition, goes by the Void Heart. I was prepared to enact due revenge but… I’ve recently been told there’s a way to recover said apparition. As long as they keep their word, Sycamore and I have no issue.”As she spoke, there was a faint rustling in the vents above.
“I heard about the Void Heart, and his late host…” Luis began. “I also heard plenty about their last hurrah at Veni Vedi Veni.”
Shaquita leaned in and whispered something in his ear and he grinned. “Maybe you can see why we find the Void Heart… problematic.”
As Phantasia connected the dots, her lips curled into a frown.
“I see how it is… Edict is your little birdie, isn’t he?” She leaned back in her seat, palm running across her mouth as her face darkened.
“...That son of a bitch.”A pause, before dropping the hand to her lap.
“So what, you're gonna intimidate me into not pursuing this? Is that it?”“No, no, no…” Luis shook his head, putting his hands together. “Here at Dollhouse we don't intimidate, we don't threaten, we don't menace… We
understand.”
He paused for dramatic effect, “So help us understand each other. Then we can come to a mutual solution for this issue. No blood spilled, no bullets fired.”
Natalie rolled her eyes as Shaquita and Heinrich stood in silence.
“So, maybe you want to hear our perspective and maybe understand why we would want to keep the Void Heart sealed?” Luis asked.
Phantasia couldn’t help but bare her teeth a little at that. There was a long silence, Phantasia eyeing the vent through the brim of her hat for a brief moment before her head lowered once more.
A sigh.
“Very well… Let’s hear your perspective.”“Well, the best way to put is; the Void is…” Luis trailed off.
“...
Bad for business, serial killers always are,” Natalie added, shaking her head and staring Phantasia dead on with her arms crossed. “Having something running around sucking people dry without giving a fuck who it is….?”
She shook her head as she said, “... Yeah, I can’t see why anyone would want a motherfucker like that running around. I know he’s your buddy, but he’s also a
liability. And here at Dollhouse we don’t like problems like him. We remove similar Apparitions from the equation every chance we get.”
“Because… you heard about what
started the whole mess at Veni Vedi Veni, right?” Luis added. “I ask myself: what if that had been a
Dollhouse employee Alizee and Void Heart attempted to kidnap?”
Natalie laughed.
“Mr. Meatball would regret all the choices that led him to that point,” Natalie snorted.
The muscle in Phantasia’s jaw clenched a bit as she listened. This would be when things would start to get serious.
She leaned forward, every inch of skin a livewire.
“Let’s say I listen to you, and forget about the Void Heart… There’s still a debt to be paid by the Sycamore, by the Temple. Their involvement in Void’s sealing, betraying its new host… Someone has to answer to that.”“And… how do you expect that debt to be paid? With blood?” Luis asked, taking a sip of his whiskey, and putting it down. Touching his fingertips together, he gave Phantasia a very flat look. “You do realize that this has a chance to escalate
further?”
“And not in a fun way,” Natalie rolled her eyes. “We know you have interest in Sycamore, but have you ever considered that they won’t take too kindly to you icing their membership
when they’re already getting iced?”
A pause. Phantasia’s hand slipped under the brim, squeezing the bridge of her nose. The slightest sniffle. Dollhouse painted a vivid picture of the future. Was she really going to walk them there?
Did she really have a choice?
Her voice was low.
“Did anyone consider the Void Heart before sealing him away? Did anyone consider the ripple effect on his new host?”Her palms pressed against the table.
“You say you want to understand, but I feel you’re whitewashing the real victims here, and I refuse to sit here idly and listen to any more of this.”Her eyes snapped to the vent.
“Long live the fighters.”The moment she spoke, a boot was heard smashing through the horizontal grating of the vent over head. A small canister was thrown down, suffocating the room in a smokescreen as men started jumping down.
Phantasia stood, edging towards the door.
“... Holy shit!” Natalie coughed, as she hopped to her feet. However, in a flash of a light-purple light, an AA-12 popped into her hands. “
You crazy motherfucker!”
“We really have to ask who did the architecture,” Luis said in between coughs. “... Shaquita.”
“Hmph,” Shaquita shook her head, pulling an M1911 out of her suit jacket. “... That wasn’t wise,
Phantasia.”
Shaquita raised her hand in the air, and suddenly every one of Phantasia’s men began convulsing… as Shaquita puppeted their bodies with her special brand of magic. They turned all their guns toward where Phantasia was attempting to flee…
… Before they opened fire.
Phnatasia saw it coming, and could only smile. Her eyes, a lifeless grey, stared glassy-eyed at the ceiling as she fell.
The Boss of the House of Cards was no more.
The men turned their weapons on themselves, pulling the trigger.
“... Awww, fuck!” Natalie hissed. “... I wanted to have some fun.”
“Let’s go,” Heinrich said in a whisper.
“Fiiiiiiiine!” Natalie rolled her eyes, as she stuck her hand out, and a portal opened.
All four of them fled through it.
It was after a few minutes the door to the backrooms opened, and there was an audible gasp. Mr. Roosevelt knelt beside his Mother, surveying the damage with a trembling lip. He gently laid a hand over her face, closing her eyes.
The only sound to be heard was that of weeping.
Tally Dor,
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