Tau squirmed uncomfortably. She ate only a bite off the plate in front of her for now, her appetite suddenly gone. "Haven't heard the name... How many of your siblings are missing?" she asked, the smallest hint of suspicion in her voice. Downing her third cup of coffee, she stared into the empty cup, the cracks seeming to shift and dance before her eyes.
Sevinya
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Tau seemed interested at first. The job description was basically a runner. But with a hell of a pay raise. Then she understood why.
"I'm not going to kill anyone," she stated bluntly, still unsure if she understood Titan's meaning. "Even with that pay raise, my job with Freedom is hella cushy. I literally had zero problems until... today." Tau grimaced, and drained the rest of her coffee. Her pupils were dilated and she bounced in her seat. "As... uncultured... as the Debris is... I know it well and I'm not scared-- or ashamed-- to live the rest of my life there."
She held up a finger, indicating that she wasn't done talking. But there was a long minute of silence as she gazed thoughtfully across the table. "However... no matter what you might say... I still owe ya. And I want to help you find your brother. But I don't know if that's the kind of job for me."
"I'm not going to kill anyone," she stated bluntly, still unsure if she understood Titan's meaning. "Even with that pay raise, my job with Freedom is hella cushy. I literally had zero problems until... today." Tau grimaced, and drained the rest of her coffee. Her pupils were dilated and she bounced in her seat. "As... uncultured... as the Debris is... I know it well and I'm not scared-- or ashamed-- to live the rest of my life there."
She held up a finger, indicating that she wasn't done talking. But there was a long minute of silence as she gazed thoughtfully across the table. "However... no matter what you might say... I still owe ya. And I want to help you find your brother. But I don't know if that's the kind of job for me."
Tau listened to him, sipping her coffee. She felt it warm her insides, and she sighed quietly, rather content. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this safe and free and... happy? Was that the feeling?
Her head flipped up at the word "job"... Tau was eager to earn some money, but doing what? She stared, mouth agape, at the allowance he quoted her. "What the fuck do you do?"
Her head flipped up at the word "job"... Tau was eager to earn some money, but doing what? She stared, mouth agape, at the allowance he quoted her. "What the fuck do you do?"
Tau didn't understand the reference, but nodded in agreement, suddenly worried about appearing ignorant or sheltered. Too late to worry about that now. She followed Titan to the restaurant, a quaint little place that was bigger than it looked from the outside. As Titan spoke to the hostess, Tau lingered in the doorway, feeling awkward and out of place. She trotted after them like a lost puppy, and her stomach growled loudly as Titan said he would be buying. Her face flushed slightly, both at his wink and at her own stomach's betrayal, definitively embarrassed now.
Tau buried her face in the menu. Everything sounded good. She could probably eat at least four people's worth of food, especially on someone else's dime. She struggled with figuring out what she wanted, and the poor hostess-- Margaret, she reminded herself-- had to come back twice before Tau figured out what she wanted. She ordered a large sampler platter and coffee. She kept the menu for the time being, reading and re-reading the appetizing meal descriptions. "I don't usually get a choice in what I eat," she explained sheepishly to Titan. "I've never been starving but the food is always whatever someone else didn't want... Beggars can't be choosers and all that..."
Tau buried her face in the menu. Everything sounded good. She could probably eat at least four people's worth of food, especially on someone else's dime. She struggled with figuring out what she wanted, and the poor hostess-- Margaret, she reminded herself-- had to come back twice before Tau figured out what she wanted. She ordered a large sampler platter and coffee. She kept the menu for the time being, reading and re-reading the appetizing meal descriptions. "I don't usually get a choice in what I eat," she explained sheepishly to Titan. "I've never been starving but the food is always whatever someone else didn't want... Beggars can't be choosers and all that..."
Tau shrugged off his words. "Blood don't mean shit. If he's your brother, he's your brother. Any idea why he might be in the Debris?" She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "If you still have the message, I might know someone who can help. Not for free, though." Her brow was furrowed, seeing Titan's frustrations. But when they came to a stop, she looked up at the hotel. It was noticeably nicer than the section they had previously been in, though shabby and worn-down. She looked to her right and left, finding a well-lit and mostly clean "boulevard" type of corridor. A few signs were visible, with much less flashing and human trafficking. "I don't think I've been to this side before..."
"Oh, right right right, I remember now. I thought you were looking for a tiger, not a person whose name is Tiger..." Tau stopped dead in her tracks. "Wait, Tiger and Titan? Because... because you're so big?" A short but genuine laugh came from her, surprisingly light for how rough she was the rest of the time. "Well at least it ain't hard to live up to your names," she giggled, then composed herself. "... well what? You don't think it's him?" Tau rushed to catch up to him, suddenly interested.
The confusion left Tau's face and she perked up. "Food sounds really good," she said, once again ignoring discussion of a job. "I don't know how much your government friends are gonna find. Kaufmann's legit, as far as I know anyway." As they walked, Tau's pace became slightly unsteady. "He used to be military. His wife, too. They retired a while ago, even before..." She trailed off but then continued. "They retired before I started running. That's how I got my start. Musta been... least a decade ago." Her words began to run together a bit. "My big sis's a runner too. Special agent for Freedom. Been a while since I seen 'er. Oughta send her a mail soon." She looked up at Titan, eyes glazed over. "You got any siblings, Tall Guy?"
Titan had barely finished speaking before Tau had entered the room. The door clicked shut quietly behind her.
Empty.
Heaving a sigh of relief, she crossed the floor quickly and knelt in front of a small set of drawers. With a sad sigh, she withdrew the tiny bag of lightly colored powder. Slush. She opened it carefully and dipped her finger in. Three times she took a fingertip full and rubbed it along her gumline. Then, resealing the pouch, she opened the bottom drawer. A hidden compartment held a small, nondescript locked box. She replaced it with her pocketful of half-empty blister packs and one last roll of stolen money, tucking the little box safely in the depths of her coat. With another sigh, she placed the tiny bag of Slush into the compartment as well. Resealing the drawers, she hoped her apology would be enough.
They might never forgive me, but they'll understand... hopefully...
"Let's get out of here," Tau spoke in a very controlled voice as she came back down the stairs. She touched Titan's shoulder almost affectionately as she passed him, leading him out through the back door of the bar. Kaufmann said nothing as they passed, but Tau could feel his eyes boring into her back as she left.
They entered a nearly-pitch black hallway. "I came this way this morning. Feels weird being here now. My routine has always been so... routine," she finished lamely.
It wasn't long before they exited directly to the Marketplace, still as busy and bustling as before. Tau stopped and looked up at Titan, seemingly wrestling with some internal struggle.
Empty.
Heaving a sigh of relief, she crossed the floor quickly and knelt in front of a small set of drawers. With a sad sigh, she withdrew the tiny bag of lightly colored powder. Slush. She opened it carefully and dipped her finger in. Three times she took a fingertip full and rubbed it along her gumline. Then, resealing the pouch, she opened the bottom drawer. A hidden compartment held a small, nondescript locked box. She replaced it with her pocketful of half-empty blister packs and one last roll of stolen money, tucking the little box safely in the depths of her coat. With another sigh, she placed the tiny bag of Slush into the compartment as well. Resealing the drawers, she hoped her apology would be enough.
They might never forgive me, but they'll understand... hopefully...
"Let's get out of here," Tau spoke in a very controlled voice as she came back down the stairs. She touched Titan's shoulder almost affectionately as she passed him, leading him out through the back door of the bar. Kaufmann said nothing as they passed, but Tau could feel his eyes boring into her back as she left.
They entered a nearly-pitch black hallway. "I came this way this morning. Feels weird being here now. My routine has always been so... routine," she finished lamely.
It wasn't long before they exited directly to the Marketplace, still as busy and bustling as before. Tau stopped and looked up at Titan, seemingly wrestling with some internal struggle.
Tau seemed suddenly agitated. She clenched and unclenched her fists, looking around the bar as though she had no idea where she was. "I have to... I have to do something first." And without waiting for a response she darted through the tables, to the far end of the room, through an unlocked door and up a narrow staircase.
But she froze at the top of the stairs, staring at the first of two doors on the cramped landing. Glancing over her shoulder, Tau looked to see if Titan had followed her.
But she froze at the top of the stairs, staring at the first of two doors on the cramped landing. Glancing over her shoulder, Tau looked to see if Titan had followed her.
Tau watched the conversation but her eyes were unseeing. She listened to the two men exchange words-- exchange threats? Over me? But why?
She understood why Kaufmann initially put up a fight-- Tau knew she earned him quite a bit of money on certain nights. But he backed down rather quickly. Something she hadn't expected at all.
And Titan held his ground like some kind of professional, a complete turnaround from the awkward, bumbling fool she had had to put up with all day.
Her eyes were glazed over and her brow was furrowed. She didn't respond until Titan had to tap her arm. She followed him to the retrieval dock where money was exchanged without incident, to Tau's ever-increasing surprise. Once the transaction was completed and Kaufmann confirmed the money in his account, he extended a hand out to Titan. "Pleasure doin' business."
And as he walked away, he spoke to Tau: "Hope you have a few words of encouragement for whoever's got your shift tonight."
She understood why Kaufmann initially put up a fight-- Tau knew she earned him quite a bit of money on certain nights. But he backed down rather quickly. Something she hadn't expected at all.
And Titan held his ground like some kind of professional, a complete turnaround from the awkward, bumbling fool she had had to put up with all day.
Her eyes were glazed over and her brow was furrowed. She didn't respond until Titan had to tap her arm. She followed him to the retrieval dock where money was exchanged without incident, to Tau's ever-increasing surprise. Once the transaction was completed and Kaufmann confirmed the money in his account, he extended a hand out to Titan. "Pleasure doin' business."
And as he walked away, he spoke to Tau: "Hope you have a few words of encouragement for whoever's got your shift tonight."
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