"Asshole,” I breathed.
Turning back, I caught my target again. He was watching me. Didn't surprise me much. That dirt bag of a human had just blown the element of surprise. Moving down through the crowd carefully, I stopped in front of his booth. He sat quietly, an array of empty glasses on the table in front of him. Two dark-haired women, obviously prostitutes, clung to his sides. I could smell sex on them. A pair of gold, oval spectacles hung low on his nose, while his short black hair was spiked straight up in all directions. A thick turtleneck sweater pushed up against his gaunt chin and a deep maroon leather jacket hung off his shoulders. Hoping quickly we could let bygones be bygones, I waited for him to recognize me. "What you want, Seeker?"
That was as close an invitation as I would get. I looked at the two women and bared my fangs. They quickly slipped out of the booth and disappeared into the waves of humans. Sliding in next to him, I placed my hands on the table and folded them neatly. The whammy didn't work on his particular species. I had to do this the hard way. I didn't think we were getting off to the best start. “Hello, Crash." "Dammit, Rose.” Crash spoke with a thick Cockney accent. “I dropped good money for those whores." "There'll be others,” I assured him.
Crash cocked his head slightly. “Look, I don't know why you're mucking about in Toltec tonight, but I didn't do nothing. I'm clean."
"I know."
He cocked his eyebrow. “Then what the hell are you doing here? This isn't some kind of social visit.” He leaned back in the booth playing with an empty glass. “Or maybe a new Brimstone ex-con outreach program? You know, making sure I'm reintegrating into society.” I watched the glass fog over in his hand then melt into a puddle on the table. Drawing his fingertips through the fluid, it vanished leaving no trace of the glass at all. He was trying to unnerve me. “I don't think you would come here on holiday." I nodded. “You're right. Business.” Reaching into my pocket, I produced a thick wad of bills and set them in front of Crash. He eyed them warily. “I need your help." "And?” He scooted several of his empties out of the way. “You've busted me three times, Rose. You cost me a lot of business, not to mention time spent in Brimstone lockup. That place isn't especially pleasant, you know? I've heard Hell has nicer accommodations." "At least you're still alive,” I offered, refusing to apologize. “We all have a job to do.” I pointed at the money. “You gonna help me or not?"
Crash stared at the money. I knew he was deciding if this was some kind of sting operation or not. He was wary of me, and for good reason. He was also extremely clever. But there was one thing I could count on: his greed.
Finally snatching the cash off the table, Crash dropped it into his coat pocket. “What do you need then?"
Turning back, I caught my target again. He was watching me. Didn't surprise me much. That dirt bag of a human had just blown the element of surprise. Moving down through the crowd carefully, I stopped in front of his booth. He sat quietly, an array of empty glasses on the table in front of him. Two dark-haired women, obviously prostitutes, clung to his sides. I could smell sex on them. A pair of gold, oval spectacles hung low on his nose, while his short black hair was spiked straight up in all directions. A thick turtleneck sweater pushed up against his gaunt chin and a deep maroon leather jacket hung off his shoulders. Hoping quickly we could let bygones be bygones, I waited for him to recognize me. "What you want, Seeker?"
That was as close an invitation as I would get. I looked at the two women and bared my fangs. They quickly slipped out of the booth and disappeared into the waves of humans. Sliding in next to him, I placed my hands on the table and folded them neatly. The whammy didn't work on his particular species. I had to do this the hard way. I didn't think we were getting off to the best start. “Hello, Crash." "Dammit, Rose.” Crash spoke with a thick Cockney accent. “I dropped good money for those whores." "There'll be others,” I assured him.
Crash cocked his head slightly. “Look, I don't know why you're mucking about in Toltec tonight, but I didn't do nothing. I'm clean."
"I know."
He cocked his eyebrow. “Then what the hell are you doing here? This isn't some kind of social visit.” He leaned back in the booth playing with an empty glass. “Or maybe a new Brimstone ex-con outreach program? You know, making sure I'm reintegrating into society.” I watched the glass fog over in his hand then melt into a puddle on the table. Drawing his fingertips through the fluid, it vanished leaving no trace of the glass at all. He was trying to unnerve me. “I don't think you would come here on holiday." I nodded. “You're right. Business.” Reaching into my pocket, I produced a thick wad of bills and set them in front of Crash. He eyed them warily. “I need your help." "And?” He scooted several of his empties out of the way. “You've busted me three times, Rose. You cost me a lot of business, not to mention time spent in Brimstone lockup. That place isn't especially pleasant, you know? I've heard Hell has nicer accommodations." "At least you're still alive,” I offered, refusing to apologize. “We all have a job to do.” I pointed at the money. “You gonna help me or not?"
Crash stared at the money. I knew he was deciding if this was some kind of sting operation or not. He was wary of me, and for good reason. He was also extremely clever. But there was one thing I could count on: his greed.
Finally snatching the cash off the table, Crash dropped it into his coat pocket. “What do you need then?"