Fantasy FTK: Black Rose Detective Agency

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec shook his head. “Nope. Needed to stop for something first.” The cab pulled over to the curb and let them out.
“keep the meter running. I’ll be back shortly” he told the cabbie.
They were in front of Chappie’s, which was a big store that sold a little bit of everything, including liquor, which is what he wanted.
“Pick something out for yourself. My treat.” He told Rheitz. The young lady had been to Chappie’s a few times but usually for last minute items. She knew they had some exquisite chocolate selections that she avoided due to lack of funds. In fact there was a lot there she couldn’t afford. They had items from places beyond the Vale. Foreign delicacies that few understood.
Lautrec picked out a bottle of rum from the selection of liquor they had. Something mid range was optimal. Something they’d appreciate that wouldn’t make them think he was cheap, nor trying too hard to impress with a ritzy high class liquor.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz stood on the pavement, mouth agape with shock.
Chappie's was a place she could never really dream of buying anything from.
Half of their items cost more than she could make in three months, for Mitra's sake! She hurried in after her Boss, nearly missing a glass display of porcelain vases.
"A-are you sure Boss?" When she was met with a nod, she grinned.
"Thank you so much Boss!" She gave him a quick hug, darting off to look around the store.
Catching sight of a display of watches, she ambled over to it. Toby had a little, old thing, that barely worked sitting on his wrist. Maybe...?
"Boss? Can I get this watch?"
She pointed to one of the watches in the display.

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec looked at the price tag. He could’ve bought a castle for that much back in the day! He felt a little hot under the collar.
“Um, I was thinking more like a snack or something to entertain yourself while I handle the mobsters. I’ll keep that in mind during the holiday season” he chuckled nervously.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz glanced at the price tag, eyes going wide.
"O-Oh! I didn't know! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to ask you for something that cost that much," she hurried over to the bars of chocolate, picking one out.
"I'll take this then Boss." She handed it to the dhampir, blushing from embarrassment.
When he had walked over to the clerk, Rheitz frowned.
"Boss? Are you gonna buy something for Detective Waters too?"

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec furrowed his brow. Why would he buy anything for that heartless wench? He looked around, seeing they were selling some bouquets out front.
“Hey pal. I need a favor” Lautrec said. “I need a bouquet sent to a home address. Can you have someone get it there today?” He slid a gold chip on the counter. The clerk smiled and bit on the coin.
“Anything you wish kind sir! Right away.” He said.
Lautrec looked to Rheitz. “Satisfactory? Let’s be going.” He started walking to the cab.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz gave him a small smile.
"Well, I didn't say you had to get something for her Boss...," she teased, following him, "but if you wanted to get her something, that's fine by me."
She grinned, holding the bar of chocolate in her hand. So there was still some hope for the two detectives! She knew he didn't truly hate Detective Waters.
"Let's go Boss!" She opened the car door for the detective, giving him a playful bow.

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec smirked and got inside.
“You know. The holidays aren’t that far from now. What else is on our list?”
This was an obvious trick. A detective’s verbal sleight of hand.
“West Two seventy five.” He told the cabbie and they were off. Only a few blocks to get to the poker game.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz looked down at her chocolate bar, tracing over the gold lines of the thin paper.
"So Boss, what are we gonna get next?" She cocked an eyebrow, showing that she had gotten his hint.

 

[Jodyguru]

“Well, I’ve actually been thinking of a music box. Those record playing machines. The offIce could be more bearable with it, perhaps?”
Oh, maybe it wasn’t coded language after all.
The car pulled up to the house and let the pair out. Lautrec paid the cabbie and started up the steps.
“Remember, play cool.” Lautrec said.
He rang the doorbell, and dogs started barking upstairs.
There was shuffling down some stairs, and a greasy haired guy with a white tank top on answered, squinting eyes at the pair.
“Hello sir, I’m here for the game.” Lautrec said. “Billy the Nuts said you fellas play high stakes.”
The guy looked at Lautrec sideways and grimaced.
“Get the fuck outta here.” The guy said and shut the door.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

"Very funny Boss," she deadpanned, rolling her eyes.
When they had reached their destination and paid the cabby, Rheitz followed behind Lautrec, watching as he interacted with the man behind the door.
Rheitz frowned, glancing nervously at Lautrec before walking up to the door.
She raised her hand to the wooden surface, quickly rapping it with her knuckle.
When the guy opened the door, she gave him a big smile.
"Hiya! We came to play some ball...?" she gave out an awkward chuckle, trying to look cute, "W-we heard that you fellas play high stakes?"

 

[Jodyguru]

The guy stopped before shutting the door all the way. He opened it and looked at her, then up at him.
“Who are you people?”
“She is Penny, and my name is Gesswick St. Carlisle” Lautrec said.
“Gesswick? Yeah I heard of you. Call me Barber.”
He stuck his hand out and Lautrec shook it.
“Hope you came ready to empty your pockets. My boys play to win.”
Lautrec laughed. “I brought a little ace in the hole if you fellas like rum.” He handed the bottle to Barber who checked the label, smirking. He invited them in and led them up two flights of stairs.
“So is she yours or...” Barber asked.
“Godfather. Her folks own property out of the city.”
“Tops, I dig.”
They entered the apartment. There were two other guys sitting around a card table by the windows. There was a couch and a radio sitting on an ash stained end table.
“Hey boys, this is Gess and Penny. They’ll be joining us today.”
“Hey they brought hooch!” A fat dwarf chortled.
“Cheers, mates!” A halfling said. “I’m Reed, he’s Hesher... that’s a fine dame you got there Gess.”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz blushed, letting out a shy smile.
"Thank you fellas," she giggled, a hand coming up to cover her mouth.
The room was rather large, the air smoky and thick. The walls had been painted dark green and a few pictures decorated it. A dartboard hung opposite to the door, a few darts heavily embedded in the middle. An ashtray sat next to the dwarf, the small plate littered with cigarette butts and ash.
She looked up at Lautrec who gave her a small, though rather cautious, nod and she found an empty chair, taking a seat.

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec took a seat as well. Reed produced a box with color coded chips in it. The detective produced his wallet and bought a hundred gold worth of chips for the game.
“A Dhampir with a fat wallet. Who did you rob for that?” Reed chuckled.
“The state” Lautrec replied.
“Hehe, serves em right.” Reed was talking and poking at the table with a small knife.
“Paper pushing goons are ruining this country” Hesher said and poured a glass of rum. “With their laws and salaries. What happened to the real brick laying men?”
“They finished the wall decades ago, man” said Barber. “Salarymen grift just like the clergy.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Lautrec said. “Now are we here to play cards or to politic?”
Hesher laughed. “I like the new guy. Deal em Reed.”
The halfling started dealing cards. Lautrec cut his stack in half and gave chips to Rheitz. The cards were dealt around the circle.
At this point Rheitz realized that she has no idea what she’s doing. On the first hand she lost a few chips from her stack. It was a tough game, requiring her to bet coins just to stay in on the hand. A pot of coins was building during the play, and at the end one man took the gold.
By hand five, she was floundering with only a couple coins left. Lautrec hadn’t won a hand yet, but he played conservatively, folding when he felt that victory was impossible.
On the sixth hand, Hesher won and cackled as he pulled the pile towards him.
“I almost feel bad, robbing a sweet girl.” Hesher said. He sipped the last of the rum and grumbled.
Lautrec smiled at her. She had done her part in this play.
“I need a refill Barber.” Hesh said.
“Get it yourself.” Barber said.
“Hey Penny, wanna get me a beer?” He slid a silver piece her way.
“In the fridge. Just stay away from the back doors. I have dogs bigger than you.” Barber said, shooting the girl a serious glare.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz took the silver, deflated at her defeat. She hadn't been told they were going to play cards! Plus, she had lost all of her money!

She moped at her loss, making her way over to the fridge. The fridge, as were many fridges at the time, was a small, squarish things with a small door.

Normally pristine white, the fridge sitting near the back door was browned and looked rather beat up, unlike the seemingly rich decor of the room it sat in.

She opened the small door, spotting the beer on the rack. Taking it, she shut it, making her way back to the table and placing it next to Hesher, who waved her away with a small grunt.

The men paid no attention to her; probably because she wasn't a seductress like Detective Waters. So she made her way around the room, scoping out the small decorations that littered the space.

She had made her way to the back doors and hearing the growls coming from behind, she opened the door slightly, peeking to see a large bulldog snarling at her.

She opened the small packet of chocolate she had gotten at Chappie's, breaking off a corner and throwing it at the creature.

It snapped it up, letting her pass into the space behind the door, sniffing at her hand for more of the sweet poison.

 

[Jodyguru]

The room was dark with a dog cage and toys, food and a potty pad. In the corner of the room was a small lizardwoman in tattered clothes and bound by ropes and a gag. She was struggling more than ever now that a new face appeared in the back room.

“Read em and weep, gentlemen.” Lautrec placed a royal flush on the table, much to
the awe and chagrin of the others. He scooped up his pot of chips.

“Damn, you can clean up pretty good Gesswick.” Barber sounded impressed. “What house did you say you’re from?”

“Uh, well my father was House Carlisle. They don’t speak much to me, being a half blood and all.” Lautrec shrugged.

“Half blooded is enough to join the Fangs” said Reed.
“Yes, but they’re much too wild for an old goat like me. Someone like Venrir would look down on the Fangs.”
“You know Ven?”
“I know of him. I hear he’s making moves on the DeRosier family’s income.”
“Ye better watch what you say, Dhampir” Hesher said drunkenly. “Ven’s the new boss. DeRosier has been sitting by while vampires chew up the streets. It’s time someone show the suckheads who owns Dominion.”
“Oh, I don’t mean to offend” Lautrec said. “I actually think it’s great that organized crime is moving away from the Church. DeRosier is donating so much to the High Order they can hardly afford to keep good soldiers on the street.”
Hesher pounded his fist on the table.
“Finally somebody gets it!” The dwarf said loudly.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

The room was incredibly dark the small beam of sunlight falling from a small window at the side of the room illuminating the silhouettes of a few dog cages and the occasional glint of metal. That was probably a bowl. She let out a small squeak when she felt the cold, wet noses of the dogs brushing her hands.

So there was more than one.

Of course, the man had said "dogs".

She broke off two more pieces of chocolate, throwing them out into the darkness. The panting sound of the creatures moved away from her, indicating that they had moved to wherever the treat had landed. Rheitz placed her hand on the wall, edging herself away from them only to run into a squirming mass that let out strangled yelps. She gave a loud shout of surprise, falling back on the ground, a hand flying to her mouth.

 

[Jodyguru]

Barber looked up from the cards and frowned.
“Did you hear something?” He asked. The others looked up and shrugged.
“Penny?” Lautrec called her. When there wasn’t an answer he shrugged.
“She must be using the bathroom” Reed said, then threw down a pair of aces with a “boom”.

The lizardwoman managed to get the gag off her mouth.
“Be quiet or he’ll come back. I’m dead if that happens” she whispered to Rheitz.
“Leave, now” She pleaded with Rheitz. Rheitz could hear Lautrec’s voice calling her.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz crawled forward, making out the barely noticeable shadow of the woman.
"Wh-who are you? And why are you here?" she whispered, edging towards her.
She broke off another piece of chocolate when she felt the cold nose of a dog at her back.
She looked down at the bar, realizing she only had half of it left.
"What did they do to you?"

 

[Jodyguru]

“Please just go” the woman started sobbing. The dogs were beginning to get agitated, growling at Rheitz. Even though she gave them chocolate, she was too close to the one they were guarding.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz glanced back at the dogs, turning back to the woman.
"I...I don't know who you are, but...but you're going to have to trust me. Okay?" She grabbed the woman's hand, tugging her up. With a small pocket knife (yes, Rheitz carried that one weapon on her. Her Boss had given it to her as a safety measure during one of their cases a while back) she cut the ropes.
Tugging the woman behind her, the dogs began to snarl viciously as she ran towards the window.

It shattered.

The glass fragments flew like rain.

The pair fell to the earth.

 

[Jodyguru]

The glass shattering was followed by dogs barking up a storm. Barber and the boys jumped up and ran to the back room, seeing the broken window and the injured pair of girls running into the alley.
“Fuck!” Barber yelled out. “Get that Dhampir! His bitch just stole my dog!”
Lautrec was shocked by everything. “Fellas, please! Whatever it is, I’ll help you.”
Barber pulled out a knife and pointed it at Lautrec.
“Well, you better get my dog back or I’ll cut your nuts off. Understand, Gesswick?” He scowled. “Now get the fuck out!” He pointed at the door. Lautrec nodded and quickly left, forgetting his winnings. He dropped down the staircase and made way for the alley.
“They’re gonna get away. Hop in my jalopy and lets go find them!” Hesher said. The guys left to go chase them as well.

“I didn’t ask for a rescue. What the hell were you thinking?” The lizardwoman said. She was wearing gray rags that exposed parts of her body as she ran.
“I said be quiet and go away. Do you listen? No. You’ve doomed me, stupid girl.”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz winced at her decision, knowing that any chance of arresting the men was futile now.
She raced down the alley, clutching the woman's wrist.
"I know it was stupid, but I couldn't just leave you there. There's a place near here where I can call somebody. Anyway, who are you?"
She let out a small cry of pain as her wounded shoulder brushed against the rough brick wall.

 

[Jodyguru]

“I’m a slave. I don’t have a name. Maybe if I go back now, he won’t kill me, just beat me severely...” was she seriously thinking about going back to her slaver’s apartment?
“You absolutely could have left me there. There’s nothing for me out here.”

Lautrec was chasing closely behind them. Rheitz had hurt her legs from the fall, and the slave had little energy for running.
“Rheitz!” Lautrec called.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz glanced back, "Lautrec! Help me! We should get back to the office!"
She tripped over herself, falling to the ground. She let out a cry of pain, the shards of glass in her skin digging deeper.

 

[Jodyguru]

The slave looked up at the tall, broad shouldered man who was coming towards them.
“Lau-trec? Is he my new Master?” She asked. Lautrec huffed over to the two of them.
“Okay, where’s the dog, and whose this?” He looked at the slave girl.
“My previous master called me a dog.” The slave said. Lautrec’s face changed color, a shade more pale.
“Alright... new plan, let’s get to the office.” He picked up Rheitz and moved onto the street.
Some guy unlocked his car door and started to enter. Lautrec pushed the man over and took his keys.
“Sorry about this. Police emergency” he said and opened the door for Rheitz and the slave girl to enter. He got in and sped off while the man he robbed hollered obscenities.
“Is he your master?” Dog asked Rheitz. “Come here” she took Rheitz’s arm and pulled the shard of glass out.