dead and covered with bruises there will
be an investigation.”
She frowned again. “So you’re saying
we’re Red here? Seems like an extreme response to a complete nonentity like
the boy.”
“Black. Just with a little Red
mixed in.” Uriah clarified.
“Pink?” She arched a dubious
eyebrow. “We’ve never done Pink. I don’t think we even have ‘Pink.’”
“No, not Pink, just a different
shade of Black … but with Red added in.”
“That’s called ‘pink’.” She
repeated unemotionally.
“Well, whatever .” He rolled
his eyes. “Call it whatever you want, but I want to drag him out of here and
keep him from telling his sister and her giant that we assaulted him!”
“’We’ didn’t do anything.” Ransom
shook her head emphatically. “That was aaaaaaall you.”
“We’re a team!” He pointed at the
boy. “When I beat the Queen’s brother into unconsciousness…”
“… and throw him down a
flight of stairs.” Ransom added for him. “Don’t forget that part. The court
sure won’t, no matter how distracted they are by ‘Operation Pink Flag.’”
“… you beat up the Queen’s
brother.” He finished, ignoring her negativity. “That’s what being in this
partnership is all about.” He reached down to their victim, taking on a
clandestine tone. “It’s also about grabbing a leg and helping me drag him out
of here before anyone sees us.”
“Please don’t assault and kidnap
anyone else, ‘Rai.” She struggled to heft up the boy’s legs. “We don’t need
to make any more enemies today.”
****
Uriah found the ship he had hired,
only to discover that his client was already aboard and waiting.
Generally, Uriah hated it when
people arrived before he did. It allowed them to become familiar with the
location, plan out strategies, and most likely place booby-traps.
But Uriah was also accused of being
paranoid on occasion, so perhaps it was just that his client liked to be
punctual.
He strolled up the gangplank,
smiling at Din like he didn’t have a care in the world. “Good afternoon!” He
gestured to the craft. “I trust that this vessel is to your liking?”
Uriah didn’t really care if it was
or not. Din had given him gold to put a down-payment on hiring a ship for two
months, at which point Uriah promptly pocketed half of it and hired the ship
and crew with the remainder. Thankfully, things were so bad in this world at
the moment that people would basically work for any amount of money if you
offered it to them. Utter desperation and despair created such a wonderful buyer’s
market.
Din really should have known not to
put him in charge of the money.
First rule of piracy: you should
NEVER put a pirate in charge of the money.
“Yes, it looks fine, Captain.” The
man began. “I’m just anxious to…” He trailed off as he saw Ransom dragging
Ryle behind her by his legs, up the gangway. “Wait… who’s that guy? And why
is he dead?”
“Merely a hostage.” Uriah
explained nonchalantly. “Pay him no mind.”
Din squinted in confusion. “Is he…
dead?”
Uriah rolled his eyes, sick of
everyone saying that. “For the final time, no, he’s not dead.”
“He’s ‘resting’.” Ransom supplied
in her breathy monotone, dragging Ryle so that the back of his head banged
against every tread of the gangway in a regular “thump-thump-thump” pattern.
Din cleared his throat, looking
uncomfortable. “Well, if his ‘resting’ involves decomposition at all, you two
are going to be the ones in charge of throwing him overboard.”
Uriah shrugged. “That’s fine.”
Ransom unceremoniously let the
boy’s feet drop to the deck. “Hell, I’ll do it right now.”
Uriah snickered in delight.
“Hi!” A lovely woman wearing a
conservative little blue dress and dainty white gloves sprang from the interior
of the vessel so suddenly that both Uriah
be an investigation.”
She frowned again. “So you’re saying
we’re Red here? Seems like an extreme response to a complete nonentity like
the boy.”
“Black. Just with a little Red
mixed in.” Uriah clarified.
“Pink?” She arched a dubious
eyebrow. “We’ve never done Pink. I don’t think we even have ‘Pink.’”
“No, not Pink, just a different
shade of Black … but with Red added in.”
“That’s called ‘pink’.” She
repeated unemotionally.
“Well, whatever .” He rolled
his eyes. “Call it whatever you want, but I want to drag him out of here and
keep him from telling his sister and her giant that we assaulted him!”
“’We’ didn’t do anything.” Ransom
shook her head emphatically. “That was aaaaaaall you.”
“We’re a team!” He pointed at the
boy. “When I beat the Queen’s brother into unconsciousness…”
“… and throw him down a
flight of stairs.” Ransom added for him. “Don’t forget that part. The court
sure won’t, no matter how distracted they are by ‘Operation Pink Flag.’”
“… you beat up the Queen’s
brother.” He finished, ignoring her negativity. “That’s what being in this
partnership is all about.” He reached down to their victim, taking on a
clandestine tone. “It’s also about grabbing a leg and helping me drag him out
of here before anyone sees us.”
“Please don’t assault and kidnap
anyone else, ‘Rai.” She struggled to heft up the boy’s legs. “We don’t need
to make any more enemies today.”
****
Uriah found the ship he had hired,
only to discover that his client was already aboard and waiting.
Generally, Uriah hated it when
people arrived before he did. It allowed them to become familiar with the
location, plan out strategies, and most likely place booby-traps.
But Uriah was also accused of being
paranoid on occasion, so perhaps it was just that his client liked to be
punctual.
He strolled up the gangplank,
smiling at Din like he didn’t have a care in the world. “Good afternoon!” He
gestured to the craft. “I trust that this vessel is to your liking?”
Uriah didn’t really care if it was
or not. Din had given him gold to put a down-payment on hiring a ship for two
months, at which point Uriah promptly pocketed half of it and hired the ship
and crew with the remainder. Thankfully, things were so bad in this world at
the moment that people would basically work for any amount of money if you
offered it to them. Utter desperation and despair created such a wonderful buyer’s
market.
Din really should have known not to
put him in charge of the money.
First rule of piracy: you should
NEVER put a pirate in charge of the money.
“Yes, it looks fine, Captain.” The
man began. “I’m just anxious to…” He trailed off as he saw Ransom dragging
Ryle behind her by his legs, up the gangway. “Wait… who’s that guy? And why
is he dead?”
“Merely a hostage.” Uriah
explained nonchalantly. “Pay him no mind.”
Din squinted in confusion. “Is he…
dead?”
Uriah rolled his eyes, sick of
everyone saying that. “For the final time, no, he’s not dead.”
“He’s ‘resting’.” Ransom supplied
in her breathy monotone, dragging Ryle so that the back of his head banged
against every tread of the gangway in a regular “thump-thump-thump” pattern.
Din cleared his throat, looking
uncomfortable. “Well, if his ‘resting’ involves decomposition at all, you two
are going to be the ones in charge of throwing him overboard.”
Uriah shrugged. “That’s fine.”
Ransom unceremoniously let the
boy’s feet drop to the deck. “Hell, I’ll do it right now.”
Uriah snickered in delight.
“Hi!” A lovely woman wearing a
conservative little blue dress and dainty white gloves sprang from the interior
of the vessel so suddenly that both Uriah
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