The Purging

Lady of Shadow

CHAPTER 13

Incense fills the air of the Turkish bazaar. Locals have emerged from their nightly hiding places and into the streets hoping to make a little profit. The economy of war is as ever, a lucrative one. Myriad shouting voices offer bargains on fantastic items and delicious foods. Natsuko did not come here to purchase trinkets however, she came to buy information. The noonday sun beats down on her body, but the cloak she wears is keeping her discomfort to a minimum. Blending into the throngs of busy shoppers has been easier than she had initially thought, and she slides into her contact's tent without arousing suspicion.

A pudgy, aged Roma woman greets her from behind a worn plywood desk, “May I help you? Palm readings are twenty lira. Tea leaves are thirty. Séances are negotiated on a case by case basis.” The crone is not who she came to visit. If she wanted to see her old friend, money would need to change hands.

Natsuko drops ten thousand lira on the table, “I'm here to talk to your grandmother.” Snatching the wad of bills off the table, the woman counts it and takes a step back.

“One moment please.” Natsuko sits down as the Roma leaves the tent. Shortly thereafter, a deceptively younger looking woman steps inside. She is tall, slender and wearing a finely ornamented belly dancing outfit. Natsuko is intimately familiar with the curves of that body. Sadly, there wasn’t time to revisit those memories just now.

The dancer brushes her fiery red hair aside and says, “Make it quick Nati, I've got four more performances today. I'm assuming it’s something related to the recent chain of events, yes?” Her tone is more confrontational than Natsuko expected. This war had everyone on edge.

“I want to know about Kagan's troop movements. I'm also interested in the guard rotation and the layout of the inside of the prison. I need to get access to the lower levels. Any insight you may have on what led Kagan to incite this war would be appreciated as well.”

The flame haired seductress looks back at her dumbfounded, “You want information that would get me killed for a measly ten thousand lira? You'll have to do much better than that.” Natsuko drops another hundred thousand on the table.

“I've got the financial backing of the animi empress, Illyana. If this isn't enough, just name your price and you'll have it. Now spill it.” No amount was too much when it came to Bashina’s riches. She could buy a nation with the change in her pockets.

Illyana grins and begins fanning herself with her newfound fortune, “Another ten million should cover it. I'll send the bill to Mumbai. If you're lying to me about big momma footing the bill and I get killed over it, I will come back to haunt you. Right now, most of the western block is tied up invading various targets in North America and East Asia. Knocking down your front door, as I heard it. Frankly, I'm blown away you're here. If I were you, I'd be back home protecting my own, not breaking into my enemy's library.” Natsuko is well aware of the threat on her doorstep. Hopefully, the trust she had put in the wolf was not misplaced. Not that she would tell Illyana about that alliance. Great care needed to be taken in what information you gave her. Unless of course, you wanted the whole world to know your business.

“I have faith my clan can hold the line. Now about the guards. How many are there? When is shift change?”

“There are about a hundred in total. They always move in groups of at least two, but most of them are indentured humans, not vampires, so they should be no problem for you. Make sure you approach the compound at night. If the alarm gets sounded, you'll have to deal with hundreds of Kagan's real soldiers, so rushing in half-cocked will be a bad idea. Play it cool and stay out of sight and you should make it to the library door no problem. Getting past the door I can't help you with. It has a keypad with a numerical code and the code changes every day.” It sounds easy enough. Infiltration has always been her speciality. Human guards just make her job that much simpler. If any vampires show up, there are always contingency plans. Not the least of which are the few compact incendiary devices concealed on her overcoat.