⋅ ⌖ ⋅
Leo was contemplating why on Earth she agreed to this ridiculous deal. She could of killed her target when she had the chance, or at least gave Inej a decent injury. If she didn't act soon, her reputation will be questioned.
People will start pushing barriers they think are weak at the simple show of mercy. Something Leo did not have the patience to deal with.
She could of at least caused an injury, that way people could see the inflict of pain she had caused and then not grown a pair of balls.
She was once again heading towards the Crow Club, she told Kaz she would meet him in 20, she was running a bit late.
She knew of a way through the Fold, mainly rumours, but one that could have some potential. She prayed it was legit, if she didn't leave with them she wouldn't be able to kill Inej. The deal was 'when they get back, she would get her strike'
So, unless she found some miracle loophole, Inej ran free.
As mentioned, she was running late. Had a few things she needed to get done before she meddles in Crow business.
Because of this she was approaching the club from the back, a perfect view of Kaz's office window.
'I don't plan on getting stopped by bouncers again'
Upon her approach she took note that the boss of the Crows, if you don't count Per Hanskell, had company.
Bad company.
Pekka Rollins and his band of fools, to be exact.
Just the look on the old bearded man's face made her blood boil.
She mentally congratulated herself for packing her bow after her trip back to her flat.
She couldn't kill Pekka though. No. It would cause a stir and wars between the Dime Lions and the Crows.
Pekka Rolling, Dime Lions boss, found dead in Crows territory. Although it had a very nice ring to it in Leo's opinion. It wouldn't fair well with the rest of Ketterdam that's for certain.
Despite her deep hatred for the boy, seeing him held down by shitty bouncers and have his own cane at his throat, made her heart clench, she hated the feeling.
She didn't like seeing him in pain. I guess some things never change...
Crouching down on the edge of the roof adjacent to Kaz's office window, she put up her mask and hood then unhooked her bow from her body and readied an arrow through the string.
Pulling back the string, she focused on her target. She couldn't kill the bouncers, for the same reason she couldn't kill Pekka. Wars will ravage.
There was a bouncer at Pekka side and one holding Kaz in a kneeling position,
'How patronising can he get'
With no more time to waste, she gave her string one last pull before releasing the arrow. It soared through the open office window and landed perfectly in one of the bouncers arms.
Pulling out another arrow, she hooked it on the string, pulled back. And let it soar, striking the other bouncer in his shoulder.
She saw them hunch in pain, and Pekka look around in confusion. But when he spotted the arrows in his men, he knew what was happening,
"I thought the Arrow didn't do 'connections'" he said, more or less to himself.
Leo launched herself onto the window ledge and quickly climbed into the office.
The bouncers, even though impaled, attacked her instantly.
The one that held Kaz down was the first to reach her, reaching out to grab her, she quickly ducked to avoid his attempt and jabbed the end of her bow in his stomach making him keel over.
She twirled the bow and deliver a blow to his face, sending his to the floor.
The other bouncer had now gained on her and grabbed one of Leo's shoulder to spin her around. Once again she used her bow to slash a deep cut across his cheek, he clutched his face and blood seeped through his fingers. The man let out a howl of pain.
She gave him a final kick, and like his partner, he was on the ground.
Twisting her body round she stretched out her arm that held the bow, and before Pekka could blink, it was held centimetres from his throat.
Pekka looked at the pointed wood that was so close to him now, he noticed the small blade on the end. One now covered in his bouncers blood, he let out a sigh,
"Arrow." He said "I thought you would pick the winning side?" He scoffed, all humour now gone. He was pissed.
'Good'
She thought. "I didn't realise there was a war. Only a war is petty enough to have sides" she sneered his way, she held out her hand,
He looked at it then at Kaz, then back to her, before he gave in and tossed her the crow cane. She caught it with no problems.
"Good" she smirked, she was purposefully trying to make him angry, Kaz realised,
"Now leave, and take your halfwits of men with you" she lowered her bow enough for him to move.
He saw no other option, his men were down, and he wasn't armed. Leo was. There was no other choice,
He ordered his men to stand and leave, which they did, to some extent with the injuries. One still had the balls to knock her shoulder as he left though, but she didn't react. He was leaving so she had no need to.
"I'll be seeing yous" he said, and he finally left the office. He left with two beaten up men, one hunched, one with a face full of blood.
She waited till she heard the latch shut on his way out before she took her mask and hood down. Turning to Kaz, who was still knelt on the floor, she handed him his cane and took a risk by holding her hand out for him to take.
She didn't have a clue if he would take it or not, but the firm press of his hand in hers convinced her to pull him too his feet. The clink of his cane hitting the floor echoed when he gained his balance.
"You good?" She gestured to his shoulders where he had been held down, and his face that had an obvious bruise forming. Kaz winced when he recalled his faces being smashed into his desk.
He didn't speak but he did give her a firm nod, and that was enough for her. She didn't know why she was asking or why she cared. But seeing Pekka once again loom over Kaz like a predator hunting it pray struck a cord in her, she knew what that felt like. They both did.
"Meet me at the bar, I have something to show you" she said and she took her leave, heading to the front. She knew Kaz needed a small bit of time to recollect himself after the harsh gripping on his body.
And he knew she knew that. She was correct, but Kaz was also pondering why he would save her. With him under Pekka's instruction not to take the job, Leo could of taken Inej at any moment. That was her loophole, he didn't understand why she didn't take it.
⋅ ⌖ ⋅
The next time Leo spotted Kaz was by the bar, where she told him to meet her. She briefly caught him stealing one of Jespers shots, she chuckled to herself knowing that Inej took his last one.
'Poor boy can even get a drink'
She payed no attention to their chatter as she watched a woman count through money, she didn't hold it the way anyone else did. With the rumours and inside knowledge, Leo knew why. She was great at digging out secrets,
Threatening mostly, but digging out secrets was a better thing to call it if she was being modest.
Hearing the clinking of Kaz's cane come towards her from behind, he took his stand by her side, now also observing his club.
She leaned over to him, keeping her eyes on the woman and said "over there, 2 o'clock"
Kaz's eyes darted over in that direction and quickly spotted what she did,
His brows furrowed and face did his usual scowl whilst he was thinking, Leo watched him signal to Bolliger and the bouncer grabbed the woman, following Kaz and Leo as they made their was back into the office.
Upon their entry, Kaz stood behind his desk and Leo stayed to the side. Opposite the bouncer that had dragged the woman in, pushing her to sit in the seat.
"I don't understand. I was not cheating" the woman exclaimed, she seemed distressed, and they all watched as Kaz reached into his safe and pulled out a stack of money,
'I'm sure that would buy Jesper a new drink'
"You've been here every night for a week" Kaz stated, closing up the safe and putting the painting back down to disguise it.
"You don't play Makker's Wheel, or Ratcatcher, only cards. Cause you keep track of what's played" he leant over her desk, if Leo was that lady right now, she knew she was be at least a little intimidated.
"Well, that... is not cheating" the woman replied,
"No, but I'll have to add an extra deck to your table to keep things more... balanced" he slammed the stack on money in front of the woman on the desk and said "An incentive to keep playing, count it for me" he told her,
The lady hesitantly reached for the stack and placed it in her hand, she held it diagonally for counting.
Kaz looked up at Leo and there shared a look when the woman started counting the notes,
Kaz reached forward and used his cane to stop the woman from her counting, placing it on her hands, she looked up at him, confused,
"Where are you from?" He finally asked,
"West Ravka. Os Kervo" the woman replied instantly, Leo thought it sounded almost robotic. Lie,
Kaz put his cane down "West Ravkans count money from one hand to the other, but people out east who work the mines in Sikursk" he noted "they count like you do"
The woman put the money down and spoke up, she sounded frustrated "I am from West Ravka"
"West Ravkans don't mention the 'West' part" Leo spoke up "to them, there's just Ravka and the old country"
"You're lying about where you're from because you fled" Kaz started again "you're hiding"
The woman looked scared now, "my daughter... is Grisha"
Now that didn't surprise Leo, many who fled from the other side of the Fold and came to Ketterdam where Grisha, all not wanting to be apart of the Second Army. Leo couldn't blame them.
"Neither of us wanted her to fight in the war, you can't make us go back" the woman pleaded, Kaz was quick to correct her,
"No, no, no, I'm not after you" he said "but you need to tell me how you and your daughter got through the Fold unscathed and unnoticed... now."
It was now that Leo was hoping her connections were correct.
The woman shook, hesitating before she told him "He just went by a title" she informed them "the Conductor"
Leo wanted to kiss the saints, even if she wasn't much of a believer anymore,
Leo didn't pay attention to the rest of the woman's rambling, she was searching through her mind at places the Conductor could be.
That was until Poppy was mentioned,
She snapped back to the task at hand when Bolliger scoffed at the name,
"Where's Poppy working these days" Las asked him,
"Emerald Palace, boss"
⋅ ⌖ ⋅
"Jesper! New job"
Jesper turned away from Inej as his boss called out his name, he noticed another presence with him,
"Grace!... or- uh... waits what's your actual name?" He asked, suddenly realising,
Leo chuckled as she walked towards him "Leo, darling. But to everyone else, it's Grace"
"Ah" he said in realisation, he turned back to where Inej was, now realising she had gotten away. He looked around in wonder and confusion as to where the girl could have gone, something Leo picked up.
Kaz seemed to ignore it and he walked past him and said "come along" he continued towards Emerald palace.
Leo briefly head Jesper say "she did it again" not that she knew what that meant really, she was ahead of him matching Kaz's steps,
When Jesper caught up he spoke again "I mean it. We need a demo man" Leo couldn't help but snicker when Kaz replied,
"You're still on that?"
"Well- I just brought it up tonight?"
"Jesper, you ask for an explosives expert on every job"
"Why doesn't that surprise me" Leo quipped,
Jesper was to busy oogling the people around his to notice, he turned back to the two and replied,
"Because I don't want to be the one you point to and say 'explode something for us' that is not a Jesper talent" he told them "I shoot things with style! And I look good!" He jogged to catch up again "just. Play to my strengths, boss"
Leo snickered "well whilst you to play with each other, I'm going to see if I can find another way to this conductor"
Kaz stopped and looked at her "I thought you were going to help persuade Poppy"
Leo scoffed "yeah no. Poppy isn't the biggest fan of mine" she told them,
"Well Poppy doesn't particularly like me either"
"Who doesn't" she rolled her eyes,
"Well you just saved me from Pekka, right?" He bit back, Jesper looked confused and he watched Leo's face drain of humour,
She unfolded her arm and started to walk back "I'll meet you at the Conductor. No doubt I'll make it there before you with your limp" and she left, ducking down an alleyway,
Jesper turned to his boss "did you just say she saved you from Rollins? Seemed to of miss that part out eh boss?"
⋅ ⌖ ⋅
That was a long one holy-
Not much with Inej in this one but it will arrive soon!
How are you beautiful people?
What did you think, what do you want to see?