TheExperimentFindingRenata"Thank you," Renata said to the girl. "Can we go to the Women's College first? I have to try and find Jo... or get word to Devon at least... the others..." Elissa nodded. "Sounds good. I was going to look for your friends and warn them as well, but I don't know where they are all staying. It took me some time to find you." Moving slowly towards the door, Elissa turned her head when she heard voices floating up ever so softly from the lower floors. With the construction of some of these buildings, she knew the walls were thin and sound passed through them. That knowledge both helped and hindered a thief in action. Renata saw the hesitation, the turn of Elissa's head, then the focus on something not in their presence. "What is it?" She tried to keep the slightest note of panic from her voice, but she couldn't help wondering if the dark lord of Elissa's warnings had found her already.... "I hear voices, more than one. Thanks to thin walls of this place, it's not that hard." Elissa looked back at the young noble and smiled, the smile helping her appear very beautiful in the dim light and behind the dust and older dark clothes that covered her body. "Don't worry. I will not let anyone harm you. You or your friends." Renata smiled gratefully, but there was a trace of wistfulness in it. No one -- not her father, not her brother, not Jo or Devon, not this lithe, mysterious, adept girl -- thought she could take care of herself. Well, maybe Sienna, she had the feeling Sienna saw something different in her... "It will be all right," she said, as bravely as she could. On the stairs coming up to the room, Sasha was close enough to Harry to get a glimpse of the two outside Renata's room. "There she is!" she said softly. And then she gave a little start. "Harry -- that woman with her ... isn't that the one who was in the pie shop?" Harry narrowed his eyes as he looked from Renata to the mystery woman. "It is," he said softly to Sasha. And, then, louder, to Renata, "Renata! We've been worried about you." Turning her head, Elissa realized who was on the stairs. "Well... Talk about timing. Just who we needed to find. Part of them, anyway," she muttered to Renata. Renata smiled at her brother, then at Sasha. "I'm fine, but I'm very glad to see you. We were going over to find Jo... This is Elissa. She's just told me we may all be in terrible danger." "To add to that... Not because of me. I found out about this a day or so ago and been looking for her and the rest of you," Elissa added, stepping backwards, drawing them back in the room, as she looked around. "Where's your friend? The one on the crutches? I saw him that first night.." "That's Giulian," Renata volunteered. "I think he was clerking somewhere... Harry, do you remember where?" Just then Giulian's voice came up the stairwell, sharp with concern. "Is she there? Did you find her?" Elissa glanced towards the stair at the concerned call. "Well, at least he's not standing alone outside. I hope the door wasn't left open." "He's with us," said Sasha from behind Harry -- rather unnecessarily. "Lady Renata ... we have to go back to the Women's College -- I need to speak to you ... urgently!" She looked worriedly at Elissa -- clearly she was still uncertain whether to risk speaking freely in front of the self-confessed thief. "We should go downstairs," she suggested, temporising. "It would be easier on Giulian, especially his nerves," Harold agreed. "Let's all go downstairs." Catching Sasha's worried glances, Elissa dropped her head in her hand and muttered something dark under her voice. "One... I would watch the use of real names and titles around here. Two... There is something more nasty out there than me that goes boo in the night. Three... That something nasty could find all of you and it will not be pleasant," she said in a low tone. "That is what Elissa was just telling me," Renata said, sensing that her brother and Sasha didn't trust her visitor. "I won't go into the details now... but yes, we should go back to the Women's College immediately. And all together." Her 'all together' encompassed Elissa and her tone was decided. Elissa glanced quickly at the young noble lady and smiled which altered her appearance to something a little more beautiful and charming. "Thank you for that," she said with an appreciative nod. Sasha hesitated, and then nodded as she led the way back down the stairs -- as she was closest. "We can talk there," she said. "But ... can we get a hackney carriage or something to travel back in? It might be safer." "I whole-heartedly agree with you on that one. It'll be safer and faster considering your friend down there. If possible, I would ask that we find and pick up your other friends as well... Unless you would rather wait and hear what is happening," Elissa said. "We'll find safer transport no matter what we decide," Harry promised. Sasha smiled at him gratefully, and moved as though to slip her hand into his and then -- remembering their situation -- she stepped back, her colour a little heightened. Giulian was waiting for them at the foot of the stairs. As he registered Elissa's presence, disappointment was detectable along with the recognition in his face. Nevertheless he acknowledged her with a nod and said, "Ah, our rescuer of the other night. Did Jo send you?" he asked, with a flicker of hope. Elissa sighed at the look of disappointment. Other than Renata, none of them wanted her near them. Great. Another thing for her to try and fix. She ran a hand over her dark hair and shook her head. "No. I'm here for another reason. I haven't seen her for a while, not since that night I met you and your pal here." Giulian frowned worriedly. "Did you--?" "We'll talk when we get to the Women's College," said Sasha warningly -- she did not want to reveal what they knew in such a dangerous place. She turned to Elissa. "Can we get a hackney carriage here -- in this part of town?" She smiled suddenly. "One without too many fleas, for preference." Elissa's eyes narrowed just slightly and dangerously. Sure, her part of the city was downright nasty. One didn't have to turn their nose up at it, even in jest. That's what aggravated the mess and chasm between the whole noble vs. cit thing. "Oh... Yes, ma'am. I'm sure I can arrange one to your liking and minus the fleas. Stay in here and keep your precious noble slippers clean," she snapped in a low tone, turned, and walked to the front door. One hand slapped against it to open it harshly. Another yank of a slender hand snapped the door shut behind her, nearly rattling the house. "Miss Matisse--" Giulian closed his mouth on the sharp reproof that strain and weariness made him want to utter, and settled for a reproachful look at Sasha. Renata showed no such restraint. "Really! She's been awfully helpful, and as far as I can tell, there was no particular reason for her to put herself out for any of us. Why did you have to go out of your way to insult her?" She sighed. Maybe Jo was right about them. About all of them... Harold opened his mouth and closed it and then finally opened it and spoke. He looked at Sasha. "Sasha's cut was unkind, but I think it stems from the way that she approached us in a restaurant while we were taking a meal," Harold explained, still looking at Sasha. "As good as her intentions might have been or were, she unnerved the both of us with talk that bordered on the dangerously frank." He continued to regard Sasha, awaiting her response or amendment. Sasha nodded. "That's why I don't want to speak openly before her -- at least, not while we are still so far from an area that I'd consider safe. "In addition -- what I said about the hackney carriages -- it wasn't an insult aimed at anyone ... it was a fact. I've travelled in hackney carriages to get around -- most people do, you know. And they are very frequently verminous. In a part of town this this ... I think you'd be hard put to find anything else." Giulian sighed. "I realize you didn't intend any insult, Miss Matisse. But Harry and I, at least, owe something to that particular young woman. Thoughtfulness, certainly. Well, shall we go?" He inclined his head toward the door. Outside the door, through the thin walls, the sounds of a scuffle were starting to come through. "Great... Dumb and Dumber. Two stupid criminals of the city who give the rest of us a bad name and rep. What the devil do you want with me, Lennie, Oscar? Ticked off at me that I took the job? Not like either one of you could pull it off," Elissa's voice came through the wall and doorway. Her voice was just high enough and taut in a dark tone. There was an unusual clicking sound that followed her voice. "What's that?" said Sasha, alarmed. "Trouble," Harry said, slowing his forward pace. "Again." "Well, come on, then!" exclaimed Giulian. "Are we going to leave her to handle it on her own, two against one?" Unless, came the unwelcome thought, they'd only be a distraction for Elissa -- or worse, a burden. "What ye doin' 'ere on dis side of town, Chatham? Ye not belong 'ere," one of the newcomers asked in a thick accent or horrible speech. "You protectin someone in dere? Oh... We'll get ye back fer takin our job with all dem sparklies. Dem our sparklies. We coulda pulled it, but nay... Ye had to stick yer neck where it not belong," another voice said. "Oh please... One certainly can't carry on a conversation with the two of you," Elissa said as she walked away from the door and towards the street. She held up a hand to stop the hackney carriage from coming closer. Earl, the driver and a friend of hers, nodded as he pulled back on his horse, Charley. He reached down and pulled out a long fighting stick in case his friend needed help. Elissa shook her head, whirling the long fighting stick that was filled with small hinges that she created and opened and tightened with a few flicks of her wrist. "It's going to mean another scar at least," Harry said. "But abandoning her to those thugs is just wrong." Harry walked toward the door and opened it carefully, shielding the incoming view of the other three from the mysterious persons accosting Elissa. If he was going to take lumps for it, he didn't want Giulian, Renata and Sasha taking any either. Giulian, however, was having none of it, at least as far as keeping out of the matter himself went. He was right behind Harry and obviously meant to exit whenever Harry did. Sasha moved to a position where she could see, but made no move to intervene. Not only was she not armed -- she had had no training or experience in combat, and was sure that unless the case became desperate, her friends would be better off if she didn't intervene. Renata stood very close to Sasha. She was terribly proud of Harry and Giulian, and her earlier irritation had evaporated. Like Sasha, she felt it would be better for all concerned if she held back, but if it became necessary... she felt confident that the techniques they'd learned in the salon would be useful. For now, though, all she could do was hold her breath and hope that the two ruffians were scared off, or dispatched with a minimum of fuss, so that they could proceed in safety to the Women's College. At least they'd have quite a story for Jo, and Devon if he was there. It was not a story she was eager to share with her parents, or even Alexander, given his recent attitude. But her blood was up, and she had to admit that, even amidst the possibility of real danger, she was excited and felt very much alive... Near the middle of the street, the two new thugs began to advance on Elissa, who spun a long stick with her hands in a specialized, coordinated way. Her bag hung down one side and against her backside, out of the way. Her feet slowly crossed over each other as she kept the door protected from the advancing thugs. "Come 'ere, girlie. We show ye who better at thievin'," one of the thugs said, grinning, showing missing and blackened teeth which was partly responsible for his accent. He held out a long knife in one hand. His brother, his mouth also missing teeth and his were blackened as well, sidestepped his brother and used his massive size to help pin down the slender thief. Elissa glanced between them before turning and whamming her stick up between the massive guy's legs. His eyes pulled inward and he dropped hard to his knees, letting out a high pitched whine as his hands grabbed himself. Sasha caught at Renata and drew her back towards the shelter of the doorway. Turning her head just slightly, Elissa's eyes widened when she saw the nobles about to come out. "Harry... Jules....." She stopped saying anything when a massive fist hit her in the side of the head. Her eyes rolled up in her head and she wobbled in place. Fists up, Harry did not hesitate any longer and advanced on the nearest of the thugs. Giulian was out the door right after him, but could not move as fast as Harry. Recovering from the cheap shot and taking advantage of the nobles' charge towards her, Elissa skirted away and rammed the long stick against one of the thug's head, dropping him down to the ground. She watched as the other thug charged back towards the two nobles. "Jules... Harry..." Elissa called to them as she whirled, used her stick to trip up the other thug, and knock him back down. "What do you want us to do?" Giulian called back, meanwhile getting himself rebalanced to meet the thugs' charge, should it prove necessary. Beyond the action, safely behind the door with Sasha, Renata held her breath. Harry... Giulian... She whispered a quick, awkward prayer for their safety. Harry stared at the thugs and then grinned, slipping into the Cockney talk he had learned for the Experiment. He raised his fists in challenge. "Well come on then, you blokes. Wot, you'd rather beat a woman than face men in fisticuffs, eh?" Sasha gave a faint gasp and clung to Renata. "He mustn't be hurt!" she said almost fiercely. Giulian moved up next to Harry, with less bravado but equal determination in his face. Grumbling to herself, Elissa whirled, whacked her bumbling Dumber in the head, and lifted his feet off the dirt to send him sprawling again. She couldn't reach the other dumb idiot who charged towards Harry and Jules. "Don't treat him like a gentleman! Knock him out," Elissa called out and shoved her stick into her particular idiot's stomach and finally knocked him out cold. "Finally. Crickets! He has a hard head." At the same time, the carriage driver made his way to the doorway and nodded while tapping a hand on his cap. "Miladies, me name is Earl. Miss Elissa would like me to escort ye to the carriage. It's quite nice and clean inside. Do ye wish to come with me?" Renata nodded, but then said, "What about E--Miss Elissa? She is coming with us, isn't she?" "Yes, milady. She'll be with you shortly after dealing with those blokes," Earl said. "Though it'll be much faster now that those fellas are hitting the other one. Those blokes have been after Miss Elissa for a while. Tryin' to get her into trouble. She's on her own down here. No family, poor dear. I help her out after she got me out of some trouble." Earl smiled as his fingers pulled the cap off his head and fiddled with the brim. Renata smiled at him warmly. "Then I think we should make sure we are ready as soon as she is." She turned to Sasha. "Shall we?" Somehow she was no longer worried about Elissa, Harry and Giulian. Sasha, however, shook her head. "Not without Har ... the others," she said firmly. Her eyes were intent on the scene unfolding across the street. Harry waited with calm as the charging thug approached him and Giulian. He stepped slightly to the side, to give Jules as much an open shot at the thug as he did. As the thug came within his reach, Harry's fist shot out, hitting his foe in the upper shoulder. Harry pulled it back, ready for another blow and to see how much of a hit he had scored on the thug and if Jules was participating. Sasha gave a little gasp, her eyes wide -- and a little awed as she watched Harry. As Harry hit the thug high, Giulian hit him low, swinging a crutch to take him in the back of the knees. Between the two of them, the man fell hard on his back. "That's the way," Elissa grinned as she slid in and whacked the thug's head hard with her fighting stick. "Nighty night," she said with a grin as the dumb thug grumbled and his eyes rolled back. Elissa turned and glanced around at the chaos created by the thug brothers. One hand pressed and massaged her cheek and chin absently. Already a nasty red mark and bruise was appearing in the fine, soft creamy skin that covered her face. Her eyes were bright and sparkled from the adrenaline kick. "Well... That's over with..." she said, glancing back at the two nobles. "Thank you for the help." "Don't mention it," Giulian said, the glint in his eyes answering hers momentarily. "Let's quit while we're ahead, shall we?" He tilted his head toward the waiting hackney. "Agreed," Harry said, wiping his brow. "We'll have to see that is tended to, though," he said, glancing at Elissa and seeing the mark. He then turned in the direction of Renata and Sasha and gave both a smile. Sasha's face lit up in a relieved smile. Moving her jaw around, testing her cheek, wincing at the bruise muscles, Elissa shook her head. "It stings, but nothing feels broken. I've had worse. Not much you can do for a bruise. Though the headache... if you know of something for that, I'll take it." She glanced at her stick and with a twist of her wrist, the hinges came loose with a few soft clicks. She then folded it up and secured it with the loop of ribbon she attached to the top. She slipped it into her bag. "Let's go. Earl is taking care of the ladies for you fellas. Clean carriage too," she added, glancing around again. "I don't feel safe out on the streets. We need to get to wherever you all want to go before the sun sets. Something nasty will be out on the streets, hunting. If he finds either one of you two, heirs to two powerful familes of Aquila, it'll be a fine night for him, but not you," she said in a low voice that would only catch their ears. "The ladies need to get to the Women's College," said Giulian, heading toward the carriage. "Harry and I... I'm not sure. We can discuss it on the way." As usual, he let the others get in first, then handed his crutches in before pulling himself up and into the remaining seat. (Continued in The Experiment: Heading Home) |
