4 Chapter 4

I unfolded the note. "Who was that. How did they know I would be back there?" I carefully unfolded it. It read, 'I knew they were going to try something. I knew you could have handled it on your own, but you don't need to get hurt right now. I will be in the back.' It was signed GS. "Who is GS?"

I flipped it over. Nothing. "GS? G. S. Garret Segal. He just had to be dramatic. Really." I walked over to the locker, and in it was two bags. One smaller than the other. "Jaycie, you can do this. Just put on the outfit. Add the jewelry and know you can get to drunk to remember this later." I thought.

"Five minutes ladies. Hurry up." Someone yelled. It was the manager. I slipped into the outfit. It was basically a bikini with a mesh connecting the top and bottom. The whole thing was black. The bottoms had a short skirt. "I think he tried to get a modest outfit." I smiled at myself. I opened the smaller bag. Inside was a necklace. It was black diamonds set in a silver metal. There were several layers. He also provided a bunch of bracelets and a set of earrings.

There was a note at the bottom of the small bag. "The bracelets have tablets at the clasps. One in his drink should do. Two would be better thought. Just to make sure." There was no signature of course. He couldn't leave a trail of evidence. I checked the bracelets and marked the ones that had the tablets on them. "Looks like I won't need my own poison after all." "Ladies, line up." The manager yelled. I made it to third in line. The girl in the very front was looking at the manager, waiting for her cue to go.

When she got her cue, she walked down the catwalk. When she got to the end, she did a spin. People instantly started bidding. "She is so lucky to be so popular." The girl behind me said. The girl in front of me was quiet and shaking. "She is definitely new." I thought. When the manager flagged her to go, she started walking. Her pace was fast enough to show she was nervous. No one said anything. She did a spin and a hair flip. No one said anything. She did the walk of shame back.

It was my turn to walk now. Everything slowed down. I started walking. My eyes connected with the first few men, at the beginning of the catwalk. Numbers immediately started flying. I looked towards the back of the room, and Garret is frowning. He does not like this. Finally, my eyes connect with Wilker's. He is standing at every end. And he is bidding on me as well.

"What is he playing at. Why is he bidding on me?" Farren's father sees me. It takes a moment for him to place me, then he recognizes me. His dollars enter the bidding. The numbers are going higher and higher. When I get to the end, I do a spin, then stop, with one hand on my hip. I put my eyes on the door, longing to get out of here. Then the worst thing happens. Zachery walks in. Our eyes connect immediately.

His eyes travel down my body, then back up. "Can this night get any worse?" I thought. He walks up to the catwalks and starts bidding. I can feel fear building in me. "I don't even want tho think about what might happen if he gets his hands on me." I look at Wilker and slide my eyes back to Zachery. He looks over at him and walks over. He keeps up his bidding why he yells a Zachery.

Finally, the bid ends. Wilker won, but Mr. Varro is still staring at me with a smile. Farren still hasn't noticed me. He is watching a fight. Wilker collects me and walks into the mess of tables. "Why did you out bid Mr. Varro?" I asked almost screaming at him. "Trust me, it is all part of my plan. Had he bought you, there is no saying he would have given you to Farren. But now that I bought you, he will take you from me. Then give you to his son. He sat down and I was standing in front of him.

"Why is Zachery here?" I asked. "I don't know. I didn't tell anyone. He probably is bored." Before I can answer, someone wraps their arm around my waist. I am pulled into someone's chest. "Wilker, I didn't know we hired this young woman. Did you get a little to mad at her for messing up?" I want to push away but force myself not to.

"I can't have an assassin that can't win. But I wanted her for one more night. So, if you don't mind, get your hands off her." Mr. Varro laughed. "You see, I can take any woman from anyone. And My son will love her." "No." I all but yell. Mr. Varro laughs, "Oh, you don't want to be with my son tonight." I keep my mouth shut. His grip around my waist tightens to hurting. "Answer me." He says. "No. I don't want to be near any of you. But I need a job."

He laughs. "Well Wilker. I have to go. Thanks for buying her for me." He leads me towards the pit. When he gets to Farren, he taps on his shoulder and puts me in front of him. When Farren turns around, his eyes land on me. "Who is this?" He asks. "Oh son, this is the woman who thought she could beat you in your first fight." Farren gets a smile on his face. "How lucky I am." He grabs my hand and starts walking with me away from the pit. His father leaves quickly.

"Did you really think you could beat me?" He asked. I kept my head hung low. "No." I answered. This was what he wanted to hear. "You were stupid to try and beat me you know." Anger flares inside me, but I lock it down tight. "I know." He pulls me toward the bar. "Don't worry. You are better suited for this job. Let's get you a drink."

He orders both of us a drink. Mine is meant for people in my job, to get them drunk after only a couple. "Here you go." He hands it to me, and I take a sip. "So, would you like to see some real fighting?" He asks. He is already headed to one of the tables that surround the pit. I follow reluctantly. As I pass through the crowd, the men turn and stare at me.

When we sit down, he puts his drink down, and grabs mine out of my hand. Then he pulls me down onto his lap. I am sitting with my back to his chest. He has one of his arms on the armrest of the chair, and one playing with the hem line of my skirt. His full attention is on the pit. I can't get my attention of the hand on my thigh. He seems to almost be moving his hand almost unconsciously. And it doesn't go any higher.

When the fight is over, I grab my drink and take another sip. But right as I am about to pull the glass from my lips, he puts a hand on the bottom of it, and tips it back up, making me drink almost all of it at once. When he lets me bring it down, I am coughing hard. "Hey, What the h-" I remember the mission. "Yes?" He asks. "Nothing. Sorry."

The next fight starts, and he asks, "Who do you think will win?" I study the two men. One is tall and very fit, the other is shorter, but is also looks strong. "I...umm...think the shorter one will win." He smiles. "Good." "Why?" I ask. He smiles and stands up, throwing me off balance. Why I am shaking, he shoves me into the pit. I go falling in and hit the ground with a hard thud. Farren calls the taller one out and leaves me with the shorter one.

My eyes fly up to Farren and he smirks. "Let's see if you can win at all." I jump up, but my ankle hurts. It is twisted. The small dude looks at me with a predatory gaze. Wilker is standing at the edge of the pit and has a plain face, but I can see a hint of fear in his eyes. Garret is on the other side, and his face is slightly pale. The short dude runs at me, and I put all my weight on my bad ankle and do a snap kick into his face with my good foot. He goes flying and I kneel down and heal my ankle. With both my hands wrapped around my ankle, I can't defend myself.

When the man comes back toward me, I jump up, both of my ankles are perfect. I am feeling really lucky that Wilker made me train in heels. I get my killing calm smile on, and the fight truly starts. I throw punched left and right. The man can't get a single hit in. When I am tired of fighting him, I throw a right hook into his jaw, and he falls unconscious, but not before he throws a punch into my gut.

It has been a while since you have been punched in the gut without your armor on, so you stumble back into the wall. A hand appears next to your head. Farren helps you out. "Good job girl. I thought he would turn you into bloody mess. I guess you are an okay fighter. All the sudden you feel lightheaded. The alcohol is getting to you. He raises your glass to your lips and makes you drink the rest.

"I am going to get you another one. Sit down. I will be right back." I sit and he leaves. I quickly pull two tablets from my bracelets. After a quick look around, I drop them into his drink. They dissolve quickly. When he gets back, he lifts me, sits down and sets my back in his lap. He hands me my drink and grabs his. "A drink to you actually winning." He takes several huge gulps. I drink about half of it.

The alcohol gets to my head immediately and everything goes blurry. I have been trained to be more resistant to alcohol. After a few minutes, the affect fades away. A few more fights go by and Farren finishes his drink. Mine stays on the table, but I pretend to be drink. After a while, Farren says, "Let's go get some air. How does that sound?" I give him a drunken nod. He stands up, and sways. His hand claps onto my arm.

"Are you okay?" I ask. He nods, but sways again. He lets go of the table. And takes two steps, but then he falls into the pit. I start to go over with him, but several people lunge to catch me. Several hands try to catch me. I look back, and Garret's hand is one of them, but someone knocks him out of the way. I go over and Farren's body flips to were I am under him. I land on my back, and the air runs out of my body. Then he lands on top of me and I let out a small scream. My whole body hurts. The two people fighting stop. Several sets of feet hit the floor of the pit. People are pulling Farren off of me. Half of them check on him. But people crowd around me.

The first face I see is Wilker's. I can feel tears behind my eyes. He knows something must be really hurt because of my tear lined eyes. "Jaycie, are you okay." I can't nod. I can't move at all. I am trying to get air into me. After several failed attempts, I get a deep breath. I see Garret staring down at me from the top of the pit. I try to sit up, but a piercing pain runs through my lower back.

"Jaycie, where does it hurt?" Wilker asks. "Lower back." I manage. "Something is wrong." Wilker puts one hand on my hip, and lifts it slightly, enough to fit his other hand under me. I feel the soothing feel of healing power run through me. When he pulls away, I can sit up, but my back barks in pain. He helps me stand. I remember my mission and turn to where Farren lies. He is dead. His father is staring down at him, trying to revive him.

When that fails, he looks at our table. "Someone test his cup, someone else get the bartender." Two people move into action, but I stare down at Farren. I let my tears fall, so it looks like they are falling for him. I add a stutter into my words. "Wh...wh...what happened to hi...him?" Mr. Varro stands. "Are you okay darlin'?" He doesn't even suspect me. "I am fine. What ha...ha...happened to him?" "I am pretty sure our bartender has poisoned him. You have nothing to worry about."

Wilker wraps an arm around me. "Mr. Varro, I am taking her back. I saw her fight, and she is to good for this crap." Mr. Varro scowled. "No. She is mine." He grabs my arm and pulls me toward him. My spine barks in pain. I let out a squeal. Wilker slaps away Mr. Varro's arm. "No. She is mine. With that, he lifted me out of the pit and jumped out himself. He leads me back to the back room and I grab me stuff. As we walk out, he puts his hand on my lower back as if he was leading me, but he is actually using his healing power.

When we get to the front gate of the guild, he takes my bags and turned to me. "Jaycie, I had no idea he would push you into the pit, or that he would fall into it himself. Are you truly okay?" "I am fine, can I just have a few minutes." He smiles and walks away. I walk into the garden and to the bench. I sit down and put my own hand on my back. It only takes a few minutes, but my back is good as new.

I was always told that I had a stronger healing power than most. After I calm down, I walk into the guild. Of course, Zachery is standing there. "So, you really are just a whore." I clench a fist. "Zachery, I am not in the mood. Leave me alone." I try and walk past him, but he grabs me, turns me toward him, and pushes a kiss onto my lips. I shriek and shove him away. "Stay away, or I swear I will leave you six feet in the ground." I stalk off to Wilker's office.

I throw myself into one of his chairs. "If you get on to me for being disrespectful by just sitting, I will put you six feet under as well." He laughs. "Since you have just been put through hell, I won't make you regret that." I give him a weak smile. "Are you okay?" He asks again. "Honestly, I am this close to blowing up on you for making me do that mission, I want to kill Zachery for kissing me just now, and I want to go to sleep."

Wilker stares at me. "Do you want to stay in your old room for tonight." I feel weak for asking but I say, "Could I?" "Just because you moved out, doesn't mean that room isn't yours. You always place here." I smiled. I kept a change of clothes and a set of daggers in there. I get up to leave, but he says, "Please don't kill Zachery. He is a pretty good assassin. He gets missions done well." I think. "Fine, but if he doesn't keep quiet, I can't promise his face won't be black and blue." "I am fine with that." He says.

I walk out of his office, and Zachery is leaning against the staircase. As I walk past him, he asks, "Is mommy's prodigy going to bed?" I clench both my fists but try to keep walking. "What, is the whore to mad to talk?" That is, it. I snap. I fly up to him, put one hand on his shoulder, and throw my fist into his right eye. He fly's back. "Keep that mouth shut, or I will shut it for you." He stands up and opens his mouth to say something, then shuts it. Instead he turns and walks off. I go up to my room and fall onto my bed.

I close my eyes, and when I open them back up, the sun is streaming through the window. I squint my eyes. The alcohol had a worse affect than I thought. I quickly get changed into my clothes and put my two daggers on. I am about to head to the door, but it opens. Garret is standing there. I quickly object. "Garret. You can't be in here. Someone could pass and hear you. The wrong message would go around. I-"

He smiles. "It is ten thirty. Everyone is either gone or in the training room. Which is where we are going." He steers me out of the room. When we get to the hall he asks, "Did you punch Zachery?" I smile. "He deserved it. How did you know?" Garret chuckles. "He is wearing a black eye like it is a badge of honor. I fume. "No. That makes it seem like he got into a fight and that is all that happened to him. I walk in through the door right as Wilker does, and don't pay him any attention.

I storm up to Zachery and spin him around by his shoulder. His eye is really bad. I immediately yell at him. "You don't get to wear that black eye like you won a fight. I slam my hand over his eye and heal it immediately. He shoves me back, but it is to late. The black eye is gone. "If you want a badge, go win a fight. Don't let someone punch you then walk around like you won." Everyone is backing away from me. Zachery does something smart for once and backs off without a word.

I turn to Wilker and smile. "You may continue with whatever you had to say." Wilker glares at me. "Everyone, we are doing sparring practice. Pair off. Zachery moves away from me, but Wilker yells to him. "Zachery." He turns. "Yes sir." "You are with Jaycie." I hear several laughs. "Oh Zachery." I call sweetly. Fear immediately enters his eyes, but he shakes it away. I raise one eyebrow. "Let's get started."

Everyone starts sparring, and I go hard on Zachery. I use my two daggers. I let him have chances to be on offensive, but mainly keep him on defense. After about thirty munities of sparring, I trip him onto his knee, press a hand on his back, grab one of his arms and twist it behind his back. I grab his dagger and put it to his own neck. "Give up." I say out loud. That is when I realize everyone has stopped sparring and are in a circle around us watching.

I decide to give a small lesson. "You see guys, if you decide to make fun of me, I will get you back. Just because I have long hair and can wear a dress, does not make me weak. You better all take this to heart. Next time I have to teach this particular lesson, I will not leave the person so unscratched." Considering Zachery has many cuts on him, I can see several assassins look at me different. More respect in their eyes.

I back away from Zachery and heal the few cuts I got. "Does anyone want to go against me?" I ask. "I will." Garret says as he steps forward. I smile. "Really. You of all people?" I ask. He takes another step forward. He has a playful look in his eyes. I sheathe both of my daggers. "Let's go." He says. We both start sparring. Everyone is cheering. I can instantly tell Garret is play with me. We are both using our fists, but he is pulling his punches. We duck and swing. Every time he gets me, I pretend to stumble back, as if he had hit me with full force. He does that same.

When he gets bored, he lets me win. After I we are done, I go to the kitchen and get a plate of food and some water. Garret follows suite. "Good fight." He says. "You could have tried to go hard." "I didn't want to hurt you. How is your back anyway?" I roll my eyes. "I am fine. It doesn't even hurt." He looks up at me and by the look on his face, I can see he is serious.

"Jaycie, when you went over, my heart stopped. Then I saw him land on you. I could have sworn the whole world stopped moving. When they pulled Farren off you, and I saw the pain in your eyes, I wanted to jump down there. I was scared." I put a hand on his arm. "I know. But I am tough. I can handle it. I have been through worse. Please, don't drown me in your pity. I don't want that. I want to know you know I can handle myself. Okay?"

He nodded and I smiled. "What?" He asked. "It is funny to watch you worry." "Hey, you could have been severely hurt. You are lucky." "I know, just cool it." I say. We finish our meals, and we walk back towards the sparring room. Wilker calls me, and I split from Garret. When I get to his office, he motions to a chair. He walks to his and says, "I have another mission for you. If you are ready. If not, I can hand it to someone else."

I feel excitement build inside me. "What is it?" "I want you to do another person's first fight." My heart falls. "Who?" "At The Pitts. Valery's son. Lee Grey. This is a business opportunity. Mrs. Grey has said if one of my assassin's can beat her son, she will talk with me about a partnership. Lee is really good, but I think you are better. I won't tell you any moves that you should do, but I will be watching. Do you want it."

I jump out of the chair, now excited again. "Yes. And I will win this time. I know it." Wilker lets a small smile on his face. "Great. Tomorrow night is the fight. Are you sure you want this?" "Yes." I say. "Good. Make sure and look your best. I want Lee to know he has not only been beaten by my assassin, but by my, and the only, female assassin. You know guys like him hate that." I smirk, "Not my fault I am better."

I walk out of the office, and out of the Guild. I walk around the city, looking into the different store windows. After a while, I enter the market. My stop is at the dagger booth. I look over the new daggers. The one that catches my eye, has wings on the hilt around some sort of skull. The blade is engraved with a patten. There are two of them. A smile forms on the salesman's face. "Hello Mrs. Laker. How are you today?"

I am one of his best customers. "Hello. I would like that set." I point to the set I like. He looks at them. He names the price and I say, "I will buy them for half that." He looks shocked. "Eighty percent at the least." I smirk. "How about seventy five percent, or I take my business elsewhere." "No. Seventy five percent. That is perfect." I pay him and he says, "You know, I shouldn't have ever told you, you were my best customer." "You are right, but I will be wearing these tomorrow night, so expect some business the day after." He smiled, "I knew I liked you for something."

I walk away from his booth and to my apartment. I clean my suit and sharpen all my blades. Then I clean my apartment up. After making myself dinner, I fall asleep with a smile on my face. Today wasn't bad at all. It was actually pretty good.