Teddybear

"Not sure. I don't bother thinking about it."

"Well, just about anything, really. Better accommodations, services you'd like performed for your own benefit. You can barter just about anything you'd like for your labor."

She chuckled. "I don't exactly dream about labor."

"There are other forms of compensation."

Kivvien chuckled. "A lot of things are against the law, including you being made to begin with, and yet here you are. I have pointed out many times that you ...

"A couple in high school."

"Bingo."

"And yet here you are." The liquid was turning an odd green color.

"I see. Please stir this until the mixture turns violet." He passed him a beaker and glass stir stick.

"That's an oxymoron."

"But?"

He nodded awkwardly and kept working.

"Well...yes, I suppose so."

She laughed. "I wouldn't describe any job that way."

Kate had been stalking down another goddamn fucking piece of shit street looking for the fucking scarecrow when someone hucked a heavy sack at her legs. She stumbled sideways and ...