Thief Assassin: Chapter 5

Jack smirked slightly as he walked through the Market. Dressed in normal clothes instead of his City Guard uniform, the scar that barred his defining eye were hardly noticed by the other people. There were a few merchants from the mountain tribes and he blended in nicely. He had managed to convince his commander to let him have complete control of the operation to capture Auxi, using whatever methods he wanted, however unorthodox they may be.

He scanned the street before him, looking for children who fitted what he was looking for. He was in the part of the Market that had received the most complaints about Auxi’s thieves or her messengers, the orphans she had claimed custody of. Posting himself between two stalls, he leant against one of the posts and waited for one of those people to go by. He leant in the shadow of the stalls for half an hour before seeing one. He was a child about ten years old, slipping through the crowd. Every so often he would brush against someone and in a deft movement, cut their purse. Jack swiftly righted himself and started after the child. As the boy’s hand reached out to cut another purse, Jack grabbed the offending arm and used it to drag him into a side-street. He dropped the boy to the floor where he cowered, protecting his head.

“Oh stop that, I’m not going to hit you.” Jack snapped. “First is this the girl Thief’s area?” The boy nodded imperceptibly. “Good. Now, I need you to take a message to her second.” The boy blanched and shook his head. “You don’t want to? Well let me put it this way: I have absolutely no problems with killing someone who works with the thieves, even if they’re a child.” The boy turned grey and nodded very slightly. “Good boy. Tell him that the guy from yesterday wants to see him. He’ll know who you’re talking about. Make sure the Thief doesn’t find out. Go on, I’ll wait here.”

The child scrambled to his feet and looked Jack in the eyes. The cold, emotionless, almost cruel light in them made him flinch, then sprint back into the street. Jack leant against the wall and waited.

*

Zach was leaving Auxi’s office when the child reached him. He stopped in the doorway and waited for the child to speak or go past him. When he didn’t, he shut the door behind him and pulled the child into a different room.

“What’s up Ben?” he asked roughly. “I don’t have the time to mess around. If you have something to say then say it.” Ben flushed slightly then stuttered out the message. As Zach’s expression turned dark, he added,

“His eyes’re freaky, kinda cold.” The echo of Auxi’s words made Zach frown.

“Okay, give me a second and you can show me where he’s waiting.” He went back into the corridor and stuck his head around Auxi’s door. “Oi Auxi! I have errands to run and might not be back for a while. Is that okay or do you need me?” She thought for a second before sighing.

“No, it’s fine. Just make sure not to get into any fights and don’t use the High-road, especially since it’s beginning to get dark; it really isn’t safe.” Zach opened his mouth to say something then thought better of it, nodded and left the room following Ben.

*

Zach followed Ben through the dimming Market until they reached the side-street where Jack was waiting and into which Ben refused to go into, so Zach let him go with a copper and a warning not to tell Auxi. Then he stepped into the side-street making Jack turn around

“You must be Zach then, seeing as you came.” He smiled slightly.

“I would prefer it if you didn’t terrorize our kids,” Zach replied dryly, evading the question.

“Well, he didn’t seem very disposed to take a message to you, so I decided to scare him a little, that’s all.” Zach snorted.

“Slightly? He was ready to faint!”

“Yes well, that does happen…”

“I’m guessing there’s a reason why you called me out; unless you’re the type of person who gives others rub just for fun?”

“What is fun? I just find it interesting to hunt people who catch my attention.”

“And we got your attention.” Zach ground his teeth. They had got the attention of a wild person. He could see what Auxi had meant by empty eyes. Looking at him was like looking at an abandoned house: cold and lonely. Zach shivered as Jack smiled emotionlessly.

“Exactly. You’ll probably be seeing a lot more of me from now on, so try and remember me. Although, after this, I doubt that you’ll forget, you or your Thief, what’s her name again? Auxi, isn’t it? She’s very interesting. Especially those years when she disappeared. Seeing as the City Guard can do whatever they want to convicted criminals, maybe I’ll oversee her questioning personally. It’ll be interesting to see what she lets slip.”

A sly smile crept across his face as he watched Zach flush red with anger.

“I swear…if you ever hurt Auxi, I will make your life a living hell. Then I’ll kill you, slowly.” Anger was emanating from him in threatening waves, all of it directed at the smiling person in front of him. Most people would have at least have been a little scared by the threat concentrated on them but Jack only smirked and took a step towards Zach.

            “You’re a little touchy on that subject aren’t you?” He took another step forwards. “Is it just loyalty or do you have feelings for her?” Zach flinched as Jack took another step forwards. “But she doesn’t have any feeling for you, oh no. She won’t ever have any feelings for anyone; she’s too independent, isn’t she?” Zach swung his fist at Jack but it was swiftly blocked. “Now, now, don’t get carried away. You might do something that you’ll regret.”

            “How could I regret beating your sorry ass?” he snarled. Jacks smirk just deepened. The little bit of patience that Zach had left snapped. And he sent a barrage of blows at Jack, at some point pulling out a knife, but all of them were blocked easily. Jack was just as used to fighting as Zach, better when he was calm. He drew his fist back landed a hard blow on Zach’s jaw then took a step back out of his range. Slipping his hand into his pocket, he gripped a handle and drew out his own knife. Zach wiped the blood from the side of his mouth then waited for Jack to attack, his body as tense as a tuning fork. He could almost hear the crackle of tension in the air.

Suddenly, he realised the crackle was that of electricity. He narrowed his eyes at Jack and realised that the captain's eyes were glowing electric blue. Zach’s eyes widened then narrowed again. A smirk spread across his face.

            “Can’t you beat me without your magic, Captain?” he asked sarcastically.

            “Of course I can you slum trash,” Jack drawled. “But beating you with magic is just part of my plan. Please don’t think that I’m as pathetically weak as you.” Zach twitched at the insult but stayed where he was standing.

            “Oh really. What is this plan then?” Zach was just stalling for time, even though he didn’t want to know the answer.

            “Do you really think that I’m going to tell you that? You must be even more stupid than you look.” Zach’s hand twitched and his dagger went flying towards Jack. Another appeared quickly in his hand as the first was dodged. “Stop doing that. You’re just making it worse for yourself.”

            “You’re going to try and get Auxi, that’s the only reason I need to attack you,” Zach growled.

            “No, I’m going to capture her. There’s a difference.” The second knife tore a hole in his jacket. A third knife was slid from Zach’s boot into his hand as he glared at Jack.

            “Such a fierce glare. And you made a hole in my jacket. Really now. You’re so much trouble.” He threw his knife at Zach but it flew past him. Zach snorted.

            “You really aren’t good at this are you?” Jack just raised his eyebrows slightly and moved his hand. Zach saw the movement of the knife out of the side of his eye but it was too late. It lodged itself deep into his stomach. He dropped to his knees and touched the handle of the knife. He opened his moth but only a slight moan escaped from it. Jack smirked then walked over to him and pulled the dagger out, sending an electrical charge down it as he did so. Zach jittered then fell to the floor and lay there, not moving. Jack bent down and nudged him with his hand.

“You’re not allowed to die” he whispered.

He straightened up and strode out of the side-street, noticing Ben quivering next to the exit as he did so. Good. He had their attention.