Diamonds and Nicotine

A thick silence had fallen over the small dank room, mixing with the cold air and cigarette smoke. Noir seemed to have processed what she was just told, and her brows furrowed in confusion. She licked her lips slowly, took time as if to place her words before she spoke.
“A proposal,” she echoed. “What is the point to all this?”

Valerio blinked, taking a moment to register the words as it was not the question she had been anticipating. But it was that bored tone that sent her temper flaring.
“That’s a strange question coming from a dead thief.” she returned, clenching her teeth to stop herself from snapping at her.

“That’s precisely it.” Noir said. Finally she lifted her face to the woman before her and gave her an even gaze. Her face was slightly sickly pale, with sheen of sweat on her forehead, expressing her compromised health. But otherwise, she showed no sign of weakness.
“You plan to hire a dying thief in a clandestine arrangement, in exchange for what? My life?” Noir scoffed. “All of this while you already know that my life isn’t an effective bargaining chip…”
She closed her eyes again and hummed, tilting her head to the side as if to be in deep thought.
“Could it be that you specifically went through all this just for me? Ah, let me guess; it’s a job only I could do?”

Valerio clicked her tongue against her teeth, her temper getting hotter.
“Don’t flatter yourself, thief,” she snapped, standing up from her chair to loom over her. “It doesn’t have to be you that I hire. It’s just out of convenience; I happen to have you here to be used at my disposal.”

“Then just dispose of me,” Noir said, sounding bored again.

Valerio blinked, startled all over again. What was wrong with this girl?
The thief’s head returned to hang down towards the ground lazily. “I’m not one to beg, and I am most certainly not one to be used or kept on a leash. If it doesn’t have to be me, then I will decline.”

Vivienne’s mouth twitched and she quickly brought up the cigarette to her lips again for another long hit.
“But you’re going to die.” she said.

“Yes, regardless of whether or not I do this job. So what’s the point?” Noir returned. “From what I hear, there are not antitoxins for the Blue Rings.”

Valerio smiled tightly, sitting back down.
“What if I told you I have an antidote?” she offered up.

In an instant, the thief’s eyes were on her, searching her face for any signs of deception.
“That’s a lie,” Noir said. “No one has been able to create a counter-dose for that toxin.”

“Almost no one, darling. Almost.” Valerio corrected, exhaling yet another puff of smoke. “I could possibly fix a trade with you---an antidote, for your services. Your survival, for your skillsets. A chance to live, for your job well-done. However you prefer to look at it.”
Valerio sighed and settled back into her seat, relaxed confidence returning to her.
“So…what would it be?”

The girl in the chair said nothing, not making as much as a flutter of a movement. Vivienne Valerio raised an eyebrow, irritation bubbling.
“Shall I remind you that you don’t have the time of the world to think of the answer?” she reminded her curtly, quickly growing impatient. It had already been ten minutes since revealing her plans to hire the thief, and she had expected an answer eleven minutes ago. Had it been anyone Vivienne normally dealt with, they would’ve been begging to do anything the moment she pulled out the syringe.
The silence was maintained and Vivienne bit back a snarl and instead settled to taking a drag from her fourth cigarette. Between the soft puffs of smoke she leveled a glare at her captive before her.
Noir sat still, still bound to the chair, eyes closed and head hanging. She was so still that Valerio wondered if she was already dead. But finally, after what seemed like hours, the thief finally spoke.

“What’s the job?” she asked.

Vivienne clicked her tongue, fighting a victorious smile. She flicked the dead ash from the end of her cigarette and shook her head.
“No, no, cherie. Not until you agree to take the job and agree to the terms I have.” she said. “Like a proper contractual arrangement, I can’t share any information on my plans until you are on my side.”
A scowl found its way onto Noir’s face and Valerio laughed.
“Now, that’s not an expression for a lady. It doesn’t suit your pretty face.” she laughed. “You of all people should know how these underground handlings go, Mademoiselle Noir. Surely this isn’t your first.”

When she didn’t say anything Valerio gave out a dramatic sigh.

“Surely you’re not thinking of turning this offer away. I know you are much smarter than that, Mademoiselle Noir.” she said. “You’re not looking great. Clearly you are already feeling the toxin and the blockers invading your system…so soon; I wonder how you are going to fare in the coming hours.”
She leaned back a bit and studied the thief before her up and down.
“This is not something you can fight against with will or weasel out of. You’ll need a miracle to save you now.”

Mademoiselle Noir barked out a short laugh, the sound shaky and dubious.
“And you are the one that can give me that miracle” she scoffed.

“Whether you take the hand I’m offering you or you don’t.” Valerio said. “So, I’ll ask again, what would it be?”

Mademoiselle Noir didn’t speak, and behind the sheen of sweat and paled skin, Valerio saw a conflicted look and seized the moment to hook.

Vivienne sighed, flicked the cigarette to the ground and got up from her chair.
“I had hoped this arrangement would go smoothly, but I suppose this was a bit much,” she sighed. She glided over to the door and twisted the doorknob open. “Adieu Mademoiselle, it was my pleasure to meet you at least…”

“Attendre.”

Valerio stopped just as she was about to pull the door open and turned around.

Mademoiselle Noir stared back, no false humor left on her face.
“What do you want me to do?” she asked.

Vivienne Valerio paused a bit before she turned back to the door. With her back to her thief, a small smile crept over her face.
“Hmmm,” she hummed softly to herself before letting go of the doorknob.