Catch a Thief

Observations required creativity and the right inconspicuous approach. If she had seen him again she would get the upper hand. He would react and she would have the initiative again. He needed the right tools. Marcus opened the door and entered the, Festivals Boutique, a shop along his patrol route.

Alex followed him inside.

A musty waft hit his nose like an old footlocker that had never been opened. He took a few steps inside. Stacks and shelves of trinkets surrounded him. Rows of clothing and costumes lined up against the walls and disappeared behind more stacks of clutter. “Hello.”

They waited a few seconds.

Marcus pointed and walked toward the wall. “That’s what we need.”

“A costume?” Alex said.

“No, a disguise.”

He thumbed through some outfits and looked over at Alex.

Alex pulled out a dress and held it up. He put it back and pulled another dress out stared at it.

“You’re not really going to wear that?”

Alex chuckled. “Imagine the tits and ass fitting into this.”

A feminine voice spoke behind him, “Am I interrupting anything, gentlemen?”

They turned and faced her.

Alex pointed toward him, “He’s the gentleman.” Alex stepped toward her and held the dress to her breasts.

“What are you doing?” she said.

“Seeing if it fits. You may have to try it on.”

He narrowed his eyes and yanked the dress from Alex’s hand, “C’mon. This is serious.” He had paid him for his help not foolishness.

Alex looked at him and crossed his arms. “This is ridiculous. We’re not going to a party.”

“She’ll recognize us.”

“She’ll recognize you. I’ve never seen her before.”

He touched his chin and stroked. Yeah, the Halfling hadn’t seen Alex. “Alright. Just give me a little time to pick something out.”

Alex cocked an eyebrow, looked at him and at the array of costumes and wardrobes. He shook his head, “I’ll be outside.”

“So, what exactly do you need?” she said.

~

He stepped outside and stood up straight. He inhaled a deep breath of air and stretched his arm like he was invincible. He gleamed a look at Alex.

Alex half snarled his face and raised an eyebrow.

“What?”

“Who are you supposed to be? Where’s your armor? Your sword.”

“I left it in shop. Ellie will look after it.”

Alex’s face lit up. “You got her name?”

“Not too hard to do when she helped me.”

Alex licked his lips and grinned.

“Next stop, Moulder’s Pub.”

“Good, I wouldn’t mind a pint.”

Couldn’t Alex had kept his mind on the task at hand? “We are going to observe not drink.”

Alex tilted his head down and exhaled.

~
Marcus picked out an observation point across the dirt road into an alley between two shops. He and Alex placed nearby debris, garbage and useless wood in a suitable spot. From their make shift vantage point and into early evening, Marcus and Alex observed traffic in and out of the Moulder’s Pub.

Might he’d known a better place? He’d seen her frequent the pub. Maybe today she had other things to do. However he couldn’t take a chance. If she’d showed up he had to be here. A deep long snort like a clogged up nose filled his ears. He turned his head. Alex slumbered.

He bit hard and tightened his grip. He muffled. “Alex.”

Alex snored again.

He scooted toward Alex and ensured the rubbish concealed him each push forward. He jarred Alex’s shoulder. “Alex.”

Alex’s popped his eyes open and glared at him. “Is she here?”

“Shhhh. No.”

“What do you mean, no?”

“Keep your voice down.”

Alex bolted up on his butt and looked around. “There’s no one near us.”

He winced a look around. Alex was right, but that hadn’t been a good enough excuse. Alex shouldn’t have slept on the job.

Alex turned toward the pub. “Look around you. It’s getting late and I haven’t bonked a wench since we started. I’m outta here.”

He grasped the back of his neck and rolled his shoulders, “Wait.” He pulled out his coin pouch, “I’ll pay you more.”

Alex looked at the coin purse and licked his lips.

He opened his pouch and pulled out a single disc of Jobane platinum. He held it up toward Alex’s face.

Alex stroked his chin.

He offered the coin.

Alex cupped Marcus’ hand and folded his fingers over the platinum. “With no coochie in almost two days, it’s going to cost you three.”

He needed Alex’s expertise on traps and bait. He needed his promotion. First he must had apprehended the Halfling. “Agreed. Three.”

“And. We start again tomorrow. I’m boinking me a whore tonight.”

He hadn’t liked that. If the Halfling patronized the pub this evening he might have needed Alex’s help.”

“Well, do we have a deal?”

Then again, maybe he needed rest and fresh start too. He drew in a deep breath. “You better be here, same place, no later past sunrise.”

Alex took the three discs, “I’ll be here.” Alex stood up and darted toward Moulder’s Pub.

~

The night had overtaken Ettelton and Marcus approached the keep’s gate.

Two guards lowered their halberds and put the points at his chest, “Don’t get too close.”?

Had they not recognized him? “It’s me.”

“Marcus? Is that you?”

“Lower your weapons. It’s me.”

The guards lowered their halberds.

“Why are you wearing that”, the guard paused. “Costume.”

“Was there a party we missed?” the other guard snickered.

“Undercover work. It’s a disguise.”

“That? A disguise.”

He cracked his knuckles, “Just, open the gate.”

They chuckled and opened the gate. “You have an enchanted message waiting inside sir.”

He widened his eyes and ignored them. Might Lord Chumley left him the message? He stepped through gate and double timed toward keep’s interior.

~

Marcus placed his hands on a large globelike sphere and rubbed it. Energy glowed from inside and it became brighter. A blurry image of a figure formed. He continued and motioned his hands. The image sharpened and a message conveyed.

Lord Chumley. His instincts had been correct.

Lord Chumley furrowed his eyes, “Marcus, I trust your plan is being well executed.” He reached inside his workshop coat and pulled out the wooden figure.

He cupped his grip tight, pressed down on the sphere and swallowed hard.

The figure grew larger the longer he pondered on it and it filled the sphere.

Chumley had refined the figure and carved new details. He’d snapped his hands from the sphere and he rolled his shoulders. Could Chumley have finished the figure before he apprehended the Halfling?

~

The morning sun notched over the horizon. Marcus paced back and forth in the alley like a mother missing a child. The figurine, Alex, the Halfling, Lord Chumley and his promotion all jumbled inside his head. It hadn’t past sunrise yet, but if he had his way he’d casted a spell and brought Alex here now. “C’mon Alex where are?”

“Tell me you didn’t sleep in this rubbish?” Alex said.

He lit up, beamed and moved his arms about. “You’re here. We have to catch her today. It’s Chumley. It’s Chumley. He’s almost finished the figurine. We gotta catch her today.”

Alex stepped backward, shook his head and blank-looked him. “What. What. Slow down. What happened?”

“I returned to the keep and checked a message. It was Lord Chumley. We’re running out of time.”

Alex cupped his hand over his mouth. “Not a problem. Okay.”

“We gotta catch her today.”

“You and I. We got this. Okay.”

“Okay.”

“You see. You got your disguise on. We’re going to lie down here and watch for her. Okay.”

“Okay.”

He relaxed and they took position behind the make-shift concealment and watched over Moulder’s pub.

The morning matured and pedestrian traffic picked up. Patrons entered and exited the pub. Beads of sweat dripped from his brow and he squinted his eyes like adjusting a spotting scope at every person near the pub. A young boy meandered into his view. He didn’t flow in traffic. The boy had burdened himself with large pack.

“Look at that.” Marcus said.

“What”

“That boy with the pack”

“What about him?”

He scratched his head. “I don’t know. He sticks out for some reason. I can’t place it.” Might he’d seen him before while on patrol? Surely he would have remembered.

“Hmpf.”

A few people stopped near the boy and they exchanged their money for a papers. The boy moved on.

He yawned, closed his eyes and placed his hands over his face. He hadn’t much sleep.

“Don’t do that.” Alex said.

“Sorry”

“Hey.”

“What.”

Alex pointed toward the pub. “Look. Is that your cutie?”

He moved his fingers away from his eyes and opened them. A jolt shot through his head to his heart. He widen his eyes. “That’s her. That’s her. That’s her.” She stood in front of the pub and held something close to her face. He couldn’t tell from here, too far.

“Alright, what’s the plan?”

He turned toward Alex and strained his vocals. “We must be absolutely careful. She’s extremely dangerous.”

Alex nudged his head back and narrowed an eye. “She’s just a kid. How dangerous could she be?”

He looked toward the pub. “You have no idea.”

Alex pffted him.

“She’s entering the pub. We need to move.”

They got up and scampered toward the pub. He had his disguise on, there had to be no way she could recognized him. Marcus opened the door and stepped inside.

Alex followed.

Bar music filled the air and a handful of patrons danced. Folks sat at their tables and scattered over half of the pub. Baristas bopped in between tables, chairs and back behind the bar-counter.
Tiny throbs pulsed from his wrists and up his arms. He’d not seen her and pointed to a booth.

Alex covered his mouth. “Good idea.”

They plopped down inside the booth, turned their heads and twisted like two eagles stalked from a distance.

“There she is.” Alex said.

“Let’s not be too obvious.”

She wore a barista dress, apron and appeared from behind the bar.

He stroked his chin. Could she had earned an honest living too?

She hoisted up on a bar stool and lifted up a tray of ales from the bar counter over her head. She nimbled down and bopped on over toward a large table. Wealthy men seated, laughed, drank and exchanged words.

He couldn’t make out what had been said. Tones of music blurted and faded.

A pot-bellied man stood and lifted the full tray off her hands. She untied two hanging coin pouches from his waistline. The pot-bellied man placed the tray on the table and seated himself. She hugged him and he handed her coins.

He shook his head. “That little shit.” If he hadn’t been undercover he’d immediately moved and apprehended her.

“You gotta admit she’s good.” Alex said.

She stepped away from the table and turned toward him and Alex. She furrowed her eyebrows and narrowed her mouth.

“I don’t like the look of that.” Alex said.

Could she had recognized him? There had to be no way. He’s picked out the best disguise Ellie suggested and she couldn’t had known Alex. Could she?

She dashed back behind the bar-counter and disappeared behind French doors.

He surged from the booth. “We can’t let her get away.”

They bulled their way through baristas and seated patrons.

“Hey.”

“Watch where you are going.”

“That’s my drink, you spilled.”

They barreled between the French doors. “C’mon. Go, go, go, go.”

“That area is off limits.”

“Someone hail a peace officer.”

He was a peace officer, but under cover in a disguise.

Alex pointed. “There she is.”

She had changed back into her leathers and a blade tied down to each thigh. She scampered in between baristas down a narrow hallway.

Alex led the charge, placed his hands on nearby breasts and cleared the way.

“Get your hands off me.”

“He didn’t mean it.” He said.

“Ouch.”

“Sorry.”

A slap swiped across his face. “Don’t touch me.”

He shook his head and focused forward. What else might the day had in store?

They encountered an opened door and daylight. They exited the pub into an alley. Alex turned left and he turned right.

He pointed. “There. There.”

They sprinted toward a cobble-paved intersection and stopped. The road ended and a reinforced wooden wall stretched from left to right. They turned. The Halfling had stopped, her back toward them. She interacted with the boy, who burdened a heavy pack. The boy looked up and for a moment the boy’s eyes may have connected with his own eyes.

He bolted forward.

Alex pulled him back. “Wait. Remember we are to observe.”

They stooped down, crept toward a cottage-shop and leaned against it. They watched from behind the cottage-shop.

“That’s the boy we saw earlier.” Alex said and looked at him. “This may mean something important.”

She took a coin pouch, opened it and let the boy look inside it.

The boy smiled.

She pulled on the pouch-string and gave the pouch to the boy.

The boy pointed at Alex and him.

“We just been made.” He said.

She turned and crinkled her face.

He surged forward. “Don’t move.”

Alex followed.

She dashed toward the wooden fence, jumped and flipped forward. At the flip’s apex above the fence she reached out both arms upside down, nudged the fence and disappeared behind it.

They stopped dead in his tracks like hitting an invisible wall.

Alex shook his head. “What? How?”

He looked and motioned at Alex. “I told you. She’s extremely dangerous.” He lumbered onto the fence. He tightened his muscles and pulled himself up. “C’mon.”

Alex followed.

He hoisted a leg up and over. Costume material locked and lodged in between wood. Material ripped, the world spun and an impact slammed against his whole body.

On his back, he placed his hands on his head. “Ohhhh.”

Alex stood over him and extended his arm toward him. “C’mon get up. I think she’s nearby.”

He reached and grabbed Alex’s hand.

Alex pulled him to his feet.

He shook his head and her figure caught his eyes. He focused. She was only a cottage-shop away and watched them.

Alex turned. “Let’s get her.”

They lurged toward her and she disappeared behind the simple structure.

They took her position and turned the direction she had gone. A spacious alcove bordered by three walls, metal containers of garbage, scrap wood and piles of animal bones and no Halfling faced them.

“Dead end” he said.

“People don’t just disappear. We’re right behind her.”

His stomach turned and something inside his head turned like an invisible message telegraphed a warning. They walked closer to the far wall and scanned every detail.

“Maybe she’s hiding one of these metal containers.” Alex said.

Swish, swish, swish, swish like smooth metal surfaces rubbed over each other distracted them.

They turned.

She blocked their way out. Swish, swish, swish, swish the two metal blades in her hands rubbed edge to edge like a butcher sharpening his knife.

“You again” She said. “I should’ve known.” Swish, swish, swish, swish.

He swallowed hard. “We’re dead men.”

Alex narrowed his eyes looked at her and then him. “Seriously.”

“Why, are you always following me and giving me a hard time. Why?” Swish, swish, swish, swish.

He reached behind his head and rubbed his neck. “You stole twice from the Lord’s merchant wagon.”

“If I were you, I’d stop following.”

“I am bound by honor and will not. Surrender yourself peacefully and I will plea on your behalf for a merciful judgement.”

“You want me? Come and get me.” Swish, swish, swish, swish.

Alex shook his head. “Enough this of crap.” He charged at her

He reached and missed Alex’s tunic. “No”

Alex closed on her.

She tucked, extended her leg and swept him.

Alex laid flat on his back. “Little cunt”. He rolled away from her and stood.

The two faced off.

“You better put those toys away before you cut yourself.”

She giggled.

“Alex, no.”

“Look at her. We can take her.”

He backed up away from Alex and the Halfling. Might this be the last day of his life?

They circled a few steps.

She faked a step forward. Alex followed her lead and closed in.

She tucked and rolled. The blade tips ripped through boot leather and nipped into ankle flesh. She followed through in between and under Alex’s legs, ended in a stance, both blades ready. She faced him.

Alex dropped to his knees, turned, faced her and scooted backward.

She motioned her blade across her neck in a line and pointed at Alex. “Now it’ll be a fair fight. We’re level.”

Alex’s blood soaked his boots. “No. Marcus, do something.”

Sweat poured from his head. Beats pounded through his chest and he froze.

She jolted two steps forward and jump-flipped. Over and above Alex, she snapped kicked his head.

Alex slammed face flat on the ground.

She planted her feet over Alex, turned and straddled him on his back. “You wanna keep following me?”

“No. I don’t. It was his idea. Please.”

He shook his head. This couldn’t have happened, not to a long-time friend since they were boys.

“Marcus. Just don’t stand there. Get this kid off me.”

She wailed a long grunt and let go of a blade. She slapped Alex’s head, filled her grasp with hair and yanked back. “Kid? Who are you calling a kid? You humans always call me kid. Why?”

He stepped forward. “No. Please don’t”

She crinkled and tightened her face. She raised her free arm, tightened her grip on her blade and thrusted downward.

He sank and planted his knees into the earth. “Stop.”

She froze. The point of her blade pricked Alex’s neck and a blood bubble formed. She squinted her eyes and gazed at Marcus. “If I ever catch you following me again. I’ll kill you both.” She stood up, stepped backward and jammed her foot into Alex’s nut-sack.

Alex squealed like a stuck pig.

She sheathed her two daggers, nimbled back over the wooden wall and disappeared.

Alex floundered toward him like wet noodles spilled from a bowl. “I was once a human being.”

He took Alex into his embrace. “It’s okay. She’s gone. You are alive. We’re alive.” He flexed his muscles and carried Alex’s body like a dead weight. Alex’s closed his eyes, his blood dripped from his boots and short breathes escaped from his open mouth.