A Hero With/Out Time

Chapter 4: My Change. (Part 3)

"Are you sure you want to be here for this?" Taylor asked me as we stood in the alley opposite the seemingly abandoned building. The tracks in front of it however were like last time and from experience I knew there were quite a few inside.

"I can't just leave you alone can I?" I smiled though a little fearfully. I didn't have to act for that one.

"Do you know how to fight?" she held a knife out for me.

"Well no...," I replied and left the knife in her hands. "I can be a good distraction though."

She pushed the knife to me, "Take it just in case."

"If you insist," I nodded and with that Taylor moved across the street making hardly a sound. The ground she tread didn't even shift leaving no tracks to follow. She stood with her ear against the door and gestured for me to join her. Well here we go. I crept after her and readied myself to be thrown through the door like last time.

"What are you doing?" Taylor asked me in a whisper.

"Ah... waiting?" She had picked the lock but made no move to shove me inside.

She sighed, "I'll head through the window upstairs. If you really want, go inside and distract them. It'll make things easier for me, just don't get yourself killed."

"Right...," I had to hold back my confusion as Taylor left.

With a calming breath I pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind and knocked on the door.

"Hello is anyone inside?" my voice called through the wood. Of course there was no answer and after waiting a few more seconds I entered the building not hiding my presence at all. "Hello?" I called out once more.

The stairs creaked and a women in rough travelling clothes descended the stairs. Yep the same bandit as last time.

"Who the hell are you?" she asked through gritted teeth, hand ready beside her waist.

"Ah sorry," I quickly raised my hands in peace. "I didn't think anyone lived here."

"How did you get inside?"

"The door was unlocked," I lied. "Please, I spent a bit too much at the bar and can't afford the inn. I'm just looking for a place out from the cold to spend the night."

"Unless you want trouble, you should leave," she began to draw her sword.

I backed away, "No need for violence. The building looked abandoned. Please pardon my intrusion. However if you could find it in your heart to let me stay the night, I'd be most appreciable."

"You have ten seconds."

"To stay?" I asked hopefully.

Her eyes flared, "To leave!"

"Well you're not very hospitable are you," I sighed dramatically. "The least you could do is offer me a hot drink."

"That's it!" she went to strike me but before she could even take a step forward Taylor struck her neck and she fell.

"Good job," Taylor complimented me while tying the bandit up. "There were a few people upstairs. You definitely had their attention though, they were watching the stairs like hawks. Easy pickings."

"I'm glad I could be of assistance," I smiled and bowed my head.

"Now all that's left is to get what we need," Taylor left the women and walked upstairs. I followed her to find the same man as last time bound in rope. He really had no luck.

"Mhmm!" he struggled to speak against the gag.

"No need to rush," Taylor smiled and uncovered his mouth.

"You bitch! I'll gut yo-,"

With a slap Taylor shut him up, "Careful now. There are five other people here I can talk to. I don't need you alive."

The man grit his teeth, "I'll never talk-," A glint of steel flashed and a dagger was placed against his neck. "Wait! We're just small time thieves."

"Really? So the messages to the forest were to no one?" the dagger pressed down harder.

The man blanched, "I- I don't know what you're talking about."

Taylor smiled but her gaze held no warmth, "We can do this the easy way or the hard way. I can tell you right now the hard way involves you screaming in pain as I snap each one of your fingers and then finally when you think it's over, I'll slit your throat. It won't be a quick death either but one where you choke on your blood struggling to breathe."

"Okay I'll talk, just spare me!" the man's eyes were wide with fear. Being told that was one thing, but having a beautiful women like Taylor say it was another experience entirely. Even I was feeling chills.

A minute later we had what we needed and Taylor to my surprise knocked the man out.

"Why do you look so surprised? You didn't think I'd actually break all his fingers did you?" Taylor gently laughed.

"Honestly yes." After all I had seen her do it.

She shook her head and sighed, "Please, I'm still a lady."

It clicked then what was happening. Not throwing me in as a distraction, sparing the man, in fact all our interactions so far had been pretty casual. Was she trying to look good in front of me? Or was it just coincidence? I pushed the thought away.

I gestured to the tied up men, "I'll keep an eye on them while you get the guards."

"Let's switch jobs." She looked at me teasingly, "It's not like you could handle them if something did happen right?"

As much as I hated to admit it, she had a point.