Storm of Shadows (Lumineers 1)

CHAPTER 12: THE GOLDEN HEN

It was close to eleven when Tabby reached the Golden Hen. She pulled up her hood and circled around back, sending Nit to scurry in as a beetle. "They're all here," Nit said a few minutes later.

"Marcus?"

"Him too." Nit shot her a grayscale view of the place, tables bustling, cards shuffling, coins passing hands. She smiled, watching the outhouses in the back. A short line had formed. Mostly men, but a few women too.

She waited fifteen minutes until the slamming back door signaled her into action.

Marcus emerged, getting into line. Jag, his second in command, flanked him. And two other body guards she recognized but didn't know the names of. She shrank further into the shadows, keeping watch of them as they made their way to the front of the line. Only then did she sneak around behind the outhouses. A quick calculation told her which one he'd take next.

"Any time now," she said, summoning Nit. Her mechanimal emerged from the shadows in the form of a sparrow, buying her time as they zoomed about Marcus, pecking and squawking. From Nit's vision, she saw Marcus pause, hand on the handle of the outhouse door, while his other swatted the air. "Get the fuck off me, you damned mech!" Jag stepped forward and tried to swat Nit away too, but Nit was too fast.

She moved around back, stacked a couple of crates, and pulled a portable screwdriver from her belt, unbolting screws that held a mesh window in place. She pocketed the screws and gave Nit the signal. A moment later, crouched beneath the window, she heard Marcus enter the small space, cursing under his breath.

She waited for him to sit his bare ass down on the toilet. Ever so silently, she pulled the mesh window away, set it aside, and leaned in. The stench was like a slap in the face. She grimaced. He didn't notice her leaning above him. A wry smile emerged upon her features.

"Hello Marcus," she whispered slipping a garrote around his neck, pulling tight. He went still, silently choking. "Nice to see you tonight. Though visiting you on the shitter isn't exactly my preferred method." She made sure he remained absolutely still before loosening the garrote enough for him to speak.

"Tab?! What the fuck?!" His hoarse whisper was all but drowned out by the noise outside.

"I noticed you raised the price on the tax bag. Thought I'd check in and make sure your boys weren't simply trying to play me."

"And you thought you'd corner me on the shitter? What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

She barked a laugh. "With me? Don't you know? So, so many things. Did you raise the tax or not?"

His hand went to his belt, to the knife there. She tightened the garrote in warning. "Don't make me do it, Marcus. Answer the question."

"All right! Yes, I raised the taxes. Elias is doing good business. He can afford it."

She hesitated. "That may be true, but we both know you already make plenty."

"You want our protection or not?"

"I do. But the people in Crock's Row are struggling to get by. Raise the taxes again and next time you decide to take a shit, my hands won't be so lenient." She gave a tug that left him gagging.

"You'd dare threaten me?" he managed. She pulled his head back to better view his face. He twitched, eyes wide. "What the fuck?! Okay! Okay," he hissed. "Sorry."

It wasn't the first time she'd cornered him. Wasn't the first time she'd held his life in her hands. At this point, she couldn't even count the number of times on a single hand. The only reason Marcus was still in power was because she'd kept him in power.