[783] – Y03.083 – Vonda V

[783] – Y03.083 – Vonda V

‘I hate him already,’ Adam thought, smiling politely, raising his brows slightly as though he enjoyed meeting such a fellow.

“Guests, perhaps. Prisoners, apparently.” Adam motioned his head to the locked door behind, though his lips remained in a smile.

The man smiled. “I heard you had business with Cobra.”

“Well, mister Cobra, I do so happen to have business with you.”

“I am Moons,” the fellow replied, still smiling, though his eyes narrowed. How could someone meet him and not know who he is?

“Moons?”

“Moons.”

“Then who in the under realms is Cobra?”

“The woman who had a misunderstanding with us and was... politely escorted out.”

“Ah!” Adam replied, slowly nodding his head. “If her name’s Cobra, then I want her even more now.”

“How do you know of Cobra?”

“I saw her get thrown out,” Adam replied, simply. “I need someone who can take a beating like that, and seeing how a couple of your guys looked after fighting her, I thought she might be useful. She has guts, and I want those guts.”

“I am not in the business of organ trafficking,” Moons joked, flashing a smile.

“I’m sure. You’re an upstanding businessman, who has plenty of talented youths under his employ, that I would like to take off your hands, for the appropriate sum of coin, or rather, gems.” Adam pat his pouch, the muffled sounds of gems clattering together perking Moons’ ears.

“So you have come to me to buy bodies?”

“Yes, though if you don’t have any available, I’d like it if you could point me in the right direction. I’d like someone like Cobra, she’s great. Perhaps you have people who are troublesome for you, and would be better managed elsewhere?”

“You wish to buy those we have trouble with?” Moons asked, allowing his voice to let slip his curiosity.

“Sort of. I want to employ people that are capable, and I presume if someone is going against you, then they’re probably capable in some way.”

“You wish to... ally yourself with those we find troublesome?”

“More like... we’ll take them off your hands, offering them a deal they might not be able to refuse, and they’ll leave you be.”

“Unorthodox, and perhaps, if I may admit so, potentially troublesome.”

“How so?”

“Perhaps you use them against me?”

Adam glanced around between the others. “I have no reason to do so. I have come here to do business, and once it’s done, it’s done. I don’t really have much business in East Port, or rather, not with the underground types. I just know the best place to find talented people is by speaking with esteemed gentlemen, such as yourself.”

Moons kept an eye on Adam for a long moment, before his eyes fell to the Iyrman, and then the Priest of Life. “You are a strange group. I have not met someone who walks with such company wishing to speak with me for business. What business does a Priest of Life, of the Good Mother, have with us?”

“I am here as a Manager, not as a Sister,” Vonda replied, smiling politely.

“You are a Sister?”

“What if they have no debts?”

“State an appropriate price and I will pay it.”

Moons eyed up the pouch again, wondering if all of those gems were obsidian, or if there were others. Then his eyes went up to Adam’s amulet. “Would you like those who are particularly devout?”

“It would be nice.” Adam thought about what and who he needed. ‘I guess he probably won’t be willing to give up anyone actually talented. Do I really need people who are talented? I could just train them up like how I’ve trained up the Iyrmen, let them share XP with me...’ “They don’t have to be particularly talented. If you have those who are less than useful, you can offer them up too. We don’t really need anyone who are particualrly talented, I suppose, we’d be the ones to teach them their skills. In fact, if anyone owes you a large debt, and doesn’t seem able to pay it off, and perhaps is too troublesome to chase to pay off, you can offer them too.”

Moons glanced between the Iyrman and the priest. “I may have some children who would be better under the guidance of a Priest of the Good Mother.”

“Wonderful,” Adam said, far too eagerly. “How many?”

“Three.”

“How much for each?”

“One hundred gold for all three,” Moons said.

“Done.”

Moons blinked. ‘That was easier than I thought.’

“Would you mind bringing in Cobra?” Adam asked. “I’d like to check them out properly too.”

“Let us head out to the other room to discuss the matters more clearly,” Moons said. However, as he did, the group heard a knock at the door.

“Boss! They’re here!”

Adam glanced over towards the door, and then eyed up Moons expectantly, before the overweight fellow stepped towards the door, unlocking it, the door revealing a homeless man.

“Those snake bitches, they’re makin’ a mess!”

Moons let out a sigh. “There are two more like Cobra you may be interested in.” Moons motioned with a hand for Adam and the others to leave.

Adam stepped out to see two more women, both wearing lighter clothing, with their arms and legs wrapped with leather as they, with unexpected skill, beat back the homeless around them, who were apparently not quite as harmless as they appeared.

Adam watched as they fought, managing to sweep the homeless with ease, before realising they were both at least at the level of Experts, though not quite as refined as those he typically hung around with.

‘Oh ho! Not bad!’

The pair of women panted, their eyes falling to Cobra, who was tied up to one side, being watched by a couple of thuggish fellows. Then their eyes fell to Moons.

“Moons!” one shouted.

“Damned son of a goat!” the other added.

“Where’s Alex?”

The pair raised their fists, ready to fight, while Cobra remained still.

“Alex?” Adam asked.

Wait. For once... Adam isn't the source of trouble?