I asked if youre free tonight, Cesaria. Every minute we sit here is another minute the Lamaru could be working against us, you know. I think its best we start right away. Her eyelashes fluttered. Unless youre tired, of course.
Yeah, Chess was tired. Tired of being poked at by this irritating woman.
Tired physically? Another question entirely. She was exhausted. She was also holding. A couple of Nips, a nice fat line She had enough pharmaceuticals and botanicals in her pillbox and back at her apartment to keep her wide awake for a week. Ha. The glories of modern living.
Im not tired at all, she said.
Good. Lauren spun the file; it skittered across the table and slammed into Chesss arms. The impact sent the tendrils of purple shifting and sliding, rearranging themselves. Her stomach gave a little twist. Quickly she flipped the file open, shoved the photos inside. She didnt want to feel them looking at her anymore, and she sure as fuck didnt want to watch the physical manifestation of the heavy magic in her system wiggle around below her skin like ringworms. Or worse.
The entire file buzzed with energy. Chess couldnt imagine what kind of shit lurked between those innocuous manila covers. Didnt want to imagine it.
And lucky her, she didnt have to, because she was going to become intimately familiar with every page, every word, every smear of darkness, every foul deed.
Just what she needed. More filth in her soul. Someday, maybe, she would explode from it; someday, maybe, every rotten thing that had ever been done to her and every rotten thing shed ever done would erupt from her in a fountain of sewage and sorrow, all those secrets she kept even from herself spilling out and adding to the muck she could never wash off no matter how hard she tried.
Shed never been bound by magic to keep those secrets. Just by her own shame.
Okay. Lauren rose from her seat, her right hand smoothing her skirt behind her. Shall we take my car, or
No. Oops, that came out a little too fast; Laurens eyebrows rose. Chess could practically see her nose pinch in, her mouth openingprobably to remind Chess that as a Third Inquisitor she was Chesss superior in rank, though not directly in department. I mean, I need my car, and I need to change out of this and take a shower. I have blood all over me. And some pills to take in private, but she didnt mention that. Her palms were starting to tingle, and she seriously needed some breathing room.
Ill follow you.
Oh, shit. Lauren in her apartment, Lauren poking around in her stuff? No way.
Actually, Lauren, you should probably change, too. The area were looking at isnt really the safest part of town
Im a member of the Black Squad, Cesaria. I think I can handle a few catcalls.
Oh, shit, again. Is that all the woman thought they were in for? A couple of street toughs grabbing their crotches and making kissy noises?
Seeing those pictures, finding out they were dealing with the Lamaruscary enough in and of itself, without the vendetta she had no doubt they were carrying against her personally for extra funwas bad. Realizing, as she looked into Laurens determined, arrogant face, that she was also dealing with a woman who had no concept of what they were about to get intothat was another thing entirely.
And there wasnt much Chess could say about it, because if she gave them too much information about Downside, they might rescind her permission to live there. And that didnt even bear thinking about.
I think its probably best if you wear better shoes for walking, she said finally. And jeans. Something more casual, you know? We dont want to attract attention if we can help it.
Lauren considered it for a minute. Fine. Ill go home and change. You do the same, and Ill meet you at your house in forty-five minutes.
It wasnt great, but it was better than nothing. Do you need my address?
Its in your file.
Oh. Right.
Lauren smirked and swung herself up from her seat. Be outside, if you dont mind. Id rather not have to waste time coming up to get you.
That remark, and several others, were still stewing in Chesss head when Lauren pulled her sports carcherry red, the perfect little princess vehicle for the Grand Elders perfect little daughterup onto the curb at the corner of Fifty-fifth and Brand. That lot, there, she said. Thats where they took the second picture.
Chess nodded and got out, taking a deep breath. The air stank, a vile, rotting scent from the slaughterhouse four blocks or so away. When the wind hit the deathhouse right all of Downside smelled like a burned-out plague pit in the summertime. And lucky her, this was one of those times.
She had to admit, though, it did have a few advantages over the cloying fragrance of perfume and bitch that filled Laurens tricked-out coupe. Like not having to sit right next to Lauren. Or not having to listen to Lauren talk. Or especially not having to listen to Laurens music.
Decaying carcasses were infinitely preferable to that, she thought, then regretted ita littlewhen she remembered why they were there. Her stomach, already a touch uneasy under its load of four Cepts and a couple of Nips, gave a slight protest; she popped the top of the Coke can shed grabbed for just that reason and poured some down her throat.