Widowmaker (2)
Jane's cold blue eyes scanned the man's dead body. From the looks of it he couldn't be more than thirty years old. She did not think about his life or his family as she knew at the end it came down to him or her. She had her own family to live for.
Jane bent down and ripped the man's shirt open. She spotted a snake tattoo on his chest.
"Figures it'd be you." Jane murmured.
She saw from the corner of her eye a crowd gathering by the alley. From the two gunshots that happened in the middle of the day, people would be curious. Usually, knights would be swarming this place by now but they were called to the castle.
Even if there were knights Jane wouldn't worry too much, she had plenty of ways to get out of here.
Blending in with her surroundings Jane erased her presence and walked through the alley.
She had a good idea who sent those men after her. It just so happened to be the same person she was going to pay a visit to.
Her tavern was located in the central district of the kingdom, but she was going to the southern part.
The southern part of Roan kingdom was wilder than any other district, they played by their own set of rules. The knights tried to get the place under control and follow the laws set by the king but it never worked out. The knights tried arresting all the crooks but that failed as well. The head of the snake was never caught.
The real people that controlled the southern district were a pair of brothers. They sold drugs, illegal goods, dabbled in prostitution and murdered when they did not have their way.
While the king was the ruler of the kingdom and his influence was strong, he wasn't the true ruler. He never paid attention to all his citizens, only those of noble birth or were well-known.
It was because of this that true rulers were born. People that the citizens listened to either out of respect or fear. People that that could cause a change in power with a snap of their finger.
Many asked the question of why those rulers never took over the throne. It was quite simple, the king let them run their own district as long as they stayed there. If they had the urge to go after his throne he'd crush them to the fullest extent and make sure that their bloodline is extinguished forever.
He's proven it once during his time when a person tried to challenge his right to rule. That's what caused those true rulers to fear the king. His knights were stronger, he had a vast amount of the top resources at hand. They were not going to be stupid and fight against that. He already gave them a playground, now they'd stay in it and rule it.
Jane headed straight for the southern district. It took her awhile going by foot but that was how she preferred it. There were carriages that take citizens from one area to another, but Jane found it wasteful. That, and there were people watching her movements she'd lose them easier on foot.
Jane's blue eyes gazed over the people walking the streets. The clothing was different than the people in the central district, it was more loose and open. Thugs openly walked the street as if they owned the area.
They walked up to women and slapped their rear or put their arms around their waist while saying degrading words. Jane saw a few men watch as their mate was dragged off by some of these thugs. They did nothing but stand with their fist clenched. They knew if they reacted they'd lose their lives.
This was the southern district, a place where crooks ruled.
"How much for one night?" One thug with thick arms asked Jane as he came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist.
Bang!
The thug was on the ground before he knew what happened. Jane held his arm tightly as she pulled back and stomped on his shoulder joint. The man's arm was dislocated.
"Fucking bitch!" The thug screamed out in pain.
"Touch me again and next time it'll be your life." Jane told the thug as she walked past him.
The thug started cussing louder and louder but Jane ignored him. She met types like him before, their bark is worse than their bite. To her, those types weren't worth the attention.
Jane's actions did not go unnoticed. Many men who were going to approach her turned around. They did not want what happened to that man to happen to them as well.
Jane spent thirty minutes walking in the southern district before she ended up at her destination. She was stealthy as she sneaked past the guards and climbed through the window on the second floor.
She happened to pass by two guards on the second floor and had to knock them out to prevent them from shouting.
Jane walked on her tiptoes as she had her back against the wall. She could hear a voice coming from inside one of the rooms. Slowly she twisted the doorknob and opened the door slightly. Just enough so she could see who it was.
There was no way she'd forget that face. Slick black hair combed back, large nose and a patch over his left eye. It was him alright.
Jane entered the room and the man jumped in fright at her appearance.
"You!" He said as he clutched his armrest.
"Well, hello to you too." Jane replied as she locked the room's door and walked over to him. She sat in the leather chair that was in front of his desk.
"What is it this time? Who did my men offend?" The man seemed to know why she was here as he asked her a usual question.
Jane threw her hair back and smiled at him. He did not like the way she smiled, he knew it contained some hidden meaning.
Jane leaned forward and grabbed one of the man's cigars. It was the type she liked, but sadly she could only get it from him. He was not eager to give up his cigars either. They were imported from somewhere, she just did not know where.
Seeing how Jane just casually took what was his caused the man to flinch.
Jane played with the cigar in her hand for a moment before she put it away inside her inner jacket pocket. When her hand returned it had a folded up paper which she threw to the man.
He grabbed the paper quickly. He almost tore it as he was unfolding it as he couldn't wait to see what it contained. Except when he read it his face turned grim.
He slammed his hand down on the desk. "What the hell is this?!"
"A kill order. Your kill order."
"Who in god's name would dare come at me like this? Wait until I find out, I tell you Widowmaker they will face my wrath!"
Widowmaker. A name Jane took up in the previous years. To her, it was just that, a name. To others, it meant something else. Her name struck fear in the hearts of men.
Jane started to laugh lightly as she watched the man in front of her rage with anger.
"I think the better question you should ask is why I'm here. Aren't you the least bit curious Viper?"
Hearing Jane's voice caused a sudden realization to emerge in Viper's head. Was she not here to warn him of this danger? If she wasn't… didn't that mean she was here to kill him?
"You wouldn't!"
"Contrary to your expectations I would. See, this district ruins my mood every time I pass by here. The way your men treat others is disrespectful and I'm pretty sure the people in this area has had enough of it. I'll let you in on a secret, this isn't the first kill order that came across my desk for your head. It's more like the hundredth or so. No one can stand your reign any longer so you have to go."
Viper crumbled up the paper in his hand as he listened to Jane.
Jane reached for her handgun at her side and grabbed it. She pointed it at Viper.
"Wait! Wait a moment here." Viper raised his hands and pleaded for Jane to stop. She did, she paused.
"I have valuable information. Listen Widowmaker, you've been trying to find the person who murdered your parents right? I know who it is, I can help you. We can start a partnership!"
Bang!
Jane pulled the trigger and watched Viper go down with his eyes wide open.
"I already know who it is." Jane said softly.
…
"Eh? What do you mean you've never seen that beautiful lady before? I ask you brother are your eyes blind? Silver hair, a nice round rear and a fragrant smell that makes you dream of bedding her. You're telling me you've never seen her before?! I call bullshit!" Bishop stomped his feet as he refused to believe the man in front of him.