“Buying. I'm looking for a particular girl, actually.”
He handed his photograph to Daniel. “This girl will be my
first, but if business goes well rest assured there will be more.”
“ Ah, the one that got
away,” Daniel said.
“ I'm sorry?” Gideon
asked. The drink in front of him looked so tempting, but he didn't
trust his hands not to shake if he reached for it.
“ She must have escaped
your chattel? I admire a man willing to go to such lengths to
protect his reputation. As you can see, I am a man similarly
inclined.” He reached behind him and took out a small box of
cigars, taking one himself and offering one to Gideon.
He declined. “She did. I
want her back, and am willing to pay quite a lot of money to get
her.”
Daniel lit his cigar with an
ornate lighter, covering himself in the smoke. “She is not
here, but for a thousand I will tell you what I can.”
Gideon handed over Akem's money,
trying not to think about what he would have to do to pay him back.
Daniel did not count it, he merely slipped it into an inside pocket
in his jacket.
“ She passed through here
about three weeks ago. No one was willing to pay first rights for
her, so you may still be able to recover your investment, I sold her
to a man from Fouchbough.” Leaning forward, Daniel pointed at
Gideon with the spit end of his cigar. Ash dropped onto the
headless body on the table. “If I were you, though, I would
forget about first rights. A whore that runs away from you once
will run away from you forever. You'll have to break her of that.
I would line up as many sadistic motherfuckers as you can, tie her
to a bed and let them all have a go on her. After that, when her
mind is to the point of snapping, take a syringe and inject her with
some krok. She'll get hooked after the first one, and then she's on
a leash, she'll do anything to get it again.” Daniel shrugged
and leaned back, putting one leg over the other. “Of course,
it's a short term strategy, but you can work them like dogs for the
few months before they fall apart.”
“ Where did the girl get
sold to?” Gideon asked. The stink of the room, the blood and
cigar smoke, was beginning to get to him. He wanted to get out of
there as soon as possible.
Daniel scratched at his chin
thoughtfully and peered at Gideon with his small black eyes. They
were dancing with some private joke. “You know, I think I've
told you enough for a thousand. You may have to sweeten the pot if
you want more detailed answers. We are businessmen, so let us talk
business. Another thousand will get you the name.”
There was a silence after that
in which Gideon tried to keep his face as blank as possible. He
didn't have another thousand to give to Daniel, and there wasn't any
other reason that Daniel would tell him what he needed to know.
Gideon had no leverage on him. A desperation ploy was all that was
left. “Akem told me that you would help, he said that if you
didn't he would make things difficult for you.”
The reaction he got shocked him.
Daniel's face drained of all its color and his mouth gaped
slightly. Naked fear was in his eyes. He licked his lips and began
to breathe heavier. “Akem said that?” he whispered. He
shook his head. “I don't believe you.”
Gideon held up his hand, the
dragon ring shining on his third finger. Daniel swallowed hard and
sprang to his desk, leafing through a leather book. “Her name
is Rolanda. I sold her to a man named Malakir. He works mostly in
Fouchbough. He's a bit of a disturbed figure, he's not civil like
you or I. I would be careful how you approach him.” Daniel
laughed, a high pitched nervous laughter that didn't fit with the
man he had been ten minutes prior. “No one's perfect though.”
Gideon pocketed the dragon ring.
It wasn't comfortable, it felt constricting and cold on his finger.
No matter how long he wore it the thing never warmed to body
temperature.
Rubbing his hands together,
Daniel opened the door for Gideon and
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