There was an edgy, nervous feeling to the streets in West End. Kacey?s shoulders hunched within her battered brown leather jacket, one hand curled into a loose fist in a pocket, the other wrapped around her half-full bottle of scotch. Chocolate brown eyes flicked constantly around as she passed from light to dark and then back again. Neither magic nor science was wholly reliable here; the few lanterns on this street were fueled with oil.
Leather scuffed against brick, off to the left, and Kacey looked that direction. A trio of men wearing Prop 37 buttons was walking the other way down the street. The blonde man in front called across to her. ?Oy! Getting late, Lynne. Should get inside b?fore the magic-folk,? he paused to spit on the ground, ?come out. We?re starting patrols t? keep the neighborhood safe. Wouldn?t want any normal folks getting mixed up with the freaks.?
A crooked smile turned up the left side of Kacey?s mouth as she halted for the conversation. ?Thanks for the warning, Bryce. I?ll pass it to Davarin, too. Do you have enough people for your patrols?? She swung her bottle out and around in a gesture to encompass the whole neighborhood. The white gold bracelet on her wrist caught the light with a glint.
?Ahh, when?re ya going t? come t? yer senses about that joker and make it with a real man?? Bryce waggled his eyebrows and leered at her across the street, while his companions on the patrol sniggered to each other. ?We can keep ya safe, Lynne, no fear on that count. There?s a patrol like us on near every block around here until th? M.E.R.C. gets stood up, all volunteers.?
A low contralto laugh and a shake of her head was Kacey?s only response to Bryce?s rough attempt at a proposition. Instead, she asked another question. ?Doesn?t the Proposition have to go through before anyone stands up??
Bryce waited for a loaded wagon to rumble past before he crossed the street to answer, leaving his companions on the other side. Kacey had taken up a lean against the building wall behind her while they were talking, and now he braced his hand against the wall by her head. He lowered his voice to nearly a conspiratorial whisper.
?Look here, Lynne. Ya really think it ain?t going t? happen? Magic-folks have been pushing us around too long, but there?s more of us?n there are of them. It?s about time we get our own back. Now, I know ya, and ya don?t have any more magic?n I do, plus ya helped m?cousin?s friend get his house built up fer cheap after those zombies. So we?re going ta watch out fer our own folks and take care of anyone who shouldn?t oughta be here until they can get proper registered and controlled.? Bryce reached up with his other hand and chucked Kacey under the chin in a too-familiar gesture.
The lop-sided smile on Kacey?s face didn?t waver. ?It sounds like you have things under control, then. I?ll sleep better at night knowing you?re out patrolling and keeping us safe.? Pushing away from the wall brought her closer to the blonde man for a moment before she stepped out from beneath his lean. ?And speaking of sleep, I?ve got to get some. I have a delivery to make in the morning. Thanks again for the warning, Bryce.? It was all of her farewell before she resumed her path down the street. Bryce watched her walking away, and then re-crossed the street to join his snickering companions on their patrol.
When the bulky shape of the woodworking shop loomed up, Kacey pulled herself from the reverie caused by that brief conversation and the discussion in the Inn earlier. Unlocking the door, she stepped inside and then relocked it carefully behind herself. Once that was done, she set aside the bottle of scotch on a nearby shelf and walked through the racks of cured lumber. Her quiet voice still seemed to echo in the dark. ?It?s set. You?ll be safe out of here by tomorrow night.?
((Related to and cross-posted in Proposition 37))
Leather scuffed against brick, off to the left, and Kacey looked that direction. A trio of men wearing Prop 37 buttons was walking the other way down the street. The blonde man in front called across to her. ?Oy! Getting late, Lynne. Should get inside b?fore the magic-folk,? he paused to spit on the ground, ?come out. We?re starting patrols t? keep the neighborhood safe. Wouldn?t want any normal folks getting mixed up with the freaks.?
A crooked smile turned up the left side of Kacey?s mouth as she halted for the conversation. ?Thanks for the warning, Bryce. I?ll pass it to Davarin, too. Do you have enough people for your patrols?? She swung her bottle out and around in a gesture to encompass the whole neighborhood. The white gold bracelet on her wrist caught the light with a glint.
?Ahh, when?re ya going t? come t? yer senses about that joker and make it with a real man?? Bryce waggled his eyebrows and leered at her across the street, while his companions on the patrol sniggered to each other. ?We can keep ya safe, Lynne, no fear on that count. There?s a patrol like us on near every block around here until th? M.E.R.C. gets stood up, all volunteers.?
A low contralto laugh and a shake of her head was Kacey?s only response to Bryce?s rough attempt at a proposition. Instead, she asked another question. ?Doesn?t the Proposition have to go through before anyone stands up??
Bryce waited for a loaded wagon to rumble past before he crossed the street to answer, leaving his companions on the other side. Kacey had taken up a lean against the building wall behind her while they were talking, and now he braced his hand against the wall by her head. He lowered his voice to nearly a conspiratorial whisper.
?Look here, Lynne. Ya really think it ain?t going t? happen? Magic-folks have been pushing us around too long, but there?s more of us?n there are of them. It?s about time we get our own back. Now, I know ya, and ya don?t have any more magic?n I do, plus ya helped m?cousin?s friend get his house built up fer cheap after those zombies. So we?re going ta watch out fer our own folks and take care of anyone who shouldn?t oughta be here until they can get proper registered and controlled.? Bryce reached up with his other hand and chucked Kacey under the chin in a too-familiar gesture.
The lop-sided smile on Kacey?s face didn?t waver. ?It sounds like you have things under control, then. I?ll sleep better at night knowing you?re out patrolling and keeping us safe.? Pushing away from the wall brought her closer to the blonde man for a moment before she stepped out from beneath his lean. ?And speaking of sleep, I?ve got to get some. I have a delivery to make in the morning. Thanks again for the warning, Bryce.? It was all of her farewell before she resumed her path down the street. Bryce watched her walking away, and then re-crossed the street to join his snickering companions on their patrol.
When the bulky shape of the woodworking shop loomed up, Kacey pulled herself from the reverie caused by that brief conversation and the discussion in the Inn earlier. Unlocking the door, she stepped inside and then relocked it carefully behind herself. Once that was done, she set aside the bottle of scotch on a nearby shelf and walked through the racks of cured lumber. Her quiet voice still seemed to echo in the dark. ?It?s set. You?ll be safe out of here by tomorrow night.?
((Related to and cross-posted in Proposition 37))