((Linked to To Catch A Murderer.))

Orphans ran rampant throughout the city. Those who didn?t live in the orphanages took to the streets and roamed unchecked. Young children who had been abused and ran away mingled with the unfortunate offspring of parents who?d lost their lives or simply abandoned them. There was a small community between the homeless children who stuck dockside. They watched out for one another, became a family even. It was a rare occasion to see just one of the children wandering by his or herself, for there was often a small crowd following. Strength in numbers was a concept even they understood.

They were all drawn to a warehouse that had seen better days. All the broken windows had been boarded up, the doors sealed off by some odd means, and virtually any way to get inside cut off save for a few holes in the roof. There was a way in that most didn?t know about, the children kept this tidbit of knowledge to themselves. If one were to walk along the docks for a bit of ways they?d come to a patch of land which sloped downward into the sea. Walking around the precarious bed of rocks that surrounded it would lead them to a tunnel that was probably once linked to the sewage network in Rhy?Din but had been cut off by a cave in long ago.

That didn?t help the stench much. But this tunnel led beneath the warehouse and there was a stopping point with a rusty ladder that led up into it. The children used this as the entrance to their home. Inside, the warehouse was like a little town. There were makeshift shacks setups in haphazard designs, looking as though they?d fall at the smallest gust of wind. Luckily, they rarely did. Blankets lined the floors of these shacks, all old and tattered and dirty. It was the closest thing to a bed they could find. The shacks were made of whatever scraps they could find in and out of the warehouse consisting of mostly metal and wood. Anything soft was used for bedding.

They had these makeshift homes built up throughout the three different floors of the building. There was almost always a constant hum of conversation reverberating from somewhere within the compound. The oldest of the children lived on the highest floor and the youngest at the bottom. Some of the older ones slept down with the younger ones at times, generally to offer comfort. Almost all of the children knew each other by name if not face. They would steal scraps of whatever they could find, be it food, water, clothes, materials to build with, or miscellaneous items to trade or play with.

It was a community, a home, and a family.

---

Benjamin was a young boy, no older than eight. He had dark hair and eyes, dirt stained skin that was bronzed from the sun, and tattered clothes that were little more than rags. His hands and feet were calloused, arms and legs and knees covered with scrapes and bruises. He nervously moved through the crowd of dockside, ambling toward the warehouse while he kept a package tucked close to his chest. It was wrapped in brown paper, almost too large for him to carry, and made him waddle slightly as he hurried along.

The child blanched as he slammed into Eri, quickly reeling back while desperately clinging to the bag that he cradled against his chest. Wide eyes looked up at her before he hurried to his feet and glanced about. ?M?sorry.? The boy murmured, averting his gaze. ?I didn? see ya there.?

He shifted in place, fidgeting nervously while he constantly glanced over his shoulder at her. When Benjamin finally mustered the courage to look up at Eri, his eyes narrowed curiously. ?I haven? seen yer face here b?fore.? Benjamin observed while stepping toward her.

?Ya from another part o?the town??

He heard a shout come from behind him, practically jumping out of his skin in surprise and fear. Benjamin quickly ran forward, slipping past Eri while he called over his shoulder to her. ?I?m sorry, I?m sorry! Follow me!? Without waiting for an answer the boy hurried toward the warehouse.

Benjamin didn?t answer Eri?s question. He just kept running. Soon, he was scampering along the narrow pathway of loose stones, some falling into the water below with a few solid plunks. Jagged rocks rested just beneath their path, waves crashing mercilessly against them and spraying the pair of them with sea foam.

He glanced over his shoulder once to see if she was still following him before hopping down a short drop that would have him standing in front of the tunnel. Benjamin quickly scurried into it, heedless of the stench. Once inside, he made one hard left before waiting around the corner for Eri to come up.

?This way!? He cried before turning again and darting off around another bend.

Benjamin paused every now and then to glance over his shoulder and make sure Eri was still following him, but he never stopped moving for more than a moment. His steps echoed loudly along the walls as they ran through the tunnels that hooked beneath the warehouse, finally slowing after a large number of twists and turns.

He padded toward a ladder, turning to look over at Eri again before pointing up.

"Here." He said quietly as though fearful of eavesdroppers. "They have food and a place to sleep." It was his way of apologizing for knocking into her. Benjamin turned then, carefully scrambling up the ladder while one hand clung to the bag that he cradled protectively against his chest.

"No!" His head shook quickly while he glanced down at her, clutching tighter at the bag. "No. I got it." He quickly scrambled up and into the warehouse, glancing about before he hurried off into a group of children, flitting through them to start up a metal staircase that wound its way to the top level of the building. Benjamin abandoned Eri there, figuring the others would help her find what she needed.

As Eri's head crested the opening that led into the warehouse, several children stopped to turn and stare at her cautiously, inching closer to one another in their unease. Whispers took to life in the crowd, humming from ear to ear while they eased away from her, making sure to leave an opening where the stairs were.

They all eyed her with open suspicion, turning to whisper as though debating on what to do. Generally, it was the older children who brought new ones to the warehouse, and never were they as old as Eri appeared to be. Eventually, one girl decided to be helpful, lifting a dirty hand to point at the metal staircase.

"You gotta go up." She said. "All the way up, where Benny went."

Benjamin, or Benny, as the girl had called him, peeked up at hearing the more commonly used nickname. He was sitting in front of a group of three older kids, early teens from the looks of things. A hand lifted to wave her over before he leaned toward the nearest of the trio.

"That's the girl, right there. Think he could let her stay?" He asked, his voice a lot louder than he'd intended for it to be.

"Hush up!" The older boy snapped quickly, leaning in to whisper angrily at Benny while staring suspiciously at Eri.

"C'mere." He said, motioning her over.

"Shuddup." He boy countered quickly, narrowing his eyes on her suspiciously. "You don't know anythin'."

Benjamin looked between the two before the boy waved him off.

"Go downstairs, Benny. Help Alice."

Benny nodded while he scrambled to his feet and scurried off toward the staircase, hurrying down to do as he was told. Once Benjamin had left the boy turned back to Eri, pointing at the ground in front of him and the other two.

"Wha'cher name?"

"No one's in charge here." The girl of the group informed her, glancing up quickly. "We don't put people in charge." She motioned for Eri to sit again while the boy shot annoyed looks between the two of them. He grunted something, arms crossing over his chest while eyeing her.

"Malcolm." He said before nodding to the girl that had spoken up. "She's Laura an' he's Terrence." The other boy who had been introduced as Terrence glanced up at Eri, his smile considerably more friendly than Malcolm's.

Terrence was about to speak before Malcolm interrupted him. "No one's in charge." He agreed, nodding firmly. "But that doesn' mean ya can stay. What d'ya want?"

"We don't got money." Malcolm frowned, staring hard at Eri.

"But we do got beds." Terrence said quickly. "Sorta." He pointed at one of the makeshift shacks nearby. "We got them an' they got blankets in 'em." He offered helpfully, nodding quickly.

"And food." Laura added. "They cook up here and on the second floor. Dinner's bein' made right now." She turned to peer off to the side. If Eri were to lean back far enough to see around one of the shacks she'd be able to see a group of older kids scurrying about in a kitchen setup, cooking what they could with what they had.

"Mako sometimes gives us money for things." Laura quipped, nodding to Eri. "We gotta work for it but it's never hard."

"An' the only thing ya gotta do is not get us inta trouble." Terrence added. "We don' like trouble. So if ya came here bringin' it, y'should go."

"This is our home." Malcolm said. "An' we won' let anyone ruin it." He then nodded to Laura. "Laura, find Benny, will ya? Tell 'im t'come up 'ere so's he can get Teri a place t'sleep."

Laura nodded, pausing to smile at Eri before she pushed up from the ground and rushed off for the staircase in search of the smaller child.

((Scene played by Patrick and Eri, posted with permission.))

It hadn't been an exactly uncomfortable night in the warehouse, Eri conceded as she scuffed along the road toward the whore pits. More ... crowded. Children did not sleep sedately, she'd discovered, when there are more than twenty of them occupying the same small space. There had been a lot of chattering and laughing, which meant it had taken longer for her to fall to sleep than she was comfortable with. But still, she hadn't been behind a bin, that was a plus. And she had a name, however vague it was, to give Patrick. If he showed up on time; she had, after all, missed yesterday's rendezvous completely herself.

Patrick was on his way to the rendezvous himself, hands stuffed into the pockets of his coat as he ducked and flitted through the slowly moving crowd of people who were all filing out of various buildings to head to the multitude of bars and inns throughout the city.

A man came stumbling out of one of the brothels, thumping into Eri and aiming a kick in her direction as he growled drunkenly. She skittered out of the way, rubbing her shin, and picked up the pace a little, ignoring the threat called after her to mind where she was going or else. Reaching the meeting place, she wrapped her arms tight around herself to keep out the cold, and slid down the wall to wait.

Patrick turned the corner not long afterward, moving along to the meeting point. He took up a lean on the wall beside her, tossing a glance downward. "Little young for a place like this, aren't you?"

"Whatever brin's th'money in, mate," she answered automatically, glancing up at him with the same lack of interest. "You gonna make it worth m'while, or piss about admirin' th'other ankles?"

He motioned for her to stand and lead the way, smirking while his hand slid back into his pocket.

She rose to her feet in the matter-of-fact manner of the whores who plied their trade around here, leading the way towards the brothel where she'd made a standing agreement with the madam - use of one of her rooms for an hour or so when required, and Eri wouldn't look too closely into how she was making her money. She shut the door behind them, and breathed a sigh of relief, leaning against it.

He slipped in after her, hands leaving his pockets while he flicked a coin over at Eri. Smirking again, he turned to perch on the edge of the bed, leaning with his elbows on his knees. "So? What'd you find out?"

She caught the coin, choosing not to comment on the cocky gesture as she tucked it into her ragged clothing. "Nothing concrete just yet," she sighed wearily. "Took me a day to get in with the kids down at the warehouse." She pushed off from the door, moving to perch beside him with a low groan. "I think I've got our lad, small boy goes by Benjamin. But I might have the guy who got him to buy that wire. Just a name, I think they might let me meet him sometime soon. Mako."

"Mako." He echoed, sitting up more. "Doesn't ring a bell. There's a gang in West End called Mako, but I don't think there's anyone in it named Mako."

"Well, I'd assume it's an assumed name," she pointed out. "The last thing I'd do would be to give my real name to the street kids, they're too easy to bribe. We'll see, though. Hopefully, they'll want 'Teri' to meet him just to shut me up about making money." She grinned, the expression pulling the bruise on her jaw taut.

"Annoying the kids, too, eh?" He snorted, smirking at her. "Careful, don't want to get kicked out by them even."

She smirked back at him. "Wouldn't want that, no," she agreed. "Because then I'd have to send you in."

"And I wouldn't pass as an orphan boy." His head shook at her then, arms crossing over his chest. "So, you said the kid's name was Benjamin?"

"Yeah, but he's not the only one working for this Mako person," she nodded, leaning back on the bed to stretch her back out with another low groan. "God, that palisse was worse than the floor ... It looks as though whoever this is, they had a hand in setting up the warehouse for the kids. They'll do anything for him."

"Right. So, we're hunting a guy who gives kids shelter and then has them help him kill people. He's a stand up guy, really."

She nodded, her expression going very dark for a moment. "Part of me's hoping like hell he picks me for his next job," she growled under her breath. "What I wouldn't give to beat the crap out of someone who uses these kids just because they have nowhere else to turn."

"You can't just up and hit him if you're chosen for the next job. You have to be certain it's him, first." He warned, turning to face her more. "I'd rather you not get killed."

She snorted. "God forbid you'd have to hook up with a new partner," she laughed quietly, shaking her head as the laugh faded to a smile. "The concern's appreciated but not necessary. I'm not going to take a shot at anyone until I'm certain."

"Try not to kill him, either. Mahoney'll get pissed." He knew from experience, there. "You know how he is, 'Blah blah blah, rules and protocol.'" A hand lifted, opening and closing to mimic someone talking mockingly.

"He's heading for life imprisonment at best, if you get to him before I do," Eri growled back. She did not like the fact that anyone would take it into their heads to dispense their own kind of justice through murder. "If not, well, he won't be bothering anyone anymore."

"I agree that he shouldn't live a moment longer than he already has." Patrick replied quickly. "He's scum of the worst kind. Just warning you, Mahoney will ride your ass if you end up shooting him."

She snorted, pulling herself to sit up. "He can try," she shrugged. "My record's clean, there's not much he can do but give me a warning."

He laughed, nodding to her. "Then it's best that you shoot him instead of me."

"Get in my way and I will shoot you," she laughed, nudging him cheerfully. "Wouldn't be the first time I've taken down a fellow officer in the line of duty, and all that."

"After that clean record line you just dropped?" He asked, quirking a brow. "You never got in trouble for it?"

"Well, he was a hostage at the time," she shrugged. "I needed a clean shot at the killer, so I took down the hostage with a shot to his ankle. The perp let him go and got a bullet in the brainpain for his trouble."

"Remind me never to get caught, either." He mused, eyeing her suspiciously.

She offered him a sweet smile. "Don't worry, I won't give you any lasting disfigurements," she assured him with a pat to his shoulder.

"I don't like disfigurements at all, lasting or no." He countered, smirking.

"Then don't get in the way," she laughed, stretching again. "Although ... many more nights in the cold, and I might not be able to move fast enough."

"Too cold for you, eh?" His smirk widened. "Don't suppose they got heating in the warehouse."

"There's a couple of braziers, but the younger kids get the best spots," she shrugged, understanding that. "They've already decided I must be the oldest, which means I've been on the street the longest. Obviously I can cope." She snorted, smirking a little at that.

He laughed, standing up to stretch his arms overhead. "Well, try and find out more about Mako and you can leave sooner."

She nodded, rising with him and turning towards the door. Then she paused, glancing back at him with a wicked smirk. "Sure you got your money's worth?"

"You consider that worth a single coin?" He laughed, turning to eye her again. "Figure you'd be asking for a bit more than that."

"Can't take too much back, they'd wonder what I've been up to," she snorted, grinning. "Maybe you should give me a couple of new bruises, just to make it look real."

A hand lifted, balling into a fist while it moved out with exaggerated slowness, tapping and pushing against her shoulder. "Not many places where the bruise would be visible unless you started flashing the kids a bit."

"Excuse me?" Eri laughed, looking down at her ragged clothing, which contained more than enough holes to flash skin especially when she didn't want to. "Look at me, I'm not exactly the beat up kid type yet, am I?"

"So? Just makes you look tougher than the others." He laughed, winking while his hand dropped to his side.

She smirked, tilting her head at him. "What? Scared I'll fight back?"

The hand then lifted to his throat while he eyed her pointedly. "Very."

Eri didn't quite manage to hide the large grin that rose at his wariness, remembering the shock on his face when she'd demonstrated her agility. She lifted her hands, spreading them peaceably before locking them behind her back. "I promise, I won't fight back."

"I'm not gonna hit you." He countered, head shaking. "I've got a few rules that I don't like to break."

Eri's brow rose. "What, you're a 'no hitting women' type?" She snorted. "Wouldn't have pegged you for that."

"I'm a 'no hitting people who don't deserve it' type." He corrected.

"I'll hit a woman without batting an eyelash if she gives me a good reason to."

"Oh, you want me to deserve it?" Her other brow rose warningly. "Seriously, I'm not joking here."

"Don't start getting ideas." He said quickly. "Why do you wanna get hit, anyhow?"

"I'm not marred," she stated simply. "Every kid there has bruises and scars, signs that they've been on the street longer than most. And I'm sure a couple of them will have seen me come in here. A man who looks like you do, who walks into a disreputable brothel willingly with the least attractive whore on display, would take what he wanted, not share. So I need some fresh bruises."

"You think the kids would notice that kind of thing?" He asked, quirking a brow. "Or that they'd be watching over this place at all?"

"I'm a new face, they don't know if they can trust me yet," she said, quite seriously. "If I walk out of here, none the worse for wear, they're not going to trust me."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine. You owe me, though."

She grinned. "I'll pay you back somehow," was her mockingly brave response.

"Alright." He motioned to her then. "Anywhere in particular you do or don't wanna be hit?"

"Try not to impair my ability to run." That was all she was truly concerned about; she'd need to be fast on her feet sometime soon, she was fairly certain of that.

"Stay away from ankles, got it." He shook his head at her then. "You're all kinds of crazy, you know. There's makeup for this kinda thing."

"Make up runs, and I'm not that good an actor," she shrugged. "Where'd you want me?"

"Doing well enough so far." He muttered, shrugging dismissively.

"Come on, then," she gestured for him to get on with it, bracing herself.

"You know, I really hate you right now." He shrugged out of his coat and tossed it aside.

Eri snorted. "You'll get over it," she assured him. "Need some encouragement?"

"Eh...depends on the encouragement."

Her lips curved in a laugh. "You're actually scared of me, aren't you?"

"You call it fear. I call it not liking getting punched. I'm the sane one here."

Her hand lifted, mocking him with an echo of his impersonation of Mahoney. "You're giving off waves of 'all mouth, no trousers' here," she warned him.

"Yeah, yeah. Shut up." He waved her off dismissively then.

Her hand dropped, her eyes rolling as she snorted with laughter at his reluctance.

"So, what? Just beat the hell outta you and leave it at that?" He asked, quirking a brow. "That what you want?"

"Did I say beat the hell outta me?" Eri demanded laughingly, reaching out to flick his ear. "Think about your cover, for God's sakes ... would the man you're pretending to be just beat the crap out of the girl I'm pretending to be randomly?"

"Dunno. I don't observe people when they come to whore houses and take women into the rooms." He rolled his eyes. "I deal with homicide."

She rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Oh for God's sakes," was her groaning reply. "Wrists, neck and hips. And a black eye, if you can bring yourself to do it."

"You already got a bruise on your face." He commented, pointing at her jaw. "Really need another?"

She gave him a flat stare. "You know, there's a ton of guys at the Watch House who wouldn't make half as much of a fuss about this as you are."

"Sorry. Most in Rhy'Din lost their conscience." He rolled his eyes at her then. "Fine, go and sit or do whatever it is. I'll get with the choking and all that shit."

"If it's not a big deal to me, why is it such a big deal to you?" she asked curiously, moving to sit on the bed again, her head tilting up to look at him.

He walked until he was standing in front of and looking down at her. "I'm not an asshole." He shrugged.

"I never said you were," she said quietly. "But you're my partner, and I need you to do this for me. I owe you for it."

"Yeah. I know. Doesn't mean I'm gonna jump at the chance." His hands lifted, thumbs pressing lightly to her throat. "Can't recall anyone ever asking me to choke and bruise them up some, either." He snorted then.

"Guess I made myself memorable, huh?" She tensed, just a little, as his hands went to her throat, lifting her chin to assist.

"That's one way to put it." Fingers squeezed more, lightly at first, obviously tentative.

Her eyes lifted to meet his, and her hands rose, covering his fingers on her throat and squeezing them tighter. "You're the only one I trust to do this."

"Great. You trust me to choke you. I feel so special." He muttered, squeezing tighter at her bidding while his eyes narrowed.

She tensed her throat deliberately, helping him to bruise her without choking her too much. And she didn't take her eyes off his as he did it.

"Say when." He added, hands holding down as tightly as he dared after she'd nudged him along a bit.

How he couldn't feel it when his thumbs broke through the capillaries on her throat, she couldn't understand. But then, he wasn't the one concentrating on being bruised. "When," she rasped, tugging his hands away to rub at the red marks that were the beginning of fingerprints on her skin.

His hands immediately released her throat when she said so, falling to his sides while he looked down at her. "You alright?"

She swallowed, loosening the tightness in her throat. "I'm fine," she cleared her throat. "Fine. What are you comfortable with next?"

"I'm not comfortable with any of this." He snorted, shaking his head. "Just say what you want next."

"Well, either one is going to be awkward," she pointed out. "I'll have to struggle to get the bruises up on hips and wrists." She stood, offering her wrists to him. "I do appreciate this, Patrick."

He grunted, fingers closing around her wrists next. "You better get me lots to drink once we catch this guy."

"I'll buy you a brewery," she grinned, testing his grip on her. "Don't let go." Bracing herself, Eri began to twist about in his grasp, burning her skin under his fingers. Out of deference to him, she bit her lip hard to prevent the faintly pained gasp escaping.

Fingers held tightly to her wrists while she began to twist about, concentrated on not looking at her directly so he wouldn't coerce himself into letting go.

"Alright, enough." It wasn't as bad as she might have liked, but Eri was beginning to feel a little guilty for having to ask him to do this. She stilled. "Hey ... you're not hurting me, you know," she lied gently.

He snorted while his hands again fell to his side. "What's next?"

Eri flushed a little, anticipating a certain amount of close contact. "Hips," she said firmly, tilting her head back to look at him. "Which way do you want me to face?"

"Whichever way you want." He shrugged helplessly.

She was about to suggest turning her back to him, when her common sense informed her that whichever way she faced, it was going to be awkward. "Okay," she sighed softly, stepping closer. Her brow rose, taking refuge in sarcasm. "You're going to have to touch me again, you know."

"And oddly, that's not what bothers me." He snorted, hands lifting to settle against her hips as she stepped closer.

"Harder," she murmured awkwardly, uncertain what to do with her hands.

Fingers gripped down harder at her bidding. "Good enough?"

She looked at him, wishing she wasn't blushing. "You're going to have to shake me," she muttered, finally laying her hands on his arms.

"How much?" He quirked a brow at her, giving a light shake just to test her.

"Rougher," she told him, gripping his sleeves as she laid her feet in a steadier stance.

He shook her again, harder than before. "More or less?"

Swaying on her feet, Eri frowned thoughtfully. "More," was her quietly apologetic instruction.

He sighed in dismay and shook her even harder. "That good?"

She nodded as his shaking wrangled her backwards and forwards. "Yeah, that's good," she agreed, struggling as he shook her.

"How long?" He asked, pausing so she could answer without being shaken about more.

"I don't know," she shrugged, glancing down at his hands on her hips. "I can't feel it so easily there."

He frowned, pausing to give another rough shake. "How will you know, then?"

"You'll have to look," she pointed out awkwardly. "I can't get a good enough view, myself."

"Eh..." He quirked a brow, stopping again to hold her steady.

She stumbled, tightening her grip on him as she regained her balance. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't trust you," she told him as another blush enflamed her cheeks.

"Of course." He shook his head. "Just tell me when to check."

"Might as well take a look now," she shrugged lightly, chewing at her lip. Her hands ran down his arms to disengage his grip from her hips, pleased to feel an ache where his fingers had been.

His hands left her hips and fell to his sides while he motioned to her. "Alright."

Taking a breath, she stepped away, tucking her fingers into the ragged waist of her pants to draw them down just far enough. "Well?"

He looked down at her hips where they'd been reddened from his fingers, frowning. "Dunno. I guess it's good?"

She smiled a little, rolling her eyes. "Clear fingermarks?" she asked curiously.

"Nnngh. No." He admitted, flicking her hands away to take her hips again, pulling her closer.

The feel of his hands on her skin startled her, bringing her hands up to grip at his arms as he pulled at her. And yes, she did let out a surprise gasp as he did so. "A little warning would have been nice."

"Less bruises would be, too." He countered, waiting for her to be settled before he gave her another few rough shakes.

Her fingers flexed on his arms as she struggled harder this time, determined to be bruised by the time he was done or not bother any further. This was a little too close for partners to be getting.

He stopped again, fingers peeling away from her hips as he glanced down at the marks that would surely bruise later on. "Think that's good."

She nodded hurriedly, avoiding his gaze as her hands dropped to cover her hips over with the ragged waist of her pants once again. "Okay. Thanks."

He grunted and stepped back, arms crossing. "Next time you decide to go under cover, get the bruises before hand."

"Yeah, well ... you think there's going to be a next time?" Eri snorted, her own arms wrapping around herself as she, too, stepped back, putting even more space between them.

"I dunno. Will there be?" He asked, quirking a brow.

"If I get through this," she chuckled, brushing her hands down her sides. "Okay, well, uh ... better be going, right?" She gestured awkwardly towards the door.

"Yeah." He turned, walking to stoop down and pick up his coat before shrugging into it.

Eri nodded again, taking a deep breath and brushing past him. She paused with her hand on the door. "Next meet?"

"When and where?" He quirked a brow, shrugging. "At your convenience. You're the one who's gotta maintain an image here."

She sighed thoughtfully. "Here again, two days," she said finally, looking to him to confirm it.

"Alright." He nodded, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets.

Eri nodded again, and pulled the door open, striding out as if eager to be away from him. And it was only partly a pretence - the unexpected intimacy of being bruised for her cover had left her more than a little unsettled.

He stepped out after her, doing his best not to look as though he'd just been disturbed or unsettled in any way.

Glancing over her shoulder at him, Eri nodded abruptly, and took off down the street at a run, aiming for the docks, and the warehouse. And from one of the corners, a small, dark-haired boy peeled off from a group and ran after her.

Patrick eyed the boy before he disappeared in the opposite direction, headed for Pete's.

((Scene edited and posted with permission.))

Sunset approached, and still Eri didn't know where she was supposed to be meeting this Mako person. None of the other children would tell her, and so she'd been unable to send word to Patrick as to the location for the meet. Even now, as the sun dipped beneath the horizon, she was in the dark, following Benny down beneath the warehouse and along the dank tunnel. The boy was skittish, barely acknowledging her, and she didn't try to draw him into conversation. Instead, she mooched along behind him, a little surprised when they didn't climb up to the path at the end of the tunnel, but continued down.

At the opening of the stinky space, Benny stopped, gesturing through to where the last vestiges of light were dying. Eri nodded to him, and ducked through the opening in the rock.

A man stood with his back to her, watching waves lap up against the shoreline. His hair was a pale lavender, wispy thin and long. Everything about him screamed sickly, from the deathly pale hue of his skin to the frailty of his bone thin arms. He wore light clothes that all but devoured his person in their warmth, his head canting as he heard Eri approach. Wisps of hair covered an eye, leaving one exposed and showing a bright, brilliant blue. "Teri? I'm Mako." His voice was a kindly sound, his smile even more so, too warm and pure to be a mad killer.

Eri's eyes darted around the area, from the high cliff face on three sides, to the sea lapping at the shore. No way out but the fissure she had just stepped through. And a rather unsettling old man. So ... keeping herself between him and the exit, she ventured forward, playing the part of the wary teenager as well as she knew how. "Aye, sir," she nodded. "Kids said ya wanted t'speak t'me."

"Yes." He nodded slowly, every movement sending that wispy hair and the light layers of his voluminous robes rippling like water. Mako stepped toward her, closing the distance with a fluid grace that no mortal should have the right to hold. "I'm in need of some equipment, but I am often too busy with my work to go and run these errands myself, you see."

She took an involuntary step back as he moved towards her, just barely remembering to keep to her slouch and not fall into a crouch to defend herself. The first inkling that she could be in over her head suggested itself in the back of her mind, but it was too late now. "Equipmen', sir?" she asked, feigning confusion. "What, like tools'n stuff?"

"Precisely. Tools. I work with metal, you see. Making mostly sculptures and the like. These materials are pricy, but I can afford them. It's the lack of time that makes getting them difficult."

"Aye. Guess high-ups like you'd have no time fer gettin' yer hands dirty," she commented, wondering if continuing her wary retreat was wise. "Sorta stuff y'lookin' fer? I don't got no money t'pay wiv."

"Oh, that won't be a problem. I'll be supplying you with the coin to pick it up. And a bit extra for the trouble, as well." He explained, nodding. "I need scraps of metal, there's a junkyard that's perfect for it."

"What y'gonna use 'em fer?" Eri asked, adding quickly, "Not as I much care, but t'would help t'know so's I kin getcha good price fer what's best fer yer ... sculpture." God, she found herself thinking, I hope to hell you're our man; you just gave me confirmation you're planning another murder.

"I bend them into abstract shapes and designs. There's no real idea of what I'll be making until I start making it." He explained, smiling still. "I'm an artist. We do not plan. We just work."

"A'righ'," she nodded. That smile was really beginning to grate on her tense nerves. "Jus' tell me where'n when, an' I'll get 'em fer ya."

A hand dove into his robes, withdrawing a pouch of coins and offering it over to her. "By Friday, please. The junkyard is in West End. Benjamin knows, he's been there a few times."

"Aye, sir. Yes, sir," her hand reached out for the pouch automatically. "'Ow much are y'wantin'?"

"As much as you can get. Tell them to deliver to Mako, they'll send it to me."

Eri found herself nodding for far too long, quickly drawing a halt to the nervous gesture as she tucked the pouch into her shirt. "Aye, sir, I'll be doin' that, then," she agreed. "Friday. Gotcha." She glanced over her shoulder at her exit. "Anythin' else, sir?"

"That'll be all." Mako replied, smiling ceaselessly as he bowed his head gratefully to her. "You have my thanks."

Hesitantly, Eri nodded to him once again and, feeling all the while more vulnerable than she had for a long time, turned her back on him, moving to slip back within the tunnel.

He watched her while she walked away, hands clasped before him until she'd turned out of sight.

Fingering the pouch in her shirt, Eri fairly ran down the tunnel, almost bowling over Benny in her hurry to be away from that place and that man. She climbed up onto the path and edged along the cliff, turning into the streets without much of a care as to who she bounced into. Several streets away, she stopped, leaning against the wall to get her breath back.

Patrick was just on his way to the brothel for their nightly meeting, hands in the pockets of his coat as he walked down the street and turned the corner, pausing when he saw her leaning against the wall. "A bit early, aren't you?"

Her face pale as she blew out a harsh breath, Eri looked up at the sound of his voice, for the second time in less than an hour close to forgetting her assumed role. "Aye, well, y'pay th'best," she said begrudgingly, pushing off from the wall and heading into the brothel with the confidence of a whore with one of her regulars.

Patrick snorted while he followed her inside, hands leaving his pockets as he fell into step just behind her on their path to one of the rooms.

A different room this time, and one held on either side by rooms in use, as it were. Eri waited for Patrick to join her inside and closed the door, locking it firmly. Then she let out a shaky breath, leaning her forehead on the door. "This is god-awful."

"Take it you met 'im, then." Patrick said while stepping in after her, grabbing one of the chairs to tug it out before he took her arm and guided her to sit down.

Guided there, she thumped down, leaning over to put her head between her knees. "He's planning another murder, he as good as confessed it," she groaned, fighting to regain some of her shattered composure. She hadn't even objected to his hand on her unbidden.

He quirked a brow, rocking on his heels. "Hold on. Back up a bit. Start from the beginning."

She sighed, lifting her head slowly as she sat back. "Sunset, Benny took me to meet Mako," she began, and painstakingly detailed the unpleasant meeting, the instructions given to her, even the way the man's smile had shaken her so deeply. "The junkyard have his address," she finished. "I can get it easily enough."

"Okay. So. You get the address, I'll get a warrant from Mahoney to search the place." He nodded slowly, arms crossing over his chest. "Anything else?"

She frowned, looking at him in all seriousness. "I don't think he's entirely mortal," she murmured uncomfortably. "There's something ... powerful ... about him. I need to find a weapon I can wear without causing alarm, I'm not going anywhere near him again without one."

"Well. Wait. You said he wanted the people at the junkyard to deliver the materials, right?" He arched a brow at her then, leaning back. "You won't have to go near him until after we search the place. That should give us opportunity to arrest him."

Thoughtful for a moment, Eri looked relieved as she realised he was right. "Good point," she nodded. "He wants the materials by Friday, so he could be planning to murder Friday night, or sometime over the weekend. I'll go tomorrow, give us time to get to him."

"I'll talk to Mahoney about the warrant tonight, then. He should be at the station for a few more hours."

"Good. I want this over." She let out a long breath. "Damn. I've never felt that exposed before."

"Did it seem like, at any point in time, that he knew who you were?"

"To be honest ... I have no idea," she shook her head, shrugging. "He never let up on that smile. I'll talk to the kids, maybe he does that all the time. If he does know me for who I am, I can't leave those kids undefended. He was a little too nice, not to be the vengeful type."

"Could just be an act. You know, all nice and smiles so the kids will think he's a good person. It's not far fetched considering the situation." He suggested, shrugging as well.

"I don't know any kid who wouldn't be creeped out by that smile. Just wait until you see it, it's revolting," she shuddered vaguely, rubbing the back of her neck.

"It's 'cause you know who it is we're dealing with." He explained, shaking his head.

She gave him a flat look. "Yes, thank you for pointing that out, doctor."

Hands lifted helplessly while he turned, walking toward the bed to shrug out of his coat.

Eri closed her eyes, sighing. "Sorry, I'm a little on edge," she apologised.

"Yeah. I know. It's fine." He turned again, dropping to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Did you get the surveillance set up for the warehouse?" she asked then, turning her mind away from the unsettling meeting.

"Yeah. A few teams are set up randomly throughout the area. I don't even know where, exactly, Mahoney's put someone else on that. They're feeding us updates on everything every hour."

"Good." An inappropriate thought occurred to Eri, and she snorted with laughter suddenly, lowering her head as she fought to control the sound.

"What?" He quirked a brow at her then, tilting his head curiously.

She shook her head, chuckling. "Just wondering if they're reporting exactly how much stealing I've been up to in the last few days."

He chuckled, shrugging. "They are. But it's going to be paid off."

"Out of my wages, no doubt," she snorted, relaxing as the laughter took the edge off her tension. "Is there anything I need to know, before I go back?"

"Not that I can think of." He shrugged, scratching his jaw thoughtfully.

"Then I'd better get back. Oh, hang on ... I don't suppose you have an evidence bag on you?"

He winked at her then, leaning back to reach into his coat pocket, tugging out a plastic bag to hand over. "Why?"

"This." She withdrew the coin pouch from her shirt, wrappingthe bag inside out around her hand to reach in and withdraw one coin. Without allowing her skin to touch the metal, she turned the bag the right way out and sealed it, handing it back. "Magic or forensics might be able to get something off that."

He grinned then, nodding while he took the bag and tucked it into his pocket. "I'll get it to them pronto."

"Don't spend it until after it's been tested," she grinned back, tucking the pouch back into her shirt. She rose, steeling herself to return to her assumed role.

He laughed and stood, tugging his coat back on. "You're gonna be famous for quickies around here." Patrick snorted, offering a small handful of coins as 'payment.'

She took the coins, batting her lashes at him in a pitiful display of coquettish flirting. "Sure you don't want to enjoy a full turn?" she teased laughingly.

"Maybe after we finish this thing up." He snorted, turning to start for the door.

"What a treat to look forward to," she grinned sardonically, moving after him more slowly.

He reached out to open the door, smirking over his shoulder at her before slipping out of the room.

As the door opened, Eri slumped into her slouch, mooching out after him with her hands firmly in her pockets. She was at his shoulder as they reached the street. "Aye, y'better 'urry, mate," she laughed derisively, loud enough for anyone to hear, "'fore it gets about y'don't got the ability no more!"

Snorting, Patrick turned and headed down the street away from the warehouse. "Don't go blowin' that money all in one place." He said before heading around a corner and hurrying off.

She rolled her eyes, making a gruesome face at his back as he turned away. Tipping her cap to the madam, she grinned, and headed back towards the warehouse, and to explaining her sudden flight to Benny and the others. Wouldn't that be fun?