![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[fic] The Devil's Canvas [chapter thirty-seven] (part two)
Title: The Devil's Canvas
Chapter: 37 (part two)/?
Authors: Akiru chan & Disgruntled Minion
Pairing/Characters: Sebastian/Ciel
Rating: M
Summary: Ciel's skin was marred with ink and blood, telling tales twisted in darkness. What an evil path the devil walks, tainted hands staining the innocent canvas. For the most beautiful art is painted in blood.
Warnings: Violence, adult content, yaoi, and language
Part Two
Morning was a somber affair, nothing of the lightness and smiles that it had been days before. No one spoke much more than simple words of greeting, if anything at all. Ciel was among those who kept silent, mute to the world. Not even Sebastian could coax more than a few misplaced words from the young man. He had even refused to give his aunt any form of morning greeting.
Currently, Ciel found himself watching the grey skies emptying themselves from the safety of the main entrance awning. The rhythmic splash of water leaking from a cracked gutter filled Ciel’s ears and he found himself tapping his finger to the sound. It was more soothing than annoying, and Ciel found comfort in it.
Sebastian appeared at his side and glanced at him. “Let’s go,” Sebastian said simply, anxious to get on the road so they could talk to Elizabeth. There was no doubt that the female would cooperate and if they were lucky, she would know the location of where they were keeping Bard. Or at least somewhere close to it.
An umbrella was opened and they jogged out to the waiting car, climbing in quickly before the rain could soak them any more. The car started with a rumble and within seconds, Sebastian was driving away from the mansion and heading towards the massage parlor.
“The weather is awfully cliched, don’t you think?” Ciel looked out past the door’s window at their destination as the rain continued to fall. The atmosphere mimicked the morose mood that seemed to follow Ciel everywhere. He could only hope that this visit wouldn’t be in vain.
The car came to a stop and Sebastian’s lips quirked slightly before falling back down into a straight line. It seemed that any type of humor today was going to be nonexistent and Sebastian found his mood dropping to match Ciel’s. He opened the door and made a quick run for the front of the building, Ciel following close behind him.
Ciel hated the humid air paired with the downpour. It made his clothes stick to him uncomfortably, and he forced himself not to pick at the fabric. Despite his disheveled look, Ciel caught the attention of many passing ladies, much to his dismay. “Don’t these women have better things to do than eye us like their next meal?” Although Ciel supposed that in some cases, that might really be the case.
“It’s their job,” Sebastian murmured. “And you know that not everyone likes the job they have and wish to leave it.” He stopped in front of Lau’s office and knocked once. A few moments passed before he pushed the door open, not wanting to wait any longer. The longer they waited, the smaller the chance Bard had for survival.
There was usually a reason for waiting for permission before entering a room and Ciel was relearning why that was. His cheeks flamed and eyes averted themselves quickly from the scene. Lau was currently reclined in his chair with a very busy Ran-Mao between the man’s legs. What she was doing exactly, Ciel didn’t bother to look long enough to see, but it was pretty obvious from the position alone.
Sebastian cleared his throat, drawing Lau’s attention. “Your planner,” he stated simply. Lau simply waved his hand to a shelf on the nearby wall before turning his attention back to Ran-Mao.
Rolling his eyes, Sebastian crossed over to the shelf and plucked the book off the rack. He flipped it open to the correct date and checked quickly to see if Elizabeth was busy or not. Seeing that she was on break now, Sebastian snapped the book shut and tucked it under his arm before moving towards the door.
Ciel could not get out of that room quickly enough. That image wouldn’t easily be erased, and gouging out of his eyes sounded quite pleasant at the moment. “How do you deal with that man?” Ciel questioned in pure wonder.
“You learn to ignore him at times. He’s like the annoying neighbor that you never want to see unless you absolutely have to. Although you hate to admit that he’s right when he gives you advice or points you in the correct way.” Sebastian stated, recalling a few memories of his own.
They stopped outside of Elizabeth’s room and knocked lightly on the door. There was a shuffling sound behind the thick wooden door before it cracked open slightly. Wide green eyes stared up at Sebastian and he pushed Ciel forward before the girl had a panic attack, thinking that he was alone.
“We need to talk with you,” Sebastian said, giving no room for argument.
“Of course.” Elizabeth sported a mild blush and moved herself quickly out of the way to let the two men in. She looked nervous, twittering about as she offered them tea and a place to sit. From the looks of things, she’d had a customer prior to their meeting.
The tea was declined; Ciel didn’t think he could stomach anything at the moment. Perfume was turning his stomach and he was sure Lizzy would not appreciate him staining her carpet with stomach bile.
“What can I help you with?” She asked, taking a seat across from them after pouring herself a cup of tea. Her hands curled around the cup, letting the warmth soothe her nerves.
Sebastian shifted slightly. “We need to know more about the man who approached you with the deal. If he mentioned any names at all or had any markings that stood out to you.”
Lizzy shook her head. “I still have nothing besides the name I gave you. And I assure you, Kelvin has not been spoken about from any one of my customers since then. If they had, I would remember.” The girl looked serious and not a hint of untruth leaked from her voice.
“Then how about news of hostages? Or ransoms?” Anything would do, just a whisper of news that could lead them closer to Bard would be enough. Ciel could only hope that they could make a substantial move once leaving this overly perfumed establishment.
Lizzy frowned. “A hostage? I didn’t think they would do something like that.” She set her teacup down and smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes. “I remember hearing someone talking about it in the hallway a while ago, but they were just joking about it at the time.”
“And what exactly did this joking entail?” Ciel asked, not about to believe it was as simple as that. Horrible acts started somewhere, and it wasn’t unheard of them starting out as a joke only to mold into something far more sinister.
“They were saying that if they could hold someone hostage that they could use them as a bargaining chip to get whatever they wanted. And then they listed off all the things they would demand.” Lizzy paused. “They were laughing and joking about it, so I didnt’ think it was serious.”
Ciel actually felt the need to slap the girl at that point. He resisted the urge and leveled her with a hard look. “And who exactly were these individuals? Were any names mentioned? Race, hair color, build?” he asked, hoping to get something.
Lizzy leaned back from Ciel, a small amount of fear present in her face. “One of them was a thin boy who had a fascination for knives. Lau always made him leave his knives at the front before he came back here.” She paused and tilted her head in thought. “The other one was a big guy, who teased the other one by calling him Dagger.”
Expect them to use nicknames or code names, Ciel should have seen that coming. His fingers pressed against his forehead and massaged out the frown lines. “Is there anything we can do with this?” Ciel turned to Sebastian, looking for his opinion on the information.
“Perhaps,” Sebastian mused. “Someone who fancies knives wouldn’t buy them over the Internet because they’d want to feel the weight of the weapon first. And usually, they have one main source that they go to for their knives, because they know the quality. If we can figure out what kind of knives he uses, I can narrow down his buyers.”
“Lau would know,” Lizzy spoke up. “He made him keep the knives up front, in a secure area. That part of the building is always under surveillance.”
Ciel nodded. “Is there anything else?” He asked Lizzy, hoping there was a little more the woman had to give. When she shook her head, he sighed and stood. It seemed they wouldn’t be getting much more from her. Lau would be their best bet for now. “Thank you,” Ciel said in parting appreciation.
Elizabeth nodded her head as they left the room and Sebastian shut the door quietly behind them. “Let’s go check the tapes. They won’t show Dagger, so much as they’ll show his knives. No doubt he knows where the cameras are and knows how to avoid being caught on tape.
“My biggest worry is that the resolution of the tapes won’t be high enough for us to see the make of the knives.” Ciel never considered security cameras to boast the best quality pictures. He could only hope that Lau would splurge and get better surveillance then your typical corner store.
“They should be fine,” Sebastian murmured as they stepped into the video room. “We funded the surveillance system for him since we use it to get information. So there’s no need to worry about the quality of it.”
“Good to know.” Was the off handed comment Ciel threw to Sebastian. The room was one he hadn’t seen before. Small televisions lined the walls along with a few mics placed here and there. Right then, a few monitors flashed and Ciel found himself inspecting them against his better judgement. He blushed and quickly turned away once he realized what the two occupants of the room were engaging in. “These are pornos, not security tapes.” Ciel bit out in disgust.
Sebastian chuckled lowly and pulled Ciel back from the monitors. He pressed a small kiss on Ciel’s cheek. “It pleases me very much that such a thing disgusts you,” he murmured and shifted the younger male to a different set of monitors. “These are the security tapes.”
Ciel wasn’t sure if Sebastian was referring to the pornography itself or the heterosexual act. Either way he was not about to ask such a thing, not when he didn’t want to know. His attention was drawn to the right set of monitors and watched as they projected back the same screen. “Can we rewind them back?” he asked.
Nodding, Sebastian reached forward to press a few buttons before the tape started to roll backwards. They would have to go back a few days before Bard was captured to get a better idea.
For a while, there was nothing of interest, just the bringing and taking of objects that did little to rouse Ciel’s curiosity. “This is going to take forever.” Just as it was said, Ciel’s eyes widened and he hurriedly pushed past Sebastian to hit the stop button.
“There,” he said, pointing towards the still image of Lau who had come into the room carrying a collection of items that looked to be knives. It was hard to tell, but they might have been getting somewhere finally.
The collection of knives was set on the table as Lau turned around to get a safe box. One by one, the knives were deposited into the box, making sure that they weren’t damaged in the process. A few of them were held up by Lau to examine, and on more than one occasion, he tossed it up in the air to check the weight of it.
Ciel watched for a moment, but decided it was fruitless. He didn’t know much about knives aside from the one Bard had once given him. “Can you tell the make?” He asked and slumped into a rolling desk chair.
Sebastian nodded, his eyes watching the knife cut through the air one last time before it was set in the box with the others. “He has good taste. Those are SOG knives.” Sebastian leaned forward and silently moaned over the quality of the knives Dagger had, wanting a few for himself. “There’s a legal dealer in Canterbury and Wales, or at least near those areas.”
“Careful, or you’ll cream your pants.” Ciel gave Sebastian a less than amused look as he clicked off the monitor. This wasn’t the time to ogle cutlery. There were far more important things to do. From what they had gathered, it seemed like a trip was in their near future.
“I believe the proper term is ‘jizz your pants’. I think cream is for girls,” Sebastian stated as he stood up and pulled out his phone.
A dark blush stained Ciel’s face and he mumbled something under his breath. “Whatever! That’s not important right now,” he said haughtily.
Sebastian nodded. “You’re right. Right now, it’s more important that we get into touch with my contacts who supply me with knives and such. They would be able to tell me where the nearest dealer would be.”
“Well then, what are you waiting for?” Ciel rose and quickly made for the door. He had stayed within this god forsaken brothel for far too long. Fresh air was needed, as well as some cleansing of the mind.
Sebastian led the way out of the brothel and they climbed into the car. Fingers quickly punched in the numbers that they needed and Sebastian brought the phone to his ear as he started the car.
Moments passed as Sebastian talked in short words, just in case the line was being monitored. Once the phone call ended, Sebastian snapped the phone shut and glanced
slightly at Ciel. “The dealer we’re looking for is about thirty miles south of our location now.”
That wasn’t far and they could make it there in twenty or less minutes if they rode the gas the whole way. “Will we be expected?” Ciel wondered, not sure what exactly had transpired over the phone.
“No. There’s no love for this dealer to begin with and I was informed that if he was killed, no one would cry for his death,” Sebastian answered and pushed the car faster. “He sells his weapons to drug addicts, which has led to more violence in the area. So much so that the police won’t go there anymore.”
“I suppose we will be killing two birds with one stone with this trip?” Ciel inquired further, a sinister smile on his lips.
Sebastian chuckled. “You could say that. We don’t have to kill him, but there’s nothing wrong with having a little fun.” He turned onto a different road, leading them south and towards the dealer.
Ciel saw some much needed stress relief coming his way. Letting out his frustration and anger out on a not so innocent individual sounded very good at the moment. His head fell to the side to lay against the glass of the window. The bumps of the road rattled Ciel’s jaw, but he didn’t care.
The car picked up speed and Sebastian felt a small smirk crossing his face. They were slowly getting somewhere and he hoped that this would lead them to Bard. He didn’t want to lose the man and the thought made his hands tighten around the steering wheel.
“Where are we headed exactly?” Ciel asked after a moment of eyeing unfamiliar scenery. He knew the distance but he couldn’t say the same for the destination. It was in an area he had never traveled to before, that much was for sure.
“South,” Sebastian answered. “It’s a rough area, so be prepared for anything once we get there.” He turned off onto another road and slowed down slightly. They had been traveling for about fifteen minutes now and would be coming to the area soon.
Ciel pulled out his gun and double checked to make sure it was loaded and ready if he found the need to use it. A part of him hoped that he would have to rely on the weapon. He put it away and turned back to regard Sebastian for a moment. It was getting far too quiet for his liking but Ciel had nothing to say. Nothing of real merit, at least. He needed a good amount of reassurance that Bard would be alright and well, but Ciel knew well enough that even Sebastian didn’t know the answer to that question.
The car started to slow down as they approached a run-down neighborhood and Sebastian handed the phone to Ciel. “Call Tanaka and tell him where we’re at,” he stated, pointing to a nearby sign. “If we’re in the right spot, then we should go after Bard as soon as possible before the gang realizes that we’re onto them and try to move him.”
Accepting the phone, Ciel dialed a number still foreign to him. It rang twice before Tanaka’s firm voice flowed from the phone. He seemed pleasantly surprised that it was Ciel calling him. The information was quickly relayed without much chit chat between. Tanaka gave his consent to the plan and Ciel hung up, tossing his phone onto the dash board.
“He said okay, and to come back alive.” Ciel smirked at the last part.
“Did he say if he was sending a back up crew or if it was just us on this?” Sebastian asked as he came to a stop at a light. They sat for a moment and Sebastian glanced around, checking to make sure that they weren’t being tailed.
“It’s just us. He has people out checking another lead but he hasn’t heard back from them yet. Until then he doesn’t have any one to send to our aid,” Ciel explained. It didn’t matter to him one way or another. In fact, he preferred working alone. There were fewer people to get in the way.
Sebastian nodded and he moved down one last road. The car came to a stop outside a store and he turned the car off. For a moment, they sat inside the car before Sebastian unclipped his seat belt. “Ready?” He asked Ciel.
Giving no verbal answer, Ciel excused himself from the car and stood on the damp sidewalks. The rain had ceased its pouring for the moment but the sky was still an angry grey. Any moment, the clouds’ bellies could open and coat Ciel with their tears. He anxiously awaited Sebastian who seemed to be taking his time.
“Are you sure you’re ready?” Ciel called out sarcastically.
Sebastian’s only answer was to offer a wide grin at Ciel, his eyes dancing with deadly intent. There was blood to be shed today and if they were lucky, heads would roll across the floor and screams would fill the air around them. He slammed the car door shut and set a seal on it before striding forward to the shop before them.
The outside of the building looked old and rundown with a weathered red sign that read ‘Pawn’. There was something suiting about that. Ciel could already see this guy being some sort of greasy pawn dealer, teeth rotting and missing. A few drops of rain hit Ciel on the nose and he hurried forward, not wanting to get caught in the storm. He stood under the awning despite its holes as he waited for Sebastian to follow.
The older male strolled up to the door at an easy pace before pulling the gated door open. Ciel followed him inside and Sebastian paused to look around the room, his hand subtly flipping the ‘open’ sign to ‘closed.’
“Can I help you two?” A voice asked from behind the counter, a man coming into view. A box was set on the surface and he smirked at them. “I have anything you’re looking for. From instruments to computers and everything else in between.”
“Knives?” Ciel questioned, smile firmly in place. The man looked just how Ciel had pegged him. His hair was greased back, gut pressing way past the waistline of his pants. Even his teeth were discolored and crooked.
Taking a further step into the shop, Ciel looked around. There wasn’t anything of particular interest, just junk that someone must have found valuable at one point. A few pocket knives sat in a case near the door, but they weren’t what Sebastian and Ciel had come there for.
The man watched the younger male closely before his attention shifted slightly to the man standing further behind him. They had both disregarded the pocket knives as soon as they saw them and his eyes darted to the caged door. They widened slightly when they noticed the sign on the door had been flipped over, and he offered them a wide grin.
“I’ve got knives.” He leaned down and unlocked a side panel underneath the counter. A few moments later, a display case was set on the counter and was turned to the two customers. “How about these?”
Sebastian took a few steps forward, his eyes gleaming with delight at the sharpened weapons. SOG, Viper, and Cold Steel brands looked back at him, and his fingers itched to try them out. “How’s their weight?” he finally asked.
“How about you try one out?” The dealer suggested and unlocked the case. “You’ll find that all my knives have perfect weight and balance. My clients swear by them to be the best in the area.”
Ciel opened his mouth but quickly closed it. Sebastian looked like a kid in a candy store and Ciel couldn’t bring himself to ruin that just yet. Might as well allow Sebastian some fun while they lured the dealer into a false sense of security. Ciel moved closer to get a better look as well. To him, all the knives looked alike aside from size and shape. He couldn’t discern what was a good knife or what was a bad knife.
“Find one that you like.” Ciel encouraged after a moment.
Sebastian glanced at Ciel and sent him a grateful look. The knife he had selected was already perfectly balanced on his fingers and Sebastian smirked. He could spend all day combing through the knives until he found one that suited him. But just the balance wasn’t enough; it had to be tested as well.
“Do you have a back room where I can test a few of these out?” He asked, tossing the knife in the air before catching it again.
The dealer nodded, a large grin on his face. “Back this way. I can see that you’re a knife enthusiast.” He glanced back at them as he started to lead them towards the back. “Did one of my clients refer you or did you make it here on your own questioning?
“One of your clients,” Ciel said as he followed behind Sebastian. They were led into a room with walls lined with circles and lines as well as numerous puncture marks, no doubt from knives having been thrown countless times into the surface. At the end of the room was a human dummy that was in less than good shape. It was here that they stopped.
The man grinned. “It seems as though my reputation is growing. Which one of my wonderful clients suggested me? I have quite a few, you know. All of them buy my top line models because they know I have the best.” Pride seeped into his voice as he gestured for Sebastian to try out a few knives.
“You sell to just anyone?” Sebastian asked, testing the weight one last time before letting the knife fly through the air. It hit its mark and Sebastian reached for the next one.
“A few of my clients are in gangs and I have no problem selling to them. They help to keep the drugs passing through the area here.” A nasty smirk settled on the man’s face. “The more crackheads there are, the more people there are willing to pay for a knife for protection. Whether it’s normal people, or the druggies themselves wanting protection from the police.”
Ciel snorted, the man taking it as humorous agreement although it was anything but. To Ciel, this man was moronic and a senseless idiot. It was sad to think such a man was allowed to run around the city like he had. Although, Ciel thought, he was no better in the eye of the general public.
Another knife found its mark on the board and Sebastian frowned when he realized that he was out of knives. “One of your clients in particular recommended you.” He snapped his fingers, acting as though he was trying to remember the name. “He’s young, probably around his age.” A finger was jerked back to Ciel, who scoffed at the example.
The man’s eyes lit up. “Ah, you’re talking about Dagger. Now there’s a smart boy. Good with a knife too.” He padded down to the end of the room and started to remove the knives from the target. “You two would probably get along great, seeing as your aim is so good. He’s in a nearby gang that’s helping to push drugs along this area.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” The man looked back to Ciel, and the younger gave a smile and a shrug of his shoulders. Ciel turned to Sebastian and gave him an expectant look. “Find one you like?”
“Almost,” Sebastian stated as the knives were set next to him again. He smirked at Ciel. “Think I can hit a bull’s eye?”
“I’d like to see you try.” A challenge was laced was within Ciel’s words and his blue eyes danced with a dark mischief.
Sebastian grinned before turning to face the target. With a quick flick of the wrist, the knife sailed across the room and landed in the center of the target. “Can you humor my companion and see if I hit the target?” Sebastian asked their target.
A small chuckle left the man. “Of course,” he said and trotted down to the end of the room. He turned his back on them to examine the target. “Dead center. You have good ai--” He was cut off a knife embedded into the wood mere inches from his head.
Another one found its mark on the other side of his head and Sebastian took a small step forward, gun trained on the man. “I wouldn’t move too much if I were you right now,” he said lowly.
“Care to make another wager Sebastian?” With cruelty and joy, Ciel cast the man a look that would send shivers down any sane person’s spine. “Think you can hit the bull’s eye now? And with such a melon of a head in the way?” The man’s eyes widened even more and sweat could be seen leaking from his brow.
“With a bullet?” Sebastian questioned. “Oh yes, I think I can hit it without a problem. A knife, though. I might miss a few times. Maybe slice off an ear or hit the base of the neck; I’m sure I don’t need to explain what happens if I hit that.”
“Then perhaps you should use the knife. More practice that way, am I right?” A sadistic sneer passed across Ciel’s face as he walked to stand next to Sebastian. He picked up one of the knives, the steel cold in his hands. “Or I wouldn’t mind trying. Maybe I’ll literally make a bull’s eye, if you know what I mean.”
Sebastian smirked and stepped to the side, giving Ciel more room. “By all means then, go ahead and practice.” He watched as the man shuddered and tried to turn his head to the side more to see if they were joking or not.
The knife was flipped once, twice and then a third time. Ciel’s eyes never left the man whose hands had come up in a surrendering motion. Just as the man was forming the words ‘please don’t’ on his lips, Ciel let loose the knife and it flew cleanly through the air. There was a scream to follow and Ciel looked rather disappointed as it hit the man’s left palm off center. “I think I need to practice. My aim is off.”
Another knife was pressed into Ciel’s hand and Sebastian spoke calmly to the now bleeding man. “These knives that you sell to just anyone. Do you happen to know what trouble they cause?” He asked, and gestured for Ciel to try again.
Ciel threw again, this time hitting the man right next to his ear. Small strands of hair fell from where he had been cut and the man eyed the sharp metal with wary eyes. “I’m getting closer,” Ciel announced with twisted glee.
“You’ll hit it for sure next time,” Sebastian stated and handed another knife to Ciel. He waved a hand, telling the younger male to wait for a while before throwing the weapon, and took a few steps closer to the dealer. “Your buyer; the one named Dagger. You said that he’s in a gang. Is the gang around this area or in a nearby town?”
The man shook his head frantically. “They’ll kill me if I tell you that information,” he rasped. His hand quivered and a sob left his throat as he tried not to move it.
Sebastian chuckled and took a few steps to the side. He glanced at Ciel and gave a quick nod of his head, telling the younger male to proceed.
“You know, it never fails to humor me when people use that as their excuse. Oh they’ll kill me if I tell you.” Ciel’s voice was harsh and unamused. “Well unfortunately for you, if you don’t tell us now, you’ll be dead before you can count to three. Where as if you tell us what we want to know then you’ll have the honor of living another day.” The knife was tossed up again and Ciel cast Sebastian a look. He had given the man his choices and now it was up to him how he wanted to die.
A frown crossed Sebastian’s face and he waved Ciel down. The younger male was acting a little too rashly with his words and for a second, he was worried that Ciel would let the knife in his hand fly. “Forgive him. He’s young and in a bad mood. Delaying any information will only make that bad mood grow,” Sebastian purred as he moved closer to the man.
He reached forward and yanked the knife out of the injured hand. It had pierced straight through the hand and had rendered the limb almost useless unless he could get to a doctor quickly enough.
“Let’s try this again,” Sebastian said softly and pulled out the other knife. “Where is the gang that we are looking for?”
Whimpering, the man closed his eyes and swallowed hard. “They’re about ten minutes away. In the next town over, east I think.” He shivered violently. “It’s a rough town; full of drug dealers pushing the hard stuff that doesn’t make it past the north borders.”
“You just love to ruin my fun,” Ciel called as he mulled over the man’s information. He was vaguely familiar with the area, more so from hearsay, nothing of which Ciel had been told had been good. It didn’t sit well that they would have to venture into such an area, not to mention that Bard had been held there for days. The only relief was the thought that Bard was still alive.
“Do you know where their hideout is?” Sebastian asked curiously. “Surely you’ve made deliveries before; I doubt they would come out here all the time.”
The man shook his head. “They wouldn’t tell me where it was at. We only met once and it was at a rendezvous point that the kid had picked. Some old, closed down circus type thing.” He paused and sucked in a deep breath. “But his boss gave him grief for letting me come into their town and said we couldn’t do it again.”
“Perhaps someone in the town would know something more,” Ciel inquired to Sebastian. “If we can risk that without alerting anyone to our intentions or presence.” They had hit a difficult situation, and Ciel wasn’t sure which option they would end up siding with.
Sebastian hummed. “If we ask around enough, they’ll come to us,” he stated. “They’re after something and they want it back. So they must be hoping for a face to face meeting.” He frowned, not liking that they’d be going into the situation blind. They were going into enemy territory on their own and on their enemies’ terms. The odds were stacked against them.
That thought didn’t not ease Ciel’s nerves. “Is that wise?” he asked. “Especially when we’ve been their target?” It was very possible that they would walk into this and never have the opportunity to leave. They would have to be sure to keep the situation in their favor at all times.
“If they kill us now, they won’t get what they need,” Sebastian mused. “And it’s highly unlikely that we have whatever they want on our person now. However, it’s probably in our best interest to either wait for back up, or for you to return to the mansion and I’ll continue on.” There was no need for both of them to die and if Sebastian were to end up dead, at least Ciel would know the general location of their hideout.
An eyebrow rose in mock interest and Ciel scoffed. “Oh yes, because you know I’ll go along and play the role of the waiting wife while you go off to get yourself killed.” Ciel wasn’t about to be left out of the action. They were doing this together or not at all. Besides, Bard was Ciel’s friend just as much as Sebastian’s. They would do this together.
Sebastian shrugged. “It was just a thought.” He didn’t add that out of the two of them, they would be more likely to kill Sebastian compared to Ciel. The younger male was worth more alive than dead and would be more likely to hand over the item they sought.
“Then are we done here?” There was a moment in which Ciel paused and looked at the knives. “And hurry and decide if you want one of those knives and pay the poor man.” The words dripped sarcasm, and the younger male turned and headed back for the door.
“Can’t I just take one or two and consider it even for not killing him?” Sebastian asked, pouting slightly. He glanced at the gun, debating about shooting the man now before he caused any troubles later on. It would help the town in the future, along with letting the family move further south one day.
Ciel’s hands flew into the air. “I don’t care, Sebastian. Ask him, but just hurry your ass up.” A few grumbled but unintelligible words followed and Ciel stood tapping his foot under the door frame.
“Fine,” Sebastian murmured and plucked two knives from the table. They were tucked into his pockets. He gave a small wave to the man. “You might want to go find someone to take care of that hand.”
The moment it seemed that Sebastian was done and coming along, Ciel moved away and headed back through the shop and towards the main door. Once again it seemed to be raining cats and dogs. ‘Just great,’ Ciel thought and looked around for an umbrella somewhere in the shop. He found, to his dismay, a pink one and plucked it from where it hung. Luckily it was large and would cover both himself and Sebastian.
Sebastian wisely stayed silent as they moved out to the car, making sure that it hadn’t been tampered with. Once they were inside, Sebastian pushed his hair from his eyes and started the car. It was about a ten minute drive to the next town and their only lead was the circus.
“This weather needs to stop,” Ciel said after a few minutes of listening to the patter of rain and the streaking of the windshield wipers. Nothing seemed to penetrate the water cloak and it was horribly difficult to see where they were driving. A red light bled through and they came to a stop at an intersection.
“It’ll provide us some cover, but at the same time, it’ll provide them cover as well.” Sebastian’s hands clenched around the steering wheel. He didn’t like this situation very much. The unknowns were making things harder and Sebastian didn’t like going into this without a basic knowledge of the things around them.
That was true, Ciel supposed. He glanced to the umbrella he had taken and wondered if Sebastian would let him bring it along. The idea of getting drenched wasn’t a fond one. If anything, the umbrella could turn out to be a useful weapon if needed. “Bard better be grateful for all of this,” Ciel mumbled finally.
The comment was ignored as Sebastian turned down a road and the circus loomed before them. The tents were faded and had holes in the tops of some, making it look like a circus from a horror movie. The gate was cracked open, allowing a car to squeeze through but Sebastian seriously doubted that it would be that easy to get in.
“How do you want to do this?” Sebastian asked, tucking extra clips into his pockets.
Ciel frowned. “I don’t really care. But know that if we run into any bloody clowns, you’ll be on your own.” The place was quickly giving Ciel the creeps and the rainy atmosphere was not helping matters. Why couldn’t they have chosen a more welcoming hideout? At least, Ciel supposed, it wasn’t an abandoned theme park; otherwise, Ciel was sure he’d be looking over his shoulder for zombies.
Sebastian’s eyes fell to the umbrella. “Fancy a walk?” He asked and pointed to the horrible pink thing.
“Not really.” Ciel grabbed the umbrella anyway and popped it open as soon as he had the door open. With quick steps, he hurried around the vehicle to shelter Sebastian as he came out into the downpour.
The door was slammed shut and Sebastian ushered Ciel to the sidewalk across from the circus. There was a news stand next to an old building and Sebastian pulled out a paper, pretending to scan the title while his eyes darted around the circus grounds.
“They’re here,” he murmured to Ciel. “There are fresh tire tracks in the dirt and new bags of trash are piled up right outside the gate.”
“What do you suggest we do? Just march in?” They were the only ones on the street, only a solitary car passing by every once in a while. There was a possibility that they could infiltrate without being seen or heard. The weather would prove to be some help, although footprints would be left and surely they would be noticed.
Sebastian nodded and flipped a page of the newspaper. “We can try to sneak in. Although in this weather, it’s more likely that they’re all inside and not out pushing drugs.” He continued to watch the tents, wondering which one Bard would most likely be in. If the positions were reversed, Sebastian would keep the prisoner in the center of the circus, where it would be hardest to reach.
“Well then, I suppose a stroll through a spooky and deserted circus sounds lovely.” Blue eyes glanced through the rain and towards the designated area. It looked far from welcoming, but that wouldn’t keep them from venturing in.
A chuckle escaped Sebastian’s mouth as he looped his arm around Ciel’s waist and guided him to the entrance. “I doubt it’s deserted,” he stated as they crossed the street. The umbrella was lifted up as they slipped through the gates and care was taken not to splash through the puddles as they moved further into the circus.
“So long as the inhabitants aren’t clowns or zombies.” Ciel took cautious steps, being forced along by Sebastian. The only thing keeping him from turning around was the hope of finding and rescuing Bard, preferably with all their lives intact.
Treading softly, they moved around the first tent and Sebastian caught a whiff of food coming from the tent. No doubt it was where the food was stored and served and not the one they were looking for.
He kept his eyes instead on the ground, looking at the different tracks in the mud. The paths weren’t heavy leading to the far tents on the outskirts of the circus, but there was more foot traffic leading to the center.
Neither man dared to speak, not when they could be heard so easily through the thin canvas of the tent. Ciel pointed at some tracks, taking in shoe sizes and direction. Given the diversity of shoe tread patterns, he had to guess about three, maybe four individuals had been coming back and forth between here and further into the area.
Four fingers were held up along with a shrug of Ciel’s shoulders, asking Sebastian a clear question. He hoped that Sebastian would counter his claim and revise Ciel’s assumption back to three.
Sebastian studied the marks carefully. One was small, probably belonging to a woman, but the rest were larger and probably belonged to males. There was a large male in the group too, seeing how deeply set the prints were in the mud. He nodded to Ciel, affirming that there was probably four people.
He pointed to an older, more worn track. Two parallel lines led to a nearby tent, where the foot traffic was the heaviest. It looked as though they had dragged someone through the area not too long ago and Sebastian was willing to bet that it had been Bard.
Ciel nodded, and moved along with Sebastian as they kept close to the tents and buildings. It was the best shielding they had at the moment. When they had to dart into the open, it was done with sure footing and quick movements. As they followed the tracks Ciel picked out, a small light shone through the rain. It seemed to be coming from a small tent, newer than the rest. He shifted the umbrella and looked back at Sebastian.
They moved closer to the tent, taking care not to splash through the water. The footprints were heavy here, and near the tent’s entrance, there were two sets of deep footprints. Two people had been standing guard here for a while but had only recently left due to the rain. They were in the right place.
A clash of thunder rolled and Ciel felt himself jump. His nerves were high and he had to take a few calming breaths to ease himself. The rain pitter-pattered on the umbrella, drawing Ciel’s attention, and he wondered if he should close the thing. It must have stood out horribly, but the thought of getting soaked wasn’t a pleasurable one.
They moved closer to the tent, keeping their eyes open and alert. It was hard to see, but no movement was detected. So far, so good. If they were extremely lucky, they could get in and out without any detection.
Sebastian slowed down as they approached the entrance to the tent and drew his gun cautiously. His eyes worked to adjust to the dim light inside the tent as he scanned the surroundings. There were large boxes and crates inside the area, along with mounds of hay that were probably used to relax on.
Wine red eyes focused on a small cage near the back of the tent and he nudged Ciel lightly. There was movement in the cage; not animal but human in nature.
Ducking into the tent, Ciel closed the umbrella and shook it out. He glanced around the dimly lit area, eyes landing on the cage Sebastian indicated, and Ciel tried to make out just what he was seeing. His heart leapt into his throat as he recognized a thatch of dirty blond hair.
“Bard,” Ciel breathed softly, resisting the urge to run blindly towards the man.
Sebastian held out a hand, keeping Ciel back until he could secure the area. He wasn’t sure where the guards or the rest of the people in the gang were, but now the silence was unsettling. “We need to hurry,” he murmured and took a cautious step forward.
Ciel followed behind quickly as he looked everywhere. His eyes were a constant movement, never settling on one place for longer than a moment. The umbrella was dropped as they closed in and Ciel drew his gun. It calmed him to have the heavy metal against his palm.
Tired eyes glanced up as they approached and Bard grinned as he leaned back against the metal bars of his cage. His legs stretched out, pushing aside fresh hay and knocking against a dog’s water bowl. The water sloshed around and spilled slightly over the edge but it was ignored in favor of the two familiar people.
“Hey, guys,” he croaked and shifted slightly. “‘Bout time ya got here; this place was driving me insane. By the way, either of you got a smoke on you? I could really use one right now.”
To Be Continued . . .
Chapter: 37 (part two)/?
Authors: Akiru chan & Disgruntled Minion
Pairing/Characters: Sebastian/Ciel
Rating: M
Summary: Ciel's skin was marred with ink and blood, telling tales twisted in darkness. What an evil path the devil walks, tainted hands staining the innocent canvas. For the most beautiful art is painted in blood.
Warnings: Violence, adult content, yaoi, and language
Part Two
Morning was a somber affair, nothing of the lightness and smiles that it had been days before. No one spoke much more than simple words of greeting, if anything at all. Ciel was among those who kept silent, mute to the world. Not even Sebastian could coax more than a few misplaced words from the young man. He had even refused to give his aunt any form of morning greeting.
Currently, Ciel found himself watching the grey skies emptying themselves from the safety of the main entrance awning. The rhythmic splash of water leaking from a cracked gutter filled Ciel’s ears and he found himself tapping his finger to the sound. It was more soothing than annoying, and Ciel found comfort in it.
Sebastian appeared at his side and glanced at him. “Let’s go,” Sebastian said simply, anxious to get on the road so they could talk to Elizabeth. There was no doubt that the female would cooperate and if they were lucky, she would know the location of where they were keeping Bard. Or at least somewhere close to it.
An umbrella was opened and they jogged out to the waiting car, climbing in quickly before the rain could soak them any more. The car started with a rumble and within seconds, Sebastian was driving away from the mansion and heading towards the massage parlor.
“The weather is awfully cliched, don’t you think?” Ciel looked out past the door’s window at their destination as the rain continued to fall. The atmosphere mimicked the morose mood that seemed to follow Ciel everywhere. He could only hope that this visit wouldn’t be in vain.
The car came to a stop and Sebastian’s lips quirked slightly before falling back down into a straight line. It seemed that any type of humor today was going to be nonexistent and Sebastian found his mood dropping to match Ciel’s. He opened the door and made a quick run for the front of the building, Ciel following close behind him.
Ciel hated the humid air paired with the downpour. It made his clothes stick to him uncomfortably, and he forced himself not to pick at the fabric. Despite his disheveled look, Ciel caught the attention of many passing ladies, much to his dismay. “Don’t these women have better things to do than eye us like their next meal?” Although Ciel supposed that in some cases, that might really be the case.
“It’s their job,” Sebastian murmured. “And you know that not everyone likes the job they have and wish to leave it.” He stopped in front of Lau’s office and knocked once. A few moments passed before he pushed the door open, not wanting to wait any longer. The longer they waited, the smaller the chance Bard had for survival.
There was usually a reason for waiting for permission before entering a room and Ciel was relearning why that was. His cheeks flamed and eyes averted themselves quickly from the scene. Lau was currently reclined in his chair with a very busy Ran-Mao between the man’s legs. What she was doing exactly, Ciel didn’t bother to look long enough to see, but it was pretty obvious from the position alone.
Sebastian cleared his throat, drawing Lau’s attention. “Your planner,” he stated simply. Lau simply waved his hand to a shelf on the nearby wall before turning his attention back to Ran-Mao.
Rolling his eyes, Sebastian crossed over to the shelf and plucked the book off the rack. He flipped it open to the correct date and checked quickly to see if Elizabeth was busy or not. Seeing that she was on break now, Sebastian snapped the book shut and tucked it under his arm before moving towards the door.
Ciel could not get out of that room quickly enough. That image wouldn’t easily be erased, and gouging out of his eyes sounded quite pleasant at the moment. “How do you deal with that man?” Ciel questioned in pure wonder.
“You learn to ignore him at times. He’s like the annoying neighbor that you never want to see unless you absolutely have to. Although you hate to admit that he’s right when he gives you advice or points you in the correct way.” Sebastian stated, recalling a few memories of his own.
They stopped outside of Elizabeth’s room and knocked lightly on the door. There was a shuffling sound behind the thick wooden door before it cracked open slightly. Wide green eyes stared up at Sebastian and he pushed Ciel forward before the girl had a panic attack, thinking that he was alone.
“We need to talk with you,” Sebastian said, giving no room for argument.
“Of course.” Elizabeth sported a mild blush and moved herself quickly out of the way to let the two men in. She looked nervous, twittering about as she offered them tea and a place to sit. From the looks of things, she’d had a customer prior to their meeting.
The tea was declined; Ciel didn’t think he could stomach anything at the moment. Perfume was turning his stomach and he was sure Lizzy would not appreciate him staining her carpet with stomach bile.
“What can I help you with?” She asked, taking a seat across from them after pouring herself a cup of tea. Her hands curled around the cup, letting the warmth soothe her nerves.
Sebastian shifted slightly. “We need to know more about the man who approached you with the deal. If he mentioned any names at all or had any markings that stood out to you.”
Lizzy shook her head. “I still have nothing besides the name I gave you. And I assure you, Kelvin has not been spoken about from any one of my customers since then. If they had, I would remember.” The girl looked serious and not a hint of untruth leaked from her voice.
“Then how about news of hostages? Or ransoms?” Anything would do, just a whisper of news that could lead them closer to Bard would be enough. Ciel could only hope that they could make a substantial move once leaving this overly perfumed establishment.
Lizzy frowned. “A hostage? I didn’t think they would do something like that.” She set her teacup down and smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes. “I remember hearing someone talking about it in the hallway a while ago, but they were just joking about it at the time.”
“And what exactly did this joking entail?” Ciel asked, not about to believe it was as simple as that. Horrible acts started somewhere, and it wasn’t unheard of them starting out as a joke only to mold into something far more sinister.
“They were saying that if they could hold someone hostage that they could use them as a bargaining chip to get whatever they wanted. And then they listed off all the things they would demand.” Lizzy paused. “They were laughing and joking about it, so I didnt’ think it was serious.”
Ciel actually felt the need to slap the girl at that point. He resisted the urge and leveled her with a hard look. “And who exactly were these individuals? Were any names mentioned? Race, hair color, build?” he asked, hoping to get something.
Lizzy leaned back from Ciel, a small amount of fear present in her face. “One of them was a thin boy who had a fascination for knives. Lau always made him leave his knives at the front before he came back here.” She paused and tilted her head in thought. “The other one was a big guy, who teased the other one by calling him Dagger.”
Expect them to use nicknames or code names, Ciel should have seen that coming. His fingers pressed against his forehead and massaged out the frown lines. “Is there anything we can do with this?” Ciel turned to Sebastian, looking for his opinion on the information.
“Perhaps,” Sebastian mused. “Someone who fancies knives wouldn’t buy them over the Internet because they’d want to feel the weight of the weapon first. And usually, they have one main source that they go to for their knives, because they know the quality. If we can figure out what kind of knives he uses, I can narrow down his buyers.”
“Lau would know,” Lizzy spoke up. “He made him keep the knives up front, in a secure area. That part of the building is always under surveillance.”
Ciel nodded. “Is there anything else?” He asked Lizzy, hoping there was a little more the woman had to give. When she shook her head, he sighed and stood. It seemed they wouldn’t be getting much more from her. Lau would be their best bet for now. “Thank you,” Ciel said in parting appreciation.
Elizabeth nodded her head as they left the room and Sebastian shut the door quietly behind them. “Let’s go check the tapes. They won’t show Dagger, so much as they’ll show his knives. No doubt he knows where the cameras are and knows how to avoid being caught on tape.
“My biggest worry is that the resolution of the tapes won’t be high enough for us to see the make of the knives.” Ciel never considered security cameras to boast the best quality pictures. He could only hope that Lau would splurge and get better surveillance then your typical corner store.
“They should be fine,” Sebastian murmured as they stepped into the video room. “We funded the surveillance system for him since we use it to get information. So there’s no need to worry about the quality of it.”
“Good to know.” Was the off handed comment Ciel threw to Sebastian. The room was one he hadn’t seen before. Small televisions lined the walls along with a few mics placed here and there. Right then, a few monitors flashed and Ciel found himself inspecting them against his better judgement. He blushed and quickly turned away once he realized what the two occupants of the room were engaging in. “These are pornos, not security tapes.” Ciel bit out in disgust.
Sebastian chuckled lowly and pulled Ciel back from the monitors. He pressed a small kiss on Ciel’s cheek. “It pleases me very much that such a thing disgusts you,” he murmured and shifted the younger male to a different set of monitors. “These are the security tapes.”
Ciel wasn’t sure if Sebastian was referring to the pornography itself or the heterosexual act. Either way he was not about to ask such a thing, not when he didn’t want to know. His attention was drawn to the right set of monitors and watched as they projected back the same screen. “Can we rewind them back?” he asked.
Nodding, Sebastian reached forward to press a few buttons before the tape started to roll backwards. They would have to go back a few days before Bard was captured to get a better idea.
For a while, there was nothing of interest, just the bringing and taking of objects that did little to rouse Ciel’s curiosity. “This is going to take forever.” Just as it was said, Ciel’s eyes widened and he hurriedly pushed past Sebastian to hit the stop button.
“There,” he said, pointing towards the still image of Lau who had come into the room carrying a collection of items that looked to be knives. It was hard to tell, but they might have been getting somewhere finally.
The collection of knives was set on the table as Lau turned around to get a safe box. One by one, the knives were deposited into the box, making sure that they weren’t damaged in the process. A few of them were held up by Lau to examine, and on more than one occasion, he tossed it up in the air to check the weight of it.
Ciel watched for a moment, but decided it was fruitless. He didn’t know much about knives aside from the one Bard had once given him. “Can you tell the make?” He asked and slumped into a rolling desk chair.
Sebastian nodded, his eyes watching the knife cut through the air one last time before it was set in the box with the others. “He has good taste. Those are SOG knives.” Sebastian leaned forward and silently moaned over the quality of the knives Dagger had, wanting a few for himself. “There’s a legal dealer in Canterbury and Wales, or at least near those areas.”
“Careful, or you’ll cream your pants.” Ciel gave Sebastian a less than amused look as he clicked off the monitor. This wasn’t the time to ogle cutlery. There were far more important things to do. From what they had gathered, it seemed like a trip was in their near future.
“I believe the proper term is ‘jizz your pants’. I think cream is for girls,” Sebastian stated as he stood up and pulled out his phone.
A dark blush stained Ciel’s face and he mumbled something under his breath. “Whatever! That’s not important right now,” he said haughtily.
Sebastian nodded. “You’re right. Right now, it’s more important that we get into touch with my contacts who supply me with knives and such. They would be able to tell me where the nearest dealer would be.”
“Well then, what are you waiting for?” Ciel rose and quickly made for the door. He had stayed within this god forsaken brothel for far too long. Fresh air was needed, as well as some cleansing of the mind.
Sebastian led the way out of the brothel and they climbed into the car. Fingers quickly punched in the numbers that they needed and Sebastian brought the phone to his ear as he started the car.
Moments passed as Sebastian talked in short words, just in case the line was being monitored. Once the phone call ended, Sebastian snapped the phone shut and glanced
slightly at Ciel. “The dealer we’re looking for is about thirty miles south of our location now.”
That wasn’t far and they could make it there in twenty or less minutes if they rode the gas the whole way. “Will we be expected?” Ciel wondered, not sure what exactly had transpired over the phone.
“No. There’s no love for this dealer to begin with and I was informed that if he was killed, no one would cry for his death,” Sebastian answered and pushed the car faster. “He sells his weapons to drug addicts, which has led to more violence in the area. So much so that the police won’t go there anymore.”
“I suppose we will be killing two birds with one stone with this trip?” Ciel inquired further, a sinister smile on his lips.
Sebastian chuckled. “You could say that. We don’t have to kill him, but there’s nothing wrong with having a little fun.” He turned onto a different road, leading them south and towards the dealer.
Ciel saw some much needed stress relief coming his way. Letting out his frustration and anger out on a not so innocent individual sounded very good at the moment. His head fell to the side to lay against the glass of the window. The bumps of the road rattled Ciel’s jaw, but he didn’t care.
The car picked up speed and Sebastian felt a small smirk crossing his face. They were slowly getting somewhere and he hoped that this would lead them to Bard. He didn’t want to lose the man and the thought made his hands tighten around the steering wheel.
“Where are we headed exactly?” Ciel asked after a moment of eyeing unfamiliar scenery. He knew the distance but he couldn’t say the same for the destination. It was in an area he had never traveled to before, that much was for sure.
“South,” Sebastian answered. “It’s a rough area, so be prepared for anything once we get there.” He turned off onto another road and slowed down slightly. They had been traveling for about fifteen minutes now and would be coming to the area soon.
Ciel pulled out his gun and double checked to make sure it was loaded and ready if he found the need to use it. A part of him hoped that he would have to rely on the weapon. He put it away and turned back to regard Sebastian for a moment. It was getting far too quiet for his liking but Ciel had nothing to say. Nothing of real merit, at least. He needed a good amount of reassurance that Bard would be alright and well, but Ciel knew well enough that even Sebastian didn’t know the answer to that question.
The car started to slow down as they approached a run-down neighborhood and Sebastian handed the phone to Ciel. “Call Tanaka and tell him where we’re at,” he stated, pointing to a nearby sign. “If we’re in the right spot, then we should go after Bard as soon as possible before the gang realizes that we’re onto them and try to move him.”
Accepting the phone, Ciel dialed a number still foreign to him. It rang twice before Tanaka’s firm voice flowed from the phone. He seemed pleasantly surprised that it was Ciel calling him. The information was quickly relayed without much chit chat between. Tanaka gave his consent to the plan and Ciel hung up, tossing his phone onto the dash board.
“He said okay, and to come back alive.” Ciel smirked at the last part.
“Did he say if he was sending a back up crew or if it was just us on this?” Sebastian asked as he came to a stop at a light. They sat for a moment and Sebastian glanced around, checking to make sure that they weren’t being tailed.
“It’s just us. He has people out checking another lead but he hasn’t heard back from them yet. Until then he doesn’t have any one to send to our aid,” Ciel explained. It didn’t matter to him one way or another. In fact, he preferred working alone. There were fewer people to get in the way.
Sebastian nodded and he moved down one last road. The car came to a stop outside a store and he turned the car off. For a moment, they sat inside the car before Sebastian unclipped his seat belt. “Ready?” He asked Ciel.
Giving no verbal answer, Ciel excused himself from the car and stood on the damp sidewalks. The rain had ceased its pouring for the moment but the sky was still an angry grey. Any moment, the clouds’ bellies could open and coat Ciel with their tears. He anxiously awaited Sebastian who seemed to be taking his time.
“Are you sure you’re ready?” Ciel called out sarcastically.
Sebastian’s only answer was to offer a wide grin at Ciel, his eyes dancing with deadly intent. There was blood to be shed today and if they were lucky, heads would roll across the floor and screams would fill the air around them. He slammed the car door shut and set a seal on it before striding forward to the shop before them.
The outside of the building looked old and rundown with a weathered red sign that read ‘Pawn’. There was something suiting about that. Ciel could already see this guy being some sort of greasy pawn dealer, teeth rotting and missing. A few drops of rain hit Ciel on the nose and he hurried forward, not wanting to get caught in the storm. He stood under the awning despite its holes as he waited for Sebastian to follow.
The older male strolled up to the door at an easy pace before pulling the gated door open. Ciel followed him inside and Sebastian paused to look around the room, his hand subtly flipping the ‘open’ sign to ‘closed.’
“Can I help you two?” A voice asked from behind the counter, a man coming into view. A box was set on the surface and he smirked at them. “I have anything you’re looking for. From instruments to computers and everything else in between.”
“Knives?” Ciel questioned, smile firmly in place. The man looked just how Ciel had pegged him. His hair was greased back, gut pressing way past the waistline of his pants. Even his teeth were discolored and crooked.
Taking a further step into the shop, Ciel looked around. There wasn’t anything of particular interest, just junk that someone must have found valuable at one point. A few pocket knives sat in a case near the door, but they weren’t what Sebastian and Ciel had come there for.
The man watched the younger male closely before his attention shifted slightly to the man standing further behind him. They had both disregarded the pocket knives as soon as they saw them and his eyes darted to the caged door. They widened slightly when they noticed the sign on the door had been flipped over, and he offered them a wide grin.
“I’ve got knives.” He leaned down and unlocked a side panel underneath the counter. A few moments later, a display case was set on the counter and was turned to the two customers. “How about these?”
Sebastian took a few steps forward, his eyes gleaming with delight at the sharpened weapons. SOG, Viper, and Cold Steel brands looked back at him, and his fingers itched to try them out. “How’s their weight?” he finally asked.
“How about you try one out?” The dealer suggested and unlocked the case. “You’ll find that all my knives have perfect weight and balance. My clients swear by them to be the best in the area.”
Ciel opened his mouth but quickly closed it. Sebastian looked like a kid in a candy store and Ciel couldn’t bring himself to ruin that just yet. Might as well allow Sebastian some fun while they lured the dealer into a false sense of security. Ciel moved closer to get a better look as well. To him, all the knives looked alike aside from size and shape. He couldn’t discern what was a good knife or what was a bad knife.
“Find one that you like.” Ciel encouraged after a moment.
Sebastian glanced at Ciel and sent him a grateful look. The knife he had selected was already perfectly balanced on his fingers and Sebastian smirked. He could spend all day combing through the knives until he found one that suited him. But just the balance wasn’t enough; it had to be tested as well.
“Do you have a back room where I can test a few of these out?” He asked, tossing the knife in the air before catching it again.
The dealer nodded, a large grin on his face. “Back this way. I can see that you’re a knife enthusiast.” He glanced back at them as he started to lead them towards the back. “Did one of my clients refer you or did you make it here on your own questioning?
“One of your clients,” Ciel said as he followed behind Sebastian. They were led into a room with walls lined with circles and lines as well as numerous puncture marks, no doubt from knives having been thrown countless times into the surface. At the end of the room was a human dummy that was in less than good shape. It was here that they stopped.
The man grinned. “It seems as though my reputation is growing. Which one of my wonderful clients suggested me? I have quite a few, you know. All of them buy my top line models because they know I have the best.” Pride seeped into his voice as he gestured for Sebastian to try out a few knives.
“You sell to just anyone?” Sebastian asked, testing the weight one last time before letting the knife fly through the air. It hit its mark and Sebastian reached for the next one.
“A few of my clients are in gangs and I have no problem selling to them. They help to keep the drugs passing through the area here.” A nasty smirk settled on the man’s face. “The more crackheads there are, the more people there are willing to pay for a knife for protection. Whether it’s normal people, or the druggies themselves wanting protection from the police.”
Ciel snorted, the man taking it as humorous agreement although it was anything but. To Ciel, this man was moronic and a senseless idiot. It was sad to think such a man was allowed to run around the city like he had. Although, Ciel thought, he was no better in the eye of the general public.
Another knife found its mark on the board and Sebastian frowned when he realized that he was out of knives. “One of your clients in particular recommended you.” He snapped his fingers, acting as though he was trying to remember the name. “He’s young, probably around his age.” A finger was jerked back to Ciel, who scoffed at the example.
The man’s eyes lit up. “Ah, you’re talking about Dagger. Now there’s a smart boy. Good with a knife too.” He padded down to the end of the room and started to remove the knives from the target. “You two would probably get along great, seeing as your aim is so good. He’s in a nearby gang that’s helping to push drugs along this area.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” The man looked back to Ciel, and the younger gave a smile and a shrug of his shoulders. Ciel turned to Sebastian and gave him an expectant look. “Find one you like?”
“Almost,” Sebastian stated as the knives were set next to him again. He smirked at Ciel. “Think I can hit a bull’s eye?”
“I’d like to see you try.” A challenge was laced was within Ciel’s words and his blue eyes danced with a dark mischief.
Sebastian grinned before turning to face the target. With a quick flick of the wrist, the knife sailed across the room and landed in the center of the target. “Can you humor my companion and see if I hit the target?” Sebastian asked their target.
A small chuckle left the man. “Of course,” he said and trotted down to the end of the room. He turned his back on them to examine the target. “Dead center. You have good ai--” He was cut off a knife embedded into the wood mere inches from his head.
Another one found its mark on the other side of his head and Sebastian took a small step forward, gun trained on the man. “I wouldn’t move too much if I were you right now,” he said lowly.
“Care to make another wager Sebastian?” With cruelty and joy, Ciel cast the man a look that would send shivers down any sane person’s spine. “Think you can hit the bull’s eye now? And with such a melon of a head in the way?” The man’s eyes widened even more and sweat could be seen leaking from his brow.
“With a bullet?” Sebastian questioned. “Oh yes, I think I can hit it without a problem. A knife, though. I might miss a few times. Maybe slice off an ear or hit the base of the neck; I’m sure I don’t need to explain what happens if I hit that.”
“Then perhaps you should use the knife. More practice that way, am I right?” A sadistic sneer passed across Ciel’s face as he walked to stand next to Sebastian. He picked up one of the knives, the steel cold in his hands. “Or I wouldn’t mind trying. Maybe I’ll literally make a bull’s eye, if you know what I mean.”
Sebastian smirked and stepped to the side, giving Ciel more room. “By all means then, go ahead and practice.” He watched as the man shuddered and tried to turn his head to the side more to see if they were joking or not.
The knife was flipped once, twice and then a third time. Ciel’s eyes never left the man whose hands had come up in a surrendering motion. Just as the man was forming the words ‘please don’t’ on his lips, Ciel let loose the knife and it flew cleanly through the air. There was a scream to follow and Ciel looked rather disappointed as it hit the man’s left palm off center. “I think I need to practice. My aim is off.”
Another knife was pressed into Ciel’s hand and Sebastian spoke calmly to the now bleeding man. “These knives that you sell to just anyone. Do you happen to know what trouble they cause?” He asked, and gestured for Ciel to try again.
Ciel threw again, this time hitting the man right next to his ear. Small strands of hair fell from where he had been cut and the man eyed the sharp metal with wary eyes. “I’m getting closer,” Ciel announced with twisted glee.
“You’ll hit it for sure next time,” Sebastian stated and handed another knife to Ciel. He waved a hand, telling the younger male to wait for a while before throwing the weapon, and took a few steps closer to the dealer. “Your buyer; the one named Dagger. You said that he’s in a gang. Is the gang around this area or in a nearby town?”
The man shook his head frantically. “They’ll kill me if I tell you that information,” he rasped. His hand quivered and a sob left his throat as he tried not to move it.
Sebastian chuckled and took a few steps to the side. He glanced at Ciel and gave a quick nod of his head, telling the younger male to proceed.
“You know, it never fails to humor me when people use that as their excuse. Oh they’ll kill me if I tell you.” Ciel’s voice was harsh and unamused. “Well unfortunately for you, if you don’t tell us now, you’ll be dead before you can count to three. Where as if you tell us what we want to know then you’ll have the honor of living another day.” The knife was tossed up again and Ciel cast Sebastian a look. He had given the man his choices and now it was up to him how he wanted to die.
A frown crossed Sebastian’s face and he waved Ciel down. The younger male was acting a little too rashly with his words and for a second, he was worried that Ciel would let the knife in his hand fly. “Forgive him. He’s young and in a bad mood. Delaying any information will only make that bad mood grow,” Sebastian purred as he moved closer to the man.
He reached forward and yanked the knife out of the injured hand. It had pierced straight through the hand and had rendered the limb almost useless unless he could get to a doctor quickly enough.
“Let’s try this again,” Sebastian said softly and pulled out the other knife. “Where is the gang that we are looking for?”
Whimpering, the man closed his eyes and swallowed hard. “They’re about ten minutes away. In the next town over, east I think.” He shivered violently. “It’s a rough town; full of drug dealers pushing the hard stuff that doesn’t make it past the north borders.”
“You just love to ruin my fun,” Ciel called as he mulled over the man’s information. He was vaguely familiar with the area, more so from hearsay, nothing of which Ciel had been told had been good. It didn’t sit well that they would have to venture into such an area, not to mention that Bard had been held there for days. The only relief was the thought that Bard was still alive.
“Do you know where their hideout is?” Sebastian asked curiously. “Surely you’ve made deliveries before; I doubt they would come out here all the time.”
The man shook his head. “They wouldn’t tell me where it was at. We only met once and it was at a rendezvous point that the kid had picked. Some old, closed down circus type thing.” He paused and sucked in a deep breath. “But his boss gave him grief for letting me come into their town and said we couldn’t do it again.”
“Perhaps someone in the town would know something more,” Ciel inquired to Sebastian. “If we can risk that without alerting anyone to our intentions or presence.” They had hit a difficult situation, and Ciel wasn’t sure which option they would end up siding with.
Sebastian hummed. “If we ask around enough, they’ll come to us,” he stated. “They’re after something and they want it back. So they must be hoping for a face to face meeting.” He frowned, not liking that they’d be going into the situation blind. They were going into enemy territory on their own and on their enemies’ terms. The odds were stacked against them.
That thought didn’t not ease Ciel’s nerves. “Is that wise?” he asked. “Especially when we’ve been their target?” It was very possible that they would walk into this and never have the opportunity to leave. They would have to be sure to keep the situation in their favor at all times.
“If they kill us now, they won’t get what they need,” Sebastian mused. “And it’s highly unlikely that we have whatever they want on our person now. However, it’s probably in our best interest to either wait for back up, or for you to return to the mansion and I’ll continue on.” There was no need for both of them to die and if Sebastian were to end up dead, at least Ciel would know the general location of their hideout.
An eyebrow rose in mock interest and Ciel scoffed. “Oh yes, because you know I’ll go along and play the role of the waiting wife while you go off to get yourself killed.” Ciel wasn’t about to be left out of the action. They were doing this together or not at all. Besides, Bard was Ciel’s friend just as much as Sebastian’s. They would do this together.
Sebastian shrugged. “It was just a thought.” He didn’t add that out of the two of them, they would be more likely to kill Sebastian compared to Ciel. The younger male was worth more alive than dead and would be more likely to hand over the item they sought.
“Then are we done here?” There was a moment in which Ciel paused and looked at the knives. “And hurry and decide if you want one of those knives and pay the poor man.” The words dripped sarcasm, and the younger male turned and headed back for the door.
“Can’t I just take one or two and consider it even for not killing him?” Sebastian asked, pouting slightly. He glanced at the gun, debating about shooting the man now before he caused any troubles later on. It would help the town in the future, along with letting the family move further south one day.
Ciel’s hands flew into the air. “I don’t care, Sebastian. Ask him, but just hurry your ass up.” A few grumbled but unintelligible words followed and Ciel stood tapping his foot under the door frame.
“Fine,” Sebastian murmured and plucked two knives from the table. They were tucked into his pockets. He gave a small wave to the man. “You might want to go find someone to take care of that hand.”
The moment it seemed that Sebastian was done and coming along, Ciel moved away and headed back through the shop and towards the main door. Once again it seemed to be raining cats and dogs. ‘Just great,’ Ciel thought and looked around for an umbrella somewhere in the shop. He found, to his dismay, a pink one and plucked it from where it hung. Luckily it was large and would cover both himself and Sebastian.
Sebastian wisely stayed silent as they moved out to the car, making sure that it hadn’t been tampered with. Once they were inside, Sebastian pushed his hair from his eyes and started the car. It was about a ten minute drive to the next town and their only lead was the circus.
“This weather needs to stop,” Ciel said after a few minutes of listening to the patter of rain and the streaking of the windshield wipers. Nothing seemed to penetrate the water cloak and it was horribly difficult to see where they were driving. A red light bled through and they came to a stop at an intersection.
“It’ll provide us some cover, but at the same time, it’ll provide them cover as well.” Sebastian’s hands clenched around the steering wheel. He didn’t like this situation very much. The unknowns were making things harder and Sebastian didn’t like going into this without a basic knowledge of the things around them.
That was true, Ciel supposed. He glanced to the umbrella he had taken and wondered if Sebastian would let him bring it along. The idea of getting drenched wasn’t a fond one. If anything, the umbrella could turn out to be a useful weapon if needed. “Bard better be grateful for all of this,” Ciel mumbled finally.
The comment was ignored as Sebastian turned down a road and the circus loomed before them. The tents were faded and had holes in the tops of some, making it look like a circus from a horror movie. The gate was cracked open, allowing a car to squeeze through but Sebastian seriously doubted that it would be that easy to get in.
“How do you want to do this?” Sebastian asked, tucking extra clips into his pockets.
Ciel frowned. “I don’t really care. But know that if we run into any bloody clowns, you’ll be on your own.” The place was quickly giving Ciel the creeps and the rainy atmosphere was not helping matters. Why couldn’t they have chosen a more welcoming hideout? At least, Ciel supposed, it wasn’t an abandoned theme park; otherwise, Ciel was sure he’d be looking over his shoulder for zombies.
Sebastian’s eyes fell to the umbrella. “Fancy a walk?” He asked and pointed to the horrible pink thing.
“Not really.” Ciel grabbed the umbrella anyway and popped it open as soon as he had the door open. With quick steps, he hurried around the vehicle to shelter Sebastian as he came out into the downpour.
The door was slammed shut and Sebastian ushered Ciel to the sidewalk across from the circus. There was a news stand next to an old building and Sebastian pulled out a paper, pretending to scan the title while his eyes darted around the circus grounds.
“They’re here,” he murmured to Ciel. “There are fresh tire tracks in the dirt and new bags of trash are piled up right outside the gate.”
“What do you suggest we do? Just march in?” They were the only ones on the street, only a solitary car passing by every once in a while. There was a possibility that they could infiltrate without being seen or heard. The weather would prove to be some help, although footprints would be left and surely they would be noticed.
Sebastian nodded and flipped a page of the newspaper. “We can try to sneak in. Although in this weather, it’s more likely that they’re all inside and not out pushing drugs.” He continued to watch the tents, wondering which one Bard would most likely be in. If the positions were reversed, Sebastian would keep the prisoner in the center of the circus, where it would be hardest to reach.
“Well then, I suppose a stroll through a spooky and deserted circus sounds lovely.” Blue eyes glanced through the rain and towards the designated area. It looked far from welcoming, but that wouldn’t keep them from venturing in.
A chuckle escaped Sebastian’s mouth as he looped his arm around Ciel’s waist and guided him to the entrance. “I doubt it’s deserted,” he stated as they crossed the street. The umbrella was lifted up as they slipped through the gates and care was taken not to splash through the puddles as they moved further into the circus.
“So long as the inhabitants aren’t clowns or zombies.” Ciel took cautious steps, being forced along by Sebastian. The only thing keeping him from turning around was the hope of finding and rescuing Bard, preferably with all their lives intact.
Treading softly, they moved around the first tent and Sebastian caught a whiff of food coming from the tent. No doubt it was where the food was stored and served and not the one they were looking for.
He kept his eyes instead on the ground, looking at the different tracks in the mud. The paths weren’t heavy leading to the far tents on the outskirts of the circus, but there was more foot traffic leading to the center.
Neither man dared to speak, not when they could be heard so easily through the thin canvas of the tent. Ciel pointed at some tracks, taking in shoe sizes and direction. Given the diversity of shoe tread patterns, he had to guess about three, maybe four individuals had been coming back and forth between here and further into the area.
Four fingers were held up along with a shrug of Ciel’s shoulders, asking Sebastian a clear question. He hoped that Sebastian would counter his claim and revise Ciel’s assumption back to three.
Sebastian studied the marks carefully. One was small, probably belonging to a woman, but the rest were larger and probably belonged to males. There was a large male in the group too, seeing how deeply set the prints were in the mud. He nodded to Ciel, affirming that there was probably four people.
He pointed to an older, more worn track. Two parallel lines led to a nearby tent, where the foot traffic was the heaviest. It looked as though they had dragged someone through the area not too long ago and Sebastian was willing to bet that it had been Bard.
Ciel nodded, and moved along with Sebastian as they kept close to the tents and buildings. It was the best shielding they had at the moment. When they had to dart into the open, it was done with sure footing and quick movements. As they followed the tracks Ciel picked out, a small light shone through the rain. It seemed to be coming from a small tent, newer than the rest. He shifted the umbrella and looked back at Sebastian.
They moved closer to the tent, taking care not to splash through the water. The footprints were heavy here, and near the tent’s entrance, there were two sets of deep footprints. Two people had been standing guard here for a while but had only recently left due to the rain. They were in the right place.
A clash of thunder rolled and Ciel felt himself jump. His nerves were high and he had to take a few calming breaths to ease himself. The rain pitter-pattered on the umbrella, drawing Ciel’s attention, and he wondered if he should close the thing. It must have stood out horribly, but the thought of getting soaked wasn’t a pleasurable one.
They moved closer to the tent, keeping their eyes open and alert. It was hard to see, but no movement was detected. So far, so good. If they were extremely lucky, they could get in and out without any detection.
Sebastian slowed down as they approached the entrance to the tent and drew his gun cautiously. His eyes worked to adjust to the dim light inside the tent as he scanned the surroundings. There were large boxes and crates inside the area, along with mounds of hay that were probably used to relax on.
Wine red eyes focused on a small cage near the back of the tent and he nudged Ciel lightly. There was movement in the cage; not animal but human in nature.
Ducking into the tent, Ciel closed the umbrella and shook it out. He glanced around the dimly lit area, eyes landing on the cage Sebastian indicated, and Ciel tried to make out just what he was seeing. His heart leapt into his throat as he recognized a thatch of dirty blond hair.
“Bard,” Ciel breathed softly, resisting the urge to run blindly towards the man.
Sebastian held out a hand, keeping Ciel back until he could secure the area. He wasn’t sure where the guards or the rest of the people in the gang were, but now the silence was unsettling. “We need to hurry,” he murmured and took a cautious step forward.
Ciel followed behind quickly as he looked everywhere. His eyes were a constant movement, never settling on one place for longer than a moment. The umbrella was dropped as they closed in and Ciel drew his gun. It calmed him to have the heavy metal against his palm.
Tired eyes glanced up as they approached and Bard grinned as he leaned back against the metal bars of his cage. His legs stretched out, pushing aside fresh hay and knocking against a dog’s water bowl. The water sloshed around and spilled slightly over the edge but it was ignored in favor of the two familiar people.
“Hey, guys,” he croaked and shifted slightly. “‘Bout time ya got here; this place was driving me insane. By the way, either of you got a smoke on you? I could really use one right now.”
To Be Continued . . .
no subject
The new development's pretty interesting and thrilling. I'm still in awe of how seamless you introduce new characters! /worship
Have fun on your trip, dear :)
no subject