Death Smith - Book 2 - Chapter 24

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Golden goose

Late in the afternoon.

Late-April, 14 AR.

Ireland, Dublin, outside the little Market.

The man fiddled with his empty Jägerbomb as if it might hold some answer to his problems. His fingers traced the rim of the glass out of pure boredom. Already he felt irritated that he had gone for the combination of alcohol and caffeine, rather than just doubling down on the alcohol. The last thing he wanted to be at this moment was drunk and alert. His Jägerbomb had seemed like an innovative idea twenty minutes ago, but now he just felt jittery and on edge. The bar was too loud, and the music was awful.

The man appeared to be in his early thirties, although the deep lines around his steel-blue eyes made him seem much older. He ran a greasy hand through his hair, pushing the matted brown curls away from his face. The stubble on his face was thick and uneven and it was clear to see that he hadn’t shaved in days, nor did he look inclined to do so. His clothes were dirty and wrinkled, as if he had been sleeping in them the entire week, and the stench of alcohol and sweat permeated the air around him.

He tapped twice with his index finger when the bartender approached him, signalling that he wanted a different drink. Although he had only been coming here for a few weeks, the bartender already knew his routine by heart. The man watched as the bartender grabbed a clean glass from under the counter and placed it in front of him before reaching for the bottle of whisky. ‘What a dump,’ the unshaven man thought as he looked at his surroundings.

The bar stood right in the middle of the small market. It was square in design, with many smaller shops lining the walls. The scent of spices, fish, fruits, and other perishables hung thick in the air. To him, it felt stifling, hot, and heavy. He took a sip of his drink and grimaced, feeling the watered down and cheap alcohol stain his throat. The worst part for him was the fact that he needed a lot more alcohol to even numb himself properly. Subconsciously, he scratched his chest, feeling the hard, crystalline object there underneath his clothes.

“Brian, what about them?” A man asked as he approached him, his finger pointed at several newcomers to the market.

"Could you be less of a loud idiot about it? Or just scream it next time while waving a sign?” Brian replied with his thick Australian accent. He shook his head as he placed his drink down. “That or try throwing yourself down a-” He paused for a moment as he calmed himself. “Just get back to the shop.” If he was being honest, he was venting his frustration a little. ‘Daft bloke. And who names their child, Fergus? Why not a proper name like Bruce or Jack?’

The only reason he had Fergus on his payroll was the fact that Fergus looked part grizzly bear, had a face that screamed bully and had survived a Rift. Fergus was barely stronger than an average human, seeing as he was too scared to go back into a Rift. Luckily, Brian didn’t need him to be a strong Rifter, only act the part.

Brian measured each of the newcomers in his mind, judging whether they were simply there to buy some spices, fish, and other items, or if they were there for a different reason. Greenrock market was a tiny place just at the edge of Dublin. Only locals really visited, and it wasn’t popular at all. That fact made it the perfect temporary front for an underground black market. Nearly half the stalls there were owned by a Rifter or those in the business of procuring and selling Rift items. He himself owned a dirty fish shop.

Like most underground markets Brian knew of, it would constantly change location. Sometimes in a matter of weeks, other times it took months. The authorities or the GRRO did their best to find places like this, but it was hard to find contraband on someone if they could store items within their Inventory.

Brian ignored the buzzing of his phone, knowing full well it was one of the people that he owed money to. Even before he had survived his first Rift, he had owed money to a lot of people. Afterwards, that had increased exponentially due to him making several poor deals with dangerous individuals. Luckily for Brian, he possessed the ability to see no flaw in his own actions.

He watched as the newcomers stop at different shops or take a seat at the bar. He recognised a few of them from the previous week. ‘The same two Rifters from last time and that weird Swiss bloke that works for a private collector,’ Brian mused as he got up and paid for his drinks. He was just about to call today a bust when he noticed a tall young man walk past several stalls before making his way over towards the fish stall. That fact alone was curious, seeing as most of the produce on display was giving off such a pungent smell that no one in their right mind would ever want to buy something.

Brian observed the young man as he was discussing something with Fergus who was staffing the stall. The hulking man looked confused, standing there behind the counter as this young man continued to ask questions, pointing at the fish behind the display cases. Brian almost felt sorry for Fergus, knowing full well that the man barely knew what a bloody fish finger was.

Brian noticed Fergus staring at him. The man’s expression was one of irritation and confusion. Brian was about to shake his head, allowing Fergus to chase the young man away when Brian noticed something weird. In a blink of an eye, the young man suddenly had a smartphone in his hand. He had done it subtly, keeping his hand near his pocket when Fergus had looked away for a moment. Any other person would have assumed he had simply grabbed it from his pocket and not from some strange Inventory system. ‘A Rifter? He doesn’t look the part,’ Brian thought as a smile formed on his features as he signalled to Fergus to let the young man inside.

‘That phone alone would be worth thousands of pounds at the very least.’

* * * * *

A few minutes had passed since Fergus and Brian had let the young man inside the back of the shop. Compared to the open design of the stall in front, the back was fully closed off and had several sections, including a freezer and a small office. Besides Fergus, two of Brian’s other associates were also there. They weren’t Rifters, but they knew their way around the underground market and were local hires.

“So, sir Rifter, what can I do you for today? I wouldn’t recommend the fish, seeing as there are easier ways to kill yourself.” Brian shared as he stepped behind his desk and took a seat. Mentally he was already conjuring up plans to liberate the young man’s smartphone at a low price. ‘Hopefully, he is as green as he looks.’

“Monster parts for black-shards. Beyond that, information, and window shopping for now,” the young replied as he looked at the other people in the room.

Brian had trouble figuring out the young man. Like others before him, he seemed uncomfortable at being there and surrounded by strangers. But he didn’t seem scared of the four men. As if the social part was more uncomfortable. “Monster parts for shards? Do I look like the bloody GRRO? Why not exchange them there?”

“Because they ask questions when a large quantity is involved.” The young man took a step forward as he grabbed the backpack from his shoulder before he retrieved two full plastic bags. He had filled one bag with monster claws, while the second one contained bones and teeth. “And I have plenty more where that came from,” The young man said as he held out his hands and produced several hides and even an eyeball or two before storing them again.

Brian was silent for a moment as he grabbed the first bag, inspecting the many bones and teeth. Each item he touched with his fingers produced a notification, letting him know they were legit. “Define quantity?”

“Several filled two-hundred-litre storage crates. Three crates filled with edible meat, one with hides and leather, two with bones and one partially filled with unsorted organs,” the Rifter explained as if he were simply reading a shopping list out loud. “I’ll have twice that amount in a week or two.”

“Twice that, huh? What crew are you running with?” Brian inquired. There was something off about the young man. Everyone lied at the black-market, but there was something weird about him. He placed the bag of bones and teeth back before he opened the second bag.

“If I wanted to answer questions, I’d have gone to the GRRO, remember?”

Brian grinned at that as he grabbed the first claw and twirled it around his fingers. ‘Sharp little bugger, I’ll give him that,’ Brian thought as he checked each talon and claw to make sure they were authentic. He knew he could leverage a deal here to work as a middleman between this young man and the GRRO, taking a healthy cut for himself. “And you just want black-shards? Cash could be easier.”

“Just shards for now. But I am interested in other things as well. Unstable black-shard powder, a trustworthy Smith that does private work outside of the GRRO, Guild-credentials, and contacts for other markets in Europe.”

“Well, I have the Smith class. Not sure about the trustworthy part.” Brian said before he noticed something strange. “Where did you get this?” He pointed at the claw as he locked eyes with the young man. Everything about Brian’s demeanour suddenly changed, his tone now sharper and almost feverish.

“Like I said before. If I wanted to ans-”

“Kid don’t test me on this one,” Brian said harshly. Picking up on it, his two associates stepped closer while Fergus took up a position near the door, making his colossal frame look even more intimidating.

“From inside a Rift”

“Don’t lie to me!” Brian spat as he threw the bags back towards him, seeing the Rifter easily catch them. Brian then held up the claw he had been pointing at, letting the young man see the sliver of skin and muscle that was still attached to the end. “This was pulled from a monster and not stored inside an Inventory. You can’t take corpses from a Rift, only harvested items. How the hell did you get your hands on a monster outside of a Rift?” The young Rifter paled at that, as if he suddenly felt the rug being pulled underneath his feet. “You got this from a Rift outbreak. Which one of the seven did you get access to?”

“I am done here,” the young man said suddenly as he stuffed the bags back into his backpack. He was about to leave when he felt a hand on his shoulder from one of Brian’s associates.

“Sit down or we’ll make you,” Fergus said as he walked away from the door and made his way over towards the Rifter in that slow walk that bullies had perfected over the years. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

‘That should do. Just count the people in the room, kid,’ Brian thought as he smiled, interested to see how the young man would react. They outnumbered them, and the Rifter did not know how strong Brian, or the other three men were. “How about we start over? You were abo-”

The young man suddenly attacked, breaking Fergus’ nose with a well-placed elbow. Before anyone could react, a bright blue and blinding light engulfed Fergus. Then chaos ensued as the two men on his flanks charged him, wielding brass knuckles and a knife.

Brian just sat there in confusion as this previous quiet Rifter suddenly changed into something fierce. The young man dodged several jabs and straights while countering twice. Just his punches alone were enough to shatter his opponent’s ribcage. A knife then grazed his shoulder, only for the young man to duck underneath a second strike, grabbing onto his opponent’s wrist and shoulder. A moment later, a horrible popping sound happened as the young man dislocated a shoulder. ‘It’s like the kid is playing with Lego’.

When the blinding light stopped, Fergus was back in the fight. “I am going to f-” He stopped talking as the young Rifter suddenly threw his backpack to the side, only for it to bounce off the wall with increased velocity and struck Fergus in the side of his face. The impact distracted Fergus long enough for the young man to move. He threw a straight right against Fergus’ chest, only to flinch when his fist struck the white-shard in his opponent’s chest, hidden by his clothes. “You’re mine now!” Fergus roared as he rushed at the young man, trying to tackle him to the ground.

The young man ducked at the last second, using Fergus’ own momentum against him. He grabbed hold of Fergus’ arm and swiftly twisted, sending the larger man crashing down to the floor. There was a loud crunch as Fergus hit the ground so hard that tiles underneath him had shattered.

Not giving him a chance to recover, the young man quickly got up and started raining down blows on Fergus’ prone form. The young man had aimed for the liver, stomach, throat and even Fergus’ groin. At that point, it wasn’t even a fight anymore. The young man was simply making sure that Fergus would not get up soon. Afterwards, he twisted Fergus onto his knees before placing him in a chokehold from behind, cutting off his oxygen. Fergus desperately tried to free himself, but everyone in the room knew what the outcome would be as Fergus’ face turned purple.

‘This is an experienced Rifter. He has had training and isn’t hesitant about putting it to use,’ Brian thought as he accessed his inventory and materialised a large weapon in his hands. Although you could classify it as a shotgun, he had designed it to be wielded by Rifters, because of its sturdy nature and the large size of the slugs that it fired. He pumped it once as he pointed it at the young man. ‘Fergus might as well have been a sack of wet rice during the fight. Who is this kid?’

“Enough. You made your point, and you humiliated the brute there long enough. Here,” Brian said as he opened his desk-drawer and pulled out a small bag that contained several black-shards, throwing it at the Rifter’s feet afterwards. “This should cover any inconveniences my associates have caused you and serve as a token of goodwill. You are free to sod off and come back when you have cooled off.”

“And what’s stopping you from shooting me in the back?” The young man asked as he held Fergus as a shield between the two of them.

“Nothing, but be reasonable, kid. Either I hit and spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up blood, or I miss, and have you go postal on my face like you did with him. And I like my teeth where they currently are,” Brian said, wondering how this was going to play out. He lowered the weapon slightly, hoping it would be enough to calm the young man down. He wasn’t even sure how effective the weapon would be against the young Rifter, having no idea how fast he could be.

Fergus then lit up in another flash of blue light as the young man threw him forwards, nearly hitting Brian. During that, the Rifter grabbed the black-shards, his backpack and rushed out of the room.

* * * * *

It had taken several minutes before the men picked themselves up again. Brian shook his head as he looked at his hired muscle, hearing them groan and moan after the fight. A part of him felt irritation towards the young Rifter for having done all of this, but Brian knew that they were mostly to blame. ‘We pushed and expected to find a kitten. How were we supposed to know he’d have the temperament of a bloody honey badger?’

“You two, get yourselves checked out in a hospital,” Brian said to his two wounded associates. The dislocated shoulder would no doubt hurt like hell. The ribs would take far longer to heal and prevent movement in the next few weeks. ‘I can’t rely on those two anymore. It’s better if I move on.’

“What are we going to do about him?” Fergus asked as he made his limped over to Brian’s desk. Fergus was a mess of bruises and two of his fingers were sticking out at a weird angle. The nose however already looked partially healed. “I might know a guy wh-“

“No need for such a thing. Besides, I’d rather keep the kid as an asset,” Brian said as he handed Fergus the claw he had kept on his desk. He made a mental note of Fergus’ injuries and his nose. ‘Was the blue light a healing skill?’ He thought as a smile formed on his face. “He might be our golden goose. A violent maniac of a goose, but still one that vomits gold. If I could convince him to join me or learn how he can get monster corpses from walled off outbreaks, I could pay off my debts within a matter of months.”

“How much debt do you even have?”

“Enough to buy a small island at this point, but that isn’t the case. Private collectors will pay a fortune for intact monster parts, let alone an entire corpse. I’ll be rich,” Brian stated as a grin formed on his face.

“You mean we’ll be rich, right?”

“Naturally,” Brian lied before he pointed at the door. “Try to follow the bloke, see where he’ll go. We need to learn everything we can about him before we make our next move.” He recalled what the young man had asked about, from the underground contacts, the Guild-credentials to off market weaponry. ‘Did he get the monsters from the outbreak in Paris? It is the closest one to Ireland, and it has been in the news a lot lately. Either way, he is an interesting enigma.’

As Brian stored his weapon inside his Inventory, he leaned back in his chair, his smile widening with excitement before it soured as his phone rang again, reminding him of the people he still owed money to.

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Author: Osirium

Copyright: 2022 OsiriumWrites

Released: 2022