Darkness and Hellfire

Chapter 15 Ghost.

Lenna and Isaac left Michael to his work and moved on to the next person on their list, Lenny. There was only one problem, finding the lad. “What do you mean you haven’t seen him in days?” Isaac asked Lenny’s older brother, James, incredulously. “You used to hover over him like a mama duck and now you expect me to believe that you have no idea where he is?”

“I’m serious boss, he’s been takin’ jobs left and right, he hardly comes home to sleep.” James replied. “He’s pushing himself like an overboard sailor trying to catch up to the ship.”

Isaac sighed deeply. “I’ll find him and talk some sense into him before he dies of exhaustion or something.” He assured the older brother. “Any clues?”

“I heard something today about the gang that hangs around the warehouses.” James began. “Apparently some of their guys keep saying that there is a ghost haunting them all of a sudden. The timing just seems weird to me. Maybe it’s Lenny.”

Isaac nodded. “I’ll check it out.” He assured him. “What is that gang known for?”

James frowned deeply and looked hesitant to say. Right when Isaac was about to prod him he nodded to himself. “Mortal trafficking.” James explained. “‘Used goods’, mostly. No kidnapping, they just move people. Their boss knows some mind magic. I have a file on him.”

“Just give me the rundown.” Isaac replied seriously. He was suddenly not in a joking, casual, or relaxed mood. James knew instantly that there would be a lot less people in the district soon enough.

“Weak charms and hypnotism. Only works on the weak willed or rundown. Even then it doesn’t last very long. By all accounts he isn’t very good at it but the fact that he can do it at all is the reason he has people that follow him. He is greedy and lets his men get away with anything.” James said the last word with a lot of extra emphasis.

Isaac nodded in understanding. “And why wasn’t I told about them before?” Isaac questioned evenly.

“He owns all of the warehouses in the district. He employs around ninety people in legitimate business. Those people will all lose their livelihoods if he suddenly disappears.” James explained. “I knew you would jump right to getting rid of him, boss, but you gotta be careful about this or a lot of people are gonna to starve.”

Isaac let out a low growl that caused the hair on the back of James’s neck to stand on end. “I’ll figure something out.” Isaac said and spun on his heels to leave. Lenna grabbed his hand and they both vanished. The door opened and then closed a moment later.

“What are we going to do about your armor?” Lenna asked to yank Isaac back from the mental edge he was walking along.

“What?” Isaac asked and shook his head to clear it. “What do you mean?”

“You have your chestpiece and nothing else. The rest of it has been annihilated beyond repair.” She reminded him.

“That’s enough.” He assured her. “It’ll have to last until my dragonscale armor is finished.”

Lenna sighed. “We could get you another temporary set.” She offered.

Isaac shook his head. “No. It’s a waste of money.”

“If it saves your life it won’t be a waste of money.” She retorted.

“I can lose a limb or four.” Isaac commented. “They’ll grow back.”

Lenna’s eye twitched. “Isaac Wexler.” She said with forced evenness. “Sometimes you make me want to hit you.”

Isaac chuckled. “The fact that you haven’t, shows me just how much you love me.” He replied with a smile that melted away all of the irritation he had just built up in her.

Lenna sighed but she had a hard time still scowling at him. “It does.” She replied. “And you would do well to remember that.”

Isaac laughed. “I love you.”

Lenna rolled her eyes. “You know I love you too.” She said and elbowed him in the side. “Now, what are we going to do about your missing armor?”

“Nothing.” Isaac replied. “I’m serious about waiting. It should only be another few weeks or so and Jallen isn’t trying to execute us anymore. We should be fine if we try to keep a low profile.”

Lenna did not look amused. “A low profile? Isaac, do you know who you are?” She questioned.

“I can keep a low profile.” He assured her. “You just won’t like it.”

Lenna narrowed her eyes on him. “What do you mean?”

“The best way for me to keep a low profile would be to go off alone.” He told her. “I can spend days at a time completely invisible and silent.” Lenna’s look struck him in the chest like a knife. “Don’t give me that look.” He told her. “It is obviously safer for me to be with you at all times, and I obviously prefer it, but unless you’ve suddenly started taking disguise lessons from Marie, and feel like going without your armor for a while, we are always going to stand out.”

“I know.” Lenna replied quietly.

“For now, let’s just find a good place to keep an eye on the warehouses. Once we find a good spot to set up shop, I’ll sneak in and check them out. Hopefully we’ll find Lenny along the way.” He enlightened her of his plan. “If we can wrap this up before Stan is done with your armor I’ll be happy.”

Lenna nodded along. “Don’t start anything without me, understand?” She told him.

“Of course.” He agreed and kissed her. “It’s no fun to do it alone.”

—

“What are we staring at?” Isaac asked from right next to the young man he was looking for. Lenny was sitting by a window in an abandoned house across from one of the warehouses. The window was broken and almost none of the streetlight made it inside.

Lenny jumped. “Halya, fuck, shit boss.” He swore in rapid succession. “You scared me half ta death. I almost left my body behind for the afterlife.” He breathed heavily.

Isaac just chuckled from next to him. “I’ve been looking for you.” He told the warrior-rogue.

“Oh?” Lenny questioned. “Why?”

“We’ve been doing our rounds since the craziness is over. With Jallen taken care of and Mr. Nobody… dead?” Isaac questioned and looked over his shoulder to Lenna for an answer.

Lenna shrugged. “I hope Jala isn’t keeping it alive somewhere. Nothing deserves that fate.” She replied. Lenny gave her a nod in greeting and she returned it.

“Things have calmed down a lot.” Isaac finished.

“With nothing crazy happening, he is bored.” Lenna summarized for Lenny.

“Ah, ok.” Lenny replied to Lenna.

Isaac turned around to scowl at her for a moment before he turned back to look out the window Lenny was looking through. “Is this the place?” He asked.

Lenny nodded. “Yeah. This is the only one that doesn’t actually receive anything. The rest hold food from the incoming caravans or potions and monster parts for the outgoing ones.” He explained. “People are still coming in and out. The weird part is that they usually walk in by themselves, no visible coaxing.”

“Hypnotism and charms, according to your brother.” Isaac explained.

Lenny nodded. “That’s what I thought too.” He replied.

“But now you aren’t so sure.” Isaac asked rhetorically.

Lenny absently nodded again. “Yeah, I haven’t really seen the boss around. Something is fucky.”

Isaac turned and sat down at the other side of the window to watch as well. “Well, let’s wait and see.” He said. Lenna walked over and pulled a sandwich out of her Bottomless Bag. She handed it to Isaac and then gave another one to Lenny before she finally took one for herself. Isaac gave her a warm smile and nodded in thanks while Lenny bashfully accepted the food. “While we have lunch. You’re pushing your body too hard. Something is going to give out at this rate.”

“Yeah.” Lenny agreed quietly. “I know.”

“Then why?” Isaac asked.

“I’m just…” Lenny began. “I’m tired of being so far behind.” He said. “I want to be strong enough to help, to be trusted to help, to never end up in the situation my brother was in.” Isaac nodded in understanding but the young warrior-rogue wasn’t done. “And finally, there was something I thought I’d be able to help with but Teach said that I would just be in the way.”

“Ah.” Isaac said. “I understand.” He nodded and took another bite of his sandwich while he found his next words. “Lenny, even if you had been strong enough to help I probably wouldn’t have called on you.” He explained and Lenny whipped his head around to face Isaac. Before Lenny could cut in, Isaac continued: “The most useful part of you for people like me and Edward is that no one knows who you are. You’ve been taking bounties in secret and attributing them to someone else, right?”

Lenny nodded. “Yeah.” He agreed. “But I still wanted to be a part of everything.”

“I know.” Isaac said with a comforting smile. “But as long as we can’t be completely sure that no one will recognize you, I need you to keep being a ghost.”

“That’s what the disguise items you are looking for are for.” Lenny said with wide eyes.

“Of course.” Isaac replied. “What did you think they were for?”

“I don’t know.” Lenny replied honestly. “You have a lot of money, I thought you just wanted them.”

Isaac sighed and ran his hand down his face. “Come on man, do I look that frivolous to you?” Lenna coughed into her hand and Isaac scowled at her.

Lenny looked between them. “Am I supposed to answer that?” The look Isaac gave him could have withered a dozen flowers.