Tag: Chapter 11.5

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“Could’ve fucking told me,” I hissed.  I wasn’t sure if she could hear me over the pounding music, but if anyone could fill in the blanks in what I’d said, it would be her.

How?

More people were pushing product and stolen goods at the edges of the mall, some pimped others or prostituted themselves, while yet others were scrounging through the stores and then offering their finds for cash or barter.

Are we moving on from the in-depth descriptions of the casual debauchery around here? I hope so.

The roof at the center of the mall had collapsed and what remained was shored up, but there was a gaping hole that was open to the darkening sky.  Beneath that hole, the party was already underway.

Honestly, this place barely qualifies as a party by any reasonable standards. It’s more like… a barrel full of surströmming, lutefisk, drugs and semen, being blasted with terrible music and bad energy from all directions.

But at least the fish seem to be enjoying it despite the simile sort of implying they’re all dead, so I guess maybe that counts.

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“I dunno,” I answered her, feeling legitimately nervous.  I didn’t want to refuse her outright and blow our cover, but I definitely didn’t want to get high.

Yeah, figured as much. It’s not really Taylor’s thing.

I was uncomfortable enough with the idea to begin with, but doing it here, in this kind of chaos?

And while you’re here for a specific, undercover purpose?

“Trust me,” she told me.

Obediently, I opened my mouth.

I guess she has a plan. That, or she Knows the pills to be fake.

She pressed one small pill down on my tongue.  I closed my mouth.  She turned to Brooks and gave him one as well.

As our bodyguards led us through the crowd, she leaned over until our heads were touching, “Sugar pills.  A little sleight of hand on my part.  Just for appearances.  Don’t stress.”

Ahh. A bit of both, then! I guess she came prepared for this, and probably picked Decadence because it looks the most like the pills she brought.

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He looked around, stared at her for a few seconds, then conceded, “Eight.”

She drives a hard bargain.

“For me and two of my buddies here.  That’s twenty-four bucks?”

The man nodded eagerly, “Twenty-four.”

Hm, seems like a per-package deal. Unless that’s one gram or less per person, it’s a bit cheaper than I thought.

I don’t know drug prices. I think that’s a good thing.

She forked over a ten and a twenty and collected her change and three pills.  She turned to me, “Open up.  It’s ecstasy.”

…you sure about this?

I really doubt Taylor is.

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“No,” Minor answered.  “Have a girl.”

“Get a second!  Or do you want something else?  Got bullets, got some treats.  Booze?  Bad?  K?  Decadence?  Madman?  Nose powder?”

Hm. It does seem this guy has the persistence of a true salesman, at least.

All of those except booze are drugs, aren’t they?

Jeez, these people really aren’t even trying to protect themselves against undercover cops, heroes and the like. Although I suppose actually arresting someone at this arrangement would be difficult.

“Not interested,” Minor answered.

“Not.  Interested.”  The Merchant rubbed his chin, looking skeptical, “Right.”

Yeeeah, he isn’t going to take no for an answer. Is Minor gonna have to beat him up, like Jaw did with the guys at the entrance?

“Wait,” Lisa grinned.  “Decadence sounds good.  How much?”

Hm, I guess we might as well play along.

“Twenty per.”

Twenty of which bill?

“Bullshit,” she replied.  “Not even if it was pure, which it probably isn’t.  Eight bucks.”

Ah, that bill. I suppose twenty dollars per gram(?) is pretty expensive.

“Ah, we have an expert here, do we?  Can’t blame me for trying.  You have to understand, it’s hard to get product with things the way they are.  Ten.”

I suppose he does have a point. Supply and demand, and all that.

“Eight.”

Haggletale ain’t budging, though.

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“Want to buy a lady?  Or maybe a sir?” one of the vendors leered at Minor.

It really feels like Wildbow is going out of his way to give the Merchants every single negative trait.

Anyway, no thanks.

Got one already.

A group of men and women were gathered in a ‘stall’ behind him, watched by another Merchant.  Were they whores or slaves?

Bit of both, probably. The need for what seems to be a guard isn’t exactly a good sign.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to think too long about it.

Me neither.

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Judging by the packs of people, ‘might’ wasn’t necessarily physical strength.  Those who had the force of numbers at their backs or the better weapons could do what they wanted.

Which pretty much describes the Merchants as a whole, and by extention Skidmark. He’s currently terrorizing the city simply by virtue of how many people he’s got behind him.

I wonder what power(s) he has. Hopefully not ones that match his name, I suppose.

If they didn’t have numbers, sheer physical strength or weaponry that put them one step above the other guys?  They became victims instead.

This group is such a mess.

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“Anyone else want to complain?” Jaw asked.

Nobody did. I was surprised at how quickly people backed off and went back to whatever they’d been doing before.

Speak now (and get beaten to a pulp) or forever hold your peace.

Jaw collected two red elastics, put a hand on the small of Brooks’ back and nudged him inside.

The interior was so crowded we could barely navigate, and it was rank with the sweet and sour smells of sweat and garbage that had just started to reek.  Body lice had found hosts with a full fifth of the people here, and more were spreading to new hosts in the shoulder to shoulder press of the crowd.

This place is just fantastic.

The tide of bodies around us might have crushed us if our bodyguards weren’t clearing the way.

Surprise! It’s a Tide ad.

…actually, no, this whole arrangement manages to be the opposite of a Tide ad.

Senegal and Minor simply pushed through the crowd with enough force that some fell over, while Jaw and Brooks followed our group.  Nobody complained too loudly, and from the way others took it in stride, it seemed this was the norm.

Of course, because they can’t have any sort of decency at this arrangement! That would be wild.

Here, I was coming to understand, might made right.

Yeah, sounds about right.