Something Wild (Child of the Winter Moon Book 1)

27: The Bathhouse

Geralt found Sigi's bathhouse and was allowed in, although he had to adhere to the dress code. So wearing nothing but a towel, Geralt was lead through the bathhouse to a meeting Sigi was having with three of the Big Four, as the bosses of the Novigradian underworld called themselves. Francis, Geralt knew. The dwarf he did not, but assumed he was Cleaver. He was surprised to find that he actually knew Sigi, although it was by another name prior to Foltest's assassination. Dijkstra seemed to be doing well for himself, despite the metal brace that decorated his left leg, a gift from Geralt himself to the Rendarian spymaster. At least former spymaster. Each man was wrapped in a towel. The dwarf was fuming as he paced back and forth.

"Easy, Cleaver...," Dijkstra warned.

"Whoreson Junior's a dead man. I'll have my scribe send you a notice."

"You don't have a scribe," Francis said. "And we'll eliminate Junior when, and only when, all of us say 'aye.'" He then noticed that Geralt had entered. "Reuven, your guest."

Dijkstra turned towards Geralt to greet him.

"Why the fuck you let him in here?" Cleaver snapped.

"Because I want to talk to him. This is Geralt of Rivia."

"Good to see you again," Francis greeted.

Geralt nodded in acknowledgment.

"As always I'm out of the swivin' loop. Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm a Witcher," Geralt simply said.

"Problems with your plumbing?"

Geralt didn't give him the satisfaction of a response, tired to hell and back of the jokes about Witcher sterility.

"Nah," Dijkstra said. "It's under control. Geralt's a friend from the old days. Although..."

Geralt's enhanced hearing suddenly picked up on slamming doors and he turned his head to listen. "Got intruders. Someone just snuck inside the bathhouse. Several men..."

"What the fuck's he on about?" Cleaver asked. "Ploughin' fortuneteller."

"Shut up, Cleaver." At that moment, they heard screaming.

"Bloody hell, I fucking knew it!"

"No, you didn't. We're lucky we had a Witcher to give us warning."

"Any weapons tucked away?" Francis asked calmly as if he were asking about the weather.

"Just a few." Dijkstra opened a nearby chest. "Take your pick."

They each armed themselves and headed towards the door separating the private room from the rest of the bathhouse.

"First ever barney with my prick hangin' out," Cleaver complained.

One of the intruders caught sight of them as they came out of the room. "Whoreson Junior sends his regards!" he said before attacking.

They made quick work of the would-be assassins, Geralt refraining from using any Signs with the amount of innocents in the bathhouse.

"Good work, gents," Cleaver said when they returned to their private room.

"Terribly sorry for that incident," Dijkstra said. "My security failed. I'll get to the bottom of who, why, and how."