Dirtyhands

three

"Woah. What?" Jesper asks and looks confused. "I thought that Rollins left Ketterdam."

"He came back," Kaz replies calmly.

"But didn't he flee because you were going to rip out his entrails?" Jesper states.

"He is back." Kaz snaps. His voice is sharp and to the point. This part of the conversation is over.

"So what are we gonna do about him?" Jesper says.

"What do you think you podge?" Kaz responds and gives Jesper a look that would scare any sane person.

"Well I know that we are gonna kill him, but how?" Jesper asks and rolls his eyes.

"First I'm going to take away everything that he cares about. His family, his empire, and his status." Kaz states. He needs Rollins to watch his world fall apart before he dies. He needs Rollins to feel just as helpless as he did the night Jordie died.

"Then what?" Jesper replies.

"Then I'll tie rocks to his ankles and drop him in the harbor." Kaz almost growls.

"Lovely." Jesper says sarcastically "You truly do have a way with people Kaz."

Kaz gives Jesper a fiery glare. "Good to know that you're on board," Kaz says as he stands up. He limps out of the casino and into the familiar shadows.

*Jesper's POV*

Jesper waited for Kaz to leave the building before he collected his winnings. He doesn't believe that Kaz can beat Rollins on his own. He is going to need a crew. 'Better spread the word.'

Jesper thinks as he walks to the slat. Unlike Kaz, Jesper walks in the light. His head is held high as he calmly strolls down the cobblestone road. He likes people being able to see him. He loves it when he hears people whispering about him when he passes. It's almost like being a part of the dregs gives him instant respect. He looks up at the old building. In the slat, they are made of stone. They're built to be sturdy, not for aesthetics.

Sometimes, when Jesper gets bored of the plain grey part of the barrel that he calls home, he'll walk to the financial district. The buildings there are beautiful. They are made out of tall, clean marble. On particularly cloudy days it seems like the structures blend into the sky. Jesper walks into his room at a slow and comfortable pace. He sits at his desk and grabs some paper and a pen. 'I hope that they get this.' He thinks. 'Dear Inej....' He begins.

*Kaz's POV*

Kaz is laying in bed. He is looking up at the ceiling. Sometimes it bothers him. It's so plain. Just a flat, pale surface but on days like today, he loves how it's so basic. Nothing about it ever changes. It's a constant in his life. It is one of the few things that never change. He inhales deeply through his nose. His room smells like it normally does. The scent of wood, water, and at times blood. It seems different today though. Something has been added to the mixture of smells. Kaz slowly sits up and grabs his cane. His eyes scan his surroundings.

Nothing seems out of place but something is definitely off. Someone has been in here. He stands up and walks over to his desk. He starts to take inventory of his belongings and look for anything out of place. Then his hand finds something hard. He could feel the cool metal through his gloves. He pulls the object into the light. It's Jan Van Eck's pin. He frowns and keeps digging. After an hour Kaz stops. Jan Van Eck is back as well as Pekka Rollins. 'Who's next? The council of the tides?" Kaz thinks. He shakes his head and runs a finger through his hair. Then he notices something else. A floorboard is loose. He slowly walks towards it and squats down. He lifts it cautiously. There is a small wind-up dog toy. The same one that Rollins lured Kaz and Jordie in with.

"Rollins and Van Eck." Kaz mumbles. It was an unlikely team. The merch and the barrel boss. Two opposites were brought together by their hatred for him. Kaz slowly stands back up. The slat isn't secure. He needs to go somewhere so he can decide what his next move will be. 'Wylan.' He thinks. He knows that the merchling would help him. The poor kid was a decent human being above anything else. Truly a fatal flaw at times.

Kaz packs away all of his most important documents in a safe. They should be safe there. The lock is strong and difficult to pick. It even takes Kaz some time to pick it.

He walks down the stairs creaking stairs. It's oddly quiet tonight. The dregs are sitting around and playing a game of poker. No fights so far. Kaz nods to the crew and they nod back out of respect. Kaz limps out to the empty streets. He can smell the harbor from here. The smell of the sea. It's absolutely glorious. Kaz ignores the smell as he slowly treks down the alleyways of the barrel. He looks up at the sky. The stars are out.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he wonders if Inej is looking up at the stars too. Sometimes when they were walking back from a job he would catch her looking about at the night sky. Her eyes would twinkle with the stars and she would have a soft smile on her face. Even if the job had gone south, Kaz would end up smiling too. Of course, he would stop the moment Inej would look at him. Kaz feels his heart pound in his chest. He misses her. He misses her smile, the way she would call him cruel, even when she would pray for him. He never really knew what he had until she left. "Fuck feelings." Kaz thinks and tries to ignore the thoughts, but they keep circulating in his mind. Eventually, he gives up and lets himself remember every good memory he has had with Inej as he walks through the barrel.