The Four Chimes

Chapter 20 - ARI

Rhoes Derassitu looked as dark and alive as ever. The place was packed with people drinking all sorts of stuff: astalacha, astapalla, astarhaes... The colored drinks glowed green, blue, and orange in the light of the gas lamps mounted on the walls. But we weren't here to drink, I thought as I walked behind the bar counter, Paile and Tanta following me.

"Hey!" said a scrawny, blond bartender, arms filled with thick glass bottles and shiny jiggers. "No customers behind the counter!"

"We know Cona," I said, proceeding to the office door.

"That's what you said a month ago. Don't think I know your little tricks. Sneaking behind the bar just to steal another little swig. I remember you."

I shook my head. "I don't think I remember you."

"So there was another guy with tan skin and black hair who said the exact same thing and just happened to know the owner on a first name basis?"

That was odd. Especially knowing the owner's first name. Everyone in this bar just called her "Ms. Abras". Unless... God damn it. "You're thinking about my brother."

The bartender scoffed. "As if I'm going to believe that excuse."

"Hey!" said Tanta, holding the door open and waving me through. I ran into the office. Outside of the doorway I saw Paile take out his conduit.

"You—" grumbled the bartender, walking towards him.

"Peria", said Paile, aiming his conduit at the bartender.

"Wh—wha—hey!" he stammered, unable to move as Paile walked away to join us.

"Worked like a charm," said Paile with a smirk.

"Technically it worked like a spell," I said as we entered the office.

"Shut up."

"So," said Cona, the three of us immediately becoming silent. She commanded our attention, despite being the shortest in the room. She was attractive, but had a threatening presence towards anyone who didn't know her. She tied her wavy black hair into a messy bun while she spoke. "What brings you three here?"

Tanta stepped forward. "We're looking for a hitman."

Cona chuckled. "Who do you want to kill?"

"No—" I stammered. "We don't want to kill a single person."

"Then why are you looking for a hitman?" asked Cona.

"We're technically looking for hitmen," I clarified.

"So you want to kill multiple people?"

"No," I said. "We're just trying to find out more about this company. Savonal Staffing Solutions. It seems... suspicious, to say the least."

Cona furrowed her brow. "I don't think I've ever..." She stared intensely at the King's framed footprint on the opposite wall. A hoax, no doubt. "Unless... There is a Triple S."

"That must be it," said Tanta.

"So how would we go about getting info from any of these guys?" asked Paile.

"For any other hitman company, I'd say that all you need is a mind magician to pretend to be a fellow hitman. But Triple S... They do the big jobs. The ones any other hitman company would easily be caught doing red-handed. They've been around in Psara for centuries, and they do not play any games. They could spot an intel-gathering mind magician from a mile away. They could even kill the king if they wanted to, you know. Although some say they already work for the king as mercenaries, they would turn their backs on him as soon as they got a bigger paycheck."

"So how do we get info from a Triple S guy?" Paile's voice strained slightly. I knew he was never one to get nervous. But the reality of our situation must have gotten to him. Just as it had gotten to me.

"I'd say..." Cona's black lipstick-covered mouth turned into a frown. She shook her head. "Heart magician would be your best bet. A lot of those guys are pretty lonely. They have to be, to maintain their secrecy. Tap into their loneliness and they'll never have seen it coming."

"Wait..." said Tanta. "How do we even tell who's a Triple S guy?"

"They have a tattoo on their arm that's made of three S's in a row," said Cona. "Very creative."

"Well, thank you for your help," I said.

"Anything for your father." Cona paused. "And you," she added. "Now get out of my office," she said with a smile.

"Too bad I'm not a heart magician," said Paile as we left the bar. "I'd love to seduce one of those hitmen. And get something out of it, too. Besides the sex."

"As if you could be seductive in any way, shape, or form," said Tanta.

"Ari. Back me up on this," said Paile. I had to admit, against the dark and smoky backdrop of the neighborhood alleyways he did look pretty nice. Seductive, though? Maybe, I thought. I'd give it to him.

"Sorry, Tanta," I said. "He's right."

"Why don't you two just fuck already?" Tanta joked.

"Let's do it. Right here," said Paile with a smirk.

Good god. "You're such a perv."

"No, I'm sexually liberated."

"Maybe too sexually liberated."

"For your tastes."

"For anyone's tastes," I said. "Hell, even Kurie brings guys and girls over so often that I've seriously considered soundproofing the wall between our rooms. But I've never heard you mention anything about your bedroom life."

"Do you want me to talk about it?"

"No," I said, nervously laughing.

"Because I will."

"No!" yelled Tanta. "Please. God. Sometimes I wish I were the Queen. So I could be dead right now."

"Fine," said Paile. "I guess my tales of gallant sexual exploits will forever remain a mystery."

"Good," said Tanta. "Leave it that way."

"And for the record," I said, "please never use the phrase 'gallant sexual exploits' ever again."

"What phrase? Gallant sexual exploits?" asked Paile.

"Yes," Tanta and I said in unison.

"Should I say 'wild sexy times' instead, like some Academy student?"

"No. God." I fake gagged out of real disgust. "Please. Just... No."

Paile shrugged. "I was just being considerate. You told me not to say 'gallant—"

I sighed. "Please stop—" 

"—sexual exploits', so I didn't," Paile continued.

"You know what would be considerate?" asked Tanta. "Shutting up."

"Why am I even friends with you?" asked Paile.

Tanta sighed. "I have the same question."

I looked around as the gritty buildings slowly gradated into large townhomes and cozy cafés. Trees lined the streets, and the smoke in the air dissipated into crisp, clean, pure freshness.

"Guys," I said. "Where are we even going?"

"We're going home," said Tanta.

"Oh. I was just following you," I said.

"Well, you could follow me to my place," said Paile with a wink.

"Not a chance in hell," I said.

"Your loss," Paile said, shrugging.

"Well, see you," I said as I turned around.

"Bye!" said Paile and Tanta.

God. The Triple S. Hitmen. Mercenaries. I was in deeper than I had expected. And there didn't seem to be a way out.