Immune (NaNoWriMo2014)(Wattys 2014)

11) Mercenaries (Part 2)

"Le Petit Châtelet. Not what I would have envisioned, but that's just me."

The two women stood outside of the french restaurant, neither impressed by the crowd or night lights. Mother Nature linked her arm with Grimalkin's, the mercenary tensing up at her touch.

"Can you not? I almost let my tail out," she snapped, pulling her arm away. "This is a professional meeting. Getting all buddy - buddy is bad for business."

Mother Nature pulled her arm away and sighed indignantly. "Humph. Just trying to blend in with these people."

"Blend in? Us? Even without your primordial fear mojo that sets off everyone in the room, there's still these." Even though her hair was tied up into an unusually high bun, Grimalkin's cat ears still poked out of the top, two grey nubs sticking out of jet black hair. "Plus, we look like lesbians. If that doesn't get them to stare, what will?"

Mother Nature snorted. "Do you think that's out of the ordinary here?"

Grimalkin hissed her teeth. She locked eyes with Mother Nature. "My job, for over two millenia, has been blending in with these people."

Mother Nature held it. "I've been around since the beginning of mankind. I win."

Grimalkin kept her gaze steady for all of three seconds before backing down. "I hate those eyes. Worse than mine are."

Mother Nature smiled, and linked her arm back with Grimalkin's. "Shut up and act casual, Schrödinger. I thought you were a professional."

The hair on Grimalkin's neck rose. "That's not even the right name," she muttered. "It's Schrödinger's cat."

The pair got through the line without much trouble, and the waiter at the front gave them a crooked smle. "Bonjour, madames."

"Bonjour. Par le vous anglais?" Grimalkin gave Mother Nature an odd look. They both spoke french quite fluently, so there should have been no reason for her to ask otherwise.

"Oui, madam. Yes, we do." The man was all but unintelligible through his thick accent. "Table for two, yes?"

"Three, actually." Mother Nature bit the inside of her lip as Grimalkin squeezed her arm. "Are there any available?"

"Oui. Follow me."

The waiter grabbed three menues and led the two women over to the back of the dining area. He had them sit at a circular table, adorned with a draping white tablecloth, a candelabra, and a wine bottle surrounded by wineglasses. "I will be your server. May I have your names?"

"Tiana."

"Molly."

"Fantastic." He placed the menues in front of them, and left the third at the side. "Let us know when you are ready to order, oui?"

"Yes, sir. Merci, garcon."

The waiter laughed heartily, as if she had said something hilarious, and moved on to the next customer. As soon as he was out of earshot, Grimalkin turned on Mother Nature. She hissed again, but it sounded like froth needed to accompany it.

"I wasn't aware that you were bringing another person in!"

"So? I don't think this is a one man – er, woman – er, cat – job."

She leaned over the table, getting into Mother Nature's face. "Excuse me?" Her eyes were livid. "You don't think I can handle retrieving a kid?! On what grounds?"

"Besides the fact that he has the full powers of both Father Time and I? He has Septies."

Grimalkin's nose twitched. Her eyes became more curious, which she tried to mask with anger. "That dusty old thing? Hell, why do you think I cant handle a child with some relic that was turning to dust before I was born?"

"Oh, so you're not interested in it as a reward, then?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"It was my mistake. I thought you were pining for it for the last century or so, but if you –"

"Yes! Yes, I'll take it!" Grimalkin peered at Mother Nature. "Titiana, so help me if you're lying..."

"No. I'm being deadly serious. The tool is yours, as long as I get it back any time I need it. Accidents do happen."

Grimalkin closed her eyes, taking a few moments to weigh the offer. "I have to work with another person to subdue your kid. And I get Septies."

"Yes."

"It would mean sacrificing my pride. Confidentiality." Her ears twitched. "But I could get that weapon. And I could get a potential ally..."

"Don't take too long, please. I'm getting incredibly antsy over here."

Grimalkin nodded once, then more firmly a second time. "I'll take the job. As long as I get that beauty, we have a deal."

"Great. I'll talk all about the terms once our second guest arrives." Mother Nature flicked her finger, and the cork popped out of the wine bottle. She poured herself a glass, and upon request, did the same for Grimalkin. The velvety red liquid burned her throat as she downed the glass. Grimalkin, sipping at hers more timidly, gave her a disapproving look.

"It would be unwise to get drunk before giving us our instructions."

"I could drink from the bottle and be sober. Alcohol doesn't affect me."

"Neat. I wish I had a tolerance like yours. It would make half of my jobs easier."

Mother Nature decided not to press on the subject. "Remember, you are one of the few people who know what the name and nature of Septies is. Our associate doesn't know exactly what it is, just that it's a powerful weapon that I've gifted to you. Keep it that way."

"Absolutely."

They sat in silence, gazing over the heads of the other customers in mutual boredom. It was only when a clean shaven man sauntered up to their table did either of them move.

Grimalkin sat up in her chair, giving a once - over to the handsome gentleman that sat next to them. Mother Nature held her hand out to him, and he kissed it.

"Very nice to meet you in person, Ms. Nature," he said, his light accent resembling Greek. "This must be Grimalkin."

He offered his hand out to her, and Grimalkin briefly considered shaking it with her claws out. Deciding against it, she shook it as normal. When he leaned down to kiss it, she pulled back with a snarl.

"Don't get too chummy, buster. I'm a professional."

He leaned back and laughed heartily. "Ohohoho! So it would seem. And my name is not buster. It is Heracles." He raised his hand, and on the back was a tattoo of a labrys – a double-headed battle axe. "Much like you, I am a Legend. Working with the 'Gods' of Olympus was high risk, no reward. I now act as a mercenary. Mainly fighting beasts, but the price of this job was more than worth it." He turned to Mother Nature. "Will you really do it? Will you open Delphi for me again?"

Vote if you enjoyed! I'm definitely not going to win NaNo – even if I wrote from now till midnight, I can only write so much. But I'll give you the word count so far anyway, at least for today.

Words this chapter: 1183

Total word count: 35,703