Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
From: b_gerber@oz.plymouth.edu (Styx)
Subject: [Kidnap] Kim: The Proposition
Message-ID: <1993Nov30.152053.15540@oz.plymouth.edu>
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 93 15:20:53 GMT

ADMIN:  Here is the second post to the [Kidnap] thread.  Any and all
feedback is so strongly encouraged...well, we'd like it.  Thanks.

____________________________________________________________________
Kim was nervous as he sat in the dimly lit hallway before Victor's
door.  He was supposed to meet with Victor at highsun, and it was now
more than a few hours past that.  Victor had a reputation as one of
the finest and brightest torturers in the realm, when someone was sent
to Victor, they usually carried their ears home in their hat.

Victor often helped enforce guild policy, and Kim was sweating
fiercly trying to figure out what he had done wrong.  Of course, the
fact that Kim was himself a thief did nothing to clear his conscious.

The door opened rather slowly, and a young, rougish looking woman
came out.  She glanced at Kim and said "You're Kim?"

"Yup," said Kim, who had gotten used to people expecting a
girl in his stead.

"I don't remember seeing you before...." said the woman suspiciously.

"It's one of my specialties lady, are you going to let me in
or do I have to sit here and look at your-"

"All right, all right kid," interupted the woman, "Get your pimply
butt in there and talk to Victor.  And don't ever speak to me again, or
you'll lose the only thing that'll ever make you a man, kid."

Kim grunted and stood up.  He was too nervous to continue with
the polite banter that usually went on between members of the guild.
He brushed past the woman and entered the room, shutting the door
behind him.  If there was one thing Kim could respect, it was the need
for privacy while having one or more limbs broken.

Victor was perched on his three legged stool, looking over the more
recent reports he had recieved, when Kim entered the room and shut
the door.  He decided to wait for a few more minutes in silence
and let the kid sweat it out.  It never hurt to stay in practice.

His bid for the upper hand was cut short however, when there
was a scream and the sound of running feet coming towards the
door.  He looked up in time to see the door thrust open by a very
red-faced woman.  She stood there panting, with a knife in hand,
facing Kim.

"Give it back," she said to Kim in a flat tone.  Victor began to tap
his fingers.

"What...this?" asked Kim, holding up a small gold pendant.
"It's a damn good thing I found this, or you might never have gotten
it back!" he said cheerfully as he draped the trinket over Maryanne's
quivering dagger.

"Maryanne, " said Victor, "Don't you's know not never to bother me when
I'm... in a meeting?"

"I'm gonna stick this knife so far up your..." began Maryanne,
who trailed to a stop by the look on Victors face.  "Sorry Victor, er,
sir.  I'll uh just leave now."  The door shut behind her.

Victor took a moment to examine the kid who stood before him,
Kim by name.  He stood a full five feet, six inches tall, had mousey
brown hair, and a very nondescript face.  He was dressed in various
greys and blues, with a pair of black, soft skinned boots.  He didn't
appear to be carrying any weapons.

"You're Kim?" Grunted Victor, boring into the kids skull with
his eyes.

"Yeah..." replied Kim in a weak voice.

"Good.  Siddown."

Kim looked about for a second, and apon seeing no other
chairs, sat on the floor.

"I've got a message for you from the Boss."

Kim sighed in relief...just another job.

"This one's a pick up.  You got two weeks to get da goods.  I
got the instructions here, can you read?" 

"A little...good enough." Said Kim.  "What's the 'ject?"

"It's a Walker."

"A Walker...are you sure this one's for me?" asked Kim.  A "Walker"
meant that a person was the object to be picked up, and that the
person had to be in good condition apon arrival, at least, able to walk.

Victor sneered at Kim from over his papers.  It was a look that
could make penquins fly.

"Uh..right.  What's the reason?"

Victor eyed Kim for a moment.  "Normally, I wouldn't trust a
little rat like you with anything important, but it seems the boss wants
you ta know.  The Walker's a kid.  His Pa's some rich snot who just
bought 'imself a good chunk of land in Low City.  He's gonna clean it
up, and then sell it back to da rich folks.  You know what that could
do to our...bussines."

"Give us more?" asked Kim with a hopeful voice.

"No! It'll make Low City even slummier than it is now...We'll
have half the turncoats and sneakthieves in the realm comin' hear,
musslin' in.  I don't like it, the Boss don't like it, and you don't
like it!  Got it!"

Kim swallowed hard, "Got it."  He smiled weakly.

"Good, now take this and do what it sez.  You got some help in
this one, a muscle and some guard who takes a bribe for us..."

Kim walked out of Victors office with the small sealed package
in his hand, wondering not for the first time if it was all really
worth it.