Chapter VI: City Hunt

  Rapunzel strolled through the darkening streets, heading towards Old Town. The city had grown over the centuries, spreading over the landscape like a fungus. And, to keep the simile going, Old Town was its rotting heart. Long abandoned by the richer residents, the district lurking under the shadow of the castle was the meeting place of those not inclined towards a strict adherence to the law. Not that there weren't legitimate businesses to be found, those however were lawful mostly by coincidence, not by intention.

  The wide new streets of the city gradually narrowed, smooth pavement replaced by uneven, poorly maintained cobblestone. The winding streets didn't let much light through, turning the late evening dusk into darkness. Hooded and skulking characters occasionally crossed the street in a hurry. You didn't enter Old Town for a stroll. You went in, did your business, and with a bit of luck, you might even leave.

  Rapunzel wore her sword prominently, a clear signal that she would be best left alone. Turning down one of the many side streets, she spotted a drunk staggering against a wall. His hand reached for a grip, slipped, and he banged his head against the wall. He didn't seem to notice. Rapunzel walked up to him, but kept a wary distance.

  "Excuse me sir?"

  "Wuzza?" the drunk said, managing to focus one eye on her.

  "I was wondering if you are local and know the area."

  "Huh?" He looked her up and down. "Yeah, I'm , I'm-" he blinked a few times. "I'm from this shithole - pardon you miss'zzs." he stumbled a bit on the last word, just as he stumbled over his feet.

  "Great. I was just going for a walk and I was wondering if you could tell me what areas to avoid."

  It took a few moment for the drunk to parse her words, but they eventually seemed to settle into his head. "No, no, missusss. Pretty gal like you shouldn't be in Old Town. 's dangerous."

  "And what parts would you say are the most dangerous? So I can avoid them."

  He looked her up and down again, this time his eyes catching on her swords. They widened, and he glanced up at her. "No, don't know nuthin'. Not me, no miss!"

  She took a step towards him and he cowered, raising his hands.

  "No, please. I didn't say anything."

  She retreated a step. "Who do you think I am?"

  He glanced up and down the street. "One of them."

  Rapunzel rolled her eyes and felt her fist itch. Oh, how she hated vague portentous statements like that. "Who is 'them'?"

  He shuffled a little closer. "You know... The new guys."

  Rapunzel took a breath. "And the new guys are?"

  He took another step towards her. "You know." he leaned in and whispered. "The Wheel."

  The stinging stench of alcohol wafted from him, causing Rapunzel to look away. Her first mistake was to let him get close to her in the first place, the second to look away. The drunk lashed forward with surprising speed, the glint of a knife in his hands. Rapunzel ducked and the knife glanced against her head. She lunged and took hold of the arm. They were locked in a struggle for a moment, then she brought her head down on his.

  Thump, Thump

  Two blows later he was on the ground clutching his face, the knife on the ground. Rapunzel pulled out a sword and his incessant babbling stopped.

  "Spill it."

  "I don't-"

  She reached the sword towards his throat and he went still.

  "Speak, now."

  "Ok, ok. I don't know much. They came into the city a month ago, pushed out the old lumberjack gang. They have a base somewhere in the south of Old Town. There's been people missing and the gangs are arming up for war. But the Wheel have bought off a lot of the local muscle. Not many a fighter that won't take free money. They also pays anyone who deals with people snooping around."

  Rapunzel lowered her sword. "Any idea where their base is?"

  He shook his head furiously. "They got many, but no one knows exactly where. They kicked out the old gangs and killed thems that fought back."

  Well, Rapunzel knew someone who was good at information, and an expert on snooping.

  "Thank you for your help."

  She sheathed her sword. "If I see you again I'll stab you somewhere nasty."

  She tossed a silver coin to the man. It didn't hurt to have a reputation for being generous with informants. Then she stepped around a corner and walked in place for a few steps, gradually making her steps more silent. Standing still, she listened for movement. If he followed, things might have to get unpleasant.

  She heard a rustling, the sound of the coin being picked up, then the scrape of the knife. A few steps headed in her direction. She put her hand on her sword. The steps stopped, and after some unintelligible grumbling, turned around and disappeared in the other direction.

  As a precaution Rapunzel always had a single hair out of her hat. It was painted black and basically invisible, but its limited feedback worked as a very good early warning system, and the feeling she had been getting for the past minute or so was of being hunted. The eyes of a predator were upon her.

  Which is why she didn't startle when a voice came from right behind her.

  "Wow, you were really ready to murder him."

  Rapunzel slowly turned around. "Nah, just a light stab."

  Red looked at her with a grumpy expression. "Why can I never surprise you? I'm sure you didn't hear me."

  "Tricks of the trade." said Rapunzel with a shrug. "You're back early."

  Red mirrored her shrug. "They fled like rats. Had horses and bats ready. Got a few of them, but didn't want to spend a day racing after horses. So, what are you up to?"

  "How would you like to mess up some Wheel plans in the city?" asked Rapunzel.

  "Blondie, you are making my night." said Red with a grin.

  "Also Alice might be in the city, and kill us all."

  Red chuckled at the obvious joke, then her expression slowly fell as she read Rapunzel's serious look. "Excuse me the what now?"

  "I'll explain on the way."

  ~

  Deep in Old Town, you can find anything you seek, for the right price. But, illegal goods, being illegal, are seldom advertised. A mercenary might be for hire, but if no one can be trusted to know his hideout, who will find and hire him? Enter the many information brokers of Old Town. Some specialize in goods, or services, or in the case of the cramped store lurking at the dead end of the alley Rapunzel and Red found themselves, anything and everything worth knowing.

  "Smells like shit in there. Bird shit." commented Red. "You sure this it the right place, Blondie?"

  "If I wasn't, you just confirmed it." said Rapunzel, opening the door and stepping in. A very bird-y smell hit her. Bird food, bird dropping, and just plain old bird. Red, following behind, fell into a sneezing fit.

  The shop was strangely quiet, more so taking into account the dozens of birds perched on bird posts, chairs, tables and pretty much everything. Parrots, sparrows, pigeons, ravens. Even a couple of sleepy owls and a falcon. They stared at Rapunzel and Red with their beady eyes, still and quiet as statues. Only their heads turning to follow them.

  Red managed to stop sneezing and looked around. "The hells is this place Blondie?"

  Rapunzel walked deeper into the gloomy store. "This is where we get information."

  Red followed and growled at the birds tracking them. "Freaky birds. Can I Grin at them?"

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  "No Grinning." said Rapunzel, who had reached the old counter at the back of the store. There was no bell to ring, but a parrot let out a sudden squawk, then settled back into staring at them. Its talons clicked ominously as it adjusted its grip on the chair it was perched on.

  Steps coming from a door behind the counter announced the arrival of a woman. She was on the sunset of youth, a beautiful face that was just starting to the show signs of age. Her long chestnut hair was tied in a long braid, and along with her clean and well made dress made a stark contrast to the dilapidated shop. She nodded at them as she sat on a tall stool behind the counter, comfortably settling in for a long talk.

  "Rapunzel, Red."

  Rapunzel nodded back. "Ella."

  Red glanced from one to the other. "You two know each other? Why is she calling you Rapunzel? And how do you know my name?"

  Ella shrugged, a small smile tugging at her lips.

  "Red, we had a public duel this morning; we didn't exactly sneak into the city." Rapunzel turned back to Ella. "And I go by-"

  "Blondie, right. Sorry." interrupted Ella. "I keep forgetting to update your file. Maybe if you went back, I wouldn't have to." She threw Rapunzel a questioning look.

  Rapunzel shook her head. "There's nothing left for me. All the nobles were bought off a long time ago." She countered Ella's look. "I was sorry to hear about you and the prince."

  Ella shrugged again, trying to appear nonchalant, though her lips twitched downward. "It lasted as long as you could expect a relationship based on a shoe would."

  Red grunted in exasperation "Nobles? Shoes? What are you even talking about?"

  "I'll explain later." said Rapunzel, fully intending not to. "We're here for business."

  "You're looking for someone?" asked Ella.

  "Kind of. What do you know about Wheel setting up in Old Town?"

  "I might have heard a few whispers. What do you want to know?"

  "Locations, and any recent unusual activity."

  Ella reached under the counter and retrieved a large leatherbound book. She flipped to around the middle and scanned the pages, her finger tracing the neatly handwritten lines.

  That was a bit too quick, thought Rapunzel. She'd had the book ready. Then again, Rapunzel only ever asked for Wheel location to raid, so knowing she was in town, she could have just prepared...

  "I have five potential locations for Wheel bases. Four were visited by wheel operators in the last two days. Two since yesterday."

  Rapunzel slid a few Thaler over the counter. Ella wrote up the addresses and slid them the other way, picking up the Thaler. A raven fluttered down to her hand and picked them up in it's beak. After giving her a beady look, it flew to the back of the shop.

  "Thanks for the info. You might want to get out of the city for a while. We think Wheel is bringing Alice here."

  Ella frowned, but didn't look surprised. "I thought that was just a rumor."

  "I just came from the Hunter's guild. The guard was informed at noon."

  Ella clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Damn guards, what do I pay them for? Thanks for the heads up."

  They nodded at each other, and Rapunzel tapped Red's shoulder to follow her. She had been having a staring contest with a parakeet.

  They stepped out into fresh air and Red turned to her.

  "So what am I supposed to call you? I thought you were called Blondie."

  Rapunzel frowned. "You thought my actual name was Blondie?"

  "Why not? I'm Red."

  Fair point. "Call me Blondie, and maybe don't mention my other name to anyone."

  Red's eyebrows rose. "Oooh, you have some real BS going on, changing your name and everything. Did you kill someone and had to flee to a life of crime? Or did you mess with a witch? Or maybe..."

  Red continued inventing more and more reasons for Rapunzel to change her name, which in any other place than the Schattenwald might sound insane, but here were on the unhealthy side of probable.

  ~

  They reached the first location, a partially collapsed house that looked empty as far as anyone could see. Luckily, with Red, sight wasn't a determining factor. She lowered her nose to the ground, and took a long breath in. Her nose seemed to lengthen for a moment, then shrink back to normal.

  She leaned her head this way and that, her eyes flickering under closed eyelids.

  "There were people here in the last couple of days. Also food was brought in. Also... someone or something that was scared. Equipment maybe as well, something oily. There are still in there, I'm getting 3...4. 5 scents that haven't left in the last day."

  Rapunzel looked at the half-collapsed building. "Can you tell if they are in the basement?"

  The rest of the place didn't look fit for a base, but the basement might still be intact. Red's eyebrows furrowed as she concentrated on the almost imperceptible scents. Her nose and mouth began to elongate and Rapunzel looked away. It wasn't a sight for an empty stomach, or a full one to be honest.

  "I'm getting damp, some kind of mold. Yeah, basement is likely." Red's voice had lowered in pitch an sounded more like a growl by the end.

  Rapunzel considered their options. Attacking now had the advantage of surprise, but if the Wheel operatives had a way of contacting the other bases, or raising an alarm, they would be gone by the time they could get to them. Even splitting up only gave them a 50/50 chance of finding Alice at the first try, and that was only if she was being held in one of the four recently visited bases. Could they storm the base quickly enough that they didn't have time to signal for help?

  "Hey Red, you don't smell Alice in there do you?"

  Red shook her head. "Never smelled her before, what's she like?"

  "You've never gotten close to Alice?" asked Rapunzel with genuine surprise.

  "I'm not suicidal." said Red with a little affront.

  Rapunzel gave her a flat look. "Half- scratch that- three quarters of the bounties you go after are suicide."

  Red tapped the side of her head in a knowing way. "For anyone else, sure, but for me it's as safe as getting stabbed in the throat." She held up a finger before Rapunzel could say anything. "Which was still rude of you."

  Rapunzel went to say something but Red shushed her again. Red's permanent grin was gone, replaced by the grim expression of a professional bounty hunter. "Incoming." she whispered.

  The two of them retreated into the alley they were observing the building from. Red took another sniff. "Three targets downwind. Two smell lightly of bat. The third of gunpowder."

  Four figures silently made their way to the building. They all wore the dark brown leathers of Wheel agents, while masks obscured their identity. Rapunzel threw Red a look.

  "The fourth one doesn't have a scent." she said defensively "Wait, maybe oil?"

  A bad feeling came over Rapunzel at that bit of information. She had an idea of who, or rather what the fourth figure was. The long leathers and cloak hinted at a tall, lean figure that moved with inhuman control over their body.

  The four figures stepped into the building, the gloom swallowing them.

  "Red, getting anything?"

  "Hang on a second." Red knelt down and put her hands on the pavement. With a strange hollow cracking sound, she disappeared and a large wolf was left in her place. It looked a tad strange as it didn't have fur, but a second later fur exploded from its body with a poof, then settled into a slightly disheveled state.

  Red shook herself and stretched. Her clothes hadn't gone anywhere, and she had to flick her hood off her face. Her nose reaching low, she sniffed the air like a connoisseur might sample wine. A few moments later, her hackles rose and a low growl escaped her lips. A reverse transformation later, Red was standing up and stretching.

  "Blood." she said simply. "I can hear fighting and there are people dying."

  "I thought this was a Wheel base. Why are they fighting among themselves?"

  Red shrugged. "Maybe the whole Alice thing is a splinter group? You said it didn't make sense for Wheel to destroy a city."

  "Maybe... still doesn't answer who wants to, and why."

  "Well, none of our problem. Let them sort it out among themselves." Red stretched her back with a pop. "Want to grab dinner? I'm feeling up for some good vegetable stew."

  "No. Wheel getting hold of Alice is worse than before! Can you imagine what they could do with her? Because I can't, and that's terrifying."

  Red sighed. "Fine, where to then?"

  "We wait for them to leave, then check out the base, after that we decide."

  It was barely a minute later when the four figures from before exited, looking none the worse for wear, and disappeared down the street.

  "Uh uh." said Red, and hurried towards the building. Smoke was already starting to creep out the door. Entering revealed a trap door to the basement belching an acrid smoke that stung Rapunzel's eyes and throat.

  "Looks like they are really cleaning up." commented Red from outside. She was standing at a distance and holding her nose.

  Rapunzel exited and thought quickly. "OK, they seem to be cleaning out the city. We need to find where they are holding Alice before they get there."

  "Can't we just kill the kill team?" asked Red in a tone as if being asked to tidy up her room.

  "In the mean time, the other bases might be evacuated. Also that thing with no smell... I have a suspicion that it's a living puppet. Very dangerous, and while it might not be able to kill you, it'll probably be a pain to take down, and I can't regrow limbs."

  Red rolled her eyes at Rapunzel's blatant use of common sense. "Fine, fine. So where do we go next?"

  "The nearest base. The kill squad is probably on their way there. If Alice isn't there, we overtake them and search the next one."

  Red joined Rapunzel in running towards the next base.

  "How will we know Alice isn't there?"

  "I have an idea."

  They slowed down when they caught up with the kill squad, letting the squad lead them to the next base. When they entered the old warehouse that served as a base, Rapunzel turned to Red. "Can you smell anything in there that smells like me?"

  Red sniffed the air as shouts of alarm came from the warehouse. A muffled scream forced its way through the brick walls and tall windows of the warehouse.

  "Nope. Anything in particular I should be looking for? You lost a shirt of something?"

  "No. But there is one of my hairs in the city. I've been after it for years, but they moved it before I could get to it. Once they realized I could sense it, they moved so far I lost track of it. A week ago I felt it again. It's here in the city."

  Red looked at her for a moment. "Anyone tell you that the whole hair thing is a bit much?"

  "Let's just go to the next base." said Rapunzel, already moving at a sprint. "Also, I resent that coming from a battle-maniac that turns into a wolf. Also, the Grin. Especially the Grin."

  Red raised her hands, easily keeping up with Rapunzel. "Alright, Blondie, keep your hair on."

  Rapunzel did not dignify that quip with a response.

  The next base, an unassuming house at the dead end of a crooked street also held no hint of either Alice or Rapunzel's missing hair. Doubt began to rise in her as they left the base behind and headed to the last base. If the last base was also a bust, either their entire plan was flawed, or Alice was in one of the other bases, which could be anywhere. Or maybe they had an entire new base, just for her, or maybe...

  "Not getting anything here either." said Red, smelling the air behind the series of abandoned houses that supposedly housed the final base.

  "Shit." summarized Rapunzel.

  "Wait." Red sniffed at the air, then got uncomfortably close and sniffed Rapunzel. "Pull out some hair."

  Rapunzel pulled out one of her ready-to-pull locks and felt the power itching for an outlet. Her hair had not only grown in length over the years. Already she felt it trying to overtake her senses.

  "There's - sniff - something..." Red took a deep breath, then followed her nose to one of the houses. "I was trying to smell you, but your hair has its own scent, hidden under yours. Something was here, in the last days. A lot of people, chemicals, iron, blood..." Red opened her eyes again. "I think this is the place."

  Rapunzel pulled out a sword. "We go in hard and fast, don't give them time to call for help."

  Red grinned a sharp-toothed grin. "Finally."