Last night, before going to sleep, I tried to call Miri. I just had to ask her something.
She actually picked up. It was quiet in the background, so probably she was at home. I think, I forgot to say hi, before blurting out: „What changed? We used to be friends when we were teens. Before you joined the Mafia. I thought we were tight.”
“Yes, Jace, we were. I really liked you! And I thought you liked me too. But then you started dating my friend Ivy and ended up cheating on her, remember? With her own brother, for God’s sake! You have such terrible commitment issues, even my Granny warned me not to get too attached to you. And she loved you dearly!”
“I‘m… sorry!”
“Don’t apologize to me, apologize to Ivy. And Scott.”
“I did! Apologize to Ivy, at least.”
“You sure? She still thinks you’re gay.”
“I‘m not.”
“I know.”
Silence.
“I’m kind of seeing someone. A guy.”
“Give him my condolences!”
Silence again.
“Hey, I will give you a call if I hear anything about your missing gang members.”
“Thanks Miri. Good night.”
“Night.”
I’m not that bad, am I? I mean, I keep everyone at arms length, and I don’t usually stick around anyone for long enough to find out why they don’t want me around anymore, and… Okay, maybe I am that bad! But the people who I commit to do have a tendency of dying…
Holy shit, let’s better focus on gang business. At least that crap is less dramatic than my stupid brain!
So, in the morning, meaning around 11-ish, we went back to Redmond, east of Tourist Ville. It usually isn’t too hard to find gangers in the Barrens, whether you are looking for them, or not.
And really, after just a couple of minutes, we come across a group of three Orks and a Troll, all wearing crimson red Jackets, and looking too grim to be a boyband.
For a moment we all just stand there, Discord and I staring at Romeo. “Go on. Mediate!” - “Oh, yeah. Right!”, he slowly walks forward, scratching his head, until he is standing next to the group. “Ahh, hey guys. I… Weee, do have a rat problem.” - “Seems we do too!”, one of the Orks replies, nodding his head at Romeo and I, as his friends start laughing. Even Discord grins wide, and Romeo actually joins in the laughter. I don’t. I have been called rat-boy and then beaten up often enough back in school. Of course these dudes won’t get a chance to touch me before I blow their fucking brains out, but… Okay. Let’s calm down. Breath. They are not attacking. In fact, they are all staring at Romeos commlink, looking surprised to mildly insecure, mumbling things like “Holy shit…”, as he is showing them our little rat video. I think Hunt0rKill0r69 has edited it into a short, comprehensible movie. Still looking realistic enough so no one suspects editing the creatures in.
The crimson gang members are actually convinced to take us to their boss.
The HQ of the Crimson Crush is an underground club, also called the Crimson Crush.
It is around noon, so the club is empty. Except for a large Ork with a cyber arm, smoking a big cigar and gently pointing his head towards the equally oversized shotgun lying on the desk next to him, letting us know, to better not cause any trouble. Romeo immediately hands over his weapon to one of the gangers who lead us in. I’d rather fight my way out than hand over my SMG to them, but they also don’t ask for it. They seem rather confused about Romeo, and a little bemused. But in a good way. They actually seem to like him. Friendly and unconcerned our Face starts to talk to the gang leader. He also shows him the video of the rats. Then smoothly he leads the conversation over to the missing members of the Iron Hounds, naming the rats as possible culprits, but leaving room for other ideas.
“We too have lost people.”, the Ork rumbles with his deep, vibrating voice. Romeo latches on to that: “Is that so? Tell us about it!”. “I just did.”, the gang boss replies and now I’m the one to almost start laughing.
In the end, Romeo still manages to get more information out of the dude. Three members of the Crimson Crush have gone missing so far. One guy, an Ork Poser, just stopped showing up one day. Two other members, both Orks, vanished together while patrolling in the south. That is pretty far from the black-site. And no horned rats have ever been seen around here. Given the victims, I am more and more inclined to think that Humanis have something to do with it. The others agree.
Finally, the Crimson boss says he is willing to meet with Cheeks and talk to him about their mutual problem. And if it really is the Humanis Policlub we are dealing with, we might as well involve the Skraacha. Against those dreks they will even be okay working together with the likes of Romeo and I. Crimson sends two of his guys with us to go talk to the Skraacha leader. They are supposed to guarantee that we will be listened to, rather than shot in the head for trespassing. Given that we have to go to the Ork Underground, I really hope that they will be enough!
The Ork Underground is, well, underground. And I expect we are not talking about visiting one of the tourist friendly areas close to one of the well known entrances.
Since the mid 2050th some Dwarfs and a few other Meta Humans have started to move to the Underground. This has also lead to the wider population of Seattle becoming more interested and eager to see the city below. Not making use of this business opportunity would have been stupid. Also, keeping the curious visitors contained to a few designated areas, where tours and other tourist attractions are being offered, mostly keeps them out of the Orks business.
Even I have been down there once, briefly, when I went drinking after a Run with a Dwarven Mage. Not that I remember much about it. But I have learned my lesson: don’t ever go drinking with Dwarfs! No matter how frail looking they may be…
I have no idea how to access the real Ork Underground, how far it spreads, or how many people are living down there. Maybe Discord knows, but he is not that eager to share any unnecessary information with us. The only thing he is willing to give up is an entrance he knows, close to the turf of the Iron Hounds. After all we have to get in somehow.
On the way there Romeo suddenly gets all bossy with 69, telling him where to go. He insists that he knows exactly where we can find Petey right now. And for real, two blocks on, there he is! “How the fuck…?”, Discord utters astonished. “I don’t know, man.”, Romeo mumbles back. “I just hear things.” From whom, I wonder. His weasel?!
Anyways, Petey also turned out to be just another dead end, I guess. He’s just like I remember: incomprehensible, mumbly, and unhelpful. Only now I feel kind of bad for him, no longer scared. What he told us sums up to: All around the Barrens people are disappearing. They disappear here and there. They are usually alone. Some are Orks, others aren’t. And they are no longer alone when they vanish. As I said, rather unhelpful. Though I can’t shake the feeling that Petey actually knows more about it. We just don’t know how to get that knowledge out of him…
So we move on and continue our way to the Ork Underground. Discords entrance is guarded by two Skraacha. This time Romeo immediately walks up to them, all confidence, Missile on his arm like a Bond villain carrying his cat, just to get bitten by the Marten right in front of the Orks. Once again he causes a roar of Ork laughter. If this Runner thing doesn’t work out for him, maybe he should become a comedian.
And yet, they listen to him. And they agree to let us talk to their boss.
One of the two guards, a sturdy boy, probably not older than 15, leads us down a steep tunnel. It’s rather dark in the beginning, but the further we go the brighter it becomes. After a little while it becomes apparent, that this is not just a single tunnel, but a wider network. We take a turn to the left, then to the right again… I’m not sure, I can remember how to get back up if they don’t guide as back to the exit afterwards. On the way we also meet some more Orks. They glance at us, mostly disinterested or confused, rarely hostile. Our presents doesn’t seem to be too big of a deal.
I am curious to see what it is like down there, away from the polished visitor areas. I have heard someone say, it is like an ancient city, build from bricks and stone, looking like out of a fantasy realm. Somewhere else I’ve been told it’s just a cold and wet dungeon that makes the Barrens look like a paradise. And as we finally get there, it actually looks like a dentists waiting room. Only missing the box of crayons and half-broken toys to keep the kids occupied until it’s their turn.
We get told to sit down and wait.
After a little while the head of the Skraacha appears. He’s quite a homely looking guy, not at all what I expected. And he is quite friendly and talkative, immediately telling us that he too has lost some of his guys. He agrees to a meeting with the leaders of the Crimson Crush and the Iron Hounds, and it is set for the evening of Thursday, the 22nd. So the day after tomorrow. No wait, tomorrow, it is already past midnight as I am writing this.
I wonder if Nathaniel is still up. I kind of want to call him. Does he also think it’s better for him not to get too attached to me? Actually, I would kind of deserve it, I know I have been less than reliable in the past. But hey, I am doing my best every day, to be less of a piece of shit than the day before. I haven’t even shot anyone today for calling me a rat. Let’s call this progress.
Okay? I just got a message from Nathaniel asking me to come over. There’s something he’s gotta tell me. What the heck could that be about?