The shadowy figured continued to pass quickly down the sidewalk, the collar of his lengthy grey coat and Stetson pulled low partially served to obscure the clearly not human features that dominated his appearance upon passing. Of course if anyone took a second look or spent more than a brief moment examining the figure’s appearance it’d be more than obvious that there was a Gnoll walking down the street. Fix had learnt to keep his eyes low and avoid flashing strangers with what he had always considered a charming and friendly smile – to the eyes of most humans (and indeed most other races) it often came off as a sinister and even threatening action that never failed to rouse panic about what someone like him could be doing where he wasn’t welcome. 

As if to cement his views a young woman passing beside him let out a soft shriek of surprise and what seemed to be a generous helping of disgust as she tripled her pace and moved to cross the street to avoid him. A short way ahead a pair of beat-cops fixed their eyes on him and with a few words to each other moved to intercept him, their hands already resting on their sidearms as they did. Fix swore under his breath and removed his hands from his pockets whilst attempting to look as none threatening as possible at the same time, a gesture that did little to change the demeanours of the approaching officers. 

“Evening officers” he chirped again trying to remove any trace of hostility or aggression from his tone. 

“What you doing here Gnoll?” coldly asked the first and older of the pair, his face dominated by a large brown moustache “Your kind should stick to that shithole and stop scaring the polite and respectable folks around here where you’re not wanted.” The man’s face was hard and marked with pocks and deep lines that showed his age. 

“Now officer…” began Fix having to fight back an urge of anger that rippled through him. “I’m here to see some friends of mine, civilized folks like yourself”. 

He could tell they didn’t believe him. 

“I suppose” he said with a faked grimace “that you don’t want my cash here either then?” 

Both officers’ faces lit up in an instant. This was how things really worked no matter where abouts in the city you were. Only difference was you could bribe a Narrows beatcop with about ten bucks if you were lucky, these schmucks would undoubtedly cost a little more. 

“We din say that” squeaked in the younger lanky cop, suddenly his sidearm forgotten as he started to eye Fix up and down as he tried to estimate if the Gnoll would be good on his word or not. The older man seemed to glare at him even more, if somehow upset that the Gnoll would have enough cash to bribe him. 

"In fact I'm just on my way to see Eddie Martovanni" Fix added, meeting the glare with an unwavering defiance - if only for a few moments. What he had said had the desired effect, the officers looking at each other and panic being discernible on their faces. "Oh don't worry if you're already on the take from them boys, I won't consider this anything worth mentioning" Fix said with a chuckle "Plus I'd feel much better knowing I'd contributed to the salary of a pair of [i]upstanding[/i] policemen like yourselves".

With that Fix pulled out his tatty leather wallet and pulled out a pair of crisp one hundred dollar bills and held them up as he again met the gaze of the older officer, again silently daring him to reject his offer or demand more from him. After all they'd only stopped him to talk and he actually had very little contraband on his person... well, aside from his personal gear - so actually quite a bit the more he considered it. The older officer snatched the bills away and with another sour look practically spat "Get the fuck on with it then, [i]Gnoll[/i]".

Fix tipped his hat briefly and without further a word continued along his way, aware that the pair's eyes drilled into his back the whole time, resisting the wave of comebacks that had been swimming through his head and other offensive comments he'd longed to share with them. Though he was far from a feral animal the desire to clamp the old prick's neck in his jaws and squeeze had been rather strong and again he made note of how easy it would have been to descend and act like... well like a [i]fucking Gnoll[/i] he supposed. 

[center]---[/center]

Twenty minutes later Fix was sat inside a little place, a cafe named 'Caffé Stregathat' which sat nestled nicely deep in the Italians territory along the edge of Dawn Peak Heights and Palassa's Song districts, sipping what he considered to be a god-awful cup of coffee that was ridiculously small, though it seemed to carry quite a kick to it. It was obvious that everyone was giving him a wide berth as he sat and waited for whichever of the Italians would actually be coming to meet him, but as always it seemed they were content to fuck him around and make him wait. A good twenty minutes after he'd finished his drink a rather ape-faced man came across emerging from a rear doorway and gestured for the Gnoll to accompany him without speaking. Stubbing out his just lit cigarette Fix did so with again a glance around at the few patrons that were watching him. He shot a wink at a particularly beautiful blonde woman who returned a look of utter disgust and loathing at him, which again just caused the Gnoll to smirk as he disappeared into the backroom with the muscled ape. The doorway soon lead to a rather narrow and steep staircase which they ascended in silence before it emerged into a fairly large room with its own bar and rather lavish decor and furniture, probably a remnant of the prohibition era Fix mused as he casually glanced around. 

Sat across from him surrounded by four goons was Eddie Martovanni, the young Italian sat with an expression as cold as ice as he sipped from a tall glass of something with his other hand laid on the table beside a colt semi-auto. Fix halted in his tracks and looked back at his 'escort' who was now positioned between him and what looked to be the only exit and seemed to be glaring at him as if daring him to try anything and give him an excuse. Not only had Fix not actually expected to be seen by one of the family members, but he too hadn't really thought he'd be finding himself in such a potentially hostile situation so soon, and not without any provocation on his side to boot. 

"Eddie, buddy, baby! Long-time no see" chirped Fix with false enthusiasm as he made to move forwards and take a seat at the table with him. As he did two of the thugs made a move as if to stop him, but with a simple had gesture from the seated man they stopped and so the Gnoll continued. 

"Oh that is impressive" teased Fix as he eyed them up discounting that there would realistically be anyway he could come off the victor from any kind of violent confrontation "You know I got my guys able to lick their stones on command, but I guess this lot would lack the flexibility though - huh". Silence and deeper glares were the only responses he received for a few moments, damned Italians never laughed at anything. 

"Fimion" began Eddie softly, though his tone and volume grew as he continued to speak "you know I don't fuckin like you, or that bunch of animals you call guys coming anywhere near me or the families, especially with no invitation. What the fuck you want?" 

"Right to business as always" shot back the Gnoll ignoring his displeasure at the use of his real name as he pulled the nearest chair out and sat at it before reaching into his jacket and pulled out a small but bulky package of something. Sitting it on the pristine table he pulled open one corner of it to reveal the thick stack of currency that lay within. "You know what I want Eddie, baby, what I've always wanted from you. Plus it’s harder to turn up with an invitation when you don't ever get invited. Well like you said last time, 'fuck off until you can pay us up front'. Well I can pay now and after what I hear has been going on between you and the necro fucks your boys on the street might have some targets on their backs, and holes in their dead asses. Us however always been dealing in the shadows, will keep dealing in the shadows, and we're pretty damn good at it too. The Narrows gets it, how else we managing to undercut the Rats and still do our business without clashing with em hmm? Got guys expanding into Old Gate, Deadlight Hills and Wyvern Rock – hell we’d be fully there already if we actually had someone professional supplying us regular like. Even without you we're coming along nice, and I'd like that to continue, cut you in on a bigger piece of the pie ya'know?" 

The Italian remained silent throughout the conversation, listening with a flat expression the whole time. "All you gotta do" continued the Gnoll as he pulled out his own flask and took a drink "is send us your dust, send us your blood, send us your crack, your pills your sniff, your what-fucking-ever and we will sell it. I'll probably do a little of it too, but I'll pay for that as well." Fix laughed at his own joke, not that it was particularly a joke but he laughed anyway. "All we gotta do is be friends Eddie, I won't cheat on you, I'll treat you nice. You ever heard of ol' Fix going back on his word even once in this town?"

After a few moments silence the gangster gestured to one of the men beside him who picked up the wad of cash and leafed through it before grunting "Ten g boss" and handed it to him. Eddie Martovanni looked at the money in his hands, at the Gnoll before him and then worryingly at the gun beside his hand and then sighed sounding a little disappointed. He stood suddenly and barked "Fine, we'll be in touch to arrange something. We'll work the details out then." He gestured to the man behind Fix, which the Gnoll assumed meant he should go. Unfortunately he was wrong. Moments later the big beefy ape-fist made contact with the side of his face and the world around him flashed brightly for a few moments before it then all went black as he hit the ground and heard very distantly the voice of Eddie Martovanni "Kick the shit outta him just a little, that grifter best learn respect or to keep his trap shut next time he talks to me" before he felt several large boots making contact with his body and everything rapidly faded to darkness as pain started to shoot through him. 

[center]---[/center]

Silence, overwhelming and deafening it was broken only by the very distant and occasional dripping of water that echoed down the countless passages and tunnels. Fix continued padding down the dark shadowy corridor lit only by the flickering of the oil lantern he carried in one hand, casting dancing shadows that fled as he approached. Above him who knows how much earth stood between his location and Santa Somabra, the tunnels he had been moving down for a few minutes lead from the basement of his warehouse and down into the ground. He'd always figured the tunnels were used during prohibition, seeing how they eventually connected to the sewers as well as other similarly built passages that lead to so many locations throughout the city he doubted anyone knew where every single one of them lead. He'd once made the mistake of wandering into them and had spent days lost and avoiding the more sinister denizens that lived there before finally coming out in the basement of an apartment in The Silver Expanse. 

He emerged into a large room, the air filled with the deep musky scent that lingered ever since it had been used to brew some kind of potent hooch (as evidenced by the remaining makeshift stills that lined one side of the room). Sat in the room were a number of items, a collection of everything Fix had ever wanted to keep hidden or secret, including most importantly two large safes filled with cash and another half filled with narcotics. 

Fix paused and winced as he reached up and pressed against the sore and tender area around his left eye which was somewhat swollen and bloodshot, a dark shiner being visible even with the coat of fur that covered him. He limped and suspected that he may even have a cracked rib or two. But whatever, it wasn't important right now. Let those guinea pricks have their fun whilst they could. His only regret was that one of them had taken his flask, which was by far one of his favourite things in the whole world despite its relatively mundane and easy to replace nature. Still mumbling curses and threats under his breath the Gnoll continued into the room and over the space of the next few minutes he had removed another five grand from his savings (which were rapidly becoming far to light for his liking) and now sat on the floor in front of the safe filled with narcotics as he struggled internally with what to do. It took only a few moments before he gave in and grabbed several small packages and vials before he shoved each of them into his jacket, pausing on the last vial of demon's blood and grabbing that too. The safe was now emptier than it had been in quite some time, though he was happy that if he put up with the Italians for even a little while it would soon be fuller than it had ever been. He took a few more moments to slip the little crimson vial into the small leather case alongside the vials of runez he had also recovered with a disassembled syringe beside it, fastening the case and then slipping it into his jacket with the rest of his goodies patting it for good measure. 

He stood and closed both safes quickly before he made his way over to an old mouldy table and within five minutes he had opened one of the two packages of fairy dust he had grabbed and set up three neat little lines using his pinkie claw with practised precision. Moments later he had rolled up a bank note and went about reducing the lines to nothing as he indulged himself generously, suddenly feeling the anger he felt towards every single Italian in Santa Somabra fade away and replace itself with a sensation that made him feel like he was king of the world and it was his birthday.

[center]---[/center]

Fix was sprawled in his chair, feet up on the desk once more as his mind swam with pleasure and he truly felt relaxed. He for what must have been the hundredth time picked up the small shard of mirror and looked at his face, obsessing over the bruise that dominated his eye and making sure there was nothing else at all that would mark him. 'It will heal' he told himself again, gazing for a few more minutes before he burst out "Fucking Italians are lucky they didn't do any permanent damage" glancing at Dom who was likewise intoxicated and sat on the edge of the table that had before been covered with drugs. 

The Gnoll laughed and continued to smoke the huge joint that he was nursing before he giggled "You're still prettier than the whole crew combined, chill-out boss". 

Fix glanced over at him again as he looked up from his own reflection, suppressing the urge to hurl something at him before he flatly retorted "Well that isn't hard Dominic. Don't forget that taking our money and kicking seven shades of shit outta me isn't the most promising start to our deeper relationship with them. We'll just see if that first delivery comes through like that stale egg Martovanni promised before I decide if it was worth it or not. You ugly bastards just all best keep your heads on until then and prey we see our monies worth".

At that moment there was a flickering as the lights that lit the warehouse failed and plunged them into darkness, each of them as good as blind in the pitch black whilst their eyes started to adjust slowly. "What the hell?" spat Fix as the sounds of movement also reached his ears before a split second later the lights returned and once more bathed the room in artificial light. Stood now at the opposite side of the room was a heavily cloaked figure wearing one of the most bizarre masks Fix had seen, one of those old-world plague doctor masks with the long noses with white dreads spilling from behind it. 

"Who the fuck?" shouted Dom loudly as Fix suddenly jumped to his feet and pulled out the s&w model 27 he'd been nursing earlier, wishing he'd had the opportunity to put a round through Eddie's face in return for his new if not temporary look. The haze that moments ago had dominated the Gnoll's mind dissipated in an instant as he took a few brief moments to clear his head and focus on the situation at hand - again one of his true talents as far as he was concerned as adrenaline flooded his system somewhat and his heart pounded in his chest. 

He pointed the revolver squarely at the chest of the newcomer before he barked "You best have a damn good reason for being here" whilst simultaneously wondering how they fuck they'd managed to get in and mess with the lights. 

"You're the one who's been looking for us, furball. What business do you have with the Anansi?" responded the stranger who showed no fear at staring down the end of a loaded gun. 

Somewhat begrudgingly, with a quick glance back at Dom to make sure that he was ready for whatever might happen, Fix lowered the revolver but kept it clutched in his hand as he thought for a few moments. "Anansi eh?" wondered Fix, marvelling at just how quickly they'd been found and the rather ballsy entrance, before against his better judgment he once more stowed the revolver on his person and into the concealed holster against his chest - after all he knew it was more than impolite to invite someone over and then point a gun at them, no matter how unorthodox their entrance may have been. 

Dom stood like a rather useless decoration as he stared at the figure clearly at a loss of what to do or what to say in the situation. Fix laughed and gestured at him before admitting "Well, Dom there is speechless which is a first. If he stays like that you can come around here as much as you want - but just maybe use the door next time". 

"This isn't a social call Fix. I'm here for business." Del stepped forwards from the shadows and strode to the centre of the room, her hand resting on the hilt of her long steel.

Fix had sat himself back at his desk and gestured for the stranger to take up position wherever she wanted amongst the tabletops, clutter and general lack of space that was the warehouse. "Oh don't mind the mess" fix commented "the maids on vacation right now". His eyes flicked to Dom who normally would have sniggered, but the Gnoll's bloodshot eyes were still fixed on the hooded figure and so he simply rolled his eyes (with a wince as he strained the bruised one) and instead busied himself for a few moments pulling out a pair of only slightly grimy china mugs from the lower draw of the desk. 

"Tea? Coffee?" he offered as he then pulled out a bottle of scotch and removed the cork and without waiting for an answered poured two generous helpings and thrust one of the mugs towards her. 

"Save the hospitality. I still haven't decided if we're in business. And there's still the matter of you attempting to sell to our kids. That will stop, regardless of whatever agreement we come to this evening. Am I clear?"

Fix considered the words for a few moments before he simply shrugged and nodded, if that was a cost of business then it'd be easy enough to accommodate, not like the younger homeless kids ever really had the money or the desire to indulge. Listening to the figure he realised that whoever was hidden under that mask and cloak was female, not that it mattered to him but it was interesting non-the-less as he sat the second mug next to his own. 

"Sure" agreed Fix honestly "Keep the urchins clean upstanding citizens, I got it.” He didn’t understand why, nor did he particularly want to. Seemed to him that such an exclusion was more of a punishment than anything else, but who was he to question the motives behind what the Anansi wanted or did. 
“I gotta ask though, how’d you find me so quick? There ain’t a leak I gotta plug up is there? Big neon sign above the building I gotta turn off?” 

Her response was simple if not displeasing to him "You aren't nearly as well liked among your kind as you'd like to think. It's surprising how much a few of your fellow Gnolls resent your ambition. Certainly enough to point me in the right direction. And I've never much liked doors. Far too predictable."

"Quite right" he admitted pushing the thoughts of his fellow Gnolls betraying him out of his mind for the moment "I wanted information of course, but I have to admit not so much specific information. Well, if you, er, the Anansi could tell me who took the Tongs Demon's Blood and how to get it back myself, that'd be great. But failing that I'd easily take any information on the hanged men or the Italians. I'm looking to step it up. Bigtime step it up, and I want drugs, all the drugs. The Anansi helps make that happen and he can name his... or her... price."

With that Fix whipped out the package that contained $5000 and waved it around casually before he added "That or get me in contact with a reliable and less aggressive source than the Italians and Eddie fuckin Martovanni and I'll do the same. Oh anything you can tell me about him too then sure, I'd love nothing more right now than to mess with his life as much as possible". Fix finally stopped speaking and took a long drink from his mug, emptying it on one gulp before snatching up and nursing the second mug. 

Del took the package Fix was waving in the air and slipped into one of the many pockets of her cloak. "The Militia made off with the blood. $5000 will get you that. Though I hear those Militia bastards had a nasty run in with the Hunters. That last bit you can have for free," Del smiled under her mask as she looped another strand in the complex web of lies she knew Luff was weaving.

"If you’re looking to make a bigger name for yourself, we can help with that, too. You know the Hanged Men strung up that Italian, right? From what I hear, your relationship with the Italians had a rocky start at best. I can give you a name, a good name, of a Hanged Men snuff supplier to take to the Italians. That should help smooth out any complications in your relationship, right? All you have to do is convince me to sell it to you instead of to the Italians directly. I'll be back at the same time tomorrow night. You do not negotiate with the Anansi. If I like your offer tomorrow, the name is yours. If not, you'll never hear from us again."

Fix thought about it, the Worker’s Milita, the Hunters, it matched up with what he’d heard too. Not that he like’d paying to find out things he already heard but it at least reinforced what was going down out there. “I already heard that” responded Fix in regards to the shipment of blood “But keep the dough, call it a goodwill payment. I’d like that name and if it gets me closer to that then sure. I’ve sunk a fair amount of investment into my relationship with those Italian stooges and don’t feel good about the returns on it right now.”

"We can get you what you need Fix, as long as we like your price. Facilitating ambition is what we do best." She replied.

“Well I guess that the Anansi likes information, so yeah, come back tomorrow and hopefully I’ll have something else for you.” stated the Gnoll with a tone of finality “oh, and… I’m sure it doesn’t need sayin but you or your boss decide that you can sell our location to anyone, I assure you that ‘your kids’ getting strung out on my product will be the least of their worries. But I’m sure it won’t come to that, right?”

"A clever threat indeed but here is my promise. The Anansi is careful in selecting business partners for a reason. There is a steadfast loyalty you will come to enjoy should we choose to do business with us. However, should you ever give us cause to sell information on you, we won't. We'll just kill you."

“Oh” added Fix “I suppose then we [i]both[/i] hope it won’t come to that and this turns into a beautiful relationship.” He added what he felt was an appropriate wink before he asked “What do I even call you then?”

"Call me Anansi, for I am his hand and prophet in this city. From my mouth, he speaks." She stated somewhat dramatically, ending their conversation. 

"Let me show you to the front door, Anansi" Fix quickly blurted before the mysterious woman could once more mess with their lighting or some other equally showmanship filled method of departure, as he gestured towards the heavy bolted front door that the group themselves neglected to use in favour of the tunnels below. Once he was again alone with Dom he moved back to his desk, the cogs of his mind turning rapidly as he considered all that had just occurred.