{{ urbania's void - chapter 07
...triple to solo (day thirteen / +13)
"So, how do I look?" Straight cerulean hair was tossed behind shoulders as a wide violet eyed woman spoke quietly to her male companion.
With a snicker, the viridian-eyed male turned his head to look at her. "Gorgeous, as always, dear."
Giggles escaped both of them as they rounded the corner of the intersection, crossing openings to alleyways towards one of the main strips of activity on the Urbania. Their eyes scanned the fronts of the buildings as they locked arms and slid through the crowds of people, trying to find a place to spend some free time.
They were coming up on a group of buildings, clubs and restaurants. On their left, the Epsil and on their right, the Vina Lidrina. A few more were scattered ahead of them and behind them, but they stopped to try to figure out which one to grace their presence with.
"Where do you think they are right now?" The girl whispered, her voice carrying softly over the bustling walkways around them. The male ran his hands through a mane of strawberry blonde hair and sighed, tilting his face upwards to stare at the floating streets of cars.
"I'm not entirely sure. But we have to run into them sooner or later, right?"
They made the mistake of standing in front of an alleyway, the light not reaching the back of it. The maw loomed behind them as they discussed a few different ideas. The male's voice was cut short as gloved hands reached out and enveloped his body.
"Khee!" The female screamed after him as he got pulled back into the shadows. Her head whizzed around behind her, she wasn't used to physical activity and as much as she adored Khee... she wasn't going to go after him herself. "Help! Someone!"
Exiting the Vina Lidrina were two men. One heard the female and caught her eye. He had never turned down a damsel in distress before, why should he start now? Running over to her, he grasped her upper arms.
"What's wrong, sweetheart?"
"Khee! It's Khee," she pointed into the shadows, "They took him! The gang took him." She was breathless.
The other male jogged up. Little did the two males know that the gang dragging Khee away was hired to do so. They were called the Quadripdici, a street gang that did odd jobs for money. Rumor had it that they worked straight under Ryled Mirdele and his family. The males who came up on the distraught female thought it was just normal gang activity. They probably would've passed it off... but Tessick Ladreen sensed something familiar in this woman. His brown eyes locked onto Kaidin's as he tossed him a comlink.
"I'll go get him. You stay with her."
"You'll be okay?" Kaidin pocketed the comlink and took his hands away from the female's arms.
"I'll be fine, Kai." With those words, Tessick spun on his heel and jogged off into the dim alleyway, letting his eyes adjust.
Cupping his hands around his mouth, Kaidin yelled after his companion, "Careful!" After being answered with silence, Kaidin turned to the female who stood beside him with her arms crossed over her chest. Tears were beginning to show themselves in her wide violet eyes as she gazed down the seemingly endless alley.
"What's your name, sister?"
Her eyes snapped up to his, surprised, like she didn't even know he was there. She spoke softly, her voice quiet with an undertone of vitiation that sent a shiver up Kaidin's spine. "Rez Nyena."
"How old are you?"
"Twenty."
Kaidin stepped away from her and stuck his hand out at arm's length, "Kaidin Serasai."
Rez slowly took his hand and watched as he leaned down and brushed his lips across it with a chaste kiss. A giggle slipped from her as Kaidin stood up straight and looked back into the alley. "So who is Khee?"
"He's my Master. Well, my friend also..."
Master? Ooooo... I like you already, Rez.
"Master?" Kaidin inquired, out loud.
"Yes. I used to work in one of the seedy clubs on the lower levels. Khee saw me there and didn't think I should have to live and work in one of those sleazy places so he won me in a game of sabacc. He said there was something special about me... and that I shouldn't be wasting away in that hell down there."
Kaidin nodded. "There is something special about you. He was right."
Another giggle. Rez's face became grim after that. "I hope he's okay."
"Tessick will find him and take care of him, no problem." As if his sentence was a cue, the comlink in his pocket went off and he fumbled around to pull it out, putting it up to his face.
"Kai?"
"I'm here, 'Sick."
Tessick's voice was a scratchy whisper. "I've already picked off two of them who were scouting ahead with my trusty blaster. There's three more with this Khee fellow. I want to get to them before they reach wherever they're taking him, but I don't think I will. Take the girl back to the place, this might stretch into an all-nighter and I don't want you guys hanging out on the street the whole time."
"You sure you're gonna be able to handle it by yourself?"
"What's my name?"
"Oh don't start this shav---"
"Ah ah! What's my name?"
"Tessick Ladreen."
"There's your answer. I can handle everything by myself."
"Except that old holodra--"
"Shut up. It always makes me cry, I know."
"Ha! Good luck, 'Sick."
"Thanks."
The comm clicked off and Kaidin dropped it back into his pocket, glancing up to Rez, who was smiling at the exchange between the men.
"Sorry about him."
A laugh sounded as she grabbed his hand and squeezed, "I trust him. He'll find Khee. Now come on, let's follow his orders and go back to the place." Letting go of his hand, she started off away from the Vina Lidrina, Kaidin quickly jogging after her.
Orders... I can give you some nice orders if you really want to---
"Yeah. Let's go." Kaidin was shocked at how easygoing Rez was. Her good friend was just taken by some nasty street gang and she was extremely happy mere moments later.
The black jacket she was clothed in reached the ground in one direction and clasped all the way up her neck in the other. The collar tied in the front and the whole jacket seemed to tighten around her. Kaidin admired the clothing because of the way it hugged her curves and many times he found himself staring down at her body as she walked in front of him, instead of actually listening to her talk.
She's rambling anyways.
He took the lead seconds later and then a few minutes after that, they arrived at the Klecttrinn and stepped inside, Kaidin showing Rez up to the apartment.
"Sorry it's kind of messy. Tessick and I weren't expecting any guests," Kaidin put in the code to unlock the door and then pressed the button, the entrance opening up.
He motioned for her to enter first and then followed her in, shutting the door behind them. "Go ahead and make yourself at home." Kaidin stepped over to the kitchen area and began to fiddle around with glasses. "Do you want something to dri..."
His words escaped his throat as Rez's jacket slid off of her shoulders. The white of her outfit contrasted sharply with the midnight shade of the jacket and Kaidin stared in awe at her as she threw it over the back of the couch in the living area.
Her outfit consisted of a white one-piece, the bottom fluffing out a little and ending at her knees and the top stopping under her arms. Her shoulders were bare and Kaidin's eyes followed the pale skin down to her elbows, where a pair of shiny, fingerless black gloves covered her hands and lower arms. A piece of black cloth broke the sea of blue in her hair and was tied at her neck while a thin piece, the same shade was tied around her neck, the ends dangling out in front of her. Topping off her outfit was a thick band of black around her waist, cutting the white cloth in two. A pair of black boots were thrown on the floor as Rez spilled onto the couch, releasing a loud sigh.
"Drink? Drink? Something to drink?" Kaidin repeated and stuttered and vise versa as he held up glasses in his hands, trying to get the question across.
"Oh, no thank you." Rez stared at the ceiling. "I couldn't drink now. Not while Khee is missing."
Kaidin finished pouring himself a glass of ale and walked over to the living area, seating himself in the chair by the balcony doors. He glared across at her languid form, cursing her for looking so seductive without even meaning to. Coughing, Kaidin crossed his left ankle over his right leg and rubbed his eyes with his left hand, taking a sip of his ale with his right.
"I have a feeling you're going to be crashing here tonight. You're welcome to sleep in my bed if you want." Kaidin tilted his head back against the top of the chair and took another swig of the alcohol.
"Only if you're going to be in it too."
Spitting out ale all over the carpet, Kaidin drew in deep breaths as drops of the rich liquid fell to the ground, dribbling out of his mouth. He heaved in between coughs and listened to Rez giggle wildly, placing both hands over her mouth.
"I'm so sorry, Kaidin. I couldn't pass that one up. You set yourself up for it."
He wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve and sniffled, shifting his foot over the stain on the carpet. "Let's hide that one from Tessick." After studying the stain under his foot for a few moments, his gaze moved from it to the odd woman on his couch. She was curled up with her back facing him and her knees up to her chest and Kaidin, in the silence of the room, could hear her breathing deeply. She had fallen asleep.
With a heavy sigh, Kaidin set his glass down on the low table in front of him and stepped around it to the couch. Scooping Rez up in his arms he found his way through the dim apartment to his bedroom, where he gently set her down on top of the sheets. He wanted to be a gentleman and pull the sheets over her but he kept struggling, as the sheets kept getting caught under her body or on her arm or leg and such. Finally he just gave up and crashed perpendicular to her, using her stomach as a pillow.
And in his hand the comlink scratched silently, a frantic voice finding it's way over the waves.
"Kai?! Kaidin! This is Tessick! Come in! Where are you?!"
But Kaidin Serasai was already fast asleep.
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