Just as he suspected, it took Duncan less than an hour of walking the streets of Rio before one of Vincent’s spies spotted him. Well technically, Duncan spotted him first, several feet ahead. Him and two other guys, both easily a head taller than the skinny red-headed punk, had this older shop keeper pinned against the wall gathering their “protection” money from him. Standing back, he watched the older man fork over the requested amount of money. Foolishly assuming the men would let the shop keeper go now that they had collected their dues, Duncan became infuriated when the three of them began whaling on the old man, while person after person walked by as if what was happening was the most ordinary thing in the world.
Fed up, Duncan was on top of them in three long strides. Grabbing ahold of the first guy, he slammed him against the brick wall, hitting his head hard enough to knock him unconscious. Seeing his buddy fall to the ground in a lifeless lump, the other thick necked goon let go of the old man and lunged for him. He too was quickly dispatched of with a well-aimed punch to the gut, followed by another to his right check. All alone with no goons to protect him, Shrimpy backed away glaring at Duncan.
“You’ve made a big mistake old-man.” He snarled, as a creepy smile spread across his face. “Do you have any idea who I am?”
“I don’t really give a fuck who you are Shrimpy.” Duncan responded accentuating the nick name. “Now scurry back down into whatever crevice you crawled out of and get the hell out of my face.”
Turning several shades of red, Duncan feared for a minute the kid’s head was going to explode. “You’ll be sorry you said that when I get back. You just wait and see.”
“I’ll be counting the minutes.”
Chuckling as the kid scurried away like the rat he was, Duncan then turned his attention to the old man. Reaching out to help him up off the ground, Duncan’s heart sank when the elderly man cowered away from him.
“I-I d-don’t have any more money, they took it all.” he stammered, covering his head with his hands.
“I don’t want your money sir. Now come on, let’s get you inside.” With his arm still extended, he waited patiently as the old man slowly uncovered his face and stared up at him through his badly swollen eye. “I’m serious, I mean you no harm.”
Looking quite confused, the old man reluctantly took his hand and allowed him to pull him back to his feet. Upon getting a better look at him, Duncan recognized the store owner as a man named Winston. Unfortunately, he knew Winston because his shop was one of the many he had been assigned to round on back in his days working for Vincent. Thankfully Winston didn’t seem to recognize him. Thinking it was probably best to get him off the street and inside the store, before he did realize who he was dealing with, Duncan led him carefully through the door. Once inside the small convenience store, he helped him get settled in a chair beside the counter and turned to leave.
“They told us they killed you, you know.”
Stunned, Duncan glanced behind him. “Excuse me?”
“I didn’t believe them though. I knew there was no way they could have done it. Half of them were as afraid of you as the common folk were and the other half didn’t possess the skill set to do it.” Tapping under his eyes, Winston answered his unspoken question, “You may have changed your looks some over the years, but there is one thing you can never change.”
“I suppose not.”
Having no desire to travel down memory lane with one of his former victims, Duncan turned toward the door. “Good day to you Winston.”
“Can I ask why you came back?”
“Don’t worry, it’s only temporary.” Hesitating, Duncan turned back to face the old man. Recalling Winston’s shop was a frequent stop for many of the Horde’s flunkies, he wondered if Winston had heard any information about the kidnapped girls. “Actually, maybe you can help me. I’m looking for a couple of girls.”
“Girls?”
“Yes, rumor has it Vincent has smuggled some foreign girls across the border and I want to know where they might be.”
A strange look came over Winston. “I don’t know anything about any girls.”
“You sure about that? You haven’t heard any of his men mention them while they were in here? Maybe talking about an auction of some kind?”
Winston sat quietly, staring daggers across the room at him. Realizing, he wasn’t going to get any information from the contrary old man, either because he didn’t want to share or he was too afraid to, Duncan gave up and headed toward the door. He only made it a few steps before Senka appeared only inches in front of him. “Senka?”
“Move!”
Pushing past him, she lunged forward and tackled a blade wielding Winston to the floor. “Let it go!” she shouted pinning the old man’s armed hand above his head. “Now!”
Winston, looking every bit as stunned as he was, released the blade, which Senka swiftly knocked out of his reach. “W-who are you?”
“His bodyguard.” She responded without missing a beat. “Now do you want to explain why you were about to stab my friend in the back after he just saved your scrawny hide?”
“Your friend?” Blinking rapidly, the old man narrowed his gaze as he stared into her glowing amber eyes. “But you’re not a Shifter.”
“Really?” Senka gasped, staring wide eyed at Duncan. “Oh my stars! We aren’t the same age or gender either!” she exclaimed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Duncan, it seems we have a smart one on our hands here.”
“That’s enough Senka.”
Rolling her eyes, Senka rose to her feet and watched as Duncan reached down and pulled the gangly old man to his feet. Holding him so close their noses nearly touched, he glowered at Winston. “Explain.”
“I just wanted to take one of you sick bastards out before I die.” Winston spat. “At least that might have helped ease some of the shame and guilt that burdens my soul over not being able to save my daughter.”
“Your daughter?” Duncan frowned, “What the hell are you talking about?”
“Don’t play ignorant with me, I know you are one of them.”
“One of who?” Senka asked, moving beside Duncan.
“One of those filthy bastards who come here to buy those poor girls.”
Taken aback, Duncan nearly dropped Winston. “I’m not here to buy girls, I’m here to help her rescue her sister.”
Frowning in disbelief, Winston turned to Senka for confirmation as Duncan eased him back down to the floor.
“He’s telling the truth. Now do you know where they are?”
Ignoring her completely, Winston continued to stare openly at Duncan. “You’re really going to do that? Get her sister back?”
“I am.”
Eyes stretched wide, the old man fell to his knees faster than either of them could react. “Please, can you get my daughter back as well? I don’t have money, or anything of value, but I’ll be forever indentured to you or your sister, whatever you want me to do I’ll do it if you will bring her back to me.”
Stunned by his sudden mood change, it took Duncan a moment to process what he was asking. “Wait… Are you telling me Vincent is selling Shifter girls as well as the foreigners?”
Winston nodded frantically. “Yes, that’s how this all began. He started taking girls from families who couldn’t afford to pay off their debts. At first he kept the girls, forcing them to work as servants and entertainers in his clubs. But then, when he had more girls than he knew what to do with, he began holding these auctions.”
“But I thought Shifter males were instinctively protective of Shifter females.” Senka interrupted.
“We all have the instinct; just in some it’s stronger than in others.” Duncan said lowly.
“And he doesn’t sell the Shifter girls to Shifter’s, he sells them to men from other countries who he smuggles across the border twice a month. Actually, now that I think of it, he doesn’t sell any of the girls to the men of their own race.”
“Of course he doesn’t.” Duncan growled. “That way he can assure his clients and the girls won’t run away.”
“Exactly.” Winston nodded. “Once they cross the border into the buyer’s homeland, not only are the girls in a land they have no idea how to navigate, but if they try to escape they risk being arrested for trespassing.”
“When was your daughter taken mister?” Senka asked, pulling his attention back to her.
“Last week. Chet and those thugs you just knocked out came to collect. I didn’t have enough money so they-they took away my daughter.” Breaking down into a sobbing mess, the old man struggled to continue. “R-rumor is her and the g-girls they just brought in are going to be put up for auction the end of the week.”
“That’s tomorrow night!” Looking as if she was about to panic, Senka turned to Duncan. “Duncan, we have to find Chloe. Once they leave with her, there will be no way to track her down.”
“We will.” He consoled her before addressing Winston again. “How is it Lady Kirsten and her men haven’t’ done anything about this?”
“The queen and her army have no idea what is happening. Vincent has all the local patrols in his pocket so they aren’t going to tell them, and the few people who did try to go behind their back to contact someone outside, were found disemboweled in the forest. Besides, Lady Kirsten is out of the country attending the trial of the White Queen in Lanoria, and has been for several weeks.”
They had received news of this trial back at the Northern Camp. Supposedly the Elemental King was slightly upset that the Vanterian Queen had shoved a knife in his chest while he slept. It seemed that finally, after hunting for her for over fifty years, Lord Mallok had finally found his elusive Queen and in seeking justice, convened the Council to hold her trial.
“What if she could be reached while she was in Lanoria?” Senka asked. “They wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop you there.”
Scratching his beard, Duncan considered her suggestion. “Yes, but currently we don’t have the time. Even if you flashed there, I hear the Lanorian castle is on complete lockdown. No one but certain staff are allowed in or out. And, if by chance you could find her to tell her, it would take Lady Kirsten days to get here… unless you’re up to flashing her and her brigade back with you.”
“Stars no.” Senka huffed. “They could travel here on foot faster than I could manage that. Longer still if the males are as big as your large ass.”
Behind him Winston choked on a laugh. “I like her.”
“Yeah, she’s a real charmer.” Duncan huffed. He was about to ask Winston if he knew anything else that could help when the sound of multiple heavy footsteps heading their direction caught his attention. “Shit, they’re coming.” Rapidly scanning the store around them and not finding an exit, he immediately panicked. “Winston, is there another way out of here?”
Winston hesitated a moment, likely pondering the rationality of revealing that particular piece of information. “Umm, yes. A back door behind the book shelf in my apartment.”
“Take Senka and the two of you get out of here.” He demanded, moving toward the front door to hold them off. “Oh, and Senka.”
“Yes.”
“From this point forward, stay out of sight. No matter what you see or hear, don’t reveal yourself to anyone, do you understand.”
Biting her lip, he was certain he was going to have to argue with her but to his utter disbelief, she nodded then disappeared into the apartment with Winston.
Once he was certain they were safe from harm’s way, Duncan stepped through the door and spotted Chet and four more goons heading his way. “There he is.” Chet shouted. Wearing a maniacal smile, he raised his hand and pointed in Duncan’s direction. “That’s the fool who stole Vincent’s money.”
Duncan arched a brow. “Did I now?”
Of the four muscled up thugs Chet brought with him, Duncan recognized one in particular right away. The dark-haired man, walked close to the head of the pack, dressed in jeans and a sleeveless shirt, he deliberately displayed an insane amount of the hash marks similar to Ignacio’s.
Knowing he had just found his way into Lobos, Duncan grinned and greeted his welcoming party. “Awww, Shrimpy. You shouldn’t have gone to so much trouble for me.”
Ignoring his jab, each of the four goons took up position to form a tight circle around him. “Bet you don’t feel so tough now, do you?” Chet taunted, safely tucked behind his wall of muscle.
“Maybe not, but I still look a hell of a lot tougher than you do hiding over there Shrimpy.” Grinning, Duncan watched Chet clench his fists at his side though he remained where he stood.
“I see we got us a funny guy boys,” huffed a bald headed goon as he repeatedly punched his fist into the open palm of the opposite hand. “Well let’s see how funny you are when we kick your old ass.”
“That the best you got?” Duncan crossed his arms over his chest. “Vincent must be desperate if he has resorted to hiring common street thugs to do his dirty work. You know, back in the day, having some intelligence actually used to be a job requirement.”
“Why you cocky son of a…” Pulling back his fist, Baldy prepared to take a swing at him, when, just as he had hoped, the dark-haired man intervened.
“Hold up Asa.”
“But boss…”
A sharp look from the dark haired brute was all it took to silence Asa’s protest. With his goon back under control, the leader moved into the circle and stopped less than a foot away from Duncan. Raising his gaze to meet the cold blue stare of the other man, Duncan arched his eye brow and grinned.
“You have got to be shittin’ me. Butcher? Is that really you underneath that beard?”
Hating the sound of his old nickname, Duncan struggled not to cringe as he greeted his old friend. “How’s it going Hatchet?”
“A hell of a lot better now.” Hatchet laughed, pulling Duncan into an embrace. “Damn man, Vincent has been looking everywhere for you. Where the fuck have you been? No, wait, don’t tell me. Let’s head back to Lobos and you can tell me all about it over a beer.”
Ignoring the stunned expressions of the other men, Hatchet draped one arm over his shoulder, and led him out of the circle.
“What the hell are you doing? I brought your sorry ass here to beat the fuck out of him, not ask him out on a date.” Chet yelled as they breezed past him.
Stopping mid-step, Hatchet ran his tongue across his teeth. “Pardon me a moment will ya?”
“Of course.”
In three long strides, Hatchet was back standing over Chet. “Now listen here you lying piece of shit. Do you have any idea who that man is?” Looking as if he was about to piss his pants any minute, Chet swallowed hard and shook his head. “That is Duncan Kane, aka The Butcher. You know, the assassin/hitman/bounty hunter Vincent has been trying to find for the last twenty years?”
“H-he’s Duncan Kane?”
“That’s right you little weasel.” Hatchet snapped, slapping him in the back of the head. “And I can’t wait to see your Uncle’s reaction when he finds out you accused his former right hand man of petty theft to cover your own ass.”
Eyes bulging from their socket, Chet stared up at Hatchet. “Y-you got no proof I took anything…”
“Don’t need proof, just finding out you failed to bring back all the money from your route for the third time in a month will be enough to get your Uncle to send you into the Cage.” With a cocky grin spread across his face, Hatchet turned and headed back to Duncan leaving a very pale Chet in his wake. Draping his arm back over his shoulder, he resumed leading Duncan in the direction of the bar. “Come my old friend, let’s go get wasted.”