Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Tested in Fire ❯ Chapter 12

Tested in Fire: New Humanity Part Twelve

 

Cole blinked as she looked at her contact, the black haired catgirl trying not to show her surprise. "Davidson hired Jack Scott?" the black haired catgirl asked.

 

Ryo nodded, his red hair contrasting his Asian looks. "That's the rumor," he agreed as he sat with her in the cafe, the morning light shining in through the handblown windows. Steaming coffee sat I front of him while steamed milk waited for Cole. "There was a shot taken at Motoko, a friend of Davidson, but nobody seems to know who did it."

 

"I've bee to the Nightingale to hear her perform," Cole mused, "she's good." She looked at Ryo, "And the Shogun's reaction?"

 

"He doesn't officially know," Ryo answered, "I think he's letting Davidson run with it first."

 

"Makes me wonder if the Wolf or Professor are involved?" Cole mused. She looked at him thoughtfully, "What's the odds in the betting pools?"

 

"They favor the Professor," Ryo answered promptly, " if only 'cause the Wolf is strengthening her position out in Denman street right now." A half shrug, "Of course we don't know if her lover Rose could have pulled something on her own."

 

"Rose is a wild card," Cole admitted. She put a gold mark on the table as she finished her drink, "Keep on watching Scott for me, Ryo."

 

Ryo bit the coin to check then slid it into his pocket, "Of course, ma'am."

 

'He doesn't trust me any more than I do him,' Cole mused as she strode out onto the street, her dress short and slinky. With her coat of fur clothes were only for modesty's sake, and she had never been terribly modest. 'Still, his information was usually good,' she admitted.

 

Walking up towards the Bay building Cole nodded to familiar faces, observing the passers by. Some looked entirely human, some almost inhumanly transformed, and the majority carried within them some secret gift. It was because of those gifts that humanity had survived the long darkness after the meteor strike, and it was those gifts that now made the world such a complicated place.

 

One of the guards nodded respectfully as he opened the door, "Ms Cole."

 

"Mac," Cole smiled up at him. Seriously she continued, "Put the word out that the troops need to be more alert, there may be trouble from the Shogun or Professor."

 

"Will do," Mac nodded.

 

Cole headed upstairs to Bannon's office, grimacing at all the stairs. She reached the door and knocked lightly, "Sir?"

 

"Come in," Bannon called. The brown haired man nodded as she came in, his eyes intent as he asked, "What did you mean, trouble from the Shogun or Professor?"

 

"I only told Mac a few minutes ago," Cole sauntered inside, "I still don't believe how fast information gets back to you."

 

"It's a gift," Bannon said dryly. "So?"

 

"There's bee an indirect attack on one of the Shogun's lieutenants," Cole explained, "Davidson's lover and/or girlfriend Motoko was assaulted."

 

Bannon quickly added it up, "You think it might be part of some larger scheme of the Professor's or that the Shogun might suspect we're behind it."

 

"Indeed," Cole agreed as she sat down. She gave him a thoughtful look, "I know I didn't order anything like this...?"

 

"Nor did I," Bannon said to her coldly. "It's far too clumsy a move and likely to backfire," he said with a sigh.

 

Cole acknowledged the rebuke silently. After a moment she continued, "It seems out of character for the Professor, he's usually more elegant."

 

"Not to mention starting a two front war for him," Bannon sighed as he ran a hand through his thinning hair. "What is that idiot thinking of?"

 

"It could be he's hoping to get us in a two front war," Cole offered.

 

"Eh?" Bannon blinked.

 

"By threatening Davidson the Professor might be hoping to start something between us and the Shogun," Cole explained. "With our forces split between both borders it might give him the chance to make that territorial grab he's been hoping for."

 

"That bastard," Bannon murmured. He closed his eyes a moment then asked, "What is the Shogun doing about it?"

 

"Officially nothing," Cole answered promptly, "Davidson hasn't brought it to his attention, instead he's handling it privately."

 

It took Bannon only a second to come up with the name, "He's called in Jack Scott?"

 

"Exactly," Cole nodded, "she's guarding the girl while Davidson takes steps."

 

"Normally I'd be happy to see a conflict between Professor and the Shogun, but this has too much potential to splash on us," Bannon worried.

 

"What do you want to do?" Cole asked, knowing from the look on his face that the Mayor had something in mind.

 

"Contact Jack Scott," he said firmly, "offer her help, but discretely." Bannon smiled at her quizzical look, "It helps show we're innocent, as well as maybe getting on Scott's good side, after our men tried to put the muscle on her."

 

"Understood," Cole rose with feline grace, her smile impish. She looked at him curiously, "Should I try to...?"

 

"I suspect Scott will be largely immune to your charms," Bannon said dryly as he watched her leave, "but you're welcome to try."

 

"Those are the ones that are the most fun," Cole laughed as she closed the door behind her.

 

Cole had a spring to her step as she descended the stairs, exiting the building on the Georgia side. She headed towards Granville street, the busy commercial heart of Bannon's territory then waved down a cycle driven carriage.

 

"Where to, miss?" the young man at the pedals asked cheerfully, his slightly angular appearance almost making him look foxlike.

 

"The Woodwards building on Hastings," Cole said as she climbed in and passed him a gold half-mark, "you don't have to rush."

 

"Will do," he grinned, pocketing the coin and heading off.

 

They coasted downhill on Granville street, past the Pacific Center Mall and towards the waterfront before taking a right turn onto Hastings. They bounced along the cracked road, the cyclist careful not to tend too near the Harbor Center tower. Once a public building and tourist trap it had been taken over by the Sisterhood, a rabid separatist cult.

 

"Has there been any trouble lately?" Cole asked, noticing his tense shoulders.

 

"They've been taking pot shots at passerby again," the driver explained.

 

"Damn," Cole muttered. Bannon had tried to root them out once before but the Sisterhood was too dug in and well armed, and their people had taken bad losses. Still, it was beginning to look like it might be time to take another shot at it.

 

They traveled on a block or two, then the driver announced with some relief, "We're here."

 

"Thanks," Cole said as she gracefully climbed down, giving the boy a charming smile.

 

"Do you want me to wait here for you?" he asked Cole, warily watching the neighborhood around them.

 

"I don't know how long I'll be," Cole said gently, "maybe next time." With a sway to her hips she walked up to the building, knowing that the boy was watching her hungrily. 'Now if only Jack Scott is as easy to handily,' she thought.

 

"Bannon's people aren't welcome here," the older man at the desk growled, his long brown hair tied back and a few lines creasing his face.

 

"I'm here to see a resident," Cole said, feeling a flash of annoyance, "not to start any trouble."

 

"Hmph," he puffed out a breath but grudgingly waved her towards the stairs.

 

'Long memory, considering it's been a few years since we tried to take this place from the Shogun,' Cole noted. Jack Scott had played a major role then, too, helping the defenders here stop Bannon's people cold. 'Hope that isn't a hint of what's to come,' Cole thought as she reached the right floor. Walking up the hall she found the door, smiling as she saw the frosted glass reading 'Jack Scott, Investigations, Negotiations, Problem Resolution.'

 

"Yes?" the voice called before Cole could even knock.

 

"My name is Cole," she said as she turned the door handle and went inside, "and I hope to be of assistance to you, Miss Scott."

 

To be continued....