Round About Town (open)

She thought about that one.

"Not right to be a thief just because you're bored. You steal because you need it or because it's the right thing to do or to show someone that they don't deserve what they have. Being a thief because you're bored cheapens it."

"I've been a thief for a very long time. It's very difficult for me to find something that challenges me and is needed. As a result I take the jobs that few sane thieves would. I once considered breaking into the Vatican because someone needed a Relic to put some black birds back in their cage. Sometimes, I still regret not making the attempt."

Her brow arched.

"Are you that bored or are you just stupid and suicidal?"

"They fell out of the sky, people needed a piece of wood to put them back. At the time we didn't have a whole lot of options so I was willing to make the attempt."

She shook her head.

"That's suicide, my friend. And for what? Would you even get a thank you for it?"

"Maybe, maybe not. That's not why I do what I do. I don't want recognition, I want to make sure that people are safe, or as safe as they can be in this world."

She smiled.

"Safety, like world peace, is a goddamned pipe dream, Chase."

"Sure, but it doesn't mean that I can't help maintain the illusion for decent people. No one really wants to know what's out here, in the dark with us. Hell, half the time we don't want to know what's out here in the dark with us. Some lies are just worth protecting if it helps people sleep at night."

She smirked.

"What are you, some kind of white knight?"

"Nah. You never trust the white ones. They're too clean, don't like to get their hands dirty." He smiled beurre he said, "I've been known to help the downtrodden from time to time."

She laughed.

"You're an interesting guy, Chase. Mind showing me around this shithole of a town?"

"Anything to get of this dive and find a decent glass of gin or Scotch."

He almost sounded relieved.

She smirked.

"You could have gone to a different bar. You didn't have to come into this one."

"Other bars don't have the information this one does... or the company," he gave her a smirk as he stood up.

Her brows rose and she looked around.

"Because a bunch of half-naked strippers have oh-so-much information. Unless the information you want is somewhere between Candy Cane Lane's thighs up there."

She pointed to the current stripper with a snort.

he snorted

"This place is run by a Warlock's Employee. There's another level that hosts the very affluent wiseguys and cartel members of the area. Jade deals for a fair number of them, unless Red's put an end to that. She used to experiment with her formulas and give the test batches to the girls. Started a niche business for the local boys and girls looking to try some spiked punch."

She smirked.

"Doesn't sound like a warlock's favorite past time. Unless she gets off on unpredictability."

this time it was him that snorted.

"Have you met Red?"

She smirked.

"Yeah. I already told you; she hates me. Pretty sure."

"Besides, it's not like the warlocks areeating her. It's the others." He shook his head, heading for the door.

There was a lot of hip to her walk as she followed him toward the door.

"Somehow, I'm not comforted."

Chase didn't notice her hip sway, if only because she was behind him. He was thankful enough to be leaving. Once they got outside he said "You want to follow in your car or take mine?"

He posed the question as he nodded to his car.

She looked around the parking lot, then looked at him with a smirk.

"Do I look like I own a car, guy?"

"Even hobos have cars," he began walking toward his car, pressing the button to unlock the door.

She smirked.

"Some hobos have cars. I'm more a horse-and-cart type."

Hello. Have you seen how she is dressed?