Ymiden 9 719
Evening had arrived much quicker than how it normally felt for Patrick.
The Trial prior to this one he and Kar were given notice that a meeting had been set up, and that the plan to lure Cobra somehow actually worked better than expected. Honestly he never doubted Rose and her abilities as he'd worked under her for a while, therefore knew she had the tactful know how in coercing a man like Cobra. Therein was where most of his doubts though, as a man like the one they were luring was careful. Paranoia might've played a part in that regard but as far as he knew, he was meeting a very prospective business venture he could outrageously benefit from. What the man didn't know at all was the trap itself, in which both Pat and Kar waited for his arrival in the main lobby.
The Rharnian himself enjoyed the entertainment of a dancer as she and many others performed on the floor, entertaining men who'd taken seats in their chairs as they either smoked or drank the night away. Rose had gone the extra mile in making this place look busy as well, so that the promising avenue Cobra would be 'investing' in seemed even more promising later on. It was all really a big ruse just to try and get the man alone somehow, and when the time was right Patrick and Kar would both step in to take him out. Except the harder part would soon come once the man arrived, as he'd have his own shadows to watch him while he was here. Thus Kar sat at the bar with his back turned towards the main lobby as to avoid any chance of being notice. Patrick of course enjoyed the temporary distraction of the blonde dancing before him, as she swivelled her hips back and forth before him with a pleased grin on her face.
My how he wouldn't have minded taking her for a spin later... but they had no time.
Rose made it vividly clear that once she welcomed Cobra and took him to the spare room, she would have no further part in this elaborate scheme the men had planned. Which was perfectly fine honestly as Patrick preferred to take over from there, and wrap things up as quickly as possible to get in good with the Shadow Quarter. Sugar came along to provide Patrick a refill of the whiskey he'd been drinking, along with the subtle pass that their guest of honor had indeed walked in just a few Bits ago. "Rose just wanted me to inform you that he's here," she murmured in his ear as she grabbed his empty glass, "and that she'll let you know when the time is right."
"Thanks Sugar." He remarked casually with his indifferent demeanor still intact, his eyes back on the blonde before him as she took to dance above his lap. After a moment of watching her he'd nearly forgotten to keep an eye at the stairwell, in which he'd caught it just in time to see Rose herself walking four men up towards the second floor. Pretty soon she'd be taking them to the room, and then leave it to the boys to finish the rest as they'd planned the night prior to this one. But the tricky part now would be getting past those three men, especially if they intended to watch Cobra in action... or at least stand near the door while he went at it. Patrick remembered the room Rose would be presenting to him, as it was one of the more lavish quarters used for special guests. Granted she wouldn't approve if they left a mess in the process, the woman figured it'd also be the safest to use for the job.
Bits passed and sure enough the woman came walking down the stairs, a look shot to Patrick as she did so before heading towards the band. That meant the deed was done, Cobra was now successfully distracted and unaware of the trap he'd fallen into. As they started to play their music louder to make the mood more festive, the dancers in turn responded to the change in tune with a more raunchy dance. However Pat would not be lingering to watch his lovely distraction any more, for he had now finished his last glass of whiskey and stood to move towards the bar. Rose had talked to Sugar briefly in passing before eyeing the two men, and then carried on towards her office as she'd clearly played her part in all this. "Well?" He checked with the harlot as she approached the two at the otherside of the bar, her face puzzled as she leaned in close to speak with them.
"Rose wanted me to relay a message, that it's done and you two are responsible for the cleanup. Whatever that means." Pat and Kar looked to one another speculatively, as he felt quite sure that all Rose was going to do was lure Cobra in.
"You ready?"
"As I'll ever be." The ex-knight quickly nodded with that statement and the both of them stood together, a slow stroll made towards the stairwell as Kar followed Patrick up onto the second floor. Memories seemed to cling here for the Rharnian though and while now wasn't the time, he couldn't help but want to go back and experience those Trials again. They were a much simpler time compared to now, with no real worry as to what the future held for him. Now though... "Cobra's men will likely be the only real challenge here, I counted three going up the stairs with him and only two seemed intimidating."
"Yeah," Pat agreed as he led the way down the hall towards the room, "I expected them to be guarding the door outside honestly. Guess Rose set it up to where they all got a piece of the action." If the woman were truly capable of doing that then... clearly Patrick hadn't given her the credit the lady truly deserved. Once they arrived at the door sounds could be heard from the other side, sure enough they were an orchestra of moans and laughs as the men inside enjoyed their whores. A final treat and parting gift from Rose no doubt, before Death came to greet them with their end. "Let's do this."
Kar nodded in agreement as he seemed ready to follow his lead, each man pulling a dagger from beneath their shirts as Pat gripped the door handle. However the Rharnian hesitated before twisting the knob, his breathing already quickened as he waited to consider how to handle their intrusion. Sure enough he released the handle, and when Kar asked "what are you doing" with an earnest tone; Pat only raised his hand to signal him for silence before banging on the door.
"We're busy, now fuck off!"
"We've brought more escorts, compliments on behalf of Rose." He answered quickly with the dagger clutched tightly, as the sound of boots roughly pressed into the floor beyond. Like he'd expected the guard who responded was the one to open the door, it being the bald brute who was one of the two intimidating men they'd spotted. Patrick quickly pushed into the opening of the door for that element of surprise, as he brought the dagger around to stab the man in the back of his skull. The bald guard looked wide eyed as his tight grip on Pat's collar quickly loosened, with his body collapsed to the floor as he swiftly yanked the blade away. The other two guards and and Cobra himself were caught, both literally and figuratively, with their pants down as the ladies entertaining them screamed at the sight of what they witnessed.
As they all squirmed about trying to get on their feet Patrick and Kar stormed in, each leaping at their next target as they both stabbed at the stomach of their intended target. At this point the women were already running out the door with their hands over their mouths, as if though they remembered that they were too leave making as little noise as possible. The man who Pat had to be assuming was Cobra had managed to reclothe himself in that time, but had nowhere to run as his entourage had quickly been dispatched by the two. The Rharnian himself couldn't help but look at the pathetic weasel as he appeared helpless, clearly a plump looking fellow with a crooked nose and balding hair. Was this man really Cobra? Clearly his reputation precedes him.
As the other two henchmen bled to death on the floor both Pat and Kar looked to their next target, Cobra raised his hands in surrender knowing that he had no way of getting out. "Whoever the fuck you are, you're both making a very big mistake."
"Hear that Kar? We're making a mistake."
"Guess that means we can make one more... maybe then we'll get away with it."
"I-I-I have money!!" He pleaded as he crawled back towards the head of the bed frame. "Lots of it!! I can make you both very rich!!"
"Did you make that same deal to my brother?" Kar looked to Patrick warily then as he slowly drew closer, while Cobra looked to him with a deer in headlights expression. "Or did you just cut to the chase and kill him right away."
"Pat."
"I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Liar!" He called out as he drove the dagger down into the man's bulky shin, causing Cobra to yell out in pain as Kar looked back at the door. The former knight quickly moved to close it as Pat yanked the blade out of the man's leg, it's bloodied edge pointed next at his groin as he hovered it there. "My brother! My brother who served in the Lightning Knights four Arcs ago!" Cobra looked at him horrified as to where Patrick would strike next, while the Rharnian himself looked bewildered at the snake he interrogated.
"I don't know what you're talking about!!" The response merely pissed him off further, as Patrick drove the dagger into his thigh next. Cobra howled in pain once more as more and more blood started to leak out of him, and this time Patrick was slow about removing it as well.
"Pat!" Kar insisted as he tried to pull him by the shoulder, though the Rharnian refused to budge even an inch. "This wasn't part of the plan! We were supposed to end it and be done with him!"
"Not before I get an answer!!" Cobra howled a little more as the embedded blade finally came out, his hands grasped at his fat thigh as tears rolled down his cheeks. "Tell me the truth!! You killed my brother that night didn't you?!" In his tear filled wails Cobra somehow started to laugh, as though he found the situation funny given the circumstances he found himself in.
"So what if I did? I've disposed of many people... just as I'd do to you right now." He spat venomously as he looked from Patrick to Kar next. "I should've known you played a part in this, to think you'd lie your way into this though? I hope you're satisfied with all of this." Patrick's wild eyes narrowed as he slowly turned to look at Kar. "You mean he didn't tell you? That man came to me wanting protection, not long after he attempted to kill who I suspect was you!"
Kar didn't seem to outright deny it but he certainly appeared put off by the accusation... Patrick looked back to Cobra who seemed to be smiling just now. "He's lying Pat, Cobra's only desperately trying to turn you against me."
"And it's working..." The Rharnian admitted as he turned once more to look at Kar, as Cobra himself seemed to look grin wider at the work he did. But that grin quickly broke into a pained expression after Patrick jabbed the dagger, this time right in the groin, as Cobra howled once more with a prolonged cry of anguish. Right as he reached to grab at the hilt of the dagger and claw at Pat's grasp, Kar seemed to have had enough as he stepped in to shove his dagger into the left temple of Cobra's skull. The helpless man's cries were quickly silenced then as Patrick watched the light leave his eyes, with his body going limp against the head frame as the rest of his blood drained out. He never paid attention to it before but looking now... there was a lot of blood. Probably enough to fill a bathtub now that he noticed it, blood on his hands and clothes, on the bed they stood next to as well as the floor... There was so much of it... That Patrick's temperamental rage seemed to finally die down, after being sated with the idea that maybe... enough blood was spilt on behalf of his brother.
Then again...
"You lied after all didn't you." The Rharnian finally accused as Kar stepped back to sit down on the nearby sofa, clearly exhausted from rigorous activity they'd just partook in. "It wasn't Cobra who killed him... You only told me that so that I'd work with you."
Kar looked to have the same look as earlier now, that deer in headlights look as he watched Patrick turn with his hand on the dagger's hilt. "He was a liar Pat, Cobra knew I'd been after him for a while now and knew he could use you! Just like Dom was back then, you're a lot easier to manipulate than you'd-" He hid beneath his arms as he expected Pat to hit him, however the loud thunk in the wall implied Pat had missed his target. If he did though, he was surely pretty damn close to hitting it. Almost an inch away from Kar's right cheek was the bloody dagger Pat held, as he'd thrown it as hard as he could with intentions borderlining to kill.
"You're both fucking good liars..." He remarked as he stood taller now with his focus on the water basin, as Kar seemed to remain completely frozen in place. Patrick dipped his hands in the water to start washing the blood off, and with a towel grabbed from the cupboard he scrubbed what wouldn't wash so easily. "I'll leave you to the cleanup here. I've done my part and that's all that matters."
"Hey, hey! Come on Pat, that wasn't part of the deal-" Again he felt cut off but this time by a look alone, as Patrick glared at him as cold as he possibly could.
"We're fucking done here. Unless you want to join them, then I'm leaving you to clean this up. I've business with the Shadow Quarter." He spitefully remarked as he started to walk for the door, that is until he realized he couldn't just leave with blood still on his clothes. Thus he took to change in the bathroom while Kar reluctantly took care of the clean up, certain that he was better off now that Pat made his intentions clear. Really it was for the best... as the Rharnian didn't feel certain he'd exacted revenge the way he'd wanted, nevertheless the deed was now done and hopefully... just hopefully...
The Shadow Quarter would help him and his friends in the war effort.
And so once Patrick had cleaned up with a change of attire into one of the suits there, he left the Harlot 'n' Hound with the intention to write to the blonde man as soon as possible.
"Patrick", "Follower", "NPC"
