Part II: The Rogues

Night fell on the City of Hatlynshire. Just as the moon rose above the skyline and Bellmont, the city clock tower chimed at the strike of nine, and Anna found herself feeling quite bored. She was but thirteen years old, yet sitting in a bar having a chat with the bartender, whose name was Brutus, but everyone just called him Bon.

“Do you seriously believe she’s coming, Anna?” asked Bon as he served a regular customer.

“I do believe so, my sister doesn’t break promises.” Anna paused. “At least, not that much”

“Well I hardly doubt some of the patrons here would find it fitting that a young lass is sitting in a bar alone, and I’m sure calling you my daughter would be too far a stretch.”

Anna knew what he said was true. Bon was a tall and fit man with black hair, a thin mustache, a wide chest and strong arms. Meanwhile, Anna’s ginger hair and rounded face was nothing like his, and she was awfully thin for someone her age. She wore a red dress underneath a brown coat, topped with a small, red sunhat with a purple cloth rose, which was an odd thing to wear at night, but she only did it because she despised bonnets with a passion.

“You know I have every right to be here. Who cares what you human customers say. Besides, even if you told me to leave, I would just give a complaint to Mr. Howards,” she said while toying with an empty glass. Bon gave a smile and a small chuckle at her passive threat.

“Like Howards would care if you filed a complaint. He’s too busy being a posh snob to care what we mere peasants say.”

“Well maybe I have more influence on him than you think. After all, my sister works with him. Dispatches the nuisances on the street so he doesn’t have to waste his own Circulion soldiers.” 

Anna circled her finger along the rim of the glass. She watched as it began to move, and soon it lifted itself off the ground to hover about an inch from the surface of the counter. Since he was serving customers, it took Bon a moment to notice, but once he did his eyes immediately widened from sudden panic. He swiftly reached over and grabbed the glass before pulling the glass behind the counter before anyone else could see it seemingly defying the laws of nature. His eyes narrowed and swung from side to side before coming to a stop facing Anna, at whom he frowned disapprovingly.

“What have you been told about using your abilities in public, huh?” he whispered.

“Oh, don’t worry, it was just an inch! Nobody noticed. And besides, I have to keep practicing every once in a while, or I’d lose my focus.”

“Well I suggest you do your practicing in the Hamlet. Not here,” Bon whispered back. He gestured towards the hallway behind the bar which led  to the backdoor. A door that acted as a secret side entrance to the Hamlet. “And about your sister, you don’t think she can go on forever do you? Howards knows aiding rogues is against the rules. And when your sister becomes less useful or dead? He’ll just pretend like he never knew her or her band of vigilantes.”

Speech done, he then straightened himself and went back to serving patrons, talking casually as though nothing had happened.

Anna went silent. She knew what Bon said was right. Caroline was a rogue. She was not a regular Circulion soldier, nor did she ever want to be. She had found that her favored brand of justice came by hunting down the Hunters herself, with no rules to hold her back. She had assembled a small band of rebellious people like her, and they ran missions hunting down those who sought to kill Circulions. Mr. Howards, the Lesser Noble in charge of Anna’s home, Anatoli Hamlet, had originally tried to stop her, but her actions had protected the Hamlet while costing Howards no expense. Eventually, he’d agreed to turn a blind-eye every time she did something questionable. Anna wished she could join the Nighttime Crows, but Caroline had forbidden her from doing so, even though she knew Anna’s thirst for revenge was just as strong as hers.

But more than wanting to join her sister, part of Anna wanted her to come home and be safe in the Hamlet, but she knew convincing Caroline was a fruitless argument. Anna knew she would rather die than cower under the sheets as Hunters tore apart her family again.

Just as Anna was pondering those feelings, she heard the bell above the door ring. Instead of her sister, in walked a man wearing a dark coat and a bowler hat. Anna looked closer and realized she recognized the him. He was one of the Nighttime Crows.

“They’re here. That means Caroline must be nearby.”

She was about to approach when she saw a second man coming into the bar behind the first. She couldn’t see the second his face, for it was obscured by a hood and top hat. All she saw was a glimpse of the man’s cheek. It was pale white and looked cold as stone. The man quickly draped his hood above his head and took a seat facing the table where the Nighttime Crow sat.

“That’s an Angel-face,” thought Anna, knowing that no human had skin that pale. She watched cautiously as the two men stood on either side of the bar. The Nighttime Crow didn’t even order anything, and neither did the Hunter. Anna gestured towards Bon, and when he came, she pointed to the man with the hood. Bon’s eyes widened when he realized who the man truly was.

“Is that?” he whispered to Anna’s ear.

“Yes, and that one is with my sister. I think they’re in the middle of a job.”

Bon reached down from the counter to grab the revolver he kept there, but he didn't pull it on the Hunter just yet. Instead, both he and Anna observed tensely as the two men did nothing.

“Why is he waiting?” Anna wondered.

Just then, the Nighttime Crow raised his hand and gestured towards the bartender. Bon immediately went to him to take his order. He then came back to the counter and immediately began preparing a drink.

“It’s best you leave, this might get ugly,” he said quietly to Anna as he squeezed lemon into a glass of gin.

“No, I want to see where this goes. I want to know if Caroline’s here.”

Realizing arguing with her was useless, he instead took his glass of gin and served it to the Nighttime Crow. The Hunter didn’t order anything, instead waiting silently.

The Crow finished his drink quickly. Anna heard the rattle of coins as he dropped money on the table and stood up. The Hunter stood up at the same time. The Crow swiftly walked through the door and disappeared into the streets. The Hunter quietly walked along and followed him.

Anna quickly leapt from her chair, walking to the door to hopefully follow the men.

“Hey! Where do you think you’re going?” Bon hissed.

“I’m following them. Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to keep my distance.” 

Bon didn’t seem to appreciate the casual nature of her tone. “No! You could get yourself killed. And I don’t want to have to deal with your sister’s wrath.”

“You’re right,” Anna said. Going in defenseless wasn’t a good idea. “Give me your gun.” 

“What? NO!” Bon exclaimed, outraged. The volume of his voice made several of the other patrons all stare at him with confused and worried looks. In response, Bon gave them all harsh glares, but at the same time he also took a few deep breaths and calmed himself. 

“What? Don’t worry, old friend. I’ll bring it back, I promise,” Anna said, taking advantage of the fact that Bon couldn’t scold her in public. “Unless of course you want me to go without it, of course.”

Bon must have realized he was in no winning situation, so he took his revolver and slid it silently across the counter, where Anna quickly took it and shoved it into her coat.

“Thanks a lot, old chap!” 

She gave Bon a wink, before bolting from the door and leaving him behind, watching from the counter, perhaps wondering why he let her stay in the bar to begin with.

Outside, Anna entered onto the stone sidewalk next to the street. Above her was a sign that read The Anatoli Café. She had seen the man turn right before the door had closed, so that was the direction she took.

She walked quietly along the near-empty streets, aside from the occasional stray cat. The houses on either side of the road were packed together like a wall. Some still had light spilling from the windows. It was around this time of night that the Hunters roamed. She could remember hearing gunshots in the distance every few nights from her room in the Hamlet, and every day the newspapers simply reported it as ‘gang violence’. It was oh-so convenient that there were never any living witnesses to these crimes that could prove them wrong.

She walked along the streets, looking for any alleyways or small lanes. She kept looking until she heard a voice somewhere in front of her. The closer she came, the more it sounded like a discussion.

“Don’t bother fighting. You are alone, Angel–face.” said a voice in an enraged and judgmental tone. “Now I heard a group of you burned down a Circulion orphanage a few days ago…” 

“Tell me, were you one of them?”

Anna knew that voice. It was her sister's. She quickened her pace and turned towards the nearest alleyway to her. And there she saw it.

Six people each holding either a revolver or a rifle. All pointing at the Hunter, who was surrounded on all sides in the middle of the alleyway.

Caroline stood in front of the Hunter. She too had ginger hair and a round face like Anna, but wore an all-black coat with a bowler hat and black gloves. She was telling the Hunter something, but immediately stopped as Anna’s shadow appeared behind the Hunter. She turned her head and her eyes widened with shock when she saw Anna standing there.

“Anna, what are you doing here?” she asked while still pointing a revolver at the Hunter. All the other Nighttime crows diverted their attention to her, and she froze, realizing that she hadn’t thought this through.

“I… well… I came…” she mumbled, but before she could say anything, the Hunter had realized that the attention of the Crows was elsewhere, so he took his chance and bolted towards the street andAnna. He pointed his rifle at her, but Anna felt like she couldn’t move. The Hunter’s mask looked like an angel, but its hollow eyes and hollow mouth filled her with fear. She tried to reach for the revolver in her coat but her hands fell numb.

The Hunter pointed his rifle directly at Anna’s head, but before he could shoot, a bullet struck him in the back and he tumbled over with a howl of pain. Anna looked and saw that it was Caroline. She walked closer to the Hunter, her palm hovering over her revolver’s barrel, a technique that decreased the sound of the gunshots. The Hunter turned and tried to reach for his fallen rifle, but Caroline shot him again in various parts of his body, her face stricken with a deadly rage. She emptied her entire barrel on the Hunter, not a hint of remorse on her face.

She then turned to Anna, and her anger somewhat subsided. She gave her a tight hug and examined her body to see if she was injured. When she realized Anna was fine, her rage came back at full force.

“Oh Anna, what were you thinking, coming out here past dusk?!! You know the rules!”

“Not like you ever followed them,” Anna thought, remembering that it was Caroline who had taught her how to sneak past the rules.

Anna tried to come up with an excuse. “I was waiting for you in Bon’s place, and I saw your mark. I thought you might need my help!” She saw Caroline exhale deeply in disappointment.

“And what were you doing in Bon’s place?” she asked. Her clueless expression enraged Anna.

“I was there because you said you would meet me there, remember? You said you wanted to talk!” she said while taking a step back from Caroline. Caroline's confusion did not seem to cease. A moment later, she let out a gasp as the memory came back to her. She then sighed again, this time out of guilt, whilst placing her palm over her face.

“Damn it, you’re right. I did forget, and I apologize for it. But you have to go home now.” 

“But can’t we do it now? I haven’t seen you in weeks!” 

Caroline shook her head. “I sorry my little Anne, but I can’t right now…” she gestured to the dead body behind her. But then she grabbed Anna’s cheek and grinned.

“How about tomorrow? I’ll come by the Hamlet. We can talk as much as we want then. I promise.” she said in a hopeful voice.

Anna felt like she couldn’t trust her anymore, but she nodded anyway. Caroline grinned and patted her on the shoulder.

“Good, now go home,” she said softly, and Anna reluctantly obliged. She turned away from her sister and started the long walk back to the Anatoli Café. By the time she reached and walked inside. Most of the patrons had left, and Bon was pretty much the only one there.

“Oh Anna, you're back!” Bon said in relief as he polished another glass.

Anna said nothing. She just felt disappointed. Caroline had broken so many promises. So many. Anna didn’t feel like talking to anyone at that moment, even to Bon. She took the revolver out of her coat and placed it on the counter, then slowly made her way to the back door while avoiding Bon’s concerned look. She sulked her way behind the counter and disappeared behind the back door of the Café.

 

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