Wait for a bit, but I end up going to bed.

You wait for Kenji and Scarlet inside for a while, but decide to turn in for the night after they fail to show up. They’re probably doing… something. Right now, you were too tired to care.

When morning dawns, it’s gray and cold. The snow from last night is crusted and lies across Deadwood and the surrounding area. The view from your window is pretty, though. Off in the distance, you can see the path you took to the cave’s mouth just a few hours ago in the cloak of night. Besides that, there is no sign of activity, though. You rinse and dress, the suit and jacket hugging you with warmth, as soon as you get your gear ready for your babysitting gig—business as usual.

When you get to your door, however, you find a note that has slipped. The Japanese surprise you at first, thinking it was Akiko who tried to visit you, but when you pick it up, it’s obviously Kenji. “Let’s talk about last night,” was all that it said, vague, but that was for the best.

The day is spent with the dancers again. You expect nothing, and you’re right. Even with Mikka and Zuprik in the room, they don’t seem to be keen on doing much, which entices the thought of Kenji or maybe even Scarlet doing something while you were beyond the walls last night.

When the day is over, you are stopped, however. By someone you hadn’t really interacted with all that much. She wasn’t Akiko, Sachio, or even Sasha. It was Scarlet, tucked in a warm coat and a scarf that hid half her face. “Busy?” Scarlet looks up at Akiko walking towards the hotel behind you, knowing that you intended to be busy, just not with her.

“No,” you say, taking business over personal preferences. “Is it about work?”

“Sure,” Scarlet said, her eyes returning to yours. Her dark blue irises seemed brighter in the snow and dark clothes. Her blonde hair was wild and unkept, but somehow seemed styled that way. “Too early to drink, not private enough to stroll. Wanna go beyond the walls?”

“No,” you say, shaking your head. Scarlet smirked, appreciating the cold and small talk of other contractors. She chewed on something and spat it out.

“We’re on the same team, aren’t we? There’s no need for the cold shoulder,” Scarlet seemed surprisingly sweet. Then she smiled, which contradicted every notion that she was a contractor, just a girl who could have lived next to you at some point. It then occurred to you that she looked nothing like a contractor.

“I suppose we are, aren’t we?” You relax, letting go of the tension you had no idea you had. Despite Scarlet’s disarming appearance, your instincts were still wired. “Let me get out of my work clothes and meet you outside.”

“I’ll be inside the lobby waiting, but don’t keep me waiting. I’m not that much of a patient person.” Scarlet’s expression dulls instantly, and now she’s emotionless and has an edge to her voice. Now, she was everything you considered contractors to be, but it was confusing anyway.

By the time you got to the lobby, the sun was streaking across the street. The clouds were opening up, and the false sense of warmth teased your mind before you met up with Scarlet. She smiled again, this time with a **** smile, and pointed with her chin to the exit.

Past the gates, and into the forest. Sound was swallowed, and the world seemed to be at peace with itself, no matter the bloodshed and deaths from mere hours ago. The crunching of boots was all that kept you company until you were sure you were alone. Scarlet was a few feet in front of you when she turned.

“How’d last night go?”

She did mention this was going to be about work, so it didn’t alarm you that it was her first question. “Not great. Got into a spitting firefight in a cave. Smoked 3 smugglers and Zuprik got whatever it was they bought from them.”

“Tough,” Scarlet looks forward, slowing down to be shoulder with you. “I see you’ve held up fine enough. Anything we need to worry about?”

“If the Japanese weren’t here, I’d say yes. But I doubt it’s more than a rumor that there are Japanese being hosted in Deadwood. If these smugglers’ handlers come back for vengeance, I’d say we have a real problem if they’re brave enough to tango with the Empire of the Sun, and all that.”

Scarlet shrugs. “Or maybe they just have to be stupid. Any idea what it was?”

“No clue. But the girl in charge of the drop was confident that it worked as intended. Whatever that means.”

“Kenji ransacked Mikka’s room this morning before going to the theater. Not sure if he found anything, we try not to be seen together. Wouldn’t want rumors of a second romance happening on the premise.”

“What’s the first?” You ask, somewhat dumbly.

“You and Akiko poke, don’t you?”

“No,” you lied, showing offense. Scarlet’s blank expression made it difficult to show if she knew you were lying or not.

Scarlet looked away and apologized. “I had assumed. A cute girl like that,” she finally teased, just slightly.

“You’ve been watching me?”

“Habit of mine, remember?” Scarlet trailed off, walking to a beaten path. “You’re not the focal point of my observations, but I do find you interesting, to say the least.”

You chuckle. “Should I be scared?”

“Not. I like to think we’re friends,” Scarlet stops again to face you. “I owe you. More than I’d like, and more than you know.”

You can see the faint lines of discomfort in her eyes as she thanks you. Contractors were borderline autistic when it came to personal 1-on-1 interactions. So much time was spent killing and worrying; it was rare to find “friends.”

“Thank you for saving me,” Scarlet lifted a brow, not emotional, but truly thankful. “That was the worst nightmare I could have been in, and even though I know you did it because you were paid to, I’ve come to realize you’re probably nicer than you know, too. Typically, that gets people in the field killed. But, something about you? It’s different, and I can’t lay my finger on it. Have you thought about guilding-up? Maybe join a straighter edge group?”

“No,” you tell Scarlet. “I had… I worked with a security firm before, but that’s a page of my life that’s been turned. There’s no going back to that now. Not after what I’ve done, and what I’ll do. You’re right, I saved you because McKinley paid me to.”

“And what about the girls? Akiko is paying you a sum to keep her and her friend safe? Is Kenji supplying you with payments I haven’t seen or been told about? Is Sachio promising you a ticket to Japan for an untouched city tour? Face it, Visser, you’ve got a soft spot for damsels in distress. You’re a horror-show knight in armor, and it’s handsome.”

You smirk a little, genuinely enjoying this conversation. Something about Scarlet’s confidence and easy-going approach was alluring. Sexy without the appeal of godless desire. “Are we here to talk, or gossip?”

Scarlet allowed a small smirk to play on her lips. “A bit of both. You can’t talk about work without learning a bit of gossip, and you can’t gossip without learning a bit of work. Does it make you uncomfortable?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t like talking about me, and I don’t like hearing what you have to say about it.”

“Don’t like a little praise?” Scarlet lifted a brow. “Contractors love good reviews, and I know that because I’ve made sure my employers have commented on my jobs I conduct. Mean ways, and cruel ways, and have used methods that probably warranted my…imprisonment.”

“Get to the point, Scarlet,” you chuckle.

She smirked wider and nodded. “Alright. Well, Kenji is going to tell you more tonight, and I don’t want to overstep my area of operation that much. I did want to find out more about you and Akiko, though. Am I allowed to?”

“I’ll tell you when to stop,” you counter lightly, still smiling.

“To make it up to you, I’ll give you the first honest answer to a question,” Scarlet placed her hands on her hips as she regarded you closely. “Cross my heart, and hope to die.”