If I'm Lyin', I'm Dyin', Jonny and Charlie, Episode Two

[Jonny Appleseed]

"If I'm lyin', I'm dyin'!" He grinned over at the fiery redhead, that lopsided grin that came to him so easily in nearly any situation. "I'm tellin' ya, cats have been callin' me Appleseed for 13 years! That's really my name."

As they strolled through the streets of New Venice, Jonny was doing his best to convince the totally fascinating Charlie Mortar that he was a man of strong moral fiber. Maybe not strong as steel, but at least as strong as good, hard wood. Generally, he wanted to be liked by as many people as he could manage. If they disliked him, usually, it wasn't a big deal. Most folk weren't worth much more than a conversation or two anyway. But Charlie? She was different. Jonny felt this deep desire to be her favorite person in the whole damn 'Verse. Ever since their adventure on Persephone, he'd been her constant companion. Or maybe it was the other way around, but he doubted it. He always had the feeling, for some reason or another, that she could bolt at any moment. Like he had to prove himself worthy of her time and affection.

He could tell that something had been on her mind ever since the first night, and he was so thick it took him nearly a week to suss it out. That was why he felt the burning urge to blurt out the last name associated with his alias. She responded with the expected incredulity, but he was more than happy to be as convincing as possible.

Anxiously, he tilted his head and shifted his feet. "I mean yeah, sure, I have a real name that my mom and pop gave me, but that guy hasn't existed for a long time. That name doesn't matter anymore. Ain't nobody left in my life that knows me like that. I don't figure it's a name worth knowin'."

He had come to Paquin with Charlie because there was a new performance set for the Symphony this week. Perfect time to set up the cart in New Venice. Charlie had been unexpectedly supportive of his business venture, spending a good deal of time helping draw in customers and watching him work. In all honesty, he was more than happy for the company. The company in question doubly so.

"Jonny Appleseed is a character from a book my grandpa had when I was a kid. He was this wanderer, planted trees wherever he went. I like to think that I leave somethin' positive behind wherever I go. I mean, we both know it's a load of go se, but I try hard enough!"

The Symphony crowd was letting out, and the sky was a deep purple in the twilight hours. Jonny grinned at all the fancy lookin' folks that poured out into the streets, and turned his attention back to Charlie.

"You ever think you'd wanna be part of that life? Fancy parties, fancier dresses?" He gave her a once over and a slick wink. "I bet you'd fit in just fine, if ya tried..."

[Charlie Mortar]

"Jonny Appleseed though? How can you take yourself at all seriously with a name like that?" Charlie asked, as laughter bubbled out of her. In the time that had passed since they met in Persephone, Jonny had yet to stop surprising her. There was never a dull moment with him. He could be funny and witty at a moments notice, and he had yet to run out of charm. He was different from anyone she had ever known. The only thing was, sometimes he looked at her like she was a wild horse. Like any moment she would spook and run off without a second thought. He was right on some level. It wasn't like she hadn't done that before. When something wasn't working, she tended to duck out and move on. It didn't seem right to sit around being upset about somethin' like that when it was easier to leave. And it had always been easier to leave.

But with Jonny, she didn't want to leave. He brought something out in her that she hadn't known existed. Such an easy happiness, a simple existence. She hadn't felt like that since before the war. And it was fun, helping with this little cart of his. Talking to all kinds of folks from different corners of the Verse. She was enjoying herself almost as much as she did on a ship.

Usually, her desire to be in a gunner's nest was an overwhelming urge. Like those sailors she had read about in the Earth that was. They needed to be on a ship in water. She had that same itch under her skin when she wasn't flying through the Verse in a gunner's nest. Usually it drove her mad, hanging around on land like this. But with Jonny, the itch receded to the back of her brain. It was barely present, she only thought about it in those quiet moments of reflection that rarely came around.

For once, she was just as happy hanging out on land as she was in the sky. It was a new experience. Or rather, a forgotten one.

Jonny picked up talking about his name and Charlie smiled at she listened quietly. With Jonny, it took time to understand him. Each new day brought new stories that helped chip away at the mystery that was Jonny. Jonny...Appleseed. She was going to have to get used to that.

The people from the Symphony began pouring out and Charlie took in the wealthy individuals. The women looked like bright colored birds or jewelry, the men reeked of arrogant so bad the air was thick with it. Charlie's nose wrinkled in distaste.

"You ever think you'd wanna be part of that life? Fancy parties, fancier dresses?" He gave her a once over and a slick wink. "I bet you'd fit in just fine, if ya tried..."

Charlie looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"About as good as a raccoon fits in with a pack of birds," she said, surprised at his comment. She looked back at the crowd. "It's pretty and all, but it don't seem right for folks to strut around like they're worth more than anyone else. It's like they're trying not to be normal people, but pretending they're something better. These are the people who've got no idea what it's like to be hungry. They wanted to unify the Verse cuz they think they can rule it better than other folks. I hope I never fit in with them." Charlie's voice got quieter as she finished. Looking at them made her think of the family she had lost. They had died because people like this wanted power and didn't care if folks died in the process.

Charlie spit on the ground in front of her, in the crowd's direction, but the people were still too far off to notice. Then, she took in a breath trying to collect herself. It was hard to believe that after all these years, she could still get riled up that easily. She looked at Jonny with a sheepish expression.

"Sorry, Jon, got a little carried away there." She turned thoughtful as she looked at him. "Is that something you want? That ritzy life with those kind of parties?" She let her curiosity about him wash away whatever other emotions were lurking in her head and focused on Jonny to wait for his response.

[Jonny Appleseed]

"Jonny Appleseed though? How can you take yourself at all seriously with a name like that?"

He merely replied to these doubts with a smirk. Respect had to be earned, after all, he knew that. He'd done more than his share of earnin' back at Eavesdown, but none of that meant spit to Charlie Mortar. Besides, Jack had named himself after some derranged madman who would dress up like the devil and jump out of the bushes to scare passersby. Surely Jonny Appleseed was a bit more respectable than that!

As for her response to his question, though, he showed a bit more concern. It was easy to forget, what with her carefree and mischievous attitude, that Charlie had lost a great deal to the high-fallutin' Core types. Maybe everything. His big dumb mouth had probably gotten him into trouble again, and as she spat into the dirt, Jonny wanted to reach out and touch her. Just to show that he was sorry for his thoughtless question. Admittedly, the idea of Charlie in one of those fancy gowns may have clogged his common sense up some. In his mind, she hadn't looked very raccoonlike at all.

She took a breath, though, and seemed to relax. A wave of relaxation washed over him, as well. He was happy to not have offended her too badly. She turned toward him, and she had that look in her eyes again. Like she was trying to crack the lock on a pretty complex safe.

"Sorry, Jon, got a little carried away there." He raised an eyebrow slightly at 'Jon,' wondering if there was some level of intimate familiarity there that she was testing out. "Is that something you want? That ritzy life with those kind of parties?"

He could barely contain the laughter. "Could you imagine? Me in onna them tuxedos? Maybe a bowtie? I'm just a wayward farmboy, Charlie. That life was never gonna be me. Sure, there were times back on Persephone where we would go in to some of the society functions tryin' to score some scratch, but I never felt comfortable in those places. In those... monkey suits."

He grinned and watched the fat and happy upper-crusters drift by, chattering on about this crescendo or that stanza. Then something else caught his eyes, and they both went wide. He took Charlie firmly, yet gently, by the arm and swung around in the opposite direction, muttering under his breath.

"Liu koushui de biaozi he houzi de ben erzi..."

[Charlie Mortar]

A farm boy? Huh. And she was born a farm girl. Funny how things worked out sometimes. It made her want to believe in fate. But that road was too dangerous and Charlie shied away from anything spiritual. His words made her smile, made her think maybe they weren't so different. It was getting easier and easier to find things in common with him. And monkey suit? That made her grin. Thinking of all of those people as monkeys all dressed up made her downright laugh. Charlie turned back to Jonny, about to comment on the crowd resembling monkeys, when she saw his eyes widen and his usual smirk falter. Charlie tried to look where he was looking, but as she turned he grabbed her arm and started dragging her along and turning her to face away from the crowd in the process. He was muttering and not looking back, his expression dark.

Charlie glanced back over her shoulder, but she didn't notice anything.

"Jonny? What is it?" She said, her voice colored with concern. If it wasn't anything obvious to her, it must have been something troubling to him. He had a past, he had warned her of that. But she thought they had left that behind on Persephone. Charlie wanted to reach out to him, press her fingers against the crease that had appeared between his eyebrows and smooth it, pushing away his concerns. But, for now, she waited for his response instead.

[Jonny Appleseed]

His whole body was tense. There weren't many moments in his life where he could say that, but this was definitely one of them. Of all the gorram places in the 'Verse to run into trouble, outside the New Venice Symphony was rock bottom of the list. And yet, there they'd been, clear as day. He'd managed to dodge them all this time, but now, with Charlie in tow, they'd managed to show up to gum up gorram everything...

The Grendel Brothers.

If ever there were an uglier pair of siblings in the whole of the Black, Jonny couldn't reckon them. The wolfish hicks had been fresh off the boat back on Eavesdown when the killings started. It wasn't long before word got out that the perps were none other than Clete and Clint Grendel, the identical twins with probably a full set of chromosomes between them, maybe. What they lacked in brains and civility, they more than made up for in ruthlessness. And hair. It wasn't long before the more cruel of gang bosses and loan sharks started hiring the Grendels for enforcement and collection duties. Anyone who didn't smell them coming usually paid a hefty price.

And now they were here, on Paquin of all places. Weren't many reasons for that. He didn't take them for fans of Handel.

Charlie's concern was well-placed, but Jonny chewed thoughtfully at his lip while he formulated his plan. Maybe they hadn't been spotted, but if the Grendels were here it was likely they already knew they were close. If it were just himself, he'd have bolted quick as he could, bystanders be damned. But the addition of Charlie Mortar into the mix complicated things right good. She probably wasn't much for bolting when the odds were even, but she didn't know just what these sick freaks were capable of. No, it was best to proceed calmly.

"Just saw some cats I'm not overly interested in runnin' across tonight. I figure I wasn't spotted, but just in case I think it's better if we just kept movin' in an away-like direction, dong ma?"

He shot her the grin, but it wasn't normal. Clearly he was troubled, despite his best efforts of concealment. He only hoped she didn't ask too many quesitons. He'd be happy to open up about it once they'd put a time zone or two between themselves and the gorram Grendels.

[Charlie Mortar]

He was quiet. That was odd. No quick, silly response. This was really serious. She could see that all of his body was wound tight, like he could snap at any moment. She was really concerned. She wanted to run her hands along his back and smooth his muscles like the wrinkle between his eyebrows. She wanted to rub away all of his worries and tensions.

As she watched him, he began to nibble on his lip. He still wasn't answering. He seemed deep in thought and he was still dragging her along, so Charlie just watched and waited. After a minute, he seemed to make a decision and the words poured out of him.

"Just saw some cats I'm not overly interested in runnin' across tonight. I figure I wasn't spotted, but just in case I think it's better if we just kept movin' in an away-like direction, dong ma?"

He flashed her a weird expression that looked more like a grimace than a smile. Now Charlie's eyebrows came together and she took a moment to quietly consider him. Obviously he believed them to be in the middle of something bad. He was acting really wiggy and she wasn't used to it. It wasn't like the unflappable man she had known him to be. Charlie took a breath.

"Okay. First, an easy way to draw attention to yourself is to walk too fast or be grabbing onto someone while everyone else is strolling slowly. Second, can I get a briefing on what these "cats" look like so I can know? Third, it would probably be smart to check if they actually are following us, or if they were just back there and we can get away at our own pace." Charlie looked at him as she finished, hoping that he would answer he questions calmly.

Charlie had been in some hairy situations. The "I just got shot and can barely lift my gun which has no ammo left while I'm still being shot at" kind of situations. She knew that staying calm was the best thing to do, especially when she had no idea how the person with her would handle it. She needed to keep herself calm, keep her voice mellow, be a grounding and calming presence for Jonny who was severely stressed out. For all those reasons, Charlie continued to let him pull her along and she watched him with a neutral expression. She wanted to get somewhere safe. This was the easiest way to do it.

[Jonny Appleseed]

Of course, she was right. He was being a class A horse's pigu about the whole thing. Just thinking about all that stuff with the Grendels, the Hu Lao, the gang... it just made him feel all squirrelly. But Charlie's voice brought him back to reality. Here was a girl who knew a thing or two about real danger, telling him to calm the rutt down. So he did.

Drawing to a stop, he rubbed his face and looked down at her. His embarrassment with his behavior was quite evident. He exhaled loudly, then noddded. "Okay, yeah, you're right. I'm being a total spazz, but..." He looked back over his shoulder, searching the crowds. He couldn't see either of the big uglies, and that was pretty good news, so far. He turned back to Charlie and launched in.

"These two ca-- uhh, guys... pretty much two of the baddest killers from the old neighborhood. I don't know for a fact that they're here for me, but it'd be quite a coincidence for the two a them to be here if not for me. As for what they look like..." A smirk crossed his lips as he thought about all the great jokes about the Grendels that the gang used to bandy about. Well out of earshot of the thugs, of course. "Think of the shaggiest, scraggliest dudes you ever imagined, then add a few levels of shag and scraggle. Then throw goofy faces and bad hygeine on top of that."

He laughed loudly at that. Well, that and the stupid way he reacted and the situation overall. The whole thing was a stupid mess, and he'd completely lost his cool.

"I'm sure I impressed the hell outta you back there with my supreme fleeing skills. Pretty much the manliest thing ever. If you're not attracted to that, then I dunno what to say!" The sarcasm couldn't have been more evident without a big lighted sign that said "This Is Sarcasm."

[Charlie Mortar]

When he stopped, Charlie let out a quiet breath of relief. He was visibly calming down, which was good. But, he still glanced over his shoulder, his left eye was twitching a little, and when he started speaking, his words poured out too fast, all signs he was on edge. But, at least he had stopped walking and started speaking, that was good. Charlie listened patiently.

Two shaggy and scruffy dudes, she mentally noted. She had known quite a few men fitting that description, and in this crowd, they would probably stand out a good bit. That was the good news. The bad news was he was probably right for freaking out because guys like that had no reason to be hanging around a fancy group like the one they had been standing near. Or rather, the only reason they would have would be to find someone. And based on what he said, their goal was probably to kill whoever they were looking for. Hwoon dahn.

Charlie was careful to keep her expression neutral despite the news making her heart beat a little faster. Now she went from being worried about how Jonny was acting to being worried about his life. Then, while she was still digesting the new information, he had the nerve to laugh and be sarcastic. He was worrying about something like her attraction to him when his life was probably in danger? Men were so stupid.

"You piece of go se," Charlie said affectionately as she shook her head and stepped closer to him. She put her hands on either side of his face and bumped her nose against his. "Why would I give a lick about you bein' manly when your hide is on the line? I would rather have a fleeing Jonny then a dead one."

Charlie looked at him tenderly for another moment, then stepped back and surveyed the area they had ended up in. Her heart was still beating quickly, it was an unfamiliar feeling to actually care if someone else lived or died. Plus, the usual rush of adrenaline she got in these life or death situations was pulsing through her veins at that moment. Everything was more in focus, she noticed the details of the buildings around them and the other people walking along the street. Her muscles were itching to either run or fight, but Charlie forced herself to stay still and calm. She had to mentally don her soldier' mentality once again, it was the best way to make sure both their skins came out of this okay.

"We need to get somewhere safe where we can lay low. Somewhere they wouldn't expect the Jonny they knew to go. Got any ideas?" Charlie looked at him as she asked, and grabbed his arm to pull him around a corner. It would be best that they weren't in direct line of sight of anyone coming from the symphony since that's where the brothers had been.


(Hwoon dahn = son of a bitch, go se = shit)

[Jonny Appleseed]

Her profanity really snapped him out of his panic. If anyone could make those words sound cute, caring and sexy at once, Charlie Mortar was the grandmaster. When their noses touched, he had to fight to keep from kissing her right there in the street, with the possibility of death right around the block. He jammed his hands into his pockets and stared into those green pools of hers and he knew that everything was going to be all right.

"Why would I give a lick about you bein' manly when your hide is on the line? I would rather have a fleeing Jonny then a dead one." It was a valid question. He'd never been one for that macho stuff, but given Charlie's soldier status, he didn't figure she'd be interested in someone whose crisis management checklist was 'wisecrack, then run, then fight, I guess, if you have to, but fight dirty.' Her actual care for his wellbeing wasn't something that he was used to.

But he could definitely get used to it.

He looked around again, and still found no sign of the Grendels. He was starting to wonder if maybe he'd imagined them. But there was no way that anyone coming out of that Symphony just happened to resemble one of the brothers. Not a ruttin' chance.

Charlie was looking around now, and he could tell that the gears were turning. He could only imagine what the mentality of someone who was trained to be shot at on the daily was, but he was sure he'd be fascinated by what her brain was doing right now. She turned back to him and spoke again, and his mind latched onto her voice. Tried to stay focused.

"We need to get somewhere safe where we can lay low. Somewhere they wouldn't expect the Jonny they knew to go. Got any ideas?"

Before he had a chance to answer, though, she realized something. She grabbed his arm and pulled him around the corner and into the shadow of an alleyway. It was a pretty good idea, honestly, and they should have done it in the first place. But now, with her hand on his arm and the adrenaline in the air, Jonny looked down at his firecracker of a companion and decided that there was no time like the present.

"Rutt it."

He put two fingers on her chin, gently lifted her head, and kissed her.

[Charlie Mortar]

"Rutt it"

She was so focused on their surroundings she didn't know what was happening until it was happening. He was kissing her. For a moment Charlie was stiff, her body tense from the surprise when she was already on edge. But, after a moment, she softened. Her eyes closed and she leaned into him, letting her instincts take over. She automatically slid her arms around his neck and pressed her body against him.

All thoughts of the situation fled her mind as she focused on his mouth. She kissed him back for a few moments. Then, she pulled back and rested her forehead against Jonny's and sighed.

"What are you doing?" She asked breathlessly and pressed her lips to his again. Then she rested her forehead against his again and shook her head, smiling. "Jonny Appleseed, your life is in danger and here you are kissing girls in alleys." She knew she had to go back into soldier mode. Push all the emotions away and handle the situation as objectively as possible. She had to handle the situation the best she could to get them both out alive. And she would. Right after she gave him one more peck.

As her mouth left his, Charlie opened her eyes and drew back a step, but laced her fingers through his so they would still be touching somehow. She waggled the pointer finger of her other hand at him in a reprimanding way.

"That aside, can you please answer my question? Do you know somewhere we can go that they would not expect, knowing what they knew of you?" Her mind was settling back into the calm that came from detaching, but she couldn't keep a smile off her face.

God, it was like anything she would expect someone to do, he did the opposite. It was crazy! And she loved it. It was making every moment of her life that she spent with him that much more exciting. For that very reason she couldn't seem to keep the grin away. So, she mentally shrugged and let herself get some sort of amusement out of the otherwise grave situation.

[Jonny Appleseed]

He knew it hadn't exactly been the most prudent thing to do, given the situation. He should have been looking for a way out of the potential danger that they both had been facing. However, he also knew that if anything happened to either of them that night, he would have regretted not letting Charlie know exactly how he felt. After she came back for more, he suddenly grew determined. Determined to survive this ridiculous situation, and keep on down this path with her.

"Jonny Appleseed, your life is in danger and here you are kissing girls in alleys." He started to laugh, and she leaned in and gave him one more quick peck on the lips. He grinned sheepishly, his cheeks slightly flushed. Then she took a step back, and the air that rushed in to fill the void where she had been, pressed up against him, felt colder than any winter. However, she took his hand and interlaced their fingers, and he was grateful for the gesture.

The other hand, however, repremanded him with a finger. She was trying to be serious. But her own pink cheeks and the fact that she was fighting off a smile dulled the effect.

"That aside, can you please answer my question? Do you know somewhere we can go that they would not expect, knowing what they knew of you?"

All right, she was correct. It was time to get serious. There would be time for more of the sweet stuff later. He rubbed the back of his neck with a palm as he thought, watching the last of the Symphony guests wander by, off to who-knows-where.

"Okay, well, obviously they'd be checking the bars, the clubs, the lower-end if the class spectrum. Honestly, the last place they woulda looked would be the Symphony itself, but that ship's sadly sailed, so..." His right leg started to bounce nervously, his eyes staring off for a moment.. and then it hit him.

"I've got an idea..." That was all he said, before he headed back out of the alleyway, leading Charlie by her hand in his. He slipped in between two groups of fancily-dressed folks and tried to match their pace, glancing over at Charlie with a smirk.

"There's gotta be a fancy party goin' on somewhere in this city. Even if the gorram Grendels found us, there's no way they'd get past the security. Probably the safest place in the city would be surrounded by these soft-handed folks..."

He laughed. It was an inspired idea, and honestly the best shot at hunkering down where they most certainly would never be found. He scanned the streets, looking for the sure signs of an upper-class gala. Predictably, it wasn't long before he found one.

The building was absolutely gorgeous, with a neo-classical design that evoked ancient Rome from Earth-that-Was. Scores of tuxes and gowns were gathered around the Corinthian pillars that graced the building's facade, waiting their turn to be searched for weapons and contraband on their way into what likely was a lavish box social or something.

Grinning, he guided Charlie out from their place in the crowd, and around to the side of the building. Where the front was bustling with noise and activitiy, the small street alongside the building was almost ghostly quiet. He looked back at Charlie with a knowing grin, before glancing up at an open window about four feet above his head.

"Looks like our ticket in, Charliegirl." He pondered for a moment, sizing the situation up, before giving a nod. He knelt on the ground and cupped his hands together. "I'ma give you a boost up. You wanna do some recon, soldier?"

[Charlie Mortar]

Jonny Appleseed, again surprising her in the abrupt shift from giving her googly eyes to pulling her between people on the street. He was distracted as they walked, glancing around to look at the buildings. But, he wasn't dragging her through the street at random, he seemed calmer and more rational now and Charlie was content with that. She kept a steady look out as they walked to check behind them for these mysterious brothers from Jonny's past, but she didn't spot anyone remotely similar. Even while she was in her soldier mode, Charlie couldn't help but be curious about Jonny's past. Why would he have known men like this, and why would they be after him? Neither she nor Jonny loved delving into the past, but Charlie's interest was piqued, and she would be willing to share some of her history with him so long as he chipped away at the mystery that his past was to her. But, all plans for serious conversation would have to wait until they found somewhere safe to hold up.

Soon enough, Jonny found one of the swankiest places in town, so far as she could tell. And his logic seemed perfect to her, even in her soldier type thinking. What she didn't think enough about was the how and what. How were they going to get into one of these places and what were they going to do once they had? She had focused on the surveillance as they walked, and thankfully, Jonny seemed to have worked out a plan when they stopped below the window.

"Looks like our ticket in, Charliegirl." He nodded, then knelt on the ground and cupped his hands together. "I'ma give you a boost up. You wanna do some recon, soldier?"

Charlie's green eyes flickered up to the window, then back to his hands and back again. She shook her head, letting the soldier slip away for a second.

"Jonny Appleseed, you really do know how to show a girl a time and keep her guessin'. And you have way to much fun with the soldier thing. But yes, I'll do the recon." Charlie was shaking her head and smiling as she stepped into his hands, then managed to grab onto the window and hoist herself up. She managed to get one foot on the sill, and she pulled herself through easily after that. As she stood and stretched her limbs, Charlie was as glad as ever that she had donned her usual pants, boots, and t-shirt. It made climbing through windows a lot easier. She looked down at Jonny and winked.

"Now you just rest right there, looking like you belong there, and don't get yourself into any trouble. I'll be back soon." Charlie gave him one last smile, then turned to get acquainted with her new surroundings. As she surveyed the room, she donned her soldier persona once again. It was a small sitting room, the furniture modest, meaning it was not likely to get much traffic. The simple rooms usually just existed to take up space. Jonny had chosen more wisely then he could have known when he picked this window. Based on the folks she had seen going in, she was not even close to fitting the dress code for the event. That meant she and Jonny would be more easily disguised as employees. Charlie took a deep breath, preparing herself.

Then, she went to the room's only door. she normally would not have hid in a room with one door, but the window was close enough to the ground and it was an unexpected escape route, if they had to make a fast getaway. So, this room was a good enough place for them to rest. Once she found some clothes suitable as disguises. She needed a dark shirt, in her experience working folks always work dark clothes, and probably an apron or something similar as well. She needed to find someone who could hook her up with the clothes. So she opened the door and looked out. No one was in the hallway, so Charlie started walking down it, following the direction of the sound, but staying to the less ornamental hallways, that's where the servants usually worked. And soon enough, she ran into a man with chocolatey brown skin dressed in a white button down and black pants with even nicer shoes. He had a belt of bright red silk with Chinese designs wrapped around his center. His eyes were wide in surprise when he saw her.

"I'm sorry hun, I got all turned about, I'm supposed to be working as a waiter here and I don't have any of the right clothes. I'm just a mess. Would you be so kind as to help me out?" Charlie was speaking in her sweet as sweet tea voice, looking up at him through her dark eyelashes, which she batted at him. The man seemed skeptical, but he was in a rush, so he shrugged.

"Guess I'll tell you that I just came from there. We've got to get down there, though. Gus was hollering something fierce when I left." He gestured to the door a few feet behind him and seemed intent to follow her. Charlie swore she could see a sort of glint in his eye that was not at all innocent. Mentally she rolled her eyes and she gave him her brightest smile.

"My, you are just the kindest thing! Thank you ever so much, what was your name?"

"James."

"Well James, you just run along to Gus now and I owe you a favor you can collect at the end of the night, after we get through this crazy event." Charlie winked at him as she said the last bit, and James' smile was very eager in response.

"Whatever you want, miss. I'll be seeing you at the end of the night then." James dipped his head, then headed off down the hall in the direction Charlie had been walking. Charlie headed towards the room, not looking at James again. When he was out of the hallway, Charlie shook her head. She wondered what he would think when he never saw her again that night. Mentally she shrugged, then opened the door.

The room had been taken over by stuff. It seemed to be a sitting room, like the other, but now it was more of a storage unit. Extra silver was here along with different uniforms and glasses. Charlie hurried to the clothes, getting two outfits that matched James' in her and Jonny's size. It didn't take long, and soon she was rushing down the hall to the sitting room. When she arrived, she ducked into her clothes before returning to the window. Only Charlie's flowing hair was as it normally was, and she was prepared to tie it back, if she wished.

Charlie went to the window with a chair. She looked down.

''I brought you a chair and some new clothes. Use the chair to get up here and then come get changed." The words tumbled out of Charlie and she waited to see what he would do and how fast.

[Jonny Appleseed]

"Now you just rest right there, looking like you belong there, and don't get yourself into any trouble. I'll be back soon."

Yeah, right. Easier said than done.

The waiting was absolute murder. Who knew what he'd just boosted her into. Maybe the swanky party was on the bottom floor, while the deadly mercenary convention was on the floor above. Okay, so maybe that was a really stupid idea. But still, anything could have been waiting for Charlie through that window, and he hated the idea that he might have sent her into some sort of danger.

On the other hand, this was the girl he'd seen take on trained Alliance soldiers in an alleyway brawl. She could definitely handle herself. She'd also been a soldier, so if anyone was ready for this sort of mission, it was Charlie Mortar.

But that didn't make him any less nervous, and every second dragged by at an excrutiating pace. On top of that, he kept a nervous eye on anyone that passed by the alley, in case the Grendels happened in this direction. If the two of them showed up while Charlie was up above, he wouldn't have any choice but to make a break for it. He might be able to juke and jive his way to safety against one, but the two of them together were guaranteed to be deadly. The best bet would be to lead them away from where Charlie was, so they wouldn't be after her as well.

It had been a while since he'd thought about anyone but himself in his everyday dealings. But he'd been thinking of himself as 'me and Charlie' ever since that night at the Chicken and Cow. It was strange, but he was already getting used to the sound of her voice, the smell of her. He didn't know whether to be excited or petrified. He'd drawn her into his dangerous world without her knowing, and now she seemed disinclined to extract herself from it. It seemed like she was going to be a pretty permanent fixture, come hell or high water.

''I brought you a chair and some new clothes. Use the chair to get up here and then come get changed."

The sound of her voice caused him to look upward, and he grinned at the sight of her. She sank back inside for a moment, and then he saw the legs of a fancy-ish chair starting to slide out. Charlie pushed it down and he grabbed on. It felt well-made and sturdy. He nodded, setting the chair on the ground and testing it for stability. Satisfied with its lack of wobble, he backed up agaisnt the opposite wall and took a deep breath. Then, with a push off the bricks, he vaulted onto the chair, pushing off the high back and grabbing the windowsill with practiced ease.

He pulled himself inside, and grinned at the redhead, admiring her waitress costume. "Lookin' good, Charlie Mortar..." He peered back out the window and looked down at the chair. "Hopefully, no one thinks about what that chair's doin' out in the alley...

He took the clothes that she'd provided and gave a bit of a laugh. "Also, I'm a bit depressed that I missed out on the changing, y'know?" He winked at her and found a private spot to change himself, glad that the sleeves of the shirt were long enough to cover his rather conspicuous tattoos. He wished he'd had the opportunity for a quick shave, but beggars couldn't be choosers. If the Grendels came in, they likely wouldn't give some waiter a second look.

He stepped back out into the room, looking as respectable as he ever had. He gave a sheepish shrug to Charlie and looked at her curiously.

"So... how do I look?"

[Charlie Mortar]

Charlie stood back from the window after she handed down the chair to him and waited the minute it took him to come climbing through the window. She smiled and handed him his clothes.

"Lookin' good, Charlie Mortar..." He peered back out the window and looked down at the chair. "Hopefully, no one thinks about what that chair's doin' out in the alley..."

His compliment made her blush and give a little smile. His comment about the chair did make her think. She should have planned that part a little better, but for now it would have to rest outside of the window. All of her thinking went to the way side when she turned to examine him. He still looked rugged, it was hard to catch Jonny without a scraggly beard and his hair was a little too wild for a crowd like this. But the rest of him looked positively tidy. The lines of the shirt and pants were crisp and the entire ensemble was without a speck of dirt on it. On someone else, she probably would have laughed. But the starched attire looked surprisingly good on him. He still looked dangerous, but he looked more put together and calculating. Charlie had moved closer to him without realizing it and was examining him, drinking in every inch of his appearance. Seeing him like this made her wonder how delectable he would look in a tux. Charlie reached out and ran her finger along his collar.

"My my, Jonny Appleseed. If I had known you looked this good in fancier, cleaner clothes, I would have demanded you wear 'em sooner." Charlie's voice came out even smokier than usual and her smile was particularly devious. She stared into his eyes for a few moments, then stepped away, bringing herself back into her soldier mind set. Now that they were disguised, they could hide out here and lay low for a while. Charlie looked at Jonny.

"Since you're looking so spiffy, and we both look the part, we should be able to just chill here for a few hours. No one at a party like this should have enough free time to come poking around up here. You're lucky I found this room again, it's buried way far away fr-" Charlie's voice cut off as a loud crash sounded followed by two gunshots. Charlie's mind went blank for a second. This was not the sort of part where crashes and gunshots were normal. That meant the Grendels had managed to make their way here. Since this seemed like the sort of place people from the symphony would come, it still didn't mean that Jonny was the target. But, they could hop right out of that window and the hell away from the scene. They could get away happily knowing the Grendels were camped out here. That was the most logical thing to do.

Unfortunately, Charlie wasn't always the most logical. That was the simple way to explain why, while thinking all of those logical thoughts, Charlie had started racing towards the ballroom. Because, while she had rational thoughts, she also had the memories of losing her family to the war, and the passing of her foster parents. Even at 25 years old, Charlie was still hurt at the loss of them. And if she could help anyone else not feel that loss, she would.

Because to assassins, as Jonny had described them, like the Grendel brothers, these people would be sheep. And in these moments, she didn't care that most of them probably supported the Alliance. They were people too. People who needed saving.

"You stay there, they may recognize you!" Charlie shouted out as an after thought, hoping that Jonny would have the good sense to listen. As brave as he was, Jonny was not a trained soldier as she was. And she didn't want to have to add him to her list of people to save. She only wished she had something more than a knife on her. Charlie tried to think of a way to even the odds as she sped down the corridors, using her fragile memories of the previous trip to guide her towards the ballroom.

[Jonny Appleseed]

She never ceased to amaze him. Even in a crazy situation like the one they were currently facing, she still found ways to make him blush. He felt a little odd in the fancy duds, not that he'd never worn anything like 'em before. It just wasn't really his style. Of course, if she really did enjoy the way he looked in them, maybe he could make room in the old suitcase for a button-up shirt or two.

And then she got all close and stared into his eyes and everything started to fall away again. The Grendels, the whole planet, gone. A pack of Reavers could have started tearing their way through the walls and he'd have died a happy man. He wanted to kiss her again, but he knew that she was in general mode now. Distractions would likely not be welcome. Besides, there'd be plenty of time for kissing once they got themselves out of the fire.

"You're lucky I found this room again, it's buried way far away fr-" She had started, and then there was a loud crash followed by the telltale sound of assault weapons being discharged. His heart leaped into his throat, and his hands balled up into tight fists. There was no way they'd seen him come in here. No gorram way. He tried to convince himself that whatever was going on down there had nothing to do with the Grendel Brothers, but it was a short lived battle. Of course it was them. His stupid luck wouldn't have it any other way.

Charlie froze for a moment, and he saw her eyes dart toward the open window. She was thinking of pulling the old rabbit technique again, and he honestly thought it wasn't half bad a plan. But then, unexpectedly, she turned toward the open door and started sprinting toward the hallway.

"You stay there, they may recognize you!" She called back to him as she disappeared around the doorway, and he blinked in response. Did she really just...?

He darted out after her, teeth gritting tightly, grinding. "Not a gorram chance in the seven Hells am I lettin' you go alone!" Of course, she thought she was protecting him, but if the Grendels really were after him, he couldn't just sit back while innocent folks were possibly mangled. Clete and Clint Grendel weren't exactly well known for their hospitality, after all.

Charlie headed down the stairway, keeping low, and Jonny was right on her heels. The crowd of well-dressed partygoers were giving the Grendels a wide berth, a semicircle of space forming around the two murderous scumbags and growing by the inch. Clete stepped forward, aiming his rifle ominously toward the crowd, straight ahead.

"Awwwright, you fancypants ruttin' rich folks. If'n y'all cooperate with me and my brother here, all y'all gonna get outta here in one piece. But if'n ya decide ta give us a hassle, I'ma be forced to put some lead in ya, dong ma?"

Jonny shook his head, and leaned in to whisper something into Charlie's ear, when he noticed some movement toward the back of the crowd, nearest the bottom of the stairs. A blue-suited Chinese man was edging his way toward the stairway, and right for them. Jonny squinted at the man with a slight feeling of recognition. Did he really know this guy, too?

The Grendel brothers were busy menacing the crowd of socialites, and the heavy, ornate railing provided decent cover for the man's ascent toward Charlie and Jonny. He was barely older than they were, with a slightly messy hairdo and a pair of designer sunglasses pushed up above his forehead. His eyes went wide as he got close, taking note of the pair.

"You two gotta help me! I'm a very rich man, I'll make ut worth both your while!" He gave Charlie an appreciative once-over then, eyebrows raising. "And you, I'll take you away from all this. You can be my woman, get you all the jewels you want. What do ya say?"

Jonny felt his left fist clenching behind his back in anger. His main consolation was that Charlie was probably clenching two.

This post has been edited by Jonny Appleseed on Apr 3 2013, 01:03 AM