novelraw Chapter 37: Recruiting New Member
Chapter 37: Recruiting New Member
"Why would you make such a joke?" Maria asked as her face fell.
"I was just trying to lighten the mood." Lily explained embarrassed.
"You don’t make such a joke especially not in the slums." Maria sighed, "Don’t you know how the slums work?"
"No..."
Maria sighed again before turning to the direction Alicia fled in and saying to Lily, "Let go."
They followed her through the dirty and putrid-smelling street... they both had to cover their nose to prevent themselves from choking on the overwhelming smell made worse by their enhanced senses.
It took them everything to not throw up with Lily’s face going very pale, she could not imagine that people could actually live in such a place.
Although she knew some people weren’t as lucky as her, she did not expect the difference to be so... massive.
Lily turned her gaze to Maria and realised that she was handling it far better than she was, "Do you also live here?"
"No," Maria smiled, "While we did live in a bad neighbourhood... it was as bad as this."
"I used to work as a doctor and often volunteered in some homeless shelters very close to the slum, so I am pretty used to the smell." Maria continued her explanation, "But now that I have this super sense... it is far worse."
Lily nodded in understanding even with the nose covering they prepared the smell was still overpowering.
Still, they kept following Alicia through it all while keeping out of view as much as possible.
They finally made their way into a run-down makeshift home, but it at least had a door and looked better than the rest of the houses around.
The little girl promptly opened the wooden door and ran into the house, shouting, "Brother help they are trying to take me."
Just as Maria and Lily reached the door and were about to know, a young man bust out the door his hands raised for a fight.
A weaker looking older man walked out as well followed closely by an older girl, and they all seem ready to fight.
"Relax... we are not here to fight." Maria raised her hands as a show of truce. "May we come in... we just want to talk."
The older man looked at both women for a few seconds before nodding at his children to back away.
He gestured inviting them into his house.
"Father, are you sure?" The son asked his father.
The father turned to the daughter to which she nodded, "Your sister thinks it is a good idea and so do I."
The brother glanced at his sister before he dropped his forearm, turned around and walked back in.
Lily and Maria turned to each other before following the family in, the family were sited around a round makeshift table on makeshifts chairs.
Lily considered sitting as well but stood behind while Maria sat on the available stool provided.
Lily took a deep breath to calm herself and immediately regretted it.
’Shit!’ Lily cursed but decided against covering her nose to prevent embarrassing the family more than they already were.
"So, you are here to recruit us?" Alicia’s elder sister asked almost as if she could read their intention.
"Indeed," Maria nodded in agreement, she did not bother beating around the bush.
"Sorry, for my daughter’s lack of manners, my name is Jim Henning." The old man bowed.
"This is my first son, Roden." He said pointing at the only other male in the room. "My daughter Talia and of course my last-born Alicia."
Maria nodded, "My name is Maria, she is Lily and we are from the Morvath family."
Talia immediate took charge of the conversation again.
Maria could instantly understand the family’s dynamic, while the father was the head of the family Talia was in fact the decision maker.
"What are you looking for?" Talia immediately jumped into the main discussion.
"We are a new family, and we are in need of Runemasters... we heard a bit about your... situation and are here to recruit you."
Talia nodded thoughtfully before asking, "For how long? and what services do you require?"
Maria did not blink before replying. "You will join the family permanently. You will be unable to leave until death."
A massive frown appeared on Talia’s face, her jaw tightened.
Behind her, Roden moved as his hand reached back and closed around the katana behind him.
His knuckles went white on the grip and hiss body shifted slightly, ready to attack.
Lily and Maria’s eyes moved toward Roden’s hand and Maria’s eyes began glowing red at the perceived threat.
Roden did not let go of his sword, but he did not draw it either. They all stayed frozen in that moment, each waiting for the other to move first.
Although he was scared, Roden was more than willing to attack the intruders if his sister gave the go ahead.
Then Jim spoke breaking the tension that was slowly building up. "Perhaps, we should hear them out first?"
Talia glanced at her father then at Roden and then back at Maria.
"What are you offering?" Talia asked.
This time Lily answered.
"Proper compensation for your services, protection and power" Lily said.
Maria stepped back into the conversation. "And you get to leave this shit hole you are currently living in."
She looked around the room as she said it obviously still pissed at the Roden’s actions.
Talia lifted her chin. "And if we do not?"
Maria’s claws slowly appeared making soft scraping sounds as they grew.
"You all die here," Maria said. "Except the little one."
Her eyes moved to the corner of the room where Alicia sat.
Jim understood immediately, this people weren’t here to ask nicely although he could tell exactly what made them change their tone so fast.
They seemed to be so kind outside but now they seemed to have switched up, it seemed like they already knew of his situation before they came here so the change was definitely not because of that.
"You want me, right?" Jim asked but before he could get an answer to his question Talia tried another angle. "You know we are working for the gangs around here?"
Maria sneered, "And it will make no difference."
"Why do you not ask your little sister what happened with those gangs that were supposed to protect her?"
The room went silent because Maria was right.
They had a relationship with the gangs, but relationship was the wrong word.
They were nothing but slaves... even with everything they did they still barely get paid, just enough to survive.
No matter how much they worked, the pay stayed the same.
The gangs knew they had nowhere else to go and knew no one else would take them.
"About my question... do you want only me?"
"No, if they have enough talent, we will be more than happy to take them as well and they will be treated fairly." Lily answered.
"In that case, it is best I explain my situation before we move on." Jim sighed realising there was nothing much they could do.
Lily shook her head while "While we are recruiters, the final decision lies in the hand of the family head so plead you case to him."
Maria retracted her claws before standing up, "Pack whatever is important and come with us." She turned around and walked out.