The Run

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"They'll know." He told her quietly.

Wes wasn't about to try to fool anyone with this painting, at least not anymore. Only the truth would actually get them to where they wanted to go. The thought of that was...odd, but he knew well enough that certain types of criminals appreciated the truth far more than they did a lie, especially something like this.

"They won't care." He told her. "They'll use it to make the painting cheaper..."

He trailed off with a frown. "But beggars can't be choosers."

In other words they didn't have much of a choice.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

"No," she frowned and said quietly. "We can't." Ugh. Begging. Such was the fate of so many on Nar Shadda and it was a sad and doomed fate. That was one good thing her Da had done, kept them off the streets and kept them from starving, even if it meant the mess she was in now with Rasho.

The rest of the flight went quickly and she stuck to water. After closing her eyes for a moment, it seemed like they were landing. Limbs stretched and she began to unbuckle her safety belt. Palms rubbed against her eyes, surprised at how much she'd been sleeping lately.

"How long was I out?"

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"Pretty much the entire way." The journey had been short of course.

Nar Shadda sat directly on one of the most traveled hyperspace routes in the entire galaxy. It was part of the reason that so many people used the place, though of course it was also because imposing law after so many years of criminality was impossible. Anyone that thought they could tame Nar Shaddaa was a fool and a half, though more than a few had tried.

"We'll be safe." He told her quietly. "If you see someone follow us don't worry."

Perhaps it'd be odd that he preempted that. "Whatever you do, don't run."

Even odder, but he seemed deadly serious.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

Cerulean eyes widened slightly. Don't run? Went a bit against her nature. She stood, feeling light headed and disembarked from the shuttle. She stumbled against Wes once, before quickly righting herself.

"Sorry," she murmured. Head spun a little, fingers came down to pinch her side. Dark locks fell in front of her pale face. She leaned into him, trying to get her bearings. Made sense, since she hadn't eaten in over 24 hours.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

Wes walked straight ahead.

There was no delay in his step and no halting him. The Forger knew exactly where they were going. Nar Shaddaa was dangerous, but really only if you didn't know your way around. He may have been dressed nicely, but the way that he carried himself and the looks he gave to the local vagrants was enough for them to know he wasn't just a tourist.

He was one of them.

"Down there." He pointed towards and alleyway in the distance.

They would take it and head to the back of the Casino, there they'd be able to cut through the floor and head to his mothers old apartment.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

Just as quickly, he brushed her off. Hand shot out, latching onto one of the grimy outer walls. She pushed off it and managed to stride forward. Head lifted, hands jamming into her jeans pockets. Heeled-feet clocked forward, quickly behind Wes.

Most of Nar Shadda was Rasho's territory. They needed to be fast in the open. Without saying a word, she followed behind Wes, letting her fingers dig into her own side to keep herself focused. Pretty soon they came to a door at the end of his alleyway.

"Open sesame," she spoke dryly.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"Alright." He leaned in and told her quietly as the door folded open. "We head through the Casino then to my place."

It wasn't really his place of course, it had belonged to his mother. The Apartment had stayed empty ever since he'd left Nar Shaddaa mostly because no one else had deemed to occupy it. Hutts weren't very sentimental creatures, but their guards usually were.

His mother had been a staple of this place, and most of the workers here wanted to make sure her memory was respected.

"Don't engage anyone...or steal from them." That wouldn't go over well at all.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

"A casino?" Surprise flecked across her brow as she stepped through the door, following beside Wes. "Your place?" She spoke quietly, cerulean-gaze darting around the room full of gamblers. Most seemed happy enough, with that desperate glint in their eyes.

Most people ignored them as they wove through the flashing lights and loud sounds of slot machines, roulette tables and spinning and rolling dice. Fingers remained poking into her own side because the room seemed to be tilting a little. Head spinning with the tables.

"You grew up here?"

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"Yeah." Those had been good times.

Most would call a life spent living on Nar Shaddaa either terrible or downright exploitative, but not Wes. Perhaps his experience varied vastly from those of others, but he found that his time here on the Smugglers Moon had actually been rather pleasant.

Oh he was sure to most Nobles or even middle-class families his growing up would have seemed horrific, but in truth Wes didn't know any better and thus everything was more than fine to his way of looking at things.

"There." He told her as they moved through the Casino. "Up the stairs."

By now they had caught a few glimpses, though no one moved to stop them as they headed up the oddly placed staircase and onto the second story.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

She frowned, trying to imagine a life like this. Growing up here. Seemed rather sheltered and protected from the typical Nar Shadda life and maybe that's why Wes seemed more grounded than most under worlders. Good thing for her, too. Anyone else would've stabbed her in the back or sold her out by now. Or, at the least, let her give herself up to the Hutt - like she originally wanted to do.

Fingers relied heavily on the railing and she trudged up the stairs next to Wes. She paused on each step, moving sluggishly. Free hand went to cradle her head. She couldn't imagine growing up like Wes had, in a somewhat stable environment. The con artists had moved so much with her Da, being in one place for so long was a novelty.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

Wes put an arm around her, finally noticing that she was just about falling down.

He had been so focused on making it here from the starport that everything had sort of fallen by the wayside. He had grown up here on Nar Shaddaa, but that didn't mean it was any less dangerous. To someone that didn't recognize him he was still bait, someone to attack, someone to mug. The fine clothing that he and Alexia wore were only adding to that.

Had to be careful. "Hang on."

Wes said as they finally reached the top of the stairs. They had to turn once or twice in the hall, but eventually they reached an apartment door. There was a small keypad in place, rust hanging off of it. The number plate on the door itself had worn off, but that didn't seem to concern the Forger. He reached over and tapped a few keys, then a moment later the door slid open.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

"I can't believe you lived in a fancy hotel you're entire life," she muttered, looking right and left down the corridor. Checking, just checking. Even though she felt like she was about to collapse, she still remained cautious.

Footsteps dragged into the room, though a dark-brow lofted in surprise as the door slid open. She definitely expected the keypad not to work with the shape it was on. There was a thin layer of dust on everything with protective sheets over the furniture. Looked like someone hadn't used this place in a long time. There was a chair by the window. She stumbled over to it and plopped down, bending over, forehead cradled in her palms.

"Rasho will probably find out we're here soon. Can't stay long," she muttered, eyes squeezing closed.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"We'll be alright." He sounded confident.

"This place is owned by a Hutt." He told her. "Rasho is plenty crazy, but if he comes here he has to cross into a territory he doesn't really have any pull in, not to mention the Hutt Council will come calling."

That meant he had to be a bit more careful.

"We have a week." Maybe a bit more.

Slowly Wes moved into the room, patting one of the comfortable looking recliner chairs for Alexia to sit down in. There was a bit of dust on it, but that seemed to be true enough of most every piece of furniture within the room itself.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

She slipped into the chair feeling ever lightheaded by the second. "A hutt?!" She squeaked, looking up at Wes. Come now, Alexia, pull yourself together. She had to trust Wes and oddly, she did. He'd stuck everything out with her so far, even when it might've been in his best interest to run.

The conartist was drained, tried, and hadn't eaten anything in over twenty-four hours. She was on edge and had reached a very low end. Irrational thoughts began forming in her mind. And she was starting to feel like a caged animal. She was used to freedom even if it had only been an illusion. Because of Rasho, she was starting to feel trapped.

"Why don't I just go to the hutt council and plead my case? Bring the painting and prove that all debts are settled."

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

He shrugged.

"That won't do much." As he directed Alexia to sit down Wes began to search through the cabinets of the small apartment. Eventually he spied a small group of cans within the corner of one of the smaller cabinets. He pulled one free, checking the expiration date.

"Rasho doesn't capitulate to the Hutt Council." He explained. "He might nod and agree..."

He scooped a pot off the hooks from the ceiling and placed it on the stove. "But they won't really care if you were to disappear."

Nor would they care if he disappeared.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

Hearing the rummaging, head peeked up from its cradle in her fingertips. Dark, silky locks drifted across her pale features. Cerulean-gaze narrowed in his direction.

"You can cook?"

Stomach rumbled in protest and she quickly wrapped her arms around herself. No, no, no. No food. That's the only thing I can control now. Everything else....

Fingers pressed against her side and she couldn't help the slight watering of her mouth as the aroma of whatever he was cooking start to fill the room. "It would likely give you an easier chance to get away," she pointed out as she picked up their conversation, her wild thoughts churning again.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"I can open a can." He said plainly.

There wasn't really any need to brag here, mostly because he wasn't cooking anything fancy and couldn't. The food they had here was sub-par at best, probably near expiration. The chicken noodle soup would do well enough though, and it was family sized.

"No it wouldn't." Wes answered plainly. "I don't think you understand. There is no 'getting away'."

There was a slight bit of annoyance in his voice. "Wherever we run, wherever we hide, Rasho will just be waiting for us to creep up."

He frowned.

"He might not follow." Didn't have the resources. "But he'll be waiting."

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

His annoyance was catching not to mention her own fatigue and hunger adding to the top about to blow. And sometimes, she wasn't the most patient person. Frustration flashed in her eyes and across her brow. "Exactly!" She stood, knocking the chair over behind her.

Oooo. Ooo.

A little too fast.

She hated violence but she didn't want to live a half life because, that was no life at all. "Let's bring the fight to him," she took a wobbling step toward the door and and another, almost comically. "I know where I can get some guns. I'll do what I have to do."

She gulped.

"I'll be fine," she whispered.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"That's stupid." He said plainly.

"You're not a soldier." Wes said. "Neither am I."

Force he didn't even know how to clean a blaster. He had one back home, but he wasn't about to go charging into a crime lords den. That was just stupid, asking to be killed really. His head shook from side to side as he tried not to berate her.

"He has an army." His voice was becoming thick with annoyance. "We have a plan."

Wes reminded her. "Sit down. Eat. Shut up."

Stress was pretty high, and he really didn't want to follow any hair brained ideas about heroics against a guy that skinned people alive.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

Hand paused on the door-switch. He was right, of course. But a HUGE part of her was spent. She wasn't a soldier. They did have a plan. A hot sting filled her cerulean-eyes. The con artist wasn't looking for pity or understanding from Wes. She expected quite the opposite. She was just spent. And sometimes, a girl had to cry.

Slowly, she pulled away from the door. Shoes kicked off. Depression slammed into her like a weighty-wall, threatening to consume and bury her. "I'm not hungry," she mumbled a lie and went to the bed. Fingers wrenched off the dust covered sheet, sending a plume into the air as her back turned to Wes so he wouldn't see the hot-pools of water carving a path down her pale-skin.