Time is Money (RP)

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(Part 25) For a complete list of this series, please go here.

** Apologies for the delayed posting today! **

Aly groaned as she peeled her eyes open.  The jungle air was thick and humid even during the night.  Aly wiped sweat from her brow, her hairline already damp, as she looked up at the starry sky.  She frowned with disappointment at the lack of cloud cover to mask the bright moon.

“I better get moving again,” she grumbled.  Aly started to jog south through the jungle, being sure to steer clear from the roadways.  Her gait was labored, her calf still sore and tender from the zeppelin master's bite.

As she neared Booty Bay, she decided not to cut through the port town.  Instead, she followed the coastline.  Aly was careful to stay within the shadows, having to pick her way around gorillas, raptors, panthers, tigers, and pirate camps.  By the time she reached the coastal camps, her leg had limbered up so that she was light on her feet.

Quick, agile, and silent.

Soon Aly could see the docks and a steamboat.  She hoped the boat would be ready for departure soon.  She squinted, but did not see the line for the large anchor.  It didn't appear to be docked for the night.  Aly took a couple deep breaths.  She didn't want the hours she just traveled in haste to be for nothing if she couldn't leave yet tonight.

Eying the pier, she noted where the bruisers were stationed before diving into the cool water.  Her arms and legs moved in smooth, powerful strokes as she swam towards the loading dock.  Aly resurfaced beneath the pier, treading water as she listened.  Counting the footsteps, she was able to time her climb onto the pier before the bruiser patrolled back to the end.  Ducking behind assorted boxes and ropes, Aly worked her way to the ramp and boarded the boat.

“You!” Krizkix dropped an armful of rope, startled at the sight of Aly.  He was about to walk back onto the pier when Aly blocked him on the ramp.

Aly held her hand up, signalling silence.  She crouched down, backing up into the shadows on the boat.  She motioned for Krizkix to come closer.  He stared at her, dumbfounded, but obliged.  He stumbled over the pile of rope he dropped, barely catching his balance.

“Come closer!” she hissed at him, waving urgently.  Krizkix hestitated, then took one more step towards her, but he was still more than an arm's length away from her.

“Oh stop looking at me like that!” Aly fluttered her eyelashes, swatting playfully at him.  “Your lead was great.”

Krizkix slowly grinned, the moonlight illuminating his grotesque teeth as they jutted out between his lips.  He scratched his ear, looking around.  “Good, good.  You got that elf?”

Aly shook her head slowly.  “Not yet, but I followed her back here.  That's why I had to hide when you saw me.  I can't blow my cover now.”

“Oh, no.  No.  Don't want that,” he said in a strained whisper, ducking slightly himself.

Aly held up a shiny gold piece between her thumb and forefinger.  “I want to thank you…”

Krizkix's eyes lit up, focusing on the gold piece.  He scurried closer, reaching out for it.  As his grimy hand closed around it, he gasped.  Aly's other hand clamped around his throat, cutting off his airway.  Krizkix's eyes bulged out, his mouth moving like a fish out of water.  He let go of the gold piece, which she still held pinched between her fingers, and tried to claw her hand away from his throat.

“You thievin' little piece o'…” Aly sneered as she squeezed his throat tighter, dragging him closer so that he was just inches from her nose.  “You stole my gold, gave me fake info, and wasted….”

Krizkix spit in her face.

Aly glared, sinking her dagger into his belly.  “…my time.”

She released him and watched him in disgust as he flopped and writhed about in agony.  The wound was deep with a steady flow of gushing blood.  Placing her foot on his chest, she pulled her dagger free.  She wiped it off on his clothes then resheathed it in her boot.  She rummaged in his pockets, taking whatever gold pieces he still had on him.  Aly laughed maniacally as she discovered that the greedy goblin couldn't bare to be apart from his gold.  She was able to recover nearly every piece she had paid him.

Krizkix coughed and sputtered, trying to speak.  Aly sighed.  “Fine, you can keep one.”  She smirked as she stuffed one of the gold pieces into his mouth, jamming it to the back of his throat.  Krizkix gagged, gurgling noises coming from his throat.

The boat began to hum as the crew worked below deck to start the paddle wheel.  The captain rang the bell, signaling the boat's near departure.  Aly scanned the area and worked quickly to dispose of her handy work.  She grabbed the pile of rope that Krizkix had dropped and looped it around his neck and shoulder a few times.  She tore off a large portion of his shirt before pushing him overboard.  She looked around again, more carefully this time.  Once she was sure that no one was interested in the splash, she used Krizkix's shirt to mop up his spilled blood then threw that overboard as well.

Aly smacked her hands together, satisfied.  She peered over the side, looking down at the goblin's limp body.  He was floating in the water, tangled in the rope.  “By the time someone finds ya -if there's anything left- it'll look like an accident.  You should be more careful handling the rope lines, don't you agree?”

Aly laughed quietly to herself as she slipped below deck.  It was time to settle in for the long ride to Ratchet.

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