Chapter 66. Takeover

Friendly Jim was a far less affable fellow than his name would otherwise have you believe. It was a nickname that had been bestowed upon him with more than a little irony by the first of his many victims, just before Jim had finished the poor fellow off with a jagged bit of broken glass and a loathsome smirk as he delivered the finishing blow.

"Well, ain't you a friendly one," his victim had managed to mutter through his shattered teeth just before his throat was cut with a rough swipe to the left.

"Yeah, ain't I, though?" Jim had said in response before settling down to listen to the other man's gurgling final breaths.

The old man's death had been a splendid show. It was also the fondest memory he had of his father. Certainly, it'd been the most productive time they'd spent together in years.

He hoped the old bastard was now in hell, burning in eternal anguish while screaming in impotent rage at his murderous son. That would teach him to try making him clean up his room, wouldn't it?

The old fool had meant his last words as an insult, but Jim quite liked the sound of his new name, and so that was what he chose to call himself from that moment on. Friendly Jim, the friendliest Jim you could ever hope to meet. Unless you owed him money, or you had something that he wanted, or especially if you had disappointed him but had the gall to show your face in his presence.

On occasions such as those, that was when people learned very quickly that the word 'friendly' could take on all kinds of unintended connotations. It really depended on the situation.

It seemed that one of those situations had once again arrived when (N)everly and Tyler came strutting into his base of operations as though they owned the place. Dressed in expensive looking clothing and carrying themselves as if they hadn't a care in the world. Two things happened as soon as Jim saw the pair of them in his lair.

The first was that he briefly saw red in such murderous intensity, that he worried that he'd burst some sort of vein in his eyes. The second was that he was deeply confused about the inclusion of the young girl hanging on Tyler's arm. She was a lovely young thing, wasn't she? Well-fed, with healthy coloring, and bright white teeth to compliment that dazzling smile of hers.

Was this Tyler's woman? She had to be a fellow student at the academy. No common born girl that attractive lived around here. Jim would have had her already if that was the case. Well, no matter. She might have merely been a thrill-seeking young fool following her beau around on a whim, but her curiosity had just condemned her to a cruel fate.

She wasn't going to be leaving here any time soon.

Renting out a noble girl with looks like hers will soon have gold spilling out of my pockets, he thought to himself with an ugly sneer. After I have a taste for myself, of course.

Normally, Jim wouldn't have dared to lay a finger on a member of the nobility. But the necessity of covering up for Tyler's colossal screw up meant having to make certain adjustments to his standard business practices.

Obliviously, the girl looked at Jim and matched his knowing smile with one of her own. Ah, what a silly little thing she was. A young angel who would soon grow up more quickly than she thought.

The chief hideout of the Royal Bay Hobbs was located inside of a large storage warehouse near the ports of the capital. Here, among the many goods temporarily stored inside of it, Jim and his Hobbs conducted their illicit business safely away from the prying eyes of the city watch and any other troublesome individuals that might feel compelled to ask questions that the Hobbs didn't want to answer.

It was an ideal location for a small criminal enterprise. Not too close to the docks where the larger gangs constantly battled to expand their territory and influence, but also not too far from the city where their customers were located. Jim was quite fond of this place.

The soundproofing was excellent as well.

Which was why the sight of Tyler, who was currently wanted for questioning in regard to the deaths of a few dozen dead citizens as well as a handful of young nobles, one of which was the child of a bloody duke, put Jim in such a sour mood. Did the fool have no sense? Why would he come here of all places and bring his troubles to Jim's door?

"Tyler, my boy!" Jim called out with a cheerfulness that he didn't truly feel. "What brings you by this fine evening? And who's that lovely peach hanging on your arm? Now, now, no need to be shy, girlie. You're among friends, here."

Tyler hesitated to speak before the girl standing at his side dug her elbow into his side a bit. "Uh, hey. Hey, Jim. Just dropping by to bring you the payment as requested. Yeah, got it all taken care of, just like you wanted. Every silver and copper piece accounted for. No problem."

"No problem?" Jim asked as he rose from his chair, from which he normally conducted business like a monarch on his throne. "No problem, did you say? Oh, Tyler, I just don't know about that, my lad. It seems that all manner of problems have popped up, despite your words."

"Uh," Tyler said uncertainly as he wilted before Jim's furious glare. "Uh, the thing is, Jim, there were…uh. Extantious—"

"Extenuating," the girl at his side corrected.

"Uh, extenuating circumstances," Tyler said lamely. "You know, like Aiden wasn't being cooperative, and uh, wasn't showing the, you know, proper respect. And then he started trying to fight back, and there were, you know, witnesses. It's, it's taken care of. Everything's sorted, there's nothing you need to worry about."

"Tyler," Jim said with slowly growing menace. "Everyone who was in the club with you that day is dead. But plenty of people on their way out saw you enter it and knew that you had problems earlier in the week with little lord Aiden. You're alive, he's dead. It ain't hard to piece together what happened there. And now…you're in MY HOME, perhaps bringing some undue attention my way…it really makes me wonder just how much of a fool you are!"

"Oh, relax, drama queen. Tyler already said it was taken care of," the blonde girl said nonchalantly. "No one's going to be looking for him, and all those little witnesses that have got your baby balls shriveling have been given a stern talking-to. Haven't you heard? The culprits of this heinous crime have turned themselves in."

"What is this bitch talking about?" Jim asked in irritation.

"Oh, uh, Jim, no. Don't do that. Don't say that." Tyler said very quickly with widened eyes.

"Why? Are you going to puff your chest out and defend her honor?" Jim said derisively.

"Hey, don't underestimate my man," the girl said as she pressed herself tightly against Tyler. "He's got a killer instinct. Just ask all those losers in the club. My baby steps up when he as to, don't you, baby?"

"Tyler, who the hell is this?" Jim demanded to know.

"You know, you are allowed to direct your questions to me personally," the girl said with a slight frown. "But since you insist on knowing, I'll tell you. I'm his Sid and he's my Nancy."

"Never heard of them," Jim replied flatly.

"It's a romantic legend about a pair of star-crossed lovers that ended perfectly well for everyone involved with no complaints from anyone. It also had a bitchin' soundtrack," the girl replied.

"What did you mean by saying the real culprits have confessed?" Jim asked her.

"Exactly that," the girl said as she stepped away from Tyler and began circling Jim. "Before coming here, we paid a visit to…uh, what were they called again, Ty?"

"The Bronze Badger Boys," Tyler said reluctantly.

"Yeah, those schmucks," the girl smirked. "We stopped by their place, which by the way, was a lot bigger and more impressive than this cruddy little warehouse, and we had a conversation with their upper management. It was productive. Wasn't it productive, baby?"

"Y-yeah," Tyler said. "It was…it was really productive."

"You expect me to believe that the Bronze Badger Boys let you two stroll into their territory and talk to their top men?" Jim said with disbelief.

"Yep!" Everly said brightly. "And not only that, but they agreed to take the fall for us. They were such sweet boys! Eager to please and willing to listen. I can totally see how they became the biggest organization on these docks."

"Stop spitting nonsense!" Jim yelled.

"It's not nonsense, it's the truth," Everly said. "It serves the narrative perfectly. The badgers are the most dangerous crew in the capital. Everyone knows that. It makes sense that a pack of vicious criminals like them would be tied to the death of a duke's son. I mean, who would believe it if someone said that a second-rate collection of wharf rat nobodies, like the Hobbs, were involved? Excuse my saying so, Jimmy my lad, but you exist purely on the shit-tier. Someone like you is barely dangerous enough to sell a pack of smokes to a schoolboy with a tobacco habit."

"What did you just say to me?" Jim said quietly.

"You already heard, nimrod," the girl said impatiently. "But don't feel disheartened by my completely accurate assessment of your innate worthlessness. Just because all of you are trash doesn't mean you're not recyclable. The fact that the Hobbs are such utter nonentities means you'll make the perfect disguise for someone with real ambition. Congratulations! You're being recruited!"

"Tyler," Jim said ominously. "If you don't shut this bitch up right now, I'm going to—"

"JIM, I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL HER THAT," Tyler said in horror, his face twitching with barely suppressed fear as adrenalized tears began to leak from the corner of his eyes.

Jim stared at the boy in confusion, bewildered by the naked terror that he now exuded. What was going on here? What was this fool so afraid of?

"I'm sorry, Jimmy. I believe there's been a slight misunderstanding," the girl said from behind him. "When I said you were being recruited, you weren't being included. I just want your men, see? They're now a part of my organization. But you know how it is. When one company takes over another, the last thing anyone really wants to deal with is entrenched management. It'll help everyone adjust faster if the old leadership goes away. So…time to go."

"Break this little whore's leg and drag her to my bed," Jim ordered his men. He'd had it up to here with this snotty little noble's belittlement and threats. Time to show her who she was messing with. He was going to use her, break her, and then profit from her body until she died.

It was time to wake her up to reality.

Imagine Jim's surprise when someone lifted a heavy club and smashed it directly against his leg, snapping the bone in half on impact.

"AAAAAAAAAGH!" Friendly Jim screamed as he tumbled to the warehouse floor.

"Tiiiiimber," the girl laughed as she watched him fall. Then she settled into Jim's chair to recline and relax. "Good work, Eris."

All around the warehouse, the Hobbs stood at rigged attention. Their faces were blank, and their bodies were machinelike in their movements, as though the personalities that once dwelled within had been displaced by something that had reduced their lives to mere mechanical puppetry.

An explanation that wasn't too far from the truth.

I live to serve your will, Lady Neverly, said a voice that only Tyler and the girl could hear.

"Of course, you do. And now, so do they," Neverly smiled as she crossed her legs and gestured at her new soldiers. "I have to say, though, Eris. This conquest feels a little flat. Isn't there something more that we could add? Something to really distinguish this moment from all the fun still to come?"

Are you asking for my input? Eris asked in surprise. Everly always preferred that I keep my suggestions to myself. She finds my tastes extreme.

"Well, I can understand her reasoning, since I'm also Everly, but that doesn't mean I should stifle your creativity. A good supervisor is one that's willing to listen. So, tell me! What do you think this situation requires to bring it to a proper conclusion?"

Well…Eris said thoughtfully. Would it be a remarkable thing if you made your new recruits eat their old leader alive? While also making him devour himself?

"Holy shit, that's vile!" Neverly said in disgust. "I love it. But don't stop there. You're an artist, my girl. I want to see how you paint.

As my lady commands, Eris said happily.

"Uh, uh, can I leave? Can I please leave? I-I don't want to see this," Tyler said miserably.

"No, you come here and rub my feet," Neverly said. "We did a lot of walking today! I deserve a treat. Come here."

Neverly gestured impatiently with her foot. Reluctantly, Tyler stepped past the sobbing Friendly Jim to kneel before her. First, he unlaced and carefully removed her boot, then he slowly pulled her stocking down her until her bare foot was exposed.

After spending a few moments breathing on his hands to warm them before making contact with her, Tyler began to gently rub the bottom of her foot between his hands, pressing his thumbs against her arch and then slowly sliding them down toward her heel, while Neverly sighed in contentment at his touch.

"Oh, my god, Tyler. I think I'm going to keep you around for a while," she said to him with blissful contentment.

Behind them, Jim screamed in helpless terror as his men began to tear away his clothing and rip into his flesh with their fingers and teeth.

Tyler said nothing and concentrated on his task.

Neverly giggled at the entertainment. Then she kicked Tyler in the face, knocking him into the feeding frenzy.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he shrieked. "What did I do wrong?!"

"Nothing, nothing, it's all right," Neverly said as she helped him to his feet and pulled him away from the carnage. "I'm just ticklish, that's all."

"Oh," Tyler said unhappily.

"Ohhhh, you poor thing," Neverly said sympathetically.