Hondo I. Sackett
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Tonya walked toward the bazaar slowly. A little voice in her head told her she should not go, like Hondo wanted, but Valentine's words replayed so loudly in her mind that she just could not think straight. She loved them both, and Hondo was being the father to her she had craved for so long, so disobedience was the furthest thing from her mind. Her mind just was not processing her actions as going against Hondo, but more so as trying to escape the hurt the words that pounded in her head brought her. As she walked she thought. She wanted to cry some more, but she would not let herself. She had been here before, after a fashion. She had not felt love in a long time, not like she had felt from Hondo, Valentine, and even Fernando to a point, but she had felt like crying a lot in the past. It was not the first time she had been hurt or felt used and cast aside. But as a slave, and a wessen to boot, weakness could get you dead, and crying was seen as weakness. So to stay looking strong you got angry. Angry was something she knew and had been for so long it was hard to remember a time before she was angry. When the anger stopped, that time was clear as a bell. It was not the moment she met Hondo, but it was shortly after. Her anger started to dissolve the moment he came walking out of the woods holding Zoey in his arms and was almost a distant memory after he asked her to be his daughter. It was not that being his daughter was fading from her mind or heart, but old habits die hard and her anger was coming back as if by reflex. As the noise of the bazaar hit her, she was feeling the full on cold anger she was used to again. It almost felt empowering, but some voice in her did not like seeing it back, though the voice was small and quiet at the moment. The bazaar was much like she expected. It was loud, dirty, and rough. It fed her anger and quieted the voices in her head. The place was a mix of people of different races, businessmen mixed with hookers and farmers, wessens of all kinds, freemen, slaves, slave sellers, thieves, murderers, and self-appointed lawmen all packed in, pushing and bustling, each ones business more important than anyone elses. It was chaos, it was madness, it was the experience called the bazaar. As she walked she saw sellers of food, craftsmen, artisans, and whores plying their trades, junk sellers, junk buyers alike. Some people sold new items, some antiques, and some junk they called "priceless" antiques. Many sellers were wessen, some free and others trusted slaves selling for their masters. There were people there who looked like they could buy and sell the whole town several times over and poor, beaten down beggars just looking for a coin to buy food, or a scrap of bread to tame the aching emptiness in their bellies. As she past one food stall in particular a sight caught her attention and she moved in closer to hear the voices better. A dirty little wessen girl, Eisbiber she thought but she was so dirty and skinny, stood in front of a big man at a food stall. The poor little thing barely had any clothes on, what she did have were torn and thread-bare. She had no shoes, her hair was matted with dirt, and arm was bent as if it had been broken and not set properly. She held out her hands pleadingly before the big man as he shouted and pointed his finger away. As Tonya got closer she could hear what was going on. "Please, I'm so hungry! Just a piece of bread, please mister!" The little girl begged. "I've told you before, no money no food! Now get out of here!" He said as he kicked at her. She fell down trying to avoid his heavy boot, and she just sat there in the dirt and filth, seeming out of will to fight for life much further. a small timid looking woamn came out from behind the booth and knelt down beside the girl. She appeared to be half wessen maybe, part Indole Gentile, but it was hard to tell. She had a bruise on her face that looked to be pretty new, and was missing her pinky on her right hand and pinky and ring finger on her left. As she knelt beside the girl she looked up at the man with with pleading eyes. "Let her have my bread, please master. I can go without." She said meekly. He raised his hand as if to hit her, "Why you insolent bitch!" He stopped short as she flinched and raised her arm to protect herself. He lowered his arm with a huff. "If you're so eager to give up your food you can just not eat today. No get back to work before I cut off that thumb and make your left arm completely usless. I'd have to sell you as a street whore then. You're not a good enough #$@! to keep with only one usable hand!" He said chuckling evil as if he'd told some joke. She nodded and scrambled to her feet. "I'm sorry master." she said meekly. She went back behind the stand as the big man stood over the little girl. "Now, you git going and I don't want to see you again until you get hair in your crotch. Then maybe if you're a good enough #$@! I'll feed out. This one will be worn out by then anyway!" He said with a gaff as he nodded to his slave. He chuckled to himself and turned back to his stand, not waiting for the little girl to get up. Tonya stepped forward about then and helped the little girl up. She then turned grabbed some bread from the stand and handed it to the little girl. The girls eye's brightened and a smile came to her face. "Th..th..thank you." She stuttered meekly. Before Tonya could reply a strong hand grabbed her arm and spun her around. "Got you, thieving wessen scum!" The store owner bellowed. Tonya glanced back over her should at where the little girl had been but she had disappeared in the crowd. She turned back to the man, who was half lifting her off the feet by her arm, as he was as tall as Hondo, if not a bit taller, though she doubted he was stronger as much of his mass she was sure was fat. She glared and growled at him. "I'm not a thief! I had every intention of paying. Just was not going to let an innocent one starve while you wallow in excess!" she hissed "Got some fire in you. Not seen one so furry in a long time. Bet you're a real goer in under the sheets." He said as a leering grin played across his fat face. "I'd not do you the favor dead drunk!" She spat. He jerked her so hard her shoulder popped, then dropped her to the ground. "If you don't have the money to pay you'll do as I say or I'll turn you over to the slavers. There's a particularly nasty one that likes to... alter his slaves before selling them. He does it himself without pain killers. I think he'd even let me watch if I asked!" He said with a grin and a laugh. Tonya scrambled to her feet angrily and spoke with a snarl,"Just tell me what I owe you for the bread, you pig!" "Price of my bread is $5, for your kind it's $20, because you took it and gave it away before paying I'd have charged you $50, but because of that pig comment its $500 or I sell your ass!" He snarled back. Tonya angrily stuck her hand in her pocket and her heart jumped into her throat. Her pocket was empty. Hondo had given her some gold coins in case of emergencies, but she had emptied her pockets into her vest, which she had taken off before starting to help with lunch. Her vest was hanging in camper still which left her penniless. She tried to force a confident smile as she spoke almost shakily. "You wouldn't take my word that I could get you double in an hour, would you?" She asked The big man smiled a big ugly grin and chuckled, "Oh how I hoped you'd say something like that. Now, the question is, do I sell you or #$@! you first then sell you?!" Tonya spun on her heals and took off running. She didn't realize how badly he had popped her shoulder until then. As she ran the man bellowed loudly for all to hear "Thief!! Stop that Fuchsbau! She's a thief! 3 gold piece reward for that thief!" He bellowed. At that moment a want-to-be self-appointed lawman, dressed in black leather stepped out in the street in front of her. The crowd split with screams and gasps, and Tonya skidded to a stop and turned to try to run down an alley. As she turned something hit her shoulder blade with a dull thump, that left her shoulder feeling as if it were on fire. She reached back with her left hand and felt a knife sticking out of her shoulder. She half stumbled and looked behind her to see the man dressed in leather hot on her tail. She pushed herself, trying to get more speed out of her legs, but another dull thump, and a burning pain in the back of her thigh sent her sprawling face first into the dirt. She tried to move, tried to get up, but as she started to rise a knee slammed into her back and knocked her back, face-first, into the dirt. She struggled to free herself but the knee dug deeper into her back. "Stop squirming, filth!" A voice hissed. "Let me go! I'm innocent!" She pleaded. "None of you wessens are innocent. You're all filth. I'd slit your throat now and take the hide in for the wessen bounty at Fort Denver, if it wasn't that your hide is worth more alive at the moment!" He hissed. After a moment she settled down and was yanked to her feet. She tried to pull away but her bad arm was twisted up behind her back. "Fight me and I'll yank that arm, and twist that knife until you pass out!" He hissed. She stopped fighting as the pain was too much at the moment and the man was too strong, stronger than a human his size should be. She was marched back to the vendor in quick order, her left and should throbbing with every move. As they approached the big man at the stand he was grinning smugly at her. He frowned a bit as he saw the blood running down her shoulder and leg. "Did you have to poke her full of holes? I don't want to get blood on me when I #$@! her!... Well, not like that anyway." He said in a condescending tone. The "lawman" just stared at the vendor blankly. "I don't care what you do with this filth. Just have her fixed if you're gonna #$@! her. Don't need more of their kind around." The man said flatly. "I'll keep that in mind. Now, I expect you want paid. Just a moment." The big man said as he turned and walked behind his stall and grabbed a couple items. He came back out with four gold pieces, some hand cuffs, and a leather collar that had been modified to have eight spikes on the inside connected to four old dog shock collar packs. "Cuff and collar the bitch and I'll give you an extra gold piece." The big man said to the "lawman". The "lawman" nodded and took the money, pocketed it then took the cuffs and collar and put them on Tonya. "I'd have collared this filth for free." he said coldly. "I'll remember that for next time." The big man said with a grin. The "lawman" merely squinted at him for a moment before finishing his task. Once done he pulled the knife out of her leg and shoulder, and let her go. "She's your dog now." He said. Tonya turned and tried to run but a hot blue fire jumped out of the collar causing her eye's to roll back into he head and her body to hit the ground in a fit of spasms. It stopped for a moment and she tried to catch her breath but the pain his her again and sent her body into spasms again. Just as she started to lose consciousness it stopped and left her panting, shaking, and sweating on the ground. The big man laughed at her, "Ha, ha, ha! That never gets old! Now, you'll do what I say, bitch or I'll turn up the power on it! You'd better save your strength or you won't survive my friend poking around inside of you." About then a loud 'THWACK' sound was heard and the big man fell to his knees with a scream. Tonya couldn't see what was happening as her eyes were out of focus and filled with dirt and tears, but it sounded as if someone had hit the big man with a baseball bat or the like. As she looked up and blinked, trying to focus, she saw a gang of wessens standing off to one side. the crowd had parted for them and the roar of voices had fallen to a dull murmur. In the front of the gang of wessens a dark haired fox wessen, possibly a Vulpesmyrca, stood tall, right behind the big man. He was holding a black baseball bat in his right hand, thumping it menacingly like in his left. The "lawman" started to draw a throwing knife but one of the other wessen pulled out a .410 shotgun loaded with a slug and shot the "lawman" in the left shoulder. He dropped the knife and grabbed is injured shoulder, scowling at the wessen mob. The dark haired fox wessen clicked his tough and shook his head. "Ah, señor, Bringing a knife to a gun fight? Not very savvy, señor." He said. The "lawman" growled, spun on his heals and ran into the crowd. A couple of wessen started to give chase but the dark haired wessen whistled and shook his head. "Not today, amigos. We will get him later. We have other matters to deal with." He said Tonya tried to ease herself up, but she hurt all over and was too weak to with the handcuffs on. The dark haired wessen reached down and picked her up as if she weighed almost nothing. She stumbled and swayed on her feet but he held her gently, but firmly to keep her upright. As she looked at him he was maybe a little shorter than herself but he had seemed like a giant as he had stood over her a moment ago, and still somehow seemed like a giant among men and wessen alike. Many of his group were far bigger than him, and even Fernando and Hondo would make him look like a dwarf, but he had the attitude of a giant, and it showed. He smiled gently at her as he held her upright as she regained her senses. "The ground is no place for a beautiful señorita like yourself." He said in a strong soothing voice. He snapped his fingers and two female wessen rushed forward, one took the collar off her, and the other picked the lock on her handcuffs. Tonya swayed a bit but was starting to stabilize a bit. Her eyes locked on his, they were a dark green and they seemed to pull her in. He smiled softly at her. "I am sorry we did not get here sooner to keep this humiliation from happening." He said "Who... who are you?" She asked weakly. "My apologies, bonita. I am Hector De la Cruz, unofficial leader of os animais. We are a league of wessen who are tired of being treated like animales and banded together to fight for all wessen to have good lives." He replied "That sounds like a nice idea. Thank you, Mr. De la Cruz." She replied "That is Hector to you, bonita." he replied. "Bonita?" she asked. "Ah, forgive me. It means pretty one, in Spanish." He replied. She looked down at the ground, and embarrassed smile crept across her face. "I'm not pretty. I'm a dirty, mess at the moment, and unlike you I have the shame ..." She said quietly "Your pink hair? It's no shame. It's beautiful, its unique, its you. You are pretty.... and you could use a bath, some medical care, and some rest. Allow me." He said She squeaked slightly as he swept her off her feet. As he held her he turned to the big man who lay on the ground. He looked up at Hector with pleading eyes. "Please, Mister, Have pity." The big man pleaded. "Like you had on her? or the little girl? or the woman you call your slave?" Hector asked coldly. "I'm sorry... I"ll make up for it, I promise! Please have mercy!" He begged. Hector looked at Tonya, "What do you think, bonita?" Tonya sighed, "Let him go. He's not worth it." Hector nodded then turned to the man and spoke coldly, "She is your saving angel. Be gone from this town before nightfall or I'll end you myself." "Thank you, kind sir. You'll not regret it!" The big man said as he crawled over to the stand and pulled himself to his feet. Hector turned away and carried Tonya to a cart and gently placed her in it. He turned to one of the larger wessens close to him and nodded at the wagon. He nodded back and started pulling the cart with Tonya in it back to the wessen district of town. She wanted to protest but she was in pain and tired. as they pulled off Hector hung back a bit, and pulled a couple other wessens back. As soon as they others were out of earshot he spoke lowly to them. "Follow this asshole out of town. Once he's out of the towns's sight, kill him, throw him in a ditch and bring his wares back for the group." he said in a low tone. They nodded and silently moved off into the shadows to watch an wait. Tonya did not know when it happened but she soon passed out. She half woke up as two wessen women stripped her bare, shaved her fur around her wounds so they could clean them and sew them up, and then they cleaned her up. they gave her some medicine to drink and it wasn't much longer until things went dark again. Hondo followed her tracks to the edge of the Bazaar and lost it there. The place was bustling with people of all types, from the wealthy, to the down and dirty. Hondo shook his head. He was not sure how he would find her here, but hopefully he'd get lucky this time and be worrying about nothing. He stopped and chatted with a few of the vendors but as soon as he asked about a pink haired fuchsbau they would clam up and not be interested in talking, a couple even told him to leave in no uncertain terms. After about forty minutes of searching hit hit upon his first lead. A group of old coots were drinking beer, smoking pipes, swapping stories, and playing cards not far from the main beer tent in the bazaar. He decided to stop in for a beer and listen for any gossip. the guys at the bar in the tent were tight lipped so he wandered over to where the old men were shooting the shit. after a bit one of them took notice of him and spoke up. "Want ta sit in fer a hand, sonny?" He asked. "No thanks, old timer. Just wanted a quick beer." Hondo replied. "What's the hurry? Goin' to a fire or gotta man to kill?" He said with a straight face. Hondo raised an eyebrow which caused him to start laughing as did the others. "Heh, heh, lighten up, sonny. Life's too short to be so serious." he said Hondo chuckled lightly, "Sorry, just got business to attend to an' no one seems to give me the information I need." "Information? What you up to?" The old man asked. "Lookin' for someone. Someone I care 'bout and swore to protect, but they decided not to listen to me an' wandered off. Might not be anythin' wrong but everyone I ask 'bout her clams up or gets hostile. Just want to make sure she's alright." He said "She? ah, a love interest, eh?" the old man said with a grin. "More or a daughter, you could say." Hondo said seriously. The old man frowned, " I see. Had a daughter once." He shook his head, "She was so young when she died. I'd have traded everythin' to save her. Lost myself for a while after. Who ya lookin' for. Might not be able to help directly but might know how ta open the right doors for ya." Hondo nodded, "I'd appreciate it. Lookin' for a young woman, 16 years old, looks a bit older, bright pink hair." "Fuchebau?" one of the others asked warily. Hondo nodded again, "That would be the one." A couple of the old men just shook their head and turned away, some of the others murmured incoherently. The first one held up his hand to the other. "He has a right to know." He said "Quiet, you old fool! If they find out..." Another started to say. "If they find out, what? They kill me? I'm an old man. I don't have much longer as is. I'd rather not rack up any more regrets before I die!" he said. "Know what?" Hondo asked firmly. The old man sighed, "You missed a hell of a ruckus here, 'bout an eighty to ninety minutes ago. There was a jerk of a vendors down the way, hates wessens an' he's a pig. Had a run in with a fuchbau with pink hair." "Where is she?!" Hondo asked more firmly. "Let me just say I'm sure she's alright now. one of those wanna-be lawmen put a couple pig-stickers in her, and that bastard had some fun with a shock collar on her, but Os Animais saved her." He said. "Os Animais? Who are they and where is she, old timer?!" He asked with a growl. "Now, don't get your hackles up, sonny! Os Animais is a group of wessens. Some call them vigilantes, some call them thugs, they call themselves freedom fighters. They look after wessen injustices... sometimes. We think there is more goin' on, but we don't know. If they have her, though, she's safe for now. She's in Wessen Town, rumored to be under the care of De la Cruz." He said. "Where is this Wessen Town?" Hondo asked coldly. "It's on the northeast side of town, but you don't want to go there, son." the old man said. "Why? I've saved wessens. Hell, I have more human enemies in this world 'cause I have helped wessens, my friend and I have. I adopted two wessen girls as my own daughters on top of that!" Hondo said angrily. the old man shook his head, "It's commendable, I know. Hell, I got nothin' 'gainst them. Don't reckon they are any better or any worse than the rest of us, but those wessen think they are better, an' you are human. They don't care if you saved a million of them. You are inferior an' a a threat as a human. You go there, 'specially all het up you'll die there for sure. If they have yur girl she's safe, an' if she loves an' trusts you she'll be back. Just wait." "I can't wait." Hondo replied. One of the others sighed, "Oh hell. I might as well not have any new regrets either. Listen to this old fool, young man. He's an old fool, but he's not wrong. Now I happen to know that De la Cruz has an early supper at this one place at the end of town every weeknight. He's never missed when he's in town. The owner owes me a favor or two. How 'bout you. me, and this old fool go have us a tequila and wait for them. I'll have that bastard that owns the place put out a spotter to let us know when they are coming. I just need you to promise to keep your cool. If she's with him you can talk to her then, if not you might have a chance to approach him if he's in a good mood. He won't do aything to you there as long as you aren't rude." Hondo sighed and nodded, "What time does he usually get there?" To be continued....
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