Arianna's Tale Pt. 02

"Shit! Ow. Fuck!"

Arianna cried as she nearly wiped out after running into a patch of particularly scratchy bushes located in the middle of a large well-tended garden in the middle of the complex's yard. Thorns tore through her pants and bit into her legs as she forced herself to continue. Behind her, flashlight beams searched for her. She'd made some good ground, even running up a five-foot ramp and taking a daring leap off of it. She'd heard a rather concerning crunch in her knee when she'd landed but the adrenaline coursing through her veins had allowed her to ignore it and continue running. The notion had been to gain some distance by taking an unconventional route. It had at least worked.

Now she was running through the garden, stomping plants to death and making her way towards a large building that looked like a barn at the very back of the complex. She intended to keep going until she found the fence and then make her way around to the corner where they'd cut a hole. Her pursuers were quick, but she'd gained enough ground that she was able to run right past the large barn. A few curious noises echoed from inside of it as she passed. She was beginning to think this was some sort of kennel or boarding facility. But it also gave off such a strange vibe that she couldn't put her finger on. She'd always prided herself on being able to read a room, but this place just confused her.

She ran forwards through the dark. The moonlight had long since disappeared behind the snow clouds rolling in. So the only light she had to go by were the occasional beams of flashlights shining over her head. That didn't stop her from running headfirst into the fence, bouncing off and landing on her butt, "Fucking hell. This was such a stupid idea today." She cursed loudly, rubbing her head and standing up, dusting herself off as her senses caught up to her.

The people carrying flashlights were at the front of the barn behind her now and she knew if she remained any longer they'd catch up fairly quickly. She adjusted her backpack slightly, re-secured her baseball bat, and turned right, running along the fence line. Hopefully, Snips and Ajax weren't stupid enough to lead their pursuers right to the hole in the fence. That'd make getting out a lot more difficult. Since they'd come in at the front left of the facility, all she had to do was follow the fence line out and around to the hole. She ran as quick as her tiring legs would carry her. The flashlights behind her no longer seemed to pursue her. Maybe they thought she was hiding in the barn? Whatever it was, she was glad for the luck as she paused a moment, slumping against the fence.

Her legs were aching and she was more than a bit out of breath. It had to be at least a kilometer and a half or more from the back of the building to the fence line. She was in good shape, but at a full sprint she could feel her legs burning and her lungs aching as she greedily sucked in deep breaths. She didn't rest too long, knowing time was of the essence, so after a brief reprieve she turned and hurried off through the walk, letting her fingers trail the fence and guide her along.

Ten minutes later she was a hundred feet from the hole in the fence. There were flashlights in the field nearby but none of them were too near to the hole in the corner. It was now or never. She sprinted for the hole in the fence, ignoring the pain bubbling up in her right knee. Just as she got to the hole, several flashlights rolled over her. She paused like a deer in the headlights and then grinned, "Later fuckers." She proclaimed, before bowing and diving through the fence. An idiotic touch but she couldn't resist.

The second she was clear of the fence and the hedge she was off at a run down the side of the road. Lost to the night. She spared a glance over her shoulder. Nobody was chasing after her. Not even a single car left the facility. Hopefully, their note stuck and some more money came to Styx. Otherwise, this would end up being a pointless venture.

Jogging up to Snips car she'd lean on it, panting heavily and looking at the pair of them sitting inside the car.

"Oi! What took you so damn long Ari? Even Ajax made it back before you and he went the wrong bloody direction."

Arianna cast a sharp glare on Snips, "Fuckers chased me all the way to the back of the complex. Wasn't any quicker route. I'm pretty sure I messed up my knee..." She said, leaning down to press her hands to the sore joint. It was warm to the touch. She limped her way to the back door and threw her backpack into the car before climbing in.

"Well, we all made it out. I'd call that mission accomplished. Want to go bump out a few lines Ari?"

"No. I've got my own at home. Just drop me off. I'd much rather go back to bed." She grumbled slightly as the adrenaline slowly washed off of her and exhaustion and pain replaced it.

"Jeeze. You're no fun ever since Everle--"

"You don't want to finish that sentence Ajax. Unless you want your head smashed in like those windows." Arianna warned.

Snips interjected quickly, "I think what he meant, was that we kind of miss the old you. You used to be a little nutty like us. We should get messed up together sometime."

Arianna sighed and leaned back and closed her eyes, "Sometimes people change Snips. Having someone pass away in your arms can do that. Now shut up so I can catch my breath."

As per the request, the three of them rode in silence back into town. Snips took a bit of a different route in case they were followed and when he was confident that no other cars were tailing them, he pulled up in front of Arianna's tiny house and looked over his shoulder, "This was the most fun we've had with you in a while Ari. Let's do it again sometime alright?"

Arianna waved a dismissive hand, "Yeah, until next we meet fuckers." She chuckled and hefted her backpack and slid out of the car. Snips honked the horn twice and then drove off quickly leaving Arianna standing on the sidewalk at three AM.

She stood there for a moment minutes, closing her eyes and letting the cool breeze wash over her. It felt good against her sweat-soaked brow and sweat-slicked blonde hair which she tousled with her fingers. She'd need to have a shower, but she was exhausted and wasn't sure she was interested in doing so until tomorrow morning. She glanced down the road as the taillights of Snip's car disappeared around the street corner. Part of her way admittedly glad they had visited. She'd been barely out of her house except for Styx business, in over a month now.

With a bit of a sigh, she walked towards her house, limping slightly as a kind of inky, warm pain flushed through her knee. She'd landed pretty hard on that jump and it was coming back to bite her in the backside now. But she was a tough cookie and pushed her way into the house, closing and locking the door behind her. She leaned back against the door, her blue eyes falling across her mouse of a home. She could almost fall asleep right here, but she knew that sweet darkness was waiting for her in her bedroom, maybe even a quick poke in the arm before she slept.

She pushed off the door and headed into her blacked-out bedroom and off to the sweet retreat of drug-induced sleep.

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In a dark room full of screens showing every conceivable angle of both the exterior and interior of the building on the outskirts of a town, a woman wearing nothing but pajamas and a housecoat stood behind two people, tapping her foot impatiently, "Rewind the footage again." The brown-haired woman demanded and quickly on the large main screen a video was rewound to the point where Snips had called out Arianna for being slow.

"Arianna Allegri. I want every bit of information you can dig up on her by the morning shift, and call in our secondary doctor. We've got at least a dozen injured or hypothermic ponies in need of urgent care." The woman said with a growl.

"Yes, Miss Elanor. Anything else?"

"Yes. Show me the footage of her jump again." The video changed to a different feed, showing Arianna's run up the huge ramp and her surprisingly elegant leap off the top. Elanor watched it in slow motion, letting a small grin slip onto her lips, "The landing needs some work. Bet she felt that one."

"What are you thinking Miss Elanor?"

"None of your damn business. I'm thinking you should be on the phone with our doctor and getting the other orderlies to calm down the panic running through my goddamn building." She spun on her heel and walked out of the room without another word, heading down the main hall towards her office. It seemed she owned the local head of Styx a phone call. Kicking her office chair back from her desk, she'd settle into it gracefully and punch in a series of numbers onto her handheld.

"Ezio's phone wh--"

"Put Ezio on. Now."

There was a silent pause on the other end of the phone before the sounds of movement could be heard and a man's smooth, Italian accented voice came on, "Elanor. This is a curious hour for a phone call."

"Shut it Ezio. We still have an understanding with one another, correct? You leave my business alone, I don't sink yours. Correct?"

Another audible pause, "Yes, of course we do."

"Then why am I sitting here, paying off the police and fire department to not investigate the huge fire behind my facility, and the immense amounts of damage left behind after a note was taped to my door demanding protection money? Hm? Mind explaining that to me?"

"I can assure you Elanor, I have put out no such or--"

"Arianna Allegri. Ring any bells?"

Yet another long pause ensues, "Shit."

"Exactly. Shit. Your little blonde spitfire knocked over the wrong joint. Do you not have a leash on your people anymore Ezio? Do we need to re-negotiate?"

"No. We don't. Arianna is...a good crew member. She's been through a rather, let's call it, rough patch lately. I will see you are fairly compen--"

"You won't. I will see myself compensated. What is she worth to you Ezio? Some lessons are better taught in person rather than the exchange of money."

"...Elanor. Please."

"Don't say please to me Ezio. I've got a dozen people in intensive care because of her actions. I've got thousands of dollars in damages and to boot I had to pay off the police and fire department to turn around and leave. You can either give me her address and I will handle this personally, or you can consider our agreement null and void."

There's a lot of what sounds like cursing in another language before the sound of papers being rustled can be heard, "Look. She's been with us a long time. Just don't kill her, ok?"

"Ezio. There are better ways to teach someone a lesson than to kill them. I am not so crude as your gangbanging street crew. Violence only begets violence."

"Fine. 101 Pinecrest Drive. Not too far from you actually. And I'll expect fair compensation for the loss of a worke--"

Elanor slams down the phone without letting him finish and sighs, rubbing her temples as she considers the options ahead of her. The phone immediately began to ring again after she hung it up. She grabbed it and lifted it to her ear, not saying a word.

"Miss Elanor, how deep do you want us to go looking this girl up?"

"Deep as you can. I want to know everything by the time I wake up."

"Yes, Miss."

Elanor set the phone down on the receiver and looked up at the clock hanging above her door. It read 5:47 AM. Not a time she wanted to be woken up with an emergency of this nature. Already the gears were turning in her head.

What should she do about this problem? Only time would tell.