The hunted.

[D20ragon]

The rain hammered down on the cheap roof of the warehouse.
Once used as a temporary storage area for a spell dealing company, the place had fallen into disuse after the prohibition.
The police had confiscated the spells and turned the building over to be demolished.
But the city had decided it wasn't worth the time, and merely denied the public access, leaving the old place to eventually fall apart on its own.
And here it was, on the cracked and dirty concrete floor, that a goblin knelt before a dwarf and begged for his life.
I swear, you'll never even notice that I'm here!
The wretches sobs echoed around the small space, the rain drowning them out.
I just need protection for a few weeks, and then I'll be gone!
Please!
The goblins clothes had once been good ones, the traditional baggy purple trousers made of silk, his red jacket and hat both expensive.
But now they were torn, wet, muddy, bloodstained.
I can get you money! You don't know... You don't know what they do to people! You don't even know...

[darklink_shadow]

Jack sat in a chair, chomping on sandwich that was brought to him by one of his underlings. Unfortunately for you, I know exactly what they do. I'm not a man outside the know, you fool. He returned to his sandwich, holding up a hand as the man started to protest. After finishing the sandwich, he rubbed his beard while looking at the roof of his hideout. Lacy, bring me my log book. He called out, waiting for one of his female assistants to return with the book of all the favors he owed, and all the favored owed to him. They were written in a garbage looking script that only The Giant himself could read. He scrabbled a few words down, and then glared at the pathetic groveling creature before him.

I'd say this is a pretty big favor you owe me. Even after the money you'll bring in. That's fine. If you want to stay, I'll have to throw them off your trail. I'll have someone tell someone to tell someone that you've run off to Canada. What was your name again? Jack's glared shifted slightly, as he scrutinized the goblin in front of him. And who, specifically, as in the man, not the organization, who did you piss off? I can't feed lies to people, if I don't know who's coming to dinner.

[D20ragon]

The goblin shakes his head frantically.
I don't know!
That's just it!
I don't know who they'll send!
Oh god, I don't know....

[darklink_shadow]

The Giant leaned forward and grabbed the man's shirt. How do you know their mad at you, you goddamned fool? If you honestly want my help, you're going to give me a hellovalot more information. If not, I'll tie you up here and announce that I've captured you for anyone who wants you, reward pending.

[D20ragon]

I had kids, alright? I needed some way of feeding 'em, right?
They said it was just one little job as a torpedo, and that they'd hide me when it's over.
So they give me a hideout. Full of cops! The mother****ers sold me out!
I barely made it out, and I came to you. None of my buddies wanted anything to do with me, the ****ers.
All right, I told you! Izzat good enough? Now please!

[darklink_shadow]

Not enough to feed your kids? Those are awfully fancy clothes for someone too poor to feed their kids. The Giant leaned back in his chair, clearly losing interest in the conversation.

[D20ragon]

So I like my luxuries! You gonna begrudge me that?
The goblins voice rises higher, shaking.

Hey! Pay attention!

You know what?
Fine! You ****ing bastard, I come to you for help and you ignore me. Maybe I'll be dead, then! But I promise, no matter how bad it is for me, it'll be worse for you! Remember that, ****er!
With that the goblin begins to back away, stepping backward with quick, angry strides.

[darklink_shadow]

You weren't dismissed. If you leave now, I'll consider it an insult and string you up myself. I'll chop you up, and my have good friend the butcher sell your flesh to your family as pork. Do not **** with me, little goblin. Unless you've got an army, I don't know how you expect to leave this room alive, unless I let you. But to answer your little question, yes I begrudge you your luxury while your family starves.

[D20ragon]

And I say try to stop me, and welcome!
The goblin replies. His voice is shaky, the voice of a desperate man whose got no choices left.
His boots click on the floor as he continues to walk away.

[darklink_shadow]

Jack frowns. He gestures for his goon to grab him. Tie him up, and throw him in the freezer. He says to the bulkiest of his thugs. He clearly needs to cool his head before we continue this conversation.

Turning his gaze back tot he goblin, he shakes his head. That's strike one and two, bub. I know a butcher, and he'll cut you up real nice. If you decide to run, I'll make sure your kids don't starve. At least for another day. Don't be stupid. You've been stupid. Don't be stupid.

[D20ragon]

I don't think so.
The goblin stops, a nervous smile on his face.
I don't think you will.
His hand goes to his coat pocket, and now a gun is in his hand, and pointed at his own temple.
I don't think I will go to the freezer. I think you'll do what I say, or I'll squeeze the trigger, and then you can deal with the consequences.

[darklink_shadow]

Fine. Jack says, gesturing for his men to continue to grab him, and to shoot him if needed. I'll, again, just chop you up. Nobody will know, or even care you died. Put him in the freezer, dead or alive. Whichever is easiest for you, men.

[D20ragon]

And the best part is, you won't even know that their coming for you till it's too late.
Could be your closest friend. You won't even know...
Keep the gun once I'm finished with it. You might want to take the easy way out.
The goblins finger yanks the trigger. The gun jerks, the bullet spins from the barrel, imbedding itself in the goblins brain.
His head jerks forward, then back, goblin brain and blood spattered across the wall.
His knees give way first, buckling beneath him. Then his hands, releasing the gun to fall with a clatter to the floor.
His other arm spasms forward, palm upward.
Then he collapses, falling face down to lay in a pool of his own... black? blood.

[darklink_shadow]

Jack shrugged. In the freezer, like I said. He addressed his thugs curtly, genuinely annoyed at the display of infantile stupidity.

Turning to another person he beckoned them over. Trying to cover this up won't do us any good. I want it known that some idiot goblin ran in here and blew out his brains when I told him to calm down and explain his situation. Whoever these guys were that were after him are friends of friends at best, and enemies of enemies at worst. We'll turn over the corpse and move on. Get someone to look into why an idiot goblin would have black blood though. I want to know that deal tomorrow morning. Call Doc. See if he knows something. Then look into this guy's family. Scope them out. If they really are starving, set them up with a decent meal and get the wife a job working for someone who works for us. I'm not going to have some idiot ruin his family's life too, just 'cuz he got greedy. If his kids are old enough, find them jobs too. Let them know The Giant takes care of the poor. If the kids are too young, make sure they are in school.

Dismissing his aid with the flick of his hand, he stewed for a minute. F*ckin' idiot. Godsdamned idiot. Piss-ant. Idiots pissed him off. Being pissed off made him hungry. He gestured for someone to bring him another bite to eat and waiting for someone to tell him Doc was here to look at the corpse and the blood, or for his connections to reveal what this whole mess was.

[Sgt. Pepper]

Rap rap rap! A knock comes at the door.

"Doctor Boston, sir?" A timid feminine voice follows.

"What is it now, Ms. Jennings?"

The door opens, and entering is a young woman, unremarkably plain, clutching a notepad.

The opening also allows a little more light to drift into the office of Dr. Benny Boston, but it does little to improve the décor. The paint on the walls is peeling, the floorboards are scuffed and the furnishings are plain and utilitarian. The only items of note in the room are the shelves of medical accouterments, and the decidedly scruffy satyr sitting behind the desk, smoking a pipe and reading a chart.

"Well?", he asks, looking up from the chart at his secretary.

She meets his gaze for a moment, then looks away. "Well there was a man on the phone... Said he'd met you a few nights ago. He said to tell you you're needed to help with a body. Said you're to meet with a giant at the old spellmongers warehouse... and that there would be 'more of the that where that came from', uhm, whatever that means."

Benny rubs one of his horns thoughtfully, opening a drawer in his desk and looking down at the yellow envelope full of bills. A few nights ago a pair of obvious mobster types had come in to his little practice. One of them had been shot -nothing serious-, and he had patched him up. The other had left the envelope, saying that there would be more where it came from, and that they'd call on him in the future. It was more than he would have charged them by a large margin. The call had obviously come from one of them.

"Very well Ms. Jennings. You'll have to reschedule my remaining appointments for the day."

"But you don't have any-"

"I'll need my coat, Ms. Jennings."

"Uhm, yes doctor."

----------------------------------------------


A short while later, Benny pulls up to the warehouse. Spying a few men in cheap suits milling about outside, Benny exits the automobile. Grabbing his medical bag he walks towards them, hoofs clopping on the pavement.

"Any of you folks seen a giant around here?"

[darklink_shadow]

Several thugs loitered the outside of the warehouse. A few of them managed to partially conceal the guns they carried, some held them out openly. The arrival of the man didn't seem to register on the majority of them, but a few approached him. Yeh de docta? De gient iz this weh. A single man spoke with a strange accent, and gestured with a gloved hand towards the inside.

At the door stood another man who opened the door for Benny and followed him in. Beyond a few shelves was a large open room. On the floor was a strange corpse and a little further on was an ugly dwarf sitting in a simple wooden chair, with a thick leather cushion. He was eating salad from a wooden bowl, but he set it down on a box next to him as he spotted Benny. Welcome doctor. Some idiot came into my little shop here, made a few wild demands, and then shot himself when I told him to chill. Wouldn't normally need a doctor, but as you can see, something is unnatural about the little bugger. I was under the impression that goblin blood was a yellowish color, although that might be a myth. I am sure, however, that black blood isn't natural. You do good work, several of my men sing your praises. Tell me what you know.

[Sgt. Pepper]

Benny looks over dwarf before him Ah, one of those "clever" mobster nicknames. His thought goes unsaid.

"Very well." Benny nods to the dwarf, and kneels down next to the body, examining the fatal wound it wrought on itself. "Black blood, eh? Certainly not natural for goblins- and I know that from experience."

Opening his medical bag, he removes an eyedropper and a small sealable jar. Sucking up a few drops at a time he fills the jar about halfway and reseals it. He holds up the jar to the light for a moment to see if it has any translucence. Shrugging, he drops the jar into his bag. "There's any number of reasons for the colour of his blood. There are a number of drugs that might do it. Some spells that enhance one's physicality have odd side effects as well. Or maybe he simply had too much iron in his system."

The doc dips his middle finger into the largest pool and examines it on his finger. Rubbing it between his finger and thumb, he gives a sniff, and then dabs some of it on his tongue. The rest he then wipes off on the front of his doctor's coat, leaving an ugly streak on the white cloth.

Is there anything I might know about this? Most of my knowledge on this universe is presumption, but my character might have come across something similar in the past.

[darklink_shadow]

Drugs? Hmm. He seemed a bit off, but not like he was on drugs. The giant struggled a bit, but managed to get off his chair. I appreciate you coming down so quickly. Let me know what you find out.

I also want to use my connections to find out anything I can about who might have been after this goblin, or why his blood might have been black. Once I get some intel in, I'll have some decisions to make.