As the heavy doors swung open, Fii immediately caught sight of Orion behind his usual post at the front counter. He wore a crisp, white shirt and a navy vest, with a black tie draped loosely around his neck. His silver-flecked hair was slicked back, and his bright, hazel eyes twinkled in the dim light.

He was absorbed in a leather-bound book, propping his head up with a hand. When he noticed Fii and Virgil enter the library, he straightened and closed the tome with a snap. He rose from his seat, smiling warmly.

"Ah! Fii! Such a pleasure to see you again, dear girl! I see you've brought a friend." Orion turned to face Virgil with a beaming smile, extending his hand toward him. "Welcome to the Gilded Library, where knowledge awaits with open arms."

Fii elbowed Virgil and whispered, "Say hello back, don't be rude."

"Ah, greetings." Virgil accepted Orion's proffered hand and shook it, dipping his hat in greeting. "I take it you're the owner of this establishment?"

Orion inclined his head graciously. "Indeed. You must be quite a perceptive fellow." He withdrew his hand and tugged on his vest, smoothing the material. "Now, how may I be of service today?"

Fii explained the situation briefly to Orion, explaining how they needed to obtain a detailed map of the slums, or at least a list of old building names and locations.

"Ahh, I see." Orion stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I suppose I may be able to offer something along those lines." He adjusted his glasses and motioned for them to follow him. "Please, come this way. I may have something of use to you in our catalog."

Orion led them deeper into the library, past rows of shelves and tables laden with books and scrolls, until they arrived at a circular reception desk, lit by the glow of several lamps hanging above it. An ornate globe of the earth and a brass lamp rested upon a round, wooden tabletop. His fingertips glided lightly over several dusty tomes and papers scattered across the surface before he pulled out a large scroll from the pile and unfurled it over the table. The parchment crinkled slightly under its own weight as Orion let go of the ends.

The scroll showed a detailed layout of the slums, complete with street names and landmarks.

Fii hardly recognized most of them, though. She guessed only a handful of the landmarks still existed. Everything else had probably fallen apart by now. The buildings surrounding those markers were likely replaced with shanties. It seemed like nothing stayed the same in the slums. Nothing, except this library, thankfully.

"Interesting." Virgil gazed down at the ancient paper, studying the contents intently. He traced his finger along various routes and pathways. "This is actually incredibly detailed. This must be from the time period directly before the metropolis development project began."

"Yes indeed," Orion agreed, nodding solemnly. "Some of these roads, alleyways, and intersections have changed since then, though I would assume you could extrapolate from this and your own knowledge to find what you're looking for."

Fii scanned the map, taking in every detail as best as she could.

Kijiru Pharmaceuticals, Kijiru Pharmaceuticals, come on...be here somewhere... Fii squinted, straining her eyes, searching for any trace of the building's name. After several minutes, she spotted a faint label scribbled in the far right corner of the parchment. The tiny marker was partially obscured by a watermark, but she could just barely make out the word "Kijiru."

There! Gotcha, you little sucker.

She jabbed her finger at the location, triumphant. "There!" She glanced over at Virgil, who had been observing her with mild amusement. "Look. Right there, Virgil."

He bent over and squinted at where she was pointing. "Hmm, yep. Looks like this is the place. Seems like we owe you a debt of gratitude, Mr. Orion. This is exactly what we needed."

Orion laughed cheerfully, waving away the comment with a wave of his hand. "Oh, pish-posh, please, such formality! Just call me Orion. Mister makes me feel so old!"

"But you are old," Fii muttered under her breath, smirking.

"Now, now, I heard that," Orion chided playfully, pinching Fii's cheek in reproach. "I have excellent hearing for my age, you know."

He smiled brightly at them and rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Anyway, I digress! We were talking about maps. Is there anything else you might need assistance locating? Any other information, perhaps?"

Fii glanced around the room, her gaze falling upon stacks of old, discarded books lying on tables. "How about a book recommendation? Maybe something like a novel, or a fantasy story or something."

"A book, you say? Yes, certainly." Orion circled around the receptionist counter and beckoned her forth, his hand hovering in the direction of a nearby bookshelf. "Perhaps I might interest you in one of these titles?"

He indicated a collection of leather-bound novels lined up neatly on the shelves. A layer of dust coated the tops of their spines, giving them a faint, ethereal glow.

Fii walked over, scrutinizing them carefully. Her eye caught on a particular title: The Saga of Ebonheim, Volume 1. She pulled out the book, running her thumb along the gold lettering embossed on its spine, then blew the dust off, causing tiny motes to scatter and disappear in the air. A soft, rich, pleasant aroma wafted from its pages, and she flipped the cover open to peek inside, inhaling the smell. "I like this one. Yeah, this is nice."

"Wonderful! The Saga of Ebonheim is an excellent choice, a classic. Very entertaining." Orion tapped his chin with a fingertip, glancing down at the tome thoughtfully. "Though, do keep in mind that this story is incomplete. I don't believe the author ever completed writing the rest of the series, sadly."

"It's okay. That's fine," Fii assured. "I'll make do. Thanks."

"All right, I'll add it to your borrowing record." Orion took the book from Fii's hands and opened a ledger, scribbling in the entry with a fountain pen. As he wrote, he called over to Virgil, "And you, sir? Anything I might recommend for you? Or perhaps a certain type of book?"

Virgil's brows furrowed, and he shook his head. "Ah, no, thank you. I'm good, I suppose. It's been a while since I last read a novel, or...anything." He hesitated, frowning thoughtfully. "I reckon I'd be hard-pressed to find much I enjoy, but I'll keep an eye out."

"Understood." Orion dipped the nib of his pen in a crystal inkwell, adding to the tally of Fii's latest borrowing. He blotted the ink dry and handed Fii her new book, nodding amiably. "Feel free to browse around. I'll be at the counter if either of you requires my help."

Virgil nodded his thanks and walked off, leaving Fii to admire her new treasure.

The rich smell of aged paper filled her nostrils, and the book felt oddly heavy in her hands. Its weight, the rough texture of its covers, the sound of paper rustling as she fanned the pages—she loved all of these things.

Perfect! She grinned gleefully as she held it to her chest protectively, practically hugging it. Man, she couldn't wait to dive in after they'd dealt with this Shiver problem.

She headed out the door after waving goodbye to Orion. As she left the warmth of the library, she bumped into Virgil, who had been leaning against the wall outside. He raised an eyebrow and pushed off the wall. "All good?"

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

"Yep. So, I'm guessing the plan is to scout out the place first, then come back there in two days to crash their tradeoff, right?" Fii said as she tucked the book under one arm.

"Pretty much, yeah," Virgil replied with a nod. "We'll have to observe and make preparations for two days before we move in. During that time, we should learn as much about the area and the Vipers' habits as possible. Figure out who to watch, where to stay out of sight. Stuff like that."

"Cool, cool. Sounds good. Let's hit it, then."

"Based on what we saw on that map, I have a rough guess of where it is." Virgil lifted his chin, directing Fii to follow. "Let's get a move on. We should be able to locate it before sunset."

Fii smirked and placed her free hand on her hip, turning to face him. "Bet I can spot it quicker than you can."

"Really?" Virgil cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head. "Care for a wager, then?"

"Yeah, sure. Twenty Tinks says I'll find it first. And you'd better pay up once we're done." She stuck her hand out resolutely. "Deal?"

"Thirty," Virgil challenged, taking Fii's proffered palm. "And you're on."

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

"Sonovabitch," Virgil swore under his breath as he watched Fii scramble ahead. "That little hustler."

She moved nimbly through the crowded alleys and pathways, using her smaller frame to her advantage. He narrowed his eyes, watching her slip past people and skid around corners effortlessly. Every turn he took led him further and further away from her.

Damn, the girl was quick on her feet.

Virgil scowled as he dodged a street vendor and shoved his way through a crowd of loiterers idling on the sidewalk. He spied a gap in the crowd and dove for it, trying to get a glimpse of Fii, who was steadily disappearing from view.

He caught a brief flash of her white hair bobbing in and out of view before she vanished entirely. Sighing irritably, he broke into a jog. He cut a path through the throngs of people milling about, ignoring the curses flung his way as he maneuvered through the crowds.

Virgil recalled that the map had shown the building situated close to an intersection of two main thoroughfares, near some large water towers. Based on the old landmarks he recognized, the building should be in the vicinity. He just had to locate the water towers first and start from there.

He ducked his head and navigated through the maze of shanties and makeshift hovels, trying to pick out the familiar landmarks that matched the ones on the map. Finally, he spotted a few large, metal tankers perched atop a concrete platform, surrounded by rusting fencing and debris.

That's it! That's the landmark. Now, where's the building?

He squinted, scanning the area. The structure itself wasn't visible from his current position, but he knew it had to be nearby. He inched forward, keeping his eyes peeled for anything that resembled a warehouse or a factory. Suddenly, he spotted a cluster of dilapidated, concrete buildings rising from the rubble to his right.

Bingo.

"Took you long enough to find it!" Fii yelled from atop one of the water towers. She sat cross-legged with her elbow resting on one knee, chin cupped in her palm. "So, thirty Tinks, yeah?"

"You hustled me," Virgil muttered flatly, gazing up at her. He scratched the back of his neck and sighed, digging into his pockets for the payment. "Didn't think you'd notice the water towers on the map."

Fii grinned slyly as she leaped from the tower and landed with catlike grace in front of him, holding out her open palms in front of her. "It's not a hustle if you make a bet and lose fair and square. Cough it up."

"Cheeky." He dropped the coins into her waiting hands, lips quirking upwards. "Guess I was wrong about you, kid. You know your stuff. A lot more than I gave you credit for."

"Got that right," she bragged, pocketing her winnings. "So, what's next?"

Virgil gestured with a hand and started walking toward the derelict building. "Entry points, exit points, window vantage points, anything and everything we might need to know. Come on. I want to scope this place out properly."

Fii followed him, skipping slightly as she trailed behind his long strides.

As they approached the abandoned building, Virgil assessed its exterior, noting the faded, peeling paint on the walls and the broken windows. They circled the perimeter, examining the rear and side entrances. He observed Fii out of the corner of his eye as she climbed on top of a rickety old fence to get a better view.

She reminded him of himself when he was younger, full of energy and excitement, with a thirst for adventure. She possessed a natural curiosity and an innate desire to explore, traits that he admired. Still, she lacked discipline and restraint, always rushing in without thinking. A quality like that could get her killed, and he was determined to keep that from happening.

They proceeded to explore the interior of the building, weaving through the corridors and poking around corners. He tested the doorknobs, checking them for ease of entry and security. Fii searched the upper floors, scouring every crevice and alcove.

As they worked their way around the building, Virgil's mind wandered.

The thug that he pilfered the note from flashed across his thoughts. The possibility of him being a Viper spy was not too far-fetched, but unlikely. It'd be stupid to carry around an important note like that on their person while posing as a Knight. A more likely scenario was that he looted it from a slain Viper and kept it for himself.

Now the question was—did that guy or anyone else from the Neon Knights manage to understand the contents of the notes? If they did, they'll probably make a move to stop this exchange from going through, too.

The Neon Vipers are probably aware that this information got leaked out, which meant that they would be cautious about their deal. Would they take any extra measures to secure the location and make sure nobody else shows up besides the intended buyers? That depends on how confident they are. If they think they can handle any interruptions easily, then they might not bother doing anything special.

Virgil considered the possibilities and potential risks. In the event of an all-out battle between rival gangs, at least it'd be contained within the premises instead of spilling out onto the streets. Less collateral damage. He could just let them duke it out and have Fii finish the job once the dust settles. Less hassle that way.

The problem would be if the Neon Viper's leader, "Cobra" Kasumi, were present. It'd been over a decade since he last encountered the infamous woman, but his memory of her skills was sharp and vivid. She'd be a tough fight for Fii, who lacked experience facing off against professional criminals.

Well, as long as Fii doesn't fight like an idiot, she should be fine.

"Hey, Virgil."

"Hm?" He glanced over at Fii, snapping back to reality. "What?"

Fii shrugged, stretching her arms above her head. "Nothing much. I've been rambling nonstop, but you didn't make your usual snarky comments. Spaced out?"

Virgil shook his head. "Nah, just...thinking, I suppose. So, what did you say?"

Fii repeated herself, recounting what she found out while exploring the building. "The inside is kinda trashed. Buncha broken furniture and old equipment everywhere. No sign of anyone living here, surprisingly. Could be because the gangs cleared out all the squatters beforehand. Makes sense. Not like the Vipers will want anybody stumbling in on their business during a deal like that."

"Fair point." Virgil nodded slowly, contemplating the ramifications. "What about the upper levels? Find anything useful?"

"Not really." Fii ran a hand through her short white hair, scratching her scalp absentmindedly. "Just a bunch of empty rooms. No furniture or beds or anything like that. Just junk everywhere, with lots of broken windows." She kicked at a pile of rubble with the toe of her sneaker, sending chunks of concrete scattering across the floor.

She hopped to a window ledge and perched on the edge, swinging her legs back and forth lazily. "There's a fire escape out here, though. Good for getting in and out."

Virgil examined the rusted steel railing, his eyes trailing to the ground below. "Seems stable enough. Keep that in mind for when we return. Are there any other access points?"

"Yeah, there's a back door that leads to an alleyway, and a stairwell that goes down to a parking garage in the basement," Fii reported, counting off with her fingers. "Other than that, there's just a front entrance that's pretty exposed, but we can sneak around using the side streets nearby. There are some nice nooks and crannies for hiding in. Good places to set up a stakeout, maybe."

Virgil mentally filed away the information, absorbing her words with a nod of approval. "How much you wanna bet that they'll make the trade in the basement?"

"Basement? Why there?" Fii tilted her head. "Wouldn't upstairs be safer, where they can see anybody coming in? Nobody wants to do a drug deal in a creepy dungeon, y'know. That's where you'd go to die. Also, cobwebs." She shuddered dramatically, shaking her head in disgust. "Ugh."

Virgil rolled his eyes, amused. "Because of the secrecy of the deal, they'll most likely want to conduct the transaction somewhere hidden. The basement provides easy access to exits and vehicles, and gives the buyers an escape route. Plus, the dim lighting helps obscure any suspicious actions or weapons. It's easier to hide in the shadows there and catch potential intruders off guard."

"Huh." Fii stared blankly at the space between her feet. "Neat, I guess. Good point."

Virgil peered outside through a hole in the glass, where he could just make out the distant street lights flickering in the fading twilight.

"Looks like the day's almost over. Time to head back. Come on." He extended his hand toward her, gesturing towards the exit. "We'll be back in two days to wrap this up. Until then, keep in mind what we just talked about, and practice what you've learned. I expect you to be on top of your game."

Fii jumped off the ledge and strolled over, shoving her hands in her jacket pockets. "Got it, boss man."