Where The Road Takes Us

Sai moved quietly through the streets. Shoushan said that he'd be sending his retrieval team within the week, but that could be immediate for all Sai knew. Shoushan had money to throw around, he could likely hire many more mercenaries that were beyond Sai's capabilities at this point. For the moment, they would have to lay low and establish some sort of safe house before finding a way to strike back. Before he could do that though, Sai needed to take care of his own business first.

"Come on Mary, only speak when she addresses you but otherwise don't interrupt her" Sai said to Mary as he lead her by the hand. He made his way to the witch's house. He wasn't invited, but he hoped that his service so far would at least warrant a meeting without an immediate execution.

The Witch's base of operations was an old butchery shop. Sitting out front was Mort, polishing his homemade, oversized shotgun. He looked up and cocked an eyebrow as he saw Sai approaching. Before Sai could get into earshot, he muttered something into a walkie talkie and stood up. "'lo there, Merc." He called to Sai afterwards. "Haven't seen you since the Motel. The Witch ain't expecting you, or any visitor at the moment. What's the purpose of your visit?" He asked, narrowing his eyes above his crooked nose suspiciously. Mort was one of the few members of Valerie's gang who didn't use faux friendliness with people he didn't trust; he didn't like people showing up uninvited, and his bullfrog face showed this.

Sai just kept walking forward, only stopping when he was just a few feet away from Mort. He really didn't have time for this. "Here to report a potential threat to the witch. I know she's used to them, but this is one she's going to want to hear about directly. Trust me, I'm not stupid enough to come here and waste her time. I'm sure she'll have no issue seeing me"

Mort opened his mouth to speak when his radio crackled to life. "Let the boy in when he gets here, Mort. Tell him I'm in the freezer in the back. Don't worry, he's a proper Mocca City boy like you. He won't try nothin' with me today at least."
The guard narrowed his eyes and sighed. "You heard her." He said, stepping back from the door. "Head on in. And know she's killed supers with her own two hands in the past. Don't try any shit."
The main counter room was mostly clean, save the inside of the display cases covered in grime. As Sai entered the building, he could hear the Witch talking to someone, as well as the sounds of someone in pain. When he reached the walk-in freezer, he would see Valerie standing with her back to him, facing and politely talking with a man hanging from a meat hook, a bloody hunting knife in her hand. "Now, you're gonna have a moment to think while I talk with my house guest. Then we'll get back to business. How does that sound?" Her tone was soft and polite, as though she were promising ice cream to an upset child. When Sai entered, she turned around and smiled. "Hello, Sai, my boy. Don't mind him. Little Ozling stepped out of the Emerald City. Poor thing. So..." She grinned. "What's the news? You always bring me wonderful tales. Regale me!" Her tone was excited and jovial, an elderly church woman eager to hear the latest gossip.

Sai just walked over, flipping off Mort on the way inside. Sai didn't have to show this man respect, only the witch. "Come on Mary, let's make this quick" he said as he made his way inside of the butchery shop.

Once inside, Sai just stood there and allowed for the witch to make her continued threats. "We need to talk" Sai said before pulling out the burner phone that Shoushan had left for him. Sliding the phone to her, he had it open to the voicemail that was left for him. "Mary and I were openly attacked in a diner this morning, you probably have heard about it by now. Right in the middle of Jade Town"

Valerie's eyes widened slightly at the news. "You're telling me our resident slaver is sending people to attack you publicly? In JADETOWN, of all places? He does realize that's a good way to get attention from unfriendly sorts, no?" She hit the button on the phone and listened to the voicemail, and a coy grin spread across her face. "And he doesn't know that you're working with me... Otherwise he wouldn't be offering to make a deal." She turned around, snapped the flip phone shut, and shoved it into the hooked man's mouth. She turned back to Sai and smirked. "Sai, my boy, I hired you to ruin his day... You must've reeeaaally hit a nerve when you stole this pretty little thing." She gestured to Mary with the knife. "Tell you what... I think it's high time I reintroduce myself to Mr. Tang..." A wicked laugh escaped her. "Lay low for a few days. I've got some planning to do. Keep safe, keep her safe, and leave this spectacle to me..."

Sai just nodded, verifying all of the information that the witch repeated to him. When she was done, Sai was surprised that she seemed to be taking it in such a well stride. To be targeted like this, especially over someone like Mary, Sai assumed that the witch wouldn't be able to afford another enemy with the war going on in Oz. But apparently, she really wanted to take this fight forward. That was fine by him, Sai wanted to make this guy hurt.

"I already know a place I can go to hide for a bit, but I want to hit him again. I want to really make him pay for trying to make this personal. Shoushan will regret treating me like a nobody"

The Witch laughed and patted Sai's shoulder, the leather glove she was wearing incredibly cold from her time in the freezer, even through Sai's gear. "Don't you worry, friend. You'll get your chance to hit him again. But you see, Shoushan is first and foremost MY dog to kick. You remember when I hired you to ruin his day? There's a reason I targeted him. He had some very choice words for me when we met once while I was still a captain in Oz's little group. Called me a whore, deemed me unworthy to hold such a position, said if I climbed any higher he'd have to 'put me in place', remind me that since I've got tits that I'm property. So I know what you mean when you say the bastard treated you like a nobody. Intimately. He's made an enemy of the Wicked Witch of the East. So you'll forgive me for not letting you wage this war by your lonesome." Her voice momentarily slipped to anger and hate as she spoke, the first time she wasn't happy and jovial in front of Sai. Her grin quickly returned, however, and she turned back to the man on the meathook. "Keep your head down. I've heard some shit about his retrieval teams, and I don't want to risk you getting lynched yet."

Sai just listened, not realizing that Valerie had such reputation with Shoushan. Apparently, they had quite a bit of beef with each other, so much that Valerie wasn't going to let Sai take this fight on his own. Fine, Sai wasn't going to say no to some backup. After all, Shoushan did have several more men on his side. "Very well, Mary and I have a safe-house. I'll check back in a few days to make sure that everything is proceeding as planned. Until then, might just go and get armed. Made a new friend with an arms dealer the other day. I'll be ready next time"

Valerie grinned and nodded at Sai. "Sounds like a plan. And yeah, I heard that Bataski took a likin' to you. And don't come calling on me. I'll reach out to you next time. Arrange a proper meeting place, when I'm not as..." She gestured with the knife to the man on the meathook. "Occupied." She chuckled and turned back to the man. "Now, skedaddle. I've got plans to lay, and you've weapons to get. I'll see you around, killer."