Stalking in a Winter Wonderland, Part 1

(Co-written with my RP compatriot and friend, the player of Kaneka Hillyard, with thanks and gratitude. Special thanks for my favorite bartender, Kitten, for coming otu to play!))

The fellow many knew as Jon Chess sat at a table on the mezzanine level of the Curious Octopus Tavern in Boralus, located on the road along the southern wall that led from Crosswind Commons to Greystone Keep. The Curious Octopus was a bit of a dive, but ideal for use by Jon as a place to meet clients; not many of his clients came from wealth, and few were intimidated by the atmosphere of the Curious Octopus.  Russel the Bard always seemed to be providing music, and patrons often danced on the first floor.

Location of the Curious Octopus Tavern

Jon had restarted his business as a private investigator after his assignment for Elling Trias as his "Agent of Cheese" was completed. Jon enjoyed both jobs, but he had missed being able to help people who were not able to get help from the normal constabulary; in Boralus, as in Stormwind, the constabulary was corrupt, inefficient, and bigoted.  Jon took great satisfaction in his work.

He had worked through about half of his mug of Suramar Spiced Tea when he noticed a friend and member of the mercenary group Brotherhood of Valor come through the door.

Kaneka Hillyard had asked around a little bit as to the whereabouts of the cheese master. She was quite surprised at the looks she had gotten upon inquiry, a curious sweep of their eyes over her frame before an answer was given - The Curious Octopus. Heading through the Mariner's Row, she wasn't in the least bit uncomfortable by the way the inhabitants eyed her hip pouches as she walked.  These kinds of places did not frighten her one bit; she was on a mission and was intent on seeing it through.

Heading through the door of the tavern, she looked around for her 'mark'. She didn't see him. Kaneka bit her lip and gave a soft 'humph'.  Turning to the bar, she approached slowly, preparing to ask the bartender a few questions.

Kaneka approached the bar counter slowly, clearing her throat in an attempt to get the bartender's attention. She hoped that she was heard over the hustle and bustle of the common room.

Kitten, the Ren'dorei bartender on-shift, had been sitting behind the bar, admiring her bright pink fingernail polish on one hand while sipping from a glass of milk through a straw. She looked up and grinned at Kaneka, placing the glass of milk down on the bar as her deep purple tongue swiped over her lips.  "Hey Sugar what can I get ya?"

Kitten - Bartender Extraordinaire!

Kan smiled at the bartendress, also admiring the pink fingernails. "Oh, nothing thank you - save for a little information. Have you seen a fellow by the name of Jon Chess around as of late and if so, do you know where I might find him?"

Kitten looked up from the bar, visually scanning the crowded room.  She winked at Kaneka and suddenly leaped onto the bar counter.  Putting two fingers in her mouth, she let out a shrill blast of a whistle. The room fell silent as she loudly announced "Hey! Anyone here seen Jon Chess? Come on speak up  - I ain't gonna bite ya."

A voice came from the upstairs seating.  "Well, if you aren't going to bite, why should anyone answer, dear Kitten?  Kaneka, have Kitten put something on my tab, and come join me?"

Kitten scanned the room again, finally locating the direction of Jon's voice.  She shouted back. "Sorry Sugar!" said in a tone that revealed nothing like actual regret. "I can't be biting yah anymore,  I'm a married piece of fluff now, and my man gets awful jealous when I share my toys with others."  The bartender winked at a man standing near the bar, who helped her down onto the floor.  Turning to Kaneka, she said, "You heard the man... what can I get ya Sugar?"

Kan trained her eyes to the upstairs seating area and grins. Of course, he would be up there, why hadn't she checked first? Turning her chocolate-colored gaze back to Kitten, she smiled. "Um, I suppose just a coffee. Sweet and black please, and thank you for your help."

Kitten nodded, filling a large coffee mug from the pot behind the bar.  She dropped in a scoop of sugar, paused, and dropped in another scoop - because she could.  Grinning, she placed the coffee down on the bar in front of Kaneka.  "There you go Sugar just holler if you need another round."

Kan picked up the mug and smiled.  "Thank you so very much!"  Turning, she headed upstairs to find Jon's table.

As she might have expected, Jon was in the furthest table, with his back to a wall so he could watch anyone who approached.  In this instance he stood as she drew near, and bowed, offering her the seat with her back to the wall, something Kaneka recognized that he only did for someone he trusted to watch his back, or for someone he would stand in front of in case of attack.

Smiling, she shook her head. "Please sit Jon, I'll not take your seat. This one is fine."  Sliding herself into the seat across from him, she set her mug set on the table top and she looked at him. Her face not as jovial as usual.

"Well, dear Kaneka, to what do I owe the honor?" Chess asked. "Decided that you want to join the Scouts?  You want me to find a different flavor of ice cream?  To reveal my source of high-quality chocolate in Kul Tiras?"

Shaking her head slowly, she looked up from her coffee to his face, looking him in the eyes.  "I need you to find someone for me."

Jon's smile faded to a more serious look, and he gave a short nod. "Very well... I will require a one gold piece fee, which is to be paid in full, and in advance."

Kaneka dug into her hip pouch, pulling out a small handful of coins. Quickly she slid them across the table to Jon.  "Here, I don't care how much it costs. If you need more, tell me. I'll spare no expense."

Jon selected a single gold coin from the pile, and pushed the rest across to Kaneka.  "Under both Stormwind and Kul Tiran law, a single gold establishes the contract between us.  Rule One is 'The confidentiality of a client is absolute', and now you are my client, if at the 'Friends and Family Rate'.  Now, tell me about the person you wish for me to locate?"

Once again, she dips her hand into her pouch, the coins left on the table top. A small portrait of a younger girl with violet eyes is pulled out and handed to him.  "Do you remember, from our days in the Watch, a young rogue named Macee?"

The Missing Miss Macee!

Jon picked up the small portrait and smiled gently.  Taking out his sketchbook, he thumbed backward until he found a sketch that he had done of the woman Macee. "Of course... I did a threat assessment of everyone in the Gilnean Watch at the time... standard practice" Jon informed her.  "What is her last name?"

"Welch. The last I heard, she was in Grizzly Hills. She used to send me word of her whereabouts, but...I've not heard from her in many months.  I fear for her Jon. She's to spontaneous and can easily be led astray."  Hands wrapped around the coffee mug, her fingers tapping nervously.  "I know there is that pack of Worgen there, I do forget their name, and I would hate for her to get wrapped up with them... I'd hate for the poor thing to go...feral."

Jon Chess' face remained impassive, but inside Jon flinched - at one time he had been deeply scarred from the trauma as a child, of watching the people he had thought were his parents be torn apart by Arugal's feral Worgen minions when he had destroyed Pyrewood and taken Silverlaine Keep, renaming it Shadowfang.  He had lived for years with an instinctive terror of all Worgen, even those he knew to be friends.  The only good thing that had come out of the psychic butchery done on Chess to attempt to turn him into a Ren'dorei serial murder had been a mental disconnect; he still felt the terror, but at a remove, as if he was watching it happen to someone else.

The phobia had not stopped Chess from dealing with Arugal and his cultists in the Grizzly Hills when he had been ordered to investigate and deal with the threat, and it would not stop him now.

"Very good, Kaneka. I'll head to Northrend immediately," Chess informed his new client and dear friend. "I will send you regular reports."  Jon had paid a small fortune for the ring that allowed him to teleport to Dalaran, and it was easy to get from Dalaran to anywhere important.

Kan reached over and grasped his hand, giving it a soft squeeze.  "Please...bring her back safely Jon. She has no one."

"I will do my best, Kaneka.  But she has at least one person - she has you."

"I know you will Jon, it's why you're the only one I trust with finding her."