Chapter Text
Henry wrapped himself as tightly as he could in his ragged cloak, doing his best to not let the frigid wind dampen his mood more than it already has. The euphoria within his system still hadn't diminished yet, their daring escape still fresh on the mind. But that could change if they didn't find some form of shelter soon. He and his newest partner, Ellie, were now on the run...
Given the fact she's the reason Henry isn't the personal pet of Dmitri Petrov right now, he figured it was only fair he not complain. Just keep himself warm...
"Hey!" His breakout partner yelled in front of him, the volume of her voice vying for dominance between the howling wind the rev of their yoinked motorcycle. "You good back there?!"
Henry moved his gaze from the moving, snowy landscape to the woman he was hanging onto. "Yeah! Just thinking about how happy I'll be to never have to set foot in this snowy wasteland again!"
"Hear, hear!" Ellie laughed. That made Henry feel a bit better, knowing he could brighten her mood a little bit. "You still hanging onto our bags, yeah?"
"Of course!" Henry replied, not bothering to hide the little bit of offense in his voice. "You know, they're gonna be hot on our tail. So, getting our stuff back during the escape was always gonna come in handy!"
"Yeah, yeah, okay." Ellie said, Henry imagining as her head was half-turned towards him she was giving the biggest eye roll right now. "Give me a break, alright? Unlike you—so you say—I don't make it a habit of getting caught all the time. I didn't think we'd have enough time to get our belongings back!"
Henry was glad he'd made the suggestion that, before exiting the Complex, they make a beeline for the confiscations storage and get their possessions back. Ellie, understandably, was hesitant at the prospect. Even though the Wall was dealing with an unprecedented riot, there was no guarantee that the Warden wouldn't have a safeguard in place to prevent dangerous prisoners from recovering their confiscated weapons and equipment. And that assumption had been right.
They just hadn't predicted for two badasses to come along and steal their stuff back anyway! With a combination of a decorative fountain pen and a makeshift EMP, the guards had been a piece of cake. (I'll leave it up to you to envision the scenario)
Henry was currently carrying two separate travel bags; one pink for Ellie, the other blue for Henry. Fittingly matching the color of the respective cloaks they were wearing, except Ellie's cloak is closer to a mauve purple. Because he's holding onto her tight at this high speed, the wool fabric felt like a fuzzy, welcome friction against his chest.
"F-For now, though." Ellie continued, not able to hide the shiver in her voice. "First things first: we need to hunker down somewhere and figure out what to do next. And I don't know about you, but this adrenaline's gonna run dry eventually. I'll crash if I don't get any rest soon... you feeling the same way, Henry?"
"Yeah..." Henry replied, not seeing the point in hiding the truth from her. They'd both gone through the same miraculous thing, after all. As if a fictional story about the noble mavericks came to life, with childish theatrics to boot, they'd made the perfect prison break! Almost too good for Henry to believe was real, given the fact he was here, right now, fleeing with an accomplice.
Henry tried keeping in mind that he didn't need to be so cautious around this girl. In the past, Henry has always been skeptical in displaying any sign of weakness or vulnerability, especially in front of fellow thieves. Just too much of a professional exploit on display to potential rivals; even ones who you were forced to trust to help you during heists. Once you've been in this game long enough, which Henry would humbly proclaim he has, you always keep wary of ulterior motives, and any treachery afoot. Doubly so when you have a whole clan of varying characters eyeing up you and your position, some of them carrying treacherous intent... Some of them closer than to your person than you'd otherwise wish. A few names came to mind...
Ellie, however, appeared to differentiate herself on that front. At the moment, at least, her mind was on recuperation and the immediate aftermath of their escape. In spite of his instincts, honed to keep a lookout for impending danger, he was willing to bet that present circumstances weren't a cause for alarm. Not from Ellie, at least.
Two opportunities have already passed for her to betray him, he needed to keep in mind: once, when she first took the motorcycle back at the Complex, and another when they had a short rest half an hour after escaping. If she was really determined to leave him behind, she had wasted two very simple opportunities to do so. Henry wouldn't mince things; from a pragmatic view, there was cause for concern since, from her point of view, maybe it'd be better to ditch the chaotic anomaly that was Henry Stickmin and move on. Equally, however, there was also the opposite argument where she would be a fool to throw away someone useful. And for reasons personal to her, she's chosen to believe that partnering up with a stranger, who could very well be a danger to her, was worth the risk. He didn't actually have intentions to betray her at this point, but it's the principle. Simply put, Ellie was willing to take a gamble and trust he had her back.
As far as he's concerned, she's just a girl with similar expertise to him who he's taking a chance with. And vice versa.
Their hastily formed partnership was working out, at least so far. He didn't mind letting down his barriers a little bit.
"So, I was thinking!" Henry said loudly over the engine. Ellie turned her head to indicate she was listening. "Once we do stop off somewhere, what then? We've gotta get out of the country, I know that. But, what about afterward?"
Henry knew exactly what he needed to do once this whole mess was sorted, but he felt the need to poke her barriers a bit. See what possibilities were available.
Ellie was silent for a few seconds, keeping her eyes on the swerving, dirt road. Henry felt their acceleration decrease, the pressure of cold air whipping past his ears diminishing. He quickly glanced at their surroundings, quick blurs of trees slowing down to just trees in passing. She wasn't stopping obviously, but it was a noticeable change. Similar enough to the shift in conversation, he guessed. "I... don't know," Ellie admitted. Henry could hear her a lot clearer at this speed.
"Still figuring out what to do next? You must have some options." Henry offered.
"I don't know what you've got going on," Ellie started, her voice tinted with a hint of annoyance over the still unsavory wind. Henry kept in mind that they weren't exactly friends yet. "but I felt it was a perfectly fine plan to just get out of the Wall with my limbs still intact. Didn't exactly have the time to think what would happen beyond that..." She refocused on the road. Henry kept quiet in the back. Ellie maintained it for another few seconds before sighing, turning her head again and taking on a more friendly tone. "...Sorry. Listen, I'm still working things out, alright? That's all I can really say. For now, though, at least until we get out of the country, maybe it'd be best to stick together?" Ellie offered cautiously.
This girl has a bit of a temper. Henry thought ruefully, thinking he should've been more careful in how he phrased what he said. He was perfectly happy to stick together, but clearly she was unsure about how to move forward. Thankfully, given his position, Henry may just have a remedy for that.
"Yeah, that sounds good. Look, this situation is pretty hectic, but things should start looking up when we stop." She just nodded, not saying anything. "Once we get settled, I can get us some help." That caught her attention. "I have contacts who'll definitely be able to lend a hand."
Ellie had no idea just who she had broken out with and staked her bets on. No thought had crossed his mind about hiding the truth of who he was to her, but that little reveal could wait when they were a bit more settled.
One thing he did know, he was looking forward to the look on her face when she found out!
"Really?" Ellie asked, a hint of hope leaking out. At seeing Henry nod in her periphery, she revealed a genuine smile. "Awesome!" Ellie exclaimed, regaining her prior excitement. Henry could easily hear the relief in her voice, that was for sure! "You'll have to tell me more when we stop." To drive the point more, Ellie likely getting a confidence boost, she twisted the motorcycle handle and increased their speed. Henry held on to her tighter for extra measure. She laughed over the icy wind. "Anyway, don't be thinking you've gotta do all the heavy lifting! I've also got a few contacts in Latvia I can give a call, just in case. For now, I'm gonna take us to a nice little hidey hole I remember them telling me about in this area. Real secluded place. Won't ask too many questions, and they've got beds. And best of all." She did turn around this time, giving him a wink. "I think we're due for a toast. They've got some decent booze around there, too, as long as you don't squirm on vodka!" She joked.
Henry laughed along with her, easing his mind off their desperate situation for a moment. She's proving to be a fun one so far. Not only that, but also reliable. He couldn't say he was in any way unhappy with the choice he'd made, helping this stranger out. Looks like karma was actually rewarding him for a change! He briefly reflected on his prior, ill-founded ruminations when it came to taking her with him, when he was pondering in front of the holding cell hatch; whether to stake it out on his own, or risk it all with this girl who'd already done him a huge solid. Outside of all the spectacular Fails that could've killed him so far, this choice was proving to be one of his more rewarding ones to date!
Unless the universe punished him for it otherwise, he didn't make a mistake escaping with this girl.
"Well, what do 'ya think?" Ellie asked, covering their now parked motorcycle in a tarp. Best that no errant passerby notice the insignia of The Wall on their bike.
Henry finished fastening the tarp on the opposite side of her, looking up and giving her his attention. She continued, giving him an apologizing face while eyeing the building. "Like, yeah, we're not out of Russia yet, so we can't be laid back too much. I promise, though, this bar is as lowkey as it gets; we won't get caught here."
Henry shrugged, flashing a grateful smile at Ellie and holding his hands outward in a placating way. "Hey, I'm not complaining!"
He took in the modest building in front of them. The grimace kind of popped onto his face on its own, but he didn't want Ellie to think that was directed towards her. It wasn't her fault that they were so limited on options; if only that cosmic force that was always helping (or hurting...) him could positively influence his chances outside of dangerous stunts. That'd be nice!
He wouldn't lie, this place was like a turd pile in the snow, and about as conspicuous, too...
But realistically, it was about as much as they could hope for. It wasn't all negatives, though! An isolated venue like this might help throw off their scent. As long as he and Ellie camouflaged themselves among the dregs, they'd be fine. Its location wasn't half bad, either; offering a semi-strategic position to flee in any direction if trouble arose.
In fact, speaking of its criminal elements, the Toppat leader was already devising how he could turn this unfavorable situation into an advantageous one... if he could find some very specific lowlifes at this fine bar. There was bound to be at least one Toppat out in this snowy wasteland, and a location like this seemed just right to find one!
Ellie raised her eyebrow at him. "So..." She pointed with her finger. "What are you fiddling around in the bag for?" Referring to his hand rummaging through the blue travel bag.
Looks like now was as good a time as any, Henry thought. "Remember earlier, when I, uh... said I have contacts who'll be able to help us out?" He waited for her to nod. "Well, we should find some here. Just need to find a little something..." He mumbled.
"Wait... you mean there are people you know that are here? Inside, right now?" She pointed skeptically, sticking her thumb at the barely insulated bar. The noises from its patrons could be heard from outside, even in the midst of the harsh wind and falling snow.
Henry shrugged, giving her an easygoing grin. "Probably." He rummaged through the bag set on top of the tarp-covered bike, producing what he considered to be one of his most prized belongings. Ellie took note of his unusual behavior, curious what this stranger she'd only just met had up his sleeve.
"You've, uh, heard of the Toppat Clan, right?" He asked, holding his golden chain-wrapped top hat, the previous prized possession of one Terrence Suave, more recently Reginald Copperbottom. Not anymore, though!
"Toppat Clan... that name sounds really familiar." Ellie pondered. She crossed one arm over the other while tapping her cheek with her finger. She snapped her fingers. "Oh, yeah! They're a huge criminal group, right?" She made a noise of acknowledgement when he nodded, confirming. "While I was being transferred to The Wall, their name came up a few times. I think some guys said there were a few members locked up there; if they haven't escaped already, that is."
There were, Henry thought. That had actually been a potential project he, Arnoldt Schwarz, and Carol Cross, with some reluctant advisement from RHM, had tried drafting a few times. Unfortunately, none of them had struck any serious success.
The Toppat Clan has lost some seriously skilled members to that hellhole over the years, long before he'd taken up the position as leader. People like Cool Joe (who Henry was convinced is actually the grandson of Randy Radman) have been locked up inside The Wall for years. Looks like such plans for a mass breakout were sorta fulfilled now? He only hoped their little insurrection had given prisoners like him a shot at escape.
He lifted up his hat to show her. She immediately leaned in, eyeing it with renewed interest. "Oooh," she reached out a hand, glancing up at him in permission. He nodded, smiling. Her brown gloved hand ran over the gold dollar sign. "Man, this is a sweet hat! Okay, so you're one of the members who got locked up... That makes sense. Damn, I heard you guys had some style going on, but this is awesome!"
Henry tried not to snicker at the reminder. Some members opted not to make their hats too distinct for various reasons, but people like RHM and Carol had enough sheer character to compensate for that.
"So, you're cool with it, me being a member?" Henry asked tentatively. He didn't know why he felt nervous exactly; all logic dictated that he shouldn't have to worry about her being pushed away or anything like that.
"Why wouldn't I be?" Ellie shrugged, smiling at him in reassurance as she walked from the other side of the bike to his side. She scratched her head. "I don't know much about them, to be honest. I've heard a few stories here and there, like them pulling some huge jewel heist last year or something. What I do know is that they're a pretty infamous group of thieves that not even the government can get a handle on. Sounds like my kinda people! And hey, if you've got friends in high places who can help us out, all the better! As long as you're cool helping out a stranger...!" She joked, letting out a short laugh.
The high pitched, nervous note at the end of the laugh made it completely clear to Henry, though, that she's only half joking... That earlier mention of opportunity for betrayal ring any bells? Just as she was in a prime position earlier to ditch him and leave him to his fate, now was roughly the time that the roles were reversed.
Since she didn't look weirded out by his Toppat status, conjoined with the fact that everything Henry has experienced with her has been nothing but a big positive, he had no problem reassuring her. "Yeah, totally." He laid a hand on her shoulder in camaraderie, prompting her to halt her laughter and look at him more seriously. More hopeful.
"Listen, I'd be the Warden's pet right now, probably sitting as a pretty little ice statue in his office or something, if you hadn't walloped him with that stop sign!" He shared a laugh with her, as she punched his shoulder good-naturedly. He rubbed it, opening his arms wide in a friendly, open gesture. "You helped me out big time. Least I can do for you is repay the favor!"
Ellie smiled in gratitude, an invisible weight lifting from her shoulders. "Thanks Henry." She looked like she was about to say more, but as she opened her mouth, whatever she was planning to say morphed into a yawn. He tilted his head, only for her to wave it off. "Don't worry about it. Just sleep deprived. Let's just... find this contact of yours, then we'll deal with bodily needs." She joked.
He nodded, leaving his bag back under the tarp-covered bike. He gestured towards the bar, her nodding.
He decided to hide his distinct top hat from view under his cloak, though. No need to draw too much attention with it inside. He would tell her about his unique position in the clan later.
"So," she opened with a questioning tone, "why would there be a Toppat Clan member all the way out here?" She asked while walking towards the entrance, Henry following.
"Places like this make for pretty good listening posts. If there's activity going on somewhere that the Toppats might want to know about, they're in a position to give us a heads up so that we can steer the clan away from traps and stuff. There's bound to be a Toppat in a seedy place like this." Henry explained.
"Us? We?" Ellie focused on those specific words. "What do you mean? Do you work with guys at these listening posts? Are you a middleman, or something?"
Henry looked at her, surprised at her on-the-fly deduction. She caught on fast. Obviously her guess is wrong, but she picked up on his word choice immediately.
"No, hold on, wait." Ellie held up her hand, shaking her head. "Why would you be at The Wall, then? That place only holds dangerous, high profile criminals." She said, spiritually reciting what the Warden had already told him. She started tapping her fingers against her arm in thought. "And now that I think about it, there were rumors about some really notorious prisoner being brought in at the same time as me. That prisoner being you..." She gave him a hard look, but not one that was necessarily accusatory. "So, that means you're kind of a high ranking member, yeah?"
"Uh..." Henry voiced, stopping for a second. And perhaps, stupefied.
Okay, on second thought, she was fast, and pretty smart.
"I'll, uh, fill you in on that later..." Henry sighed, rubbing the back of his head. Ellie's eyes became suspicious, her mouth forming a worryingly thin line. Henry frantically waved his hands nervously in front of her. "I-It's nothing bad, promise! It's just..." He moved his hands around in a gestured, unsure manner. "I mean," He sighed. "It's kinda weird saying out loud. And maybe embarrassing..."
Ellie's facial expression softened, deeming he wasn't trying to fool her. "...Are you in trouble with the Toppats? Is that why you were at The Wall, 'cause they didn't want to bother rescuing you...?" She asked, tentatively. She didn't know if she was poking a sore spot.
"No... I'm not in trouble or anything." He only shook his head, looking decidedly uncomfortable. "Just... I think it'd be easier if I showed you. Come on," Henry waved her forward, putting his hand on the door. Still worried at his avoidant behavior, Ellie nonetheless made to follow.
Opening the door, the two of them were struck with a very... traditionally Russian atmosphere. Henry couldn't help but draw up the stereotype, but there really wasn't a more apt way of describing it. Especially in a dreary, desolate establishment out in the middle of nowhere, barring some nearby mining towns. This place's visitors didn't subvert that expectation whatsoever.
But, it was cozy, Henry and Ellie could attest. The inside, while populated with a variety of similarly-minded characters (inebriated), was moderately well taken care of. The brick walls weren't mold-covered, and the wooden paneling kept the icy winds outside from smothering this otherwise warm atmosphere. A few patrons were taking part in a friendly game of darts (Henry would bet that someone has tried putting a bullseye on someone's arse by this point in their game), a solitary patron or two were spiriting themselves far away from this mortal plane, if the number of bottles strewn about were any indication.
All in all, it was just the kind of depraved cesspool Henry wouldn't mind visiting from time to time. Provided it wasn't plopped down at the intersection of the ass end of nowhere and Post-Soviet Gulag-ville!
Ellie briefly scanned the corners of the bar, thankful that none of the patrons seemed to care about new arrivals. Good. She hasn't brushed up on her Russian all that much lately, even with her friends back in Eastern Europe. Henry was much the same. It was best that their last interaction with angry Russian speakers was Dmitri Petrov and his brute enforcer.
Ellie drew Henry's attention. She pointed near the back, at one of the corner tables. "Hey, look. Those guys in the corner are wearing top hats. Are they your people?"
Henry looked at where she was pointing. Zeroing in on their targets, he grinned, internally thanking their luck. Bingo!
He nodded, gesturing for her to take the lead. She raised an eyebrow at him, but trusted there was a reason he wanted her to take charge here. He was acting a bit strange, but considering the reliance both of them had placed on each other in their escape, she was willing to believe that he wasn't entrapping her into something dangerous. But it made her all the more curious why he was being finicky about his role in the Toppat Clan.
As they approached the two patrons, they could make out more of what they were saying. One red top hat, and the other one blue. Both of their hats had been custom-knit to accommodate for the freezing weather in this region, specially insulate and cozy. Henry thought it was smart, if not a bit silly looking. Glancing at his partner, who noticed the same thing, she probably thought it to be more funny.
"...And we're being reassigned to caravan duty?" Blue asked with incredulity. He looked to be high strung. "Like, is this part of a mass recall? Even throwaways like us are being brought in?" He asked incredulously.
"So I hear." Red confirmed, much more relaxed compared to his cohort. " It's gonna be great, trust me! After all..." He looked around, checking for eavesdroppers. He paused for a split second upon noticing Henry and Ellie approaching, but didn't ease up his friendly disposition, as far as Henry could tell. He leaned back in his seat, holding his fingers up against the table. "...Hold on." He told his partner, raising his voice in their direction. "Can we help you two?"
Blue became rigid where he sat, twisting his torso in their direction. He gave them a none too friendly glare. "We're talking in private, if you don't mind." He bit out, none too politely asking them to shove off.
Ellie glanced at Henry at her side, who gave her a nod and supportive smile. He wanted to see how she approached this. She cleared her throat, tugging a bit on her cloak. "Um, hi there." She waved a hand in greeting. "You guys wouldn't happen to be part of the Toppat Clan, would you?" She spoke the last bit quietly.
Even Red seemed to regard them more seriously, a level of distrust brewing. "Depends on who wants to know."
"We ain't doing nothing wrong; just having a drink after a long day and trying to unwind." Blue narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Are you two military-types, or something? You don't have an accent like the rest of these sods. If ya' are, you're outta luck. You got no jurisdiction here, and I don't like soldiering bootlickers sniffing around in our business!" He bit out, laying his hand on his hip. There's a holster on his hip...
"Wait, wait, wait!" Ellie waved her hands, eyebrows raised high. She didn't want this to deteriorate so quickly! Ignoring some of the bar patrons' questioning gazes, she continued. "That's not it at all!" She cleared her throat, pushing the flustered feeling down. "Those kinds of people... aren't our friends, if you catch my drift...?" She said, signaling between her and Henry. Henry nodded with her.
Red seemed to go back to his relaxed state, giving them both an inquisitive look. "Is that right?"
Ellie nodded, humming. "Mhm. Have you guys heard anything on the news recently?" She questioned, pointing her thumb at the monotonous British broadcast lady on the only TV in this place. "Specifically anything coming from the northeast?"
This caught their attention. Blue rested his arm against the wooden table, giving them his full attention. "You talking about that massive riot that's going on at The Wall?" He whispered, conscious of onlookers.
"Suppose the two of us personally know about what happened there?" She insinuated. Henry grinned at her in approval.
Red and Blue shared a tacit glance with each other. Red was quiet for a second before smiling, waving his hand toward him in a beckoning gesture. "I'd say, take a seat. All that's available now is beer, but drinks are on me! We'll hear what you have to say, at least."
Henry and Ellie shared a victorious look. They both sat down.
Red, now they know he goes by Snowcap, waved off the barkeep who left them with a newly supplied round of non-brand beer. "...And then you drove non-stop, all the way down here?"
Ellie nodded, popping the cap off before taking a quick swig. She sighed aloud. "Pretty much. I mean, not many options we can take, right?"
"I'd get going as soon as you're rested, if I was you." Blue, Toppat codename Icepick, suggested. He gestured both of them with his finger, cycling back and forth between them with a stern stare. "We've lost some of our boys to that bastard, Petrov, over the years. He's as zealous as he is proud, I tell 'ya, and I'd wager his ego's been seriously bruised! But he's a bloodhound, so no doubt he's personally seeing to rounding up the runaways, like his own little collection of prize nutcrackers, or whatever; he's got no problem running down those who humiliated him. I lost a friend to that bastard two years ago! Probably froze to death 'cause he didn't know when to take a damn hint!" Ellie and Henry both flinched when his fists smashed against the table. He took a deep breath and let it out, leaning in to offer them both a meaningful look. "Get as far away from here as you can, before his manhunt catches up to 'ya."
Snowcap nodded, offering his partner a familiar look of sympathy. "Yes, I agree." He gave them both a reassuring look. "Don't worry. If he and his gray goons roll this way, we won't say anything. It'd be best you two rest and be on your way. Barkeep can set you guys up for the night." He tilted his head in the direction of the bar helpfully.
"Actually," Ellie rebuked, prompting a curious look from him. "We were hoping maybe we could get some help from the Toppat Clan?" She asked, only now sheepishly realizing the kind of thing she was asking.
Icepick scoffed, taking a long swig of his beer. Setting it down not too gently, he sat up to fix a stare at the two of them. "You asking to join, is that it? Get yourselves some benefits and protection from the Clan?" He shook his head, offering them, at least, a pitying frown. "Sorry, that's not up to us. We're not the recruiters." He said bluntly. Ellie winced.
"What Icepick is trying to say," Snowcap intervened, withering his partner with a scolding stare. "Is that recruitment is at a complete standstill right now. That's not the fault of either of you," he reassured. "In fact, escaping from The Wall is a mighty impressive feat! That complex is so tightly run that even their previous Soviet masters balked at the management. Anyone creative enough to get out of there would be great in the Toppat Clan, I think! The only problem is..."
"There's no one to report you to for recruitment." Icepick finished for him. Snowcap only nodded.
Ellie sent a side glance at Henry. He didn't appear the least bit surprised or perturbed. "How come?" She asked. She still wasn't totally sold on the notion of joining up yet, to be perfectly honest...
She wasn't against joining up exactly, but it'd be such a hugely different dynamic compared to how she's lived up to this point. She was only really considering the possibility because of Henry. After all, finding a good partner in her line of work has always been a pain... Sometimes at the risk of punitive pain, if you know what she's insinuating... So Henry, a Toppat, coming out of nowhere and shooting down her anxieties like that after today's events certainly made the idea of joining up with a big criminal gang not entirely unappealing. Still, it was something she needed to think about more.
"To cut the whole process short," Icepick voiced, waving the barkeep over again. "Basically, people like us keep a lookout on the state of things. Make sure places like these aren't being used for nasty surprises by our enemies, helpin' out fellow members who stop by." He shrugged, downing his drink. He sighed. "Those sorts of things. And if we come across promising fledglings, we can phone in command if we think you've got the stuff. It's usually us lookin' out for new members, not the other way around." He moved his hands in a circular motion.
"The final say goes to the Chief, of course." Snowcap supplied, quietly thanking and waving off the man supplying them with their booze before continuing. "He's the one responsible for confirming new members. We can't just let every bright-eyed thief in the world join up, now can we?" He shrugged good-naturedly. Made sense, Ellie thought. "There's a level of prestige we've got to uphold. And while I think what you guys did is awesome, I don't get to decide that. And neither is the Chief right now, 'cause he's been missing these past few weeks." Snowcap waved his arm nonchalantly.
"Snow!" Icepick hissed in a reprimanding way.
"What? It's not like that's super sensitive info! There's no harm telling our new friends here."
Henry snickered quietly next to her. Ellie turned her head and raised her eyebrow at him, humming at him in confusion. He shook his head, waving it off. He wore a strange smile...
Ellie decided to drop it for now. Her new acquaintance was acting... coy, she guessed was the right word. "Well, to be totally honest, I'm not really sold on joining up, exactly." The Toppats' attention landed back on her. "We're just looking for help getting out of the country. But Henry here, he actually told me he's a member. He showed me his hat just after we escaped, and I was hoping you guys could help based on that."
Icepick let out a short little laugh. "What? This meek guy?" He joked. For extra comedic effect, he flattened his hand and hovered it above Henry's head, making a sliding motion against the air. All the while making a silly, faux-wonderstruck look on his face. Ellie thought the demonstration was pretty damn crude, as she leveled the guy with an unamused stare. "Mmm... he's a crafty lookin' fellow, I guess. Don't know if he's really got the Toppat spirit, though. You sure this guy wasn't just pullin' something out his arse?" Henry only smirked at him.
Snowcap shook his head, leaning over the table to grip Icepick's arm and pull back. "Quit being mean like that." He chastised. His partner just chuckled, at least taking amusement out of it. "Probably this guy was being smart, unlike you, anticipating that Toppats might not have been welcome here. You could stand to use that dusty brain under your hat every once in a while." Ignoring his friend's immediate retort, mock offended at being called out, he turned towards Henry, who up until now had been sitting to the side while Ellie spoke for them. "Mind showing us your hat so we can confirm?"
"Haha," Henry laughed lightly, putting down his beer and reaching underneath his cloak. "Sure thing."
Before she could fully understand what had happened, the entire social dynamic between the people sitting at the round table shifted. First was the producing of the hat by Henry. Then the taking of new information by the Toppats. Then, a stunned silence...
Ellie, leaning back in her seat and taking in this silent change, flitted her eyes between the three of them. A worried frown popped onto her face. Henry suddenly looked a lot more cocky than he did a minute ago, proudly holding his hat by the brim while resting his hands against the table.
Icepick and Snowcap, meanwhile, gave off the impression that they were in some seriously hot water. As if some unseen figure had just reached into their souls and smacked their essence, instilling a disciplinary fear in them. Fear of Henry...?
Icepick, who looked decidedly less full of himself than he did a minute ago, was the first to speak. "W-Wait, wait, hold on here... That's..." He stuttered out, jutting a shaky finger at the suddenly important top hat while his eyes nervously took in Henry.
"That used to be..." Snowcap followed, similarly shaken up but still trying to maintain a semblance of social composure. "I've been on the airship a few times, and I've seen that hat before. Henry, you're..." Suddenly, his eyes widened in realization. "Henry!" He whispered harshly through his teeth. Icepick similarly must've picked up on what Snowcap was insinuating, no longer slouching where he sat and actually looking a bit fearful now. He brought his arms closer to his body, unable to hide his discomposure. "I thought that name sounded familiar!"
"Okay, what is happening?! What's wrong?!" Ellie hissed, feeling a rising distress and wondering if she'd made some sort of mistake coming with Henry. She was ready to bolt at the first sign of trouble. She was already admonishing her stupidity for walking into something so blatantly risky.
Icepick looked at her like she'd been played for a fool. She didn't really appreciate that look... "Girl, you seriously don't know who he is?"
"No!" She emphatically denied. She rapidly alternated her head between the three men she's sitting with, the desperate desire for an answer clear on her face. "Can someone please give me a damn answer? What am I not being told?!" She exclaimed in frustration.
"H-He's..." Snowcap hiccuped on the word. He swallowed to clear up his throat. "Henry here is the Chief... the full blown leader of the Toppat Clan."
Everyday merry just carried on around them, oblivious to the rapidly risen tension that had up to this point dominated their little social bubble. Ellie, meanwhile, felt her mind empty for a few seconds as she tried to reconcile this new information. She turned her head to look at Henry, who up to now was letting the feeling sink in. He looked back at her, looking at least somewhat apologetic.
"Oh." She finally settled on. There really wasn't anything else she could say, she felt. Her previous paranoia had dissipated and been replaced with... nothing, really. She didn't feel any particular way now, at least.
"Yeah..." Henry breathed out, as if he'd been anticipating this moment to happen for some time now. He turned his attention back to the two Toppats, who immediately returned his stricter gaze. "Mind taking us somewhere to talk in private?" He asked, but really, more commanded. With that hat now on display, Henry suddenly appeared a lot more authoritative compared to before.
Icepick looked between Snowcap and their now unveiled leader. "Oh, uh... yeah!" He started nodding with newly instilled vigor. "Yeah, totally! We've uh, got a truck out back," he stated, pointing his thumb to the back entrance. "If you're wantin' to talk official business." He paused awkwardly for a second. "...Chief!" He added hastily, realizing now just how much trouble he was in.
Snowcap got out of his seat, decidedly leaving his beer untouched. "We've got jackets out there, too. No use leaving you and your friend to freeze in those rags, eh?" He said casually enough, though the undercurrent in his voice wasn't completely gone. Icepick got up, too.
Henry made to follow. Ellie, suddenly feeling like an awkward fourth wheel, decided she wasn't gonna be sidelined and stayed by Henry's side as they stepped out back.
Returning to the freezing hellscape that was the outside world, Snowcap held the door as all four stepped out the back. None of the patrons inside took particular notice of them, as far as they could tell. Looks like any military presence wasn't here right now, thank goodness. Icepick made his way to an errant white truck with a noticeably conspicuous tarp covering the back. Ignoring that, he opened the two-seater and reached into the passenger seat, rummaging around before producing two desirable-looking articles of clothing.
"Uh, yeah, these should do the trick..." He sufficed, tossing the bundles to the two of them.
They each caught one. On the inside, Ellie was beaming in happiness, grinning wide as she awkwardly took off her ragged cloak in favor of this sweet jacket! Being a brownish, hickory make, with decorative folds in the front and wool insulated, this thing was like an old friend's embrace in her mind, wiggling her arms through the leather sleeves. Patting herself down, she twisted her torso around and looked at herself in appreciation. Useful in the deep Winter cold, and stylish, to boot! Ahhhhh... That's better...
Icepick, unsurprisingly, picked out a jacket with more of a... flamboyant appearance for Henry. She... didn't know how to describe it exactly. It was a black fiber coat with fur trims running along the neck area, acting in contrast to red highlights running down the sides; it was the kind of clothing that gave off high-rank gangster vibes, even outside of stupid-cold temperatures like this place. Fit for a King, the thought reverberated through her head on its own. Especially when he lifted the ornament top hat and graced it on his head to complete the look, looking all the more like a criminal elite. Her new friend, Henry... is a kingpin.
Apparently there was a lot she had to learn about him.
Cuffing his hood, he theatrically laid out his arms in front of Snowcap and Icepick. "Thanks." He said in gratitude.
Ellie could practically see the sweat freezing into ice trails along his face. "Y-Yeah, boss, no problem!" He downplayed, rubbing the back of his head while Snowcap looked at him worriedly. "Oh, uh... so, a-about that little thing a few minutes ago... You know I didn't mean it, right? Like, all I was doing was a bit of teasing! I-I would never have done that stupid joke if I'd known. Y'know...?" He stammered over his words. From Ellie's point of view, it looked like Icepick's life was flashing before his eyes with how much panic was emanating from him.
As he was rambling, Henry deemed to put his hand up, prompting Icepick to quit it, going very still. Seeing him somewhat calm down, Henry laid his palms down placatingly. "Dude, calm down. Believe it or not, I was a weaselly little shrimp before I joined up." He chuckled, deigning to add in some self-deprecation. "Honestly, still kinda feel that way sometimes. Chill out... I'm not mad." He put on a casual smile, successfully easing the tension.
Icepick sighed in relief. "Phew... thanks boss." Snowcap blew from his lips, putting his casual smile back on. Situation sorted.
"Now," Henry crossed his arms, expressing some semblance of impatience. "What's been happening while I was gone?"
Ellie raised her eyebrow, brushing her red bangs in the cold wind and humming. "Um..." Henry turned his attention toward her.
Friends, Ellie reminded herself. Leader of a gang or not, Henry's still your friend. No need to get so nervous. "So, what they were talking about earlier. You've been missing from the Toppats for weeks?" She asked aloud with concern. Snowcap and Icepick both nodded, looking at Henry in interest.
"Pretty much," Henry shrugged. "I'm not always at HQ, and I figured there wouldn't be any problems being on my own while doing business. Some private stuff, that's all." He waved off. "I was hanging around in eastern Ukraine when I must've got knocked out by Petrov's men. I have no idea how they found me, but they totally caught me off guard..." He expressed ruefully, the smile on his face belying any of the actual frustration she knew he went through.
"Damn, sir..." Snowcap said, scrunching his eyes up sympathetically. "You almost got trapped at The Wall, of all places. And we had no idea..." He glanced down at the snow, a little forlorn.
"Eh," Henry waved it off. "It was my own fault. I'll try not to get caught next time!" He said cheekily, prompting an amused snort from Icepick, who seemed to get his nerves back.
Ellie could definitely appreciate the sense of humor and little bit of humility, at least. Definitely made for good qualities in a leader, she thought. Still... "Now that you're out, though, that basically means you've gotta get back to your HQ, right?"
"The airship division, yeah." Snowcap confirmed to her.
"...Airship?" Ellie felt more than a little out of touch. These guys had a freaking airship in their arsenal.
Henry chuckled a bit. "You said earlier you heard about us from the jewel heist last year?" She nodded, crossing her arms in a futile attempt to keep warm. "That was the airship division. From what I hear, it was a huge undertaking as the ruby was being flown from Romania and going over the Black Sea! Man, I only wish I was a member when we did it!"
Henry wasn't the leader back then? Moreover, he wasn't even a member at all? Ellie thought with intrigue. She chose to keep quiet on that tidbit for now. Still, that's interesting. The jewel heist they were talking about took place a little more than a year ago, so common sense would dictate that Henry probably wasn't the first in line when the old leader kicked it. So, assuming that he was telling the truth and not spindling a confusing tale for her sake, what was the history here? Snowcap and Icepick didn't look perturbed in the least. Was leader rotation a common thing, or are Henry's circumstances special?
Ellie internally berated herself. Questions for later.
Snowcap faced his leader, casually leaning against the truck and taking on a reassuring tone. "Reginald's been taking care of things in your absence, Henry. Don't worry, the Clan hasn't broken itself apart or anything while you were gone!" He joked. "Actually, things are looking real good! There's been some seriously cool developments while you were gone!"
"Oh?" Henry asked, curious.
As Icepick rummaged around in the front seat again, Snowcap nodded, appearing excited at what he was about to say. "Mhmm! We just got orders to pull out of the region and make our way South. Not just us, though; all the divisions and outposts got the go-ahead to relocate. We're all being directed to Africa, and that we not leave anything behind. It's a huge thing going on across the clan! I was a little worried about the plan before, but now I'm onboard! Who'd have thunk it, that the Toppat Clan wouldn't just be on top of the world, but orbiting it!"
All of this talk about moving assets, clan-wide changes and orbiting the world was making Ellie's head spin. Were these the kinds of operations that large gangs like the Toppat Clan got up to, or was this moment just that historic? Because if it was the former, she was worried that she may have been missing out on a sweet gig for all these years!
Henry though, despite being their leader, didn't look like he was following, if his blank face indicated anything.
"The rocket plan?" Henry asked incredulously. On cue, Icepick slammed the truck door shut and shuffled back to them, producing a tablet from underneath his arm pit. Powering it on and typing in a password, he gingerly lent it to his leader. Henry nodded, leaning against the car and tapping away at the screen with a focused face. Loosening up for a second, Henry raised his head and beckoned Ellie over.
Ellie, at least feeling secure he was comfortable sharing sensitive info with an outsider, sidled up next to him and looked at the screen. The format was a lot more neat and organized than she would've expected out of a criminal group; just went to show that she was in the presence of professional criminals. It read like your typical corporate dossier:
Notice to All Toppat Clan Divisions and Related Subsidiaries:
As of July 15th, 2020, all nonessential operations following this briefing are declared to be suspended, effective immediately! Primary logistical and transport assets are to be redirected to the Port City of Djibouti, and link up with central comms for further assignment. All other Toppat Clan Divisions and Outposts have been enclosed within this document a set of instructions they must follow carefully. Inside, you will find crucial items, such as the forgery packets that your local section head must fill out with your inventory for the purpose of non-suspicious shipping of valuables, weapons, memorabilia, etc. These assets are to be managed by our newly setup railway network upon arrival. If inventory is a non-concern for your section, review the second half of the document for instructions on relocation. The Core Mission of the Toppat Clan is shifting to accommodate a new vision...
Ellie and Henry spent the next minute glossing over the Mission Statement before he opened the decrypted instructions. The contents made her eyes bulge. If she had known that she would become privy to such an insanely secretive project by one of the largest criminal organizations in the world...
A rocket launch, orbital base, new raiding guidelines, mentions of an upcoming jewel heist. She was beginning to understand that these guys were insane!
"So," Henry whispered under his breath with squinted eyes. Ellie glanced at him from his side, but he didn't seem to mind her presence, nor her listening. "Reggie went ahead with the plan, huh? Real convenient timing there..." Returning his eyes to normal, he handed the tablet back to Icepick with a nod. "You just got this notice?"
"Yep," Icepick said, looking much less enthusiastic about the plan compared to his partner. Real sour and sweet contrast between the two partners, Ellie thought, amused. "Got it just yesterday. We've been assigned to guard carts, or something... I don't know, I haven't read the whole thing yet. Snow and me was gonna start heading out soon." he shrugged, "Prolly the next few days. So, uh, yeah. Real lucky you turned up when you did, boss!"
"Oh, for sure! Not everyday the boss shows up out of nowhere, fresh off a prison break!" Snowcap patted the side of his truck, snow dislodging and sliding down to the ground. "I'm sure you want to see the rocket for yourself, sir! We can head out anytime you want. The truck's too small for four, but we can at least give you and your friend an escort! Right, Icepick?" He teased, prompting his friend to glare at him, miffed.
"Mmm..." Henry hummed, putting a finger on his lip.
Ellie watched him with interest, starting to compile all of the little things that she had picked up just from this conversation. Henry is the leader of a big criminal gang, check. He's highly respected among even low-ranking members like these guys, check. Some big things are going on that he's not entirely sure about, she should probably learn more about that. There was probably a lot going on behind the scenes that she had no idea about...
She was determined to not let this opportunity slip.
Henry heaved a sigh, sounding relieved. "Yeah. That works. I'll get some rest tonight, and..." He glanced meaningfully at Ellie, giving her an ambivalent look. "We'll head out in the morning." He raised his hands openly. "But, I don't think that escort'll be needed, you guys. We'll go our separate ways. No offense, but I think I'd like my reemergence to be... discreet..." He added ominously. The two of them looked at each other in open confusion, sharing a secret solidarity with Ellie, who also wasn't understanding the intricacies here. However, they didn't push it, and agreed with the setup.
Snowcap brimmed his hat, sharing a shrug with his partner. "If you're sure, Boss... Do, uh, you and your friend need some help getting set up, or anything?"
Henry tilted his head slightly toward her with a questioning look. They didn't bring much stuff to begin with, Ellie thought amusedly. Besides, as enlightening as all of this was, she did have an aching body that needed some rest. "Nah," Ellie shook her head in response. "I think we're good. I'm just looking forward to seeing an actual bed again." The image of a cozy hearth with warm beds and a serene window view filled her mind, momentarily making her forget the chilling bite of the Russian weather.
A snort answered Ellie's statement, shattering the illusion she'd conjured. She and Henry glanced suspiciously at Icepick, who let loose his derision with no hesitation. "Good luck with that." He warned, sounding like he spoke from experience. Snowcap didn't do anything nearly so rude, but similarly held a fist against his mouth, the edges of his lips pulled.
Ellie felt her spirits deflate somewhat, while her partner shrugged helplessly. "Come on, it's probably not that bad..." Another snort. A stern gaze. The snickering stopped. Turning back, he began walking back inside. He half-turned to address Ellie. "Wanna turn in? If you have any questions you wanna ask, I'll be happy to answer them..."
Ellie looked at him hard for a few seconds. Henry maintained his sheepish look while Ellie drew up an answer. Now would be a good time... She wouldn't deny herself the curiosity she'd developed. About the Toppat Clan, about how Henry got captured, about him. Hell, why not?
Smiling, she walked forward. He reciprocated, opening the door and leading them inside. Hopefully this place had reasonable boarding prices. Neither of them exactly had a lot of money when they got captured... Snowcap and Icepick made to follow, still relishing the fact that they were the ones to encounter their missing leader. They would get back to their casual chats, leaving their leader and his new friend to wind down and leave in the morning.
As their private discussion wrapped up, none of them took notice to an inconspicuous listener who they happened to grab the attention of. The younger man, by all accounts fresh-faced and inexperienced, had taken notice of the interesting collection of individuals while they were inside. He hasn't been at this venue for too long, but he knew who he was looking for. When they opted to take their talks outside, he had simply looped around the building from the front entrance and eavesdropped from around the wooden corner.
By all accounts, he was as plain-clothes and ordinary as the rest of the patrons. Well, except for the embellishment he carried on his front. He didn't sport a hat for easy recognition, but Danil Dolche has lived in this area his whole life. For this assignment, he's only supposed to blend in with his environment and find two specific runaways. On the left side of his chest is a relatively small pin baring the insignia of the Wall...
Unfortunately for the inmates, Danil thought with a shark grin, he had listened to their entire exchange.