Darren's POV
As I walked into the dark alley behind an abandoned factory, I smelt it.
The smell of a mixture of cheap perfume, vomit, dead mouse, sperm, and cigarettes.
This place was known as Dark Market in Mediland, where rogues, outlaws, and drunkards dwelled like cockroaches at every corner of the alley.
My brother used to tell me that people should live with a purpose. If a person loses their purpose in life, they usually end up staying in places like this.
The disgusting drench of low lives. The rock bottom in this world by any standard.
"Hey, handsome biker. Do you want to come inside? I'll show you a good time and let you ride me." A woman with messy make-up and hair slurred at me. Several of her teeth were gone and there was a big scar on her face.
"I'm looking for a woman," I said to her.
"I'm a woman," she said. Then, she bent over and lifted her short skirt. She wasn't wearing anything underneath, so she was basically facing me with her lady part.
I turned my head away from the shocking sight and said, "I'm looking for a wounded woman. She's about this height and she's badly injured in her legs." I gestured the height around my shoulder and said. "She's got red hair."
"Aha." That woman put down her skirt and said in a loud voice. "If you're looking for fun, I can help you. But if you're looking for trouble, I'm afraid you come to the wrong place."
Then, she pushed me away. As she leaned closer to me, she said in a low voice, "Listen, if you want to die today, don't drag me with you. I've been saving up to get my teeth fixed and I've almost got the money I need."
"I can give you 3,000 dollars. Does that cover the risk?" I asked.
That woman looked around and said, "Make it 6,000. I'll tell you everything."
"Sure," I shrugged.
"I need to see the money upfront," the woman said.
I took out my wallet and handed it to her.
"There's 10,000 inside. Keep the wallet," I said.
The woman looked surprised as she looked into my wallet.
She pulled a sinister smile and asked, "Aren't you afraid of me lying to you?"
"Not really," I replied. "If you help me, you walk away with 10,000 dollars. If you lie, this is the end of your life."
"Are you threatening me, handsome? You're dangerous. Your doll face is deceiving," the woman said.
"I'm making an offer that people usually take. Now, lead the way and show me where the girl is," I said.
The woman put my wallet into her bra and said, "Last night I saw a woman being rushed into the Green Point Inn. She looked like a tall red-haired Barbie or something and I saw she was missing a leg."
"OK. Now take me to the Green Point Inn," I said.
The woman sized me up and said, "Are you insane? Haven't you heard of Green Point Inn? Do you know what they're doing other than selling alcohol?"
"I've got no idea," I replied.
"That's the base of the Resistance Army, you fool! You look pretty, but that ain't no going to help you when you walk into a bar like that!"
"I don't care," I said. "Show me the way."
The woman crossed her arms and said, "Listen, doll face, let me put this in plain, understandable words. The people at Green Point Inn are badasses. They are trained warriors and they are trained to kill. They don't like strangers..."
"People like me wherever I go. That's the magic of these baby blues." I pointed at my eyes and said.
"But I will get into trouble if I take you there!" the woman was horrified.
"It's either you figure out a way to take me there, or I walk away with my wallet," I said.
The woman covered her breast and said, "Alright! Alright! You look pretty but you're really a pain in the ass. You don't make a lot of friends wherever you go, right? I can smuggle you into the bar, but you have to compromise."
"What do you mean?" I narrowed my eyes and asked.
The woman ran into a ragged tent and walked out with a dress and a scarf.
"Here, put these on," she said.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" I frowned.
"You've asked me to figure out a way to smuggle you in. I offered you a solution. What else do you want me to do?!" The woman looked cross and threw the dress and scarf at me.
"I'm not going to dress up like a woman," I said.
A few minutes later, I followed the woman and walked into the Green Point Inn... wearing a dress and a scarf wrapped around my head.
This must be the rock bottom of my life. I thought to myself.
"Ellie, who's that tall blonde girl next to you?" a drunkard shouted at the woman.
"Oh, fuck off, Jimmy. She's the new girl and you're not going to afford her!" the woman named Ellie said.
"Come suck my dick, Ellie. Make your toothless mouth useful," that drunkard shouted.
"I would love to, Jimmy. But last time it took me half an hour to look for you dick!" Ellie said.
Her voice triggered a roar of laughter in the bar.
Ellie and I sat down at the corner of the bar. She looked at me and said, "Sit here. I'll be back in a minute. Don't talk to anyone. If people come to talk to you, pretend that you are mute."
I grabbed her arm to stop her.
She looked at me and said, "Do you want to look for that girl or not? She's hiding somewhere in one of the rooms behind the bar. I have to walk around and figure out where she is. I can't do this if you don't let me go."
Then, she threw my hand away and walked off.