The Exchange C1 - The Meeting

Kai was walking to the more questionable side of the town, hoping to find the bar his sources had said his target was at frequently. She was a devil in the underground business according to them. One of the best, if not the best.
 
Whatever you wanted she could get it for you. And there was none of that tedious and shitty policy the government merchants got you. Official channels were a hassle to handle.
 
He hopped with her it would be different.
 
He hid the insignia of his Company. A military official would not be favored around these parts. 'And thank the gods I did that. These people look like they would chew on my tail if they knew. The looks they're giving me are creepy enough...'
 
He entered the bar, moving the big curtain that replaced a door at the entrance.
_ _ _
 
Masika sat down with a sigh. She had just come back from a delivery, quite a big one, and she was happy to get some rest. Hearing steps in the hall, she moaned and started to pick on her claws.
 
As soon as the person entered the room, she held up her finger and made a hand gesture for them to get the hell out of there, she wasn`t in the mood for talking right now.
 
As the person didn`t move, and with a heavy headache and growing irritation she shouted "What? Why do you still stand there you fool!”, her hand dug into the armrests of the chair and starred at him, seeing him twitch his feet in discomfort.
 
"I uh, I spotted someone, miss. Looks like someone important, might want to take care of him, one of your 'special customers' I suppose".
 
Masika growled, “Stop calling them that, ugh it sounds like I’m a whore!" She rose from her chair, "Just go, I will come to take care of them."
 
She quickly checked on her hair and makeup, just to be sure she looked decent. She hurried down to the bar, just in time to lean towards a table and put on a smirk on her face as she saw the leopard enter the bar. 'Oh yeah, big guy.' she thought for herself. She measured him with her eyes, before giving him a hand gesture to follow her and walking behind a curtain. 
 
Masika chuckled silently for herself, seeing he hold a steady cold expression.
_ _ _
 
Apparently he wasn’t as inconspicuous as he first thought. It didn’t take long before the curtain behind the bar opened to reveal a woman.  He could see from her facial markings and thinner than normal body that she was a cheetah, though the markings on the rest of her exposed body were anything but normal.
 
Still, he kept his face with a cold expression. He was here on business and if this was the target his sources told him about then fooling around like usual was out of the question. Especially with the crowd that frequented the town.
 
He moved around the counter and followed the woman behind the curtains.
 
He came to a dark room with luscious and expensive looking decorations. Looking around he could see papers and boxes on the tops on the desks and tables, as well as an impressive collection of weapons mounted on the walls. ‘Too sharpened and taken care of to be simply decorations.’ he thought.
 
She had moved to the chair in the middle of the room, keeping a smile on her face.
_ _ _
 
Masika sat down in her chair, smirking as she saw the leopard looking at her weapons.
 
She raised her eyebrows and looked up into his eyes. "Well, sit down" she said and made a hand gesture against a chair in front of her.
 
She waited until he had sat down before opening her mouth again.
 
"So, tell me", she said measuring him with her eyes, "what are you here for?"
_ _ _
 
Kai pushed his body forward on the chair, supporting his arms on his thighs.
 
“I was told if one wanted to obtain rare items not of this land, you were the one I should go to. Is this information correct?
_ _ _
 
Masika chuckled and leaned back in her chair.
 
"Yes, I can confirm that the information you have received is correct."
_ _ _
 
He pushed his body back against the char and pulled his cape slightly aside to show her the insignia for the Elite Western Forces before he pushed it back in its place. Her eyes widened momentarily and her smile only seemed to widen more.
 
“I’m here on orders to obtain certain items from the southern lands. This is a secret operation and no one is to know of this transaction.”
 
He narrowed his eyes, just short of glaring at the mysterious woman.
 
“I’m sure a woman of your reputation knows just what we are capable of doing to make sure our orders are fulfilled.”
_ _ _
 
Masika grinned, "If they are fulfilled? Hah! I have gotten orders like this before, and I assure you; I always manage to get what my customers want."
 
She nodded for herself, another big mission. Her reputation had grown, and she liked it.
_ _ _
 
Kai leaned his elbows on his thighs, using his hands to support his chin.
 
“I need to obtain three items; two can be obtained rather easily but the last one’s whereabouts are currently unknown.”
 
He pulled out a piece of rolled parchment tied with a red string and handed it to Masika.
 
“This parchment will tell you what they look like. They are powerful magical items and I we would prefer if you handled this personally and handled this on a strict need-to-know basis among your men.”
_ _ _
 
Masika held the parchment in her hand.
 
"Of course, I never share big orders. I prefer to keep it that way, nice you ask anyways." She said in an indifferent tone, before turning her attention to the parchment.
 
She carefully opened the roll and stared at the illustration.
 
"Hmm." she mumbled. She meant she had seen this before, but not quite sure of the name. Masika furrowed her eyebrows, "What is the name of this, I can`t seem to recall."
_ _ _
 
 
“The first is Bastet’s Ring, the second is The Tail of Mihos and the third is The Pen of Thoth. As you can tell by their names alone, they are very powerful.”
 
Leaning back, he scratched his forehead and sighed, frustrated.
 
“They were originally kept safe in Egypt many years ago but mysteriously vanished. No trace. We only now managed to locate two of the items but we still need to third and most important one. Is it safe to assume you will be able to find it?”
_ _ _
 
Masika dragged a hand over her face. "Hm. Well, I have a huge network. I just need to think." going trough persons and names trough her head, she found out it was hopeless and rose from her chair and dragged down a book from a shelf behind her.
 
Quickly finding what section she was looking for, she started to flip through the pages. "There." She stated for herself. "I have some contacts here, I am sure; no I know they can locate this item. Tough, I can`t promise it will go fast." Masika looked up at him.
 
"When do you need the items?" She said as she found another book under her desk pulling it up. Quickly flipping through the pages she found a blank one and started to scribble down a list.
 
She liked having everything organized, even though she wouldn`t have needed lists or books as she always had every single detail in her memory, the books and lists just made it easier to keep track of everything.
_ _ _
 
“Very well. The first two I would prefer them to be delivered by the end of next month. You have another month to find me the third item. If you can’t, then I will seek the help of someone who can.”
 
Going through his pockets, he pulled out another parchment, this one sealed in a container.
 
“This contains the location of the first two items. They are not easy to obtain but I trust you will be able to obtain them.” He says as he hands it over to her clawed hands.
_ _ _
 
Masika snorted, how could someone dare setting a question mark at her? Of course she could get hold of the items.
_ _ _
 
Masika snorted, how could someone dare to put a question mark at her abilities? Of course she could get hold of the items requested.
 
Masika put the container down on her desk.
 
"I will take a look at this later, but I can assure you; you will have all the items in before the third month is over." She said in a firm tone.
_ _ _
 
Feeling like the exchange was over, Kai got up from his chair.
 
“Then I will take my leave. I will come again in two weeks time to check on your progress. If there is any matter that can’t wait until then, call for the Captain at the Elite Western Forces. And please, send someone discreet.”
 
He stood waiting for her reply. It wouldn’t be good for him to leave without everything on the matter being resolved.
_ _ _
 
Masika looked down at her notes reading trough them leaving an awkward silence as the leopard kept on standing there. Then she looked up again.
 
"Good, let us say it so." she said before sending him a glare, "And you don`t need to tell me what to do you know, I haven`t gotten the title 'best in business' for nothing." She said sharply before going back to her paper work.
 
"Feel free to leave." she said without looking up.
_ _ _
 
Without another word, Kai pulled his hood tighter around his head and his cloak around his body before heading out. He got curious glances while leaving the bar but he paid them no heed.
 
‘Two weeks from now huh? That will give me time to look into that brat in the mean time.’ His thoughts came to the cheetah he had been ordered to watch out for.
 
‘Well, anyways. Time to get back’.
_ _ _
 
Masika sighed as she put away her notebook. She didn`t like first time customers that much, they were always reassuring if she would be able to complete the task.
 
Tired of a long day work she blew out the lights and went to bed, not bothering to even take of her clothes before her laid down.