The Ragged Edges of Torn Photographs

"Good," the woman said, unwrapping the whip from his neck. "I knew even a fat gutter pimp like you was good for something, Gao. But I'm going to kill you now, anyway."

Gao tried to rise, but his shoulder wound kept him from doing so. The woman quietly raised the gun.

"Why?"

"Why?" The woman repeated, drawing the hammer back. "Because I loved Jayla, even when you were whoring her out to every single degenerate in the colony. She had such love, and you did everything to kill it."

"Is that . . .the only . . .reason, Sauvage?"

"No," Sauvage said, shooting him. The loud report of the gunshot seemed to suck the rest of the sound out of the room. "It's also because I'm not the only person looking for them."

* * *

"Rough night?" Sauvage said, gently dabbing the grime from Jayla's face. They sat on Sauvage's bed, Jayla had tucked her knees in close to her chin. She nodded curtly in answer.

"Well," Sauvage said, feigning cheerfulness. "I'd like to tell you it gets better, but I'm not sure it ever does. Here, let me get the other side of your face."

Jayla slowly turned as Sauvage dabbed around the large bruise on her cheek. Jayla winced a little as she did so.

"Well," Sauvage said. "I knew there was a pretty lady underneath there." She searched Jayla's face for a sign of a smile, but there was none to be found.

"You look way too classy for this place, you know," Sauvage said. "Too young. How'd you end up as one of Gao's girls?"

Jayla's eyes closed tightly as she started to cry. Sauvage gently wrapped her arms around her as Jayla cried into her chest, her arms beginning to open wider and embrace her.

"Shhhh," Sauvage said gently. "It's all right. You don't have to tell me right now. Just let it all out."

Jayla's body was wracked with the force of her sobs, as though her demons were invisibly thrashing her body. Sauvage looked down at her, at the bruises on her back. It didn't seem right that someone so beautiful should have to suffer this way.

Jayla made her way up Sauvage's body, slowly reaching out to touch her face. Jayla's blue eyes met with Sauvage's sad grey eyes as she drew her close and kissed her, deep and passionately. Sauvage didn't resist a bit, and spent the rest of the night loving her, perhaps as she had never been loved.

Except once.

* * *

"You called me up just because you need a place to stay?" Lil asked incredulously. She poured another two shots from the bottle. Kienan took his and slammed it back immediately. Lil had often been fascinated by his ability to power back any kind of liquor, even something as strong as Siridar Dragonsblood.

"Yeah, for a couple days," Kienan said. "One of my informants told me they'd found some of Jayla's things. Of course, that was two days before he ended up dead in one of the recycling canals."

"You didn't bring your ladies?" Lil asked.

Kienan shook his head. "I wanted to handle this on my own. Besides, if someone's killing my informants, that's two more targets. One on one is how I intend to deal with this."

Lil poured two more as Kienan lit a cigarette. "I can't believe you're still chasing that girl. She's dead Kienan. She's been dead for two years now. Let her go."

Kienan exhaled his cigarette smoke and took another shot. "Not as simple as that."