For Every Market, a Submarket Grows

Graverobber stood in his favorite alley, leaning against the brick wall, staring at the sky. His mind was miles away, nestled between the sheets of a large, four-poster bed, right next to a cute little brunette.

“Graverobber?”

He blinked, his mind returning to the dank alley in front of him. It was Baxter, one of his regulars. “Hey, Bax,” he said, smiling.

Baxter smiled back, his frail body shaking. “Got anything for me?”

“Got anything for *me*?” Graverobber returned, holding out his hand. Baxter immediately dropped a handful of money into his palm. Graverobber took a vial out of his coat and handed it to the man. Like most hard-core junkies, Baxter had his own Zydrate gun at home.

Baxter gave him another wavering smile and hurried away. As he turned the corner, a sleek black limo pulled up at the entrance to the alley. Graverobber stiffened. Was it Amber?

The door opened, and Pavi Largo stepped out. Graverobber’s blood boiled; he’d last seen Pavi in the old hospital, while his brother was holding Shilo down on the bed. Before he could think, Graverobber strode over to Pavi. He grabbed fistfuls of the man’s shirt and shoved him against the limo. “What the fuck do you want?” he growled.

Pavi held up his hands in surrender. “I am here to warn you, Graverobber.”

“Warn me of what?”

“Release-a me, please, signori,” Pavi said. “I will tell you everything.”

Graverobber did, though he didn’t move away. He was still suspicious of the man’s intentions. It was only then that he realized the man wasn’t wearing one of his signature faces.

Pavi smoothed his shirt, then said, “I am-a sorry about your friend - about-a Shilo. I never wanted to hurt her.”

“You got a funny way of showing it,” Graverobber shot back.

Pavi nodded. “I am-a not asking for forgiveness; I am-a only here to warn you.”

Graverobber took a step back. “Talk.”

Pavi took a deep breath. “Amber has some very… big plans for your Shilo.”

Graverobber listened with growing horror. When he was finished, Pavi said, “Get in the car; it will take you back.”

Graverobber did as he was told. He sat in the car as it rushed to Shilo’s house. He stared out the window, hoping to God that he would get there in time.

*************

Shilo took a few steps backward. Amber followed. She glanced around the house. “What a lovely place!” she said in a deadly sort of voice. “But, I guess being a hired assassin pays well, doesn’t it?”

“What the hell do you want?” Shilo asked, trying to sound tough. After all she’d been through, there was no way she was letting some spoiled scalpel slut fuck with her anymore.

“What do I want?” Amber repeated, stepping further into the room. “I want my life back. I want brother back. I want my Graverobber back.”

Shilo couldn’t believe it. Amber Sweet, daughter of Rotti Largo and newly appointed CEO of GeneCo, was jealous of *her*? Shilo laughed.

Amber’s face grew dark. “What are you laughing at, you little whore?”

Shilo replied, unable to keep a straight face, “You! I’m laughing at you, you spoiled little brat! Here you are, the world at your feet, and you’re jealous of little old me! Ha! It’s too much!”

Amber was positively crackling with anger now. Her fists clenched at her sides, she walked slowly towards Shilo. “Graverobber was *mine*! You had your dad; then you had mine. My brother was too afraid to touch you! But why Graverobber? He was mine! He was the one thing I had that was mine!”

Shilo was flabbergasted at Amber. “The only thing that was yours?” she asked. “He was never *yours*, you stupid little scalpel slut. You were just a payment; a meal-ticket.”

Amber smirked. “Oh, honey, we were more than that. Didn’t you know? We were sleeping together.”

Shilo laughed again. “You think that surprises me? The operative word is ’were’. When’s the last time you had Graverobber in bed, Amber? Or, in the alley, I suppose, I doubt you were ever in his actual bed. Sherry was, though.”

Amber faltered. “Who’s… who’s Sherry?”

“Aww, poor Amber,” Shilo mocked, walking forward, her hands on her hips. She knew she was being cruel, and she didn’t care. She felt ruthless; powerful. Never again would someone make her feel inferior. “He was yours, and you don’t even know about the other women he was sleeping with? And he only kicked her out six months ago.”

Amber stumbled back slightly, seeming to shrink under Shilo’s confident stare.

“So, he’s yours, huh, Amber? I’ll bet you don’t know the first thing about him. Huh, Amber? How much do you know about Graverobber? What color are his eyes?”

Amber frowned, her eyes darting around. She seemed to be concentrating hard.

“Can’t remember, can you?” Shilo took another step forward. “What do his clothes look like, Amber? Are his ears pierced? No, no wait, I’ve got an easy one. I mean, if he’s really, *yours*, you’ll know this one, right?” Shilo grinned, and Amber’s eyes widened. It was Graverobber’s grin. “Amber… what is Graverobber’s real name?”

Amber’s face turned red; she’d lost, and she knew it. “Enough!” she shrieked. “Boys! Get her!”

Before Shilo could react, Amber’s eunuchs grabbed her by the arms and dragged her to her knees. She struggled, glaring up at Amber, who now stood before her. A scalpel glinted in her hand. “I’m due for a new face,” she said. “Maybe if I take yours, Graverobber won’t care that the body is mine.”

*************

I know, I know, I'm leaving you ahnging, but I'm creating tension!

Don't worry, I'm already working on the next chapter, you won't have to wait too much longer for the conclusion!