Sarah

Sunset... her favorite time of the day. A lazy, hand reached up to close around the long blood-red hair, holding it up and away from the pale neck. With a deft twist, Sarah piled all that waist-length hair on top of her head and pulled a pencil from her pocket, jamming it through the middle to create a sexy, elegant bun. Now she was ready to begin her night's work. If only something would happen...

Tidus

It had been a few hours now since he had beaten down that dog and released all the others from the kennel. So far, Ben hadn't shown up and he had recieved no manner of threat from the man who's pricey dogs he'd set free. Maybe his plan would work after all? He'd just tell them that Dan did it; the fool- he was always screwing something up. Yeah, he'd make Danny the scapegoat...

Although the plan sat well with Tidus at first, he soon began to doubt the credibility of it. For as big and strong of a man as Tidus was, a cold fear began to build in him once more. He found himself constently check his rearview mirrow as he drove down the road. Eventually, as the fear and tension built up to an unbearable degree, Tidus changed his course and headed for Carver's Bridge. Might as well have a bit of fun and try to ease his tension, right? His kind of 'company' usually could be found around this place.

Parking his car along onto of the levee that overlooked the river, Tidus took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves. Still, he couldn't help but cast suspicious glances over his shoulder, expecting to see that short, bug-eyed man any second. Tidus, get a hold of yourself! You've got nothing to fear from him! The man chastised himself, forcing his thoughts onto the red-haired lady he could now see on the bridge. "Ah, just what I was hoping for.."

With one last look around, Tidus made his way towards the bridge. "I don't think I've seen you before." The man said with a sly grin, stopping a few paces from Sarah.

Sarah

That white hand reached up again, forcing the crimson locks into obedience as Tidus' approaching car whipped the air around the bridge into a miniature hurricane. His words made her turn, dark blue eyes lighting with an inner, seductive fire as she let her voice flow softly, with a vague Italian accent. Maybe you haven't been looking hard enough.

Tidus

For a moment at least, his fears began to ebb away as he was taken by the allure of a female. Sure he had a girlfriend, or a few... but he was always up for a bit of fun with a stranger. "I guess I haven't. So... how much?" As he asked, the glare of headlights in the dying light caught his attention. Tidus turned sharply, attention snapped away from Sarah as he watched a truck drive over the levee and make a slow pass by the road leading to the bridge. The truck stopped a moment before turning around and heading back over the levee.

Sarah

She let a light bit of laughter leave her, hitting the air with the musical tinkling of bells. She favored him with her sweetest, most seductive smile as she untied her silk scarf from around her neck, flipping it over his head in a sudden, complete movement. She used this as a tool to draw him closer to her, letting her voice drop to a husky whisper. Now, now, play fair. At least give me your name first, stranger. I don't play with men I don't even know.

But her voice was laughing and she turned her face up to peck his cheek, running her fingers along the edge of his jaw, flirting shamelessly. On a breath, she whispered. I don't know. What can you offer?

Tidus

At one point, he almost turned away towards his car, but then Sarah had that silk scarff about his head...

With a long, wary look at the departing truck, Tidus refocused on the fun at hand. "Huh? Oh, Tidus." The smirk reappeared on his face, contrasting with his darker skin, "The depends on you, babe. How about..." Tidus trailed off a moment relishing in the flirting, "...300? How far will that..." This time, the pause was from a sudden fear as he heard a car door close in the near distance. Dammit! He cursed in his mind, the smirk faultering as his eyes took on a mixture of furious annoyance and dread, "Lets say we take this to my place?" Tidus suggested, becoming more paranoid by the second.

He took a few steps in the direction of his car before stopping to look back at Sarah. He was torn between the desire for pleasure and a fear for his life.

Sarah

She let her smile grow, reaching up tot play with his hair as he spoke. Three hundred? Oh yeah, she could get by for a while on that.

But she was nothing if not manipulative, and his hesitation and fear did not pass unnoticed. A small movement of her hand allowed it to rest reassuringly below her chest, where there lay a small dirk whose temper she knew very well. Would she protect him from those who meant him harm? Heck yes, at least until the $300 was in her hand.

A snort left her as she confirmed the blade's presence. Men... they never thought to look in a girl's underthings for weapons. Her voice was still soft and seductive, and laughing. By all means, let's adjourn elsewhere... I find the bridge unnecessarily cold at this time of night. And she offered him her arm, ready to accompany him to his car.

Tidus & Benjamin

That tone of voice brought Tidus back to the reasoning that he'd made the right choice. The smug grin expanded back on his midnight face as she laughed. Taking her arm, he began to lead her to the car, "My thoughts exactly." Trying to cover ground quickly, but not so quick as the drag Sarah along after him, Tidus attempted to get back into the mood of flirting, "So tell me, just what will 300 buy my from a sweet little thing like yourself?"

Once again, his pleasures had to be put aside as his fears were renewed. Just as he reached the car and was opening the passenger door for Sarah, a movement caught his attention. Looking up with a start, his eyes flared with impending dread as he saw Benjamin standing there.

The shorter man was a few yards from the car, swathed in the shadow of night, half his face lit by one of the few lamposts that lined the edge of the levee's road. "Hello Tidus, am I interrupting something?" He asked casually, an amused smile on his face as his blue eyes glistened with cruel enjoyment.

Sarah

She smiled as she walked with him, her free hand fiddling with a rebellious loose lock that would not stay in place behind her ear. She had actually begun to slide into the seat when Ben's voice reached them, and she felt, more than saw, Tidus tense. But she wouldn't bring out the knife... not yet. Better to keep the element of surprise. So she raised her voice, still the flirtatious note there, as she stood up out of the car, hips swinging unconciously as she moved toward Ben. Yes, you are, love. Be a good boy and run along.

Tidus & Benjamin

"Wait, don't!" Tidus hissed, but Sarah had gotten back out of the car. "Damn it, Ben, not now! Can't we talk about this later?" Despite being a heck of a lot bigger than the other man, there was a pleading quality to Tidus' words.

Standing still, Ben showed no ounce of interest or desire for the lady who had so enchanted Tidus. Though there remained the slyest of smiles on his face, his eyes began to encompas a chilling and dangerous glint. Amusement was beginning to fade from his voice as he replied to Tidus, while keeping his sights trained on Sarah, "I'm afraid not, Tidus. I would suggest your lady friend return to the car while we have a little chat." Benjamin turned slightly, directing his words to Sarah now, "I wouldn't want anyone getting hurt."

Sarah

There was something about Ben... he creeped her out. Possibly because he was the first man not to respond to her... more obvious... charms. But that cool smile remained on her features, and she circled back to Tidus, as though she had never meant to head toward Ben in the first place. She twined around him like a cat, finally coming to rest with her chin on his shoulder, turning her face up to place a kiss beneath Tidus' ear, blue eyes watching Ben as she did so. Perhaps it might look as though she were teasing him... but no, she was studying him.

Finally she let her voice flow again, still with that flirtatious tone, as though she had used it so long she could not dispell it. Now, now. If we're gonna play, I want to be included in the runnings. And she flicked the ear she had kissed, smiling at Ben.

Tidus & Benjamin

Cold sweat began to build across Tidus' temple as anxiety gripped him tighter. Of all times and places, Ben had to pick now to confront him? He would have so relished in the attention Sarah was giving him, but as it were, he barely noticed it. As his voice acquired a slight shake to it, he spoke to Sarah, "Get in the car. I'll be there in a sec."

A sinister smirk appeared on Ben's face, amused by Tidus and Sarah. And then, in a flash, it vanished completely. Reaching back, he pulled a gun from a holster on his side, which had been masked by loose clothing. The weapon was brought up in the blink of an eye, aimed at the other man.

Tidus took a few frantic steps back before he came against the car. Hands trembling, he raised them partially in the air, "Woah, hang on Ben! We can..."

BANG

With a gasp, Tidus slid down until he was sitting half-crouched on the ground. Shakily, he looked down to see dark stain blossoming through the clothing against his side.

"If you want to play, by all means, be my guest." Benjamin flashed a cold, piercing look to Sarah, directing the gun at her. "If you value your life, I would suggest not participating."

With a violent cough that brought a splatter of blood to his lips, Tidus tried to speak. Yet his words were lost as another fit of coughing seized him.

Sarah

Sarah was NOT one to be bossed, and so she did not move when Tidus told her to. But the gun... the gun changed her mind. Ben had her out-ranged. As Tidus went down, she dropped her flirting, and scowled at Ben, voice annoyed. Man, why couldn't you have at least waited 'til he paid me?! You... you eat everyday, you have clothes to wear, guns to shoot... three hundred would have bought supper for two weeks and a new outfit. She was shivering in fury as she knelt down and pressed her scarf against Tidus' wound. She knew a bad wound when she saw it, knew he was not liable to survive... but heck, she had to do something. 300 bucks...

Her eyes flashed back to Ben, voice low and dangerous. Fine, shoot me then. But do it knowin' that I've done nothin' wrong, no more than ply my trade, and you've robbed me of my check. Come on, you're doing me a favor.

Her face was feirce as she faced Ben, taking a few steps forward. That's it, make him think you want to die... Finally, she came up against him, so that the barrel of the gun rested against her stomach, her blue eyes meeting his.

Tidus & Benjamin

As Tidus continued to struggle for breath, Ben paid the dying man no heed. It was Sarah who he was now focused on, the gun held steadily as she approached him. He read her every movement, judged her actions and words, and sorted this information with phenomonal skill as he attempted to hone in on her weaknesses. Strength was not a virtue that Ben possessed, so he relied on intelligence. And moreso, he relied on the feelings of other to manipulate them into doing what he wanted them to do.

There was a moment when he said nothing, his unwaivering blue eyes staring intently back at the woman. Then a decision was made, and he lowered the gun as his eyes dropped to survey the weakening Tidus, "Two bodies will be harder to hide than one." Benjamin explained, stepping away from the enraged woman as he knelt down near Tidus. "If anything, you should be thanking me..." The man's voice was casual as he fished in the pockets of Tidus, before drawing out a wallet. "...I just earned you 1000 dollars."

Tidus could do little, as his strength drained away and his head rested idly against the car. "I don't think he'll be needing this anymore. Or the car, for that matter." Benjamin went on, handing the wallet and a set of keys to Sarah. From pointing a gun at her, to offering her money; he was exceptionally clever and manipulative, shifting gears in the blink of an eye. As long as he kept others guessing and on their toes around him, they wouldn't be able to read his weaknessess.

Sarah

Ah ha... just as she had expected. Ben would not kill without distinct reason. With a smile she stepped back from him, accepting the wallet without a word. She was instantly back to the sensual creature, drawing the wallet over her slips with a secret smile. Oh yes, she could change moods in a snap, just as Ben could. Ben was the master manipulator... but he might just have met his match here, if only in the ability to completely change attitudes. She did not possess the ability to read his moods, but she could manipulate her own like water.

She leaned across Ben to plant a kiss on Tidus' lips, her smiling face completely able to hide the slight feeling of sadness inside. Everyone should leave this life with a sense of pleasure... Then she turned her eyes up to Ben, planting a kiss on his cheek, almost daughter-like in its innocence, before she grabbed the keys and hopped in the car, driving away without even a look back before Ben could have time to react.

Tidus & Benjamin

About to call someone on his cellphone, Ben held off as he watched Sarah's actions. She was definitely an interesting one; he'd have to get Mikhail to find out more about her. Prostitute or not, this one could potentially be of use to him later. In the midst of violence, death, and a threat against her own life, she was able to keep herself in check and shift through moods as efficiently as he could.

There was one thing that threw him off though; that kiss. It caught him off guard, though he did not show this. He was thankful for darkness, which did well to hide a slight confusion that burned in his eyes as he watched her drive off. And when she was out of sight, he made the phonecall he had put off. Someone would be out to deal with Tidus, who had a few more minutes of life left, if even that. Without so much as a look or word to the dying man, Ben returned to his own vehicle and drove away.