(AN: Many apologies for not getting this up sooner. I had this like 80% done at the end of March but life happened and stuff...I really should have gotten this chapter up a month ago, and more to the point I am sorry that it is a short chapter. The good news is I have the next chapter about 50% written and chopped some of this chapter off for pacing purposes and put it into the next one.
On another note I've had lots of the fans requesting, nay even begging me to not follow game canon in this arc. If you haven't followed DAII then I'm not going to spoil it for you, but at the same time I can't say one way or the other. I will say that things will turn out differently, and that Leandra has more of a fighting chance with Michael Westen at the helm...
Finally I rushed this out for you guys so apologies for any grammatical errors and the like, I promise I will get them corrected. And with that, on with the show!)
Michael Westen stalked through the darkened streets of Lowtown. It was long past sunset, and the streets were lit only by the feeble torches that flickered above them. In the darkness his G36's rail-mounted light stood out, which would act like a beacon if this were an ambush. But, given the stakes, the ex-spy considered it an acceptable risk.
He paused and crouched down, touching the ground with his gloved finger. The ex-spy brought the finger up to his face, and was rewarded with the same coppery smell interlaced with the acrid stink of magic. He looked over his shoulder.
"Come on, Kitty! The trail's still warm, we're on the right track!"
He had followed the blood trail past the Hanged Man, and thus far it had led them to the entrance to the Foundry district. Michael heard Hawke whisper behind him.
"Where is he taking her?"
The ex-spy paused at the entrance and glanced around. The Foundry district was deserted, and that was not a good sign.
"Work in enough Third World countries and war zones, and you find the same things: corrupt politicians, apathetic police forces, and slums that are a hotbed for criminal activity. One constant, whether it's Islamabad or Kirkwall, is that slums never sleep, they are always bustling with activity..."
He scanned the area through the red dot scope of his rifle.
"...so if you happen upon a slum that's a literal ghost town, it can only mean one thing...an ambush."
His thoughts were interrupted by Hawke pipe up.
"There! The Foundry, they must have gone inside!"
Michael slowly crept up the spike-laden stairway that led up to Kirkwall's foundry, still sweeping the area. His spy-senses were heightened to the point of hyper-awareness, and Kitty could almost feel tension radiating off the ex-spy. He paused at the door, and turned back to Hawke. The redheaded rogue had her daggers unsheathed and at the ready, but her green eyes were wide with worry.
"Before we go in, there's something I need to tell you, Hawke..."
He winced as he felt a pinch on his arm, and rewarded the rogue with a flat look. She just grinned at him and tapped his armored vest with Bloodletter.
"Kidnapping situation or not, Michael, you know better."
Michael Westen shook his head. Even in situations like this Kitty Hawke would still act silly.
"What I mean is, we might get into a situation where your mother might be held hostage, and...if that does happen..."
Kitty smiled at him.
"Oh, not to worry, I'll let you rush in and save the day."
She held up Bodice Ripper and her green eyes took on a dangerous glint.
"But if he's harmed Mother in any way, I'm going to gut the bastard. Just so we're clear."
Michael paused for a moment.
"Riiiight. Okay, fine. You let me save your mother, and afterwards you can do whatever you want to her kidnapper."
The rogue nodded.
"Excellent! Let's get on with it, then!"
As she crouched into a ready position, she beamed at Michael.
"There's bound to be loot in there as well!"
Michael shook his head and tried the handle on the door. The door pushed in noiselessly, Michael switched on the rail-mounted light on his G36 and took the lead. As he swept the room it became clear even to the ex-spy, with limited experience with supernatural creatures and denizens of Thedas' demonic realm called the Fade, that the place felt off. Wrong. Strange. As he looked around he heard Hawke exclaim.
"Oh, now I remember, this is where we spent the night, and found Ninette's ring!"
Kitty paused.
"Mother must be around here somewhere."
She looked over to Michael, who was still crouched down, examining a fresh pool of blood.
"Any ideas?"
The ex-spy stood up.
"We should look around. Based off the trail she should be close by."
He pointed to a trail that led up a rickety stairwell.
"I'd start there..."
At the top of the stairs Michael was examining the latest trail of blood, and brought it up to his nose. Still the same evidence of blood magic. As his eyes darted around the darkened, abandoned foundry, his spy brain was working into overdrive.
"If you've been in enough combat situations you know that tactics evolve with the enemy, but there are certain constants in every situation, whether you're fighting off terrorists in Islamabad or demonic abominations in a medieval world of magic..."
He paused as he heard the sound of soft humming coming from behind him. He turned and saw Hawke crouched over a crate that she was in the process of looting.
"Really, Kitty?"
"Michael, just because we're saving Mother doesn't mean we can't take advantage of any loot that we find..."
He was still shaking his head as the redheaded rogue stood up and held out a leather pouch.
"See? Fifty silver, seventy-one coppers and a moth-eaten scarf...still not a bad start to the evening, don't you think?"
Michael didn't rise to the bait, and instead gestured with his rifle down the corridor.
"The blood trail leads down there, so follow my lead..."
He slowly turned around, stalking in a slightly forward stance just as he was taught in Ranger school, trying to make as little sound as possible. The ex-spy paused as he thought he heard a small sound, like a door creaking. His ears strained to try and pick up more sounds.
Then, all other possible sounds were drowned out by the loud cacophony of a creaky lid groaning open. Michael spun around, to see Kitty crouched by a large chest. She grinned sheepishly at him.
"Sorry!"
Michael shook his head again.
"Look, Kitty I know you're a rogue and this sort of thing is natural to you, but if this was an ambush we would have given away our position and-"
The rest of his spiel was interrupted by Hawke letting out a squeal of delight. She had opened up another leather pouch, but this one had gold in it.
"Look Michael! It's at least a dozen gold sovereigns!"
She paused as she held up a potion bottle that glowed pink.
"Oh, and one of these bloody Lyrium potions. Still, might be worth something on the black market in Lowtown."
She tossed it to Michael, who caught it expertly.
"You keep it, I don't want that bloody thing anywhere near me."
It was then that Kitty noticed the look that Michael was giving her.
"Oh, right! Keep quiet, maintain unit cohesion and all that rot, right?"
Michael sighed.
"Yes, Kitty. If it's not too much trouble..."
He paused.
"And if there are any chests, don't...loot them until after I've cleared the room, okay?"
The redheaded rogue pursed her lips into a pout, but nodded once. Michael stuffed the potion bottle into one of the pouches on his vest, then followed the trail down the corridor on the upper level of the Foundry. It led into a small dimly lit room that at first glance seemed deserted, not even a chest to be found. But after closer scrutiny the ex-spy saw in a corner at the far end of the room something odd. He slowly advanced, signalling Hawke to follow him, then pointed the beam of light at the corner.
It was a small trapdoor, and based off the trail of blood it was obviously an entrance to the kidnapper's lair. Michael stood up.
"Looks like someone forgot to conceal the door to his hideout..."
Kitty stared down at it.
"That wasn't here before, when we were looking for evidence for Ser Emeric, I mean..."
She looked up at the ex-spy, her green eyes wide with fright.
"Mother must be down there, with him! We must hurry!"
Michael leveled his assault weapon at the door.
"Just remember what I said, Kitty..."
He winced again as he felt the rogue pinch his forearm, and glared at Hawke.
"What the hell!? I didn't call you Hawke!"
Kitty grinned at him.
"Yes, you just did!"
She looked back down at the trapdoor.
"Come along! Mother's down there, and there's also bound to be lots more loot down there as well!"
(AN: And in other news, Kitty Hawke continues to be Silly!Hawke. For now...Once again I apologize for this chapter being so short, I originally meant to have this chapter and the next one up by Easter, but as I said again, life happens and doesn't always take your writing projects into account. On the plus side, as I previously stated the next chapter will be up much quicker. And it will be a much longer chapter as well, in which we will find out if the great Michael Westen will be able to save Leandra from the stupid $*$% 'But Thou Must' game mechanics of DAII.)