Chapter16

The sun was shining directly overhead as Kendra materialized outside the gates to Cove. She nodded to the guard who stood outside as she made her way in, greeted by a tiny community of huts and shops and an abundance of free roaming farm animals. The town was relatively quiet, save the bleating and mooing... few people were out and about today. Kendra made her way to the docks where she immediately spied Jonas leaning up against one of the supply barrels.

"Hail and well met, Jonas... I need to buy a kit, please." Kendra didn't want to beat around the bush any, so she made no hesitations.

"A kit, eh?" the lanky thief replied. What kinda kit are we talkin' here? A sewin' kit? Hah!" Jonas stood up straight and picked at his teeth with his dagger, eyeing the young lady.

"No... you know what kind I need. I wish to buy a disguise kit." Kendra stared the man dead in the face.

"Ooooh. I see... a disguise kit, eh? What makes you think I would have such a thing in my possession?" Jonas looked Kendra up and down hungrily.

"Because I can see one poking out of your pack. Now... sell me one and I'll be on my way." Kendra folded her arms defiantly.

Jonas' jaw dropped and he quickly shoved his pack out of sight on his back. "Now wait just a minute, lady... There's rules to buyin one of these..." He paused to look around nervously. "You know the code?"

"Yes... ask your stupid riddle and let me be on my way..." Kendra refused to back down.

"Alrighty then... here goes..." Jonas cleared his throat before going on to say:

Jonas' eyes gleamed with curiosity... wondering if she would get his riddle. Kendra blinked in surprise... none of the answers Kendrik had given her matched!!

'It's definitely not a goat, a rope, or a spear...' she thought to herself. 'That crafty Fingers Mcgee must have changed the code!'

"Come on, lady... haven't got all day y'know..." Jonas had resumed picking his teeth. "What is it?"

"Did Fingers change the code again? Damn him!! He never lets me in on that stuff..." Kendra was hoping to bluff her way through.

"You know Fingers personally?" Jonas stared wide-eyed.

"Sure do... um... bub." Kendra remembered the word her brother and his friends always used with one another.

"Wow... is he cool? I mean... never met him in person, but I'm one of his staff!"

"Really? Congrats, bub. You must have impressed him somehow to get such a uhhh... prestigious position." Kendra flashed a quick smile. Silently, she realized that nobody would want such a position way out here. Fingers knew how to play his people. "Anyhow... this disguise kit I'm sposta be buying is for Fingers himself! His got trashed at the last party and he needs one ASAP."

"Oh my!" Jonas exclaimed. "Well why the hell didn't you say so?!"

"Because Fingers likes to test his men now and then." Kendra smiled in spite of her cleverness.

"Oh! I see!" The skinny thief nodded excitedly. He dropped his dagger back into the loop on his belt and reached around to his pack. "There you go..." He paused before handing it to her. "I'm afraid I hafta ask you for payment. This is the last one I have left..." Jonas looked at Kendra hesitantly... as if he didn't know whether or not it would be ok to ask.

"Of course... you think Fingers can't pay his own way?!" Kendra tossed the pouch of gold at Jonas and grabbed the kit from his hands.