— CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX —

  The Ruined Gateway

  -Fritz-

  Faustenburg appeared over the horizon, its twin hills jutting up from behind the forest through a light fog. The heavy curtain wall loomed in the distance, marking the city's far side. The overcast sky cast everything in shades of gray, matching the mood of the tensely silent city ahead.

  I adjusted my grip on the reins, the wagon creaking beneath us as we rolled along the road that ran along the far side of the forest bordering the city. Behind me, Percy and Lucy were hunched over a map of the city.

  Percy said, "They were scheduled to hold a concert around noon today - it should have started a couple hours ago."

  I said, "Yeesh, two gigs in two different cities in one day? That's gotta be rough."

  Lucy folded her arms. "I'd put it to the lack of fatigue in this world - the tour's schedule has been very condensed."

  Still focused on the map, Percy said, "We don't have any information on if the show ever happened, but it gives us a place to start looking - the venue. There may be a sign of them there."

  "Sounds good to me." I nodded.

  "You've got a Falsified Loyalist Insignia, right Lu?"

  "Yes, I tracked down the quest as soon as it appeared in the Protectorate's records."

  "Then we only need to circumvent the Fringe." Percy said. "I still have the forest pathways marked on my map - that'll get us into the city."

  I said, "Thank Christ for your obsessive note-taking."

  As we approached the city, I angled the wagon off the main road and guided it into the denser part of the forest. The wheels bumped over exposed roots and rocks.

  "Here's good." Percy said, pointing to a small clearing nestled between a cluster of ancient oaks.

  We quickly secured the wagon, covering it with a canvas tarp and some branches for extra camouflage. I double-checked it was locked up tight - couldn't be too careful with the Fringe skulking about.

  Percy then led the way through the overgrown forest trails. It was a little nostalgic, seeing all those baby level 1 mobs - I used to be afraid of those things! But we didn't have any time to enjoy the memories.

  The city's outskirts emerged gradually - first a few abandoned shacks, then increasingly dense clusters of run-down buildings. The natural beauty gave way to the neglected edges of civilization. Few people roamed the streets, and those who did kept their heads down and their business to themselves as they hurried around. It was hard to believe the Protectorate got its start out there.

  As we moved deeper into the city proper, the buildings grew taller, more solid, but still carried an air of neglect. The oppressive silence was gradually replaced by a distant rumble - the collective voice of a crowd echoing through the narrow streets.

  "You hear that?" I asked, slowing my pace.

  Percy nodded, his expression tightening. "Sounds like trouble."

  We approached cautiously, sticking to the shadows of alleyways and side streets. The rumble grew to a roar, and as we turned a corner, we found the source.

  A massive crowd filled a plaza, faces contorted with anger as they shouted slogans and waved makeshift signs. Across from them stood a phalanx of World Guard patrolmen, shields locked together, spears and swords at the ready. They weren't attacking, but the tension crackled in the air like electricity before a storm.

  "DOWN WITH THE GUARD!" bellowed a man at the front of the crowd, his voice amplified by a megaphone. "WE DEMAND FAIR REPRESENTATION!"

  The crowd echoed his words, surging forward a step before retreating again, testing the resolve of the armored line.

  "We really are a stray rock throw away from a riot." I said, backing up.

  Percy said "We should get this job done and get out of here fast. Come on."

  He led us away from the square, navigating a web of side streets and back alleys. The sounds of the demonstration faded behind us, replaced by the more mundane noises of a city going about its business - or trying to, with the specter of violence hanging over it.

  After about a quarter hour of walking, Percy held up his hand, signaling us to stop. "We're here."

  'The Mine' stood before us, an industrial warehouse situated near the city's actual mine. It wasn't much to look at - a large, rectangular building with high walls and a flat roof topped by three massive smokestacks billowing dark clouds into the already gray sky. But players had transformed it with decorations: stylized graffiti art covered the walls, magical lights were strung along the roofline (currently unlit), and a large sign above the entrance spelled out 'The Mine' in what looked like repurposed metal parts.

  It had a charm, in a gritty, industrial way. The nearby rail yard added to the ambiance, with ore carts clattering along tracks and kicking up clouds of dust that hung in the air. They had clearly embraced the rough aesthetic rather than fighting against it, and I could dig that.

  But the place was dead quiet. The large double doors at the front were secured with a heavy chain and padlock, and the few small windows set high in the walls were dark. No posters, no lines of eager fans, no harried staff rushing around - nothing to indicate a concert was happening, had happened, or would happen anytime soon.

  "I'll check it out." I said, ruffling my shirt to look extra disorganized.

  Percy and Lucy retreated into the shadows of a nearby alley while I approached the front of the venue, adopting a casual, slightly-lost tourist vibe. I checked around the entrance, looking for any sign of opening hours, a cancellation notice, or anything that might tell us what was going on. Nothing stuck out.

  As I was examining the padlock, footsteps approached from my left. I straightened up quickly, turning to see a man walking toward me from a side street. He was unremarkable - average height, average build, nondescript clothes - but something about the way his eyes darted around set my internal alarms ringing. The guy was definitely on edge.

  He gave me a curt nod as he approached. "Hey."

  I raised my hand in an overdramatic wave. "Wassup, bro!"

  "What brings you out here?"

  "Just looking for the party, man!" I grinned, gesturing toward the locked doors. "You know when it's starting?"

  "The concert's canceled." he said flatly.

  I let my face fall dramatically. "Aw, that's a major bummer! What's up?"

  "Security issues." His eyes swept the street again. "Throughout the whole city. You should clear out."

  "Oh... I, like... are they refunding tickets or something then?"

  He waved his hand dismissively. "It'll have to be sorted out later. You should leave - go check into an inn and stay there. It's not a good day to be out."

  I shrugged. "Alright, bro, if you say so. Have a good one!"

  I walked away, resisting the urge to look back over my shoulder. Once I was around the corner, I slipped into the alley where Percy and Lucy waited.

  "That was incredibly suspicious." Lucy said as soon as I joined them.

  Percy nodded. "My guess is they're holding them inside - it's big enough, it's isolated, they were probably already there to set up."

  "Absolutely." Lucy agreed.

  "Any ideas on how to get in?" I asked, leaning against the wall and peering out to make sure the man wasn't following me. He wasn't - he'd continued to do a full circle around the warehouse, then disappeared back into the surrounding buildings.

  "Possibly." Percy said.

  Lucy shook her head emphatically. like they'd already been over it. "No - we are not going in through the chimney. Why on Earth would we go in through a lit furnace?"

  Now I saw what they were talking about. The three massive smokestacks were belching thick plumes of black smoke. They were definitely wide enough for a person to fit down, but also definitely in use.

  Percy's expression didn't change. "Because they'll never expect it! We don't need to breathe - we can't choke. Fire damage is fairly weak - it's likely manageable, and with a controlled descent, we can abort if it doesn't work before hitting the bottom. Unless you've got a better idea, why not investigate?"

  Lucy threw up her hands. "You know what? If you want to go down a chimney, fine. But I'm staying outside."

  Percy rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'll open a window for you."

  We made our way around the block, identifying a low-roofed building adjacent to the warehouse. Percy scrambled right up it like a cat burglar, finding handholds in the rough stone wall and pulling himself up onto a ledge that ran along the building's second story. Lucy and I followed with a little less grace.

  From there, we worked our way across the rooftops, using the various ledges, pipes, and windowsills as our path. When we reached the gap between our building and the warehouse, we used the greataxe's leap to jump onto the warehouse's roof.

  The three smokestacks rose from the side of the roof, each about five feet in diameter and spewing out thick, black smoke that smelled of coal and something else I couldn't identify.

  "Alright." I said, pulling a length of rope from my inventory. "Let's get you rigged up."

  I tied the rope securely around Percy's waist, checking the knots twice. "You sure about this? It looks pretty hot in there."

  Percy was already putting on a pair of swimming goggles I'd had in my inventory. "I'll be fine." he said, adjusting the strap. "Just don't let go of the rope."

  Lucy and I positioned ourselves to anchor the rope, bracing against a ventilation unit. Percy approached the nearest smokestack, peering down into its depths.

  "See you on the other side." he said, then took a deep breath and disappeared into the black cloud.

  The rope went taut in my hands as Percy's weight pulled against it.

  (Percival)?I will freely admit going down the chimney was... not my greatest idea ever. I stand by the concept - it was a simple, elegant solution to the problem at hand. However, it was far easier in theory. I was thinking it'd be a quick drop down to the furnace, jump out, and we're in. In reality...

  I didn't need to breathe by the game's mechanics, so choking wasn't a concern, but I had to forcibly keep my mouth shut to prevent it from filling with acrid fumes. And even with the goggles, my vision was reduced to nothing - it was pitch darkness no matter where I looked. The smoke billowed around me, blowing upward as I shimmied down the metal tube. On the plus side, there was no soot coating the sides, so I could keep my grip fairly well.

  As I went deeper, the metal began to grow uncomfortably warm. Then it started to singe - I could feel the texture of my hands and legs burning away. Gritting my teeth, I tried to ignore the sensation and pushed on. Just a bit further...

  Finally, my foot hit open air. I'd reached the bottom of the smokestack. Crowding up against the wall, I managed to pull up my UI through the haze. Squinting, I sent a quick message to the others:

  [Percival]: Hold me steady at this height.

  The rope cinched a little tighter around my waist in response. Then I let go of the walls, floating freely over the end of the shaft by just the cord.

  Carefully, I pivoted my body around the rope, flipping myself upside-down. As my head poked out under the chimney's edge, the darkness suddenly gave way to the blinding white glare of the flames. Off to the side, however, I could see the outline of a hinged metal grate with cool darkness on the other side. That was my target angle.

  Now, the plan was to swing out from the smokestack directly through the grate, barely clipping the corner of the fire. So I sent another message.

  [Percival]: Slacken the rope on my mark. Ready...

  My hands were well detextured by that point and I couldn't feel a thing, so I had no problem grabbing the rim of the smokestack and getting ready to swing.

  [Percival]: Now!

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  I kicked off hard, swinging my legs towards the grate as I felt the rope begin to give way. However, I dropped a little faster than I was expecting. The rope caught fire and immediately incinerated, and I dropped straight into the fire. It consumed me as I panickedly kicked out at where I was hoping the grate was. My boot connected with something solid.

  CLANG!

  The grate flew open and I tumbled out, hitting the rough stone floor in a graceless, smoldering heap. Rolling across the cold ground, I racked my brain for a water spell.

  "Command Sharp: Spell: Geyser! Command Sharp: Spell One: Cast!"

  A sudden fountain of crystal clear water surrounded me, quenching the flames and soaking me in cool, cool bliss. I wanted to lie there for an hour, but this was hostile territory. Groaning, I forced myself to sit up and took stock of my surroundings.

  I was in a utility room in the side of the building. A few tall shelves with unmarked crates and bins stood along one wall, and the three roaring furnaces stood on the other, one now with its grate open. As for me, I was perfectly intact, if a little worse for wear. My robe and clothes were covered in burn holes, and my skin was heavily patched with wireframe wounds. I didn't want to see what my face looked like.

  Gingerly, I pushed myself to my feet and closed the furnace grate, then checked the group chat.

  [Fritz Carlton]: Yo man, you good?

  [Percival]: Yeah, stable and inside. Looking for an accessible window.

  Footsteps suddenly approached the room. Glancing around, I quickly scaled the crates and tucked myself into a nook on one of the upper shelves, just as a gruff-looking man entered. He stopped, frowning at the wet spot on the floor from my spell.

  "Looks like a barrel fell!" he called out.

  Another voice shouted from the hallway, "Well why'd it fall?"

  The man shrugged. "I'unno, man. Maybe it's a Halloween ghoooost!" He chuckled at his own joke. "... Or rats. Or a quake from the mine."

  "Whatever, get back here."

  The man left, and I let out the breath I'd been holding. Creeping out from my hiding spot, I checked the door he'd come through. It led to a plain, empty concrete hallway running along the back of the building. I could hear muffled voices echoing from the main chamber at the front of the warehouse. Going that way would be too risky. Instead, I tiptoed out of the utility room and padded silently along the back rooms.

  The next door I tried led to a smaller storage room filled with shelves of cleaning supplies and unmarked chemical bottles. High on the walls were a few narrow, grimy windows. Perfect.

  I clambered up the shelves and peered outside. The stretch of buildings below was clear - no guards in sight. I shot a message to Fritz and Lucy with my location, then turned my attention to the window latch. It didn't open, of course. NPC buildings were full of non-functional amenities - and sometimes they had furnaces running for no reason.

  So instead I, carefully and quietly, drew my dagger and broke the window. Shards tinkled to the alley below. A moment later, while I was wiping out the rest of the glass, Fritz and Lucy walked up to the shower.

  "Hey guys." I got out a length of rope and let it down to them.

  As Lucy climbed up, she asked, "Why couldn't we have broken a window from the start?!"

  "Well why didn't you suggest it?!" I hissed back as I helped her inside.

  Fritz squeezed through the window after Lucy, his lanky frame contorting to fit the small opening. As he tumbled in, he got a proper look at me. "Geez man, you sure you're good?"

  I reeled the rope back in. "Yeah. I'll go to the Halloween party as a burn victim."

  Fritz's face lit up. "Oh! And if we get a straightjacket, I can be an asylum escapee! And Lucy can be the mad doctor running twisted experiments on us!"

  "Whatever makes you happy." I said.

  With me in the lead, we crept through the outer rooms of the warehouse. There were no signs of the kidnapped band members, but in one of the back rooms we found their instruments - a piano, some drums, guitars. Definitely the right place. We continued on and found some stairs.

  Up on the second floor, we made our way into the main room via a network of catwalks hanging from the ceiling. Below, the warehouse was empty of goods but decked out like an underground club. Mineral and rock samples, old mining equipment - someone had gone all out on the mine theme. Only a cluster of tables in the center were lit.

  There, a group of people were sitting in a circle. Most of them were members of various Fringe guilds, plus Eagle was there. And more than that, currently speaking was... Sebastopol? He was wearing a traveling cloak and looked more than a little stressed and tired, but it was definitely Sebas.

  [Fritz Carlton]: Check that out! I knew he wasn't dead!

  Lucy drew her finger across her throat and kept listening to what he was saying.

  "... It's only going to cause more problems later - violence will provoke violence will provoke violence. We have to look at the long-term outlook here."

  Over in the corner, a man was mixing himself a drink at the bar. As he stepped into the light, his nameplate flickered into view above his head: Jack, from Called by Blood. He took a swig and said, "Sometimes you gotta draw a line in the sand. Can't let 'em keep walkin' all over us, tellin' us where we can and can't be. It's tyrannical bullshit, plain and simple!"

  Eagle, surprisingly level-headed, said, "Nah, this isn't an even fight. The Guard's got control of the media - they've got the people on their side. It doesn't matter what we do; they're gonna paint us as the villains. We need to keep cameras rolling and wait for them to make the first move. Capture that moment and capitalize on it - sway the public's opinion. That's the only way through this mess."

  Jack set his drink on the table. "You're puttin' an awful lot o' faith in the decency of strangers for someone who's been robbin' 'em blind for months on end."

  Eagle turned to him with a flicker of irritation. "We do not fudge our numbers. If someone goes into debt, they only have themselves to blame."

  "You think they care?" Jack asked. "You think the Guard cares?"

  Another member of the circle asked, "What's ol' dark and ominous' word on this?"

  Everyone's gaze shifted to a squirrelly little man in a pinstriped button-up and tie with a sweaty comb-over. Sawtooth - no guild.

  He fidgeted uncomfortably under the weight of their scrutiny. "I- er, can't say right now. I'm only here to observe."

  Lounging on the other side of the circle was a mountain of a man - Mortre, from Bad Charlotte. He rose to his feet and said, "If there's gonna be a fight, tell me where I need to be. If not, you know where to find me." With that, he lumbered off into the back of the building.

  "Let's get people with cameras set up around the train station." Jack said. "It'll probably start there."

  "I thought you didn't believe in that plan?" Eagle asked.

  Jack said, "It's not going to work, but we don't have time to set this up properly. We're in it, we're screwed, and we need to act. Any dirt we can get for later will put us in a better position."

  "And speaking of PR," Eagle turned on Sawtooth, "are we still holding those captives in the mansion? If that gets out, we're going to look like the bad guys. Announce the cancellation of the show and send them on their way with an apology."

  "I-I..." Sawtooth squirmed. "That's my boss' call - I'm afraid I don't know what he wants with them either. I... if you could write down a list of questions you would like answered, I could forward it to him?" He got out a pen and paper and started to write down the questions the others threw at him. The rest of them started to stand up and walk around while they waited for him to straighten things out with his boss.

  It wasn't what we were hoping for, but it was plenty to work off. I nudged Fritz and Lucy, goading them toward the door.

  Walking into the back hallway, Fritz whispered, "You catch that bit about the mansion?"

  Lucy said, "Yes, but how do we find which mansion?"

  "There's only the one mansion neighborhood in the city." I said. "Let's look for the one under heavy guard."

  We sneaked back down to the storage room and made our exit through the window, quickly re-entering the city.

  -Fritz-?Percy once again lead the way into the northwestern corner of the city. Tucked safely in a nook between the city wall and Faustenburg keep, closeted away from the bustle of the downtown - close enough to walk to the important businesses but out of the way enough to keep out the riff-raff - was the upper-class residential district of the city.

  The mansion plots were generously sectioned out on their own little hills. They were more modest than the places in Florin and weren't as heavily 'themed' as those in Celestia Grand. Honestly, they were a little cookie-cutter for me - if you're buying a place that big, it should have some personality.

  Anyway, there was one place that stood out from the rest, but it wasn't because of the architecture. One of the mansions had a trio of Fringe playing cards out on the porch and about six more patrolling the grounds around them.

  We obviously didn't approach directly, instead hiding in the topiary bushes of a garden down the street.

  "I see what you mean." Lucy said. "That must be the one. Shame there's no chimney this time."

  The only chimneys on the house were a couple of small stovepipes - far too small for Percy to fit down.

  "Yeah..." Percy nodded. "We should pose as the wait staff."

  "Oh, there's a costume idea!" I whispered excitedly. "Percy can be the butler, Lucy is the hoity-toity lady with a fur scarf, and I'll be her massive crazy pit bull that she insists is just a cute sweet little thing that wouldn't hurt a fly!"

  "Why do we need a group costume?" Percy asked.

  "Because it's fun!"

  "Is there even going to be a party tonight?" Percy asked. "Even if we save these people, they're probably too rattled to put on a show."

  I shrugged. "You don't need a concert to have a good time."

  "Can we focus on finding a real solution, please?" Lucy asked.

  Suddenly, a fourth person joined us behind the topiary. It was Leo! He was looking... well, the same as last night. He'd taken the Protectorate insignia off his traveling cloak, but he was dressed for combat in some light leather gear with a sword on his hip.

  "Oh, hey man! What's good?" I asked.

  "Hey." he replied. "Did Gary call you, too?"

  "Gary?" I asked, confused.

  "Yeah." Percy quickly interjected. "Does he have a way in?"

  Leo peeked out from behind the bushes at the mansion to check the guards, then ducked back down. "Come on; we're planning at a bar over here."

  He led the three of us through the back yard of a mansion, then a couple more streets over to a nice little tavern. It was currently empty save for Shingen - the dour, grim reaper-looking guy that used to be our info contact when we were working with the gang. He was sipping a colorful cocktail at the bar. Seeing us enter, he rolled his eyes and blew out an exasperated puff of air.

  Leo walked over to the window. "Did you see it yet?"

  "Nope." Shingen replied tersely.

  "What exactly happened to Gary?" I asked.

  "He was put under house arrest by Eagle." Leo explained. "He's only been able to slip out a few messages."

  "They're holding him in that house?" Percy asked.

  "Yeah." Leo confirmed.

  "Is there anyone else in there?" Percy asked.

  "We saw them bring a few people in earlier in the afternoon, but I didn't recognize them." Leo said with a shrug.

  Percy exchanged a look with me.

  "Alright, so you got a plan to get in?" I asked.

  "It's Gary's player-owned house, so it's impossible to enter without a key." Leo said. "Gary's trying to find a chance to get us one; we're just waiting for the signal."

  "Cool, cool." I nodded. I glanced over at Shingen, who was doing his best to ignore us. "How've you been, man?"

  "Better once I've gotten paid." he grumbled, not even looking up from his cocktail.

  Suddenly, Leo hopped up excitedly. "There! That's it!"

  He picked up a pair of binoculars from a nearby table and looked through them, then pulled up his menu and consulted his messages. Mumbling to himself, he flipped over to his map and scrolled around. "Gironde... Gironde... ok, found it! Come on!"

  Shingen downed the last of his drink, and our newly formed group headed out. We left the tavern and jogged over to a nearby general store called Gironde's. Leo made a beeline for the backpack display and started rummaging through their pockets.

  "Here!" He exclaimed, pulling a house key out of one of the bags.

  We then crept toward the guarded mansion and hid in the side garden of the place next door.

  "We're going to have to take a couple extra steps to get you three through," Leo whispered, "but watch this."

  We waited as one of the patrolling guards passed by. Then, right after they were gone, Leo and Shingen burst from cover, running low across the lawn. Shingen kneeled, nesting his hands together, and Leo ran at him full tilt. With a grunt, Shingen boosted Leo into a jump, sending him soaring up to grab the railing of the balcony above. Shingen melted back into the bushes while Leo clambered over the railing and lay flat on the balcony, blending into the shadows.

  Another guard passed, oblivious. In that one's wake, Shingen ran out again and leapt, his arms outstretched. Leo caught him by the wrists and hauled him up onto the balcony with a muffled thud.

  Percy, Lucy, and I followed suit, timing our dashes between the guard rotations. At last, we all huddled against the balcony door. Leo then spawned the key. With it in his hand, the door opened like it was never locked at all, and we piled into the hallway beyond. It was empty, but voices drifted up from downstairs. Leo crept forward, peeking into side rooms. All empty. At a set of magnificent double doors in the center of the mansion, he waved us over, then slipped inside.

  We entered a lavish study, all rich mahogany and plush carpets. Huge bay windows looked out over the back garden, currently draped in velvet curtains. And there, pacing in agitation, was Garbage Gary himself, resplendent in a gaudy fur-trimmed purple coat.

  "Finally!" he exclaimed, hurrying over to us. "You will not believe the treatment I've had to put up with here! Of all the ridiculous stunts I've let that man pull, now he goes and shuts me up in here?! We'll see how long he lasts without me - I'm the one who's been floating his megalomania!"

  Still standing by the door and straining to listen to the muffled conversation downstairs, I asked, "Is there someone else being held here with you?"

  "Yes!" Gary threw up his hands. "They brought those musicians over earlier - told me to entertain them. 'Entertain them', pah! They have them under watch at all times - I haven't gotten so much as a conversation with them! And I was looking forward to that concert of theirs - there's not enough art in this world, and we get so little music! He could at least have the decency to set up a dinner for us all! That man doesn't know a thing about how to win friends! DEVIL-MINDED BRUTE!"

  Heavy footsteps thumped up the stairs at his shout. We all scrambled for cover. Percy vaulted over the desk and slid underneath. Leo and Lucy darted behind the potted plants flanking the window. Shingen strode over to a filing cabinet and flattened himself against the wall beside it, still as a statue. I stepped back, pressing myself behind the door just as it swung open.

  "Is everything alright in here?" a gruff voice demanded.

  "Oh, it's just lovely!" Gary's voice dripped with venom. "Did I disturb you?!"

  "Just keep it down, will you?" the guard grumbled.

  "Am I no longer allowed to rant in the confines of my own home?!" Gary seethed. "If you insist on depriving me of suitable conversation partners, you must live with the results!"

  He grabbed a marble statuette from his desk and hurled it at the guard. The man quickly retreated into the hall and slammed the door shut. The sculpture shattered against the door, shards dissipating into blue dust.

  Gary huffed, straightening his jacket. "The absolute harlequinade they are putting on here - cancelling the shows, angering the Guard, inviting those hooligans here! Come, I take it you've prepared a way out?"

  "About that..." I stepped out from behind the door. "Are the musicians going to be ok if we leave them here?"

  Percy emerged from under the desk. "It's going to be hard to talk to them directly, but it sounds like they're unhurt, at least. Those guys we overheard were discussing releasing them, so maybe it's best to wait rather than goad the Fringe by attempting to break them out."

  "They certainly won't be letting me out!" Gary said. "That backstabber will have me killed as soon as it's convenient, I'm sure of it! He would never let an enemy go free! You have to get me out of here - you must! I have money! Help yourselves to the decorations - I certainly don't need them anymore! Oh! This is one of my favorite pieces!" He hurried over to an carved ivory box on a side table and opened it. Inside laid a long blanket of thick, royal purple suede. "This is the trophy from the very first boss encounter! Completely unique!"

  Leo's jaw dropped. "I thought there was no loot from that fight!"

  Percy strode over, rubbing the lush fabric between his fingers. "Wow," he deadpanned, "I can't believe someone in the raid group hid that from us."

  I added, "It must have been Sebas - that's why he disappeared!"

  "Yeah!" Leo nodded vigorously, then paused. "Wait, I thought he wasn't interested in the loot?"

  Gary cut in impatiently. "So, will you do it?"

  I glanced over to see Shingen and Lucy already busy stuffing their inventories full of knick-knacks.

  "I'll take you wherever you need to go, boss-man." Shingen said, not looking up from the jewel-encrusted paperweight he was examining.

  "That's what we came here to do, right?" Lucy chimed in, slipping a pearl-handled letter opener into her pocket.

  I said, "Of course; I'm not going to let someone die. But I don't want to just leave those musicians here."

  A resounding crash echoed from downstairs as a door was flung open. Heavy boots stomped across the floor. We all tensed, ready to dive back into hiding, but no one came up the stairs. Muted scuffling sounds drifted up from below. Peering out the window, I watched as the Fringe guards marched the musicians out into the back yard in a line.

  "What's going on?" Leo asked hesitantly.

  "Hopefully they're releasing them." I said, but even as the words left my mouth, a sinking feeling twisted in my gut.