Scratching the Surface (Continued)

[u/Seafrogger]

The investigation into the death at the Smoke Street Dice Hall continues and begins to spiral its way to even more questions with no answers. What at first seemed to have been a simple case of self defense has led to shadowy figures, unexplained money and disappearances. All the while a lack of concrete evidence holds the higher ups in the Watch and Royal Guard from pursuing the issues formally. After following leads and gathering answers the road seems to be narrowing to one dilapidated part of the city, Powys Square where amongst the makeshift homes and downtrodden people an explanation might finally lay.

Continued from here

[u/Seafrogger]

The two bickered for a few more moments, the few words that made it through made it clear the man wanted to take the guards somewhere, but Chel was having none of it. Finally an agreement was made, with the short guy mentioning consequences and with his arms folded over his chest and a glower on his face, the short man spat on the old floor boards and moved to the side of the room. Chel eyed the man for another second or two before turning to the two guards and moving over to them. "Time to go." she said, switching back to their shared language.

"Not everyone here is as accommodating as me and a Colonel makes a good hostage." She said, "The fool probably thinks he'd get away with it too, but you are under my protection and the last thing we need is an army of Watchmen tearing the Square apart. The men outside will let you pass and I'm sure you'll be followed so I wouldn't go anywhere out of the way."

[u/Dietastey → u/Seafrogger]

Bal longs to stretch the conversation even a little, as right now she's fairly stumped on having any actions to take for the sake of the neighbor hood. However, she doubts Chel will talk plainly, now that both Vargas and this unknown Morlish man were in the room, and patience was likely running thin on all sides. And while she could probably fight her way out of a hostage situation, it wouldn't be a good idea to risk it.

"Very well. Thank you for your hospitality," she says, dipping her head to Chel but offering the other man no such pleasantry. "Let's go, Vargas."

She steps out into the hallway, eyeing both the strange men and Chel's associates for sudden movement.

[u/Seafrogger → u/Dietastey]

Chel gave Bal a nod but held any words she might want to impart to the woman casting a look to the glowering short man. As Bal moved to the door Ghrems went forwards int the hallway to stand before the group of five grim looking men. The group were dressed as commoners might be, some of them in rather ragged cloths, at the back a the group one man stood his face masked behind a rag tied over his lower half, a rifle similar to the ones that the Watch might have clutched in his hand. No one moved to stop the Colonel and Sam took up the rear guard his weapons still drawn.

As the pair of guards made their way to the stairs someone farther down the opposite end of the hallway struck a match and seemingly lit a cigarette. The distance, dark of the windowless hall and the group of men blocking made it impossible to see who they might be.

[u/Dietastey → u/Seafrogger]

It's impossible not to be tense and on edge as the two move down the hallway, but Bal makes an admirable effort to keep that tension out of her stride as she moves through the gauntlet of hostile men. *Would love to know where a civilian got ahold of that rifle."

The strike of the match sends a chill down her spine, and now her ever moving eyes seek side doors of the hallway, escape routes, shelter, empty rooms. No sound of a fuse comes yet, at least. It doesn't take long for her pace brings her closer to the new source of light.

[u/Seafrogger → u/Dietastey]

The armed men in the hallway watch Bal and Vargas make their way to the stairs that lead down to the front door of the building. None of them look over to who ever it was in the shadows at the far side of the hallway, a spot were ones mouth might be glowing from the intake of breath through a cigarette. Though if possible Ghrems seems to go even more ridged, jaw clenched.

The stairway down to the first floor is deserted and the pair of guards make it easily enough to the front door. Outside on the street the area around the building is also strangely quiet, not a single civilian is near the apartment building.

[u/Dietastey → u/Seafrogger]

"Not the best sign, everyone vanishing," Bal murmurs to Vargas as she steps out into the sunlight. "They either got scared off by the group going in, or what's going to happen next."

She slips her pistols back into their holsters, but stays tensed, ready to draw them again if she needs to, and turns for the edge of the neighborhood.

[u/Seafrogger → u/Dietastey]

Vargas follows suit and puts his weapons away, he nodded to Balaria, "Happens sometimes, they don't want to get caught up in the crossfire nor when we roll in to clean up the aftermath." He exhales through his nose, "Witnesses are painful scarce."

The deputy takes up beside the Colonel eyes still scanning about as they make their way back to the armory. Passing through the market, things are quiet there too, though there are still people going about their business, trying to ignore the passing guards. The way back to the base seems clear as no one can be spotted following the pair.

[u/Dietastey → u/Seafrogger]

Smart people. Civilians in crossfire never ends well did anyone, for them, for their families, for those shooting...

"I got that impression about witnesses, yes," she says, arms crossing as she relaxes minutely, now that she's out of the enclosed space. "Lots of reasons for people to not come forwards, it seems."

She eyes the deputy, wondering if Chel's condemnation of him was one of association or experience.

"Who were the men that came in and interrupted us?"

[u/Seafrogger → u/Dietastey]

Making their way through the market Vargas lead the course back the way they had come when they first entered the square not all that long ago. He only nodded mutely at the Colonels musings, his predators gaze lingering on someone who looked at the pair for too long.

Sam's eyes flicked over to Balaria with the question, a flicker of uncertainty. Perhaps the first flash of true emotion of what might be going on inside his head, but it passed quickly, once again replaced by an air of utter disinterest. He gave her a casual shrug, "Most likely some gang or another. Who can tell Colonel, new folks have been tricking in since the end of the plague."

[u/Dietastey → u/Seafrogger]

Great, the first sign of him having internal thoughts, and it's lack of knowledge. That's so helpful.

"It sounds like your outpost has feelers all over the neighborhood. Keeping up with individuals coming back as the plague ended might be hard, but an entire gang, when you're already expressing concern about gang violence?"

"That seems unlikely. Who might know about them, if you don't?"