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Turning to their prisoner, the three survivors considered him. His right arm was broken, but his main hurt was a deep belly-wound, probably mortal. Clearing his weapons from his reach, Animir tied him up and then healed his wound. The man blinked and came round, with Zada's sword-point at his throat. "What's going on here?" demanded Animir. The man looked confused. "We were hired to fight you, and we lost," he said rather hesitantly. "Where do the runemarked weapons come from?" she asked, and was met with bafflement. Zada tried a different tack. "Who hired you and where?" she asked. This seemed to make better sense, but the thug needed a bit more persuasion before he'd tell. Eventually, he revealed that a man called Radizar Silverfear had hired them in a Dockside tavern called The Strangled Gasp. "He said it was a simple basher job; look how it turned out," he bemoaned. Animir was intrigued by his turn of phrase. "You are saying you were hired in advance to kill us here?" she said. The alleybasher nodded. Zada and Animir exchanged looks. "Just business, then," "Where's Foamwolf gone?" she demanded. "No idea; he lives here," was the answer. Zada kicked the thug's weapons further into a corner, frogmarched him to the door and pushed him out, cutting his bonds as she went. Animir and Thorkin went into the back to check things out, while Zada paused at the weapon racks to acquire a new off-hand shortsword, and to say a last goodbye to Lotheladala. In the back, they found store-rooms, the open back door from which Foamwolf had doubtless fled, and an office. On the desk was a short, hand-written note: Meeting - Thursday - The Den - Maegnor Maegnor! Suddenly pieces began to fall into place. Animir showed this to Zada, and the pair agreed that they should visit this Strangled Gasp without delay, before the surviving thugs could raise the alarm. From the office in back came a couple of heavy clangs. "Sounds like Thorkil's found a satisfactory safe," said Animir with a grin. Returning to the office, she examined the safe, without much confidence. She unpacked her tools and prepared to attempt the lock. "I'm not much good at this," she warned, just as the lock opened with a click. Then there was a second click. Animir twisted out of the way, and a poisoned needle buzzed past her ear and lodged itself in Zada's leather armour. The dart was at its' last gasp by the time it reached the ranger, however, and didn't penetrate. Some gold was quickly distributed among the three, and some ledgers left just where they were, before the aggrieved customers left the shop. Zada picked up a dagger with the Rune on, just for reference, and the three headed across town towards the Dockside - and the Strangled Gasp. |