Steam wisped underfoot as Tekole trudged along the road. He hadn’t been in this part of town since Kajulan had dragged him away that evening, the night things had really went crazy. Tekole didn’t like working for Jethin, but he’d be lying if he said he missed coming to this part of town. On particularly bad days the air was so heavy with moisture that it made it hard to breathe. It was almost amazing compared to how dry the air was in the rest of Romba. Just a consequence of keeping the runes humming, he guessed.

Tekole squinted as a figure began to become visible through the fog. It was Kajulan, dressed very much like how she did before they had been ensnared by Jethin’s grasp. He was too, but she seemed to have taken more joy from the absent dress code, her clothes rough and messy and her short hair hanging down, visible beneath a small cap.

“You look nice,” said Tekole, scratching awkwardly beneath his ear.

“Aww,” replied Kajulan, running her hand through Tekole’s dark hair. “So do you, back in your working man’s clothes.”

Tekole chuckled, before looking around a little solemn. “I’ll be honest, it hasn’t been that long, but it still feels weird to be back here.”

“Yeah,” said Kajulan, grabbing Tekole’s hand and walking with him to the factory grounds. “Complete realignment of your life will do that sort of thing.”

…

The factory grounds were almost completely indistinguishable from the street. In fact, everything in this part of the city seemed to blend together, criss-crossing metal pipes and wooden supports obscuring any sort of architectural intent. Kajulan put her hand above her eyes, scanning the area. Spotting something, she nudged Tekole.

“Ow!” exclaimed Tekole. “Be careful where you stick that elbow!”

“Sorry,” muttered Kajulan dismissively. “That guy sticks out, doesn’t he?” She was pointing at someone waiting outside a small, flat roofed building. He had his arms crossed, and was wearing tall boots with a long coat. He looked like he could be a Sapphire Crest member, or maybe an off duty guardsman. But from what that lapmiel had told them, there probably wasn’t much of a difference, and regardless, that building was probably where they needed to be. Some workers stopped nearby, looking like they were about to head in but deciding against it, quickly heading on their way.

The man bristled as the two approached, trying to make himself look bigger. He sneered at them, and Kajulan sneered back, quickly getting up in his face only for Tekole to pull her back.

“Not now, Kaji, let’s just get inside.”

The building was spacier than it looked from the outside. The floor was built into the ground, and the walls were thin, thin enough that anyone who wanted to listen in from the outside probably could. There were an odd half dozen people inside, including a dwywem man standing on an elevated platform at the back of the room, his fiery red hair making him stand out even more.

“It seems like we have two more joining us!” the man said excitedly. “That’s two more than yesterday!”

The crowd didn’t even pretend to be excited, and the man slunked his shoulders, unable to maintain the facade of optimism. “You can take a seat,” he said, gesturing at Kajulan and Tekole, who were awkwardly standing in the entryway. They quickly sat, in chairs that were definitely too small for most adults.

“Now, I know a lot of us are still reeling from the disaster last season. It actually made me reconsider starting this organization in the first place. But just the fact that he allows this gathering at all shows that, regardless of his faults, some part of Abvuld is willing to hear us out.”

“What happened last season?” Kajulan asked Tekole, perhaps a bit too loudly.

“Strike at some fabrics factory,” whispered Tekole. “I think they made sails or something. The kind the navy uses for their ships. The Satrap didn’t like one of her city’s main industries screeching to a halt, so she okayed the factory to bring in labor from the rest of the satrapy. Strikers wouldn’t let them through, some private guard firm got involved, things got ugly. Now, no official deaths, but I heard around when it happened that several people were never found.”

“Ahem,” grunted the red haired man, clearly staring at the two. “Would you mind speaking with me in the back room?”

“Tekooooole,” teased Kajulan. “You got us in trouble.”

“You asked,” replied Tekole.

…

Almost as soon as the two had entered the room, the man grabbed Kajulan by the collar and slammed her to the wall. He was surprisingly strong compared to his relatively small size. Tekole was prepared to go at him, but Kajulan waved him off.

“Now now, Tekole, let’s give our future client a chance to talk.”

“I know you don’t work here,” said the man. “I don’t recognize either of you, and you didn’t know about last season. . .”

Kajulan placed her hands between his, and forced them apart, causing him to drop her. “You got us, we aren’t here to join your union.”

“It’s not a union,” said the man.

Kajulan quickly glanced back and forth, before smirking at the man. “Oh, I get it. Got to keep that quiet, huh?”

“No,” stammered the man. “We’re just here to discuss our needs, so the boss can better provide for them.” Kajulan winced at the rehearsal, making the action intentionally noticeable. The dwywem man eyed her, but continued. “The boss provided this building for us to do exactly that.”

Tekole knocked on the wall. “And it just so happens that this building has thin walls, of course. Thin enough to eavesdrop. And that main room just so happens to have large windows.”

Kajulan piped in. “And it just so happens that there’s some “extra security,” stationed outside this building. I presume he’s always out there when you have one of these little meetings.”

“And she does mean little,” snarked Tekole.

“Alright, alright, alright” said the red-haired man, waving his hands as he did so. “I know this isn’t purely altruistic. For show, really, and maybe even to keep things under control. But it’s the best I’ve got.”

“That’s why we’re here to offer our services,” said Kajulan, as she sat crisscrossed on a small table in the middle of the room.

The man’s eyes narrowed. “I know you kind of people, offering your “services.” Your mobsters, common crooks. You know how many of the neighborhoods around here are constantly shaken down in exchange for your “services?””

Kajulan looked at Tekole, who shook his head.

“Guess we don’t,” said Kajulan, standing up. “Just lucky, I guess.”

“I’m not going to work with you people.”

Kajulan scoffed. “Oh really? Are you above working with us? And do you really think your boss’s security force is operating above board? Cause I know the answer to that question. They’re not.”

“And besides,” said Tekole, placing his arms on the man’s shoulders. Kajulan arched her eyebrow at Tekole’s directness. He was starting to settle into this life. “Don’t you think your efforts would be getting way more traction without that goon outside hanging around?”

The man thought for a moment, bringing his hand to his chin. “What do you want in return?”

“Oh, nothing,” said Tekole, removing his hands from the man’s shoulders as he walked away. “Our boss has his own reasons for getting involved.”

“Think about it,” said Kajulan, slapping the man on the back. “Because we’re going to get started regardless.”

…

Tekole exited the building first, followed a moment later by Kajulan, who intentionally bumped the man guarding the entrance as she did so. He bristled, reaching out to grab her, but Kajulan slithered away.

“Oh, sorry,” hissed Kajulan, unbridled mockery in her voice.

“What were you guys talking about in there?” asked the man, the implicit threat in his question clear.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” replied Kajulan.

The man’s face turned sterner. “Actually, I would.” He pulled back his coat, revealing a mace strapped to his side. Kajulan simply smirked, turning a corner and heading behind the building. The man followed, and was quickly punched in the head by Tekole. He staggered but retained his footing, causing Tekole to shoulder him to the ground.

“Getting Deja Vu?” asked Kajulan.

Tekole shook his hand, trying to get the pain from the punch out. “Yeah. I am, actually”

The man tried to get up, but Kajulan stomped on his hand, causing him to yelp. Almost immediately the red-haired man ran outside and behind the building.

“What the hell is going on!?” he shouted. Kajulan and Tekole were quickly helping the stooge to his feet, Kajulan bringing a knife to his throat.”

“We’re just making the implicit threat of violence in the air around here, well, explicit,” she said.

“I’m going to get the guards,” said the red-haired man, but Tekole grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

“I don’t think I’ve seen any guards in this part of town,” replied Kajulan. “Have you Tekole?”

Tekole shook his head. “I don’t think so Kaji.”

“Now, you’re about to have an opportunity here,” Kajulan began. “We’re going to see how many people show up to your little party now, without some mercenary bastard watching their every step.” She turned her head face the man in her grasp. “Aren’t we?”

“Ye, yes ma’am,” he quickly replied.

The fiery haired Dwywem pulled his arm from Tekole’s grasp and stormed off. Tekole considered going after him, but decided against it and sidestepped over to Kajulan. “I . . . don’t think this is going well. Do we actually know what we’re doing?”

“No,” replied Kajulan. “But that’s what’s making this interesting.”