"Finding the right people to work underground is more difficult than it might otherwise seem," Nana said. "So I don't expect them to fire you anytime soon, unless circumstances change drastically."

"Actually, I wonder if they have people here right now keeping an eye on you?" Elemmir dropped his fork as his face started to turn blue. Nana placed her hand on her hip as she stared directly at him. Aleister said this as a joke, but maybe he didn't make it apparent enough. "Calm down. I highly doubt they would bother sending people to keep an eye out on you. Hiring people for such an inane task would cost them more than what its worth. After all, you said they captured the entire squad, correct? That means they're blackmailing more than just you. Besides, doing so would also bring attention to them, which is the number one thing they don't want to do."

Small amounts of colour returned to Elemmir's face.

"In the end, I still don't understand what you're trying to say," Nana said, relaxing her grip.

"Oh," Aleister grabbed a biscuit from an open tin, "I'm just saying, do nothing."

"We can't not do nothing!" Nana protested.

"Why not?"

"Because, his father and the rest of his squad are in danger," Nana said. "We don't know what will happen to their lives."

"They were in danger before you and I learned of it today, and will stay in danger once we leave." He took a bite. "I know how much you want to take action and save him. I want to do so as well. But the problem is, we can't rush into it without gathering all available information. Which is why I take back what I said about not telling your mom."

"Huh? You can't just change your mind like that."

"Too bad, I just did." Aleister grabbed the biscuit tin and took note of the brand. "These are very good by the way."

"Oh," Elemmir nervously laughed, "My mom bought them."

Aleister nodded and turned his head. "Excuse me, Miss Phisvaelte?"

"What are you doing?" Nana asked.

He didn't answer and waited.

"Yes?" she asked, walking into the room after a few seconds.

"These biscuits are delicious."

"T—thank you?" she said, her voice brittle.

"Your welcome." Aleister pressed his cup of tea against his lips. "Oh, and some unknown organization have kidnapped your husband." He took a sip.

"No, he hasn't!" Elemmir said, scooting his chair back and standing up.

"Relax. She already heard our entire conversation. We haven't exactly been talking in quite voices, and the door to the next room is open. It would be more surprising if she hadn't heard everything we talked about."

Elemmir sat back down. He rested his head against the table and covered it with his arms. "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay," Phisvaelte walked over to embrace her son. "I understand." Her already brittle voice broke, as she could no longer hold back her emotions.

"Well, now that she knows, you can payback the ransom much faster. By the way, who do you send the money to? Or do you put it in a discrete location where they collect it?"

Elemmir rubbed the tears from his eyes. "I haven't made any payments yet. All the money I've earned is kept in my room. Velsi told me to keep it until she returned, and then she would total all the money to pay it back then."

Aleister nodded. He put the biscuit box back on the table and finished up his tea. "Guess I should get going then. Those potions aren't going to make themselves."

"Are you seriously telling us to just do nothing?" Nana asked.

"Actually, on second thought," Aleister grabbed a sleeve of biscuits from the tin, "Yes."

"But—"

"It's like you ignored the conversation we just had. And we aren't doing nothing. You go tell your mom and continue your investigation. Elemmir continues to work at the casino, and I will go make potions for their business. If your mom gives you information or tells you otherwise, just let me know. It's not like you don't know where I live."

"Fine, but it feels like we're doing nothing."

"Ah, yes, investigating a suspicious location truly is doing nothing." Aleister stood up and shrugged. "Consider it lucky that place is the same place that is involved with the kidnapping. Like seriously, what are the chances all of this lined up like this? Actually, probably not ridiculous, since I can't imagine there are that many underground organizations."

"There are a lot of small gangs, but a few collective groups run the entire show," Nana said.

"Well, there you go. We know that one of them has to be involved, specifically, the one that own The Curtain. I haven't even done any investigating and I've already done a better job than you. No need to thank me."

"If it was that easy learning what group controlled that place, don't you think I would have figured it out already?" Nana asked. Her gaze sharp and agitated.

"Fine, sorry. I have no idea how your investigation goes or how the underground gangs operate."

"That's right, don't speak about things that you know nothing about."

"Can't some officers of the City Watch launch an attack against them?" Elemmir asked.

"Small scale conflicts have occurred," Nana said.

"And you do have to understand that those conflicts put not only the officers lives at risk but also civilians. The organizations have integrated themselves into Osetia not only though illegitimate business' but legitimate ones as well."

"That's right." Nana said. "My mother told me that we just need to figure out the people in charge, then once they remove those people from their positions of power and replace them with our own people, we can cause their entire system to collapse from the inside out."

"Well, it sounds like she has a plan already." Aleister took another sleeve from the tin as he already finished the previous one.

"You can just take all of it," Phisvaelte said.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, we can always purchase more."

"Then don't mind if I do." He grabbed and closed the tin. Dab's Bakery, huh? Might as well check it out.