Chapter 7

The Thief

“The Academy was founded about twenty years ago, before the outbreak of war that left most countries devastated,” Specs started to explain without prompting. He didn’t seem aware that Terrill and Krysta were dealing with any other thought. This was his element, and he was proud to introduce it to them in full. “Director Rainert, the wife of the mayor, decided to found it as a place of research that looked into the inner workings of all magic. What creates it? Sustains it? She was curious, and knew others were curious, and thus the Academy was formed as the linchpin of all society in Serotin, and indeed, the whole continent of Sagitta…well, except for the north.”

Specs kept talking, but Terrill decided he would rather soak things in on his own. While they were walking away from what he guessed was the residential part of the city, Terrill’s eyes were fixated on the large building that served as the cornerstone of the Academy’s setting. On first glance, it appeared akin to a cathedral, with its tall spires and stained glass. There were towers and turrets that brought it closer to a castle, however, and even from their distance, Terrill could see people dashing up the spiral stairs that comprised them.

Well before they could even reach the front doors of this main building was a wide and sprawling lawn, full of students carrying books or other strange apparatuses that Terrill figured had to do with research of a sort. Other, smaller buildings were found to the side, expanding like wings. Smoke was rising from one of them, but no one looked particularly alarmed, and he began to think that was par for the course at a place as odd as the Academy.

The biggest marvel of all was realizing that this place had been built in a mere twenty years.

“Must be built by magic, huh?” he blurted out.

“Of course! I had mentioned it!” Specs said. His pouted lips showed how miffed he was at Terrill ignoring his explanation. A sheepish chuckle from Terrill later and all appeared to be forgiven. “Truth be told, this used to be the grounds of a church for our goddess, Crea, but the church fell into poverty and was unable to keep up its operations. It wasn’t until Gerald Rainert was elected mayor of Serotin that things began to change for the better. Between his connections and his very influential wife, Iris, the Academy took the site of it and flourished!”

“There’s a connection between the Academy and the mayor’s office then?” Krysta said. She received a subtle nod for confirmation…at first. Terrill was absolutely certain that Specs loved to explain things.

“The mayor’s office and residence is actually just within the Academy’s grounds and the two have been tightly woven together. Though it’s been some years since Director Rainert has been seen…” It was the first contemplative look that Specs had worn the whole few days Terrill had known him, but it was wiped by his feminine peer placing a hand on his shoulder.

“She’ll return from her own expedition soon, I’m sure, and we’ll have our own research to show for it!” That cheered them both up, but none of it mattered. Terrill was more interested in finding the mayor’s office.

Specs huffed, and Terrill believed he saw steam coming from his nostrils. “That said, the research board is already thinking of hiring Torry as her successor. I understand the clout that comes from being the director’s daughter, but what are they thinking?”

“Her tenure as a student has given her a grasp over most elements. Only the director has ever shown that aptitude, so it opens up the possibility into many realms of research.”

“Possibility is but mere possibility! We need merit! Such as our own! We need to test our hypotheses as soon as possible!”

“I’m sorry to interrupt your brainstorming, but…uh… The mayor?” Terrill’s interjection caused the two students to freeze. They had sped up, stuck in their own world that Terrill neither cared nor wanted a part of. They even seemed to have forgotten Krysta along the way!

“Oh…oh, yes. My apologies,” Specs said with a light bow. As he lifted, his finger went with it, pointing to a building within the corner of the campus. It was of different style and structure to the rest of the Academy, making it stand out, and was closest to the circle of houses and other markets that made up the city of Serotin. “That’s where the mayor is. I’m afraid I can’t see you to it, but… Lady Krysta, if you have the time, we’d very much appreciate you dropping by our research facility.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Just ask for Research Department D. We’ll be there! Patricia, let us hurry!”

Just like that, Specs was gone, not even a word of farewell to Terrill.

He didn’t mind, his eyes fixating upon their newest destination.

There weren’t many students between the pair and said location, but there was a dirt pathway to take, which soon became a cobblestone one, paving the way to the mayor’s residence. The further they went in its direction, the less students they found, and less buildings as well. One thing they did find more of were soldiers, dressed in the same garb as those from Lentaris, robes flapping about in the wind. He began to wonder if it was a general dress code from the mayor, or if it had been influenced by the presence of the Academy. Given the students didn’t wear robes at all, he wasn’t sure.

“What do you think the mayor can tell us?” Krysta asked out of the blue. She fell in step beside him, and was still unable to clear her concerns from her eyes, which repeatedly flicked over to the main building of the Academy behind them.

“With any luck, he can at least confirm if the rumors about the woman are true or not. If they are…” He didn’t need to say what he intended.

Their feet transitioned to the stone path, winding up a small hill that was set at the corner of the Academy. The closer they were, the more Terrill realized that the school was separated from the rest of Serotin by a stone fence, with metalwork of a most impressive nature at the top. Houses could still be seen beyond, but they couldn’t get in, except for a smaller gate, guarded by soldiers, near to the mayor’s residence. No one was going through today, however. The guards remained on alert, and those at the front gate of the mayor’s house tightened upon the pair’s approach.

Only when they were right in front of the pair of guards, looking at the much less ornate offices of the mayor, did either of the sentries open their mouths.

“State your business!” they proclaimed at the same moment. The authoritative, and somewhat deterring, voices brought Terrill up short. Krysta bumped into him.

It was a tone that told Terrill he had to be very careful with his words, lest they bar him any entrance. The spears at their sides showed just how much business they meant, and that one wrong word could mean a very nasty wound. With no one else in this area, either, Terrill took a moment to compose his thoughts with utmost care.

It made his words sound more formal than he intended them to.

“I humbly request an, uh, audience with the mayor,” he began, earning narrowed eyes and a stifled giggle from Krysta. “Er…screw it. I came from Lentaris, on a ship attacked by pirates. They mentioned that a woman had visited the mayor, or something like that, and delivered a message about the Luster Mines. I was hoping to meet with the mayor to discuss her.”

Certain words had elicited certain reactions from the guards, and Terrill made sure to watch each of them for every minute change in detail. At some point, he could even swear to have felt their feet shift in how they balanced their weight, the earth beneath them whispering to him. They had tightened their hands on their weapons at the word “pirates”, made a brief shift about the woman, and their lips had pursed upon hearing the Luster Mines mentioned.

It told Terrill they were at the right place.

Or he thought they were, until the guards pulled their weapons out and barred the way.

“Our apologies, but the mayor isn’t seeing any visitors that aren’t scheduled today. Come back another time.” They said it with such synchronicity, it was scary.

Terrill debated just trying to push his way through, but Krysta’s presence nearby stopped him. She seemed distracted, and he didn’t want to deal with her and the soldiers. He let a sigh slip. “Could you say when he’ll be seeing people? Or if we could schedule a meet? This woman won’t wait around, and there’s no-”

“No. Visitors.” Only one spoke this time, his eyes flashing with foreboding threat. They closed ranks.

“We’ll come back, then.” Krysta was adamant about that, because Terrill wasn’t allowed to call out or stop her before she turned and walked away. Terrill was more hesitant, glancing upwards at the office. The more he looked, the more he began to wonder about the lack of lights or movement…and the fact no one was even entering the office despite there being supposed appointments.

“Keep standing around and we’ll arrest you for loitering.”

Something was fishy, all right, and it wasn’t the smell of his clothes from the days out at sea. So, Terrill gave a nonchalant shrug, stuck his hands in his pockets, and left the mayor’s residence behind.

He wasn’t far before he was joined up with Krysta again.

“Fat lot of good that did us,” he said. His complaint was noted by a light vocalization from his companion. Putting distance between them and the mayor’s manor, Terrill glanced back. The building looked even more forlorn now, and he was starting to wonder the reason why. Whatever it was, the building was put out of sight by a larger building that belonged to the Academy as they emerged near the front lawn. Down a side path, Terrill saw a fountain, surrounded by chairs, where students ate and chatted among themselves.

Krysta must have seen this as a good place to discuss their next plan of action, for that was where she began to lead him. “Maybe it didn’t do us much good, but it did tell us that the mayor does know something. They got awfully defensive, you know. The biggest issue is how we will get past those guards and get in…”

“You’re not actually suggesting…” Terrill didn’t complete the thought. Too many people were around now, and though the din of chatter precluded any conversation they were having, it felt risky. His thoughts shrunk inwards. He had to admit that Krysta had a point. The guards wouldn’t be letting them near the building anytime soon, whether or not they had an appointment. The only way to get inside, especially with any timely manner, was by sneaking in.

It was, to Terrill’s great dismay, a tactic he was neither familiar with nor skilled.

Krysta sat herself down on a chair, her pensive eyes staring towards the towering building that made the Academy’s main site. It seemed like she was trying to see through them, her own mind contemplating and considering. Terrill stood near her, wondering the same thing she was, wracking his brain for yet another solution to yet another problem.

It was memory that provided one, aided by the soldiers’ words from that morning.

There was something, or rather someone, that could give them a chance to get inside.

“Maybe we need someone who’s broken in before,” he said, not bothering to modulate his voice. Krysta’s distraction held her a moment longer before she blinked and looked at Terrill with a “hm?”. He grinned at her, and held up a finger that asked her to wait.

The people around the Academy were lively as he watched them. None of them showed any signs of being shady, but many of them were absorbed in the work they were discussing, or perhaps just the daily gossip. Instead, Terrill looked for someone not quite occupied that could answer the one question he had on his mind. He found his quarry in two young men passing by the fountain, discussing where they’d go next with amusement. Terrill imagined it couldn’t have been a particularly deep conversation.

“Excuse me,” he called, not forgoing his manners. One of them heard, turning to him as the other yawned from the interrupted conversation. Terrill gave them not a moment to resume or brush him off. “I was wondering where I could find someone named Floyd. I hear he’s a student here.”

It was like some sort of explosive detonated, rendering the entire courtyard silent at his question.

At first, Terrill thought it was just his ears, or perhaps a spell that someone had cast, since he wasn’t all that well-versed in these sorts of things. It took him a moment to realize his question had been that strange. Even Krysta looked surprised.

The silence was soon replaced with all manner of chuckles, chortles and not-quite-derisive laughter. Terrill wasn’t sure how to take any of it, especially as the two in front of him doubled over with their own laughter. He began to scratch behind his head before the two of them straightened themselves to try and give him an intelligible answer.

“Th-that troublemaker? I’m sure he’s out and about somewhere on the campus, right Trent?”

“Ah, Bruce,” the other said, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, “you know he’s probably planning to break into some faculty’s office, just to prove he can.”

“Or-or he’s off causing problems with one of his experiments! Wouldn’t be surprised if that smoke from earlier today was his doing.”

“It’s more likely he’s sneaking into the female dormitories. Ever since Torry started staying there a couple nights a week, he’s been pestering her over research projects.”

“She can barely stand him.”

“But he is one of the best students.”

“Always good for a riot!”

To add to their cacophony, or perhaps dispel it, the bell at the top of the Academy began to ring, a signal for all those taking a break in the courtyard to head to class. Many stood, and still others were already on their feet. One of those laughing had fallen into the fountain, helped up by some friends. Their amusement was duly noted as they all left the travelers alonein the courtyard. The two before Terrill ceased their own guffawing, slapping each other on the back before vanishing into the crush of the crowd, neither providing anything more in the way of answers.

Terrill let loose a yet greater sigh.

A minute was all it took for the rest of the courtyard to clear out. Terrill and Krysta were alone, and the Academy grounds had grown still.

“What now? This Floyd doesn’t seem to be taken seriously.” Terrill knew Krysta was speaking the truth, but it made him no less miffed at his lack of information. To indicate his displeasure, he took a seat, harrumphing with folded arms. “Where did you get the idea anyway?”

“Those soldiers mentioned that he was able to break into the mayor’s office. Figured it was our best chance, but never expected that kind of reaction.” Frustrated with his lack of progress, Terrill found a loose stone resting on the grass and kicked it, sending it soaring through the air and into the fountain, where it made a great splash. Krysta’s concern became more self-evident over his state of mind, the frown creasing her forehead in a disturbing way as she scratched her upper arm. “Guess I just need a moment to figure it out…”

“I can check the girls’ dorms,” Krysta offered. Her eyes trailed in what Terrill assumed was their direction, never looking back at him. “They mentioned he could be found there sometimes.”

“At this point, I’ll take anything. We’re no closer than we were when we got here!” He kicked at another stone, but this one only moved a few inches, stopped by the grass surrounding it. Shame filled him over his harsh words, and he lifted his head to apologize to Krysta, only to find that she’d already left. He found there was no use cursing the situation, not now that he was left alone with just his thoughts.

His foot absentmindedly began to kick at the tiny stone again, but stopped before he could make it go too far.

The earth…Krysta and Specs’s call to him on the ship returned to his mind, and his eyes gave intense focus to the stone at his feet. It’s within me, is it…? So how to draw it out…

Thinking it could help, Terrill closed his eyes and put his hand out. It felt stupid, thinking he could just use magic, believing that it was inside him. Never had he used it without his blade, yet here he was looking like an idiot with hands held out. A scoff left his lips, cut over by the few birds that were resting on trees in the courtyard. Nothing came to him. He started to believe it was a lie.

Not a lie.

The whisper made his eyes shoot open, his fingers twitching. The stone rumbled a bit, shooting up into the air without a touch, obeying the commands of his mind. The earth could be felt underneath him, and that same whisper was calling to him, telling him of his potential. This time, it felt like he could find it, spinning around to look to the southeast. To Silicias.

Terrill’s breath accelerated with the thrill of magic, and of the voice that called to him. For what reason, he knew not. He did, however, know that time had slowed.

At first, he believed it a mere trick of his own mind, brought on by the excitement.

At first.

It didn’t take long for him to realize everything was slowed, and not just his own perception. The air grew colder, like it was losing heat and warmth, and Terrill felt that he, too, was sluggish. Birds were taking flight, but their wings hardly beat. Then there was the stone he’d moved, traveling in an arc, looking suspended in midair.

Terrill saw his breath rise in a fog, and he turned his head, looking to the path that the duo from earlier had disappeared down. It was an empty outdoor corridor, with all the students back in their classes, but Terrill could feel it, the tremors of earth. They were small, but the footsteps were distinct. His eyes slowly widened as the owner of said footsteps looked to walk at normal speed, or perhaps it was running. His perception was so slow, he couldn’t tell, but he got a definite good look at the boy who seemed to be creating the very effect he was experiencing.

Short red hair, plain brown eyes, and attire that barely even suggested he was a student. In fact, if he wasn’t on the grounds, Terrill would have never believed the young man was a student at all, given he was dressed in traveling pants with a jacket, and not a single shred of identifying color.

What drew Terrill to him, however, was his smirk. It was cocksure, and just a tad oblivious. It was one that communicated he thought he was the only one in the entire world, and no one could measure up to him, or catch him.

Perhaps it was coincidence, Terrill began to think, or perhaps it was something closer to fate. He didn’t know. What Terrill was sure of, however, was that this boy was the Floyd he had been asking about, and he’d been dumped right into his lap.

Seconds passed, and Terrill’s stone fell, striking a tree where the bird had once been. That same bird shot off without a notice, and Terrill found his perception winding up to normal once again.

“Found you,” he breathed, albeit the words came out as a growl.

Terrill abandoned his chair and the courtyard in its entirety, beating a path to where he’d seen his quarry running. Soon as he crossed into that corridor, Terrill caught sight of the red hair, racing through the empty grounds and ducking behind the main Academy building. Terrill gave chase, careful to not get too close and risk getting caught up in whatever magic it was that this Floyd was using. As he approached the corner, he slowed, peeking his head around to find that the boy had stopped at a rather large window on the first floor. He was careful, or so Terrill presumed, turning his head this way and that, before reaching for the window.

Terrill’s eyes widened as he saw the windows glow when Floyd touched them, and the miscreant barely avoided the subsequent defensive blast that shot to the wall behind him. Floyd gave a groan.

“How did the director do it, making sure this thing always changes…? I just want your research, director,” he said, not bothering to keep his voice down. “Maybe if I can slow it down enough, it won’t realize I’m there…”

This time, Terrill’s eyes narrowed, keeping a close watch on the boy. If there had been doubt, there was no longer any that this was Floyd; he clearly had a penchant for breaking into things. Terrill continued to keep watch, curious as to what would happen, yet ready to step in all the same. Floyd cracked his knuckles with that same cocky grin.

“This is gonna be fun! Come on, director! Do your worst!”

Whatever the “worst” was that could come from a window, Terrill was sure that Floyd was in over his head, no thought of the potential consequences even existing. No one else was around, but it didn’t stop the boy from reaching into his pocket for what looked like a knife, or dagger, that he tried to insert in the crack of the window. That same window began to gleam, and Terrill knew that whatever Floyd was trying, it wasn’t going to work.

He acted.

Terrill’s feet beat across the grass, and Floyd turned his head. His eyes were wide, and his magic had no time to take effect before Terrill tackled him. It took him down to the grassy floor and out of range. The window glowed again, and once more fired, blasting yet another hole in the wall…a hole which reformed seconds later.

“Well, that was a close one, huh?” Floyd’s nasally and nonchalant voice irked Terrill. He picked himself up off the ground, and didn’t bother to offer a hand to the boy. Floyd didn’t need it, flipping on his feet with utmost alacrity. “Thanks for the save. That would’ve hurt. The director’s perma-spells don’t mess around, but she’s the director for a reason! No wonder I haven’t been able to get inside yet, though not for lack of trying.”

He divulged far too easily, and Terrill was starting to regret his decision. Floyd was a moron. Still, he wasn’t going to let his only opportunity thus far get away. “And why is it you want to break in?”

“Research, duh!” Floyd said, waving his hand like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Having decided to continue the conversation, the boy leaned against the stone wall next to the window and began tossing his dagger between his hands. “The director is, bar none, the best researcher at the Academy. She’s done work into so many fields that finding her data would be tantamount to completing a whole project in a hundredth of the time it would take most students. There’s no doubt she even has stuff that’s usually restricted by the school! Me and Torry have been trying to get in for ages, but her dad…well, let’s just say he’s protective of his wife’s stuff.”

If Terrill wasn’t trying to absorb the information Floyd was throwing at him, he would have hung his mouth open. “Moron” didn’t even begin to describe Floyd with the amount of information he was handing out. Putting together the pieces, Terrill let loose a small breath. “You’re talking about the mayor, then?”

“Who else would I be talking about?” Floyd tossed his knife, the weapon spinning through the air as it looked to slow before its owner caught it, the grin kept. That smile soon faded. “Who are you, anyway? Never seen you around before.”

Yeah, gonna file him under the idiot category…Terrill thought, grimacing inside. He wasn’t sure whether to tell the boy, or just forget him entirely for all the liability he seemed to be.

Then, the window swung open. “Terrill?”

“What the-? Krysta?! What’re you-?”

“How’d you get inside?!”

Terrill wasn’t sure which of the two of them sounded more surprised, but it was plain as day to see Krysta inside the office, leaning out of the now open window, with not a single blast going off. Floyd was being overdramatic, but Terrill was merely expectant.

“I walked through the front door,” Krysta said, a toothy grin coming to her lips. “There was a defensive mechanism, but it’s amazing what a barrier can do to get through that.”

“You’re a strange girl, Krysta. I thought you were heading to the dorms.”

“I was,” she said. Her grin was gone, and her eyes were cold as sharpened steel, back to their determined mode. “Then I was informed that it was likely the person we were looking for wasn’t there. I take it this is the infamous Floyd.”

“You’ve heard of me, but I don’t think I’ve heard of either of you, Terrill, Krysta. Who are you folks, and why would you be looking for me?” Floyd intervened. Terrill blinked, already reconsidering his assessment of the boy. His quick pickup about the both of them belied an intelligence his previous demeanor had hidden. “You’re not some mercenaries the mayor hired, are you?”

“No, we’re trying to see the mayor. We’ve heard you’ve broken into his offices more than once,” Terrill said. Floyd didn’t take it with much seriousness, as his head fell back and he began to laugh, the sound echoing around the empty corridor. With no one else around, it occurred to Terrill that his voice would be too much of a sign that someone was trying to break into the office. Krysta had much the same thought.

She reached forward and grabbed them both, hauling them into the office (though they completed the journey on their own). The window snapped shut once both were inside, and they found themselves in a very spacious, and very dusty, office space. Floyd reacted with glee.

“Finally! I’ve been working to get in here for months! Thanks, Krysta!” Floyd held his hand up, but she didn’t return the high five. Rather, she raised an eyebrow and Floyd disregarded her. “All right, Luster Mines, let’s go!”

Terrill felt himself twitching all over, and he sincerely wished to throttle the young idiot before him. Floyd was oblivious, running to one end of the office where enormous bookshelves were erected, stacked with all manner of papers and books and other documents that had to have been accrued over the decades that Iris Rainert was alive. Krysta didn’t stop him, but she kicked aside what looked like larger dust particles until they were scattered and unknowable.

He was tired of waiting, and Terrill stomped across the room, ready to hit Floyd over the head.

It took less than a second for him to realize it wouldn’t be that easy.

No sooner had Terrill thrown the punch, than Floyd had caught it with that same, infuriating grin. That didn’t stop Terrill. Even with his fist caught, he twisted it around and threw Floyd to the floor, where the boy grunted. “Okay…that hurt… Not bad. Usually I can just catch things before they hit, but you turned that around. Nice one. Whoa!”

Terrill had hoisted him to his feet, his glower making Floyd flinch for once. Their previous tussle had caused some records to slip from the bookshelf, and Terrill noticed it wasn’t the only part of the shelf with a missing records, which likely accounted for the director’s current whereabouts. He was more concerned with someone else’s whereabouts. “Look, I don’t know why or how, but you’ve broken into the mayor’s office before, and we need an audience with him. He might have information on someone we’re looking for, and I don’t have time to deal with…whatever this is.”

Floyd blinked in his hold, and once more started to laugh. At least there was no chance of anyone hearing it this time. Terrill tightened his grip. “You’re absolutely right. I have broken in on occasion. Get chastised every time, too. She doesn’t like the risks I take, but I feel this one was worth it.”

“Agh! I don’t care about your risks or goals!” Terrill shouted. Krysta stepped forward to stop him from getting angrier, but a single flash of his expression later, and she relented. “Can you get us into the mayor’s office?”

“Sure, but it won’t do you any good.”

“Won’t do us any… Why not?”

“Because the mayor’s not in Serotin, dumbass,” Floyd sneered. He managed to finally push Terrill away from him and resume his perusal of the bookshelf before he answered again. “He and his daughter have gone to Point Harbor…or more likely, they plan to head for Silicias at some point, after all those rumors about the Luster Mines. Though I’m sure Torry went to further her research on Earth Magic. That’s why I wanted to see what her mother might have found on the place so we can complete our proj-ah, here it is!”

Terrill couldn’t think of anything more to say, not with everything Floyd had just babbled off. Earth Magic. Luster Mines. The mayor was going to Silicias. It felt like points connected in a chain that were pointing in one direction, jockeying him around to so many different places he was liable to get whiplash. Krysta approached him, her eyes asking what their next step was, but he had no direct answer for her. Not until Floyd finished perusing his papers with a great smile.

“Aha! I knew it! Director Rainert believed that Silicias was where Earth Magic was born! This is going to be huge for our research! Just need to get the message to Torry for some samples to test that hypothesis…hmmm…”

“Source of Earth Magic, huh? Bet you’re interested, right, Terrill?” Krysta’s nervous chuckle told him that she was just as interested in the concept of it, and with everything pointing that way, neither were in doubt of their next destination.

“It’s just a theory we’re working with right now. No one knows how magic came to be or how it all works. Not on a specific level, in any case,” Floyd clarified. He now leaned against the desk, the smirk back on his face. “That’s what our project is about: to find the origins of magic. Director Rainert was looking into it before she disappeared, and Torry believes if she can…well, that’s not important. You clearly want to see the mayor, and you’re interested in Luster Mines, yeah?”

By now, Terrill was unsure how to classify Floyd: a babbling idiot or insightful intellect. He began to think the impulsive boy was a combination of both. Terrill huffed, and asked his own question in turn. “Why do you ask?”

“Because it looks like we have the same destination in mind, Terrill. I can call you Terrill, right?” Floyd once more took a dagger out, playing with absentminded precision. “I need to get to Torry. You need to get to the mayor. I don’t think it’s random chance you tackled me, and I like you both, especially you Miss Krysta. You got me the info I needed.”

“What are you proposing exactly?” Krysta asked, standing alongside Terrill as a show of strength. Floyd didn’t balk before it. If anything, his grin stretched wider.

“You see, Point Harbor and the path to it is blockaded by the mayor, himself. He doesn’t want anyone getting close for whatever reason, but I can get us through. And Terrill, you look like you can handle anything thrown at you. So, I propose a deal: I use the time-based magic I created to get us through while you handle the scary parts that any soldiers or monsters present to us, and we go see the mayor together. Offer’s on the table. Make your choice.”