Anyone who goes salvaging without the right Talent along is just a bottom feeder.

Albert Maginot, Marches of the Algonquin.

“Relatively nice. Small, but clean,” Johanna had commented.

The landlord did smile at that remark. Rhyland Wade owned a pair of small three-floor buildings, and they ended up renting two of those floors, as the apartments there were too small for all four of them and the town hall registrar had looked oddly at the idea of two unrelated couples living together in the same place. There were two bedrooms per apartment, but one was clearly intended for kids. The previous tenants had moved out recently due to an expanding family.

She did not intend to start a family right now. Their lives were already complicated enough. But the bedroom with its small bedframes was a tantalizing reminder that, in a different life, she could have already started planning for her and Tom’s future kids.

She’d almost laughed when she discovered that Wade was a cousin of Georgy North. Basically, the man was willing to loan them only to have them pay to his own family. That was a nice trick.

They did negotiate prices. Wade was willing to offer them “fair rates”, as he said, but not one dollar less. The prices were much higher than they would be in Valetta, but apparently in line with the costs of living in New Sandusky. Johanna had noted the tendency of that for prices in the south already, but for the same price, they’d have rented an entire house in a slightly more upscale area of Valetta.

For a moment, she’d thought she might need to use the Helm of Telepathy as collateral, but that was quickly abandoned as ridiculous.

The total rent for a year – plus the residency tax, which was owed immediately if you rented the full year – was 4280$ for both apartments, and she still had almost 1500$ in cash leftover from Zahl. Kieran Macintosh, the owner of the salvagers’ main outlet, had provided an estimation, based on the demonstrated powers and his experience with previous Artifacts.

$50,000 bare minimum, and $65,000 or more likely.

If the team had been willing to wait and sell the Helm at auction, they might have been able to purchase outright the same kind of apartments, but although it wasn’t something they’d use in fights due to the opaque visor, Peter was dubious about the wisdom of selling it. Coupled with his discretion, he could carry it on advance scouting and report back easily – and soundlessly – what he’d found. The biggest drawback was the encumbrance of carrying something that big you couldn’t wear all the time.

Borrowing 5000$ for the apartments and a few future expenses felt ridiculous with that kind of collateral, so she went back to haggling with North. The scavenger finally made a counteroffer, participating in the expedition in lieu of collateral, although he expected to be paid back out of their earnings, not his. Apparently, the rumor that they had Mana Sight had already made its way to North’s ears, making the expedition much more attractive. Both Cameron and Madelynn were okay with that particular arrangement, as more people meant more standard salvage, so that did not impinge, at least not too much, on their shares.

Petra had found a smaller apartment from someone else not too far away using her own meager funds.

“Not going to be too much in your debt,” she protested when Johanna offered to include her. “Besides, I don’t need some resident status immediately, unlike you four.”

“Hopefully, we get enough cash out of this to work out. And there will be the actual expedition to fund, although I hope the rest will contribute. Once they see what it’s really about.”

The final contracts were drafted, signed by the various teams, and the expedition could finally proceed.

Johanna was surprised that it took only three days to set up everything.

Everyone was assembled at the southwest Gate of New Sandusky. Georgy North had brought a pair of his usual partners, as agreed. Cameron Scott was with his full team of four, and Madelynn Nash also had her own team. Miles Bertram and Ulrich Sengfield completed the expedition.

All of the team looked at Johanna, but Miles stepped forward instead. They’d discussed it beforehand, and although Johanna’s team was the promoter of the expedition, it was generally accepted that Miles would work better as the expedition leader. Everyone there knew him, even those who had never worked with him.

“Quick refresher. Our target is the Grand Rapids ruins area. I talked with everyone, and the consensus is that we’re bypassing the usual scavenging areas, and heading straight, to focus on that. So, leg one, northwest to the Toledo area. Then, in leg two, we don’t head to the old Detroit ruins, we go northwest again. Last part, we skirt the Deep Forest, pass south of Lansing, and then we get there, and the real work begins.”

Everyone nodded, the plan had been communicated in advance.

“Big risks are of course the Deep Forest. Summer isn’t when you get lots of beasts, but that’s the biggest risk. But everything north of the Toledo-Chicago line is risky, so don’t relax.”

He pointed at Johanna’s team.

“Now, you’ve all heard about the organizers of this expedition. They are actually going to take the front, so if they spot trouble, they deal with it. We provide support if things look to go wrong, but they are supposed to take care of it all while we watch.”

“About that…” one of the scavengers – from Nash’s team – started.

“Not convinced? It’s a bit late.”

“I know. But it’s kind of hard to believe you have so many Talented helping. Not that it’s impossible, but…”

Johanna sighed, and before Miles could answer, advanced.

“And you need some demonstration.”

She raised her hand, calling up the flame, adding, “in case you weren’t at the High and Dry.”

Petra snorted and moved front, raising her arms. Grey rock slates formed out from nothing under her wrists, covering the hand, the sharp edges almost shining in the morning sun.

Tom raised his fists, asking, “any volunteer? Not too dangerous.”

Cameron Scott laughed and raised his hand. Tom’s feet blurred and in a second, he punched the man in the shoulder, toppling him and drawing a scream of both surprise and pain.

The rest of the scavengers had not even started to be surprised before they noticed Laura kneeling on the fallen man, and pressing her hand on the shoulder, eliciting a groan.

Everyone was silent.

Peter said, “and if you need a demonstration from me, then you’re fucked.”

The man who started it all by asking for the demonstration was startled and turned to look at the small man next to him. Peter tapped him lightly on the arm, shrugged, and walked back to the group, raising his hand up in the air. A knife appeared out of nowhere in it, and he waved it lightly before sheathing it again.

“I think this concludes our demonstration. Now let’s get out. We have a very long trip ahead of us,” Miles said.

“That was moderately impressive, to see so many Talents displayed. Notably, your friends’ couple, moving unseen,” he said, as Johanna walked along with him.

“We didn’t show everything we do, but enough to show we’re actually Talented.”

“Not everyone’s going to take anyone’s word, even Ulrich’s, at face value.”

“Why did you two believe me?” she asked.

“Because of fifty thousand dollars,” the voice of Ulrich Sengfield came from behind, as the albino man reached them.

Despite all of the clear skies and bright sun, the albino Changed wasn’t bothered. He had a small bandana around his head, a sleeveless jacket, and matching pants over long boots.

“Fifty thousand what?”

“The bounty. For your desertion.”

She stopped, before starting again almost immediately.

“How do you…?”

“I like all kinds of stuff about dangerous people, bandits, the like. I got sent the notice of the Montana calling for the capture of four Talented, dead or alive. Fifty thousand is pretty high. Probably close to a record for a group.”

Seeing as she was mute from the surprise, the man smiled, showing perfectly white teeth – and normal canines.

“I’m not going to judge you. Although I am going to be very curious about how exactly you met Snowbound. But yes, I knew you had Talents and significant ones. The bounty notice said so, even if it was light on details.”

“Is that going to be a problem?”

“If you’re worrying about bounty hunters, operating in Independence State would make their work a bit complicated since it’s about Montana lawbreakers. They’d get branded as murderers since I doubt anyone would risk trying to capture you instead of killing you. So, the most likely scenario is that any bounty hunter would call upon a judge to examine the charges, and get him to order you arrested, and then kill you when you inevitably resist. That means having lots of lawyer correspondence involved as the extent of the charges isn’t detailed enough on the bounty leaflets. You might not be aware of it happening, of course, but that’s not going to be fast.”

“That’s why you were trying to get residence?” Miles asked.

“You didn’t guess? You’re getting senile, MB,” his friend replied.

“Yes, that’s what someone suggested to us,” she confirmed.

“Smart move. This escalates lawyering to higher heights. You’d probably get involved directly to present a defense against the charges as citizens and thus be forewarned. Of course, you may still get someone stupid enough to try to get you, but proving it for the bounty afterward might be a bit difficult if they break the law here.”

“That does relieve me. A little bit.”

“I’d love to see that play out, but I’m more interested in how you ended up in that situation in the first place,” Ulrich said.

“It’s complicated,” Johanna said.

“Unusual situations often are. Talented are rare. Multi-talented, like you and your friends, even more. Young talented? Probably as rare as hair on a dwarf’s head. And yet here you are… and you found an earth sorceress along the way. Which is supposed to also have – what are you calling it? – Mana Sight as well.”

“Look, it’s going to be hard to believe. I mean, I can show you a few things, but…I said it’s complicated.”

She looked at the two men – a man and a thirster, at least – and winced.

“But if we find what we’re looking for, then you’ll have answers. And some proof.”

“In the East?”

“No, in this expedition. The East… let’s say, it’s the next step up.”

“And if we don’t? Find what you’re looking for, I mean,” Miles said.

“Then I’ll have to figure out a plan B. But until then, keep a look for Ancient Books.”

“Books? I mean, they sell well, but not Artifact-well.”

“It’s complicated.”