Chapter 1: Smoke on the Horizon

[Nanshork]

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Jimmy shrugs.  "Whatever I can get paid for, I do odd jobs down at the docks."

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Jones and Co.

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"The other one's a gambler, Jones; a man was holding him up with a rifle, said he owned the man's gambling debts. I sent him down to the station to file a report with the constabulary, figuring it would calm him down and get him out of here. Haven't really decided what to do with this one, Eric, in the meantime....

Though if we're in Emergency Law, sounds like your trigger happy friend," he nods to Eris, "is gonna have to get friendly with you up here, unless he's gonna try and get out fast."

[RobbyPants]

Flay and co.

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"No I didn't.  In fact no one's seen him since we entered town.  But since Franklin declared independence from the British and officially brought our state into possible conflict the city is under emergency law.  If he's still here he won't be getting back out."

"You two (points at nan and robby).  I don't have time for quibbling.  Who are you, why are you in this city.  I need to know whose side you're on."

He draws a pistol

"Be truthful and you get the choice of walking away free men."

Bhu, Flay, everyone there:

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"I'm here because I'd heard rumor of a lucrative card game, and traveled from the south, although I doubt that's still happening. As for the gambling debts: I do have some minor debts here (that I was hoping to pay down after the game), but supposedly this other guy went around and bought them all up and said he owns me for a year. I have no idea what he thinks I owe him. This all got rather sprung on me.

As for what 'side' I'm on, are you referring to the Revolution or something else? As for the Revolution, I side with the patriots, although I haven't joined the colonial army. If you're talking about something else, I'm afraid I'll need more information. I'm only picking up bits and pieces of information."

[bhu]

Flay and co

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"Will the two of you wait here for a moment? Harry come with me."

just flay

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"The dock worker is almost certainly being used as a pawn by someone, and we need to know who.  I don't think he has any idea of what's really going on, so he's an innocent.  Which means we can risk bringing him in, or live with the knowledge that if he gets killed we could have done something.  Either way is a risk.  We're also legally obligated to keep the other man here which will make doing our business damned difficult if we don't do the same for him.   I don''t like this."

[Flay Crimsonwind]

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Harry nods thinking about this for a good moment before whispering back. "That being the case, sounds like the safest place for this dock worker is with us. He wont be safe alone, and if he's working for someone involved in this madness, chances are he's not totally unaware of what's going on. We can protect him. I'm only worried about what to do if he's less innocent than we think...

"The other one.... again, being people who aren't being lied to about what's going on, it's probably safer running around with us than staying here under false pretext. If you're so worried about their safety and the morality of if they die, know that we did our best by keeping them close.

"I'll have to legally keep the gambler around anyway. And if this dock worker's a pawn, I'd rather not have him out of sight. A case of the devil we know, and such.

"Besides... the more eyes looking for Thomas, the better."

[bhu]

nan and robby

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The constables re-enter the room and Jones speaks.  "Gentlemen we find ourselves in a quandary.  There are things we must do tonight, and yet legally we are obligated to deal with you both.  Obviously we cannot do both, unless taking you along for the ride is an option.  So what do you say to working for the new government of Pennsylvania?"

[RobbyPants]

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"Sure! Does this pay off my debt, or do I have to deal with that later?"

[Nanshork]

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Jimmy sighs.  He's not getting out of this one.  "I'll work for whoever pays me, but realize that there is a fisherman able to rip people's heads off who will probably try to kill me because government types are always the wrong people."

[bhu]

flay and co

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"We'll deal with your debt when it comes down to it.  It'll be bought off him if necessary."

"As for you, I'm fairly certain your hirer isn't just a fisherman.  He's paying you to look for Mr. Martin, so keep doing so.  Just tell us first if you find him, and we'll...work things out with your..employer."

"Now both of you keep in mind this isn't risk free.  Your lives will be in danger.  You will be asked to do secret things in the dead of night for the good of unsuspecting and ungrateful people, and you may get shot if you say anything about it.  But we can provide you with money and supplies, and help with immediate needs.  We can even give you protection if necessary.  But if you betray us...well as our founder is fond of saying 'Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.'"

[RobbyPants]

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"Fair enough, I guess. I'm familiar enough with getting shot at."

[bhu]

FLay and co

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You are led to a back room in the library.  When it is ascertained no one else is around a switch is activated opening a secret door behind a bookshelf.


Jones: "I suppose it goes without saying if you want to remain free men, you don't tell anyone about this, and don't use it in front of anyone.  Down stairs gentlemen, our companions are waiting."

Boz and pip

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The door at the top of the stairs is open, and Jones is threatening someone you think maybe.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

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Harry holds out a hand, indicating the two new men should proceed first, following them once they have. He asks Jones, "So, where's the others? Down stairs already?"

[RobbyPants]

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Eric cautiously looks through the door way. He carefully walks down the steps, toward the outside edge of the tread (a habit he picked up from earlier).

[bhu]

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Harry holds out a hand, indicating the two new men should proceed first, following them once they have. He asks Jones, "So, where's the others? Down stairs already?"

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"Yes.  At least I hope they still are."

[bhu]

Constables Jones and Dresden return with two men you have never before seen.  You may all now chat at will.

[RobbyPants]

When Eric gets downstairs, he stands with his back toward a wall.

He looks to be in his late teens or early twenties. He has shoulder-length brown hair pulled back in a pony-tail and it looks like he hasn't shaved in nearly a week. You'd guess him to be of average build, but he's somewhat hidden under a bulky coat for traveling. You see a musket strapped to his back and a saber at his hip. He has a backpack and traveling gear.

He looks around with a bit of a nervous grin:

"'Evening, gents. Quite the Cloak and Dagger setup, huh?"

He extends a hand toward one of the people he hasn't met.

"I'm Eric Carlson."

As he extends his hand, you notice a fairly nice, ornate pistol in his belt.

[Nanshork]

A largish looking man wearing a buff coat sighs as he looks over his new compatriots.  He looks back at Eric and says, "You talk too much."

[bhu]

Jones: "Gentlemen we have reached a bit of a quandary.  By law Harry and I can't let these fellows go, and one of them may have been caught up in our business as he was hired by someone to look for Mr. Martin.  Mr. Martin, who seems to have completely disappeared.  So for better or worse they are a part of the group now.  Any thoughts on how we should best go about explaining things to them?"

[bhu]

Jones clears his throat at the awkward extended silence "Perhaps you'd all like to introduce yourselves?"

[RobbyPants]

"As I said earlier, I'm Eric Carlson. I traveled up from the south and found myself in this mess."