While everyone discusses leaving town, even though most have been here less than 24 hours, Algernon pulls out a vial, opens it, walks over to the mutilated celestial corpse, and with one hand grabs a handful of tissue, squeezing blood from it into his empty vial. He wipes his hand on one of Brie’s couches, then looks around and says, “Well, since everyone was grabbing souvenirs, I might find a use for this. And I should be off, except, I guess I’m due a share of that money; I do believe the celestial fool did slightly feel my dagger when I hit him. But if you will all tell Brie that I expect my next few visits to be free-of-charge, I think the excitement was payment enough.” He turns to Lydia and says, “Unless of course you’re still working here when I come around again; I’d think time spent with you should always cost me something, and yet would always be worth the price. I’m sure we’ll see each other again someday.” He smiles at Lydia, bows slightly, and turns and leaves through the front doors.
Meanwhile, Accalon tries to console Valasia, but it takes a little while before she can be understood. Then she says, “She said… she said it didn’t matter if anyone recognized me. If they were a client here, they… they wouldn’t say anything. But that man wasn’t a client, was he? By Corellon, why didn’t I just do what she said. She’s been so good to me. She’s right… I’m stupid. And now that man is going to upset my father and… “
Brie’s voice is heard as she re-enters, “Enough of that, Valasia. I forgive you. Go upstairs and tell the rest of the girls they’re going to have to help clean this mess up.” Valasia rises from her couch saying “Thank you, Madame Brie, thank you! I couldn’t stand it if you were mad at me. If you want, I’ll clean up all of this… um, mess, all by myself.”
Brie says, a bit exasperated. “Just go get some help. You can do your share.” Valasia hurries upstairs, and Brie pulls out two bags, both jingling with coins. She throws down one, saying “That has 300 platinum and 4 black pearls. Worth 5000 gold altogether. Just hope I get my girls back, but it’s good to know I won’t be missing any more.” She throws the other bag, a bit bigger than the first, at Alicia. “There you go. Lots of gold and silver for you. You’ve earned it. In fact, I won’t even make you help clean up.”
She looks at the group for a moment, then says “I wouldn’t mind knowing where I can find you, in case something comes up.” She pauses, then says “Actually, there’s something else you could do. But there’s no guarantee of money for it. Someone owes me money, and with your help, he should have an easier time getting it so he can finally pay me. By himself, he’ll probably take months; with you, he can probably dig up two or three times what he owes me in no time. ‘Course, I’d have to be guaranteed that I would still get my money, and you wouldn’t run off with all of it. And you’d have to be subtle… his and my working relationship is rather a secret, and we’d want it kept that way. Anyway, that’s if you needed the money, and with what I just gave, you probably don’t. So take off already, unless you want to grab a mop.”
But it’s still a big bag full of shiny coins]
