AGELESS CAMPAIGN, Episode II, Part VI.

[orchid blossom]

They are about three-quarters of the way back to the waiting line of parked carriages when a man comes up beside Callum and says softly in French, but loud enough for both to hear: "Mr. Stuart, my employers would like to speak to you and the young lady. Please do not do anything other than accompany me. They do not wish either of you any harm. However, if you do not come with me there are a quartet of armed men who are following that will bring you both considerable harm."

Abigail’s mind immediately began calculating. What are my assets? Not armed. Still have a sharp pen in my pocket, hard-heeled shoes. Comb in hair sharp enough to scratch deeply but not seriously hurt someone.

From the sound of his voice, where exactly is his nose? What’s the necessary angle to crush it with an elbow? A fist? Where are his feet? Toes or feet can be broken with a heel strike. How tall is he? Backward kick to the groin? Unlikely to hit home. Spin and kick in his knee from the side? Is he armed; can I get it from him? Is he lying about the others?

What do they want? Interrogation? Recruitment? Threats? Blackmail? The employers aren’t concerned about committing an open assassination of a well-known person. In a crowd.

All these calculations and questions passed through her mind in a fraction of a second. Outwardly, Cal could feel the sudden coiled tension of her muscles, the subtle shift of her weight onto the balls of her feet. The soft sigh of her quickened breath passed her lips.

All this she held in check. Her every instinct was screaming at her to take the threat down. But they had chosen their moment well. And Cal had every right to survive into the next moments.

Prevented from lashing out with her fists, her next instinct was to run her mouth. An instinct which she also ruthlessly crushed, and the effort of it and the feeling of helplessness were beginning to fuel a very ugly anger.

The voice that came out was sweet as honey, but her accent was thick and dark beneath it. “You’re always so in demand, Mr. Stuart. I suppose I’m not so faint with hunger that I can’t spare a few moments.”

OOC: This is what happens when I have entire morning to ponder a post!

 

[Queenie]

She replies, "The we should start with my friend Habib, he makes various teas and other beverages."

"Very good, let's go." Even though the girls pace was quick, Ruby took in her surroundings as they walked. It got busier and busier as they neared the marketplace. Exotic scents filled the air, while the sound of voices did too. People were hawking their wares, each one yelling louder than the next, trying to entice shoppers to come to them.

They walked down a narrow street before stopping in front of a shop. "Let's go right in," Ruby smiled, her spirits already lifted from this morning's events.

 

[Silver Moon]

The voice that came out was sweet as honey, but her accent was thick and dark beneath it. “You’re always so in demand, Mr. Stuart. I suppose I’m not so faint with hunger that I can’t spare a few moments.”

Callum says, "Very well. But to establish the veracity of your statements I am going to slowly turn my head in ten seconds to see if that quartet exists. If your employers truly wish to speak with us they will probably be very cross if you shoot me just for moving my head."

Callum turns his back, then forward again and says, "All right, they are there. Lead on MacDuff."

 

[Silver Moon]

"They walked down a narrow street before stopping in front of a shop. "Let's go right in," Ruby smiled, her spirits already lifted from this morning's events.

The shop has the smell of incense. Various tapestries cover the wall, some appear to be Arabian and others appear to be oriental. Three men are in the far corner smoking on opium pipes, two look to be Egyptian and the other is an orc. This is the first orc Ruby has seen since leaving Arizona, where many of the Chinamen were in the area helping to build the railroads.

A man comes up from behind a curtain to a back room and gives the woman an embrace stating "Ela-sa, it is so wonderful to see you again! And you bring a friend." She replies, "Yes, an American who is visiting with the Queen. I told her that a visit to Zakazik would be incomplete if she left without a collection of your teas." She hands the man a coin and says, "Let's have no haggling here, I have not the time today. Ten Egyptian pound sterling is what we have to spend. See that she receives fair value."

He looks to Ruby and asks, "Are there any particular blends that you seek?"

 

[Queenie]

Ruby stepped forward and smiled. "Well, first let me introduce myself, my name is Ruby," she said with an outstretched hand. "I am not a big tea drinker but I did tell Ela that I wanted to sample your fine country. What would you suggest?"

 

[Silver Moon]

Ruby stepped forward and smiled. "Well, first let me introduce myself, my name is Ruby," she said with an outstretched hand. "I am not a big tea drinker but I did tell Ela that I wanted to sample your fine country. What would you suggest?"

He says, "How about an assortment of seven different kinds. Each has a unique blend of local spices and oriental spices."

 

[Queenie]

"Sounds perfect." She glanced around the room then asked curiously, "Do you sell anything other than tea here?"

 

[Silver Moon]

"Sounds perfect." She glanced around the room then asked curiously, "Do you sell anything other than tea here?"

"No for only ten Egyptian Pound Sterling," is his reply.

 

[orchid blossom]

Callum turns his back, then forward again and says, "All right, they are there. Lead on MacDuff."

Abby kept her stride casual, holding onto Cal's arm just as she had been, and moving as if absolutely nothing was wrong. It was just as likely that nothing WAS. They were probably about to have an unpleasant interview with someone who didn't like what they'd done, perhaps trying to get some information out of them. What they would do if they didn't get what they wanted... Well, her original instinct could come into play yet.

 

[Silver Moon]

...What they would do if they didn't get what they wanted... Well, her original instinct could come into play yet.

They are led away from the large gathering of carriages waiting for the concert goers to return and towards a main street off from that. One of the men further back comes up quickly to a point beside Abby and says, "Careful Andre, he has a knife in his sock."

Callum interjects, "It's not a knife, it is a sgian-dubh, an important part of the official Scottish regalia. It is not concealed at all, but worn to highlight the costume, essentially a decoration. And if you people honestly think that I can disable five men using an ornamental blade the size of your thumb then you have greatly overestimated my abilities." The man addressed as Andre says, "It's fine Marcel, we'll remove it in the carriage." The man identified as Marcel continues to walk beside Abby rather than falling back with the other three.