World of Warcraft®

The rented gryphon screeched as it landed in Stormwind. The young rogue climbed off and headed to the one place he thought would be safe for him to get ready for his daring plan. Cut throat Alley was famous and few people ventured in there if they did not know the rules.

Gerry knew the rules, he also knew the penalties for breaking them. The cowl around his face kept it concealed as he drifted into the alley. The hustlers lurking there knew who he was, he had been there many times before. In spite of his penchant for getting into trouble, he was respected for his skill with a blade.

His first move was to don his disguise as a merchant and pick up a crate of goods he could sell on the corner of the street. It was simple stuff you could buy in any of the various vendors in the city. Nothing suspicious at all. He moved through the street and headed to the Mage District. He found a small cart and set the goods in it and pushed it up to the Slaughtered Lamb. He set up his little stall outside the tavern and waited.

He knew that the Watch had a tracker. If they were any good they would find him. It was only a matter of time. The murder of the warlock had set him as a target and he assumed they would be after him. If they did not take his bait he would have to find a way to get their attention. It was early yet and the tavern was open, but he did not see anyone going in or out.

Sitting on a step he pondered, he knew the Lamb had a basement and that no one who was not a warlock went in there. How he could convince the Watch to go down there was something he was trying to figure out. He needed a story...yes a good story to tell them when they finally showed up. It dawned on him he might have to just jump up and run as soon as they spotted him...what if they shot at him or sent one of their dogs or wolves after him? He shook his head and muttered to himself, "Relax Gerry, they will arrest you if they catch you...IF they catch you...Light I need a better plan than this!" he was nervous and gazed down the sidewalks to the entrance of the Lamb. It was only a few steps to the balcony...maybe he could tell them simply to look in the basement and then turn and jump down the cliff. He might survive the fall...he had a parachute that worked most of the time...

Rhian had watched Malakai very carefully when she delivered the news about the possibility that Sylvia was involved in some shady deals. He had just nodded his head and explained his suspicions to her about Sylvia. On occasion she nodded her head or made some small noise of understanding. His plan seemed logical enough, she thought as she ate slowly. She looked up at him wistfully, watching as he pushed back from the table and moved to speak with the gnome in the bedroom.

Once the fetish was removed from the house, Longshore calmed down and made his way to the fireplace where he proceeded to collapse into a pile of legs.

Rhian looked up when Malakai came back into the room holding the piece of paper. She nodded when he said that she had probably seen it. “I thought it might have something about why Blackstone left or be from someone she knew that could give us some more information.”

She watched the note burn for a moment, a realization coming over her. When he spoke about Sylvia, it was in a cool, calm, and professional voice. He spoke with assertion: smoothly, no hesitation. There was some disappointment in it, but not grief. Sylvia literally was just one face of many that he had promised to protect. But with Rhian… the tone was warmer, not as professional and it was full of hesitation as if he was doing his best not to say the wrong thing.

"Sylvia was pretty…but I think you're beautiful, and I'd like for you to stay around as long as possible...and not just for the job."

Her blue eyes snapped up to look at him, surprise and happiness reflected in them. She opened her mouth to reply, but the door burst open and another patrolman entered to explain that they had detained Blackstone. The news of the wayward Blackstone caught Rhian by surprise. He pulled his gun? The man did not seem to be acting rationally and she thought back to the fetish that had been carried out of the house. Had Sylvia done something to Blackstone?

When the patrolman left, she waited until the door closed before turning her attention back to Malakai. Her arms were folded across the table and she gave him a soft smile. “I really like you, too, so yes… I’d like to see you again outside of the job.” She held his gaze for a moment longer, the smile lingering on her lips, before giving a small sigh and leaning back in her chair, “But speaking of jobs…

“Before we have to rush off again, I do have some other information for you,” Rhian pushed back her plate. As much as she’d like to sit there and indulge in the moment, they still had murders to solve. “Longshore and I tracked Sylvia’s killer to the flight master. We had an officer with us… we weren’t alone—Youngstown I think his name was. He stayed to question the flight master, but I came back here. I am pretty certain that whoever killed Jenkins is the same person who killed Sylvia. They came in through the bedroom but didn’t take her bag with them.” Here she paused and frowned, “If they were with the cult, wouldn’t they want the fetish back?”

She paused, mentally thinking through everything she needed to tell Malakai. “Longshore should be able to track where Sylvia’s killer came from, so perhaps we can find a few clues there—although I doubt that they are still in Stormwind but Officer Youngstown would have a better idea."

Out of habit from the boarding house, she picked up the plates and carried them to the sink. "If I may, I’d like Longshore to meet Officer Blackstone. He didn’t react well to the fetish and maybe if Blackstone is under some influence, Longshore might pick up on it. We also have the other trails to track as well. Longshore knows the scents, if he comes across them he’ll let me know.”

The Salty Sailor was a lively place and Amarlei did her best to blend in with the shadows. Heading to the dock she slid into the alleyway and made her way to a secret cove under the docks. Inside was a green haired troll who seemed to be busy scribbling something on a parchment. He looked up as she approached.

"Dere ya be! I hope dat da mission be a success...dat warlock be bad news, Mon. I tink he be close ta bein' a Lich...he be too powerful ta take on wit' one rogue." his voice conversational and cheerful.

Amarlei looked at him with a bored expression and sat on the one other chair that looked comfortable in the room. "If he is a Lich it is the Watch's problem...they can take him down with enough manpower. It's not like they favor warlocks anyway. So what is up next? I kind of hoped for a bit more of a challenge." her eyes glittered as she polished and sharpened her blades. The glint of green on them as she applied another coat of poison.

"A challenge ya say? I tink you be askin' fer trouble...da Masta not like trouble...he like quiet and no waves a ripplin'...he like ya work...he not say kill ya yet..." the troll chuckled at his attempt at humor.

Amarlei smiled, "I spent six months in Stormwind under the noses of the Watch and did nothing to cause trouble. I did my hits...both of them, the second one was a bit risky...I admit...but the hit went down and they have not caught me...why do you think I enjoy this life? I adore a challenge. It makes life more interesting..for me at least." her eyes searched the small open area of the under docks and caught sight of a rat. A flick of her wrist sent a shuriken to the rodent with deadly accuracy. It gave a squeak and flipped over.

"Well...I might have a challenge fer ya...iffen ya dare..." the troll gazed at her with narrowed eyes. His own blade flicked out and caught another rat. This was merely target practice, not like they had anything against the disease ridden rats.

Amarlei turned to him with a quizzical expression. "Oh? A challenge? And what did you have in mind my greenhaired friend?" although she thought she might regret it as his smile turned to her with a hint of wickedness.

"I tink ya might want a piece o' dat warlock-turned-Lich...after all...ya did start da ball a rollin'...da challenge be...go in and help..but don't be seen...and get out wit' out being caught..." his eyes twinkled merrily as he stared at her. His goofy grin egging her on.

Being a rogue was one thing...being a daredevil was quite another. Amarlei grinned back, "And what is the reward for such a daring challenge? Do I get to meet the Master?" she chuckled as she remembered Barl's words to her when she first started this road:

"You do not want to meet him, lass...he would like you too much...and his...mate would likely have you gutted and fed to her minions...or he could summon you...and you would never see the light of day again...and not in a nice way." he had been totally serious at the time.

The troll could not help but burst into insane laughter, "Ha Ha Ha!! Ya don't wanna meet him, Mon!! He be bad news ta meet, anytime! But he would appreciate yer daring...maybe he see how good ya be...and offer ya sometin'...more rewardin'...jus' a thought...ya know."

Amarlei tapped her chin as she thought it over. This was her opportunity...would she be able to pull it off? Her mind raced with plans. "I will think about it..." was all she said as she went back to the rented room she had in the Salty Sailor.

“I really like you, too, so yes… I’d like to see you again outside of the job.”

Did he hear that correctly? Malakai blinked for a moment, his mind reeling as it processed her words over and over. A wave of relief washed over him knowing that the feeling was mutual between them.

He didn't have much time to enjoy the moment as the business at hand definitely required their attention. "You're right, but if they killed her because of her affiliation, wouldn't they have still wanted the trinket? Why leave it for us to find? We know it's a Blood Elf, so why would the Horde be helping us in this in the first place?" There were too many questions involved in this case, too many unknowns.

Malakai nodded at her request to see Blackstone, he too wanted to see the Corporal, wanted to understand what happened to him. "Alright, if you're done here, we'll go see Blackstone now. After that, I think we should check in with Youngstown, then..I think, we should go to Cut Throat Alley. It's dangerous but I'm pressed for leads..and who would know better than the most dangerous people in this city?"

He frowned at the thought, glancing over at Rhian, staring into her blue eyes for a moment. He didn't want to take her there but it seemed inevitable and he doubted asking her to stay behind would work. He'd rather have her with him, especially with all these assassinations, she was definitely a viable target.

Once the plan was straightened out, he rose up from his chair and made for the door. He opened, peeking outside to speak with the man still waiting by the door. "Head to HQ, we'll be right behind you, prep Blackstone for interrogation. Also, inform the detail on the house to break off, there's..no need for it anymore." The man nodded and gave a salute before tearing off to deliver the messages accordingly.

Malakai then turned back, glancing over his shoulder towards Rhian, throwing a smile in her direction. "Ready to go?" He inquired as he pulled the door open fully and waited. He was tempted to extend his hand to her, the brief touch they shared did serve to make him feel better when he was worried about the people's view of the Watch. Still, it might not have been proper, he had no idea how to progress with this situation.

Oh, what the hell. He extended his hand anyway, turning to look outside the door so he didn't have to see her reaction to such a gesture. If she were to take it, he would lead her out the door, letting it shut behind them as they headed towards the Watch House. It was a fairly quiet trip, the back streets leading to his house pretty much empty given the darkness that had settled in.

-----

"Corporal Blackstone, the Commander is coming. I hope you're ready to answer for what you've done."

Blackstone nodded his head, rubbing a hand across his face to wipe away the wetness that stained his cheeks. Now that he was away from the package, he could see clearly what had occurred, what he had let occur. He was led from the small cell to the commander's office, lowered into a seat and left to sit there until Malakai arrived. Out of courtesy, his irons weren't fastened to anything, so he was free to move about, though exiting the office would most likely be stopped.

He chose to sit and wait, knowing that this time he'd gone too far. Not only had he let the witness die, but he had made so many mistakes in the past few days. Inebriation, insubordination, abandoning of his post..His judgement was clouded by a woman, a single woman who melted his heart with her words, who was now dead. All he had left was the package, the package that he couldn't even deliver, her last wish that he couldn't honor.

"I"m sorry, Sylvia."

------

Malakai entered into the office, making sure to hold the door open for Rhian and Longshore before pulling it closed and locking it. "Blackstone, we've a few questions to ask you. I'll do..what I can to help you but you have to cooperate, leave out nothing.." He moved around his desk, grasping the other chair and pulling it around to the side where his was too. For Rhian's safety, he'd rather her be on the same side of the desk as he was. He didn't know how far the corruption of this said "package" went with Blackstone.

"You may begin, Rhian."

The moment between them had passed—a baby step to be certain, but a step nonetheless. There were murders to be solved and Rhian told herself that whatever was trying to happen between them could do so once they figured out what was going on and brought the killers to justice. When it was all said and done, they’d be able to continue wherever they were headed.

“Come on, Longshore, time to work,” she pushed away from the sink and walked over to the door. Longshore protested, but after some prodding, acquiesced and padded out the door, giving both humans a disgruntled look. “You do know this is how I pay for those shanks you get at the Hart and Stout.”

Rhian was a little confused when he offered up his hand, but didn’t look at her. She wondered if there was something outside that had caught his attention or if he was merely shyer than he looked. She paused at the door and looked out, but saw nothing but Longshore sniffing the ground.

‘Shy’ she thought, but she was in the same boat. She wasn’t certain that if he hadn’t spoken up tonight that she would have worked up the courage. Well no, of course not, at the time she had thought he was hung up on Sylvia. Firmly putting the thoughts of the buxom – and deceased – blonde out of her mind, she reached down and took his hand, a small smile coming to her lips at the warm touch.

The Watch House was a bit sullen. One of their own had been taken into custody and there were continuous murmurs about just how far Blackstone had fallen, wonderings of what had happened, and what Malakai would end up doing about it. Of course, the Watch Commander walking up hand-in-hand with the tracker that was hired to track the murderers would also cause a stir. She knew that the pressure would be on her now to show that she was capable and not around just because the Watch Commander had a personal interest in her.

She eyed Blackstone curiously when they entered the office. The man looked defeated. She stepped around the desk and took the chair that Malakai had dragged around for her while Longshore took up a position at the side of the desk, imposing himself between Rhian and Blackstone. Longshore would hopefully be key in rooting out the situation with the Corporal.

“You may begin, Rhian.”

Rhian nodded and glanced down at the wolf, who was staring at Blackstone intently, but sitting down.

“I am Rhian Bardsley, a tracker,” she said by way of introduction. She needed time to let Longshore get a feel for the man and she didn’t want to make him more nervous than he already was so she opted to talk and hoped that he would focus his attention on her and not what Longshore was doing. “They said you had a package… did… Sylvia... give it to you? Do you know what was in the package?”

Longshore was leaning forward, a small snarl forming. She glanced at him again, hoping that Blackstone wouldn’t notice that the wolf was slowly growing defensive. Rhian dropped on hand to her side, preparing to grab Longshore should it prove necessary.

“Sylvia was very pretty, wasn’t she?” Rhian had no idea as to whether or not Blackstone thought Sylvia was attractive, but it was an empathetic opening that he might seize. A low growl formed in Longshore’s throat. “If you can walk through what happened after Malakai left, he can get a better idea of what was so important that you had to leave.”

At this point, Longshore was on his feet, his green eyes glittering and his teeth pulled back in a menacing snarl. He had decided that he did not like Blackstone and was going to be absolutely certain that the man did not get any closer to Rhian than he already was.

Rhian turned her attention to Malakai, “Longshore is reacting as if he is being threatened by something—it is the same thing that happened in your bedroom with the… figurine.”

She turned to Blackstone who by now would have had to have noticed the large wolf was now snarling. “Don’t worry about my friend here, he will stay put unless you make any sudden moves,” it really wasn’t meant as a threat, but as a warning not to bolt.

The dark haired dwarf made his way to the Blue Recluse. He was wont to sit there and smoke his pipe and listen to the tall tales as he drank his stout. He did not often say much to anyone, preferring to sit in a sheltered corner under the steps, or upstairs in a corner.

He could hear raucous laughter as he stepped into the tavern and made his way to the bartender. There were several patrons in the bar tonight. A group of human males was sitting at one of the large tables and having some kind of drinking contest. At the other table were a couple of female gnomes and a male draenei who seemed to be deep in discussion of some scientific experiment they were working on.

Under the stairwell a dark haired woman sat quietly reading a book. Barl did not wish to disturb her so he ordered his stout and wandered upstairs. There was a couple of Night elves in the far corner, they seemed to be very close and as Barl came into view they sat back and the female blushed a pretty deep shade of purple.

Barl grinned and sat in the other corner, "Pay me no mind, youngins...ye be in a public bar remember...but I am not here ta disturb ya." he chuckled as he settled down and drew out a tome he kept in his satchel. He set it down on the table and took his pipe out of his pocket and tamped in some fragrant tobacco. Lighting the pipe with a candle from the table he sat back to enjoy his quiet evening.

“Don’t worry about my friend here, he will stay put unless you make any sudden moves."

Blackstone stared down at the shackles binding his hands and feet together, a ghost of a smile passing over his lips. "You've no need to worry about me running, Miss Bardsley. I wouldn't get very far."

He lifted his head, shifting in the seat to try and find a more comfortable position as he stared across at the two. His chestnut brown eyes were bloodshot, cheeks moist from the tears that once flowed down them. "I will tell you what it is you want to, not because of what's happening to me, but because of Sylvia. She would want to be heard."

"The package was from Sylvia, a gift, to a man she had admired, King Varian. She simply wanted him to have something as a token of her appreciation for his leadership, how hard he worked for the "little people" like us. The ones who don't have much of a voice, money, or any of these other riches. She was just a woman with a dream and now it's gone..and I couldn't even help her."

The man sighed, turning away as his voice started to choke up. The memories of the sweet blonde confiding in him, talking to him, touching him. He wished..he had just taken her with him, left the house together to deliver the package. They could've gone anywhere. Now she was dead, laying cold somewhere in the Watch House to be examined like some experiment.

When Rhian spoke of her beauty, he found himself nodding along with her, "Yes, she was so beautiful. A rare flower in a field of weeds stretching as far as the eye can see. Most people saw only the outside..but I, I got a glimpse of what was inside. The sweet, caring girl who just wanted to live her life."

His eyes narrowed, gaze lifting to find Malakai, noting how Rhian was next to him. "I have no doubts about what you did, Malakai. I saw that letter, you were leading her on, crushing her dreams for your own benefit. She didn't tell me..but I think I can guess what you did to her that first night before I showed up. You're supposed to be a professional, a man of dignity and respect, yet you prey on people like some kind of beast."

The flash of anger dispersed as he looked in Rhian's direction, "Don't fall for it. He knows nothing but the job, that will always come first. I should know, I've seen him operate. Save yourself the trouble."

--------

Malakai nodded, "I understand..what I did was wrong, I realize that. I tried to use someone's feelings to better help me in my work. I want these assassins found. I want the people of our city to not live in fear, to question the abilities of the Watch. Yes, I was selfish..but I thought that perhaps the reasoning behind it might have helped me overlook it. I was wrong."

"Still, you are letting this..infatuation cloud your rational thinking. If Sylvia was truly as innocent as you said, why were you stopped by those SI:7 agents before you could deliver the package? Why did we find a cultist item tucked away in her bag? How did she survive for all that time surrounded by "cult" members like Jenkins, if she herself was not involved with it? Think, Harry..I've always told you to examine every possible angle, to step outside and look in."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he rose from his chair. "You abandoned your post, you left a witness who was a known target alone. You threatened the very leader of this city with this mystery package, not to mention drawing a weapon on two Stormwind officials."

This is family, Malakai..family. He closed his eyes, leaning against the far wall as he let his thoughts wander. This -was- family..but the law was also his responsibility. He had to uphold the law. If Blackstone was not apprehended, would he have gone so far as to kill those two men to get that package through? Did the "package" influence all of this or was it just a nudge to send Harry over the edge?

"I believe..that the package had took a heavy toll on you, Harry. For that reason, I am not sending you to the Stockades for brandishing a deadly weapon with intent to harm. Still, it bothers me that you accepted this package without even thinking about what could be in it. You took it because you wanted her to love you. That was not the package's influence, it was your own."

"You are hereby removed from your service in the Watch. You will be discharged with no rank, nothing but the name you carry."

When he was done, he moved towards the door pulling it open and motioned towards one of the guards waiting outside. "We're done here. " Malakai then stood aside as Blackstone was escorted out, turning his head rather than look at the man. "Release him, take his equipment and send him on his way."

Once the door closed he sighed again, moving back towards his desk and Rhian. What would she think of him? He had..tried to be as lenient as possible. If it was any other, they would've been thrown into the stockades for a very long time.

The young boy watched with some trepidation as the hunter left with a member of the watch. It was bad enough that she had spent the last hour in the house with him, but now he’d need to think of something that would get her outside without him. He tried to follow them through the back streets, keeping his distance to avoid detection by the wolf that had looked in his direction more than once. He lost them several times, but on a hunch, raced around the darkened streets towards the Watch House. He sighed with both relief and consternation when he saw them entering the building.

How was he going to get the woman out? He retreated to a pile of crates and sat down to think. He knew that he wasn’t going to be able to walk up to the Watch House and demand to see her. They wouldn’t let him in through the door. He was just a grubby street urchin… a boy.

A boy… hired to deliver a message… for her to come out and see someone about something…

The idea formed in his head and he peeked out from around the boxes, his stomach turning over at the thought of the wolf. He told himself that he was not going to have to run from the wolf, just lead the hunter to where the dwarf waited. Then, all he needed to do was stay hidden until the dwarf had the situation under control, and then he could leave and forget that he saw anything.

Taking a deep breath and reminding himself over and over, ‘I won’t have to run from the wolf, I won’t have to run from the wolf.’

Officer Baker looked at the grubby boy that was scurrying up nervously to the steps of the Watch House. He assumed that the boy was here to deliver a message for someone—it was not uncommon for someone to pay street urchins a few copper coins to run errands. The boy skidded to a stop a respectable distance away and chewed his lower lip for a few moments, regarding the officer at the door.

“What is it, lad?” Baker asked after a few moments.

“You got a tracker in there?” the boy asked, pointing to the door. “Woman with red hair and a big wolf?”

“Do you have her name?” Baker took a few steps towards the boy, but stopped when the boy backed away.

“Don’t know her name,” the boy replied. “Didn’t ask when I was told to give the message.”

“What message?”

He held up the piece of paper. “Someone has information for her—someone that wants to stay anan…anom… someone who doesn’t want to be known. I get extra money if I give it straight to her,” he was quick to say when the officer extended his hand for the note. “Can you get her, please?”

Baker sighed and turned to call to the deskman to get the hunter as there was a messenger outside for her. The woman sitting at the desk rose and looked out the door at the lad, then walked down the hall to Malakai’s office.

She knocked lightly on the door, “I am sorry to interrupt,” she said through the closed door, “but there is a small boy here with a message for the tracker. He seems insistent about the information he has and says it will help with whatever she is doing.”

Outside, the boy had retreated some distance away to lean against a light post. Baker watched him out of the corner of his eyes. He wasn’t certain how much he trusted the situation since the boy wouldn’t hand over the note, but chose not to pursue the matter. He would just stay vigilant about the matter.

***

(1/2)

Rhian listened quietly while Blackstone talked about Sylvia. His voice was an interesting mixture of anger, defeat, and jealously. And bitterness… a love lost, or at least what he saw as a love lost. His words and expression when he spoke about Sylvia told her that he had fallen hard. Perhaps it was better this way, she thought, that way her memory would be of a kind woman, not some deranged cultist on a mission using him as a patsy.

‘She didn't tell me..but I think I can guess what you did to her that first night before I showed up. You're supposed to be a professional, a man of dignity and respect, yet you prey on people like some kind of beast.’

Rhian looked down at her hands which were clasped in her lap. Malakai had told her that he had no interest in Sylvia, but it didn't stop the small pool of jealousy that formed in the pit of her stomach. As much as those words hurt for her to hear, she wondered just how hurtful they were for Malakai. She glanced up in his direction, her expression empathetic. He had told her why he had acted the way he did, but she did have to wonder what had happened that first night she was under his watchful eye.

‘Don't fall for it. He knows nothing but the job, that will always come first. I should know, I've seen him operate. Save yourself the trouble.’

“I think I am old enough to decide what is or isn't worth the trouble,” Rhian said quietly, looking at Blackstone, her blue eyes clear.

She breathed a sigh of relief when he left. Longshore was definitely upset and the stress of the situation had not helped. Still, it was a little sad to see the man go. Sylvia had cost him a lot and she wondered if he would ever realize that or if he would forever hold the grudge against Malakai for it.

“Are you alright?” she asked as Malakai shut the door and turned back to his desk. She rose from her chair, glancing at Longshore who moved to the door to make certain that Blackstone wasn’t coming back in. “Those were some pretty awful things he said to you.”

Longshore whined before the knock sounded at the door.

“I am sorry to interrupt,” a crisp voice called through the closed door, “but there is a small boy here with a message for the tracker. He seems insistent about the information he has and says it will help with whatever she is doing.”

“I wonder if there was another witness to the murders…” Rhian murmured, looking at Malakai. “The rustling bushes outside the house, at the time I thought that it was a small animal, but Longshore wasn’t interested in it. Now I have to wonder if it was a person.”

(2/2)

The scene with Blackstone had not been pleasant and Malakai had to be feeling upset over the harsh things that had been said, but there were still murders that needed to be solved. The boy outside the Watch House had promised information and Rhian knew that any information was sorely needed.

“I imagine that you have some work to do concerning the discharge of your man,” she said, not unkindly. “I’ll take an officer with me to see what the boy has to say. I’ll be back in a short while.”

She crossed the room in a few strides and slipped out the door, closing it softly after her. The woman who had delivered the information looked at her expectantly. Rhian followed her to the front of the station, nodding to Officer Youngstown as she went.

“Is he in his office?” the officer asked. Both Rhian and the woman nodded.

“Do you have someone who can go with me?” Rhian asked as the woman as they neared the door. “It has been strongly suggested by the Watch Commander that I not venture out alone.”

“I’ll send Cooper with you,” she said, waving to a man who was sorting through some papers.

***
“I’ve got ta tell ye, Oan, tha’ lass be needin’ herself a new one.”

“Ach, Stonemantle, it canna be tha’ bad,” the dwarf eased himself onto a stool at the Hart and Stout.

“It’s about as beardless as ye can get,” Stonemantle pulled the handle back on a cask of ale and poured out a healthy measure of the frothy brew. He set it on the bar in front of Oan, another dwarven hunter that he knew from Ironforge. “Embarassin’, really.”

***
The young boy watched with quite a bit of trepidation as the woman, the wolf, and an officer stepped out of the building and headed towards him. With a deep breath, he stepped out from the crates to face them.

“You that tracker on the people killed?” the lad looked up at her, doing his best to ignore the wolf.

Longshore recognized not only his scent, but the scent of the dwarf lingering on him from the second murder scene. He leaned forward and gave a small growl. Rhian glanced down at the wolf, ready to put a hand out in case Longshore tried to move closer.

“I am, you said you had some information for me?”

“Not me,” the boy took a cautious step away from the crates. “Someone else. I’m supposed to take you to them.”

Several warning bells went off in Rhian’s head. Despite her backwoods appearance, she wasn’t ignorant and this had the signs of a trap written all over it. Still, the person she was supposed to meet might have information for her—rather than a knife to cut her throat—so it was a risk she was willing to take. She and Officer Cooper exchanged concerned glances, but Cooper gave her a small nod to proceed.

“Alright, lead on,” Rhian adjusted the gun on her back. “This officer will accompany us.”

The boy took one last look at the wolf and slowly started down the street.

“As long as we don’t end up in Cut Throat Alley, we’ll be fine,” Copper whispered as they followed.

***

“Wolves are wild creatures, they are. Canna be too tame—even by a hunter. Yer jus’ catchin’ the beast at night when it’s tired,” Oan accepted the mug of ale with an appreciative nod.

“I’ll tell ye what,” Stonemantle pulled another ale from the cask, “she comes here once a week. Ye come on next week and get yer supper and ye’ll see fer yerself.”

“I’ll be doin’ tha,” Oan lifted the mug to his lips. “I dunna think that it’s as bad as yer sayin’”

“Do ye care to put a wager on that?” Stonemantle lifted the mug to his lips and took a long drink. Instead of setting the mug down, he pointed it at Oan, “Jus’ wait ‘til ye see the thing sprawled out. It can barely motivate itself to get up off its lazy bones ta eat.”

***
The dwarf watched with some satisfaction as the boy led the tracker down the prescribed path. He didn’t like the fact that the officer was there, but it was something that he’d deal with later. What was one more murder to add to the list? And it was a long list.

He moved along the rooftops, surprisingly agile for a dwarf and moved ahead of the lad. He was supposed to move slowly down the backstreet, giving time for the dwarf to get into place and he was doing a fine job of it. The lad was nervous, but nervous was alright. He wasn’t yet used to this type of life, but he showed promise. Perhaps the dwarf would take the boy in as an apprentice...

He stopped by a chimney, concealed by the shadows offered there, drew his daggers and waited. This was almost too easy.

(1/2)

***
“In fact, I think the only reason why it eats is because o’ my wife feeding it and that lass’s gun,” Stonemantle set the mug on the bar and shook a pudgy finger at Oan. “’Cause it’s too lazy ta chase anythin’ down. If that lass isn’a shootin’ it, the wolf isn’a eatin’ it.”

Oan chuckled at his friend’s exaggeration. Things just were not that bad. Hunters relied on their pets heavily and the idea that the lass in question—human or otherwise—would abide by a pet who was unable to do anything but sleep was unbelievable.

Stonemantle, seeing that he hadn’t actually convinced his friend, raised one hand in the air, “Oan, may I shave my beard if I am lyin’.”

***
Longshore had picked up on another scent. Rhian watched as the wolf, nose sometimes to the ground and sometimes sniffing the air; one of the murderers was nearby.

‘No wonder the boy is so nervous,’ Rhian thought. ‘I am next on the list.’

She doubted that Officer Cooper was a target. He had not been involved in any of the investigations up to this point while she had. So a tracker on the case had made someone rather nervous, had it? That was fine by the hunter, even when she was being the one hunted.

‘I’m not a fresh girl out of the schoolroom,’ she thought, ‘so bring your best. I’ll greet you with my rifle--just like we use to greet gnolls in Redridge.’

The boy, who had been moving slowly down the alley, suddenly ducked out of sight. Instinctively, Longshore followed, sprinting after the boy who could not hide from the wolf. The two disappeared down an alley leaving Rhian and Cooper alone.

“I think we might have a problem…” Cooper moved a tad bit closer to Rhian his eyes scanning the street.

***
“I’ll tell ye what,” Oan set the mug down on the wooden bar with a thunk, “I’ll take ye up on yer wager. Jus’ name how much yer needin’ to part with an’ I won make ye shave yer beard when ye lose.”

“I’ll tell -YE- what,” Stonemantle leaned forward on the bar. “I’ll be bettin’ ye five pieces o’ gold that I am right. That way, yer not out yer ale money.”

Oan roared with laughter, “Five pieces o’ gold then… and trust me, friend, tha’ won’ begin ta cover me ale money.”

***
The dwarf grinned wickedly as the confused watchman looked around the small area. ‘They never think to look up,’ he thought as he made certain that his footing was sound. ‘Well, not until it was too late, anyway.’

He launched himself off the roof, his boots making no noise as he leapt. His target was the hunter and he would use his heavier weight and stout frame to bring her to the ground before he buried his daggers deep within her chest. A perfect plan…

..but she looked up.

Rhian’s reflexes were sharp, but the dwarf had half a second on her. He was nearly upon her when she finally got the shot off. The gun boomed; the sound bouncing off the walls and waking more than a few people. She couldn't see what Officer Cooper doing as the dwarf was landing on her. She fell to the ground with a grunt, the wind knocked out of her and the dwarf sprawled on top of her, pinning her to the grimy cobblestones. The good news was that she knew she had shot him.

The bad news?

The shot had not killed the dwarf.

Malakai was lost in his own world, Blackstone was like a brother to him. They had practically joined the Watch together, each out to save the world with wild delusions of grandeur. It didn't take long for Malakai to move up in the ranks, always well disciplined and professional in his approach. But Harry, Harry was another story. A wild child with a badge who let authority go to his head like some did. A dangerous path, he could remember having to save the man from many a brawl that would've ended his career and life fairly early.

Resentment, perhaps that was a factor in all of this too. He rose up in the ranks steadily while Blackstone barely made it to Corporal during their time of service. Many people had come and gone and in their short time, made it much farther than him. Malakai sighed, shaking his head to clear out the thoughts, it was no time to be lingering on the past. The future was still filled with uncertainty, though it still had a bright glimmer, Rhian. He smiled at the thought of the tracker, lifting his head to glance in her direction.

It was only then that he realized she wasn't even there. Was he so lost in thought that he completely missed her leaving? Was she angry or sad about what had occurred? He swung around from his desk, racing towards the door of his office. "Rhian, the tracker, where is she?!" He demanded of the secretary sitting a few feet away from his door.

The woman looked up from her stack of papers, startled at the tone of his voice. "She..she..went with Cooper to find out what the boy had to say, sir..I knocked, I told you.." Her voice was shaky, the scowl painted across Malakai's face was rather intimidating.

The Watch Commander nodded, "Right..How long ago did she leave?" When the woman managed to break through her fear to answer that it was just minutes ago, Malakai nodded and raced off towards the door. "Fizzle, get over here! Let's go!"

The Gnome was more prepared for the wild outburst from Malakai, quickly snapping up to attention at the sound of his name and then rushing from his desk at command. "Ready to roll, sir!"

Malakai nodded, glancing up the street, eyes narrowed. "They said she went that way with the boy, we're going to follow. I need you here because you're my best, Fizzle. If she's hurt, I need you to take care of it." He glanced down at the Gnome, "She's very important to me, if I lose her..I'll become even more mean than I already am."

Fizzle gave Malakai a reassuring smile, "Aye, sir. We'll find them. I knew you was soft on the girl the moment Bizzle brought her in here. Maybe she'll actually change you..for the better" The Gnome snorted and started off.

This was no time for jokes but the lighthearted humor of the Gnome cooled his mind just a bit. He needed to be thinking clearly, this was a dangerous situation and all angles must be accounted for.

They moved quickly, racing through the streets in pursuit of Rhian and her present company. Though Malakai wished to be silent, it was hard to dull the heavy sound of his footsteps as he ran full speed. Perhaps if there was an attack imminent, the sound would be enough to deter the action.

A gunshot. Malakai paused when he heard it, eyes widening as he stared ahead into the night. Judging by the loud report, it was a rifle..and who carried a rifle? Rhian! He rushed forward, his hand grasping the pistol at his side and drawing before he even rounded the corner.

"Rhian!" He shouted, noticing the smaller of the two figures laying on the ground with..something on top of it. "Cooper! Get that damn thing off of her!"

The yell was enough to drive the Watch man into action, turning towards Rhian, he hastily moved to pluck the wounded Dwarf from atop her. He would be quick to try and restrain the Dwarf knowing that he was probably one of the assassins and quite deadly even when wounded.

Malakai made it to Rhian's side, gun raised and still leveled on the Dwarf so that even if he managed to escape Cooper, a bullet would be waiting for him. "Don't you move, we'd like you alive..but don't think I won't pull this trigger," he warned the Dwarf.

Once Fizzle finally arrived and moved to assist Cooper, Malakai could finally turn his attention to where he wanted to. He reached down with his free hand, brushing strands of Rhian's hair from her face as he looked down at her. "Rhian, are you alright?" Throwing all protocol to the wind, he leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her lips. "Never again..not without me, ever again." He murmured to her before moving, attempting to help her to her feet.

The dwarf let out a series of expletives as he lay on the ground bleeding all over Rhian from a gut wound. He could tell that the tracker was momentarily stunned by the hard impact; being sandwiched between the rock-hard cobblestone and a two hundred pound dwarf had done its intended job…

… except the gunshot wound in the side of his stomach had prevented him from driving his daggers into as he intended. But then, she was all lined up for a side shot and if he were lucky, he’d hit her heart. Except that he had failed to hold onto the daggers when the bullet hit.

Already she was gaining her wits and he could tell that she was trying to struggle out from under him. In a moment, the watchman would be on him, he just needed to get his dagger. One hand groped out even as he could hear footsteps running and connected with the cold metal. It made a rasping noise as he drug it across the road, trying to get it in position. He’d use his weight to drive it in.

Rhian knew just how vulnerable she was, but she could not dislodge the weight of the dwarf. The moments dragged on as she struggled for air and tried to escape the weight of the dwarf. She hoped that she had not broken a rib in the impact, but it would not surprise her if she had. She also wouldn’t be surprised if there was a rifle shaped bruise across her side as the weapon had gotten trapped between the pair.

Cooper, upon hearing Malakai, snapped out of his shock and lunged forward, grabbing the dwarf by his shirt collar and sleeve and hauled him off of the tracker. “Got him, boss!” he pulled the wounded dwarf away from the tracker. “Gut wound, that has to hurt,” he gave the dwarf a malicious smile. “Too bad for you she missed your head, but it is lucky for us. The good citizens of Stormwind love a murder trial.”

Rhian lay blinking on the ground. Her clothing was blood soaked from the wound that the dwarf had sustained and she still wasn’t certain if she had broken a rib or if the pain she felt was from the impact. She knew she ought to check but at the moment, it was all she could do to breathe. Never mind a ton of bricks… one dwarf could do the same just nicely.

Malakai’s concerned face appeared above her, one hand brushing back her hair. It was a comforting gesture. “Rhian, are you alright?” Before she could get her voice to reply, he had leaned down and kissed her. She smiled up at him and nodded.

“Let me… check… ribs…” she spoke with effort as all the air had been knocked out of her lungs. “Not sure… if… broken…” She reached up with one hand and gingerly ran it over her ribcage. Nothing gave. She closed her eyes and slightly pressed down. They hurt, but didn’t give. “It’s good. Just… the air… knocked… out of me. Dwarf’s… heavy.”

She dumped the rifle to the side, it hit the cobblestones with a dull clank, before she reached out and accepted Malakai’s help to get to her feet. Her blood soaked clothing sticking to her uncomfortably, the once warm fluid was rapidly cooling in the night air. It was the dwarf’s blood, which somehow made it all the worse. She looked at the dwarf who was sitting on the ground, teeth gritted in pain, but still giving her a baleful look. Cooper and Fizzle were attending to him.

‘Not as easy as you thought, was I?’ she didn’t voice her opinion to the dwarf. Instead she turned her attention to Malakai.

“Longshore ran after… the boy,” the words were coming easier now. “Figured it was an… ambush but a dwarf… falling… from the roofs… was… a new one.”

It was not long before Longshore padded up with the boy’s shirt in his teeth, dragging the child with him. He brought the boy to Rhian and sat down.

“Let me go!” the young boy was twisting, sobbing, and nearly hysterical with fear.

“Drop him,” Rhian finally got air into her lungs. She looked at the boy, “If you run again, he’ll give chase. You need to come back with us.”

Longshore let go and turned his attention to the dwarf. The boy clamored backwards his eyes on the wolf and stopped when he ran into Cooper and Fizzle.

She turned her gaze back to Malakai, “That dwarf is who murdered the Kristoffs.”

The dwarf opened his mouth to protest but he was cut off when Longshore growled.

“It’s you verses that wolf,” Rhian warned the dwarf. “The only he knows to lie about is in front of a hearth. Just ask anyone who has seen him in a tavern. Add in the gnome and I think your goose is cooked… burned to crisp, really.”

She reached down and picked up the rifle, holding it in her hand rather than slinging it across her soiled clothing. She picked at the shirt for a moment before deciding to trash the thing the first chance she got. She wasn’t certain when that would be, but she hoped soon.

1/2

She could feel herself starting to tremble and she fought the urge to laugh, a nervous response to a frightening encounter. She reached out towards Malakai and touched his cheek with her fingers. She really wanted to hug him but the gross state of her clothing held her back. She was grateful for his presence, even as several other officers came running into the alley and people were opening up windows and looking down from their homes, trying to figure out what all the commotion was about.

“I’d… I’d like to go get a shower now,” she said quietly. She didn’t voice her next thought, ‘Before I start crying in this alley.’

2/2

It was easy enough to subdue the wounded Dwarf, he wasn't putting up too much of a fight considering the amount of blood that was already lost. Fizzle eyed him for a long moment before finally moving into action. The Gnome didn't bring much as his speed would've been sacrificed, but he did have several bandages tucked into his pocket. "This'll have to do until we get him back to HQ," He muttered as he started towards the Dwarf. "Cooper, if you would please cuff him up, I'd rather not take one of those darts in any part of me."

"O-of course," Cooper replied, reaching down for the cuffs at his side. He pulled the Dwarf's hands behind his back and tugged them together before applying the cold steel. "This might be a bit tight but considering who you are..it's worth it." He closed them around his wrists and tightened them up so that movement was restricted nearly completely.

Once Cooper was finished, Fizzle stepped in, moving from behind and circling around the Dwarf as he unrolled the bandages around his abdomen. "He's lost a lot of blood, boss. Cooper and I can handle this, we'll set him up in one of those cells with a few posted watchers to make sure he doesn't try anything. No one'll talk to him until you get back. So, go see to your lady now."

"Get me a cart over here, this Dwarf is too injured to move!" Cooper hailed one of the officers coming up from behind. The man nodded and quickly tore off to retrieve one. While they waited, Fizzle approached the young child. "Hello there, boy. Don't worry, you're not in trouble, you were misled, I'm sure he offered you a hefty sum to do a bunch of things that seemed innocent, yeah?" The Gnome gave him a reasurring smile, "We'll take you over to HQ with us, see that you get fed and get paid for your..aid in catching a murderer. Then you better get yourself right on home!"

Everyone loaded up into the cart and were ready to move out. Cooper glanced back over his shoulder towards Malakai, Rhian, and Longshore. "Are you guys co-oof!" A sharp elbow to his side from Fizzle ended that question rather quickly. "Let's go, Cooper. They can take care of themselves."

Malakai frowned at his officers, rolling his eyes before waving his hand to shoo them off. "We'll be fine. Get him back and prepare him for interrogation, I want to know everything by the time we get back." His gaze dropped to the Dwarf, 'Everything.."

When they were finally gone, he turned look back at Rhian, smiling. He could see the water welling up in her blue eyes and it pained him to see it. "You're alright now, Rhian. A close call, too close..but you'll never have to worry about that again. Longshore just better move over 'cause I'm takin' the other side." He grinned and glanced down towards the wolf, reaching down to pat his head gently.

Malakai nodded when spoke of a shower, looking down at her clothing all covered in blood. "Of course, let's get you home." Without waiting for a response, he reached down to sweep her legs up, scooping her off the ground with ease. "I imagine you can walk but let's just..pretend for a while that you can't. Oh, and before I forget, you owe me...you're getting blood on me." He smirked and started walking the street without a care to anyone who saw them.

One part of the mystery was solved, there was still another to be found..but that was one less worry. This case was going to take a turn as soon as that Dwarf started spilling his guts.

It was dusk and the city was covered by clouds, about to live up to its name. Flickers of lightning raced across the sky and thunder rumbled over the city as residents scurried for cover. Amarlei was not liking having to land on the roof of the SLaughtered Lamb, but it did offer some shelter. The attic was never used for anything besides storage of ancient things not likely to be used by anyone. The wyvern flew off and she crept into the door on the roof, getting out of the storm just as rain started pelting down from the heavens.

She grinned as she looked around, a safe haven indeed. She thought of maybe a way to get down into the tavern below if she could figure out the details. The trapdoor was likely locked on the other side. She found a selection of old musty blankets and linens and settled down to wait for the evening bar crowd to disperse. She decided to nap, considering she would not be disturbed at all. She dug into her pack for a grappling hook with a light but sturdy line attached to it. She would wait for the early morning hours before the sun came up to make her moves, unless something happened before that.

Settling down into the old blankets she soon fell into a doze as the rain pelted the roof and thunder rolled ominously.

Far below in the basement a warlock named Vultraire was mixing his potions. "Fools and incompetents all of them!" he muttered. The potion was bubbling and giving off a slight noxious odor. He had all the ingredients he needed, after torturing and extracting blood from his new slaves he promptly fed their remains to his demons. He had the perfect plague now cooking in his kettle. The odor would seep out gradually and infect all who came near the tavern with a sleepiness. They would be walking and talking one moment and then suddenly become very sleepy, smelling the odor from the boiling cauldron would work on humans and dwarves. They would feel tired and slightly sick and head for their homes to sleep.

He had not been able to snag a draenei or Night elf for his plague, so they would get sick from the smell of the fel concoction but not sleep. He muttered as he worked. "Dratted Kaldorei and Draenei...they are too good for this...must be something I can add to affect them...without a chance to collect samples it is simply guess work...I hate guessing...it is unprofessional."

The odor from the basement slowly crept up the winding stairwell and affected the few warlocks who ventured in. The trainers were long since gone and in the bellies of demons. The bartender upstairs was the last to succumb. Anyone walking in now would find the tavern empty. The warlocks wandering in would head to the basement and slump into a coma. They would awaken as zombies in a day or so...and the city would be doomed!!

“Oh!” Rhian was taken by surprise when Malakai scooped her up. She reached up and wound her arms around his neck and wondered where he was taking her.

“I imagine you can walk but let's just… pretend for a while that you can't. Oh, and before I forget, you owe me...you're getting blood on me."

She giggled at the comment then stifled it. “I am sorry,” she said contritely, “it’s the shock and all… I’ll get my wits back,” she paused and considered the situation as he cradled her in his arms, “eventually.”

Longshore padded along beside them, occasionally glancing up at Rhian with a quizzical expression on his face. She knew that he was wondering what was going on and why she wasn’t walking on her own accord.

“It’s alright, big guy,” she said, looking down at him before turning her attention back to Malakai.

Leaning forward, she placed a light kiss on his jaw; she didn’t leave a lipstick mark. “As for the blood,” she glanced down at his uniform shirt, “yes… I think I do owe you… considering that this isn’t my blood. I am certain that you’ll come up with… something.” She was glad that it was dark out; she knew that her cheeks were stained with a blush.

‘But it definitely could have been,’ she thought, unable to repress another small tremor than ran through her. She really had not expected someone to jump from a rooftop at her, but then, her experiences in Stormwind were limited. Redridge gnolls were just not that intelligent. With a small sigh, she closed her eyes and leaned her again against Malakai’s shoulder.

It wouldn't have taken long for Malakai to reach the boarding house where Rhian was currently residing at any other time, this time he stalled purposely. He took every road and turn that he knew would prolong their arrival. He had to admit this was nice, finally appreciating something other than just the job.

Alas, they arrived at the boarding house. He knew they were quite the sight, walking in covered in blood, Rhian cradled in his arms with Longshore padding along beside them. "S'alright folks, she's okay. Just another day on the job," he nodded towards the shocked people and continued on. Malakai carried the young woman to her room and only in front of her door would he set her down, since not having a key would probably hinder his entrance. "I'll be right here should you need me," he smiled at her, then stepped back to prop himself up against the wall next to the door.

A second passed before he shook his head, stepping towards her to give her another light kiss. "On second thought, I'll go inside with you. We've got one, I don't know about the other..and I did say "never again", didn't I?" He smiled and waited for her to open the door.

Back at the Watch House, Fizzle and Cooper were preparing their Dwarven friend for the interrogation of a life time. They set him up in a small cell in the back, stripped him and got rid of any objects he might've used as a weapon on anyone. After tending to his wounds, they allowed him a small black suit with no pockets or anything to reach into.

"Perhaps we should..start now? Time is of the essence here and I'm not sure how long Malakai will be..The girl looked pretty shaken up from the whole ordeal." Cooper glanced down at Fizzle and nodded, "You may be right..I'm sure he knows this. Let's get this started."

The Gnome nodded and shut the cell door behind him, walking towards the Dwarf who was now chained to a single chair in the middle of the cell. "Alright, sir. We know for a fact that you were the one who killed the Kristoff family. We want to know what the motivation behind the hit was, who you are working for, the connection between them and Jenkins', and what is the meaning of all of this? Why are you still here if the job is done? Are you affiliated with Sylvia Graystone? Did she hire you? Why did you kill her then? Are you part of the cult?"

There were so many questions to ask, Fizzle wasn't exactly the greatest interrogator but until Malakai returned, he hoped the Dwarf would cooperate..somewhat.

Rhian knew that once this night was over, she’d have a lot of questions that she would have to answer at the boarding house. Being carried in by Malakai with her clothing covered in blood had elicited several concerned gasps. She’d deal with them later, right now, she just wanted to get out of the clothing and wash off the grime from the streets.

The long trip to the boarding house had given her the opportunity to regain her wits. She assumed that Malakai had taken the long way around to give her an opportunity to compose herself, and for that, she was grateful. She grinned at him when he relaxed against the wall saying that he would stay outside then abruptly changed his mind.

Longshore had peeled off from the pair and made a beeline for the heath and laid down. Soon he was snoring softly.

She unlocked the door and walked into the dark room, holding the door until he entered. She shut the door and belatedly remembered the pile of clothing laying by her hamper from earlier that day. At least the small bed was made and the rest of the room was relatively tidy. A bookshelf against one wall held mostly knick-knacks she had picked up from her travels from around Azeroth, there were a few books and three personal journals. A fourth journal was on a desk set under the single window.

The three journals held the details of her travels—where she went, what she found, what she ate, and a few misadventures told with a slightly humorous light. The fourth was partially filled, detailing her life in Stormwind.

“Make yourself at home,” she said leaning against the door for the moment before pushing her away. She gestured to the single chair by the desk. “Not much, but it will work until I can afford a larger place. Longshore likes the big hearth in the main room and they like having a mostly docile wolf in residence to ward off would-be thieves.”

She walked over to the armoire and pulled out clean clothing, which she tossed on the bed out of habit. “I won’t be too long. I just need to wash the grime off myself.”

She disappeared into the bathroom. Soon the sound of running water could be heard and a faint scent of apples drifted into the room. She took the liberty to examine the extent of the damaged caused by the dwarf. She would have several nasty bruises—including one shaped like the barrel of her rifle—for the next few days.

Not long after, the door opened and the scent of apples filled the room as she walked out in a robe, her hair hanging in wet tendrils around her shoulders. She walked over to Malakai, dumping her bloody clothing in a trash can on the way, and reached up, running her fingers over his face.

“Thank you,” she said softly, her hand cradling his cheek before leaning up to kiss him. “It isn’t often a handsome, dashing man offers to play the hero for me.” She gave him a rueful smile and nodded to the rifle sitting in the corner, “I blame the gun.”

***
At the Watch house, the dwarf scowled at the gnome. Stupid creatures, gnomes. If it weren’t for the hospitality of Bronzebeard, they would all be so much glowing, irradiated ash. They blew up their own home or were run out of it by troggs or whatever had happened. He didn’t care. The only thing in their pockets was bits and pieces of engineering materials, not even worth his time to pick.

“Lass is shaken up, is she?” he gave the gnome a malicious look. “Good. Stupid wench and her gun. Lucky shot. Gone ta earn her keep with the watch, has she? Hope she is worth his time, canna really tell till ye get ‘em on their backs.” He gave a lewd chuckle and referred to Rhian in derogatory enough terms to offend a sailor.

“So I may have offed the Kristoffs… yer welcome,” his face registered smug satisfaction. “Dinna know what he was in’ta, did ye? Wife was also,” he managed to make a whole fleet of sailors offended. “As for Sylvia, well that,” same offensive language, “got what was comin’ ta her.

“Now,” he would have shaken a pudgy finger if his hands had not been bound, “I ain’a with no cult… but that doesn’t mean that the Kristoff’s weren’t… or Jenkins and his tartlet on the side. She wasn’a the only one he had, ye know.”

He leaned back in the chair as best he could and made certain that he had the attention of the two officers. “Let’s just say that there are several ‘concerned citizens’ that have made some discreet inquires about getting’ rid of some cult members. Ye got something nasty brewing in yer city… right under yer noses. Lucky fer ye that ye got people like me willing to take care o’ matters.”

The evening was uneventful until Barl saw a strange sight. A young woman staggered into the tavern and collapsed on the floor. A gasp of consternation from a nearby priest as he ran to the woman's side. "Allora!! What happened?"

He knelt at her side and immediately noticed the foul aura surrounding her. Working his healing magic he managed to bring her around, but her face was pale and her voice slurred. "Sick...so sick...dizzy...help...me Forben...went past...Lamb...dead people all over...even some of the Watch..."

There was a gasp and several people started to get up to leave. "Wait!! Do not go there, we need to get the Watch on this...tell them to wear some kind of gas mask or protection.." Barl bolted out the door, heading for SI:7. He hoped a messenger would get to the Watch before it was too late.

He nearly bowled over a draenei paladin who was on her way into the tavern. "Get to the Church and tell them to prepare...we are being attacked by a Horde agent and some kind of chemical warfare. Tell them to find gas masks and head to the Slaughtered Lamb...GO!" his voice of authority sent her flying on hooves that clattered as she ran.

He did not have far to go when he ran into a Watchman who was headed to the upper section of the Mage District to check on missing members. "Don't go up there unless ye wear a gas mask, get back to Headquarters and warn them we are being attacked by chemical weapons!! Centered on the Slaughtered Lamb. I be sending help from SI:7 so get back here as soon as possible and keep people away from the Mage district." he shouted as he ran as fast as he could go.

Skidding into the SI:7 headquarters he called out "Red Alert, we are being attacked by chemical warfare, break out the gas masks and head to the SLaughtered Lamb...hope the Watch can keep people out of the Mage District..we may have to quarantine those already there...let's hope we are not too late..." he grabbed his kit of gas mask and hard hat and headed back out the door. Five hardened veterans of the Scourge battles followed him.