[h1][color=slategray]Kantus[/color] and Grob[/h1]
[hr]
[indent][b][i]November 18, 7:40PM
West Commons, Grob's Wondrous Emporium[/i][/b][/indent]
The first wheel was about to start turning.

After locking up the clinic for the time, Kantus had left to tend to his latest matters. A short walk after, he had descended the stairs by a waterway, taking care as to not draw any unwanted attention towards himself.

He turned, and before him stood his destination. A ruddy but volatile little shop, and the gremlins running it. Kantus approached, and the gremlin at the desk, Grob as the sign overhead indicated, looked up at him.

"Greetings!" He said, "Interested in buying some wares of mine? Or perhaps ya looking for something I got 'round back? What do ya want? I probably got it mate."

No immediate response came from the Lord of Owls. Instead, he merely presented a tied roll of bills and set it on the counter. The gremlin's hairless brow rose as Kantus spoke quietly.

[color=slategray]"Your service."[/color]

"My service?" Grob replied, a scowl replacing his look of curiosity. "I ain't no mercenary. You're looking at the wrong gremlin, [i]me lord[/i]." He said, with mocking emphasis on the last two words, peering at Kantus' many layers of regal attire.

He did not reply. He simply produced several more rolls of bills, with several more arms.

Grob slowly began to smile. He nodded and looked back up at Kantus. "A'ight. You got my attention. What do you want?" He said, walking out from behind the counter and looking up to the being in front of him.

Kantus wasted no time on obscurity.

[color=slategray]"In four hours, at [i]exactly[/i]11:32 PM, you and your cohorts must set off any sort of... [i]explosive display[/i], in plain view of the Engineers' watchtower between Overlook and Arboretum. Nothing lethal, only [i]loud[/i] and [i]bright[/i]. You will keep their attention for as long as you can and play the incident off as some form of inventory malfunction."[/color]

Grob nodded. "Precise..." He said, resting his chin on his fingers, "But okay, deal! The money, now, though."

Kantus set the rest of the bills on the counter. As Grob returned to his original position, the Lord of Owls issued him a warning.

[color=slategray]"Know this."[/color] He said, craning his neck forward a bit. [color=slategray]"Should you underperform or neglect your service, or speak of this to any soul..."[/color]

He pulled aside the collar of his coat, revealing the Badge of Hands resting underneath.

[color=slategray]"There will be consequences."[/color]

Grob's face returned to a bit of a scowl as he looked at the badge. Grob took the money greedily. "All right." He said lowly, "A merchant like me can keep his word."

[color=slategray]"Good. Be ready."[/color]

Kantus turned and left the vicinity of the shop while Grob began counting the bills. The first half of the preparations was done. Now, however, he had to wait for the latter half.

He ascended the stairs and made his way back to his clinic.