Tea, brewed with a dash of saffron to , a pinch of cinnamon and thimble of milk to even out the bitterness. For Larson this was the favorite cup. A cup of it one of the few luxuries he allowed himself throughout the day.

Larson was resting in his study, a relatively spartan room with only a simple but sturdy oak table, and chair. As he soaked in the aroma of the tea he continued to contemplate over the state of the city. He was feeling restless, even uneasy. It may be just his usual paranoia, or it could be his instinct warning him of Something. Larson knew that there were storm clouds that were building, tension rising throughout the land. Like the tightening of springs, the big players were all raising the bar of their activities. Soon enough all hell would break loose. Larson merely hoped to be close enough to capitalize on the ensuing storm.

The door behind him creaked open, catching his attention. However he recognized the soft footsteps that followed, it was none other than Miles. The small cherubic man daintily made his way to Larson's side. Dressed in a sombre white shirt and black trousers he melded into the simple spartan style that saturated Larson's private quarters, with its similarly whitewashed unadorned walls.

"Good Afternoon Sir, although it displeases me to disturb at your time of leisure, there is a matter of utmost import I must share with you" said Miles, in his usual soft spoken manner.

Larson sighed, "Of Course Miles, quite all right, tell me what is it" he said, secretly hoping it wasn't yet another bounty plastered onto the condor. These bounty hunters were getting quite annoying. Although he had already taken precautionary measured and laid out several convoluted false trails and dead ends. There were always those that too smart for their own good.

"One of your informants left a note at the usual place, though it wasn't really necessary the news has spread like wildfire... Benji Novak has been assassinated" he said, the weight of the matter at odds with his matter of fact tone.

“ What!” exclaimed Larson “Benji Novak killed?! This is the storm my gut has been feeling all this time, it has to be! Details man, details” he said, his cup of tea long forgotten.

“It seems that he was shot this afternoon, sniper fire, apart from that the details are unclear. I’m afraid the news has distorted somewhat by the time it reached here” said Miles.

“Its there is nothing else to do about, It is time to investigate.” Larson needed to know got this job, there were few who had the stomach to take on the Novak’s. Fewer with such great skill. He also was a tad envious he hadn’t received the job.

“Its time to go to the dressing room, I think, a clerk perhaps” said Larson.

“A fine choice sir, I will have it prepared” 

~ Sometime later ~

Larson Walked through the crowd, blending in, this time as a simple clerk perhaps on some daily errand. However making sure to look natural he made his way to the place of crime. From as far as he could tell of the place it was nothing too spectacular. 

He surveyed the scene, but there was little information it could offer. If he had the chance to see how the body fell, Larson would have been able to pick out the general heading of the shot. Still there was other things he could do, after all there was always other ways of getting information.

Looking around, he spotted a group of street kids huddled into a corner, the rags they wore told him they lived on the streets. Often invisible to most people it was sometimes surprising how much people let slip around them. Larson knew this from personal experience. A long time ago he had been one of them.

He walked over to them, and grabbed a slight boy by the arm, before all of them had a chance to slink away. “ Now I need some info about what happened here, I’m hoping you know a thing or two. If I like what you tell me, Maybe you’ll leave with copper or three. What do you say boy?” he asked