"He was asking for it.". Thomas said flatly, stepping over the crumpled men to follow John out the door. Once outside he rubbed his knuckles thoughtfully. " well, lets see. We can get clear of here for starters?". He offered, eyeing John's injury. "Should probably get that looked at while we're at it'

He wiped the blood again. "No no, its just a cut, it shall heal" He said with a smile. "Let us go to towns square, maybe there will be some work there for us"
They arrived in the square and the commotion of people would be overwhelming for people who were not used to the life in the city. yells and chatting people, the loud sounds of the factories and the smell of smoke. The signature life for the northerners.

"What kind of work do you hope to find here?". Asked Thomas with a sigh as they came to the bustling town square. " if it's book keeping again I will have no part in it! You know how much I hate writing and reading. So if that's what you're after you're on your own my friend. "

"No no, I'm hoping for something more, something adventurous." He said looking around. The crowd of people made it quite hard to see. People were holding a vote for office. Just as he turned to talk to Thomas a man running through the crowd pushed through them. "Oy. whats his hurry?" The man ran down the ally way. An unsettling feeling ran through his body. "Lets follow" He said looking at Thomas.

"Already on it". Thomas said in agreement, turning up his collar before diving into the crowd after the man.
Anyone who grew up near or in the city knew how to move around and through the crowds, but Thomas and John's family had it down to a science passed onto these two. So where some stumbled and slipped and shoved their way through a crowd, these two moved like fleeting ghosts.
It wasn't long before they bad come out on the other side of the mass of people and started down the alley way.

Moving into the ally way they broke into a sprint. The man was fast but they soon were only feet behind him, ducking in corners and behind boxes to make sure not to be seen. The man stopped and turned around trying to catch his breathe. "I dont know why but this man. He makes my skin crawl" John whispered. "I know you are there! Like a predator stalking its prey! Show yourself." Assuming he had meant John and Thomas he began to stand.

Thomas grunted something in agreement with John, before slowly getting to his feet. "Who said anything about stalking?". He called out amicably to the stranger. " just wanted to see what the rush was about"

Just as the man went to speak the was an eagles screech and a man in a black hood landed on top of the man. He slowly stood. John's eyes widened in fear as the man looked their way nodded and took off in a sprint the other direction.

"What? Hey you! Get back here!" Shouted Thomas, to indignant to be scared. "John come on! Don't just stand there,". He leapt forward over the dead man and chased after the hooded newcomer.

He ran as well, a curiosity ignited inside him. He had many questions for this murder they had just witnessed. He ran swiftly after Thomas. He picked up a box and through it at the mans feet hoping to trip him up but the man only kept running faster.

Thomas jumped up onto the box John had thrown after it clattered to a total stop, using it like a spring board to jump after the stranger. He missed hs coattails by inches though and, cursing, straightened up and sprinted after him.

John stopped and caught his breath. The wind blew violently. "Let him go Thomas." He gestured at the running man. "He just murdered that man. I don't stray to assume he would do the same to us." John said through hard breath. "Let us just go home today. Come to my home for lunch." He said.

Thomas was reluctant to leave the man alone, a bit short if breath as well but he relented. "Fine". He muttered, casting a last glance after the stranger before turning to John. " but if I seem him again I won't let him loose me!" Thomas said with certainty. It wasn't anger or some sort of vendetta, he just wanted to know who it was and why the other man had had to die. He couldn't help but be curious.

-Two weeks later-

John and Thomas walk down the street through the normal crowd of the day. "God the winter is close. Its freezing" he stated towards Thomas. They walked into a shop and up to the counter. His wife had ordered them both to buy a gun because of the incident at the bar. He got an ear full when he got home thats for sure. He pointed at the Remington Model 1858 and gave him most of the money he had on hand for it. He loaded it and slid it under his coat. "Don't need no damn guns. We did just fine without them." He spat.

"That's what you get for marrying a woman who cares about you". Joked Thomas, elbowing John in the ribs. He had no intention of buying a gun, finding pistols not to his liking. He preferred a knife or his hunting rifle. Even so he wandered around the store for a bit to look around.

As they left the store a man ran into them holding Johns arm. "Meet me by the stock yard at five and we will talk, I know you have questions" As quickly as the man had been there, he was gone. "What in the hell was that about? He asked himself and Thomas. He felt at the hilt of his revolver and got some relief.

"No idea, but I guess we have plans for five now,". Thomas frowned, looking after where the man had disappeared.

At five the two men strolled toward the Stock yard. "I brought the gun just in case" John whispered while they waited. "I wonder what this guy even wants with us." His mind wondered and he remembered the murder they witnessed. "I wonder if it's about the hooded fellow we saw" He whispered and than looked up as he heard footsteps coming his way.

"Probably is about that, might be the same guy even,". Thomas said in an undertone, glancing up and around at the sound of footsteps. " this might not have been a good idea John..."

John looked up as the footsteps approached. It was unmistakably the man who had told them to meet him there. The man walked up in a slow pace, softly kicking dirt up as he walked. John touched his pistol, ready to draw if needed. "No need for that" The man said gesturing at his hand that rested on his pistol. How he had seen that in a moments notice confused John. "Why were you chasing that man?" He looked around "Say two weeks ago, you ran after him for quite some time." The man looked at Thomas then to John. "We just wanted to know what the hurry was about." John answered after a pause. The man nodded. "Names Robert E. Dansforth" He reached out a hand to shake with Johns. He hesitated but than shook the mans hand. "Was that it? Was that the only reason for the chase of that man?" He said. John thought back to the horrible feeling he felt in his stomach when the man pushed through that prompted them to run after him. After the long pause the man grinned, nodded and began to walk away. "Wait.. Why did you call us here? You do not know us?" John said blatantly. "I know who you men are, Johnathan Black and Thomas Striker" John stepped back shocked by the mans knowledge of their names" He handed him a paper with a strange symbol on it, John tried to process what it meant, it was like a triangle, but nothing he had ever seen the parchment had an address. The man leaned in and pointed. "We know who you are." And walked away. As John looked up the man was gone.