“Then we’d best be off, just return Mister Dustin’s weapon to him Jake.” John clapped them heartily on their shoulders, giving Dustin a small flicker of the eyes. The action was subtle, even the experienced gang bouncer almost overlooked its importance. He nodded once, retrieving his sword from Jake who was more than willing to pass the heavy weapon off. Leaving the children, the two men stepped off to the side, conversing in low tones.

	“…Green skin and one ear. Look, I am not risking my nephew or the other two near the place Dustin, I will keep them distracted at Barrow’s Swordsmithy. Take three of the lads with you and be careful. You remember Nart?”

	“Oceanside Enforcer, yeah I recall him. Real tough fella.”

	“He’s dead, along with fifteen of his thugs, Boegan just told me. Slain this morning by one of the Woodland Smugglers.” John saw a light of shock appear in Dustin’s eye, and he lowered his voice even further, glancing behind him to ensure the children were not eavesdropping. “Something big is going down, sooner rather than later and all the major gangs are gearing up and gathering muscle, and that includes the City Watch. I’d like to have this Rainbow found and be under cover before then. You’d best hide yourself as well, I’ve had my fill of loss for the day.”

	“Don’t worry about me J. I’ll scope the place. If he’s there we’ll scoop him up and be gone like smoke on the wind.”

	“I know, you’re one of the best. Meet me at the safe house if you find him or send a runner if you don’t. And try not to get distracted this time.” John finished up and returned to the others who had finished sorting out the travel arrangements. They seemed to busy chattering about what kind of knife they would pick to notice the brief conversation between the two gangsters. Caleb flashed him a suspicious look but said nothing. Dustin flaunted another of his disarming smiles at the boys, before giving John a double thumbs up and vanishing into the shadows from whence he came.

	They set off in good order, taking the long way through the winding streets, across mossy roads and a thousand open-air shops. Delicious smells, and delightful sounds keeping them sufficiently distracted. Barrow’s Smithy, as it happened was on the other side of the Market District, and John did not once complain about stalling here and there to appease the fancy of his young wards. Stopping to smell a strange flower here, or purchase sweets there. The seconds ticked by, flowing easily into minutes, and giving Dustin and his men ever more time to search the expansive area within the vicinity of the Rose Palace. After pausing to supply Edward a hearty source of salted water from a talkative spice merchant they started off again, seeming no closer to their eventual goal then they had been a half hour ago. John felt a sharp tug on his jacket sleeve and turned to see a rather emotionally confused Caleb frowning back at him. The boy seemed to be in the midst of a near crisis, almost on the verge of tears, or was that anger? John could not quite tell.

	“Excuse me, Mister Nieve.” Caleb said, looking and sounding both embarrassed and exasperated at the same time.

	“Don’t worry about none of the Mister stuff, just call me John. Or J.J., or just J. if you prefer. All my friends do.” He winked. “Aren’t we friends Caleb?”

	“Yes of course, but John…” Caleb paused, glancing back the way they had come, the seedy tavern where John had acquired his information only a few streets back. A sharp kid this one, John realized, or really determined. “Its just, you said you got a lead of some kind, and maybe knew where Rainbow was. I know you want to help, and get us new blades, but this sword of mine has served me well. I appreciate the offer, but and if you think you could find Rainbow shouldn’t we rush straight there?”

	“Brave adventurers need trusty steel to see them through the day.” John opined. “And where we’re going, we’ll need everyone armed. Just in case. Do not worry about Rainbow, he’ll be alright. Hey, he might even find his way to us. Trust me on this one Caleb. I won’t let you down.”

	“But that doesn’t make any sen-“

	“Look, you’ve been in the city proper for how long?”

	Caleb frowned, sensing where this was going. “A couple hours…”

	“I’ve been here my whole life, alright? It’s a big city, lots of districts, and unfortunately a lot of nasty people. You remember those women who tried to steal Edward? If you want to find your friend, and be safe doing it you’ll follow my lead. Okay? Okay good. Come along everyone.”


~*~*~*~*~*~*~


	It did not take long for the four men to determine Rainbow wasn’t in the Rose Palace vicinity. Nobody they spoke to claimed to have seen him, and even a few coins rubbed together under noses didn’t produce any answers. One local muttered about a bunch of noisy birds causing a racket, but otherwise the search proved futile. Dustin was about to call it quits when one of his goons nudged him, jerking his head towards an unimposing tree residence.

	“Hey, Dustin.” The man chortled. “That there’s Miz Liz’s abode don’t’cha know?”

	“Liz the thief?” Dustin snorted, wondering why the man had just lost his mind. “She’s another danger to worry about here, I suppose. Not hazardous if you leave her alone though. But what about it?”

	“Didn’t’cha hear, ol’ Liz got mixed up with the wrong score. Got herself knocked on her pretty tail I heard and bagged by the Watch.”

	“I heard about that too. Bet’cha she’s madder n’ a wet rooster. Probably have a hit out for whoever helped catch her.” Another man named Bysor supported, rubbing his hands together.

	“Which means her gang o’ enforcers are probably scattered to the four winds.” Dustin finished a large grin spreading across his face. “Maybe this trip won’t be for nothing after all. I’ve always wandered what that petty thief had stored in there. Course, someone will still have to go let J. know we couldn’t find his rablin… Neil you go.”

	“Me?” Neil moaned, looking at his boss in disbelief. “C’mon I want a share O’ th’ loot. Send Bysor instead.”

	“Nope, Neil you’re going. Hurry along and get that message to John. You two follow me.”

	The unlucky Neil scurried off, glancing jealously back at his more fortunate comrades who would get to split the spoils of the raid amongst themselves, no doubt retrieving nothing of interest for him. For their part, Dustin and his two remaining cronies were licking their lips in anticipation gathering at the base of the tree to produce climbing implements, and giving the local area a quick final check to make certain no one was spying on their burglary. “Act natural, pretend like we’re meant to be here.” Dustin hissed out the side of his mount before very inconspicuously throwing a grapple up towards the higher branches and beginning to climb.

	He did not make it far.

	A dagger spun from the brush burying itself blade first between his shoulder blades. Dustin gasped, as the air was forced from his body, and then went limp falling backwards towards the ground. His men yelled in shock, drawing weapons and turning to face this new threat. Liz, freshly escaped from her prison cell surged from the undergrowth flanked by her own lizard-folk goons. Seven in total they fell upon the human gangsters who fought bitterly for their very lives. Steel clashed against steel, and one lizard fell mortally wounded to Bysor’s sword before he collapsed In turn, lizard jaws clamped around his throat. The other man tried to run but was cut down, his life ended by a flurry of enraged thrusts.

	“Filth! Thieves! Burglars!” Liz raged, standing over the four corpses that littered her bloodstained doorstep. The other lizards hissed in agreement, not often were they drawn to violence, preferring petty theft to murder. But seeing the hideout of their boss so vagrantly dishonored brought them to bloodlust unlike any other. “The other, the one that ran off before they attempted to enter my home. You three pursue him, cut his throat and show him what happens to those who try and steal from me.” She indicated a trio of her five-remaining crew. They hissed and took off, in hot pursuit of an unsuspecting Neil. Liz had been in a furious mood ever since her prize had been stolen, and she was carted off to prison earlier that same day. As if any cage could hold her for long! She’d escaped in record time, regathered her crew and returned home to their headquarters only to find a trio of humans attempting to break and enter. Insanity, she left the place unguarded for a few hours and the roaches start moving in. Snorting she kicked at Dustin’s lifeless body, retrieving her dagger from his spine.

	Magically she summoned her climbing steps, leading her followers up into the upper floors where, stepping over the threshold her rage returned. The simple home was a wreck. Feathers littered the floor, furniture was scattered, and her prize chest... Once protected by a plethora of dangerous curses lay shattered on the floor. Liz howled in fury, drawing her daggers until her eyes alighted upon the still form lying at her feet, in a puddle of black ooze. The rablin she had robbed? Slowly she replaced her daggers into their sheaths, her long tongue working the air, scenting out the story. The rablin had taken the full brunt of the magical attack, but something else had shattered the chest, no doubt saving his life. Where the bird feathers came from, she did not know, or particularly care. “Grab him, and secure him.” she ordered, waving a hand at the unconscious rablin. “We’ll question him later, after I sharpen my blades. I’ll make him sing like a bird.”

	Sara Nieve would die, the burglars’ friend would die, and this rablin and whoever had stolen her treasures would die as well. All in good time. No one wronged Liz the Thief and lived to brag about it. No one!