[center][color=cyan][h2]Gerard Biserus[/h2][/color][/center]

[color=cyan]"A mineshaft [i]does[/i] sound right up your alley."[/color] Gerard shot back at Justice drily, rolling his eyes as he walked off. [color=cyan]"You'd feel right at home I bet. -and no, Silje, I still haven't forgot what happened last time we slept undergroud. You almost killed the lot of us- I think I still have ash in my lungs to this day."[/color] 

The motel's equivalent to a front desk was little more than a counter facing the outside, faded paint and cracked walls surrounding a dingy windowsill with a rusty, weatherworn bell, and an equally weathered looking old man dozing off at his post. Seemingly used to the noises of the outdoors, the old man's leathery face didn't move an inch as Gerard approached, not that the young WARDEN could even see his eyes beneath the bushiest brows he'd ever seen. Pressing the button on the bell only garnered a dull thunk, and Gerard only tried it a few more times before he got fed up and rapped his knuckles on the wood in front of the man's face. Still, not a stir. 

[color=cyan]"I think the old-timer's dead."[/color] Gerard reported, tempted to just use his magic to pick up the keys from the back wall. He doubted the man would notice. 

A few, agonizing minutes, and 180 Gil later, Gerard returned, a trio of keys on a ring and with considerably less patience than when he had left. The sooner they got out of this bumfuck desert the better, he decided. 180 Gil for three bedrooms was relatively cheap, but somehow still felt like highway robbery for a "town" like this. Returning to the others by the car, Gerard was about to open his mouth when he caught the commotion going on by the small equivalent of a convenience store. From what he could hear, Tony was making friends with the locals, and Silje and Kali were making things oh so much better. 

[color=cyan]"Oh that looks like it's going well."[/color] Gerard commented sarcastically as he began meandering his way over.

[hr] 

[color=6ecff6]"I said, [i]something fuckin' funny, stranger[/i]?"[/color] the local repeated, a meaty palm setting itself on the counter, putting an arm between Tony and the exit. The man was about Tony's height, maybe a half inch taller, and but with a broader build- not as defined and focused as a soldier's, but definitely of someone used to doing physical labor. His head was mostly clean shaven, making the popping vein clearly visible as Silje called out to her friends, her voice neither subtle nor tactful. 

[color=6ecff6]"What did you just fuckin' say?"[/color] the meathead of a civvie growled, turning to face the scrawny battlemage, face red and veins popping. 

What tension there already was seemed to double as Kali stepped in. Not making a show of her gun, but not exactly hiding it either. Backs stood straighter, eyes narrowed, and at least one hand disappeared from view as eyes darted between the strangers and the apparent leader of the small band of civies. On the one hand, It was four big men to the WARDEN three. On the other hand, one of the three had a gun. Out of the corner of their eyes, the more perceptive of the WARDENs spotted the girl behind the register reach underneath the counter and push a button. 

At basically the same time, the WARDENs could hear Gerard in their ear, making use of the squad's communication spells. [color=cyan]"A reminder: I think homicide is illegal in most places- this one included. Just food for thought."[/color]