April 17

looting, headquarters, slow, creed, history, yard, trainer, turkey, nuance, deprevation

Having a leisurely lunch was a luxury after the deprevation of the past few days. I savored the sandwiches made with bread I’d baked myself and slow-roasted turkey, courtesy of Poa. Turkeys didn’t exist in the Veil and I was grateful for Poa’s connection to Half Light.

I found the Associates in the small yard behind the office, taking turns being the trainer and sharing their individual skills. Jas was lecturing on the history of various stances while the others tried to imitate her poses. I stuggled not to laugh at Poa’s nuanced glances when he looked at her. His adoration was in no way obvious, but the Hobbit-born notice a lot.

Bir cocked his head to one side. “Phone’s ringing,” he said and headed toward the office with the rest of us right behind. We were too low on funds to miss a call that might mean an extra coin or two.

Sidi had come through. She had a large building in Half Light under surveillance and we needed to come now! “Now” meant after I’d taken time to pack sandwiches, honey ale and porter. Bir would hold down the fort–and the rest of the food–while we were gone.

“No parties,” I warned.

“No drinking all the porter.” Jasmine glared.

Captain Ogie harnessed a portal and we jumped. I hated portal jumping. It was a dizzying, sick-inducing woosh, with almost no way to land on your feet and every possibility you’d land on your face.

“Nobody throw up,” Jas barked, and between dry heaves and coughing the rest of laughed at part of what become our creed: “Nobody throw up and nobody die.”

We were in an alley, the smell of which defined description. Maybe burning rubber and rancid meat. Most of the buildings in the area had obviously suffered recent looting. Broken windows and doors hanging from hinges, scorchmarks everywhere. We rounded a corner and saw Sidi waving from the top of the only building that hadn’t been touched. The sign across the front read “Headquarters” with a painting of a snazzy top hat.