Oct 26 04:43:45 107 PA - Of Human Bondage
From Chronicles
Oct 26 04:43:45 107 PA.
It's midday, with sunny skies and a low-pressure zone moving in. “Venus Envy” is one of the more prominent storefronts in the Merchant's Plaza, though done up not in bright colors and flashing signs, but the classy look of a respectable artifact dealer. The interior is not a cliché dark den of iniquity. No, it is well lit, exposing what may or may not be real auburn colored, padded-leather walls. Most of the wares are fine art; small articulated sculptures with various grades of color remaining. Some near perfect, others extremely battered. Toward the back is the prized literature, very thin and colorful books contained within sealed, airtight plastic containers. All-in-all, a very impressive place for the educated and upper-middle-class Kingsdale citizen. On the other hand, it's quite possible that people from another time and place might call it a comic book store, due to the number of action figures and graphic novels that are being sold.
There are various scruffling sounds as an older couple emerges from the back of the store, led by what appears to be a simple errand boy. Mr. and Mrs. Morningwood, presumably. The picture of perfect health and male virility, Mr. Morningwood stands a good 6'8” yet by all outward appearances, seems to be 100% human. Well, save for the obvious and abundant cosmetic surgeries and visual enhancements that it takes to make a 60-year-old man look hansom and built enough to pose in the Kingsdale Fire Department's annual calendar. His clothes are fashionable. Not far and away expensive, but fashionable. Obviously a man who wants to be well-groomed and aristocratic. His wife is on the other end of the spectrum, and equally plain. The door shuts behind them, and the page offers an introduction suitable for Louis XVI. "May I present the proprietors of this establishment, gentlemen and ladies."
Xander raises a brow to consider the plain man and his wife as they are anounced. But just as quickly he shrugs and returns his attention to the knick nack he was studying. Apparently the marvels of comic action figures inspire more awe.
Celaeno is uninterested in pretty much everything in the store, though the bright colours of some of the books do occasionally cause her slowly roving glance to pause, but at the arrival of the proprietors , she just looks a little bored. "Hey," she manages with an understated wave from her spot leaning against a wall.
Leonard could easily visit the shop even when not requested, and may well, now that he is more aware of it. Of all the rarity and value possible in the establishment, it is the literature that draws him most. It is a shame the protective packaging is not conducive to browsing. Chaucer for prose, Poe for the macabre, and even Meyer for base humor at the ridiculous. He looks up as the introduction and presentation are made and smiles to the emerging couple. "Greetings to you both. You've quite the fascinating collection. What from it happened to go missing?"
Erica remains silent for the most part as she glances around the shop. She seems far more interested in the proprietors as she studies them. Leonard, Celaeno, and Xander get a brief nod in greeting from her as she leans forward a little to hear about what has gone missing from the wonderful store.
The man grunts a very meaningful grunt. "Really? You four? Well it's certainly a good thing that I hired professionals, too," Morningwood says looking down his nose. After a short, yet very dramatic pause, he continues, "I'm ashamed to say that my son Bedford has run off with a little whore. I mean, *our* son has run off with a little whore." His wife looks rather ill, but says nothing.
His attention is turned to Leonard, to whose question is met with only the same vague, "They took with them something very dear to my heart, and I want it back." Mrs. Morningwood pipes up at that moment an adds, "They have a baby with them. It's not theirs." Now it's Mr. Morningwood's turn to look ill and say nothing. Finally, he adds, "Okay, well yes, there is a child. But it doesn't matter. Can you catch two civilians, or not?" directing the question to all present.
Xander nods, not diverting his attention from the display he peruses. "Can't speak for the others here, but I can certainly round up your wayward sheep. Properly domesticated they would not meander in the first place, but that is another matter and fee. First I will help retrieve them for you." He confirms finally looking away to regard them in full. "Professionals?" He asks, clearly quite curious.
Celaeno looks at the two blankly as they talk before shrugging. "So, you want them brought back alive, then? All of 'em?" She seems amused by her own question, pushing off her resting-wall with a grin. Eyeing Xander for a few moments before shrugging again, she turns away, moving to ultimately lean against the wall by the door.
"A child that doesn't matter, and a valuable, nondescript piece of history in the hands of two civilians?" Leonard glances from the couple to the other dubbed professionals and back. "You could find innumerable examples of both in the Dregs market, but I doubt those would be the ones you're looking for. I assume that we can find and return them, if we knew what we are to find. You'll need to be slightly less vague." He holds his hand up with thumb and pointer spaced to demonstrate the degree of change. "You know there were two. Can you describe them, what what was taken, perhaps even the child?"
Erica shrugs her shoulders up and down. "Sure sounds pretty easy. I am pretty good at finding people." She offers as she smiles at the two owners of the shop. She nods her head at Leonard in agreement. "Yes we will need pretty good descriptions of what was taken and those that took it. As well as the child."
Morningwood narrows his eyes at Xander's sly insult, but seems to be in more of a hurry right now than to even make sure that his own ego is massaged. "Yes, professionals. Not rabble." Further explanation goes unspoken. He seems to continue, speaking to Celaeno's question, but his wife then throws a picture at the four in the little shop. "This is our son, Bedfored. people call him "Sleepy." The girl is Heimay." In the photograph, the human-appearing man in his very early twenties has an ovoid face, long on the vertical-axis, framed by long hair which curves back in near the chin. Something you might imagine a person would look like if John Lennon had been resurrected. He's awkwardly lanky, and wearing only slightly-better-than-average clothing than the others in the area. Then, a very attractive woman who can't be more than 19. She might be reasonably considered about 16, in the right light. Her shapely curves are a perfect fit for the ideal female modeling body in Kingsdale. Almost as if she'd been genetically engineered to a paradisaical aura, with an obvious touch of D-bee in her body. Her ears are mildly pointed – down – and her fingers are so long and thin as to be possibly comical to anyone who has seen Kermit-the-Frog's hands, as they would be good matches for each other. As the photo is examined, Mr. Morningwood is clearly fuming to speak once more.
"I think we should assess these professionals first. Get a notion of who we will be working with. Rabble or not most of us are somewhat familiar with one another. Putting us in with the unfamiliar will perpetuate that definition." Xander says, looking at each photograph very briefly.
Celaeno moves forward, grudgingly, to look at the picture. She doesn't go through any extra motion in her appraisal beyond the looking, before returning to her spot against the wall.
Leonard looks over the pictures, nodding as he listens to the accompanying information. "So it's a familial matter, then." The photographs do give some insight as to why one might suddenly leave with the other. He regards the anxious Mr. Morningwood and invites him to speak by asking, "What was taken, or is your son the missing heirloom?" A look to Xander follows. "That is more a matter for discussion between professionals, don't you think?"
Erica studies the picture intently absorbing as much as she can about the appearances of the people she will be looking for. After a few moments she leans back and nods her head to show she has taken in the details. She gives Xander a brief look and then smirks slightly before turning back to the employers. "Yes what was taken?"
Morningwood is clearly not the kind of man used to being questioned, becoming somewhat more irrational, "You find them, you catch them, you bring them back, I'll give you 3,000 credits each. No questions. You find them but kill them, I'll give you each 1,000 credits for your trouble. Whatever you have to do, just that they don't make it so far as the next town. Bring them back, they're dear to me! I have the five other, ah.. professional retrievers out back waiting to meet you. Thompson Clam, he's in charge, unless one of you wants to responsibility. Bring them back, dead or alive!" His wife is looking faux-innocently into an upper corner of the shop and quietly adds, "But if they get away, well, we'll just have to make the best of..." The man cuts her off, screeching “SHUTUP!" Then to the adventurers, "Don't believe anything they say! Dead or alive! Your reputations depend on it! I know powerful people!,” ends with a threatening finger poked towards the Heavens and a voice rising in a few octaves as it's shouted. As the shout continues to ring in the upper eaves of the artifacts store, Mrs. Morningwood quietly says, "The others are out back. You should probably go see them now. Maybe get away from, ah.." her eyes glance at her husband, ".. here. Soon. If the money's good enough." The thought of money clearly makes her sad, though she does seem to hide it from her husband.
Xander nods and turns quickly on his heel to proceed out back without further delay. "Thompson Clam" He repeats, gathering a sound of the name in a appraising tone. He looks quite interested to see what a 'professional' looks like. Though he pauses at the door. "You should join us as me meet your professionals Mr Morningwood, see what your money got you."
Celaeno pushes off the wall again, just grinning obnoxiously at the outburst as she does. "One of them worth more alive than the other?" she asks, winking at Mr. Morningwood as she begins trekking to the back to meet with Clam. On her way she moves to pat Xander on the shoulder once before pressing on.
"My apologies. Yes, we should go and confer with our ...professional colleagues." Leonard nods before turning towards the exit. If these others are as intriguing as the situation...
Erica looks strangely at Mr. Morningwood and shakes her head slightly before she starts heading out back to see who these so called professionals are. She rests her hands on her belt as she waits to meet Thompsom Clam. She purses her lips together showing her concern as she follows after Leonard.
Out back are the five promised "professionals" laying lazily upon various piles of cardboard boxes containing wares not quite good enough for the front room. One of them, a man about 6' tall immediately introduces himself, very politely and professionally, as "Thompson Clam. But everybody calls me 'Fuzzy.'" The scars on his face would seem to indicate that he has actually seen combat, the few cybernetic devices sticking out of his skull - that don't appear to do much of anything important - and of course, the third, bionic arm sticking out of his lower right ribcage set him apart from the others. He does introduce his comrades in turn. "Bing," a woman of average height, very slim and young for a merc (or “professional”), who moves and talks like she's just snorted about a pound of cocaine. She has one blue eye, and one darker blue eye that is obviously a poor bio-replacement for the original one. A fatter man who puts strain on his armor is introduced next as, "Millie G." Millie G. has a scraggly "beard," and just looks visibly dirty, in addition to a few missing teeth. The hygienically-missing kind, not the combat-missing kind. "T.P." seems to be... just a guy making a living. Last is "Poway," again of average height, but eyes colored bright flaming orange, long hair that has been dyed as if it has been done by a genuine Jamaican who was on a heavy LSD trip at the time. He's constantly smacking at his lips, which have obviously been pumped up artificially... and had some kind of scarlet gloss applied to them. "Fuzzy" seems in a hurry to get going, pushing for, "Contact said they're going north. Might catch 'em. C'mon, c'mon, let's go. I'm in charge!"
"You're in charge. The toughest one here indeed." Xander encourages as he moves up to mister Clam, eyeing his distance with Celaeno. "So tough you're not afraid to do the job without armor. In fact you feel sorry for the amateur that I am. Give me your armor and show me how a professional is vastly superior." He suggests, his eyes very focused on the man throughout the conversation.
Celaeno just shakes her head, grinning to herself the entire time, "Whatever you say, Clammy. Nice to work with people who know what they're doing, for a change." Her voice is just on the edge of being blatantly sarcastic, but she seems content to just roll along with everything. One eyebrow lifts at Xander's machinations, but she other than her head cocking to the side, she doesn't do anything for the moment.
Leonard surveys their 'colleagues,' smiles politely, and simply nods. "You have the information and the associates, please, lead on. I'm sure we'll be humbled and impressed." He does try to leave all the sarcasm to Celaeno, but some situations are simply too much to deadpan or bite the tongue completely. By the same token, he cannot help but agree with Xander with a wider smile. "A wonderful suggestion..." Leonard stops there, just short of a chuckle.
Erica eyes Clam for a moment before regarding each of the other people in turn. She studies the group that they are supposed to go with an expert eye. As Xander asks for the Clam's armor she frowns deeply. This combined with the dead or alive bounty for theft is making her think twice about the job. She watches to see what happens with the armor before she decides if she needs to walk away. She takes a few steps back as she keeps frowning and shaking her head sadly.
"Oh? Yeah?? OH YEAH!! I'm tough!" Fuzzy manages to spout. He scrounges around behind one of the boxes for a moment, and comes up with a semi-intact set of armor that seems to have been cobbled together from various pieces of other, intact spares. It's tossed toward Xander. It is interesting in that the helmet's faceplate is shaped like that of a long-fanged spider complete with all eight eyes. Clam continue on his pseudo-rant, with his eyes not even registering the fact that he's making no sense. "Yeah, I'm a bad-ass! People who know me call me 'The Spider'! Yeah!" A finger tweaks at his lips. "Well, and they call me Fuzzy." He then does realize that he's confused, adding, "But Mom calls me Tom. Unless she's mad, then she calls me Thompson." At that point, as things continue to swirl down the drain, Bing and T.P., who do seem to know what they're doing, mutter various suggestions about someone leading them north. They may actually be the only true professionals out of the group.
Xander takes the armor with an assured nod and heads to his car, a fast looking cross between a formula one car and a dune buggy. "Lead on then sir. I can take three riders." He offers as he starts donning the custom armor.
Celaeno just grunts, moving to get her own 'cycle rather than hop along with anybody else. "Yeah, yeah. We'll get going," she says with a dismissive wave as she goes, to return without much stopping to converse any more than she has to, and head northward.
Leonard diverts to secure his own transportation option, in the form of the pack mounted to his armor. He is subsequently joined by the fark-feathered corvid with whom some may be familiar. "Shall we?" Leonard also begins to move north, with Edgar either in flight overhead or alongside, depending on the pace. "Does anyone know where they might be headed, aside from just north"
Erica shakes her head slightly as she watches Xander put on the illgotten armor. Spotting something she bites her lower lip and gnaws on it thoughtfully before shrugging her shoulders. She walks over to her own hovercycle and starts putting on her own armor as she decides to take the job after all. After donning her armor she gets on her hovercycle. "I can take a passenger as well." She says to see if anyone takes her up on it. "I can scout ahead if people want."
Bing seems to be taking the lead for the other 'professionals' for the time being, even though she still seems higher than a, well... person really high on drugs. "Look, all I know is go north, and that doesn't help me much. But unless someone else has clever idea," she throws a finger forward and announces, "Wagons, HO!" She then begins to bounce in her seat as if to the motion of a horse. T.P. does not look impressed, just forlorn and the others, well. Not too much can be said for them at this point, particularly Fuzzy, who is still in a daze, though he did manage to remember to grab his weapons. T.P. begins to move his vehicle forth, to the north, and with a shrug. "Well, I guess it's just north."
Xander is protected and in his vehicle well before Fuzzy collects enough of his wits to wonder what made him think protecting Xander was such a good idea. Nor does he seem willing to offer the fellow another chance to do so before the arrival. He keeps off the radio, silently following the others in the travel.
Celaeno stops for a moment as everybody's rolling out, scooping something up into her hand with a grunt. "Wonderful," she says brightly as she moves along, glancing down from time to time. "I know a few possible places outside of the city they could be holing up in," she says, vaguely. "Just follow along unless you've got any better ideas."
"I can now understand Mr. Morningwood's concerns on professionalism over rabble, at least." Leonard admits to the more familiar of the group at large. "I'd ask whether our quarry are on foot, but instead, Edgar and I will simply keep our eyes open."
Erica is about to speak up but when Celaeno mentions some spots they could look at she just says. "I know a few areas as well. But lets check where you want to first Celaeno." She looks at Leonard after his comment and nods her head in agreement. After that she follows along quietly on her hovercycle, while checking over her various weapons to make sure everything is in working order.
The small little band of odd mercenaries and adventurers travels slowly for a while, as the main drag is for some unknown reason more clogged with other vehicles and pedestrians than normal. Only about two full hours out of town does it thin, which is right about where various smaller roads begin to fork off, some the Laramy direction, some the Whykin direction, some seeming to have no really important direction at all. Various buildings dot the land, from warehouses to cheap motels that people couldn't afford to build in the city.
Xander rolls down his window to better consider the cheap hotels at the city patrol limits. Second only to the slums of the dregs there is no telling what one may find if they go looking in such places. Though none seem more appealing to look into than the others.
Celaeno seems to be eyeing something for a few moments as she grunts, peering around from her 'cycle. She hits the power to climb high in the air, doing a bit of a spiral as she peers around at the surrounding tracks and area. "Y'know what," she says, "Let's check out your thoughts first, Erica," as she lowers back to move into the thick of the group.
"Sure if you want to." Erica says over the radio as they are all traveling. She takes the lead and starts heading to an area she remembers seeing. She keeps the pace easy. Glancing around she looks at the various buildings at considers them for a moment as she leads the way.
For lack of better suggestions, Leonard has no problems with Erica leading the way. He considers the landscape as they move along. "Unless they are racing to somewhere nearby, they either have plenty of supplies, or would need to acquire more. There are only so many places where they could resupply." It's a thought, at least.
Since none of the places seem more likely to hold them than any other Xander pulls into the first. Casually he steps from the car and walks in to the office, leaving 'his' spider helmet behind. Inside he doesn’t hesitate to reach forward and touch the head of the clerk before he realizes the intent.
Said clerk does realize the intent, and dives into the back room. The front counter is bare, nothing else to see.
As the small group seems to mull around various intersecting roads, semi-aimlessly in the area north of Kingsdale, an elderly couple riding what looking beige, furry-coated lizard-mounts comes up beside them. Speaking with a typical old-man yell and tone, he calls out, "Eh? You folks heading for the convention? Sure look like y'ar! Hell, ev'rbody els' goin' to the damn thing. We're ridin' out, oh yes, sir! Too much damn noise tonight! Y'all look lost, though." He then points to the north-northwest with the instructions, "Now, you follow that muddy road until you get to a giant oak tree. You get to that tree, you make a left, and go west. if you hit a rock that looks like a potato, y'all gone too far, so you come back.." he continues for about ten minutes with similar relativistic directions before his wife pipes up with, "Or you could just follow the trail marked, 'Eagan Boulevard.' They're meeting at a place called 'The Hop Yard.'" Suddenly, the two mounts take off, startled by something, and who "they" and "y'all" are is unknown.
As soon as things come to a halt up the road, Bing falls to the ground and begins dancing like a mad woman, shouting up and down about how she single-handedly managed to find the place, even though she clearly doesn't know where this place is, or what this place is. Fuzzy, Millie G. and Poway are very anxious to get inside, grabbing energy weapons and beginning to run toward the door, with Millie G. shouting, "We're gonna get 'em first. Three-grand here I come!"
Xander is quick to put his little side step into the motel aside. Returning to his car with no lead to follow the others on the rather convenient directions. At the new destination he is hesitant to show the enthusiasm the professionals do. He takes his time to collect his maces from the car and walks in casually behind them. Though if any of the others are similarly rushed they would get in before him.
"Why, thank you." Leonard acknowledges the information from the elderly couple that seem far more stable than their alleged colleagues. An unknown convention, thieving runaways, and unstable, excited individuals with energy weapons. He glances to Celaeno as Edgar alights upon his shoulder. "This should be interesting. Should we make any wagers?" The specifics are left open, as the possibilities are all but limitless. Leonard is not in a great hurry to rush inside, but does step that way. "
Celaeno's eyebrows furrow as the old man tells them directions, the word 'convention' ringing somewhat hollow to her. But, as it's the best lead they have, she follows along. An extended sigh is given at the others' rushing exuberance and lack of restraint. Celaeno eyes the weapons for a moment, just shaking her head, "It's only three grand if they're brought in alive," she notes, content to keep her weaponry attached to her hip.
Erica frowns at the enthusiasm of the other mercs and shakes her head. She grabs her own particle beam rifle from the cycle and slings it over her shoulder. She waits until everyone else has gone in before she follows them into the pub herself. Her helmet looks back and forth trying to take everything in.
The interior of “The Hop Yard” delivers on the promise made by the sign outside. The place is well lit and loud. Not blaring, blasting music common to city pubs, just the sounds of mugs being filled and slammed together, raucous laughter, and the common problem of the snowball-effect that occurs when people keep raising their voices over the other guy in order to be heard. A large flat-screen television has been strategically placed, hanging over one end of the counter. This evening, a piece of white paper has been taped to the bottom of the screen. Upon it, in hand-scrawl nearly too poor to be legible (probably not an issue seeing as how most can't read) are the words: “TONIGHT: Homage to Terry Bradshaw, History's Greatest Athlete.” Perhaps not surprisingly, the display is currently showing an exciting replay of the 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers “Steel Curtain” meets the “Purple People Eaters” Viking defense. The long-dead man of the hour is playing a considerable role in the event. It's also notable that the Hop Yard is absolutely packed with humanity and D-beemanity, most of them mercenaries here for what another sign states (in even rougher scrawl) as the social event: “Danson's Funeral.” There are five very busy serving girls making their rounds and deliveries, wearing the classic clothing of the Old West “scarlet ladies” - not prostitutes, but proper saloon girls out to help with non-sexual entertainment. Two busy bartenders are only serving the various beers and ales from area microbreweries, the Hop Yard's specialty laying in not distributing the same crap alcohol that everyone else does.
Considering that the place is jam-packed, it's difficult even for the overly-enthusiastic mercenaries to get around. Bing rocks around like a ping-ball, but even hyped-up on whatever it is, she does eventually begin making a more purposeful direction through the crowd, as do Clam, Poway, and T.P., who came trudging in after everyone else had already made it indoors. Bing and Clam seem to have one target in mind, while Poway and T.P. are very purposeful, but at different directions. As for Millie G., he makes his way to the counter and orders some kind of drink to which the bartender replies, "Hey, only what you see, pal."
Xander smirks fondly at the scene unfolding in the bar, looking familiar with it. Immediately he turns to look to the sides in search of himself. Or rather someone like himself. Someone who watches such displays of 'society' diligently with delight. Someone who would not miss there target's arrival.
Celaeno's attention is drawn to the screen for a few moments as she tries to figure out just what the hell charade of a game is being played. Shaking her head, she moves off to the side a bit, freeing a chair to wedge herself into. "I'll stick by the front," she comments, "If you find anything worthwhile, give a holler," before quieting down a fair amount.
Leonard does not enter far, due to the combination of noise and press of bodies. He looks out over that press to see if he can see what it is that the 'good ol' boys' seem to have spotted. Leonard is surprised it's not the bar and beer. Edgar, for his part, scans the surroundings with bland disinterest.
Erica looks around the bar, turning her helmet this way and that. She takes her place a little off to the side, with a view of most of the crowded place. She watches the various people to get a reading on who can handle themselves inside the pub. She uses the optics systems of her armor to keep an eye on where the other mercs are moving at the same time, having a split screen display inside her helmet. She zooms in on the table that Clam and Bing are heading to as she waits to see if the couple at the table are those that they are looking for. She pats the four handcuffs that are attached to her utility belt as she scans some of the other faces around.
Clam and Bing suddenly lunge forward, tipping over a number of beer steins on their way to nearly tackle two people at a table. Dressed in black robes that were otherwise before very difficult to see, the hoods are torn back - and it's not them. In fact, they aren't even human. Two blue-scaled snakish-creatures each in the possession of a single eye. The two "professionals" are quickly on the receiving end of two very annoyed snakish-creatures and half-a-dozen other very annoyed mercenaries. There is no brawl - yet - but there is definitely a chewing out, and it isn't going well for the folks who left Kingsdale earlier. T.P. and Poway are moving toward more distant tables. The motions of the saloon girls and waving of the crowd in general reveals other civilians at other tables.
Xander does not find anyone of his particular nature keeping tabs on the scene so he takes the position up himself with natural insight. Noticing another table of cloaked people as the bar becomes much more agitated Xander moves to make their acquaintance. He will aim for eye contact with the woman first to impress trust upon her.
Celaeno remains wedged in the chair by the door, apparently unmoving as the situation escalates elsewhere. She seems quite content to sit and wait, though what she can see from the seat is anybody's guess.
Leonard is torn. Instinct demands that he puts palm to face, but that would reveal that he knows of, or is somehow affiliated with, the bold buffoons. He chooses, instead, to roll his eyes and sigh. If their intent was to cause a distraction, that would be a benefit... and entirely too much credit. "This is nearly too painful to watch." Leonard is barely speaking loud enough for Edgar to hear.
Erica stays over to the side where she can keep an eye on the entire pub. She frowns inside her helmet as the situation gets worse from the behavior of Clam and Bing. She keeps scanning the room trying to spot their bounty. Watching Xander with interest she tries to look to see if he found the bounty as she keeps herself apart. Her hand though is close to her weapons in case they are needed.
Clam manages to extricate himself from the perturbed mercenaries by demonstrating that he may not actually be quite the proud, fearless warrior that he claimed to be. Bing, however, remains caught in group, bouncing around angrily. The partying mercenaries though seem rather more entertained by her at this point than angry. Poway has uncovered yet another person who is not the bounty, as has T.P., though he did it in a very polite and professional manner. Millie G. has disappeared. However, as one might now see between some of the moving mercenaries, a table of civilians wearing burlap-sacks has had a single individual interested in other things. A rough hood turns to Xander and long fingers extend. "Hello. I'm Heimey."
"I'm Xander excuse my bluntness but I have followed men working for his father here. We must depart before they notice you and take you to a safe place." He explains as softly as he can manage in the noisy place. Extending trust towards the son as he explains.
Aside from much movement of many bodies, and the focused bouncing of Bing, Leonard notices little of note. He approaches Celaeno, who has better mastered the art of 'sit and watch.' "Can you see anything other than foolishness?" Even though he is speaking to her, Leonard still watches the boisterous crowd.
Erica watches Xander and takes note of who he is talking to. She makes no motion to Xander, not wanting to attract the other Mercs to him. She takes a few steps toward the door outside though, in case she is needed to help clear a path for Xander.
Heimey seems rather in a bit of a daze, but a pleasant one, not as Clam had gone off earlier in the day. "Hello, I'm Heimey," she repeats to Xander. Another baby squeak can now be heard over the raucous laughter that continues at both Danson and Bing's expense. A taller figure rises near Heimey, though the equally rough hood stays in place. A baritone, "Leave her alone, we're not going anywhere," is followed by Heimey's dulcet, "Oh, it's okay, Sleepy. Let's go outside." Further conversation is battered out as Bing somehow manages to dislodge the television from its perch and send it crashing to the floor. Mildly controlled chaos ensues, though T.P., who really does know what he's doing, has taken note of Xander, and probably can't help but notice Heimey at this point.
Where one sheep goes, others follow Or that's the theory anyway as Xander makes to casually get up and lead Heimey out. If the other do not follow he will simply have to make another trip. "We really should be off, I can take you away from the dangerous people and to where you belong." He implores in this process nodding to Erica to cover his exit.
Celaeno grunts as she snaps out of her revelry with a shrug to Leonard. "Run some interference at the door for Xander," she says, rising to her feet. "Things are about to get ugly, though I'm pretty sure we got what we came for." She moves to the exit, slipping out to check the status of just-outside-the-bar.
Leonard now notices Xander, the pair near him, just in time to cringe at the crashing screen. "From idiots with weapons to many drunken idiots who likely have weapons. How wonderful..." He splits his attention between the shepherd and the masses, waiting for... hopefully nothing, if he is lucky.
Erica walks forward so that she can cover Xander's exit. She makes no sudden moves but she moves forward making sure she is between Xander and T.P. Her optics scan the crowd looking for any hostiles as she uses the her body armor to shield and cover Xander leading Heimey outside.
Compared to other areas, the forest is very significantly thin here. More of a meadow with trees than a forest with open area. The road is wide and in good condition, probably because there are few beings traveling it, as it is an offshoot of the main thoroughfare that turned east a few miles to the south. A moderately-sized building shaped like your basic right-angle warehouse, but constructed in log cabin style and material sits off to the side. It's very rustic and inviting in a warm and homey way. A wooden shingle dangles from an overhang, displaying the image of two beer steins being clunked together and spilling froth. Over top of the image, displayed in slightly flaked, bold white letters are the words, “The Hop Yard.”
The little circus train of humanity manages to make its way out the doors and into a deep night that has settled. What would otherwise have been a blue moon is covered by storm-clouds which are thankfully holding their water for the time being. Heimey was quickly followed by the complaining man, who not-surprisingly, is Sleepy. The thing that *IS* very uncomfortable is that Millie G., very sober and serious, was waiting outside the establishment holding a warmed-up L-20 and a bandoleer of grenades. Clam and Poway follow close behind the exiting troop, though not in a threatening manner with raised weapons. There is an interesting addition of two mercenaries, clad in armor up to their necks and holding energy rifles. They don't speak, but it is somehow clear that they're with Heimey and Sleepy. T.P. trudges out a moment later. Heimey looks to Xander, then to everything else, and asks innocently, "Where are we going? I liked it in there," while Sleepy raises his voice to protest: "How much is my father paying you? I'll triple it to let us go." A small purse of coins is unveiled that appears to, indeed, be able to triple everyone's money - to let them go, and not fulfill the contract.
Xander looks at the purse and frowns, looking to know where this will lead. "Has he always had such a big mouth?" He asks Heimy rhetorically before he shakes his head at Sleepy. "This wasn’t about money. This was about getting you to safety. But as I am sure the others are not nearly so selfless you have made it about money. And that will greatly complicate everything. Not to mention give those mercs time to sort things out and make this situation much more dangerous. So keep your money for now. If you want to get to safety get in the car, otherwise I will step back and see whats left after the trouble has passed." He thoroughly explains as he makes his way to his car. No forced trust this time.
Celaeno gives a little wave to the assemblage as she steps out, moving away from the door and group in general. An eyebrow raises at Xander's comments, though she shrugs, "Don't know what you're talking about, mate," she says to Sleepy, turning around to eye the group as the options are weighed.
Well, look at that. It's fortunate that the game on was ancient football, and not the current Juicer equivalent, or everyone might have been trampled into hamburger in the ensuing riot. Leonard follows the procession outside after he's convinced the entire mob is not following. Unfortunately, most of the Clampett gang have spilled out, too. So much for being lucky, and it only gets worse when moneybags are flashed around. "Now that we've had the pleasure of introductions, sort of, shall we be on our way. One way or the other?"
Erica follows behind Xander as he leaves always keeping herself in between the bounties and the other mercs. She marks Millie as a potential target on her display inside her armor, but makes no move to grab a weapon just yet. "Listen to Xander." She says to Sleepy in calm manner. "If you want to be safe get inside the vehicle." She takes a step towards Leonard so she can be close to an ally in case the other mercs cause any trouble.
Sleepy manages to un-sleep for a moment, and speaks over the still rather enchanted Heimey. "No, no. Bingo Washiynamo and Dice are with us," he states, referring to the two mercenaries, one man, one woman, who had followed them out. "They're taking us out. All the way to Tolkeen if we have to. We don't even know you. Just let me pay you, and we'll be on our way." Sleepy is clearly frightened and far out of his element, but he has finally managed to reach down and find a pair, taking a strong stance next to his woman, the baby now out and cradled in her arms. Their accompanying mercenaries who actually seem to be on par with T.P., maybe even better, as far as mercenary actions go, also state that the trio is going nowhere. Further, it is hinted at by the woman, Dice, that no one who knows where they are, can be allowed to return to Kingsdale. This does of course present a problem, as Mr. Morningwood's mercenaries would like to live and get paid. Fuzzy states as much, in no uncertain terms. Weapons are raised. A turkey vulture's cry can be heard in the distance, and a sinister wind blows through. Also, Bing comes shooting out of the pub's entrance and lands on her face, apparently unconscious.
Xander shakes his head as things go as he expected, his maces come out and charge with electricity. "Fine, there've always been too many cooks in this kitchen anyway." He states before taking two shots. One at Fuzzy, another at Dice.
Celaeno looks at the group, unamused. "Put the guns down before you get yourselves hurt," she says, flatly. And then Xander makes his move, and Celaeno scowls, moving to grab Sleepy.
Leonard's only comment to the sudden rush of weapons and strikes is unintelligible to most, and accompanied by a gesture of his hands. From the ground, or somewhere far, far beyond, mucous-covered tendrils emerge, covering him in both a protective, phlegmatic, and undulating mass.
Erica growls in frustration as she sees Xander attack. She lets out a disgusted noise as she reaches and grabs her particle beam rifle from over her shoulder and brings it up to her shoulder. She activates her jetpack and hovers above by about 30 meters and calls out. "Lay down your weapons. I don't want to have to fire this at anyone." She says while aiming the large weapon.
"Fuzzy" Clam is vaporized in a flash of blue-white lightning. Every molecule in his body exploding at the speed of light. Everyone else's weapons come up. Only Heimey is left looking totally flustered and unsure of what to do beyond holding onto her child.
Celaeno maneuvers the man in front of her, moving to keep him between her and - well, everybody, she winces at Leonard's sudden shift in appearance, before she starts walking the two back toward the car and her cycle. "Great..." she mutters.
Erica lifts up her rifle to aim at Millie G. Wincing at the destruction of Clam she shakes her head and lets out a sigh. She waits to fire though and instead calls out loudly. "Please lay down your arms. No one else need die."
Millie G. apparently feels otherwise, and doesn't appreciate having a particle-beam weapon aimed at him. With his flab pushing his armor slightly apart, a battered L-20 is raised, he mumbles something incomprehensible and fires. Wildly, but in Erica's direction. It's clear that he's a horrible shot to begin with.
Poway chooses to follow Millie G.'s lead, that annoying hovering thing. But he hurtles a grenade at her. Getting it to explode in mid-air at the right spot is a trick.
Xander shifts to defense as Leonard shifts to the bizarre. His mind blocking out the fear before erecting a barrier of will between him and the mercs. The bubble between him and the mercs, he will know to shoot around it, they will not.
Erica moves quickly to the side to avoid the shot. She lets out a sigh as she fires at Millie. Her shot is carefully aimed as she lets out the blast from the weapon.
Fat Millie G. is hit by the blast square in the middle of his chest-plate, and reels back, off balance, only catching himself at the last moment from going completely over on his rear.
Amid the firefight and baffling affair, Heimey is now screaming in fear, clutching her baby to her bosom, standing exposed right in the middle of energy bolts that go through tank armor. The battle moves on.
Celaeno continues moving the man toward the car, not entirely certain as to who's on her side, but moving the man, "Now, you going to be smart and go wait in the car, or are you going to get yourself misted like that moron was?"
With the exception of Millie G. and Poway, who are firing on Erica, the other mercenaries seem to be involved in shooting at each other for the time being. Xander is probably not forgotten, but is not the focus of attention at the moment, and neither is Celaeno and her charge. Heimey is screaming her fool head off in the middle of the mayhem, "Not my baby, not my baby!" As for Sleepy, he's moving enough, but as if he doesn't really want to. "Please! You don't understand! You don't understand what it is that my father wants! He'll kill us for it if he has to." Laser shots continue to fire overhead.
Erica moves quickly to the side to avoid the shot. She lets out a sigh as she fires at Millie. Her shot is carefully aimed as she lets out the blast from the weapon.
Mille lets fly with another shot. Erica's blast and Millie G.'s random pulses pass each other in the sky. The mercenary is once gain struck, and his armor is completely battered, barely hanging off of his body.
Most of these poor excuses for mercenaries completely miss their targets, but Bingo manages to plug poor T.P., knocking him dead to the ground next to the unconscious Bing.
Defenses up Xander takes his shot at the merc he missed in his opening shot, Dice. "Just stuff her into the damn car already." He calls to Cel, demonstrating his lack of patience.
The bolt hits Dice this time, but she stays up and keeps firing. As with the others, semi-randomly. is struck, but stays up.
Celaeno grunts, not yet wanting to give up her shiny, expensive body-shield, turning her attention to the T.P.
As it is quickly apparent that TP is already dead, the weapon swings around and strikes Poway, who twitches, and is then out like a light, no more grenades being thrown.
Erica fires off a quick shot at Millie and then swoops down to put herself between the incoming fire and Heimey and Heimey's baby. She gestures to the car trying to get them to safety.
Millie G. somehow manages to roll his scorched body out of the way of the particle beam. But with the woman still firing at him, he is single-minded in his antagonism, firing at the woman in the air once more.
Both of the lovers' hired guards are doing well for themselves, and Bingo lets off a shot at Millie G., one that goes wide and to the left, just like the field goal attempt on the screen back at the Hop Yard.
Dice also fires at the nearly dead man, yet once again, lucky Millie G. manages to slip away.
Xander takes another shot at Dice, amazed he's went to such measures for protection and never got fired upon..
Everyone else is momentarily recycling their rifle's actions, or laying down unconscious and stunned in the mud, save for the dead T.P. Sleepy is in the car, arguing and beginning to grow very angry again, while Heimey is still in the open, though somewhat sheltered by Erica. The mother just keeps screaming wildly. There is then a sudden "plunk" and Millie G. falls on his face, apparently victim of trauma brought on by laser particle beams and clogged arteries. Only the two lovers' mercenaries remain, and for the moment, they aren't firing on the adventurers, even though Xander continues to shoot at the woman, Dice. It is a very uneasy not-quite-truce.
Celaeno simply turns to Sleepy as she releases him and draws one of her swords, "Shut the fuck up, and don't move." She hesitantly turns to Xander, "Mind letting us in on the plan?" She doesn't quite move into the open as she asks, grumbling to herself.
Erica seeing no one firing at her she slings her weapon back over her shoulder and turns to Heimey. "Please get in the vehicle. It will be safe in there." She tries to guide the scared woman and the baby over to Xander's car.
Bingo's rifle is raised toward Xander, the one who's been casting destruction in his comrade's general direction. But his voice calls out to no one in particular, as there seems to be no leader to the group, "I'm sorry, but I can't let you take them. Nobody else has to die. Y'all just take the money they offered you, and go home. Make up a story, have someone make one up for you. Let's all just head our separate ways. They come with us, you go back to the city. Everyone copacetic with that?" His voice has a Pecos twang to it.
Dice remains near her partner, not saying anything, just keeping her weapon at the ready, sweeping the area for a shot if necessary.
Xander knows opportunity whine he sees it. Lowering his mace he turns back to the car to take his pace at the wheel and make the escape. "The plan is to do what we were hired to do, minus impetuous baggage." He replies to Cel as he gets in.
Celaeno stares blankly at Xander for a moment. "Wonderful," is all she says, turning back to the man in the car, her sword flashing out again to hover a few inches in front of his face. "I get paid whether or not I bring you in alive or not. What'd you steal from the old man? Either you start talking and clearing this situation up for me real quick, or I might just have to take the pay-cut."
Erica eyes Celaeno at her threat and she moves her hand back to her weapon in case Cel's threat is more then a bluff. She keeps moving the woman and the child, concerned about their safety. Seeing Cel threatening the man in the car she starts moving the woman and child to her hovercycle instead.
Sleepy really does grow a pair in the face of a sword threatening him, and by extension, his fiancee and child. "We didn't steal a damn thing from him! This money, this money??" - he rattles around that man-purse full of credits -"this is *our* money. I'm an architect, Heimey is an accomplished sculptor. You want to know? It's his HONOR that he wants back. Because HE is ashamed of what happened TO HIM, and what HE DID to create this WHOLE MESS OF HIS." As Heimey is very reluctantly maneuvered onto the hovercycle, she explains, "It's true. This is all we have. It's his life that he's embarrassed of, and figures that if we get away, everyone will know about it, and his 'good name' will be shamed before everyone to see." Off in the distance, the hired guards look rather dumbfounded by what they're seeing, but keep up a watch. If further explanation is asked, it will probably be given.
Xander shakes his head as he buckles his seat belt only to find Cel interrogating at this very second. "We really don’t have time for this. Bringing you back to him won't save his honor, if he ever had such a thing. Taking you away won't destroy it. So lets just back the crazy train up and check everyone’s tickets at the station." He says to Sleepy and Cel with much exasperation. "Believe me, I have nothing against bringing the supposedly high and mighty down to a more appropriate level. Let's do that where we won't get shot at in the mean time."
Celaeno stares blankly at the man, then blankly at Xander, and then back at the other mercs. "We'll sort this out later," she says flatly, moving out of the car and sheathing her sword in favour of her neuromace as she moves to the fallen and the stunned, ready to give them a few good wallops if they so much as move.
Erica escorts the woman and her baby over to her hovercycle. She guides Heimey into the passenger seat and buckles her into the seat if Heimey lets her. She looks over her shoulder at Celaeno and Xander to keep track of them.
The two mercenaries, the ones hired by the fleeing lovers are standing more easily now. Still holding weapons ready, but muzzles pointed at the dirt. They seem to be talking amongst themselves, with the occasional pointing, finger waggle, and lopsided confused shrugs. Bingo finally throws his hands in the air and yells, "Hey, Dice, look. We got paid up front, they're the ones who broke the deal, I'm going to go inside, get loaded, and play grab-ass with the saloon girls." To everyone else, 'the bird' is flipped. "Y'all have a nice fucking day." Then he's gone, leaving Dice standing confused in the mud. Sleepy looks pissed off, particularly at Xander, whose back seat he's currently sitting in, not necessarily of his own bidding. As for the pretty Heimey, she is strapped into the hovercycle, and clutches the babe tight, but continues to plead, "No, none of you understand. You don't understand! It's not what you think, we didn't do anything to him! He did it to us, everyone did it to us, and he's trying to cover for himself! They'll bounce him out of the Yacht Club if anyone were to know!"
Oh no, not the yacht club. Xander could be imagined muttering at this point. His expression says as much as he slams the car in gear and lock the doors. Once well away from the people shooting he'll breath a sigh to force some relaxation and open the radio to the others. "So, looks like we have an issue or four to resolve."
"You're both welcome to explain everything," Leonard finally speaks up, after doing little more than wriggling throughout the conflict, and that was the tentacles about him, "once we're no longer being shot at." As the vehicle moves off, he also backs away from any who might remain conscious or trigger-happy, speaking over the channel. "This should be a happy family reunion..."
With the shooting having ultimately stopped, Celaeno idly picks up anything of apparent worth that's strewn across the battlefield before moving back to her 'cycle and kick-starting it. She re-hooks her mace while the 'cycle purrs under her and begins to lazily catch up with the others, crackling over the radio with a quite simple, "Yeah, sure. Whatever."
Erica gets into the driver seat of her hovercycle and turns it on. She takes it up to a good height over the trees before she speaks out over the radio. "I would rather not turn these two over to that crazy guy that hired us. No good can happen to these two. I don't think they stole anything."
Sleepy speaks up as the noise crackles just faintly enough to be heard. "That's right! We took nothing from him except what he gave us. It's not our fault! We fell in love and didn't even know that we had it." He snuffs and adds, "Not that it would have changed anything. We love each other. Mom understands." As for the girl, she's too busy keeping bugs out of her teeth to say anything to anyone. But Sleepy does say just one more thing. "Triple what he offered. TRIPLE!!! Just turn around and take us away from the city. We're going to Tolkeen. He'll never find us."
Xander shakes his head in frustration. "You humans are so spineless sometimes. These two are people or livestock? People confront and solve problems. Livestock bleat and cower. Time to pick a side. We are not turning them over to anyone. We are escorting them back to Mr Morningwood So that they may do what they should have done in the first place. Confront him. If they cannot do that then they are sheep being returned to their shepherd. Better him they know than the wolves they don't."
Celaeno just calls over the radio, "I'm not in this to make anybody do any damn thing," she says, "All I want to do is get paid and leave it at that. And even then it's not like any of this is enough to make it worth any of this bullshit." She mutters to herself as she brings her 'cycle up to top speed, doing a sudden banking turn to burn off a little bit of stress.
Leonard agrees with that assessment, but cannot explain anything further to either of the escortees directly. "Precisely. I'll meet everyone at the Venus Envy when you arrive." He may also be in a hurry, as rather than walk or fly the distance, he chooses to simply tear open the fabric of reality, step through, and arrive at his destination.
Erica shakes her head ever so slightly as she flies high above the treeline. "Tolkeen is a terrible place to go. You need to pick a better place if you want to get away." She says over the radio with a slightly bemused tone. "I'll follow your lead Xander, but I won't let anything happen to Heimey and the kid, or Sleepy. We'll be there to supervise this confrontation."
As the car comes to a halt back inside Kingsdale's Merchant's Plaza, the man quickly gets out of the back seat an begins to rant - but a somewhat reasonable rant. It's barely quiet enough to not be heard over the rest of the Merchant's Plaza. "You, you, YOU... ASSHOLE!!!" Sleepy slips out, clearly having to force himself to say a dirty word. Said dirty word is directed at Xander. "As soon as he found out about us, and all of the sordid little details that he's responsible for, he's been trying to catch us. There's no reasoning with the man! I don't know what he wants to do with us. Kill us? Lobotomize us? Beat us into submission? Lie? I don't know, but it's not good for anyone." He visible calms himself. "Look, just give me a number. How much did he offer? Triple. TRIPLE!!" Then he turns to a poor-man's threat. "You think he's just going to let you get away? All I have to do is tell him that you know the secret, and BAM! He'll be after you, too." He points around at the others. "And you, and you, and you. What kind of people are you?" Heimey simply looks on, frightened and quiet, clutching the child.
Having had the trip back to calm his nerves somehow Xander manages to exit his car with a casual gait. Whiny is ignored for the moment, he walks into the shop to find his original employer.
Celaeno doesn't bother responding, dismounting from her 'cycle with a shrug as she moves to get her eventual payment, she keeps one hand rested on her sword. She just follows along.
Erica pats Heimey in a comforting manner. "Not to worry I will protect and make sure you and your baby are safe." She tells the woman as she parks her hovercycle. She follows Xander while keeping Heimey behind her.
Leonard awaits the convoy out in the plaza. When Sleepy begins (resumes?) his rant, Leonard shrugs. "We're the kind attempting to stay employed as we choose. You're both welcome to leave, /after/ this arrangement is concluded. If we were to merely allow you to escape, I presume that he would simply send others. I'm sure that some sort of compromise can be reached. Dare I ask to what sordid details you refer?"
Heimey seems to have picked Leonard as a good heart to try to lean on. "Please, sir," she says in a mousy voice. "He's a very proud man. If you take us to him, we will never see each other again. His pride is misplaced." She will jump quickly to lay her head against Leonard's chest. "Please. At least, at least everybody please listen?" she pleads up at Leonard with big doe eyes, then sweeping over the others. Sleepy is coming over to be by his lover's side, having taken the child. For the moment, Mr. Morningwood remains indoors, apparently unaware.
Xander is inside looking for Mr. Morningwood, mace still at his hip though uncharged. Even uncharged it would hurt to get hit by. When he finds the pompous ass he'll smile warmly as a sign of success but stand in the way of the man going out to see the prize just yet. "I need to show you something."
"You've already proven he cannot keep you both here, or apart." Leonard may or may not have a good heart, but owes the doe eyes a smile in return, at the least. "We are listening, also." He turns to glance towards the shop and the eventual emergence of Morningwood.
Erica smirks inside her cyclopean helmet as she watches the woman plead with Leonard. "You have nothing to fear. Leonard will protect you." She says with a little amusement behind her voice.
Things really start to come to a head at this point. Morningwood emerges from the store-front, followed by Mrs. Morningwood, followed by three semi-thugs. Not built, and only carrying normal handguns, but with that blank "thug-look" on their faces. Everyone starts talking at once, trying to get their story out first. Sleepy: "He and she are my parents!" Heimey: "She's my mother, and another woman named Althabasca Ricardo is also my mother. It was a DNA splice," she explains. Morningwood: "QUIET!!" he shrieks and freaks. "But I had an affair with him -" Heimey points to Mr. Morningwood -" and this is our child "- she hoists the baby. Sleepy: "We fell in love, but we didn't know each other. But the problem is...." there's a dramatic pause, through which Mr. Morningwood is shouting for quiet, and Mrs. Morningwood is sitting back sheepishly. Pause ends... "This means that Heimey is my half-sister, and I am also half-brother to her child. Dad didn't want this to come out." Morningwood is inflamed with rage, too angry to speak, just waggling an angry finger in the general direction of the people who just returned.
Having been ignored to find himself following the Morningwoods out of the shop Xander listens as it all comes to light. He momentarily appears to try and follow the convoluted bloodlines before a stern blink and a shake of his head. "So let me get this straight.. We've been hired to bring these two back so others don’t find out you're a bunch of inbred hicks? Or so that you can do some more inbreeding? I mean this just keeps getting worse.."
Celaeno seems unimpressed by the general commotion, ignoring it for all intents and purposes. "Your 'professionals' got themselves killed because they were dumbasses," she says flatly, grunting at Xander's assessment of the situation. "So, are you going to give us our money now, or stand around slack jawed?"
Leonard is thankful that Sleepy understands the relations, as he lost track somewhere along the way. "Well..." This isn't anything remotely close to what he might have expected. After a moment's thought, he shrugs. "Does anyone truly care? I don't. Besides," he looks to the loud one yelling for quiet, "the truth is now out, regardless. There's no reason to try and sequester anyone away."
Erica shakes her helmet back and forth. "Well the secret is out now. No way to hide it now." She says with a laugh as she keeps a close eye on the thugs, moving herself in front of them. Her stance is at ease as she watches them closely.
The Plaza was far too busy this morning for anyone to stop and notice, or care, about what was happening. The secret is safe. Morningwood gestures toward the two younger lovers with dismissive hands, and the three thugs surge toward them single-mindedly.
Xander scowls at the thugs, finding them very similar to other detritus he has disposed of before. But vaporizing people in the middle of the market is not good form so his mace remains uncharged to allow him to pummel them in the middle of the market instead. Both maces swing at the closest thug.
The thug nearest to Xander doubles over in agony upon being hit, particularly because he wasn't expecting the strike, and his advance toward the lovers is stopped.
Celaeno watches the events shift into a similar clusterfuck as to what happened prior, and just sighs. "Wonderful," she mutters again to herself, shaking her head, her own neuromace being produced to give a shot at one of the thugs' backs, moving to get close to Sleepy.
Like his comrade, the second man is caught unawares by the neural mace, his nervous-system takes a high-energy surge, and he falls to the concrete to nap for a few hours.
"There's no need to escort them," Leonard notes, although his gaze and smile are towards the couple before him, "as I can do so readily enough." This is precisely what he does, sparking a small blue-white sphere to coalesce which promptly expands to a crackling portal wide enough for he and the three family members. With Heiney nearly (or still) leaning on him, and Sleepy (with child) within arm's reach, he will reach for each and step backwards into the rift. Should they accompany him, the rift shall close afterward.
Erica kicks one of the thugs with a knee in the gut as she shakes her head. "I wouldn't move if I was you." She says in a firm confident tone after the attack. IF you try anything else Mr. Morningwood you will be just as sorry. She turns her head to look at the rift opening up and she chuckles softly to herself.
The third thug, also just a hired muscle, and not even with much muscle, takes the hit, but stops in his tracks, partly to pain, partly to Erica's threat. Morningwood clearly did not realize what kind of people he was dealing with, having hired only true rabble to do further dirty-work.
Morningwood, who had been looking so superior and confident a moment ago, suddenly becomes a falalfel street-vendor, but without the accent. "WHAT?" The wife too looks suddenly astounded, and the two gentlemen who are awake enough to notice things, notice it. But no one can make heads or tails of it. Morningwood shouts, "What does this mean? I'm not paying anyone until those three are in my store, in my back room!"
Xander chuckles, casually swinging his malevolent mace as he walks back towards Mr Morningwood. "Well no, you wont be paying us to do that. We don't even know where he took them. You will be paying us to not take this very elaborate and lecherous fiasco to the ears of your associates. Mmm yes, how many people do you think will buy from a store with that reputation?"
Celaeno just sighs, re-clasping her mace again before moving to lean against her 'cycle. It's just all too much for her.
"You aren't getting them." Erica says with a satisfied tone as she looks at the three thugs that got stopped. She doesn't add anything to what Xander has to say, and instead starts walking over to where her hovercycle is parked.
"HA!" The merchant seems to have gotten his wind back. "Well, it's done. I said bring them back, alive or dead so that I could deal with them. Make sure they didn't make it to the next city. Well, they're gone, I imagine. You can't threaten me now. They're erased." He turns on his heel - then stops, turns again, and narrows his eyes. "But you could bring them back here. Huh? Is that your game? FINE. Here's your money. I'll never high rabble like you again." His eyes search the others, and he just tosses four envelopes to the ground. "Take it. Give the other one to your little friend. But if you ever.. EVER try to blackmail me - I know people. Oh, yes, I know people!" He sneers: "They will make your lives unpleasant." Finally, his wife steps in with, "I think that we're all finished here. Everyone can go home now. Just make sure that they're alright," her eyes ask pleadingly.
As the situation breaks, Morningwood, his wife, and two of the three thugs return to their comic book shop, or antiquities shop, depending on how one looks at it. Venus Envy will continue to be a popular attraction for the mid- to high-end antiquities connoisseurs. It didn't go unnoticed that Sleepy and Heimey had disappeared, but Morningwood was quick on his toes, and managed to make up a story about how he'd bought them a really fancy house in a very upscale city somewhere, a city that will forever go unnamed because he “wants give them their privacy.” After all, they're in love. Heimey's mother disappears, though due to the successful secrecy, no one really cares, and if they did no one knows if Mornigwood had anything to do with it or not, if they even knew to question.
As for the lovers, Sleepy and Heimey happily coughed up the promised triple reward for each of their rescuers. They will spend their remaining Jerry Springer-like days in a comfortable home, living happily and raising the child in Laramy, where Leonard had deposited them while all of the other fuss had been going on. Thankfully for Sleepy, Heimey is a good and faithful woman. Thus, they will never end up on Maury Povich: Kingsdale having to find out, “who my baby daddy” is.
