Welcome to Gaia! ::

Now he was out his secret cigarette stash, which meant braving the accusing looks from the lady in the corner mart who never failed to tell him 'those things'll kill ya.' Wonderful.

The option was weighed carefully, as if he was making some deal with the devil, but of course that was absolutely ridiculous... right?

"I take responsibility for everything I do." Algie was being honest about that. Whatever she told him, whatever he did with it, they would be his actions. Why wouldn't he own it? The vague insinuation that this might bring trouble, or drama at the very least, was a bit intriguing as much as he was loathe to admit it, "Alright. I can do that."

The sensible part of his brain, the part that said 'why are you just making deals with a potential serial killer?' had apparently just given up. But unfortunately the fanciful part of his brain was lagging behind, which still left him somewhere in between. A middle level of logic where Sunny was simply strange and mysterious but everything somehow worked out alright in the end.

Algie's shake was firm and warm, despite his reticence about shaking on whatever this deal was with this shady a** woman.

This was his chance though, he would get answers, he just needed to be wise about it. He didn't let go of her hand though, holding here there with him until he was done.

"Are the missing kids alive?"

Algie's brow furrowed, mouth opening in an urge to say 'what the hell does that mean', but he'd hate to waste a question. Instead he rumbled with a noise of frustration and his lips closed in a hard line as he milled it all over.

"Can they be brought home?"

Her relaxation about everything only annoyed him more. Could she not see people were concerned? They were little more than children. What had she done to them?

He had a million and one questions, would have liked to tie her to a chair and call Jeremiah, but had a sinking feeling that once he'd got this last one in that she would simply slip through his fingers.

He'd asked where other ashdown was, the answer unsatisfying, but he wanted to find the damn kids. He needed to get there, whether it was real or some code name. Sunny apparently could get there, could take others there, which answered that question on it's own.

"WHAT is other ashdown?" He had no idea what he was getting into, too comfortable in his bubbled form of reality, to really know what he was asking.

Algie again rumbled with discontent. He was unsatisfied with the answers, but he was a man of his word. He realized suddenly how tight her grip was, how it ached and he let go to flex it in and out.

She was young he could see now, though there were things about her that belayed the youth in her face. Algie watched her a moment before the book under his arm slipped a moment and he moved to fix it.

"This book was purchased," He glanced to the register briefly, loathe to let her just leave, "I have to give you a refund since you've got the receipt.."