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Grondax was already hard at work as morning came upon the lost district. He walked down the almost empty street with a small boy in tow. *It isn’t hard to figure why people conduct business at night. This scene would depress anyone.* Grondax thought as he surveyed the dilapidated ruins of the once thriving section of town. Despite that sentiment it was always better to conduct business when no one expected it of you.

He had met with a Harold this morning in Rumwell, though he expected that the name was fake. Grondax had convinced the man that he had found a charitable orphanage to take in his young boy. So early in the morning he had picked up the energetic young blond about the age of ten. The father said that he could rest easy knowing that his child could grow up safely and healthily. Grondax knew, however, that the child would be forgotten within a week. This was disposal and it only cost Harold a loaf of bread. Grondax even let him keep his faith that his son would be well cared for.

“Isn’t my orphanage back in Rumwell mister?” The boy looked so innocent as he looked up. “We need to make sure that you will be safe. You are a very important person. I’ll take care of you until we reach the good doctor. Don’t worry.” Words like important and safe seemed almost treasured possessions of the boys as he beamed and continued walking without another word. They were true enough Grondax thought to himself.

Near the northern edge of the Lost District they passed a trio of burly looking men, all with full beards and work trousers, who fell in step next to them. They were the Glockshen brothers, a trio of mountain raised chaps who would do anything for a good meaty meal. “What’s the job today Grundy.” The largest of the men asked putting his hand on Grondax’s shoulder.

“Nothing much Hans, I just need you to make sure I’m not followed until we meet up with the good doctor. Then you will have your usual package to deliver to The Pinch.”

“Harh,” bellowed Hans as he looked down at the boy, “The good doctor? Whatevah you say boss. Guess tat depends on yer definition of good.” Grondax stopped and laughed uncharacteristically at the joke Hans had not even realized he had made. “Just make sure Hans.”

At that the three men disappeared from sight to watch his back as Grondax approached his usual spot in the warehouse district.

Dr. Severin Oddssen had arrived at the Warehouses a little before Grondax came with the child. Hearing footsteps, wary of whether or not it was the trader, Severin peeked his head out from the rusted door to his own personal warehouse before he emerged entirely, hastily wiping the blood from his hands upon seeing the child. "Grondax," he greeted, in a voice just loud enough to be heard.

The 'Good' Doctor needn't be worried about this man knowing his secret, because he was sure that he did. It was part of their agreement that no words would be spoken of it, to anyone. As long as Oddssen kept up his end of the deal, he was sure that Grondax would abide by his.

"I see you've brought another," The Doctor observed, his blue-gray eyes twinkling behind the spectacles he had put on so he could see while he worked.

Time had took its toll on the youngest Chou sister as she rubbed her temples and sat surrounded by an array of colors. She had surely made quite a mess for one simple piece of artwork, and the artwork itself was probably the only thing that was beautiful in the house, besides the practice performances done by her sister.

With the tips of her fingers, and with her gentle touch, she carefully removed the piece from the work area, and left it in the farthest corner from the door, left to be untouched until the time was right.

"I probably caused much trouble for Hikari..." she murmured, ignoring the unusual mural she left behind on the floor. Alternating her gaze from the door to the mess, she placed a hand on the doorknob, and twisted it slightly until she heard the soft 'click', signaling that she could now pass. She walked out and searched for Hikari instead. "The place needed more color anyway" she thought. She confirmed it as her excuse...in case Hikari decided to yell at her for her actions.

Adlei stiffened in Elliot's arms. From this distance, she could not make out the face of the man, whether his concern was sincere or not. However, as she was about to signal for her Actor to take them elsewhere, she noticed the line of water running down Elliot's face. The water ran like ice melting rather than sweat and she saw the consciousness in his eyes sinking away.

She would have to take a chance. "Let's go to him, Elliot," she whispered, and he obeyed. Leaping from the chimney, he sprinted awkwardly across the rooftop and deposited the girl near the lip of the hatch. He then collapsed into her arms; she held him tightly, making certain he wouldn't slip down the roof again.

Biting her lip, she dug a silver brooch from her pocket and offered it to the man who had appeared. Jewels were set into its frame, the design marked it as an object from a century before, an antique.

"Look, it's worth more than you'll get from the Peace Enforcement units," she spoke quickly, noting the limpness of Elliot's body. "Take it to Kensington, and you might get a loaf of bread and some apples for it. All we ask is that you hide us and keep quiet until nightfall. We'll be gone and cause you trouble no more."

The small child now standing between the two men looked about at them obviously confused as to what was going on. Grondax was worried that something could happen if the child pieced together what was transpiring, and decided to act before his emotions could stop him.

"How rude of me my dear Severin. You are right. I should have fed the child before handing him off to you." Grondax fumbled around in his bag for a small vial of three green tablets. While working inside his bag he took one of them out and tore off a hunk of the bread he had just recieved. "Here you go little one. We need you big and strong."

The child understood the language of food just fine and knew not to hesitate when he could get a free meal. He quickly reached out to take the hunk of bread. "That's a good boy, here you go" Grondax smiled as he slipped the tablet into the bread.

The child quickly devoured the bread not even noticing the tablet inside. "There you go Severin. Let the child take a nap and you should find no trouble. I apologize, but we all have to work with what we've got. If it makes you feel better imagine that you are saving the child from the life that we are forced to live every day. We've let him keep his innocence."

The child walked slowly forward and slumped against the side of the warehouse.

"We all need to get by Severin. We weren't the ones who abandoned him to this fate."Grondax remarked pointing to the slumped child. "I heard enforcement was rather agitated this morning. Maybe something else will come along. Maybe not. I'll let you know."

Grondax heaved a sigh. "So, what do you have for me today?"

"I swore I saw him around here..." One of two thugs said to the other. He scratched at one of the scars on his face. "...You were just seein' things! I didn' see no guy in red!...Less jus' go pick on some o' the kiddie gangs..."

Nekura withheld the urge to sigh as he remained in hiding. He was clinging carefully to the support beams of one large stall. He was hidden in the dark, and out of the general view of most everyone that would pass.

He saw these men coming with nasty bone knives and promptly hid himself, however it sounded as if one of them had caught sight of him briefly.

Much to his relief however, they had left and he slowly climbed down from the stall and made his way back out into the alleyways that passed to the edge of the Entrance zone of Wynander. It didn't take him long however to pass into the warehouse district where he began seeing far more life.

Much to Nekura's dismay, it was life that he did not want to be around, ruffians, thugs, thieves, and all of them armed with a variety of weapons. He frowned, hiding and moving stealthily. He could tell at just a glance he would not hold up in a fight against them.

With an overly dramatic sigh, Rubido pushed the thought of his package securely out of mind. After all, he had better things to do today. He glanced at the sun, a milky, wavering disk in the morning glow, and set off at a jog down the broken street. As he neared the outskirts of Kensington district, the usual cacophony of whining screeches of and a hundred men and women screaming advertisement after advertisement poured into the street.

Then it faltered.

The market at Kensington was used to squabbles, bartering, thieving, and marched merrily right on over them. There were few things it would pause at, the most common being a good, hard fight.
Now, Rubido was not a particularly violent man, but there was good money in fights- betting money, escort money, the odd coin from a vender who did not want someone crashing into their wares, that sort of thing. Dressing as he did had its benefits- he was well known enough that he would not even have to advertise if someone "needed" him.
Grinning enthusiastically, Rubido ran to join the crowd.

Grondax retrieved the packs from the table not bothering to put them into the pack. It was good work. He could not tell where the meat had come from. It was a tribute to a well practiced craft, and that was something

The smell of the warehouse was nauseating, but Grondax had coped with worse before. He simply held his old shirt up to his face to shield himself from the smell. "Very well. It is enough for now." Grondax surmised as he studied the thoughtful Severin who seemed to be fixed on the dead body.

"You seem troubled today. If it suits you I have other business to attend to. As a merchant I apologize if I troubled you. I will be wary of the goods I supply in the future." He picked the packaged meat up not bothering to put it in his pouch. "If you need anything else just let me know. I’ll help if I can."

Grondax made his way toward the propped door.