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On the way to the alleyway Crayne looks to Emma and speaks up, "Emma! I cast that new spell I was talking about the night before. Where I can hear but not have to actually be there. Well, I focused in on the place where me and Hannibal confronted Emerson and overheard a conversation between himself and Paros. I heard them talk about the coins again and Paros congratulating Emerson on collecting them from Jordice. Then Emerson asked Paros where he would put his earnings. So, this does confirm that the Blood Clan are paying off Paros. Well it doesn't confirm it completely, but that does now seem most likely.

"What intrigued me though was the next sound that I heard. There was a large scraping of wood against stone as if some piece of furniture perhaps was being moved. I perceive that Paros has a hidden chamber down there somewhere where he stores all his riches. That chamber might indeed hold some very valuable evidence that could help to bring Paros down! It is just a thought, Lady Emma, that I thought I would mention to you."

Crayne looks at Emma and smiles. He then continues, "Also, a question has entered my mind in all of this: Do you think Bernigan is acting for the drow in the negotiations or for the Duke of Marlond?"

"I think Bernigan told the truth when we met him among the Dwarves in the mountains," Emma quietly answers, "Duke Marlond is innocent of this arrangement. It's purely a business interest of Bernigan's, and if he's acting on anyone's behalf, it's probably the Blood Clan...of which he is a member. Or at least Hannibal confirms that for us."

"Indeed, that's what I thought!" Crayne says, "What does beg the question then, is what does Bernigan have to do with the Duke? Why has the Duke associated himself with Bernigan? Anyhow, perhaps we'll find a reason later on in this ever complicating plot!"

"The only way I could see Duke Patrick II working with Bernigan is if he doesn't know of Bernigan's past. At least, that is the only solution that makes sense to me," Canter offers, walking beside Emma and Crayne briskly.

The priestess gestures toward Naeron, saying, "I think the diplomat hit the nail on the head. House D'Urdenterrad is trying to obtain the adamantine to make themselves more powerful among the Drow hierarchy. They can't do it by directly dealing with General Korg, because the Dwarves would have nothing to do with the dark elves. So, they've enlisted the help of the rogues within the Blood Clan by using them to deal indirectly from the shadows. Bernigan is obviously being paid well by the Blood Clan, and his stature as a diplomat allowed him access to Paros...enough so that he could bribe the wizard into looking the other way. We know Paros has his own reasons for agreeing to the plan...and it doesn't just involve greed for more bribery money."

"And with all the events going on, it would not be difficult to keep Bryant in the dark," Cy says, nodding to Canter and the two beside him. "Before dispatching us to investigate the reports of drow in the city, he rattled off a list of things demanding his attention. He said it so quickly I could not make sense of it all, but it seemed impressive."

Emma nods toward Cy, taking in what he has to say. Then she turns to face Crayne again. "Excellent job on the Clairaudience-thing, by the way," she comments.

Crayne smiles broadly and nods his head.

Emma continues, "You're turning out to be quite a spy. I think maybe King Bryant might have some use for you in the days ahead if you're inclined to continue your active role on Rinder's side. One of my last divinations from Anhur during the Commune was to ask him if he favored a return to peace or the conqueror-attitude of many of our high priests. His answer was quite interesting. 'There is a time for conquerors just,' he said. I think that means we're going to need to take the offensive soon. To do that we might have to cross over into Caerloon once again...and if so, I'm sure your Clairaudience spells will prove invaluable."

Crayne nods, "Indeed! I am growing quickly in the arts of magic. I now have a few more spells in my catalogue and I am looking desperately for a few specific ones. I must say, though, that I was very impressed by Clairaudience. A spell as you say might prove to be of great worth! However, it doesn't appear to be just me who is growing in magic. For even though yours is of a different kind I can see that it rewards you in much the same way as it does me! Your show outside the Temple was quite splendid. I felt a little humbled I must admit!" Crayne smiles again at the priestess.

The priestess reaches out to squeeze the mage's shoulder, saying, "You've grown into a fine person, Highbrow. A more noble spirit, I think, than when I first encountered you and the rest of Rinder's Six. Once we've cleaned up this mess...and dealt with Paros, I'd like to have a long talk with you about your future."

Crayne nods again at Emma, "Your words are kind, Emma, as always. You too have grown since I first met

you. I think we have learnt much from one another. It is good that you take an interest in my future! And indeed I would be happy to talk with you over it if you have some suggestions. However, what I feel now is that my future would be all the better if you were involved in it!" Crayne smiles shyly and he is then suddenly distracted by Hannibal's whistle.

Emma's attention, too, is finally diverted as she hears Hannibal whistle aloud.

First Hannibal whistles, but receives no response. Then he takes a few more steps into the alley, peering through the darkness, his eyes quickly scanning for anybody or any movement. Not a thorough exploration, but a cursory glance, which reveals nothing.

"Hannibal?" Emma whispers, "Is anybody there?"

Hannibal doesn't audibly answer, but slowly shrugs his shoulder and shakes his head. Very strange, he thinks to himself. A cold wind sends a shiver down the thief's spine. The Blood Clan was usually very good at keeping appointments.

Cy instinctively draws his sword, flexing his warrior muscles and cracking his knuckles. This would be the perfect spot for an ambush, and he didn't like being ambushed.

Hannibal takes half a step back, his eyes darting from one place to the next as he frantically searched for what could be an ambush. Had they caught on to him already? What if Bernigan was aware of this meeting? Suddenly he wants to be somewhere, anywhere but here. Fingering the pommel of his sword nervously, he considers turning and leaving but knows there would be no gain in that...something was wrong here though and Hannibal couldn't put a finger on it.

Hannibal's motions to the others behind him, waving his hand down and to the side.

"Take cover," Cy whispers, his warrior's sense kicking in. He looks to Naeron, who squints into the alley with his half-elven eyes, testing their infravision.

Hannibal then moves off to the right, hugging the wall of the nearby building and continuing forward into the alley.

Seeing Hannibal motion toward the crates, Emma gently pulls Crayne with her into the shadows. "Let Hannibal see if his friends are around," she whispers, "We probably should have trailed him at a distance anyway. A large group of people showing up in an alley like this was bound to attract attention. If the Blood Clan thieves saw us, they might have slipped away because they didn't like the look of things. I can't say I'd blame them..."

Crayne nods in agreement, allowing his body to be tugged along by the priestess. "Or perhaps an ambush!" Crayne adds with a raised brow. He sits there silent letting Hannibal do what he does best. He fiddles with his dagger nervously and casts a close eye into the gloom of the alleyway. Bad thoughts plague his mind. Nevertheless, he becomes a little reassured when he remembers his magic missile spell. Three deadly missiles of violet light that would strike any living target he chose.

Storm, upon seeing Hannibal's signal, immediately flattens himself along the wall to the left. He begins to move along the wall, hiding in the shadows and drawing one of this long swords in preparation for what tastes like a fight. He moves silently along the wall deeper into the alley until he is just feet away from a crate, which is stacked up alongside the building.

Emma narrows her eyes and peeks above the crate for a moment. Calling upon her god-given abilities to discern evil, she stretches forth her senses. Perhaps she could tell if the Blood Clan was hiding in the shadows that way? Her eyes narrow as she scans the area. Her sight in the dark was not nearly as good as that of Naeron or Storm, but her ability to detect evil, much like that of the late Edryd, made up for her lack of visual acumen.

Slowly turning her head, she suddenly stops. There, peeking out from behind a crate on the left side of the alley, she sensed something. Some evil besmirched a soul. Then, she felt another presence, nearby, just near the first behind the crate. And finally a third; this one was hard to pinpoint. It definitely wasn't with the first two, but not too far away, either.

"'Do you dance in the darkness on the edge of the razor-sharp blade?'" Hannibal whispers tentatively.

Suddenly the two figures jump out at Hannibal from behind the crate on the right side. Hannibal recognized them, but they were new to the rest: the round, balding human and the sleek, fluid elf. The human has a club in his hand, and nods slightly as he looks to Hannibal. The female elf has her arms outstretched before her, holding a dagger in each hand. Her head is cocked to the side and she sways her hips. The way her entire body seems to fade in and out of the shadows with each delicate movement, it's almost as if she's translucent.

Naeron, his body flattened against the wall of the building to the right of the alley (but on the other side of the crate from where the two figures just emerged) eyes the two new figures, especially the slick elf. "Woah..." he whispers.

There is a tense silence as the club-wielding human and his elven accomplice stand before Hannibal in the center of the alley.

"I've returned to see your Attender," Hannibal states.

"So..." the elf begins, her voice like silk whisper, "...you have..." Then her eyes turn away from Hannibal, looking up and to her left (toward the right side of the alley). There in the night's darkness, is the third figure Emma sensed. He stands atop the crates, stacked two high, and can easily see all that is transpiring below. His clothes are completely black in color and his dark hair is closely cut, revealing a sharply defined jaw on his human face. Emerging from the building behind him are two more figures, each holding a crossbow with bolts ready to fire. They stand on either side of the man and their weapons aim down at Hannibal.

"Gray Mouser," the man in black begins, "I believe you have asked to see me. Tell your five friends, especially those silly warriors, to show themselves. They are not hidden from me in those shadows."

Five friends? Naeron asks himself. Karelth had been left back at the inn. With Hannibal plainly out in the open, that left six others of their party present: himself, Canter, Cy, Crayne, Emma, and...Storm. Of course, count on Storm to stay hidden in the shadows with the best of them.

"I want to see all six of you," the black-clad man repeats, "before I hear you out. And I hope I like what you have to say, or it may be the last thing anyone ever hears from you," he finishes with a smile.

As you enter the alley from the street, there are two crates stacked one on top of the other (about ten feet high) along the right wall. On top of these crates stand the man in black and the two archers beside him. There is one crate on the left side of the alley. Hannibal stands in the middle of the alley, faced with the round human and the female elf.

Emma, Crayne, and Naeron are along the right wall near the entrance to the alley. Storm, Cy, and Canter are along the left wall near the entrance to the alley. It seems from the man in black said that Storm is the only member of the party to have remained successfully hidden in the shadows.

The alley is about twenty-five yards long, with one end intersecting with the cross street and the other a dead-end. The buildings on either side are three stories tall. The alley is about fifteen to twenty feet wide.

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