Chapter 1 - Summer

She looks back and forth between the Gold Coats trying to follow the exchange. "Yes," she responds to Sans. "I have a good idea of where they've taken Jon. A warehouse on the river with a hidden dock--the guild would use it to bring in the secret ingredients that went into their brilliant dye."

"And what about us," Aloys asks Elaine, still rubbing the side of his face. "Where are we going?"

When his attention is brought back to the fact that Mathis is probably beyond their reach, he curses. "Damn that traitor's guts! Better stick together then, and try to find a way into that warehouse. Sounds like it can be reached by land or river... But which one is the less conspicuous? They're not likely to be welcoming..."

He looks at the others. " Maybe a little scouting is in order... We check the place, observe it for a bit... "

And turning to Julia, " Our visit here might have put you at risk too. What if we left you our brave Gear as a bodyguard? That's what he does best... "

The gear listens to Sans, and weighs his words.

"If I understand correctly, Mlle Julia is at least some form of criminal," they ask. "That would, hopefully,
give me plenty of opportunity to break bones and toss people around..."

Incredulity on her face, Julia agrees. "I suppose that's not a bad idea..."

"We'll head for the North Gate," she says to Sans. "I plan to be out of this place before nightfall."

"Please, rescue Jon if you can... and tell him I had for 'The Lodge'. He will know what, and where, that is."

Aloys nods at the wisdom of the plan. "Well lets head out," he says as he waits to hear Issac and Elaine weigh in on which approach they should take.

Elaine only sighs in response, nodding to indicate her acceptance of the plan. Perhaps it says something about her, but Mathias's sudden betrayal only makes her wonder if any of her other companions is also on the opposite side of the conflict and is simply waiting a perfect moment to strike. Simultaneously she also feels bad about suspecting them, especially considering the recent events, and so altogether the chaos in her mind is highly unpleasant - which means that it's the time to focus on something else. For example, their destination.

"If its dock is hidden, is there a way to recognize which warehouse is the correct one?" She asks Julia, then adds to explain her own question: "I mean, there can be more than one warehouse. Just making sure we don't break in somewhere perfectly law-abiding."

Julia nods to Elaine and answer her question.

"There are; good question. The pillars of this particular wharf are marked, in a way. From south to north they are tallest, shortest, taller, shorter, taller, taller, shorter. A low boat can drift between the third and fourth pillars, under the public dock, and it'd find itself in a secret warehouse harbor."

This conversation has been taking place as the group walked to the top of the street, where the towns main thoroughfare is met. Common folk go to-and-fro, townsfolk about their business--so the party is still ahead of any pursuit.

Julia casts one last glance at the musketeers. "Good luck...and at the very least, get revenge for me."

The gear raises its hand with a squeak, a farewell, then stomps off after Julia.

The wind blows a few loose leaves of paper down the cobbles.

After waiting for daylight to withdraw against the sheltering cloak of dusk, inside a tavern, the Coats resurface on the streets.

Their insignia and uniforms well concealed, they wander towards the docks acting like a group of revellers, jolly after a few drinks too many.

The wooden structures become taller as they approach the waterfront. Less aesthetic, more pragmatic. Ornate peaked roofs leaving place to slanted , boxy builds with winches and sliding gates.

The area is not as well lit as the downtown streets.
They wander on piers and walkways, until they locate what they need.

"What do you think? That should do nicely, I reckon..." he whispers to the others, pointing at a row boat moored to a wooden jetty, floating on the river's dark waters.

Elaine is following after the others, her steps overly careful since she doesn't trust the structural integrity of these walkways - and in the evening darkness, the water below looks especially inhospitable. When they pause to examine the rowboat from afar, Elaine keeps shifting in place and glancing around, as if expecting a guard to suddenly pop up from an alleyway and question them about what they are doing. "It certainly looks like a boat to me," she responds somewhat gruffly to Sans, then shivers under her cloak. "Can we do this quick? If we get caught stealing..."

She trails off, leaning over to stare at the water again. "...Also, I am bad at swimming. Just wanted to let you know."

Playing the part of drunken reveler quite easily, Issac takes a swig from his flask and claps Sans on the shoulder, "That's perfect."

He hurries toward the boat at a fast clip, and starts unwrapping the anchoring rope from the dock.