Breach of Contract

A gentle breeze blew across the top of the city wall, many of the soldiers there shivering in the cold evening air. Their eyes were turned mostly outward, always watching the lands around Bastion for any signs of trouble. A few looked back at the city they were there to protect, but there was little excitement. Boredom bred complacency. Complacency could get a man killed, even in Bastion. The moon shone overhead, its bright glow slightly hidden by drifting cloud cover as it crawled across the sky. The scant illumination left many deep shadows among the many buildings of Bastion, and the cursory glances of the guards did not pierce such darkness.

Sinder smiled, sitting comfortably on the roof of a nearby building. He was a few stories above the guards, his perch shadowed by the taller buildings around him. Back against the half wall lining the roof edge, one leg stretched before him and the other bent to serve as an elbow rest, he seemed perfectly at ease. His purple top hat and pants seemed black in the dim light, his cape the color of blood. The brown and tan of his boots seemed to gleam with a slightly blue tinge, as did many other items on the strangely dressed man. Moonlight struck similar blue highlights from the steel bands around each forearm. His red cape also seemed to shift colors whenever you glanced away, though it remained red whenever directly viewed. His hat shimmered, the edges seeming indistinct or fuzzy, as though the hat itself was not quite sure whether it was real. The band around his ring finger, simple gold, seemed to have shadows crawling somewhere in the depths of the metal. The only normal pieces of clothing on him were his pants and shirt, the former seeming black in the darkness and the latter a pit of sheer midnight, the black velvet seeming to absorb the light.

Amber eyes gleamed with delight as Sinder stared up at the heavens, finding the stars amongst the clouds. The soft glow of the moon played enchantingly across his handsome face, which wore an expression of contentment as he exhaled slowly. "Another perfect night." Sinder Tamaran breathed quietly, feeling the stillness of the night around him. This close to the edge of the city, everything always seemed to be a little bit more calm. While inner Bastion bustled with the night life, some of the businesses never really closing, others only opening as the sun set, the sense of danger brought on by the great defensive barrier seemed to kill any nightlife. The air seemed charged with potential out here, at least to Sinder. Raising and turning his head slightly, Sinder glanced over the wall to the wilderness beyond.

The world had become a place full of potential suddenly, the civilizations that had cluttered it with people and buildings for so long destroyed. Even after a decade, Sinder was still amazed at how much more....alive he felt. No longer was the world explored, the land mapped to perfection and every secret discovered. No, now this was a land of the unknown. A world where an explorer could discover something new over every hill, or rediscover something long since lost. It was a place no longer tame, freed from the shackles of dominance by Mankind. A human himself, Sinder still appreciated how stifling the dominance of his race had been for this world. Where was the adventure, the excitement, of such a life? Knowing that you would never have to use a weapon to defend your life? The Enlightenment, during that time when so many had died, Sinder felt like he had been reborn.

The strangely dressed man breathed in the clean air of a world full of potential, full of treasures to be found and wonders to be discovered, and stood. Even stretching he managed not to draw the attention of the soldiers, the deep shadows around him and his dark clothing helping to conceal him. Moving quickly to the edge of the building, he crouched and looked down, eyes on one of the many gates into the city. It was almost time.

A discussion was barely audible on the other side of the great portal, the guards questioning someone as they approached. In a couple of minutes, the door swung open, a single figure stepping through onto the street. Sinder smiled, seeing that it was the very man he had been expecting.

He walked with a hood pulled up over his head, hands in pockets and constantly looking about nervously. This was a man on edge, something that would normally improve his chances of survival. But this night, with this particular man after him, no level of alertness was enough.

The clang of someone jumping down onto a fireescape brought the man's head swiveling around, staring at the vibrating staircase of painted metal. It was shaking as though something heavy had just landed on it, and yet no one was in sight. With a nervous laugh, he continued on his way. Seconds later he heard the clomp of running footsteps from an alley opposite the shaking fire escape. Still on edge, he spun and drew a weapon, aiming it with shaking hands down an empty alley. "What the hell is wrong with me today?" he muttered, running a hand down his face and sliding his pistol back into its holster.

Sinder watched from an alley opposite the one the man had aimed at, amused by his antics. For the third time he flung his cape out to the side with one arm, then flinging it in around himself. As the red cloth wrapped about him, Sinder simply vanished. For the third time he reappeared thirty feet away, now standing right behind the man. A short fall to the fire escape had brought him within range of the street, his cape taking him away before his prey ever looked up. A quick run down the alley, and he vanished once more to appear in one opposite. Now Sinder held an empty hand up, fingers extended. Suddenly a dagger appeared in his left hand, the bracer flaring slightly with a blue light. Instantly he grabbed the man around the neck with his right arm, the dagger tip resting against his throat casually.

"Now now Stephen, what have I told you about getting greedy?" Sinder whispered, his voice as cheerful as the honest smile on his face.

Stephen had gone completely stiff, freezing at the first touch of dagger to his flesh. He knew who was hunting him, who had caught him, and the fact that he was outmatched was never even in question. "Greedy men fast become dead men." Stephen nervously stammered, swallowing with some difficulty. "But you did not tell me how valuable this thing is. I am getting paid nowhere near enough for retrieving it!"

Sinder laughed, shaking his head at the pathetic, if expected, excuse. "Our contract specified that you take whatever the central chamber of that temple held, which you did, for an agreed upon price. I have kept my side of the bargain to the letter," he slid a large stack of money from his sleeve, the right arm maintaining his choke-hold as he slipped the money into the hoodie of Stephen. "and you so far, have failed to deliver the goods. So tell me Stephen, what exactly am I supposed to do with you at this rather....unfortunate junction?"

Stephen just licked his lips, his whole body shaking with nerves as he struggled to stay still, the razor edge of the dagger nicking his skin. "Well I will make you a deal Stephen," Sinder announced grandly, releasing the man and stepping back. His dagger vanished somewhere into his clothing as he placed both hands on his hips, examining Stephen like some kind of curiosity. "I will more than pay you for your trouble by allowing you to live, and even grant you the bonus of keeping your money. Just hand over the totem, and we can both walk away richer from this mess."

Stephen nodded almost eagerly, fumbling with his backpack. After several tries he opened it, taking out a sealed box. Slowly, he placed it on the ground, taking great care to keep Sinder in sight the entire time. The brightly dressed man smirked at that. Without another word, Stephen turned and vanished into the nearest alley, sprinting for all he was worth. Sinder walked calmly over, his boots sounding loudly in the empty street. He picked up the box, opening it to see the totem inside. He had never doubted Stephen, his terror had been too real to be disguising some kind of ploy, but he had to check anyways. Holding the package securely under one arm, Sinder started strolling towards his home further into the city.

==Moiety, Antartica==

Lance had finally gotten adjusted to his new existence as a Shade. It wasn't that much different than his previous life, actually. He was finally able to lose those stubborn pounds....when he was incorporeal. The city itself wasn't that bad either for the South Pole. A little cold this time year, but when wasn't it? Something told him he'd be going to someplace slightly warm in just a moment.

Heads turned in the Arbitration Chamber towards the northwest. The current topic of debate between the Light and Dark Shades forgotten as they all felt the disturbance in the cosmos. Lance, just an attendee of the day's proceedings, wanted to ask what had just happened. The air in the room told him to be quiet.

Amata, the Light Shade who welcomed Lance to the fold, was the first to mentally speak. ~Grand Arbiter, I humbly request we take a recess.~ His brother Atama, representing the Dark Shades on this matter, also spoke. ~I second the motion.~

A female Shade clad in shifting robes depicting the passage of the sun and the moon stared at them. Lance did not know her name. He didn't think anyone did. All of their minds felt the weight of her ruling. In Shade law, a second to the motion by other spectrum indicated an unanimous vote.

~This Council is in recess until the current situation has been resolved.~ The weight of the telepathic communication grew heavier as Lance realized she was now only talking to him. ~Shade Stone will oversee the situation.~

~I'm sorry? What situation?~ Lance asked back. He had only just recently been able to respond solely with telepathy while in Moiety. ~I don't understand.~

The brother counselors took Lance aside. Perhaps the Grand Arbiter had included them in her appointment. ~An item of great importance to our kind was just removed from its resting place.~

~It is of no true use or value to the mortals,~ Atama explained. ~But its removal is a desecration of our culture.~

Retrieve it for us and return the artifact to its proper place,~ Amata said. ~Sense it out like you would one of your wards. It will call out to you. Do whatever needs to be done.~

The chamber emptied one by one. The Grand Arbiter was the last to leave. Lance could feel her unbiased gaze burrow into his incoporeal form. He closed his eyes and focused on the source of the disturbance. After a moment, Lance identified it as an object on the move. He left the chamber in a swarm of black spheres. Someone had stolen from his newfound brethren, which was enough to sour his mood and negate the need for a coin flip. The black swarm made its way back to New England.

==Bastion==

Lance reappeared on a rooftop not too far from the wall. Whatever this artifact was, it had not decided to give him its exact location. Fortunately he wasn't relying solely on his ability to Sense. The Shade's ears picked up on the conversation about a deal. A deal that involved retrieving an object from an abandoned temple.

{Not abandoned. Camouflaged.}

It appeared as though the transaction had been completed. No matter. Lance didn't care about the middlemen. The freelancer in him did want to know what his competition planned to do with the artifact, if it was only but a trinket to the mortals. Perhaps their security would be lax.

After all, who would expect a thief to be robbed on the same night?

Sinder walked casually through the dark streets, not seeming bothered as he moved through one of the rougher parts of town. Few in the upper echelons of society knew of him as anything other than a simple performer, however talented he may be. To them he would ever exist solely for their entertainment. But to those in the underbelly of Bastion, he was an ever present shadow.

Sinder rarely got involved in any petty crime, or any criminal activity at all really. No, he specialized in the obscure and the lost. While the eyes of many crime lords were constantly focused within the city, his own scanned the distant horizons with eager anticipation. Out there was the wealth of an entire world lost, countless civilizations destroyed during the Enlightenment. And though the cities were filled with dead, many buildings demolished, much of that wealth still was intact.

Sinder was an acquirer of artifacts, be they malicious or benign. A decorative vase for the mansion of a noble, or a magical amulet with the power to level city blocks, he would get anything for the right price. Technically this was not illegal, ensuring that his hands remained clean throughout the process. But it was not where he acquired the goods that connected him to the criminal world, it was who he hired to retrieve the items, and who he had them sold to.

The market value for such objects was extremely high, even for those with no magic. The risk involved with retrieving them cost much when legitimate channels were followed. Sinder was the canal that bypassed these main waterways. He did not simply hire honest men, he uncovered dirt on the lowest of scum and then offered them minimal pay to do the job. A murderer hiding from the police often found himself forced to risk his life retrieving some trinket, the threat of being turned in motivation greater even than the pay.

Of course, this method had its draw backs. For one thing, Sinder was forced to retrieve the item from his hireling with force much too often. It helped that they only got paid once they came back, but most realized they were being paid far too little, deciding to try and sell the item themselves. These fools rarely got away with it, unless they left the city of course. Sinder had contacts among the rich, and among the gutters, and almost everyone knew he paid well for information.

That was how Sinder managed to be so influential among criminals, yet also kept his hands clean. No murderer would report his blackmail after all, and those who tried to silence him with a blade often wound up with their throats cut. He was a businessman, one who employed the vulnerable and paid them next to nothing to risk their lives. Many of the city felons owed him, but he also took good care of his contacts. Once they had proved their worth, Sinder would post bail for some and outright help others escape, or keep them hidden. Those who did not prove their worth, those who failed, were rarely in any position to seek revenge. Corpses held no grudges after all.

The man who had delivered the artifact was one such man, a rapist who was evading justive. Sinder had no intention of letting the man hide, he would call the police the following day. Murder he could understand, it was sometimes deserved and often a necessary part of a business transaction, but rape he loathed. Stephen would face justice despite his service to Sinder, but the man he was on his way to meet was another story altogether. This was one of his long time contacts, the guy who always knew who would want to buy Sinder's newest acquisition. He was invaluable to the operation, and as such always enjoyed Sinder's most staunch protection.

There wasn't a whole lot of difference between Lance and Sinder. They both worked on the shadier side of acquisitions. Lance just didn't require the use of a fallback guy when he did a job. He was more of a hands on kind of guy which kept him from contracting with rapists.

While younger, Lance figured he had more experience in the spy game than the crazily dressed man. The Shade took to his incorporeal form and glided silently after the carny. Lance could have just orbed the artifact to him and be done with it. However, collectors of rare antiquities didn't usually send cronies out to devastated temples. The ones Lance knew liked to flaunt their wealth in front of actual certificates of authenticity. Even the underground collectors preferred museum pieces. Lance had to assume Sinder's employer had some sort of inkling about what he or she was dealing with.

If that were the case, Lance would have to be careful. The only thing more powerful than the trinket was a captured Shade. Lance could end up as a battery. The confinement chamber Umbra had made didn't look very comfortable. Maybe he'd just get an address and whisk the artifact away before Sinder got inside.

Sinder felt like he was being watched, but in Bastion that was hardly unusual. There was no such thing as true secrecy in this place, eyes and ears were everywhere. The only kind of security came from fear. Many might see Sinder make a transaction, but none would dare talk about it. Even if word never got to Sinder himself, one of his uncountable associates, many of whom were dangerous, undoubtedly would catch wind. Then whoever had been running their mouth would become personally acquainted with a ditch outside of town. It had happened before, it would happen again, but thankfully the people of Bastion were learning. You don't talk about Sinder.

It was because of this set up that Sinder did not even bother looking around as he stepped into a shop. It was one of very few with lights till on, the sign hanging in the window glowing with the word 'Open'. A small bell sounded as he stepped through the door. The man behind the counter glanced up with a smile, flicking a button beneath the counter. The door locked with an audible click, the sign outside turning off as well. The whole store seemed run down, ancient and ill kept, but that was an illusion. The glass in the windows could resist a shotgun blast, and the door would survive a car crash. What was an antique shop to most was also the front for the sale of...items of unusual origin.

"Good evening Artemis." Sinder greeted with a bow, sweeping his hat from his head. He replaced it as he stood, a wide smile on his face. "I have found the requested item, though I have to admit that it seems an awful lot of trouble for a pit of statuary." Normally he knew a fair bit about the artifact he was sent to retrieve, his research into such areas extensive, but he had never heard of this thing. It seemed completely innert, without a drop of magical power about it. Very strange that it was expected to fetch such a high price. Artemis rarely sent him out for specific objects, and they were almost always incredible.

Artemis smiled, the expression seeming a bit nervous to Sinder. "Ah...yes....thank you so much my friend." he said, slowly at first before the words seemed to tumble out in a rush. Yes, Artemis was definitely nervous. "I will give you the promised amount after the sale. I am afraid I do not have even your percentage of the sale price on hand." he laughed nervously. "I believe very few do! But rest assured my friend, you will receive the payment."

Sinder nodded, staring hard at the hunched man. He had been a beggar for many years, sleeping in alleys and eating from dumpsters. Sinder had saved him in a way, asking him to look around for anyone willing to purchase unusual items. It was strange how well connected some of the homeless were to the underworld, and he had found buyers quickly and efficiently. Sinder had paid him a generous portion of the sale, and before long Artemis had himself a shop and a life once more. It was why they trusted one another so much, but today something was definitely off.

The man in the funny hat stepped off the road and into a shop. So this was the fence. Good to know for future endeavors. Lance didn't bother trying to follow Sinder inside. There was no way he could sneak in without anyone noticing. Even incorporeal, the Shade was still visible. Besides, he didn't need to be inside.

Lance reformed and sat down underneath the window as the sign powered off. He put a glamour over himself to pass as a homeless person in case anyone walked by. The glass and door might have been reinforced against assailants, but it was quiet enough outside to hear what was going on. Even if he only caught bits and pieces of the actual conversation. At least the word 'statuary' had made it through. That gave him the keyword when it came time to whisk it away.

That wasn't now. Why steal it in front of two people when one of them was about to leave? Besides, Lance's connection to the artifact said it hadn't moved yet. He just hoped the place didn't have any secret passageways. He normally didn't move this quickly on a job, preferring to give it a week before raiding a place. Tonight just had a sense of urgency about it. Why else would the arbiters pause deliberations for a mundane carving?

As much as he currently hated Umbra, Lance fell back on his training. He cleared his mind and focused on the artifact. Ready to make his move.

Sinder leaned forward on the counter, crossing his arms as he did so. It was comfortable and appeared casual, but it also placed both his arms in perfect position. His right hand rested atop his left armband, the one that produced daggers. With a single thought and flick of the wrist, a dagger would appear and be piercing the eye of his oldest friend. Sinder watched Artemis stare at his wrist, eyes wide as he realized the pose Sinder was in. It was sad that it was coming down to this, but Artemis was getting a little too greedy lately. "My most esteemed colleague, I believe there must have been some miscommunication when you requested I retrieve this item." he said smoothly, the coolness of his tone all the threat that he needed.

Artemis twitched, beginning to sweat as he stood absolutely still. They both knew that he would be dead long before reaching any of the weapons he had stashed nearby, so he did his best to not make any threatening moves. Or any moves at all. After a long pause, Sinder continued. "I distinctly remember you saying that a buyer was lined up, that he had paid some money in advance, in fact." Sinder cocked his head to one side, as though puzzled. "Very strange then that you keep insinuating that you have not received said advance, and that the sale will be fairly distant." A dagger flashed into existence on his left wrist, his right hand gripping it solidly. Artemis gulped. "Now, if you will kindly consider this situation from my perspective, I think we will come to similar conclusions."

Artemis was shaking at this point, well aware that he was a few wrong words from death. They were friends, but that bond would not keep him alive anymore than it had kept Artemis from crossing Sinder in the first place. "What I think happened, is that there is no buyer." Sinder said quietly, the threat quite plain in his voice now. "This is not a normal statue, is it? There is no buyer because you want this for yourself. You never intend to sell it, never intend to give me any kind of a cut at all." Sinder flipped the dagger up, catching it in his right hand as he moved around the counter. Placing the blade against Artemis' throat, he glared coldly at the man. "I imagine you would have disappeared the second I left this building, right?" he asked, sorely tempted to kill the man here and now. "What does it do Artemis? Will it allow you to cut me out? To take care of your own protection, to acquire your own merchandise?"

(OOC: At this point feel free to have your guy pop in, or describe what this thing can do so Artemis can explain in my next post)

The faux-hobo's interest was piqued as the conversation became more tense. It was hard to hear exactly what was being said, but Lance had been on enough jobs to know when a deal was going south. It was none of his concern though, unless the man in the hat decided to do his business elsewhere.

Lance wasn't about to let that happen. But first, he had to see what was going to happen here.

==The statue has no arcane properties. It is essentially a religious relic, albeit an interesting one. To the Shades, the artifact is akin to either the Shroud of Turin or a piece of the True Cross. It would have no cultural value to a non-Shade aside from being a conversation starter on a coffee table. The only reason a 'mortal' would want it is if they knew about Shades and were attempting to lure one out for experimentation==

Artemis licked his lips nervously. "Look Sinder..." he started, mind whirling to make up an excuse. Sinder could see the cogs turning, but he knew they could not turn up anything. Artemis knew it too. If his life left even a shred of doubt in Sinder's mind, the man would be left to bleed to death on the floor of his own store. Sinder was not lacking for contacts after all, Artemis needed him far more than Sinder needed Artemis. He sighed at last, admitting defeat. "Fine. There is no buyer, but I was never going to cut you out. I just knew that you would never agree to this plan if you knew how dangerous and uncertain it was."

That certainly gave Sinder pause. Several long seconds passed in silence, Artemis knowing better than to speak simply by seeing the fire burning in the eyes of his friend. "What the hell have you done Artemis?" Sinder growled.

Artemis fidgeted, suddenly unable to meet his eyes. "The relic itself isn't magical at all, but I was hoping it would attract something incredibly powerful."

Now Sinder was really pissed. He would have understood greed and forgiven it, had Artemis merely admitted to trying to cut him out. It was just good business after all. But it had always been a requirement of them doing business that it involve minimal risk to both of them. Sinder dealt with the petty criminals, all of whom he selected based on his ability to kill them with ease. Truly dangerous criminals he avoided. From what he was gathering from Artemis, this was way beyond what they usually dealt with. "Artemis....who precisely did this belong to?" he asked coldly.

"Shades."

It was all Artemis said, and it was all he had to.

Artemis swore loudly, tossing his friend to the ground and walking briskly to the door. He did not even bothering to wait for it to be unlocked, simply vanishing to reappear outside. He had grabbed the parcel on his way out, tearing it free from the container. It was just a statue, but he could see some signs that it had Shade origins. If he had been paying more attention, he would have noticed. Working with Artemis for so long without incident had made him lazy, but that was about to change.

"Shades."

Shit! This wasn't some nincompoop who wanted a random curio no matter how exotic. Someone knew it could be used as bait. Bait meant Artemis had no desire to contract even the Dark Shades for his schemes. Lance would have to act soon before he tripped that trap.

Fortunately, the hat man appeared on the outside of the shop with the statue in hand. Better yet, it was out of the container. Although Lance had no intention of wrestling it from Sinder's grip. He backhanded the air with his right hand.

"Arbitration Chamber," Lance said as he pictured the room in his mind.

The statue transformed into a swarm of white balls of light and headed south for the winter. Sinder would notice the change in ambient light along with a slight shimmering sound. It would have been more telling for Lance to orb himself and try to snatch the statue away. Depending on his reflexes, Sinder could theoretically just dodge the Shade. And Lance wasn't quite sure how the man left without opening the door. Teleporters always made things difficult. He was one himself. Now Lance just had to decide what to do with him.

Lance pulled out his favorite decision maker, a coin commemorating the Conflagration and Enlightenment. He gave the coin a quick flip.

==Lance determines if he will attack or not by coin toss. Please make a OOC in your next post calling heads or tails. If you win, Lance won't be lethal towards Sinder==

Sinder stared with mild surprise as the artifact vanished, little glowing balls drifting away. It would have been a fairly significant investment, except that Artemis would still be paying him. Sinder had retrieved the artifact, and it seemed the owners had taken it back. But the initial job had been done, and his foolish partner would be paying for that much at least. The foolish criminal who had been blackmailed into doing the dirty work was either ending up in a ditch or a jail cell tomorrow, so he mattered little. Sinder was already scanning the surrounding buildings, a dagger in his left hand with his right poised to snap it at any targets. Considering what the artifact had belonged to, Sinder was more than a little nervous. He preferred dealing with known quantities, beings that he knew enough about to manipulate or control. Shades were neither.

OOC: HEADS

==I am very sorry for the wait. Something came up, and I wasn't able to post until tonight. That unfortunately means I'm going to have to end my involvement in this thread in the next round or two.==

As Sinder drew his metal, Lance's own tumbled back into his palm. The coin landed on the atomic cloud, which the Wild Card had always considered to be Heads. That meant the man in the hat would get to wear said hat for another night at least.

"You seem like a smart guy," Hobo Lance said from his spot on the ground. "So I'll just let you off with a warning this time. Touch any of our stuff again without permission, and things will be much more tragic for you."

Lance flipped the coin again but switched up the call. Sure enough, the UN/Courts emblems were revealed. Luck favored this guy. "And I'll also throw in this other one time offer. Tell me who the buyer is, and I don't mean this fence, and I'll forget it was you I bumped into."

That wasn't exactly true, but the Shade would put in a good word for the guy. In the event his offer was rejected, Lance began the process of turning his body back into its energy state. At least the knives wouldn't stick him too much that way.

"So what do you say?"

Sinder smiled, but did not relax hardly willing to trust the word of a Shade. He knew that the idiocy of Artemis had gotten them into trouble this time, but at least the Shade seemed willing to forgive this transgression. Sinder was more than happy to sell out the buyer in return for his own safety, particularly a buyer reckless enough to purchase so dangerous an item. Keeping his dagger ready for a quick throw, Sinder locked gazes with the Shade. I am more than willing to accept your most gracious offer." he replied, substituting a slight nod of his head for his more formal bow. He was not taking his eyes off of this one. "The buyer was a rich man named Eric Selden. Feel free to do as you like with him, he deserves it for dragging me into this."

Sinder paused, glancing quickly back into the store where Artemis was staring out of the window at their little meeting. Sinder could see the greedy spark in his beady eyes. Sinder would have to deal with him after this encounter, or his greed would simply lead both of them down another dangerous road in time. "Thank you for your understanding fair Shade. If your kind ever need a favor in the future, I would be more than happy to help out my friends for the right price." He smiled genuinely, actually hopeful that he may have made some profitable connections with this mysterious race. Now if he could just survive having such powerful contacts....

{Eye contact. That's pretty cocky. Or is he issuing a challenge?}

Some cultures played Chicken by seeing who would turn away first. It was an interesting measure of a person's character. The question was, however, did this man wish to start a fight with Lance? Considering how the acquirer of rare antiquities left the shop, the answer was probably not. He was more than likely saying I'm not scared of you. From what the new Shade was learning, it wasn't him the guy needed to be scared of.

I am more than willing to accept your most gracious offer. The buyer was a rich man named Eric Selden. Feel free to do as you like with him, he deserves it for dragging me into this."

Easy enough to verify. Lance had a few contacts in Bastion that could help him track the seller down. For now, he could feel eyes on his incorporeal back. Too much attention was bearing down on him.

"Thank you for your understanding fair Shade." Fair Shade? What was this? Some kind of Second Renaissance? "If your kind ever need a favor in the future, I would be more than happy to help out my friends for the right price."

"I'm sure we'll be in touch," Lance replied. How exactly? He couldn't say. But it seemed as though they had an understanding. The hobo-ified Lance got up from the dirty street and walked off into the shadows of the alley. When he was in deep enough, he orbed back 'home.' The Grand Arbiter would want to hear about this Selden person before any action was taken.

[/Exit Lance]