Café de Nuit

Tom get rid of his pirate disguise as well and follows Alfonse. He says really proud:

"Great job with the arrows back there Gertie!"

VAN wrote:Tom get rid of his pirate disguise as well and follows Alfonse. He says really proud:

"Great job with the arrows back there Gertie!"

"Thanks, Tom."
GERTIE wipes sweat from her face and starts down the alley after her brother and Alfonse.

(If the others go with Alfonse) The party moves north, away from the waterfront, looking for pirate stragglers in the streets.

Gem catches a scent, sniffing at the air and whining. The dog noses toward a particular section of buildings north beyond a row of warehouses.

Tom and the others see smoke pouring from the doors and windows of a two story stucco shop and loft, set a little distance apart from the nearest buildings on either side. The sign above the doorway shows three golden balls, but they have to squint to make it out through the rising cloud of soot and fumes. They can't make out the lettering.

When the breeze shifts and blows the smog toward them, they catch a whiff of hot oil along with the odor of burning wood and plaster.

Shutters on an upper window facing the south side of the street fly open. A figure appears in the smoky rectangle-- a woman with a sagging cloth draped over her head and shoulders. She thrusts a squirming thing out over the window ledge.

"Oh no!" Damien points at the kicking, screaming toddler.

The woman sways. She does not scream, but when she opens her mouth, a ragged cough comes out that almost sounds like words.

At that moment, a side door swings open into the alley on the right. Four men with clubs and daggers emerge from the building, coughing. One man's club is a guttering torch. They are all dressed as sailors, and carry sacks on their back, out of which loot spills into the street as they hurry off...





END OF CHAPTER NINE