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“Maybe the meeting is breaking up,” suggests Stig.

“Could be,” he agrees. Then his eyes notice that the door the two men had come out of is ajar. “Look!” he says excitedly as he directs Stig’s attention to it. “Be right back,” he says and steps quickly into the hallway and moves down to the door.

The men remaining within the room sound as if they are still in the midst of some conversation. Jiron moves to the door and peers through the slight crack. Inside he sees another man in armor, his helm resting on the table before him sitting across from the man he saw at the bridge. Just when he places his hand against the door to push it open a little bit wider to see better, the voice of the third man comes from right on the other side of the door. Jiron jumps back just as the door swings inward.

Plastering himself against the wall, he sets a hand onto the hilt of his knife and watches the doorway which is only a foot and a half away. Standing there exposed in the hallway, he’s sure that he’ll be seen.

The man’s voice comes to them again as he backs out of the room and continues talking to those still in there. With his attention directed back into the room, he fails to notice Jiron there only a foot behind him. The man says a few more words then closes the door. Without a glance in Jiron’s direction, he moves to walk down the hallway in the same direction as had the other two men.

Jiron remains absolutely still until the man is halfway to where the previous two men turned out of the corridor before backing away from the doorway. He makes the stairs where Stig is waiting just before the man turns and leaves the corridor.

“Man that was close!” whispers Stig.

Turning to him Jiron finds him wearing a wide grin. “I thought for sure it was all over,” he admits.

Trying to stifle a laugh that’s trying to break through, Stig says, “I never saw anyone jump like you did when that door opened.”

“Okay,” Jiron says, “enough.” He gives Stig a stern gaze which does nothing to help control the mirth that’s threatening to take control. “He’s in there with one other individual.”

Getting himself under control, Stig says, “You sure?”

“Absolutely,” he replies.

“Then the odds are even,” he states. Pulling his mace from the loop that secures it to his belt he adds, “What are we waiting for.”

Jiron nods. “Don’t kill anyone,” he warns. “We want information, not enemies.” Then just before they step out of the stairwell and into the hallway, the door to the room opens yet again.

The waiting is always the worst part of anything. Standing in the darkness, James watches the townhouse. It’s been fifteen minutes since Jiron and Stig disappeared around the far side. Only the fact that they haven’t returned and that it’s remained quiet gives him any indication that things are going well. If things hadn’t, it wouldn’t be nearly so peaceful.

Taking out his mirror, he checks on Jiron’s progress and finds him and Stig at the top of some stairwell looking around the corner down a hallway. “Things are going okay so far,” he says. No one has died yet.

“James!” whispers Miko urgently.

Looking to where he’s pointing, he sees a man in armor along with another man in fine clothing leaving the townhouse through the front door.

“Is either one of them the guy?” asks Reilin.

Shaking his head, James says, “No. He must still be inside.” They watch as the two men turn and follow the street in their direction. Everyone remains stock still as the two men walk past. Hidden in the shadows as they are, the two men fail to see them and soon disappear in the distance.

“Good,” grunts Shorty.

Turning toward him James gives him a questioning look.

“Just that now there are less to deal with if things go bad,” he explains.

Nodding his head in agreement, James turns back to watch the townhouse once more.

A couple minutes later the front door opens again and another man leaves. This one is obviously from the north. Dressed in finer than average clothes with a sword hanging at his