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The Thieves Guild
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by Jake Kerr.
00:00:10
Episode 45:
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Larson Receives a Report.
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Larson paced in his office, ignoring the glorious sunset that shone through
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the huge window behind his desk. The view of Founder's Park, the wall, and
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the plains that spread to the horizon normally calmed him, but he was expecting a
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report from his blade on the Polo situation, and the blade was late.
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Things were starting to spin out of control.
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Somehow word had gotten out that someone wanted to assassinate Polo, and that
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created a whole new set of complications for him.
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Larson felt he could handle the murmuring in the streets if he actually was able to
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assassinate Polo, but the longer things went, the more unstable
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things would get.
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To make matters worse, Orion's nephew was walking around the Guild Tower causing all
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kinds of mischief, reminding everyone that he was the deputy guild master and that
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they had to listen to him. It was, if possible, worse mischief than his
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brother had caused before he fled to the Wretched Quarter.
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Guild members took the boy seriously and were listening to him as if he had a
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legitimate title, absurd as it was. The boy, Keres,
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didn't actually do anything other than eat and boss others around, but it was how he
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was doing it that caused problems. He would often demand something
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minor but annoying, such as desirable quarters in the tower or the choice of an
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especially fine merchant ship for transportation, and the individual would appeal to
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Larson to overturn the request. Not wanting to upset Orion,
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Larson would always take the boy's side and reinforce his authority as the
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deputy guild master.
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With the whispers in the streets about Polo and the whispers in his guild about Keres,
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Larson was prepared to do just about anything to solve either problem.
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As he considered his options, the sun finally set, filling the room with a
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shadow. Larson lit a lamp as a knock finally landed on his door.
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"Come in," Larson yelled out as he marched to the door to
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meet his blade.
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A young man dressed in the deep blue of the merchant guild strode in.
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He nodded as Larson strode over to him. "Where have you been, Pattis?
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You are late." Pattis, the merchant blade, bowed.
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I apologize, guild master. I was delayed due to a meeting with a spy within the Harvest
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Guild. He was not punctual.
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Larson waved a hand, turned, and walked to his desk. "It matters not. Come.
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You have been gone a long time. I expect good news." The
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blade followed Larson and sat down in one of the chairs facing Larson's desk.
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"Speak,"
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Larson stated, squeezing the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger.
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I'm afraid it is not good news. As we expected, Polo
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has retreated into Harvest House. He is unreachable.
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"No one is unreachable."
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Larson slammed his fist onto his desk.
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"You simply haven't tried hard enough."
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Pattis waited a moment and then replied.
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I have tried everything. There are no tunnels, pipes, or other methods of
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entering Harvest House. The walls are unscalable.
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Polo clearly knows this as the grounds are lightly guarded.
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I have tried at least a dozen times.
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I cannot explain how it is done, but the walls move and change under my hands.
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Vines, cracks, and ledges that support me disappear from under my hands and
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feet. I nearly died in my last attempt.
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I swear the house was toying with me, letting me climb high enough to endanger my
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life as it tossed me to the ground.
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"Nonsense. Buildings can't think. Perhaps we can find a better climber."
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Feel free.
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Larson hated moments like that.
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Part of what he liked about Pattis was that he was unafraid of Larson.
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It made him extremely valuable as it proved his fearlessness.
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Combined with his obvious skill, his lack of fear made Pattis a deadly and powerful
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blade. The trouble was that his objections were dangerously close to insubordination.
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Staring at Pattis, Larson wondered if he should discipline him.
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At the last moment, Pattis lowered his eyes and Larson breathed out.
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"No need," he stated. "I assume the interior is similarly
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difficult."
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Not unassailable by a force, but certainly by stealth.
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The paths to Polo's quarters are too well defended.
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Pattis shrugged.
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He is out of your reach, guild master.
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Larson nodded. "And he will not leave Harvest House?"
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He has not as of yet. I consider it unlikely. He isn't stupid.
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When your machinations became clear, he knew that the only other way for you to take control of
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Ness was for him or Raylan to die, and everyone knows Raylan is lost in the Wretched
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Quarter.
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"Should I send you to the Wretched Quarter to take care of Raylan?
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That might be easier."
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Larson spoke the words more to himself than Pattis, but his blade answered.
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It is a fool's mission. If someone is in the Wretched Quarter and doesn't want to be
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found, you won't find them.
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The response surprised Larson. "You've been over the bridge."
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Once. I wasn't even out of sight of the bridge when I was set upon by a gang.
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I killed one, but was lucky to get away with my own life. It is chaotic and lawless.
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You cannot enter safely without being already known to them.
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"You are sure of this?
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Why not just disguise yourself as one of them?
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Wear rags and cover yourself in dirt."
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That is what I did. I looked as wretched as the group I entered with, yet the others were
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ignored and I was attacked.
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"Certainly they can't know everyone who lives there.
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Perhaps one of those you were with tipped off a friendly gang." Pattis shrugged.
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"It is possible. Regardless, to scour the whole quarter is an absurd
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risk. As I noted, if Raylan is alive, he is out of our reach."
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"Then what are our options?"
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Even as he spoke the words, Larson felt his anger building.
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"The disaster at the Founder's Banquet has caused people to talk.
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We need to resolve things immediately."
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Pattis said nothing as Larson tapped his fingers on his desk.
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"Maybe I'm just not being daring enough."
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Pattis raised an eyebrow as Larson smiled.
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"Yes, I've been too limited in my thinking."
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Larson slapped his hand on his desk. "Pattis, how do you kill a snake?"
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"You remove the head."
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"And what happens to the head if you crush the body?"
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"It dies."
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"Exactly."
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Larson stood up. "You have a new mission, blade."
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"And that is?"
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Pattis replied as he scrambled to his feet.
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"Research."