A few minutes later Robert was approaching the quartermaster's wagon in a group of six. He didn't know any of their name besides Rex's. But Rex seems to know them. It was the second-largest wagon there. Willow had pointed it out to him yesterday and it was time to say hello. A woman was waiting by a small hole in the wagon's side. The hole was at neck level.

A hand appeared from the hole and offered the woman a single coin. The coin glinted like an American dime. She opened her hand to catch the coin as the hand dropped it. The hand retracted and the woman turned.

“Oh, sorry.” The woman said as she almost bumped into him. “Were you all waiting?” she added as she awkwardly stepped around Robert and pushed the group. “I'll just get out of your way.”

“Is that the quartermaster?” Robert asked as Rex stepped up to the hole.

“Oh, so the context clues were not enough for him?” a male voice said through the wood.

“Don't mind him, Robert. He's like this with every new member.” Rex said as he offered a silver coin and his tag to the hole. “Can you exchange this for ten copper crowns?”

“Don't tell me how to do my job. It's obvious you weren't asking for a bag of hundred copper heads. No one asks for that.” said the voice as a hand appeared and took the coin while leaving the tag. “Is the rest of you asking for services too?”

“Ah yes, but I can go last,” Robert said. He wanted to watch how the others did it. “Since I'm new.”

The hand appeared again with a small bag that jingled like money. Rex took the bag and stepped aside.

The oldest and tallest of the group when next. With his tag in hand, he asked for today's pay. The quartermaster muttered something and was offered a small bag.

The next two guys asked to exchange up a big handful of copper coins. They call them copper heads. The quartermaster took the coins and came back with one copper coin. He called it a copper crown. They took the coins and let the last guy go. He pulled out a silver coin and asked for the same thing as Rex.

Ok, so a few copper heads, make up a copper crown and those make up a silver coin? But how many exactly for both? Robert thought as he tried to count coins. Oh hell, defiantly more than seven. Logical states it's an even ten, but I can't be sure.

Soon it was Robert's turn and he already know what he wanted. As he stepped up to the wagon, the others were waiting on him. He glanced up into the hole for a moment. The hole was strangely dark. He barely could see an outline of a person inside.

“Ah hello. Can I get today's pay?” Robert asked.

“Can I see your membership tag?” the voice asked as a hand appeared. Robert quickly took the tag from his pocket. It took him a moment to find it. The tag was nestled with his dead phone. Once retrieved he gave it to the hand and the hand disappeared. “Hum? Ok. I only got your name in yesterday. So I can only give you the pay you made yesterday. Anything else?

“Some Cinta please,” Robert said, as he glanced back at the others. They looked bored. Like he was just taking too long. That's good. “Oh and a knife, you got a knife in there?”

“Yes, we got knives but they're only for rent. You'll have to return them later.” The voice said as a pair of hands appeared. One with a small bag and the other with a foggy glass tube. Through the foggy glass of the tube, Robert could see red. “This bag has six copper crowns and ten copper heads. Your pay for yesterday and this is your daily Cinta, don't use it all at once.”

“Think you,” Robert said as he grabbed the tube with one hand and the bag with the other. “Oh and that about the knife?”

“Now hold on. I'll have to get it out of storage.” The voice said as the hands retracted. Robert heard footsteps and some loud rusty hinges before the footsteps came back. A hand appeared holding a sheathed knife. The sheath had blue scales like a snake. “Here,” Robert pocketed the Cinta tube and took the knife in his free hand. “Now off with you lot. I'm busy.”

“Wait you forgot my tag?” Robert said as the hand retracted.

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“Oh sorry about that. Here it.” said the voice as the hand came back with his tag. Realizing he needed to do a little quick hand snuffle. Robert moved the knife under his armpit and grabbed the tag. He stuffed the coins and the tag into his other pocket. Then took the knife out of his armpit. “Hey, I didn't get your name?

“Right, like I'm going to tell you my name. Now go away.” the voice said. Then the wagon went quiet. Only footsteps could be heard from inside.

Well, that was rude. Robert thought.

“Hey, let me see? ” Rex said as he stepped up beside Robert. Robert put the knife away in one of his pockets and turned. “Did you rent that knife, Robert? Bad move I say. If you lose that, they'll take it out of your next payday. And where we're going we might just lose our shoes. Now that we all have money to waste. Let's go.”

“Wait, Rex. I think we should invite Chad along.” said one of the group. “He's horrible at cards and I don't want to be the only loser.”

“What no,” Rex said as his head to the guy to speak. “Why would we invite that bag of wind.”

“I don't think he's a bag of wind.” said another of the group.

“Oh come on. Rex. You just don't want to bring him along, because he's a higher rank them you...” said the first guy. “and us for that matter.”

Robert realized that probably was true. Whoever this Chad guy was. All six of them were just stage workers. Seemingly the lowest and least paying job in the troop.

“Hey, that's not the reason. He's loud and will ruin the mood. Come on guys let's just...” Rex said looking around trying to find supporters. “Ok fine, you can ask him.”

“Alright, I'll go find him. You all wait here.” the first guy said, as he ran off.

“Hey, why didn't any of you back me up,” Rex asked as he turned to the last two guys who were just watching. “Robert?”

“Well Rex, it can't be that bad. you can still have a good afternoon even if you spent it with some real jerks. But unless...” Robert started as the guy came running back. A large balding man was in tow behind him. He was the first troop member Robert met yesterday.

“So is this the group, right?” Chad said, coming to a stop. “But first who's buying the drinks.” Rex shook his head.

----------------------------------------

As they walked away. Robert took a spot a the back of the group. He wanted to test something. He pulled out his Cinta tube and shook it a little. The red sand bounced around inside.

Ok, so how does this stuff work? From what I have seen, it can't be anything scientific. They just do it. Maybe it's imagination? All I have to do is imagined the thing and it happens? Nothing more than that, right? Robert thought as he raised his other hand, palm up, and imagined the flame Sofia showed him yesterday. He didn't want to make anything bigger.

The moment he had the image in his head. A flash of flames appeared and there was a momentary heat. But only briefly. The smoke puffed away as he had just scuffed out a match. He glanced over that the tube. It was empty.

Oh no not again. Am I missing something here? It can't be a one-time use. I've seen others use it for longer? Oh hell, I'm going to have to wait for a whole another day to get more of this stuff. Robert thought as he stuffed the empty tube back into this packet. Hum... Maybe if I separated it out into smaller piles it might last longer?

Walking up the main street. Robert's group joined the afternoon crowds. They were near the market, if he remembered right Gertrude's stall was a few streets away from them. He should find the time to meet her again.

As they walked, people shouted about cheap afternoon goods. That got Robert thinking. He hadn't checked the coin bag yet. Maybe he had enough to but Cinta.

“Hey, Chad you're...” Rex said as he turned and glanced back at Robert. His eyes went wide. “Everyone stop. Robert where's your Cinta?”

“What, I... don't know?” Robert said as patched his pants like he was checking for his keys. “It was here a minute ago?”

“I don't see why this is a problem. It was only a gram. I lose a gram of Cinta all the time.” Chad said crossing his arms.

“Of course, you don't. This is different from using it. He got robbed and right after he got it too?” Rex barked. He rubbed his forehead and turned to Robert. “ How did you not see someone literally using Cinta on you?” Rex looked down at the coin bag in Robert's hands. “At least you didn't lose your pay. That's something. You need to be more careful Robert. There are pickpockets and Cinta swipes everywhere. Maybe you should put that bag in your coat pocket. It's safer up there.”

“Thank I'll do that,” Robert said as the group started walking again. After a few steps, Robert finally open the bag he was so curious about.

Inside was sixteen copper coins. The darkness inside the bag revealed nothing but their color. He reached in and pulled out one. It was copper with a human head stamped on it. Like old roman coins. They were also the same coins he had gotten from the Commander, but he only vaguely remembered looking at the shape of the coins briefly. He should have paid more attention to details like this.

He put the coin back in and widened the bag to allow more light inside. He could see an obscured crown on some of the coins.

Curiosity satisfied. Robert moved the bag to his jacket's inner pocket as he was told. But the weight on his jacket was uncomfortable, so he moved them to his pants pocket. He was pretty sure he could stop pickpockets. Though he hasn't a clue what a Cinta swipe is.

Soon they reached their destination. The lucky lady was at a casino and bar. A large crowd gathered outside the building. They were a mix of people who were leaving and entering. A bouncer stood by the doors eyeing the crowd. The building itself was a fancy three-story building unlike the rest of the city. Robert hadn't seen any four-story buildings around.

Maybe they couldn't get them that high so some reason? Robert thought as he scanned the building. Well, I'm surprised. It is a nice little place.

Robert's group was about to enter the building. When a flash of red light filled the street. The shadows elongated and everything turned red. Burning cinders landed along the street and on some of the buildings. People turned and started screaming.

A massive fire bloomed and raised over the city. It was raining cinders everywhere, after a heart-stopping second the smoke cloud started to fade but then the fires started. Almost every building was on fire. The crowds were panicking and running for cover. Then the second explosion of fire filled the air and shot even more cinders up into the air.