It wasn’t easy to track Lorence down. Just like Liam he was a man who had grown up on the streets. That meant he was careful, and calculating.

Differently than Liam though, he wasn’t alone. Lorence had joined a gang years ago, not just any gang, but David’s gang. One of the most influential sources of crime in the city. Well, other than the nobility of course.

Coupled with a few other factors, namely that Liam had been in dispute with David's gang, was the reason that their relationship had faded away.

Luckily, that also made Lorence easier to track down. It took less than half the morning for Liam to eavesdrop on a few other gang members of David to find out where Lorence was located. The quickness of it was mainly to the fact that Liam had made some inquiries about Lorence’s whereabouts in the past.

Since his old friend had quite a liking for prostitutes, it had never been that to track him down.

Usually Liam avoided going through David’s territory, or any other territory for that matter, he had in fact burned quite a few bridges in his past. Especially because he had taken up a certain disliking to some of the gangs prying on the baggers of the streets.

But today he felt more confident, aloft so to say, strolling through David's part of town. Most of that had been attributed to the fact that Liam sauntered over the rooftops, far away from most gang members prying eyes.

When he reached the house with the number twenty-three, once maroon, but faded to a pudgy brown by now, a small smile played over his lips. He was excited to find out how his old friend would react upon seeing him.

Lorence week was going rather well. Only a few weeks ago, he had been promoted to the head of the eastern quadrant. The newfound responsibility felt like a solid tailored jacket. He had just finished a big contract from David, which had netted quite nicely and was currently enjoying the extravagances.

He stretched himself in his soft feather bed. Sunlight was flowing through the big balcony window into his room, illuminating it with the promises of a new day. Or midday rather. A small look at his clock confirmed it was indeed almost lunch time already.

Lorence left the warmth and companionship of his bed behind.

“Where are you going?” A dreamy voice muttered from behind him.

He ignored it and threw a cashmere bathrobe over his shoulders. The room was full of decadence. There was a rug made out of bear pelt on the floor. Half opened whisky bottles costing enough to feed a family for a week, and cigars from the southern shores, which needed an amount of bribe money to be let into the city that would make some smugglers salivate.

On his way to the balcony he grabbed one of the cigars, lighting it.

He could see the noble parts from his window in the six story, their houses and towers rising up in the distance.. Lorence lived in one of the few buildings that was built with windows on the noble parts on this side of the river. this clear sight of the noble parts was a luxury that cost though. One that he wasn’t even sure he enjoyed, but there was a certain appearance one should keep as the head of the easter quadrant, or at least so he told himself.

Just as he was about to open the golden framed glass door, a figure fell down in front of him.

It took a few seconds for Lorence to gather himself.

“Just what do you think you are… Liam?”

He suddenly recognized a familiar face. A face he hoped to never see again. A face that spelled trouble.

“Hey Lorence.” He wore a big shit eating grin. That big shit eating grin that, Lorence realized now, he had grown to miss over the years.

He frowned. “What do you want Liam?” Then he stepped out on the balcony and looked up. “And where the hell did you come from?”

“Thought I’d drop by to visit an old friend,” Liam said, and strolled past Lorence into the flat.

Lorence still looked up from the balcony, then down to the streets. There were three more floors over him. Six below him.

“Did you scale the building?” Lorence squinted his eyes at his old friend.

“Sort of,” Liam shrugged. Then, turning and noticing the woman he turned crimson. "Ohh… I didn't expect you to have company."

Lorence chuckled. It never got old to see Liam uncomfortable in the company of women. It felt good to see his swagger washed away. "Don't worry, Clarisse was about to leave anyway."

"Was she?" Liam cast a skeptic glance at the woman still comfortable in the covers.

"Was I?" She asked.

"Yes, you were."

She murmured something under her breath, but complied and got dressed. Liam made a point of turning away while she did.

Lorence took a seat in one of the green velvet armchairs and started smoking his cigar. All the while watching Liam. It was surprising how little his friend had changed, his hair was still the wild untamed brown falling messily over his head. He was still slender. His face had aged a little, but his eyes still held the fire within them.

Liam returned his gaze, undoubtedly thinking similar things about himself.

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When Clarisse had left, he finally spoke up. "So, what do you want Liam?"

"I came to ask a favor," he propped down on the chair opposite of Lorence. He picked a normal wooden one instead of the green velvet one.

"A favor? Why would I do you a favor?" Lorence put the cigar down on his ashtray. He wanted to stay sharp for the conversation.

"Good will for an old friend?" Liam smiled.

"Pff. Isn’t it enough goodwill if I let you out of here in good graces again after what you did to David?"

"Is that how we talk now? Is that what concerns you now? Being David's kind little puppy?"

"Don't you talk to me about behavior after Casper."

"What about Chris? Who was too busy whoring to even notice it?"

"I told you I wasn't whoring. How could I have been whoring if Grace was with you?”

But Lorence immediately stopped after that comment, and paused hesitantly. For a split second emotion vanished from Liam's face, leaving behind an unreadable blank slate. Had he gone too far?

Then his face cracked open with a wide smile. “You son of a whore,” Liam said without any ill will. “That was a good one. Slightly over the line, but can’t say I didn’t deserve some jokes for barging in the way I did.”

Lorence returned the smile and picked up his cigar again.

Liam leaned forwards in his seat. “I know that this is out of nowhere, and I know that technically you don’t have any reason to help me. But I’m kind of in a tough spot.”

“You got into trouble again?” Lorence sighed.

“Why does everyone keep thinking that?” Liam exclaimed, throwing up his hands in an exaggerated fashion. “It’s not like I’m always in trouble.”

Lorence raised an eyebrow.

“Well okay,” Liam conceded. “Maybe I am in trouble a little more than other people. But it’s not my fault.”

They both looked at each other, and after a brief moment of silence, burst out laughing. They both had at least half a dozen memories in mind who proved the complete opposite.

It was Lorence who recovered first. “So what is the favor you would like to ask?”

“I want your help getting out of the city.”

“Liam, I can't help you get away from David's debts. And it's not like he would forget them just because you spent a week in one of the hamlets.”

“David is not the reason I want to leave-”

“Oh so you have his three talents that you owe him?”

“That fucker says I owe him three talents? Two at the most!”

Lorence raised an eyebrow. “Do you have his two talents then?”

“Yes.”

They both knew that was a lie.

“So,” Lorence said. “Even if we assume that you really have the money, and that the reason you want to leave is not David. You still know what kind of trouble I could get just for having you here no?”

“Well no one has to know.”

“I don’t think you understand what kind of position I am now Liam,” Lorence said animatedly. “I should have reported you being here the minute you walked in. I am the head of this district now. I have responsibility. I should even try to keep you.”

“Well,” Liam smiled. “But we both know we won’t.”

Lorence sighed and slumped back against his chair. “So you need to leave the city for a while. What do you need my help for there? Just go to Misthaven or Eldoria until whatever it is you want to wait out is blown over.”

“I’m not talking about Eldoria or Misthaven. I could manage that on my own.” Liam paused. “Do you still have the connection to the caravan?”

Lorence had once worked a season with a caravan. It was a long while back, long enough for him and Liam to still have been friends back then.

“Uhh… yes.” Lorence hesitated. “Why?”

“Perfect. The favor I want then, is for you to put me in contact with them. I want to join them..”

Lorence snorted. “Don’t be silly.”

“I’m not.”

“Liam do you even realize what you’re saying? Do you have any idea how dangerous caravan work is? It’s not like it was back in my days, when it was still profitable to only do small trips. Going with a caravan now would put you on the road for at least a year, maybe longer.”

When Lorence had joined a caravan it had only been for less than half a season. He had been back in the safe confines of Charville within a month. And back then they had only been visiting some of the hamlets strewn around the city.

“I’m aware of that,” Liam said plainly.

Lorence sighed. “Am I right to assume that you won’t really tell me what the reason for that idea is?”

“Well,” Liam seemed slightly uncomfortable. “I need to leave the city for a while. Let’s just leave it at that. Better for you to not be involved.”

“That at least I agree with.” Lorence said. “But Liam, there are other solutions. Solutions that are better than throwing yourself out there in a sea of monsters.”

“Please, I know that you have been smuggling people out with caravans not irregularly, Lorence. Stop pretending to be on some sort of moral high horse and protecting me from something.”

“But these people were criminals. They had no other choice. That’s not you Liam.” Lorence took a step closer and lowered his voice. “Listen, if this is about some trouble with another gang or the guards, I can speak with David. He listens to me. We can shelter you. They won’t look after you forever.”

Liam raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think he would take me after what I did? Don’t be stupid Lorence.”

“He would,” Lorence hesitated. “Well at least for a price.”

Liam frowned. “The price being me joining his gang. We have talked about it before Lorence, I won't scoop down to that level.”

“Please see reason Liam. There is no scooping down to that level. We are all at that level. You are Liam, you're one of the best pick pockets I have ever seen, David would’ve flattened the way all the way to the top for you.”

“Well there's a difference between picking from people like us and keeping it for yourself, and trying to make life suck just a tiny bit less for the people around you. I know the risks that joining a caravan brings, but I also know the risks that staying here brings. You can’t pretend like life has never been dangerous, or that you yourself haven’t rolled the dice. I am aware of what I’m asking you, and I’m aware of the dangers, but still, I need to get out of the city Lorence. And I need your help for that, please.”

It was then that Lorence noticed it, the fire in Liam’s eyes. The same fire that he had noticed for that brief instant when Liam entered the room, and the same fire that he had learned to respect such a long time ago.

Lorence stared at him for a long second. Finally he shook his head. “You are really serious about that.”

“Yep.”

In the end, of course, he agreed to help Liam. He always had, and always would, help him. They both knew that. After they finished their conversation, Liam went to the balcony.

“Meet me this evening at the old spot.”

“Sure,” Liam said and walked towards the balcony.

Lorence watched in confusion as he went onto the balcony, and with a big smile and a wave, simply jumped upwards. As if pulled by a string he soared away and was gone.

Lorence almost spat out his cognac.