Shield had a plan. She didn’t like the plan, not at all. But there was no other way. The mercenary could have stormed the ship the moment she noticed the Collector. A few quick blows from her shield and her thirst of revenge would be satisfied. Instead, she had decided to do things the right way, the long way. Whatever the Collector was doing in Tower City, it wasn’t anything good. She’d known that even before the young thief had told her about her friend who had disappeared. So in a quite unique display of inner calm, she had decided then and there to not only target the woman but her whole operation. The job she had given Cantra only served as a small part of her plan. To root out the Collector and that ship of hers, she needed a couple of things. Information, to start with. The more she could learn about the Collector, the better. Although it challenged her patience, it would be worth it in the long run. It would mean even more damage. The second thing she needed, was a crew. This was the part she hated the most. For Shield, relying on other people felt like it restrained her freedom. It also meant she had to have something to pay them with or some cause worth fighting for. For a few seconds, she doubted her plan and wondered whether she couldn’t just go back to the Collector and get it over with. Shield in her face and done. No, if my goal is destruction, I need to lay low. Take time to gather intel, allies and resources and then strike! Yes, this was the way. Her mother deserved nothing more than the death of those who’d killed her as well as the total obliteration of their dark practices. First the Collector and her stupid ship, then the others.
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To think clearly, she needed to clear her debt with Rusk first. If she could find and deliver the mage Ikaros Flint, she could leave it behind her. Her search led her to the Smoke Quarter, a collection of clubs, libraries and hotels built to resemble Avoran architecture. Many noblemen stayed here during their travels, more often in need of pleasure than because of business. She asked around but of course, no one knew anything. It was a public secret that the king kept his mages tight on a leash. Even so, she’d chosen this district because of the many Avorans. No mage would be stupid enough to flee here without any contacts in the city so this was as good of a place to start her search as any. Shield watched closely as the porters, receptionists and shop owners denied any knowledge of Flint. She spotted no nervous fiddling, no sweaty skins, no tics. Off to other districts then.
The mercenary arrived at the Silver Spear as one of her last options. If the mage didn’t have any network here, the poor man would probably be kept somewhere against his will. As she neared the doors of the downtrodden hotel, the roof exploded in a cloud of fire, pink smoke and the smell of sex. A half-naked man clutching a blue rat in his hands flew through the air. Smoke stung in her eyes while Shield tried to watch his landing. He hit the cobblestone street and she heard something break. She kneeled beside him and lifted his head to take a look at his bloodied and burned face. ‘Ikaros Flint, I presume?’