[Polaris]

Iroqois climbed down slowly, almost letting go of the ladder the first time his fingers wrapped around it. The rungs were covered with all sorts of filth. Shuddering, he quickly clambered down the rest of the way, his tennis shoes splashing into the water. His pant legs were soaked too, but luckily it hadn't reached the white part yet. Black could take all sorts of stains and look none the worse. Realizing that he was still worried about his clothes at a time like this, he almost laughed. Moving to stand next to Teodata, Iroqois nodded. He'd like to know their destination too.

Niico jumped down through the hole, not even bothering with the ladder. Filthy water splashed all over him (and Iroqois) but Niico didn't care. "You'll see when we get there... you'll recognize it." Iroqois mumbled something about diseases in the water but shut up when Calli pushed his shoulder, "You're here of my own good will, so shut up and follow me." Calli set off along the tunnel, and left Riico to enforce his order.

{23:5:4}

[Rin]

The kuhna followed them, mentally noting to stop asking questions, because they wouldn't really answer them. She sloshed through the blackened water, trying not to think about what made it that color.

What could these guys want with her? She was just you're average, everyday common kuhna. She didn't have any special powers for anyone to take advantage of, nor was she the long lost decedent of some famous royalty who were giving out large sums of money for her return.

Teodata stayed close by Iroqois, trying, in fact, to stay right in step with him.

[Polaris]

Iroqois put a protective arm around Teodata's shoulders, as if to sheild agaist the sneers that Calli directed their way whenever he turned around to check on them. Calli was obviouslly not about to bake them cookies and tuck them into bed, but he thought that Niico or Riico or whatever seemed a little bit less corrupt.

Tunnels led off the main drag every once in a while, some no bigger than Iroqois's fist, others tall enough to drag a hollowheart through. He considered running off down one of these passages, but never got more than a few steps into his mental plan before realizing, A: He didn't know where the tunnels went, B: The two men probably had guns, and C: He wasn't a very fast runner.

Calli, meanwhile, was sincerely hoping he'd grabbed the right person. She had been there at the right time, and was wearing something akin to what was in the photo. He supposed if she wasn't the right one... well they could always use another server girl. They always seemed to disapper mysteriously. Hah, they probably got eaten by the rats in the tunnels. Wouldn't surprise him. Riico, on the other hand, had no such misgivings. This girl looked exactly like the one's they'd been paid to capture. And he knew he wouldn't take the heat if they were wrong, Calli was the superior officer.

After a couple of turns through the labarith of passages, Calli started knocking on the walls...Tap tap, with his knuckles and a slap with the palm of his hand. Then he'd drum his fingers on the stone and slap it with his palm again.

{24:6:5}

[Rin]

Now, if Teodata wasn't wading through some nasty sewer tunnel with two unsavory ferrikoons, she would have been very flustered and suprised by Iroqois's gesture. But now, as she was loosing feeling in her freezing cold legs, she barely noticed.

The kuhna watched the man carry out what could only be some secret door knock. She figured that if one needed a special knock to get in, they obviously had something (probably an illegal something) to hide. She knew Niico-Riico was behind her and Iroqois, which made escape more-or-less impossible, so she took a deep breath and prepared for whomever was behind that door to open up.

[Polaris]

Calli smiled grimly as a brick fell out of the wall. A pair of eyes peered out from the slit, and a few whisperes between himself and the eyes gained them entrance. Slowly but surely the wall slid back and to the side, revealing a doorway into a vast, vaulted cavern. Many shifty looking people pursued a series of cages with animals in them, tables with wicked looking weapons, and a line of people chained around the neck and ankles.

Iroqois turned away from the sight. It looked like they were in a Black Market. Were they going to be sold? What was going to happen to them?

Riico moved into a defensive position, a small group of people had surged up to them to get a look at the new arrivals. He shooed them off, saying that they weren't for sale. Calli lead the group on, to a smaller aclove to the side. Another man, this one swathed in black robes with an equally dark fedora tiped over his face, greeted them.

"Is this the girl?" Calli asked, pushing Teodata towards the man. "Hmm..." the black-hatted man ran his fingers over his chin, peering at her.

{25:7:6: Um, do whatever you want with the fedora man}

[Rin]

Teodata stared at the man in the fedora with horror. What could he possibly want with her? Was he going to hurt Iroqois? Were they going to be sold? Her thoughts were interrupted by the man grabbing her cheek and turnin her head so he could look at her profile. The common kuhna held totally still, afraid that even the slightest movement would cause trouble.

"You idiots! It's not her," Fedora Man growled. He let go of Teo, letting her step back, toward Iroqois. "Sell them. The boy is strong and the girl is decent-looking. They should fetch a pretty penny." With that, he got up and walked away.

[Polaris]

Iroqois cringed at two words... "Sell them." What the heck?! They weren't chickens or cattle! His indignation did not last long however... a sick cloud of realization settled over his skin. Sell them. He cast a furtive glance at the other people in chains, and the crowd yelling prices and numbers at them. What if he and Teodata were seperated? What would he do then? Iroqois didn't carry a weapon, no guns or knives. How would he get away?

That was the point though wasn't it? They were here to keep them here. He decided to try and reason with the ferrikoons. Clearing his throat, he began, "Um, sir? Calli? Surely you don't plan on selling us..." he pointed at Teodata and himself, "We're not very special and have familys that would try and come to get us and take us away, wasting your customer's money... So... would you...?" Of course, the family on his part was non-existant. But perhaps Teodata had someone?

Calli laughed and Riico looked akward. "Let you go?" the blue ferrikoon sneered, "Why? Psh, if you get out, god speed to ya, but we'll still keep the money won't we? 's not ur problem. The people'll just come back and buy another. 's a good deal huh?" The black ferrikoon wandered off, his job done. Calli led them towards the auction block.

{26:8:7-gone}

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