09-05-2016, 09:09 PM
Raindrops dripped down from his nose despite every attempt he made to stop it. The torrent seemed only to grow stronger as he waited, silent, for the heroes to come. The lantern hanging above him blew with the massive breeze, its metal cage beating against the wall. More and more people were entering the buildings around him as the rainstorm continued, the haze surrounding the village turning everything into an indistinguishable mess where you couldn’t see two feet in front of you. Or at least it seemed that way to Marlin. To the younger folk around him, it was probably just another regular day in Lando City, a place of joy, of happiness, and where the worries of the world no longer mattered. Even the bitter cold of the piercing water, the blinding mist, and the treacherous swamps could not down their spirits.
They were fools. They were all fools. Yet he could not blame them. They did not know what he knew.
He watched the crowd around him, his green eyes scanning for the Avengers. Seconds passed, followed by minutes, and there was still no sign of them. His heart sank lower and lower with each moment that went by; had Ratchet not gotten through? He was certain his message had been sent successfully! Had he not been careful enough? Maybe that was the case; Bolero must have seen the crow and had it shot down before it could reach them. He should’ve known he wasn’t going to get away with it. You never could in this city, on this island. Yet he had taken all of the necessary precautions! How could he have have been wrong?
He felt exposed all of a sudden. If Ratchet had been shot, then what if they deciphered his message? What if they identified his alibi? If they put two and two together...
He gulped, his heart pounding. He could not stay; he had to run. If he was lucky...
He was just about to get moving when he saw two figures approach, and his heart almost skipped a few beats. Both of them wore overcoats of some description, and while they were unrecognizable, Dustin knew this was it. He had been caught; the Avengers would never figure out what happened.
He sighed, remaining silent as they closed in. His muscles tensed and braced for the barrage of questions and beatings he was going to receive.
"Evening, sir,” one of them then said, reaching into his pocket. The writer looked up to him, his fear replaced by both curiosity and disbelief. His eyes glanced down towards the man’s hand: a patch with the Avengers symbol on it.
It got through… I can’t believe it.
He bit his lip, nodding. His heartbeat slowed to a more reasonable level as he motioned them to come inside. He then strolled into the shop, the other two close behind.
---------------------
The nice thing about Bobby’s General Goods was that it wasn’t JUST a general goods store. After all, with the rain and fog, people who were caught in the storms needed a place to stay. So, after requests and some financial support, the owner, Bobby Rhydu, had been able to set up a sort of mini inn and tavern within his shop. Next to the racks of necklaces, knicknacks, and gear that strewed the walls near the counter to the left of the building was an array of tables, most of which had already been filled prior to the trio entering the building. A wood stove was lit close by to the tables, bathing the room in orange light that complemented the glowing, golden colors of the lanterns inside. Several patrons were taking advantage of the fire, their blue, clammy hands outstretched next to the licking heat.
The defector led the two Avengers to the counter, whistling to get the attention of the bartender. Like everyone else, he was smiling a big, goofy smile. He never realized just how unnerving the man's toothy, almost clown-like smile was until he really looked at it. How this had all slipped past his mind, how this had gone unnoticed, was a question he could never answer.
“Marlin! Long time, no see, brother!” he said, holding his hand out to shake. The old man flinched a bit, staring at the man’s hand before reaching towards it. They shook for a few moments, the old man’s grip loose.
“Yes, it’s been… quite a while indeed, mister Rhydu,” he said, bringing his hand back to gesture to the two Avengers near him, “may I have a, um… table for three, please?”
“Easy as pie!” Rhydu said, pointing towards one of the open tables near the fire, “I’ll get a waiter over there as soon as possible! Glad you’re back with us, Dustin!”
“Yes, it is a very good thing indeed…” he said, moving the others with him towards the table assigned for them. They took a seat, and before anything else could happen, Dustin took a look around. His intent for doing so became clear as soon as he whispered the following:
“Were you followed here?”
They were fools. They were all fools. Yet he could not blame them. They did not know what he knew.
He watched the crowd around him, his green eyes scanning for the Avengers. Seconds passed, followed by minutes, and there was still no sign of them. His heart sank lower and lower with each moment that went by; had Ratchet not gotten through? He was certain his message had been sent successfully! Had he not been careful enough? Maybe that was the case; Bolero must have seen the crow and had it shot down before it could reach them. He should’ve known he wasn’t going to get away with it. You never could in this city, on this island. Yet he had taken all of the necessary precautions! How could he have have been wrong?
He felt exposed all of a sudden. If Ratchet had been shot, then what if they deciphered his message? What if they identified his alibi? If they put two and two together...
He gulped, his heart pounding. He could not stay; he had to run. If he was lucky...
He was just about to get moving when he saw two figures approach, and his heart almost skipped a few beats. Both of them wore overcoats of some description, and while they were unrecognizable, Dustin knew this was it. He had been caught; the Avengers would never figure out what happened.
He sighed, remaining silent as they closed in. His muscles tensed and braced for the barrage of questions and beatings he was going to receive.
"Evening, sir,” one of them then said, reaching into his pocket. The writer looked up to him, his fear replaced by both curiosity and disbelief. His eyes glanced down towards the man’s hand: a patch with the Avengers symbol on it.
It got through… I can’t believe it.
He bit his lip, nodding. His heartbeat slowed to a more reasonable level as he motioned them to come inside. He then strolled into the shop, the other two close behind.
---------------------
The nice thing about Bobby’s General Goods was that it wasn’t JUST a general goods store. After all, with the rain and fog, people who were caught in the storms needed a place to stay. So, after requests and some financial support, the owner, Bobby Rhydu, had been able to set up a sort of mini inn and tavern within his shop. Next to the racks of necklaces, knicknacks, and gear that strewed the walls near the counter to the left of the building was an array of tables, most of which had already been filled prior to the trio entering the building. A wood stove was lit close by to the tables, bathing the room in orange light that complemented the glowing, golden colors of the lanterns inside. Several patrons were taking advantage of the fire, their blue, clammy hands outstretched next to the licking heat.
The defector led the two Avengers to the counter, whistling to get the attention of the bartender. Like everyone else, he was smiling a big, goofy smile. He never realized just how unnerving the man's toothy, almost clown-like smile was until he really looked at it. How this had all slipped past his mind, how this had gone unnoticed, was a question he could never answer.
“Marlin! Long time, no see, brother!” he said, holding his hand out to shake. The old man flinched a bit, staring at the man’s hand before reaching towards it. They shook for a few moments, the old man’s grip loose.
“Yes, it’s been… quite a while indeed, mister Rhydu,” he said, bringing his hand back to gesture to the two Avengers near him, “may I have a, um… table for three, please?”
“Easy as pie!” Rhydu said, pointing towards one of the open tables near the fire, “I’ll get a waiter over there as soon as possible! Glad you’re back with us, Dustin!”
“Yes, it is a very good thing indeed…” he said, moving the others with him towards the table assigned for them. They took a seat, and before anything else could happen, Dustin took a look around. His intent for doing so became clear as soon as he whispered the following:
“Were you followed here?”
![[Image: sanssig.png]](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/369919416432984079/371386052931485708/sanssig.png)
i may be all alone
but i'm here to tell ya honey
that i'm bad to the bone
B-B-B-Bad to the bone
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