FastTalk sang his song for a few more brief moments before forgetting all
about it and resuming his exploration of Drache. FastTalk was a �sour
grapes� sort, though he�d never admit it, even to himself. The way he
figured it, he was better off without his old apprentice, Tawny.
�She�d just slow me down; what she doesn�t know could fill a Nordic library.
Besides, then I�d have to share the coin with her. This way I can go after
the choicest items and it�s so much easier to divide the loot by one than
two,� he thought as he continued his walk. The night air was doing him good,
the chill was finally gone and it was replaced by a pleasant briskness. �And
since it shouldn�t take long to find this Lashette, I can spend a few extra
days sampling the local merchant quarter.�
Unfortunately, FastTalk was so caught up in his musings he didn�t even see
the two figures before they were nearly upon him. When he finally did look
up, he was already sizing them up professionally.
�Evening boys,� Fast called out to the two large thugs walking slowly, but
with purpose, directly at him. �Unbelievable,� he thought, �doesn�t anyone
take pride in what they do anymore? I mean, these two head straight for me,
while their accomplice works his way around me in the shadows. The fool
could at least try and wear dark clothing.�
Fast shook his head and let the two brutes close, his mind racing. Sure he
was dangerous, but mostly when you weren�t looking right at him, and these
thugs were. He was also fairly certain they wouldn�t let him stay ten feet
away and hurl daggers at them all night. Not for the first time, he wished
he was skilled in a longer hand-to-hand weapon.
�Hey buddy, can you spare some coin?� asked the bigger of the two, never
actually looking at Fast. The brute�s eyes never left his �hidden�
companion, trying to gauge when the third individual could strike from
behind. FastTalk was disgusted, but also more than a little afraid. Sure
these guys were amateurs, but they were BIG amateurs and there were three of
them. Fast decided to do they only thing he could think of.
�Sure, I�ve got something for you Jack.� FastTalk reached into his sack and
pulled out a small handful of copper as the thug�s eyes widened happily.
FastTalk then dropped the coins �accidentally� on the ground. As the two
brutes bent to scoop up the coin, FastTalk went into a blur of motion. As
soon as the first thug had lowered his head, Fast snapped a kick directly
into his face, his left hand reaching into his bandolier and producing a
dwarven throwing dagger which he hurled at the large man trying to hide in
the shadows. He noted with displeasure as he continued his spin, that the
dagger had struck directly above the knee, not hamstringing the thug as Fast
had hoped. He dropped his head and rolled toward the now writhing thug to
use up the last of his momentum, just as the leader screamed in anger.
FastTalk darted past the now prone thug, stomping on the cretin�s hand as he
pulled his dagger free. He then took off back the way he came with a wry
smile on his face.
�Well, if those two are still in that alleyway, these guys should get them
moving."
Lee
The puppeteer pulling the strings of FastTalk, Rath, Duke Lorthington and
other assorted jokers.
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