Scene V: The Mayor's House

[Stormbringer]

That leaves only the door at the western end of the hallway...

[Sly Boots]

Doc has full confidence in CK's ability to breach this room without incident.

[Wrathbone]

I see Doc’s encouraging looks and I open the door without further consideration.

[Stormbringer]

Inside you see what must be a spare bedroom; certainly not as grand as the one you just fell through.

There's a single bed placed, oddly, in the middle of the room, and, in the southern wall of the room, a doorway opens into a second room beyond, which appears to be a private dressing chamber. There's no sign of fire damage, nor any other hazards, in here.

[Wrathbone]

“Mr Mayor! It’s Pains. Word is you got something to say to me, so why don’t you come on out, pronto.”

[Stormbringer]

A well-dressed man comes crawling out from under the bed; there's sweat on his brow, though he looks mightily relieved to see you.

"Stacob Pains? Oh, thank God! I thought you might be one of those Incorporation cronies! Listen...we need to get out of this city. There's no hope for Palace now, Pains. Makarty won't stop until he's razed the whole damned town! I know you fenced some of my property the other day, and I know I raised your bounties for it...but...well...these are desperate times, friend! Let's let bygones be bygones. Listen...I'll personally see to it that you and your friends' bounties are reduced to zero, and furthermore, I'll let you have all that I've got left in this house. It's all yours...there's a bag in my bedroom with one-hundred-twenty silver, and through there in my dressing room..."

He gestures toward the doorway in the southern wall.

"...there's a lockbox with sixty more silver and a silver crucifix worth another sixty on top o' that. It's all yours. What's more...I got an offer for you and your posse...a job. Bounty-huntin'. Serious money, Pains. I'm talking fifteen-hundred silver. But first, you gotta help me outta of this city! We need the gate-keys, friend...I don't have 'em...my boys downstairs don't have 'em...they could be anywhere by now. Help me outta here and I'll tell you all about that job!"

[Sly Boots]

"Well now, mayor, we've been running all over this town looking for them keys, being shot at by soldiers, assaulted by bears and vultures and almost crushed flat by an armoured contraption I ain't ever seen the like of. I can't speak for my companions a'course, but speaking for myself I'm about done looking for the wretched things. So have you got another way out of this damn place?"

Doc slowly unholsters one of his revolvers. "And I'd talk quick if'n I was you, mayor. I feel a fit of pique comin' on..."

[Stormbringer]

The mayor begins sweating some more.

"Well, Doctor Scotum...now that you mention it...I do so happen to be the proud owner of a hot air balloon! It's...it's in the servants lodge outside, right out front! It's risky...but...we might be able to escape the city in that!"

[Mantis]

"Well that sounds like a fine idea to me, to the Beany Balloon!"

[Sly Boots]

Just don't ask what gas was used to fill it...

[Wrathbone]

I’d like to give the Mayor a cordial search for any weapons.

“No offence intended, but trust is a mighty difficult prospect after what we been through today. Oh, and just so we’re clear: we all want the same thing, to get outta this hellhole, but if I so much as sniff a hint of any funny business - even a mild titter - I will thrust this hand cannon down your throat and the other one straight up where the sun don’t shine, and I won’t be concerned about preserving ammo. We understand one another, sir?”

[Stormbringer]

The mayor has an iron pocket-watch on him (worth $5), but no weapons.

"Keep it, Mr Pains...but like I said, my silver's in a bag on my bed out there, and I've got more in a strongbox right in there..."

He nods towards the dressing room.

[Wrathbone]

I'll let him keep his watch.

"Someone want to check out the strongbox while I keep our good Mayor company over here?"

[Sly Boots]

Doc grudgingly re-holsters his revolver and stomps over to the dressing room to loot the spoils.

[Stormbringer]

In the dressing room, Doc navigates around a large dressing-screen that's unfolded across the room.

On the other side of this, he sees a large free-standing mirror on a wooden frame, pushed against the eastern wall, and a door on the southern wall. Pushed against the western wall, opposite the mirror, is a large strongbox.