"Not likely," Teige replied, crinkling the envelope as he tucked it in his back pocket. He threw up a sort of salute as he headed out the open bay door into the evening. "I'm trying to have a good night."

The bells were chiming again as he reached the courtyard of the little complex; the daylight was all but gone.

"Oi, Hawk!" he hollered. "Sun's a-setting, let's go!"

Hawk hollered back from his window a floor up without appearing: "Gimme a fuckin' second!" before muttering, "I just got off shift..."

"But what if all the pubs in Escalus run out of drink!" Teige shouted back. "Oh!"

Yoshi and Liya had appeared on the walkway on the floor above, the former looking cheerful enough, the latter scowling.

"Yoshi, Liya," Teige greeted them, "any craic?"

"Hello Teige!" Yoshi said pleasantly.

"Hey Teige." Liya folded her arms on the railing. "I think this is a bad idea."

Teige made a face. "Aye, you've said as much."