Business


    <span style="font-weight:400">“All right, Ise, you can let go now.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sunrise shook her head.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“No, you might try to escape again.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“When did I ever escape you?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“When you first left me here.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rain didn’t know how to answer that. She had left Sunrise behind when she first met her, but that had been because she was worried about hurting her. Apparently, Rain had hurt her in a different way.


    <span style="font-weight:400">If that was the case, then there was only one thing to do. Rain turned to look Sunrise full in the face. Or as much as she could with Sunrise trying to meld with her arm.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’m sorry, Sunrise. I thought what I would be doing would be dangerous and didn’t want you to get hurt, but I should’ve asked you.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You won''t abandon me?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“No.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Okay then!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Why did Rain feel like she had been led into a trap?


    <span style="font-weight:400">Mr. Markson chuckled at Rain and Sunrise.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I’m d little Ise will get her wish. And this is perfect timing. I’ll be moving to an office in the Mid Ring after today and leaving a guard here to protect this warehouse. The wife is terrified of the Merchant Killer getting me.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">That brought Rain back out of her pondering.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What about the Merchant Killer?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, have you not heard about the Merchant Killer?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I have, it sounded like you knew how to track his whereabouts.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“It''s less tracking and more that he’s slowly been moving around the Low Ring. He won’t be anywhere near this ce for a few weeks as long as he keeps moving at his pace, and by then, the guards will have caught him. But the missis does worry, part of why I love her so much.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Can you show me on a map where he’s been?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Of course. Let''s stop standing around and go sit down.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ise, you need to let go so I can talk with Mr. Markson.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Mm-mm.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rain considered what it would take to convince Sunrise to let go, then gave up and awkwardly shuffled after Mr. Makrson, who, for his part, was very obviously trying not tough.


    <span style="font-weight:400">They entered Mr. Markson''s office, and Mr. Markson sat behind his desk.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rain noticed that the office had more furniture than when she had first met Mr. Markson. She was starting to see what it might have looked like before he hit hard times.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Feel free to have a seat if you can figure out how in your, ehh, current situation.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">There was no doubt now. He was enjoying Rain’s predicament.


    <span style="font-weight:400">She gave him a t look.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you for the hospitality.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">He chuckled before fishing out a map of the city and pointing to a spot on the northern side of the Low Ring.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“This is where the first victim was found. The next was here, only a few streets to the east of the first. Then here, here, and finally here. As you can see, he’s been moving slowly around the city. If he keeps up at that pace, it will be a couple of weeks before he reaches us in the eastern section of the ring.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rain agreed with Mr. Markson’s analysis. But she was still d Ms. Markson was forcing him to move.


    <span style="font-weight:400">She started rubbing Sunrise''s head. Hopefully, Rain could get Ise rxed enough to peel her off.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Are these the only ces He’s attacked?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“They''re the only ones that people are certain are him. There has been spection that he was responsible for the attack on the Rothford Trading Company, but I’m not convinced. He had another victim more than a dozen streets over that night, and he only kills one person a night.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Maybe Mr. Markson’s predictions weren’t so great. Ho had definitely attacked the Rothford Auction House. Rain was the one who sent him there, after all.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rain gave up on the head massaging. It wasn’t working. If anything, Sunrise was holding on even tighter. Rain was starting to lose feeling in her left arm. Maybe she should try tickling? Rain had seen other kids tickle each other back in the pens, and she was pretty confident it would get Sunrise to let go. The problem was that she had never been included in those games and hadn''t gotten any information on the topic from her past self, so Rain had no idea how it worked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Well, I’m d you’re moving away anyway.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you for your concern. Surely this grim business isn’t what you were waiting here so early in the morning to talk to me about, was it?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh! No. I have a list of things I need made and was hoping you could help me get them. The list is just here… in my pocket.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rain realized that her list was, of course, in her right inner coat pocket. Unfortunately, she couldn’t reach it right now because her left arm was presently upied with other things.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rain tried to awkwardly reach around with her right arm and fish through her right breast pocket for the paper she had prepared. It took some effort, but eventually, she got it out with a triumphant grin.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Here!”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Let''s have a look.” Mr. Markson took the list with a grin of his own. “Hmm, this is interesting, but why do you want someone to build a fake door?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Oh, that. I don’t just need the door made. Would you be able to smuggle that door to a dead ind?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I take back myst question. I don’t want to know.” Mr. Markson tapped his chin. “I think I know someone who could do what you’re asking. Which ind do you have in mind?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Estom.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ahh, that makes more sense. Though, I still don’t want to know why you would need this there. But if this is something you want, I can take the costs out of your share of the monthly profits.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“That''s fine, but I need to see the door before you ship it.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Give me a few days, and I’ll have everything ready for you.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Okay, where will you be.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ah, right, my new office is right here, not far from my home in the Mid Ring.” Mr. Markson said, pointing to a spot on the map that was still lying out. “it already has a sign out front. Look for the Markson Trading House.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Alright, I’ll see you soon.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Of course, have a wonderful day.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rain shuffled around with Sunrise and started heading towards the door when Mr. Markson spoke again. This time, his voice held no trace of humor.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Rain, you take care of her, you hear me. And Ise, if you ever need a ce to go, my doors will always be open.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Rain answered for both of them because Sunrise didn’t seem interested.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I knew there was a reason I liked you.”