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    They were now in the cellar of the Sunset Bar, and the three beggars, with the exception of Thales, were fidgeting, leaning against the sacks that held their food, nibbling hard but hard at the white bread in their hands-they hadn''t had such good food in a long time.


    A little away from them, Thales sat on a barrel twice his height, staring flatly ahead at the languid but sultry Yara Sariton with her arms clasped over her chest and one leg against the wall.


    In a previous life, Thales would probably have had to hold an admiring gaze, seeing her in detail from head to toe, and then look up at the sky, marveling at the beauty of the world as he reminisced.


    Huh? What would Thales do after that, you ask? Nonsense, go home and do what he had to do, of course.


    As for now - sorry, this body is still young.


    “Straight up, why did you come to me.” Yara still had that cold demeanor, opening the door and getting straight to the point.


    But Thales had gotten used to it, ever since he''d first met the then 16 or 17 year old “big sister” four years ago in the trash behind the Sunset Bar, she''d always had the same tone and style.


    He knew that''s how she was.


    “Quaid went crazy and he killed almost half of the beggars in the junkyard.”


    Thales said with a grimace, while silently clenching his fists.


    He-fucking-it.


    Yara had a vague suspicion about what had happened earlier today from the moment she saw the bruised and battered beggars.


    Yala''s face didn''t move, but in her heart, she began to curse Rick, this bookkeeper, I knew you didn''t have good intentions when you filled Quaid with Chaka wine.


    Why did I agree to him for those ten gold coins? Ten gold coins, ten gold coins!


    Ten gold coins for something that''s sure to offend the Brotherhood - he should have been charged at least twenty!


    And--


    “There''s no one coming to stop him or save us, we''ll just have to escape on our own.” Thales said in a grim mood, as the scene from a few hours ago seemed to reappear.


    --And, alas, half a beggar.


    Yara closed her eyes and sighed.


    “I know, you guys can hide here for a day. Don''t worry, that gorilla won''t dare to come with me around, and if he does, I''ll chop off that - ahem - his hand underneath him.”


    Yara glanced at the other three beggars and frowned, recognizing which were fresh wounds, especially the child whose right hand was wrapped in cloth.


    “When Edmund gets back, I''ll have him go to Riker and the people up there. He can''t get away with what Quaid did - the guy, why didn''t he die sooner.”


    A little disinterested, Yara lowered her legs against the wall and stood up.


    Thales'' eyes darkened as he looked at the three beggars, letting out a deep breath before looking over at Yara.


    “The Brotherhood had a big mission today, that''s why the guards and patrols were lax, I guess. For you guys to have escaped, you must have- ugh, never mind, I''ll get the medicine, and if I need a doctor too- wait, kiddo, what''s wrong with you?”


    Yara was talking to herself when she suddenly realized that something wasn''t quite right with Thales on the opposite side of the room, his body was also covered in bruises, the clothes on his chest were torn to pieces, and his right sleeve was even splattered with blood.


    No, the look in this brat''s eyes-


    Yara suddenly walked up to Thales and dragged him off the keg, then squatted down, holding Thales'' shoulders with both hands and looking him straight in the eyes.


    Yara''s eyes suddenly became serious and urgent.


    “Kid - you, did you?”


    Thales was a little afraid to look Yara in the eyes, but in just a few seconds he adjusted himself and then looked up with determination.


    Thales heard his own voice ring out calmly as usual, without a tremor.


    “Yara, Quaid was slaughtered by me.”