Hours later, Tsuki and Azumi were now in front of the Knockin' Clogger. People in the streets looked as they passed, as Tsuki and Azumi wore their Memento cloaks and masks. Tsuki nudged her head toward the bar, and the two headed in.
The atmosphere itself had gotten rowdier and was filled to the brim with people. Tsuki and Azumi searched for anyone they'd recognize. An older man complimented Azumi offering a drink, but she dismissively waved and carried through. Eventually, the two spotted Danzo and Knoxx in the corner of a backroom. Knoxx lay with his head on the table, definitely asleep, and Danzo sat across with a mug in his hand. His face lit up when he saw them.
"Hey," he called out, waving them over. "About time!"
Tsuki gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry. How long have you two been here?"
"Quite a while, actually." Danzo said, a cheeky grin on his face. "We didn't get anything on our end, unfortunately. Hoping for some good news from you two and the others."
Azumi pulled up two chairs to the wooden table, and scooted one over to Tsuki. She nodded with a quick "thanks," before sitting and returning her attention to Danzo.
"We did get something at least note-worthy," Tsuki said, having to slightly raise her voice over the tavern ruckus.
"Yeah," Azumi agreed. "By the way, have you seen Hatori and Geo?"
Danzo shook his head. "I haven't. I was hoping—oh!" Danzo suddenly pointed toward the crowd. Two men—Hatori and Geo emerged, masks still on. Hatori wore his hood still, looking extra broody. Geo was all grins, but then, a third emerged behind them. A man with a metallic arm and a knowing look in his eyes.
"Yo!" Geo walked over, lifting his hand for a wave. Hatori just gave a slight nod.
"Hey Geo! Hatori! Who's your friend?" Tsuki asked, leaning back on her chair.
"Name's Delvin missy," the man said, grabbing a chair of his own. "Met these lads out in my shop, said they needed some intel. Well, you'll find no better man than me for it!"
He grabbed a nearby mug off an empty table. The mug was half empty—he didn't care—he chugged the remains down before slamming his fist on the table.
The shockwave woke Knoxx from his nap, and he sat straight up. His eyelids were still squinted, and he had a wild bedhead.
"Morning!" Azumi said, a little too cheerfully, before grabbing him and gifting the boy with a noogie.
"Ow, Azumi—OW!" He shouted in a struggle. Azumi backed off, but gave a mischievous grin before her hand left his head.
"Good," Danzo said, ignoring them, "everyone's here."
The squad, plus Danzo and Delvin, all surrounded the table now. Knoxx, newly energized, kicked the conversation off.
"Well, I hope you all learned something," he muttered while shoving another shrimp in his mouth. "Danzo and I found jack shit—unless you count these shrimp. They ain't half bad."
Geo only sighed, a disappointed look on his face. "Well, we got better than shrimp." He nudged his head at Delvin, who had already begun to down another beer.
"Ye, alright. Let's talk business," Delvin managed. The squad just watched him in disbelief.
"What have you got for us?" Danzo asked, eyeing the man.
"Well, first show me the coin," he said, giving a small smirk. "Then, info's all yours."
Hatori grabbed a pouch from his coat and dropped it on the center of the table. It landed with the sound of a thousand metal clinks—the sound of precious Aldenias.
"Beautiful," Delvin said. "I'd know that sound from the other side o' Alden!"
"Now," Hatori turned to Delvin with a calm tone. "Whatcha got?"
Delvin smiled big now, he was missing a few teeth on his lower jaw. "The Lantern's the name—the man you're lookin' for. Not his real name o' course— nobody got that. But he's a shadow with strings. Control's Riche's imports, exports—hell, he owns half the dockyards at least."
"Legal goods?" Geo asked.
Delvin smirked. "Depends who's asking. But, let's just say, nothin' moves in Riche unless the Lantern clears it. Includin' the APC—he's a middleman, and a damn good one at that."
Tsuki held a finger to her lip as she spoke. "And where does he operate?"
"Got roots in the sewer system, or so I've heard. Smugglin' tunnels and such. It's his underworld."
"Any idea what he looks like?" Azumi asked. Her hands folded on the table and she squinted her eyes—a thing she often did to focus.
"A tiny man. Real short and loves his formal stuff. Always got a big bodyguard with 'em. Big quiet guy with a chestplate. Loves to loom."
Tsuki and Azumi's heads snapped to one another instantly. "We saw them," Azumi quickly stated.
Tsuki followed. "Earlier today, in an alley west of the main plaza, we found a building. Two guys fitting those exact descriptions were in there, talking about shipments and such."
Danzo rubbed his chin. "Can you take us there?"
Azumi nodded instantly, raising herself off the seat. "Yeah, it's not far. Follow me."
"One last thing, 'fore you go," Delvin said, "you're walkin' into a nest o' fire ants. This ain't Jon or Zimala any more fellas. Ladies."
Hatori scooted the pouch of Aldenias toward Delvin, and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Thank you, Delvin. For what it's worth, you helped a lot."
The others all began to stand as well, each giving a faint nod to Delvin. His hand raised into a two fingered salute, before he headed back to the bar, asking for another drink.
Azumi led the way with Tsuki right behind. The others followed, each with their masks and hoods up. They maneuvered through the crowded bar, eventually reaching the exit. Tsuki pushed the door into the cool Riche breeze. The night sky was filled with the glow of starlight. Pink and purple streaks flooded the canvas like brushstrokes, and the moon gave life to the dark.
Judgment Squad followed Azumi along the main roads into the winding back alleys. The streets were quieter now. The further they walked, the more isolated it became—rusted pipes, worn posters and empty crates littered the paths.
"That's the place," Azumi whispered, pointing at a building hidden in the shadows. It was the same as earlier, yet, it felt dead.
Tsuki snuck to the bottom of the window, giving a quick glance—and found nothing. Everything that had been there earlier was now missing.
How in the hell—no footprints or anything, she thought.
Azumi furrowed her brows. "They were right here just hours ago. Now it looks like they were never here."
"Perfect for someone trying to keep their business on the low," Hatori muttered. "I think we found ourselves The Lantern."
Danzo rubbed his chin in thought. His eyes scanned the surrounding area, searching for anything that could give them a clue.
Knoxx broke the brief silence. "Guys like that always come back. And when he does, his ass-kicking awaits!"
Geo quietly chuckled. "Knoxx, didn't know you had experiences with mafia men."
"Done my fair share of whooping. I'm sure the whole underground knows my name by now," he said with a serious expression on his face. Tsuki couldn't tell if he was joking or not.
"Well, we're pushing on," Danzo ordered. "We fan out, look for anything—scraps, drag marks, footsteps—anything."
The group gave a collective "yes sir," before splitting up. The shadows of Riche now felt heavier than before.
Whoever The Lantern was—he wasn't just a smuggler. He was a player.
The squad had just entered the game.