Jeath and Iago The Late Meeting "I may have news for you, thief. There is a wagon I want you to >listen, carefully to. I will show you the way. " "Let's go. Whose wagon is it?" >Just for knowledge, what this she-human looks >like?" OOC to Didier: Jeath would know, Witt doesn't know anymore than she's an attractive blonde. Jeath spent half a day riding with her, so he would be able to give a decent description. Back IC: >"What will you do if you find out these >perpetrators?" but the gleam in his eyes shows Iago's views on the >matter. "I was going to get help. I take it you think we should do something about this ourselves. That's not necessarily my favorite idea, but I'm willing to give it a shot. How many do you think we have to deal with? And keep a close look out. When she was snatched they were followed (at a great distance, he wasn't able to see much) and he was jumped from behind by someone else. I think there's at least four people involved." "Ready when you are." I will slip forward as quietly as possible till I reach a point where I can > clearly hear the conversation. Once I know how close I have to be I will > look for the best place to conceal my presence and listen in at the same time. > > I am most curious about the number of people involved, the number of people > present at the moment, and Zep's location. I will try to make note of names > as well. As you are just coming up near the covered wagon, the door opens and two people are silhouetted in the interior's light. One is AJ, and the other is a thin wiry dark haired man, that you don't recall seeing, at least Jeath doesn't. AJ is saying, "Take care of it. We don't need a witness in this matter. She's well hidden, but if he spots any of you, he could make trouble. Better to eliminate the sickly one." The thin man nods, and quickly moves away from the wagon and up the road... back towards your camp and any wagons beyond yours... Jeath to Iago... I don't want to give up this vantage point till I know if Zep is in there or not. I will try to flag down Iago and signal him to follow the jerk after Phaerez. If I can get it across to him from here I'll signal him to pop the guy as well. and Iago's reply: Grunt!. "I don't know whoever the one he mentionned is, perhaps little Iago perhaps not" -shrugh- " The man who passed by is a boothseller, I don't know much about him. Well it may happens that blood will be drawn tonight, better you get the others, well not the shorts ones".... "Avoid the humans too, they don't see well in the night and torches attract a lot of unwanted attention" " I will catch up with that man and delay him. His wagon is past yours, you will find me there." cock his head one side "I think I hear thunder in the distance, don't you?" Iago try to catch upon the booth seller (assuming he spots him by infravision in the night). Once done he yells at him "Yo there!" cringy orcish accent " what'youre doing!" He bellows " Told you Iago would be unpleasant if I find thieves in the night"... recognize the man, growl " You are not one of them. What are you doing?, where are you going where were you?." Don't give a moment to answer, and add "Did you happens upon a cat someplace, I am a little pecksih at the moment" lick his lips " er no, food later, now work" tsk The man answers softly, "I'm on an errand. I have business to take care of." "Don't like what you says, boss told me to be extra-careful tonite. We go see boss . You don't want other options" "I have no time for this, you foul smelling excuse for a guard. I'm on business for the boss. Keep away from me," he says partly drawing his dagger... Step back, unfasten safety, draw sword by right hand. Wait chuckle, "You call this a knife?"... "Get better be ready to use it. May have fun with you, remember school days. I hope you know how this is played, or boring it will be" cackle. voice goes human "Now you says you has business with him, then what would be a little delay if we go together check it out with him" orcish voice again " Now we play or what???" HUGE grin. The wiry man replies to Iago The man looks utterly disgusted, and it tinges his reply. "Look orcy-boy... naw never mind. You want the boss mad at you, fine with me. I was just trying to save your hide. But let's go... let's see AJ. He's gonna blast you though." He let's go the hilt of his dagger and steps back up the road towards AJ's wagon... Iago leads the man away... "So boss still awake. Good" chuckle Point the man to lead. " Go ahead. If you're intend to save my life, it will not bother you"... Iago put the weapon back into scabbard with his right hand. " Mind you do you know one area of trade we are famous for?" cackle a lot. Iago wait to see if the man knocks at Aj's door this time. The man knocks soundly on the wood, and is quickly admitted by a shocked A.J. After Iago enters... the door slams shut behind them... The door opens and AJ look's quite surprised to see you, and after you enter he slams the door quite heatedly. >-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Onyx I am getting fidgety and I can't stand just waiting around until morning to >find anything out. It is possible the kidnappers will try to sneak away >tonight to get away from us. When it gets fairly late and I think most of >the caravan is asleep,probably around midnight or 1 in the morning, I intend >to go wandering around. When I think the time is right, I will wake >Christeel up if he is sleeping and see if he would like to go with me, since >I do not want to wander around by myself. We have a slight advantage in >that we will not need torches since we have infravision. I will volunteer >for first watch so I will already be awake, and I will make sure someone is >awake and on watch when we leave. I will wake up Erilyx and have him keep >watch. Christeel says to Onyx, "This sound good to me wake me when you are ready" Erilyx will take his watch, slient, until you are about to leave. "Watch your back." Comes the steel cold-words from the youth. His eyes follow you until you are out of sight. Christeel will turn his head back toward Erilyx and give him a wink and a nod that says (ok chief, we will) Darrin stays at camp with Phearez, sitting quite silently by himself As Onyx and Christeel begin to search the other wagons, you run into Jeath, hurrying back to camp. >Jeath tells this to everyone, Christeel and Onyx on the way back to camp, > >>and the rest when we get there: > >> > >>"We need to move now. Iago and I know who has Zep. I'm not sure where she > >>is, but I do know where to find at least one of the guys that snatched her. > >>And they recognized Erilyx. They plan on killing him tonight. Besides > >>that, we need to go help Iago. He's at the wagon camped behind ours, and > >>he's with the man we know helped take Zep. He could be in trouble back > >>there by himself, and besides, if we take the guy we can find out where they > >>are holding Zep, could even be in that wagon, I'm not sure." > >> > >>"Now for the really bad news. AJ, the caravan master, is in on it as well. > >>I wouldn't be at all surprised if he was the one that caught Erilyx from > >>behind. We need a plan of attack, and we need it in a hurry. And at all > >>times we will need to keep an eye out behind us, because AJ is not at the > >>wagon behind us. When I left he was still at his wagon, but who knows. > >>Anyone know where the hell Foldis is?" > >> > >>I believe Foldis went off with Verdak to discuss our situation some more. > >I do not know where Verdak's wagon is since he came and found us earlier. > > > >"I think we should go to the wagon behind us and see if Iago needs any help > >with the kidnapper. We should interrogate the scum quickly to see if he > >knows where Zeptha is and also to find out how many kidnappers there are and > >who they are. I do not think we should take too long with him so we can > >move right along to AJ and show him the error of his ways. (evil grin) We > >need to move quickly and quietly so we will have the element of surprise. I > >sugguest we not fool around when interrogating the person with Iago. I say > >before we even ask any questions we place a very sharp objest into his groin > >and tell him if he yells or does not tell us what we want to know he will > >suffer the loss of a good friend." > > > >I stand up and pick up my axe and bow and arrows. I also make sure my > >dagger is secure, just in case no one else has an appropriate item to > >introduce to the scum's crotch. I am ready to go. > > > >Onyx > > Christeel grimices at the though of having ones fellow put at risk. > "Someone needs to stay behind and protect the wagon, but lets act > now, if you are sure about your infomation Jeath." > Christeel will cast a spell over the party, (bless spell) > "A little blessing for us before we get into a fight" > Christeel will ready a few more spell componets, > "I am ready, Let's go fetch her, Lead on Jeath" Jeath wrote: >I guess I lead what we have back to the next wagon, looking for Iago. >Everyone be as quiet as possible, though I doubt this group can be quiet >enough to take anyone by surprise. Christeel why don't you peel off before >we get there and hide out where you can see us, but anyone in camp won't see >you. Then you can use your infravision (looking away from camp) to notice >if anyone else tries to sneak up on us. I'd offer to do that, but I suspect >I better go into camp, since I'm the only one Iago trusts, and that only >partly. And Onyx axe may be needed in camp. > >If no one else has anything to add, I suggest we all shut up and move as >quietly, but quickly, as possible. Christeel says, "This plan of attack seams solid, Let's go with it." Christeel will fetch his horse and then peel off, in a wide arc to allow a greater chance to notice any that are lurking away from the wagon. He will us his infravision if possible once away from the Wagon. Darrin agrees to stay at the camp with Erilyx, though he looks like the very thought kills him. He does however grab a well kept battle axe from off his saddle holder, looking very grim indeed. You come across the man with Iago, slowly turning around and heading back up the road, toward AJ's wagon: First things first. This is nuts. I go to our camp to get the troops to > >help Iago and hopefully find Zep. So who's storming the wagon? The thief > >and a dwarf. Exactly how much sense does this make? We have nothing in the > >wagons worth a hoot, why did we leave TWO people back there to watch it? > >Nothing personal Onyx, but the only reason I left here the first time was to > >get BODIES. Had I known it would amount to one dwarf I would have stayed > >where I was the first time I was here. > > > >I approach the wagon as quietly as possible. I will move close enough to > >hear what's being said in the wagon. I will try to find Onyx a decent > >hiding place without his having to get to close, so he's not overheard. > >Onyx, Christeel if I signal come to me quietly. If I yell come with your > >axes/swords/magic/whatever swinging/blazing/whatever. > > > > > >Just a little note for the future Jeath-any one Dwarf is worth about 5 > other people in a fight. (Pardon me and my racial pride, I can't help myself) > > I will move in fairly close to the wagon as quietly as I can, counting on > the wagon walls and the conversation undoubtedly taking place inside to > cover any noise I might make. I want to be on the back side of the door so > when someone comes out the door will hide me from them incase I didn't hide > myself very well. I have my axe in hand and I am ready for action. Onyx >I say we surround the wagon and wait for a moment to see what happens. If any argument begins to happen I say we charge in and take out AJ and the other guy. If we do have to go in we will have to use short weapons since there will be very little room in there. Hopefully Iago will get them to come outside and we can take them out in the open. This is what you hear, after the door closes... " Sorry Boss, this one was doing strange and when called him, almost >> draw his knife then he says he is on errand for you", tsk" didn't like the >> answer nor tone he used. This plus the other roving here and there, Iago >> don't like this night" shakes head empathically. >> "I said to keep an eye on the strangers, you nitwit. Imbecile! This >is one of our own. We're a family around here, and if you don't want to >get the boot, you better get that through your thick skull, lamebrain." >All the while, the wiry one, grins at your verbal abuse, with one of those >smug 'I told you so,' looks. >> >> cover and crouch, voice goes orcish "Aya, Aye!!. got it. Humble >> excuses".. " got it wrong. Me nervous toninte, not my fault. The other they >> come, ask questions, make me nervous. ". >> >> ..... turn toward the man >> >> " Perhaps Iago may help. Won't bother you, be quiet in the shadows. >> Iago has strong arms" slap each forearms " if you need to carry something or >> clean up or whatever. If the task need muscles Iago will do it. Sorry, >> sorry, sorry" > >The thin man, looks to AJ, who says, "Not necessary Iago. You go back >about your business. Make sure none of the strangers is wandering around >away from their campsite. I noticed that one dwarf went with Verdak >back to his campsite..." he sees you cringe at the word dwarf, and takes >the effort to pat your shoulder and say soothingly, "Yes... I know you can't >stand them halfpints, but Verdak's one of ours. And I saw that youngster >that's with them, the fair haired one. He was taking a walk with one of >my dancers... you know Vrey. I like Vrey, Iago, very much. I wouldn't >want anything to happen to her. You know how young men can be, not taking >no for an answer. Now, you leave Garth here alone, and you see to this >other business, and there'll be a little bonus in your pay tomorrow... maybe >even scrounge up a squirrel for you. Do you like squirrel's, Iago?" >------------------------ OOC : ("..") indicates thoughts "Squirrel, what is that???", genuine surprise in Iago's voice ... "Whatever you say, Lord err Boss", Iago bows as he leaves, " Will do your bidding". turn to Garth "Real sorry Iago is, didn't know you people yet much. No bad feelings eh?. Iago will be your friend now".Leaves the wagon Goes same direction as Garth. "If you don't mind comp'ny, I was looking for the elf who came first. Saw him that way". Point the way they came". Mistake him for you in the dark" will be quiet and listen > Garth, the thin man, scowls, and mumbles something under his >breath at Iago, as he continues up the road. Then he stops and >says exasperated, "Look you. Go do whatever, but leave me alone. >I have work to do, and I don't need your help." He turns to >continue up the road... Iago let Garth go his way, all the while checking out to find if there are any others around yet. He will try to estimate who is around by size and/or posture. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Christeel whispers to Onyx, "I think that we should follow the thin man, Jeath had said that Iago thought he might know where the girl is, I bet that the thin man knows. Lets follow him." Christeel will slowly follow the thin man to see which wagon he is going to. Onyx I think Christeel has a good idea. I will go with him and follow the thin man. If he gets close to our camp, I say we take him out. He may be the person they sent to kill Erilyx. Christeel look to Onyx and nods in agreement. Jeath comes up to them and says: Get Onyx and Christeel together as quickly and quietly as possible. "I'm an idiot. More on that later. What I need right now is you two to do whatever it takes to stop those two from returning to that crook's wagon. Act drunk, obnoxious, pick a fight with Iago, whatever but keep them from getting back to the wagon. There's a good chance that's where Zep is, and that's why Iago brought that guy over here, so I could break into the wagon. Only, as previously mentioned, I'm an idiot and didn't think of it soon enough. If you can find a way to let Iago know why you're stalling he'll help you. Gotta run, Idun am I an idiot." Take off to attempt to break into the wagon they came from. Christeel looks to Onyx and wispers, "I don't feel that this plan was very well though out, this is Jeath plan guess we should stick with it for now" Onyx >Christeel, I think I have an idea. You are a very good talker, so maybe we can delay them by just talking to them. We could start off talking to Iago and saying how sorry we are for getting off on the wrong foot earlier and telling him what a fine job he is doing with security for the caravan. We could then see if he would introduce us to his friend and basically just keep them talking. If the other guy tries to get away from us I can maybe go with him or just jump him and subdue or kill him. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As you approach the wagon, you think belongs to the thin man, you cautiously > >approach listening for any signs that it is inhabited. It is a simple covered > >wagon, and around the front are three men sitting around a campfire. Over by > >a tree are a couple of horses tied to a stake in the ground. You sneak up to > >the wagon's rear end, and lifting up the tarp, slip over it's edge and into a > >wagon filled with a cluttered mess. There are unwashed pots and pans, and tent > >posts and tarps all over the floor and piled high. You get the feeling this > >is all stuff to set up booths with. > > > >I am now slightly annoyed because Zeptha is not here and I am out of ideas. > To vent some of my frustration, I intend to pull a little prank. I look > around the wagon for something that looks important to setting up their > booth and is small enough to be easily portable. If I find anything that > fits this description, I will take it with me. I will not keep it, I will > drop it in a field or in the trees somewhere that they are not likely to > find it. If I can't find something that looks important to setting up their > booth, I will have to take some small personal items to drop in the middle > of nowhere. > > After finding whatever it is I am going to steal, I will leave their wagon > and return quietly to camp, finding a place to ditch what I have stolen on > the way. I will just look in on camp and make sure everything is okay > there. If everything is fine I will return to AJ's wagon and stake it out. > > Jeath Well all the equipment looks pretty much the same, poles being poles. But there are some tools, a handy ratchet type looking device. There seems to be only one... You hide it and head back to camp. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Iago move toward a wagon, let Garth take some lead and follow him in the distance, counting on his night sight to catch up on him. ("where is he?. Damn elf, all ears and no brain. Work is all for me hmph!") You don't see Jeath anywhere, so you tail Garth and you note he skirts a couple of campsites and begins to enter the trees on the East, left side of the road as he closes in on the campsite of the newcomers. You can see a fire still going, and the silent, skinny cloaked one, is just coming out from under the wagon, and the young one is standing at the edge of the campsite, his back to the trees, having some kind of conversation with him. There is no one else to be seen. No elf, no human, no short, ugly dwarfs even. Garth is pulled up behind a tree and unhooking a sling from his belt... The thin man reaches into his belt pouch and plucks out a round hard bullet, setting it into the sling. As he brings it back, he is jumped from all sides. Iago from one direction, Onyx and Christeel from another. Darrin turns around in shock. Christeel will back up Onyx, in his endevor. Helping to make sure that the fight does not last very long. Iago's dagger catches the sling arm, and he closes in with sword drawn, saying, " You!, drop that!!" human voice, low and restrained " No attempts during my watch. Hoar's teeths!. Hate them assassins!" Onyx, an angry snarl on his lips, is at the thin man, and his axe is buried deep into Garth's arm, almost severing it clean. He lands heavy, grasping at his wound, pale and unfocused. It is almost as if Onyx had no time to see that the man was already stopped before his blow connected. Iago's eyes widens as he sees Christeel and the dwarf, shoulders >tenses ... > >then drops. >"Oh, well!Done is done".shrug > > to Onyx "Step back! and sheat your weapon!. NOW!". No traces of >orcish tone in his voice, but tension is clear > > Iago moves toward Garth, check his pulse at the throat. "That will >do for the purpose". Retreive his dagger, taste the blood, and wipe it clean > > "Nice" orcish croon > > " So, Master strongman, looks not like a good night for >you"..sigh.." not a good one for me either. Now, as I see it"..tongue licks >the dagger once more.." you have two ways. A good death and a bad death. I >can either teaches you to be ready for the next world or lear a thing or two >about pain" a long slow smile form on Iago's face. > " I do know quite a lot on both chapters. That will depend on your >cooperation in the near future, these... peoples...".. obviously pained to >address a dwarf in such a way.. "there are looking for a she-human, sun-like >hair. Your choice..." > >I will take a step back and let Iago ask the man questions, but I WILL NOT put my axe away. There may be more of them out here that we are not aware of it it would be stupid for me to drop my guard now. I will not raise my weapon to Iago unless he makes a move for me, but it is definitely not going to be put away. I will also keep a close watch on the man on the ground to make sure he does not recover enough to go for a hidden weapon. Iago's eyes squints, looking both to Onyx and Christeel in turn. With a cry of "TRAITORS!" he lunges toward Onyx ang goes to battle I will defend myself and I will not restrain myself to non-lethal blows. I >> feel thai Iago is trying to kill me so I will go for the kill myself. > > Christeel >Christeel snaps at both Onyx and Iago, > "I thought that we were both on the same side, why the hell are you > to going to try to draw blood of one another. Jearth said that Iago is a friend. Onyx, let's give him a chance..." > > Iago > Christeel speech is completly wasted, and Iago is, apparently, going >on the bad side of reason. Foaming at the mouth, he presses on Onyx, blow >are intended to kill,grace sacrified to fury. > >Without much listening to whatever else happens. >Onyx completely enraged fails to hear the advice Christeel offers, and even >as Darrin tries to get to the scene, Onyx's axe cut's deeply into the >rushing half-orc. As Onyx rips the axe clear, Iago falls heavily still >trying to slice the dagger at Onyx. The dagger makes a tiny scratch on >Onyx's armored legging as Iago sprawls unmoving at Onyx's feet. > >Darrin lunges forward placing his hand on Iago's throat, and after a few seconds looks up wide-eyed, and shakes his head slowly side-to-side. > >You hear a noise behind you, and a quick turn of your heads, you see >the thin man trying to crawl off deeper into the trees. Onyx I will wait until Darrin stands up and then I will chop off Iago's head. I do this partly because I am still enraged and he was an Orc, and partly to make absolutely certain that he is dead. I firmly believe in never leaving an enemy behind to give them another shot at you. After that, I will go after the crawling thin man and we will make him tell us what he knows. Darrin finally stands up to go after the thin man as well, and at the sound of Onyx's axe hacking into the half-orc again, he looks back and then ducks his head. He begins to walk away, but then turns angrily on the dwarf, his emerald eyes flaring, "You fool! Iaso was actually stopping him from killing Erilyx...." he trails off looking back towards the campsite. Christeel Christeel looks at the group, "Onyx, would you do me a favor and not aim your axe my way, I think that I will like longer that way, we might be having to fight the entire caravan now, I don't have a spell that can hide this" > Erilyx is not in sight. Christeel Christeel asks, "Did anyone see where Erilyx went to?" > Jeath > Onyx has just moved our time table up. When they find Iago dead we're never > going to be believed. I don't know what they were fighting about, but as > soon as there's time I'm gonna want to know the whole story, preferably from > Christeel or Darrin. > > Meantime, we only have one lead left, and I'll be damned if he's going to > crawl away into the woods. I find a pointy stick and I go ask him where the > girl is. If he can't remember I'll see if I can prod his memory by poking > his axe wound with the stick. I inform him he has two options, not to tell > me where the girl in and die slowly and painfully, or tell me where the girl > is and we'll discuss it from there. I will prod him anytime he doesn't > answer me quickly. If Darrin, Christeel or Onyx try to stop me I tell them > to back off, this is our last chance at finding Zep unless they have a > better idea. > > If he tells us where she is I'll make sure his wound is bandaged and he is > bound and gagged tightly and stored out of sight of the wagons. Then we'll > go looking for her. I will also explain, with a couple more prods, that he > had better not be lying, because he doesn't want to make me angry. I'm > perfectly calm right now, just imagine what I'll do if I get angry. > > Onyx better have a good reason for this. > > Foldis > > Foldis steps from the shadows and says "Well I don't > think we will be getting any answers from him!" > > Darrin steps up to the thin man near Jeath, and as Jeath sets about > prodding him with a stick, the man pale, his arm barely hanging at his > side, gurgles out, "She's... she's... wagon..." he breathes out and then > collapses forward. > Christeel Christeel says, "Damn, he didn't say which wagon, we are back where we begain" Checking his pulse, the man is dead, pale as a ghost. > > Darrin looks around quickly to see if any of the carny people > are in sight.... so far none, but in the still night air you > hear voices not far away, some calling out, "Who goes there? What's > going on?" Christeel Christeel looks to the group, "Hide the dead, back at our wagon for now, we will still have time to dispose of them before daybreak." Onyx Jeath, could you and Christeel go and meet those people before they get any closer? You two are good at talking, maybe you could give them a story about some sort of wild animal or something. Anything to convince them that there is nothing wrong. Foldis, could you help me quickly conceal the bodies? We don't have time to hide them very well, so if those people get too close they will probably find them, but if we put them in the trees with leaves over them no one will notice them from a distance in the dark. After we deal with these people we need to find out which wagon Garth was talking about, my guess is A J's, but I will tear this whole damn carnival apart if I have to. Darrin, Iago may have stopped Garth from killing Erilyx, but he then attacked me without provokation. Since I am the one still standing I think Iago was the fool. So don't make such a quick judgement until you know what you are talking about. I will drag Iago's body over to our wagon and hide it. I will put him inside the wagon and cover him with a tarp so he is out of sight. If no one grabs the other body I will get it after I am done with Iago. Christeel Christeel will turn and walk toward the voices that made the inquiry, "It is I, Christeel and a few of my compaions, We were praticing at weapons play. One of my companions was trying to tell me how being able to fight blindly was better that infravision. I was just trying to show him the eror of his thinking. It is better to see something, than nothing at all. What is your name sir so that I may better know you? You know mine so now I am at a disadvantage not knowing yours" Jeath I guess I accompany Christeel and try to convince them nothing is happening. On the whole I will let Christeel do the talking, as right now I don't think I can lie very convincingly. I'm used to being misleading, but this is a bit much. As soon as I can get out of here I'm headed for A.J.'s wagon. If anyone asks I will tell them where I am going. If they care to accompany me that's fine, but they will receive STRICT orders to BE QUIET (not just talking but walking as well) till we get there. If A.J. shows up here because of the commotion I will discreetly, but swiftly, disappear and head to his wagon. Darrin muttering under his breath, grabs the other body and somehow hefting it over his shoulder he carries it back to the wagon and helps Onyx cover the wagon with the tarp, all the while hearing Christeel in the background. FOLDIS, Foldis will grab the other body from Darrin, when it is in the wagon she will go through his pockets to see if there is any clue to where Zeptha may be. There's nothing in his pouches, but 3gp, 8sp, 12cp, ten more sling bullets, and a small hammer. In his boot is a dagger. Verdak is among the bunch that Christeel is trying to calm down, but their leader an older man, olive skinned and with a handlebar moustache, is quite irate. "Weapons! practice at this time of night!" His shouting alone will bring the rest of the camp down on you, it seems. Verdak catches sight of Foldis, and quickly places an arm on the older man's arm. "Paolo, calm down, you're making as much racket as these knuckleheads," he nods at Christeel and Jeath. "Should have known an elf'd be involved," he adds with a wink towards Jeath. "My family is trying to sleep...." Paolo goes on for a few more lines cursing fools and madmen, and a few of the folk behind him are muttering much the same. Finally a few people begin to depart, back to their little campsites. Most are heading up the road in the direction that AJ's wagon lies ultimately. Whether or not any are going there to report to him....