Drowning Utopia

Chapter 5: The City of Kenton

Congratulations!

You have been invited to the opening of the Grand Spire! The tallest building in the world!

Come and see what the critics are calling the "Jewel of the Estuary" and "The City of Tomorrow." Utopia! Visit the grand and lavish casinos and the estates of Utopia and its well-to-do residents. Experience tomorrow, today, as Mr. Gray Meriwether (the man who brought you the electric lightbulb and the telegraph) shows off his latest and greatest inventions, all integrated throughout the city!

Come and marvel at the sensations, everything from lights to transportation to things you wouldn't believe. All powered by the wonders of electricity! No gas lamps or dirty steam engines! Clean, reliable power for all! Come and join us on the 12th of Sun next year (1880) and be amazed!

Tessa ripped the faded-year-old advertisement flyer from the dented streetlamp, its pilot light barely visible as a tiny glowing dot in the day light. Reading over the brochure again, she wanted to rip it up, throw it to the wind, and never hear the name Gray Meriwether again, but she made a promise to Marcus and herself that she would see it through and confront the insufferable man in a few days time. Wadding it up, Tessa shoved it into her bag next to her invitation from Gray.

"Ah, Kenton, the bastion of the arts!" Donny cried, spreading his arms wide, "what a wonderful place this is!"

"Certainly, it's been a long while since we've been this way," Lonny agreed, sidestepping a paperboy and tossing him a coin before pinching an article from the stack at his feet.

"Yep." Tessa shivered, "and I sure don't miss the cold." fallowing Marcus, who marched confidently, Tessa looked about at the familiar streets. Even in summer, the cold air from the Condor Mountains chilled the area to the bone.

"Oh, it's not that bad. Just a little brisk." Donny said with a wide grin, jumping up on the cement divider separating the covered sidewalk and the hustle and bustle of the cobbled street. As he balanced walking along it, a horse-drawn bus trundled by with a giant advertisement for a local theater on the side. His face brightened, "Hey. Since we're here, we should try to catch a show."

However, with a click of his walking cane, Marcus said with measured cadence, "Remember, my young acrobats, we are not here just for a good time. We're also here to perform."

"Of course, Marcus, how could we forget?" Lonny said, casually pulling her brother down off of the divider.

Donny followed up with, "But certainly, there is no harm in taking a little bit of a break—

"Work first, play after." Marcus cut them off with a particularly loud cane clip against the pavement.

"Speaking of work," Tessa said, raising an eyebrow at the ringleader, "you have yet to tell us the details or who the client is." She pushed past several other pedestrians and strode a few paces ahead of Marcus. Turning and planting her feet, she said, "You have explained to me what is needed but not what the job actually is."

"She is right," Lonny chided as she put her hands on her hips, walking up from behind the ringleader on his other side, "Normally, you're a bit more forward about such things, at least with us."

"I think it is time you came clean, old boy." Donny agreed, grasping his shoulders and peering past his arm.

"Alright, if you must know," he shrugged Donny off, "but best tell you everything over a drink," Marcus said as he pointed with his cane to a nearby pub.

And so, after ordering a round of drinks, safely tucked away in a booth where privacy was a bit more forthcoming, Lonny dared to breach the topic by asking, "care to explain what the plan is?"