Eclipse

Chapter 3

It was stuffy inside the tavern. And noisy. Drunk thieves sung about lost beauties and gold while others laughed at some poor fool who had too much to drink. Two men sat in a corner apart from the rest.

"Do you think she actually did it?" asked the younger of the two, Reid.

"Alaska? Of course. There's no place our little raven can't get into," Tobias answered and finished his drink.

"That's not what I mean. Do you think she actually went?"

"Relax, would you? Alaska's fine." Tobias held out his tankard and the barmaid refilled it before breaking up a fight. Reid and Tobias watched the fight end as fast as it began.

"Drunks," mumbled Tobias.

"They're our drunks," chipped Reid.

Tobias just snorted, but looked fondly at his crew. They were celebrating yet another successful job.

"Why did you let her go alone?" Reid turned Tobias attention back to the conversation.

"She's faster alone. The job is dangerous enough as it is, I saw no need to burden her with babysitting a novice," stated Tobias.

"I could have gone with her. She shouldn't have gone alone, it's..."

"He said she needed to go alone. And I agreed," interrupted Tobias.

"Why would you do something like that? He's not to be trusted," grumbled Reid.

"Hayden..." Tobias sighed, "He's, strange, I know. But that's no reason to mistrust him. I would think that he would've proven himself to you by now. He is one of the oldest and longest members of the Shadow Bands after all."

Reid took a gulp of his drink and sighed.

"Is it concern for Alaska's safety or your apparent lack of vengeance that's making you so anxious, Reid?"

"What are you talking about? Of course I'm worried about Alaska. I just can't see why you would trust Hayden so easily on this. He didn't even tell us what she's stealing," said Reid and ran his fingers through his hair.

"We don't need to know every detail."

"Of course we do!" shouted Reid.

The entire tavern fell silent and looked at them. Tobias laughed and shrugged it off, pretending that it was merely a little disagreement between them. Gradually the onlookers returned to their drinks.

"Would you keep it down?" hissed Tobias, "We don't need everyone to know about Alaska's little side job."

"I know that," grumbled Reid.

The two leaders of the Shadow Bands sat in silence and listened to the drunken ballads sung by some of the men. It was of key and slurred but they sung with passion rivalled only their passion for alcohol.

"Why do you trust Hayden without knowing all of the facts?"

"Gold is gold, Reid. The details of how it was acquired doesn't matter," said Tobias.

"But shouldn't we at least have an idea of what she's looking for?" asked Reid.

"Don't start again, Reid. Alaska knows what she's doing, and will be back before long. Imagine the tale she'll have, her pockets brimming with riches." Tobias got a faraway look in his eyes when thinking about the treasure.

"Do you really think we'll see any of it?"

"You're right," mumbled Tobias, "by the time she gets back she would have given it all away."