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Mir was very uncomfortable in the suit and tie, he felt his neck irritated and red and wanted even more to get back into familiar surroundings than this crowd of fake smiles and over-polite, over large words. He just wanted to get the job done and get paid. He hadn't had a drink in 2 days and was getting cranky. No delirium tremens this time thankfully, but he would get them if he didn't get a drink of something soon.
No one recognized him, as he cleaned up rather well from his usual town drunk attire. Everyone was listening to the new Mayor.
"Thank you Mr. Renatus for your kind words, and many thanks to The Clan as well as Mr. Von Paine. Please pass along the best wishes of the town and myself for his speedy recovery."
She was a pretty good looker, but not worth the trouble. He would have to put on his best act ever to make what he was about to do seem sincere. She spoke and then the audience applauded. Damn this noise! His head thundered from the clapping so close to his ears. At least it would be over soon and then he would be swimming in wine.
He worked his way to the floor directly in front of the podium as planned. He had to bump some girl in a button down dress and puffy sleeves out of his way. The girl looked at his rudeness with a scowl, but he dismissed her as unimportant. It was time.
"Noir! NOIR! My love! My God you are glorious! Now will you come and run away with me as you promised? Now is the time we should tell EVERYONE about our wedding! And I want to everyone to know that I will soon be a father!"
There were gasps and then the crowd fell silent. The Mayor looked with disbelief at the town drunk. Crimson's mouth fell open at the man's declaration.
The Mayor replied, rage and insult red in her face.
"I have NO idea who you are but I do know that you have insane delusions poor sir!" She looked over her shoulder at the Sargent at arms, who strode towards the stage edge and jumped to the floor to arrest and escort the heckler from the building.
Mir seemed ready for the Sargent, his arms stretched out as the officer landed nearly on top of Mir. The two men struggling and fighting held everyone's attention, so no one noticed what was happening on the stage by the Mayor and Renatus.
Crimson was hesitating to become involved. Her father had told her to save her hidden power for protecting Renatus, and that to prematurely demonstrate her skill would make the enemy more difficult to predict. Let them go after perceived weaknesses until one was ready to counterattack.
But then she saw Mir grab the Sargent's pistol from it's holster! Adrenaline surged in her, Renatus was still on the stage and could be hit! She lunged forward, Mir lifted the pistol up to the stage, and as Crimson grabbed the man's arm to push it up, he squeezed the trigger. The gun was pointed at the Mayor.
What happened next all seemed to play in slow motion in Crimson's view: while facing the Sargent in struggle, Mir obviously was not intentionally aiming at the Mayor. But as the gun fired, Crimson saw from the corner of her eye the swift motion of Duane, the barkeep lunging in front of the Mayor.
The chambers filled with screams and shouts as Crimson now realized that she was struggling with the Sargent for control of the gun. With Crimson's death grip on Mir's arm, the Sargent let go of him and grabbed the gun with both hands, turned it to Mir and shot him point blank! The drunk collapsed, eyes wide open as he lay spread eagle on the floor.
Turning around, seeing Renatus was ok and was standing over the crowd on the stage, Crimson saw Duane, laying on the floor, the Mayor kneeling next to him with agony in her face.
"Duane! Duane! NO! Oh God NO!"
Sarah ran up the stage and kneeled down next to the Mayor. She looked up and then shouted at a beautiful, well dressed woman next to the Sargent.
"A doctor! You! Dr. Thorn! Please! We need your skills!"
Dr. Thorn, member of the Clan and also one of the town doctor's went quickly up the stairs to see what could be done. Her skills with health were not limited to the body, she employed her knowledge to lead the Clan as well, a peer of Von Paine.
Crimson checked Mir's pulse. He was dead. She looked up at the Sargent. He was unloading the pistol. She cursed herself for thinking the attack would be outside instead of here in full view of the public. Using a disposable town drunk had not been foreseen. She had planned and calculated a defense outside the chamber entrance for nothing.
Looking up again at the stage, she saw Dr. Thorn look solemnly at the Mayor and Sarah, who were both crying, tears sparkling as they fell on Duane.
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