“Yes: a Jingoan wine as old as I am.” The little waitress soon brought a bottle and two glasses. She opened the bottle and poured its reddish purple liquid into the two glasses. “Thank you,” Mr. Morality dismissed his waitress. She bowed and departed.
Wanton sipped wine before confiding to Nefarious, “Forgive me, my new friend, but I took a liberty before our meeting. I asked my friends to find your truck and its contents. They found it all rather quickly and easily. I implored them to hide it all and guard it.” Nefarious glared at Wanton. Mr. Morality explained, “I have not robbed you.” He produced a copper coin and slid it across the table to Mr. Good, telling him, “The spiral of words is a code which commands the guards to relinquish the truck and its contents unto you. On the other side of the coin is an encrypted map you are sure to decipher.”
Nefarious pocketed the coin, “Thank you.”
“Forgive me, Nefarious, but had I awaited your trust, your enemies would surely have taken back what you took from them.”
“Indeed. Thank you.”
“Nefarious, do you know what you took?”
“The crates were marked with the logo of the Arcane Artisans Guild so I assume artifice.”
“Nefarious, do you know Arcane Pharmaceuticals is a subsidiary of the Arcane Artisans Guild?”
“What of it?”
“My friend, you stole forty million shekels worth of black lotus. In the domain of the Greater Humanity Empire it is worth a hundred million credits. Do you know the use of black lotus?”
“Yes. It is a potent herb used for divination. It is especially useful for necromancy.”
“My friend, that which gives us dark insight troubles a human mind to madness. Black lotus is most illegal among the people of Simon Fink.”
“Perhaps he has license for black lotus.”
“Nefarious, I was too suspicious to assume such a thing. I asked my friends to take a peek. They found what I anticipated: his purchase of black lotus was entirely unofficial. He supposedly received four hundred thousand shekels worth of exotic spice.”
“Mr. Fink is an illicit drug dealer?”
“Perhaps. Mr. Fink has been purchasing ‘spice’ for a year now, yet none of it has reached the illicit market. He has also been buying magical artifices; from the Arcane Artisans Guild and from a Delver company.”
“Why?”
“Forgive me, my friend, but I do not yet know. It may be best that we never know. Take heed, Nefarious: you may be rousing trouble beyond what you anticipated.”
Nefarious assured, “My only concern is a reckoning on behalf of Miss Yellow. I shall not bother meddling into other matters.”
“My comrade, we both know conflicts escalate. Be bold, yes, but be mindful.” Nefarious Good nodded.