#anywhere

Zara bristles. "Aye. Trafficking girls."

"There was mention of a boss?"

"i think maybe that was the guy up front" earl says

"Just a few teenagers up there. They fled like bats out of hell."

Siv says "Yeah, they were spooked"

"Should we track them down?"

Zara rubs her temples. "We should find the house, methinks? Or somehow get the girls free..."

"If the boss was one of the four here, all the better."

Siv says "I brought dross."

Siv is looking at Symon and Zara a bit touched. I'm being protected by sluagh and fussed at by them for my own good? Is this what Dagmar feels like ALL the time?

Earl frowns "I want to say we're not at our best but... I can't argue and sleep at night saing we can come back tomorrow knowing what goes on"

"Nay. It cannot be allowed to persist. It is an abomination."

"Then a bit of dross for each of you that's been tapped, that much I can insist on" Siv hands it out

Earl takes some "hey, with dross I could open a portal passage to usher the girls through? Get them to safety?"

"Mayhaps. Mayhaps we don't need more cantrips today?"

He looks contrite "only in emergency then. So just stealth?"

"We trolls can stealth " Siv informs him "Just think small silent thoughts"

Earl looks amused, "I'm pretty sure 'troll stealth' is a term that makes Sluagh roll their eyes, but I get you"

Lily is rolling her eyes, then blushes as she is caught

Zara glances at Symon and Lily at 'troll stealth.'

"We should ask Papa Nettle for help " Tziporah advises, "He might assist"

"Who?"

"He's a sluagh he.. runs the VooDoo tea shop... lots of dross grows there, oh its lovely. No hold, but lovely" Tzzy explains

Papa nette ish appy to help, and even donates some more dross... Zara would love to stay at his place for hours, so many teas taht his Eshu daughter brings in from all over the world. So many dross cups and so on... but the Bird House awaits

SO much tea.

The Bird House is revolting, they play up the 'dollhouse like ' look of it. As if BOASTING of the under age nature of it's workers//slaves. Zara fervently wishes she could do that working again, but too many witnesses and the Dreaming seems to be done. That said, Symon is theo ne who suggests drugging the drinks of the owners and muscle here.. only four men and one sleezey older woman. Nothing lethal (Darn it)... and he and Zara dispense it with stealth and skill

Symon did mention the possibility of seeding the 'new' girls that were previously kidnappers into the mix for a time - quietly, and only to Zara.

The look she gives him is answer enough to withdraw the suggestion.

She... understands the urge. But no.

the twelve girls they have 'working ' there are scared, and some don't speak English well. Some left abusive families and don't want to go back even if they don't want to stay here. Tziporah talks to them, as does Zara and Siv... for Symon is given looks of distrust.

He slinks back, and waits at the doorway. Nothing he can say will help here, not just now.

Unless any of the ones who don't speak english are Korean, that is.

But what are the odds of that?

Lily pats his hand "they do not know you, Symon. Your delight is decay, not depravity"

He gives Lily a nod. "Thanks."

Soon, the girls are in a shelter with a boggan in it, that Mr. Nettle suggested. STATE police are called (Local might be on the take) and our heroes withdraw from a risk of social effect. the drugged fleshpeddlers should be easy to arrest especially since Zara found plenty of evidence in an old safe. Quite easy to open for her really

worn and weary, but triumphant, our heroes end up boarding the ship and arriving at Rivervale for a brief reacharge, but tizz? she will get to scarsdale with Zara later ..and Zara will get her gifts

(end scene)