#bergen_county

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Dirk is like, Adam's least favorite guy perhaps. And Dirk doesn't like him either. So it might be a surprise when the red shooed sshit kicker knocks on his door

well, his house door, and tells his dad "I'm here to see Adam."

Adam comes downstairs with a suspicious look. "Yeah?"

Dirk says to Adam "Get your shit together, we got a situation"

"Peacekeeper Dirk, that's fucking who. " His eyes narrow "You're going to want your gear...your weapons . We gotta double up patrols. "

"Yeah." Adam goes back upstairs and tells Nab what's going on as he gets geared up.

Nab says "Dirk camee for you? That's..weird. No offense, he doesn't like you"

"Yeah, it's mutual. You want to come?"

"NOPE" She says "I maybe taller but I'm still just a lunchable to that guy"

"I'd kill him first." Adam promises with a mix of affection and utter seriousness. "Ok, I'll see you later."

"I.. just..Adam... you need nhot to provoke him. A troll can crush you in a fair right. A redcap can do it too, but he'll skip the fair part. Try to be nice." Nab says "Good luck."

Almost without thinking, he gives her a peck on the cheek and heads downstairs. "Okay, ready."

"Bout time" Dirk says and starts to walk expecting the Kinian to follow.

Adam happens to be going the same way, and with longer legs.

(He is also wearing his highwayman voile, without comment.)

"The Hearth is sick," Dirk says "We all gotta step up. With her sick, others are doing the Hearth thing but Sally Mae is out of town, Tove is knocked up so she's not supposed to get too close... so Sylvi Siv and Even Dags are trying to handle Hearth stuff.... but frankly, it takes all three to have a chance. The Hearth is important shit. So you and I need to step up on our side"

"She ok?" A faint frown.

"What part of sick do you not get?" Dirk says and kicks a stick out of the way

He's...worried.

"Like cancer, or a cold?"

"Nah, not Cancer" A sigh "Might be the flu, but for fae...sometimes sickness has nervousa"

"Has what?"

"Nervousa is like... extra nasty chimera... they can even take virus like forms, pox is an old old fear man."

"Huh."

"So her being sick might make extra nasty chimera appear?"

"Ever hear of fever dreams?"

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

"Yeah, some changelings hitting a high fever have even imagined their own nightmares. "

"So what are we doing today? Just patrol?"

"Until I learn how to find a flu and bite it's head off for hurting my peeps? Yeah" A scowl at the air as if trying to summon that virus that plauges the hearth so he can kill it

"Kay." And so he patrols.

And they walk together, Dirk 's bad mood has him kick and whack things, but at least not animals or people.

Adam shows every sign of not noticing this; in fact, it might be he's on a walk by himself, alone.

Then a voice calls out "HELP!" A child's voice.

And Dirk turns "Show time"

He draws his weapon and heads to help the boy calling out.

As does Adam!

Malcolm, newest Eshu in the area, is running for his life. Behind him, a nightmare ...the monster is a giant spider of sorts, but an aysemetrical filthy arachnid. It itself appears to be made of cobwebs and dust

"I hate these fucking things!!!" Adam pulls his stick to the fore, leaving the mace holstered..... for now.

The spider turns to the new comers and chitters "Neglect, filth...death!" HISS

And Dirk yells "Make sure the kid gets to safety, I'll draw it's attention. It's what the trolls would want"

Cursing roundly, Adam motions Malcolm to safety.

And Dirk's morning star hits that giant spider, cracking a leg and hobbling it. But his weapon gets sticky.

Adam looks around for a good hiding spot for Malcolm.

Malcolm is cleared by a distance "I can run from here, go!"

"I gotta make sure, kid.... come on....."

And further out they go.. he leaves the Redcap alone, but gets Malcolm further to safety into view of the lodge

"Get in the Lodge." He orders, ready to turn back.

Malcolm says "you're not the boss of me!" Then stomps into the lodge