#odyssey

"Too bad the f-cker didn't bleed." He sighs in regret, they just don't make concrete falls like they used to.

"Yeah, well."

"Knight's Heart, and hopefully not a thallain this time?"

"Are we asking too much to bring Iron into their ride? Maybe we should take a normal cab."

Grunt. Nod.

Moving to the street, he watches for a yellow car to zoom by, even as he checks for Ubers on his mortal app.

Turns out they do have taxis... AND ubers. There is a Taxi dropping someone off but it will likely leave after doing so if they don't hurry. Or they can get an Uber in 5 to 10

Dagmar raises a hand to hail!

Symon hustles! After retrieving his sneakers, that is. No shoes, no service is always a danger.

The taxi wasa about to take off... but hard to miss a girl that tall to hail it and instead it moves in front of them

"Get on in if you want soemone who KNOWS this town" The cabbie says. A mortal guy, but he's got a friendly enough face

"Good, we need to get to (address from Tess)" She slides into the seat.

"Oh...that's a bit out of the city" hee says "But it's gorgeous. Tell you what, I won't charge you outside city rates for it. Times are tough all over right?"

She nods. "Yeah. You're a real bro."

"Thanks." mutters her soft-spoken friend.

They drive "you two don't sound like locals, forgive me for saying so. " he's a chatty cabbie "Where you from?"

"The Big Apple." Only a tiny flinch!

"Oh well, we probably seem tiny to you then" he means city wise "I was in New York City once... I forget which part.. the area with the folks always in a rush and a bit rude?"

"Not that YOU guys are rude.. .pardon, but you know what I mean.. hurry hurry types. No pleases, no thank yous because they gotta make time"

A grin. "All cool."

"And it's pretty here. I like the lake."

"Oh yeah, you know, it's like in the top 3 greatest repositories of fresh water in the world. I forget which place it has" He beams with pride

and as they leave the city proper, it gets down right glorious with the shore side view here, and the growing greenery there...

Symon glances back towards the dim alleyways they are leaving behind with a small sigh.

Symon may remember he has some rubbings to get before they leave this County, but it can wait

Brow lift? ("What's wrong?")

Well, it is bright out here

As they approach what must be the area you can find that freehold....

"It's... kinda pretty out here." He says in a deadpan tone.

a bullet smashes through the driver's side windshield and hits the cabbie.... "Crapola!" He curses the most violent curse most non nocker minnesotans use... and they swerve, threatening to slide off the rocky path and into the lake below! However, our nameless son of adam shows the difference between a 'mere uber driver' and a true taxi pro! And he manages to stop it about six feet from a plummet!

"Ah, kids. I'm kind of bleeding here... you better... better get down. SOmeone just shot at us"

"Shit!"

Dagmar peels off a pile of cash, dropping it off before collecting Symon AND Bilbo in her arms.

Fortunately, Dagmar has big arms

And Symon is light. But to hit them, the bullets will have to get through her first. She bolts from the cab, running towards the hold! (In a zig-zag. Olgar would be proud)

She may recall advice once from Vali. About Wyrding if you wanted your chimerical armor to be of any use against autumn bullets!

But she might decide to conserve her glamour and rely on pure footwork. Her call

She has dross, there's a hold... yeah, worth the cost!

And where one wyrds, so does the world around her...

where once there was a big biracial teen, now, there is an armored tank of a wilder troll!

Symon's ears are still ringing... but his eyes remain keen and he might spot the shooter , after all, Dagmar is doing the weaving for both of them. He has time

"ULP." He squeaks as he's grabbed up. Crushing a bit of dross in his own pocket - this might use up the last of what he got from the Knight's Heart, alas... he works a touch of Chicanery directed towards the cabbie. If the poor guy looks up, hopefully the fuddle will prevent him from seeing a Blue Giant this close to a hold, but rather a scared teen fleeing after an unexplained almost car crash.

Symon casts his cantrip on the cabbie... and it seems to work

meanwhile, another BULLET whizes past him as dagmar twists to get them both out of the way even as she whirls. The spin gives him a chance and he sees the gunman, a thallian goblin, up on a ledge. He has the high ground!

She can make the hold. She will get Symon and Bilbo to safety. She MUST do this.

"Dagmar - high left, 2'oclock!" He indicates where the attack is coming from!

Grunt. Running!!

With the warning of WHERE this shit is coming from, Dagmar knows how to use a few trees for a kind of cover on the way, hardly ideal but better

Still - any bullets should hit her back or arms. She really should work on learning oakenshield...